The Harriet Project

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T14:34:00.000-08:00

It.will.be.the.beginning.of.great.things.Ecstatic.about.2012!

Pursuing Justice?

2011-09-21T15:55:00.001-07:00

In a matter of minutes, Troy Davis an inmate on death row, convicted in the 1991 killing of an off duty Savannah, Georgia police officer Mark MacPhail will be executed. The days leading up to the execution, have been fraught with campaigns championed by Congressmen and other elected officials, Nobel Prize winner, Desmond Tutu, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and other organizations. If the execution of Troy Davis is stayed, justice may not be served. Justice goes beyond the premise of innocence and guilt and granting clemency to one individual is not entirely justice.

The death or impending demise of another human should evoke some sense of empathy, however, when that human is dying because it is believed that they deserve to perish, empathy soon finds its way out of the window and the grim reaper is heralded. If Davis is executed today, it will be a victory for the family of MacPhail who have had to deal with the loss of a son, who was killed in the prime of his life; a young father at twenty seven. While the death of Davis will bring closure for one family stricken with grief, his own family will be torn by the loss of their son. Herein, there seems to be an equality of sorts because each family loses a son. The only difference is that one family was informed of the loss after it occurred and the other family has had time to ready themselves to mourn a son.

For others, the disparity is greater than timing. It is about a failed judicial system, racial inequality, and a system that thrives on subtle Jim Crow laws that we like to believe are a relic of the past. Deciding the case of Davis' innocence is almost as complex as deciphering ancient languages that have been lost. The entire case is steeped in witness testimonies that at first seemed unadulerated, then were recanted, evidence that was denied admission, positive admission by the defendant, witness testimony, and casings from the murder weapon that matched casings that were beieved to have been used in an earlier crime by the defendant.

The entire case is nothing short of a witches brew and it is only on this ground that the debate over the death penalty is justified. Capital punishment when deserving is appropriate. It might not deter, but it is the closest to justice that society is capable of devising. Besides, it is in line with the Levitical philosophy of an "eye for an eye." Hence, when heinous crimes do happen, the last thing society should do is turn the other cheek. Turning the other cheek is the antithesis of civilized society although champions of human rights might argue that the death penalty is.

Whatever side of the debate anyone chooses, one thing is clear, that Davis was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Although a mere four hours away from Atlanta, the city of Savannah is a case study in poverty among African Americans. The majestic weeping willows and restored mansions on Abercorn street- with outhouses that are a reminder of the south's slave ridden past- contrast sharply with the poverty in neighborhoods only a few miles away where the sound of gun shots and periled cries are a constant. The sound of periled cries are cries that Davis is famiiar with, cries that prosecutors believe he sometimes evoked on occasion and perhaps in the murder of MacPhail. It might be argued that Davis is a victim of circumstance and so society needs to pardon him and heed his plea for a second chance.

As much as I do not want to see an innocent man suffer for a crime he did not commit, cases like this are an occasion to examine our communities. Why was Davis a high school drop out and dilatory worker in possession of an unregistered weapon? Why didn't the Davis family have access to state assistance for their disabled child, requiring Davis to drop out of high school to provide assistance for his family? Where was the male figure in the Davis family at the time of the murder?

Thus, while the evidence is controverted and there is clear proof that justice did not proceed as it should, we need to put the blame on Davis first. If Davis was known to his community as a third grade teacher and not as a derelict he would not be mentioned in this case. Davis is like countless others who make bad choices and then appeal to society when the consequeces of their action are brought to bare. Poverty surely is a crutch, but is never an excuse for irresponsibility. So, while I cannot speak on behalf of Davis' innocence because I am unsure of it, I can make the appeal that the legal system is proceeding on faulty footing and this alone should be reexamined.

35 before 35

2011-09-05T20:32:00.000-07:00

I was sorely afraid to write this post. Not because I mind sharing some of my goals, but rather I was afraid I had lost the touch and forgotten how to write. I have not blogged in six months for several reasons and I forgot how good and quite cathartic putting ink to paper feels symbolically.

This blog post was inspired by my sister, Wally, who wrote a list of thirty things she plans to do before turning thirty. Without giving too much away, setting thirty as a goal might seem over zealous in my case, so I went with the nearest milestone age, thirty five.

I have always been good at making mental lists and checking things off once I got them done. However, a lot can be said about writing things down on paper. Mental notes are soon forgotten and there's a certain permanence that comes with the written word. I remember at the age of seventeen I scribbled the words "I owe myself a college degreee" in a journal I owned. For some reason, I feared I would not get one. I don't know why, but that nagging fear was there. Now, working on my third degree, I stumbled across that old journal and I read about the fears I had then and realized that writing out my thoughts and ending on the note that I would get a college degree helped put a lot in perspective.

So here goes some from my bucket list:

3. Graduate from Law School
5. Visit all the continents I haven't been to yet
11. Learn to swim
12. Pay for the groceries of everyone in a long line in front of me at the grocery store
15. Become a certified scuba diver
17. Run a half marathon
19. Attend every tennis grand slam tournament
20. World Cup
21. Own a boxer named Denver
22. Give back significantly to my alma mater
23. Force my parents into early retirement
25. Vacation for a whole month
27. Attend Fashion Week in New York, London, Paris, and Milan
28. Be part of the solution to alleviating global poverty
34. Learn to bake a "bad" red velvet cake
35. Learn contentment in everything

I think this is a good place to start.

#blackhistorymonth

2011-02-01T16:45:00.000-08:00

Today marks the 35th anniversary of the celebration of Black History Month, also commonly referred to as African-American History Month. What began in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson as Negro History Month is now celebrated in February to commemorate and highlight the accomplishments of Africans in the diaspora. So, from February first until the last day in the month it will not be uncommon to see events that are directed and sponsored to help celebrate these achievements. Anyone who is tuned in to popular culture might have heard a comic or two question why the shortest calendar month was chosen. Why not January, July, October, or December? Those months have thirty-one days and do not suffer the effect of leap years they jest. While comics banter light heartedly, critics have weighed in and suggested that if black history truly is Amerian history then it need not be celebrated. To that I say it needs to be celebrated for the same reason that while Barack Obama is America's president he is Black America's president too.

This Sunday as I sat in church and watched a group of ladies dance I was moved. I was elevated because more than all art forms, dance is such a pure expression of freedom. I worship at a predominantly black church because I prefer the culture of the black church. So, for almost five minutes, I watched the women move gracefully, many of them in their late fifties and sixties. I desired that I would have such agility in my old age, but more than that the fluidity of their movements, leaps, and pirouettes, were a reminder of a much greater freedom. That from slavery and that to me was worth leaping for. The United States of America respected and granted its inhabitants the right to worship freely but still endorsed slavery for seventy six more years. When African-Americans praise God and leap and jump and shout out in the aisles, it is a testament to freedom, freedom of worship and freedom from slavery.

Undeniably, there is a need for Black History Month just like there will always be a need to never forget the day Barack Obama was sworn in as President. The need to remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Langston Hughes, Madame C.J. Walker, Marcus Garvey, Harriet Tubman, Condoleeza Rice, Oprah Winfrey, Johnson H. Johnson, Billie Holiday, Michael Jordan, Colin Powell amongst others will always persist. But as much as Black History Month is a reminder of accomplishments, it should also be a call to responsiblity and a time for deep reflection and to ask the all important question of what we are doing with our freedom. We did not become free to shake our behinds on national television, invest our money in consumer goods while our net worth suffers or lead the nation in new cases of HIV infections. We are better than that. We are a huge market and our presence should be felt not just only in the cash registers of department stores but in the halls of the Ivy Leagues, in government, in the film industry, technology and everywhere else there is a name to be made in the pursuit of something positive. But while we work towards that, Black History Month is and will always be celebrated in February.

Where Did All the Time Go?

2011-01-28T22:35:00.000-08:00

I am unashamedly addicted to the internet. I do have a knack for being able to find almost anything on the internet. So if you're trying to hide something from me, you'd be unwise to dig a big virtual hole to stash that something away because I will find it. I spend a lot of my time reading the news, but the news is so varied today and gossip counts as news, hence I read a lot of gossip blogs. Interestingly, I bet I could tell you what Kanye West had for lunch on January 15. But then again the internet is so full of verbal vomit that if I know what Mr. West had for lunch, it's only because he told me on Twitter.

I've found great things on the internet and met people on the internet. No I do not have a membership on eharmony or one of those sites, but I have made some great contacts.

Frequently, I'm asked by people how I am able to find so much on the internet. To that question, I sometimes have not had the model response, I do not think there is one. But after being proded, I am going to share some sites that I have grown to love on this thing called the internet and will be interested in knowing what some of my readers enjoy.

1. Apartment Therapy
2. Facebook
3. Southern Weddings
4. Karla's Closet
5. The New York Times
6. The Sartorialist
7. The Young, Black, and Fabulous
8. Twitter
9. Bleed for Fashion
10. Gentlemen's Quarterly
11. Lonely Planet
12. NPR
13. The Harriet Project
14. New York Magazine
15. LexisNexis

In Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2011-01-17T15:26:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

2011-01-06T11:41:00.000-08:00

It's already the sixth day in 2011. I am truly thrilled to be alive because it's going to be an even better year than 2010. I've been working on a mental bucket list and here are ten things off that list that I must do in 2011. My list is actually a lot longer though.

1. Learn how to swim, so I can learn to scuba dive.
2. Take a road trip out west {Utah, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico}
3. Meet MO :)
4. Attend The White House Project's Annual Convention, Passion 2011 in Forth Worth, SXSW?, Essence Music Festival, HBS Africa Business Conference, and a food festival of some sort.
5. Write more short stories.
6. Write more short stories.
7. Give to a different charity every month {I already gave to Partners in Health for January; you should give to them too and support the work they do}.
8. Be a better friend, sister, daughter, grandchild, student, cousin, and aunty {even though my nephew is a sometimes monster, lol}.
9. Invest in a lot more items that have resale value.
10. Read more books. I find reading makes me a better writer and I live to write amongst other things.

Bonus: Cook more than I did in 2010 and make sure there's some good red wine on hand.

A Work in Progress

2010-12-05T07:18:00.000-08:00

Below is an excerpt from a story I began working on in the summer of 2009 [sigh], however, I plan to add more to it over winter break. Right now, it is quite wordy and not devoid of errors in both syntax and grammar. So go easy on it and on me. Thanks.

There is only one way to get back home. Take the bridge down Ahmadu Bello Road over the Kaduna River down to Barnawa. It was always Barnawa until the riot turned it into New Jerusalem with the Christians on one side and the Muslims on the other.

It was almost dusk. The call for prayers went out as the flock began to return home. They understood the call and poured into the compound in single file. The older rams rubbed their sides against the wall as they entered while the lambs frisked around. Mallam Umaru rolled lazily on his bed. He had been in the same position since he finished his dinner. Dinner was tuwo, a corn meal staple and soup made from okra. The soup was very thin so that the okra lay in clumps at the bottom of the bowl while a whitish liquid floated on top. There were two chunks of meat in the soup.

Actually, the chunks weren’t really meat. They were bones the butcher saved for people who could not afford to purchase meat. The bones were typically filled with thick yellow marrow that oozed out and hung limply by a thread-like film.

The bones were kept in a bucket covered with swarms of bluish green flies. The flies were usually loud and the butcher often had to yell above the sound of their annoying chorus. His yelling coupled with the rhythmic slamming of his knife made him look sinister. He never gave a bone away. He sold every part of the cows he purchased. The testicles too, every part had some value.

Last week, Mallam Umaru had to severely whip his youngest son Yahaya. Yahaya had toppled the pot of soup as he tried to gnaw off some of the meat on the bone. The crashing of the pot to the ground woke the entire house. Mallam Umaru unleashed his wrath on the young boy, letting the horsetail whip inflict stripes. He couldn’t decide on what to be angry about, the fact that his son had tried to eat the meat off the bones or that there would be no dinner the next day.

Finally, he planted his feet on the floor rubbed his eyes and then smoothed the fuzz on his head. He let his fingers linger much longer in the middle, circling his bald spot slowly as he fixed his gaze on the door. His eyes dropped down to his prayer mat and then he looked at the corner of the room where his golden kettle was nestled with several plastic kettles. He heard the call again and finally pulled his weight off the bed.

As he opened the door to exit the house, the rams stood up and walked away from under the awning giving him room to make his path. He walked hastily towards the gate his long robes fluttering softly in the wind. As he walked down the road he thought about Salamatu. She had been with him the previous night and would be back tonight. As the thought of the previous night crossed his mind a smile formed on his face. He didn’t see the young man on the bicycle and he didn’t have the time to jump out of the bicycle’s path. The bicycle was old and rusty. The brakes would have been useless even if the driver applied them.

Mallam Umaru felt the left handle bar plow into his sides and then he was knocked off balance. His kettle lodged itself by the front tire of the bicycle and his mat lay a few feet away on the ground. As soon as he landed on his bottom an orange fell into his lap. A few minutes ago, the orange had been sitting in a carefully arranged pattern with others on a metal tray balanced on the head of the bicyclist.

The young bicyclist began to curse at him for not looking out. Mallam Umaru rubbed his head again this time, but he did not let his fingers linger on his bald spot. He ran them down quickly and let his hand slide past his belly button all the way down. The cursing grew louder and a small crowd started to form.

“Dan Iska” the boy yelled, “Open your eyes old man and look where you are going.” He continued.

“If you’re too hungry to keep your eyes open for long then pray in your bedroom.” He said, his voice rising higher.
Mallam Umaru looked up, trying to find a sympathetic face among the crowd of strangers. A younger man in glasses with his prayer mat slung over his shoulder stepped forward and offered to pay the boy for the oranges. The boy stated an inflated price and stuck his hand out defiantly, a look of anger on his face. The bespectacled gentleman put a wad of notes in his hand and begged him to forgive the old man.

Mallam Umaru sat in bitter silence, wallowing in the shame of the whole incidence. He was grateful for his long robe that ran to his feet. It masked the telltale signs of his thoughts just before the accident. With the help of another gentleman he propped himself up and thanked the bespectacled gentleman. The gentleman pressed some money into his hands and told him to praise Allah he was okay.

A young boy blind in one eye with unshorn hair handed him his kettle and mat and asked if he was okay. The boy lingered for a few minutes starring at the crumpled notes in Mallam Umaru’s hands. The boy had already filled his enamel bowl with the dust-covered oranges he gleaned off the floor and through his good eye he looked intently at Mallam Umaru, expecting a note or two. As he gazed, he raised his hand quickly to smack a fly that had perched itself on the thick mucus that ran from his nose. Grateful for the distraction, Mallam Umaru thanked the onlookers, mumbled an apology to the young bicyclist and continued on his way to the mosque.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T23:24:00.000-08:00

Here's an excerpt of the things I am thankful for taken from my Facebook page...I am thankful for Law School, Barack Obama, Mad Men, Marie Claire magazine, great books, Maxwell's voice, mechanical pencils, ice-cream, JD's Chippery, perfume, chocolate, my endearing MacBook, fur inspite of PETA, blogs, great furniture, NYTimes, amazing destinations, overly sweetened iced tea, shea butter, dental floss, lipstick, great convos, Amy Winehouse singing "Take the Box," air freshner, candles, and incense (lol), NM, Cardozo's opinions, Gentlemen's Quarterly, Publix, Target, good health inspite of all the odds, Mama Oprah, African print, beautiful shoes, museums, couture dresses, great photography and mostly thankful that The Game returns to regularly scheduled programming on Jan 11, 2011 (BETs best decision ever). Besos!

Learning to Smile Like An American

2010-11-18T11:36:00.000-08:00

Upon my arrival in the United States from Nigeria eleven years ago, I noticed something rather peculiar about Americans. They always smiled. At first, I found it alarming that strangers would smile at me for no apparent reason. But I soon learned that Americans smiled quite effortlessly because theirs was perhaps the only country where the article of their liberation included the right to the pursuit of happiness.

Had I left Nigeria for New York, or some other New England state, my experience might have been different. But I came to Atlanta, the home of Southern hospitality, where your smile has to be as sweet as the tea and your disposition as light as biscuits.

The first episode of someone smiling at me for no reason at all occurred one afternoon at the grocery store. As I walked in, a lady made eye contact with me and just began grinning widely. I did not know how to respond, for it was an awfully awkward moment. Was she smiling at me lovingly as she would her child or was she mocking me with her smile?

A few months after being in the United States, I began working at my first job as a cashier at Target. My red Abercrombie and Fitch polo shirt and my Gap khakis made me look every inch the American, but there was something missing. It was not so much in my looks, but rather my disposition. Three months after working at my job, I received a review from my supervisor which was otherwise stellar but for one single line that read something like “Improve on your smile” or maybe it was “Learn to smile at customers.” The response to the unfavorable evaluation I received was a crying bout that lasted for almost half an hour in the store bathroom.

After the incidence at work, another occurred at my church. I was walking down the aisle after depositing my offering at the altar when the youth Pastor and his wife, both Americans, began gesturing at me wildly to smile. I am not exaggerating, for they were almost falling out of the pews. I was wounded and mortified. I wasn’t angry or in a bad mood that day, I just wasn’t accustomed to walking around smiling like a goof ball, especially when solemn music was playing in the background. Smiling unnecessarily was the domain of jesters or fools, who had nothing better to do than grin like the Cheshire cat all day.

In her book, “Smile or Die: How Positive Thinking Fooled America and the World,” Barbara Ehrenreich, author of “Nickel and Dimed” and “Bait and Switch,” explores the folly of the American culture of cheerfulness and positive thinking. Ehrenreich discusses her diagnoses of breast cancer in 2001and her subsequent induction to the sorority of pink ribbons and bunny rabbits and incessant admonishment to put on a happy face and just be cheerful. Ehrenreich launches a full attack on the cult of cheerfulness in America where positive is seen as normal and any deviation from the norm is malign or un-American.

In all, Americans are by far the most cheerful humans on the face of the earth. From birth, they are told to smile, have a positive attitude, and are indoctrinated with upbeat slogans that are much a part of Americana as cheeseburgers and baseball. The culture of cheerfulness that’s born in the homes and stirred up in the schools is carried on to the work place where employers constantly encourage their workers to be pleasant. They are reminded to smile, to look cheerful and to always have a “can do” attitude. Nowhere else in the world is the doctrine of cheerfulness expounded as it is in the United States. There is no room for the curmudgeon here. America is the land where everyone smiles because we are all so elated we cannot hold back our contagious joy. For we have learned that when you smile at the world, the world smiles back at you.

America’s rabid obsession with insipid optimism is even immortalized in popular culture. The most popular icon of the movement is the yellow smiley face designed by Harvey Ball in 1963. Ball never patented his idea, thus forfeiting the cash cow it would become. However, in the 1970s brothers Murray and Bernard Spain, looking for means to make some quick cash, borrowed Harvey’s smiley and added the phrase “Have a happy day,” creating a revolution of sorts. The phrase would change over time to read “Have a nice day,” becoming the slogan for a nation that was mired in racial turmoil and fighting a war in Vietnam.

Unfortunately, the hot pursuit of happiness and cheer sadly belie the statistics and polls that find the United States bringing in the rear on happiness indices. While it may be easy to discredit these indices for not being thoroughly based on scientific evidence, the sales and prescriptions of anti-depressants and levels of violent crimes shows that the positive thinking campaign may be falling on deaf ears. By contrast, Nigeria for all its instability and discouraging development indices once took the top spot as the happiest country in the world.

French philosopher Jean Baudrillard taking inventory of the omnipresent culture of happiness in the United States remarked that, “whether I am right in all this or not, they certainly do smile at you here, though neither from courtesy, nor from an effort to charm. This smile signifies only the need to smile. It’s a bit like the Cheshire cat’s grin: it continues to float on faces long after all emotion has disappeared.” Baudrillard’s observation is quite interesting, because the smiles I received were sometimes juxtaposed against contradictory behavior. The same person who smiled at me was the same individual who would be really stern and sometimes downright mean, lending credence to Shakespeare’s famous line from Hamlet, “A man may smile, and smile and be a villain.”

Interestingly, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, the perfect paradigm of a self-loather, would list the song “Smile” made famous by Charlie Chaplin as his favorite. The chorus of the song, “Smile though your heart is aching, smile even though it’s breaking, when there are clouds in the sky, you’ll get by…” are outside of the realm of common sense, for it ignores the idiocy of its instructions, because the sky could indeed be falling over your head. So, is it probable to assume that Jackson might still be alive if he had found an outlet for his emotional disturbances rather than hide them behind a dubious smile?

Nonetheless, after a decade of living in the United States I have become infected with the cheerfulness bug and find people who don’t smile disturbing. Recently, my sister showed me a picture of a friend’s two-year old niece and at once, I made a comment that she had grown out of her good looks and would have look prettier if she had been smiling. Perhaps she had not yet learned to say “cheese,” ensuring that her smile was wide, barring those pearly whites.

Just last week, I went to an Asian grocery store in my neighborhood to return a rotten bag of mussels I had purchased earlier. I left the store feeling slightly irritated until I walked by an old Asian lady who I believe had just made the trip across the Pacific to a new life in the Americas. She looked quite unhappy as she trudged behind her family, seemingly lost in this new sea of red, white, and blue. So, for my personal fracas with the so-called culture of cheer, imagine my surprise when I made eye contact with her and then ensued to do what I believed was the most American of all behaviors. I smiled.

Will the Real Italian-Americans Please Stand Up?

2010-08-08T18:45:00.000-07:00

What Francis Ford Coppola’s epic movie, “The Godfather,” did in inviting the movie going public to an experience of Italian-American culture is now being attempted by MTV’s reality series, “Jersey Shore,” now in its second season. The reality series that was first filmed in August 2009 in Seaside, New Jersey, debuted on December of the same year to mixed reviews. Chronicling the lives of eight young adults who worked at a boardwalk souvenir store in exchange for room and board, the show thrives on the dramatization of offensive Italian-American stereotypes and the use of the term guido and guidette, a pejorative slang term that refers to working class Italian-Americans.

What the series has done is obliterate images of hard working Italian-Americans arriving at Ellis Island with leathery, sun burned faces with a new breed of obnoxious, bacchanal young adults, whose existence is defined by excessive gym visits, frequent tanning, poor diction, uncouth behavior, gel spiked hair, slutty outfits, alcohol abuse, and promiscuous behavior.

When Mario Puzo walked into the office of Robert Evans, who was then head of production for Paramount Pictures in the spring of 1968, he came bearing a few pages of written script that would later become The Godfather, the piece de resistance of his career. Puzo’s book based entirely on research was about organized crime within a prominent Italian-American family and introduced the word Mafia into American lexicon, sparking a war between Paramount Pictures and the dark stratums of the Mob.

So offensive was the word Mafia that the head of one of the largest mob families in New York at the time, Joseph Colombo Sr. began an organization, The Italian American Civil Rights League that set out to charge the F.B.I with persecution and violation of civil rights.

Puzo’s book was going to tell about the fabled Italian underworld, outing a string of actual mob families that profited from racketeering and illicit gambling operations.

Attempting to halt Puzo and Paramount, Colombo and his cohorts then embarked on a war of sorts fraught with threats that were of the same ilk as the sight of a prize horse’s head wrapped in silk bed sheets.

The response to threats from Colombo would lead to a meeting that cornered the movie producers into erasing any mention the word mafia (which by the way only appeared once) from the movie script and Paramount subsequently garnering the support of Colombo and the greater Italian-American community.

While Coppola’s movie may be criticized for being about as offensive as Jersey Shore, depicting Italian-Americans as savage, cold-blooded brutes, The Godfather can be treated as social commentary that is reflective of American life, playing on themes of sex, greed, love for family, and capitalism. What’s more, it’s a reflection of great writing and skillful minds. Jersey Shore however is different. The cast members are left to use their imagination to humor the audience. But what starts off as comedy quickly turns into a farce on Italian-Americans. It can be argued that the series is reflective of contemporary American youngsters, but the series is not an equal opportunity undertaking. The main stars are Italian-Americans. No jokes are made on other sub-cultures, the show promises after all to show us guidos at their best.

Surely, MTV is no PBS nor has ever claimed to be the instructor on what is and isn’t acceptable in race relations or normal human behavior (not with shows like Jackass or Parental Control), still the subtle lessons on the show cannot be ignored. Mention the word Italian-American and the first images that come to mind aren’t of cheese or Don Corleone. Rather, Snooki and her bird’s nest hairdo are proximate.

Incidentally, the second season of Jersey Shore makes it grand debut on the same day as Arizona’s racist law, which is a poorly disguised witch hunt aimed at Latinos. Just like Arizona wants all of America to believe that SB 1070 will be as normal as having an order of fries with your super-sized burger, MTV wants you to believe that singling out a racial group for a gag is. But since hordes of people do not indulge in watching clips of fascist parades with nostalgia, I doubt that Jersey Shore will ever be remembered for anything close to brilliance in the future. The only memories of Jersey Shore will be crummy impressions of Snooki hidden in Facebook photo archives, under the album: Halloween.

Friday Photograph

2010-07-16T16:01:00.001-07:00

Mural from Coney Island...Amber Rose now graces murals? There's Hope. Have a great weekend!

photograph courtesy of fashionispoison

Viva España!

2010-07-11T21:16:00.000-07:00

On A Mother's Love

2010-07-10T00:58:00.000-07:00

"The Exotic and the sunlit when I could easily have had a boyhood of stern and dutiful English gray. She was the cream in the coffee, the gin in the Campari, the offer of wine or champagne instead of beer..."

~Christopher Hitchens

These few lines mark the authors dedication of his memoir to his mother. I read them and was profoundly moved by how beautifully crafted they were. "...the offer of wine or champagne instead of beer." So beautiful and so well deserving to not only mothers, mine chief among them all, but all kinds of lovers whose love is boundless.

No Sex in This City

2010-05-31T00:12:00.000-07:00

When I saw the first “Sex and the City” movie, I had perhaps only seen about six or seven episodes of the show. Not enough to call myself a fan or to recognize the name Carrie Bradshaw and all it symbolized. However, the buzz about the movie and rumors about Carrie finally getting the one thing she wanted more than all the Manolos at Bergdorf Goodman was enough for me to get a ticket and head down to the pictures with an old buddy from college.

I will admit that the movie was a visual treat. The fashion was splendid, the music was delightful and the plot was interesting. For all the climaxes and lows, the movie ends with Samantha as horny as when the pilot was shot, Charlotte enjoying matrimonial bliss, Miranda climbing the corporate ladder at her firm and Carrie still in pursuit of the elusive Big. I left the movie theatre entertained, mostly by the fashion, although I’ll admit the plot played a role in the euphoria I was floating in. But besides the labels and love theme of the movie, there was an underlying theme of pursuing dreams and searching for and finding happily ever after. After all, isn’t that what movies are supposed to challenge us to do?

Serendipitously, I was loaned the entire “Sex and the City” box set right on the heels of the release of “Sex and the City 2.” I’ve watched the series in the daytime, late into the night, on the weekends. I’ve watched a couple of episodes over. I have had to hit the pause button at several junctures to fully wrap my head around the outrageous yet funny episodes in the lives of Carrie and the girls. I am still plowing slowly in the frothiness that is the box set, having only made it to I believe episode five of season four. Slowly, it’s all making sense, as I’m able to put pieces of the puzzle together. Any honest woman will admit that you can’t watch either of the movies or episodes of the show without the realization that these women mirror some of their idiosyncrasies, fears, and who knows, their wild sex lives?

But seriously, watching the box set, I kept on asking myself, are there women out there who really live like Charlotte, Miranda, Carrie and Samantha? And Samantha? Are there really women who have multiple one-night stands? Women who sleep with bartenders, random movie stars, guys in dark, dingy clubs with bad haircuts? Do these women really exist somewhere out there or are they just the musing of Michael Patrick King and Darren Star? After all, let’s be honest, both King and Star are openly gay, so is it fair to assume that these women don’t exist, but that King and Star want to believe they do?

Having not been a fan when the show aired on HBO, I’ve been left to wonder if the show was only a poor attempt at mimicking the culture of single thirty somethings or if the show was the perfect paradigm of what women should aspire to. It would be nice to have Michael Buble’s “Call Me Irresponsible” playing in the background every time the show came on because that’s the only tag for the behavior that was constantly paraded on the show. Irresponsibility at its finest. Sexual irresponsibility.

Sure, the show starts of with condom-carrying Carrie, but it’s not until one of the final episodes of Season three that any mention is made of the possible risks of unprotected sex after Samantha is forced to get tested by one of her cheap f@$#s, as she calls them. Still, in season four, unprotected sex is what gets Miranda pregnant for a boyfriend she’s long broken up with and who has in the space of their separation been with other women.

If there’s anything I have learned about American culture, it’s that Americans are quick to somehow believe that the people in the television box somehow set the standard of what acceptable behavior is. Look at what the O.C did to American teenagers. The foolishness still hasn’t stopped. It’s still going strong with the cast of “The Hills” and “The City.” What young person has not wished they were Lauren Conrad for a day? Let’s not talk about our favorite guidos and guidettes either. So I can only imagine the effect of “Sex and the City” on a horde of impressionable twenty and thirty somethings across this great country.

With “Sex and the City 2,” the quartet picked up from where they left off. Carrie finally is married to Big and has embarked on the task of furnishing their apartment, and lavishly so. I’ll call the furniture in their apartment the highlight of the movie. Samantha is still on the circuit sleeping with everything that uses a urinal, Miranda and Steve are still couple, while Charlotte is mothering two children. The movie begins with a wedding, that of Stanford to Anthony. The wedding is very gay, replete with a gay men’s glee club, white swans, and of course Liza Minnelli who reprises the spirit of Sasha Fierce in a very lousy rendition of “Single Ladies.”

The movie has no central plot, but rather skirmishes around with a plethora of plots. Samantha lands a promising public relations job that takes her and her friends to Abu Dhabi as guests of a very deep-pocketed client. In Abu Dhabi, they are spoiled with lavish gifts and lodged in a very expensive hotel where they each have a personal butler and a chauffeured car. The trip is a welcome break for Charlotte who is struggling with being a mother and for Miranda who just quit her position as senior partner at her firm.

In between desert safaris, poolside parties and shopping trips at the souk, Carrie runs into Aidan an old flame, and agrees to go to dinner with him, where they exchange a kiss. She goes ahead to tell Big who is angered by her behavior. I sensed some memory loss on Big’s part, because, the initial break-up between Carrie and Aidan occurred because Carrie cheated on Aidan with Big while Big was married to Natasha. As is typical with Samantha, she is caught having relations with a stranger on the beach and as a result, the free services they were given were cut and they were left with the option of staying on in Abu Dhabi at their own expense.

The supposed Abu Dhabi location and Islam are fodder for pushing the envelope, and the movie skirted with the topic of women’s rights. In a sense, the notion that American women are not fully free despite the so-called freedom we are supposed to have was discussed. But in a larger sense, the finger pointing was at Middle Eastern culture. The idea of wearing burqas and other such garments were parodied. I doubt that the movie and all it represents will humor Muslim clerics. First, it included sex scenes, the kinds that made the show a hit with a lot of fans and also, it made the mistake of shaming Muslim culture on a very public stage.

An interesting issue that the movie raised was the issue of migrant workers. Carrie’s assigned butler was a migrant worker from India who was only able to afford to make four trips home in a year to visit his family. Visiting Dubai two years ago, I was pained by the number of Indian and other South East Asian migrant workers that dotted the entire city. They worked long tortuous hours in service and labor-intensive jobs, building hotels they will never be able to afford and selling jewelry they will never sport. Nonetheless, it seems that the government of the UAE has some sort of migrant worker initiative in place. The United States might want to adopt a similar program or at least one that will make the antagonists in Washington and Arizona happy. Having witch-hunts aimed at illegal immigrants will not get very far and the sooner this realization is embraced the better.

The movie ends with Carrie returning back to an upset but humbled Big, who realizes his vows trump Carrie’s indiscretions. And of course, sexually liberated Samantha who wants the entire UAE to know that she has sex continues her relations with her very hot companion. In all the movie lacked in many aspects and tried too hard to live up to the supposed idea of “Sex and the City.”

Where Fear is Slave

2010-04-25T22:42:00.000-07:00

I remember reading a story as a child. I don't quite remember all of it, but it had to do with a sign on a mailbox that read G.I.Ant. Removing the punctuations, the words read "giant," with the punctuations, it could have stood for Geronimo Ignatius Ant, or Geraldine Imelda Ant. However, few people dared find out what it was. They read the words "giant" and immediately feared impending doom. Perhaps, they may have had unpleasant encounters with giants in the past and now were scarred by the experience. If only they cared to knock on the door, a poor little ant whose initials were G.I. would have welcomed them in.

Last week, I had a G.I.Ant moment. I got a salad from Chick-fil-A. I was going to write I got a salad from a fast food place, but God forbid it was some other place...My order was wrong to begin with and there was no silverware in the bag. I took the salad home either way and called to let the manager of the location know. A few bites into my meal, I began to choke on the salad. It was not horrific by any stretch, but it scared me. I managed to have a few bites but I had to give up on the salad eventually.

Later the same evening at a dinner event, I was about to put a piece of salmon in my mouth, when all of a sudden I was gripped by fear. Fear of choking on my food. I got so scared I didn't eat a bite of the food and the food was good...salmon, spring salad, pasta, cremé brulee, key lime pie, and cheese cake. I put a piece of the whipped cream to my lips and the fear paralyzed me. I came home hungry and gave little thought to the fear that now seemed to envelope me.

On Sunday, I didn't eat a bite. I was stricken with fear. Finally with my sister sitting in my room, I managed to eat a cup of yogurt and tea in an hour and half. I was frozen. The days rolled by. Sunday turned into Monday, gave way to Tuesday...by the end of Wednesday, all I had eaten was the yogurt, tea, and some fish soup. I looked up choking on the internet and realized that I was becoming prey to a condition called "pseudodysphagia," or irrational fear of choking. This is a psychological disorder where the sufferer fears choking on foods, and adopts a liquid diet because some foods are seen as unsafe and viewed as hazardous.

This may seem light but by yesterday, I had only had one full meal. I had little snacks inbetween, spending perhaps twenty five minutes on two cookies. I prayed with my family and some friends and had to believe God that this torment was a lie devised by the devil. If I could gulp down three glasses of milk, then why was I afraid to eat a piece of chicken. I had to realize that Satan was trying to create fear in my heart. In my despair I reached for scripture after scripture and I found comfort in John 17:15, "...that you protect them from the evil one." This was a direct prayer Jesus prayed to the Father before his crucifixion. It resonated deeply with me that Jesus had taken the time to pray for his sheep before his departure. Reading the entire chapter, I found prayers that addressed almost every challege we could potentially face.

The fear of choking, the fear of heights, of speaking in public, arachnophobia, of death, of poverty, sickness, the fear of G.I.Ant. Fear can take hold if we let it, but God reminds us that he has not given us the spirit of fear, but of love, power, and a sound mind. I suffered for a whole week at one time feeling really weak and exhausted. I knew God was present, but I didn't trust him full when I should have. Don't let fear put you in a corner. Be bold and take the plunge trusting that the one who bids you come will not let you fall. Go out on a limb and let God bear the shame if you fail...because you won't. He'll be there to rein you in and will not let go. So today, stare down your fears and remember God's got your back.

The Gift of Time

2010-04-06T20:31:00.000-07:00

I haven’t written in so long that I almost believe I may need to relearn the art of writing. It is true that when God endows us with gifts, those gifts are lasting. However, even the most gifted of us must practice. If Michelangelo only sculpted when he was in the mood, if Oprah only spoke on days she felt like doing so, Tiger only played when his secrets were in the closet, if Alvin Ailey only danced…okay, so I believe I’ve made my point clear.

Lately, I’ve had some time on my hands, time I’ve spent doing mostly nothing. Sometimes I decry the constant boredom. I wish I were doing. Doing academic work, doing some kind of work, just doing. I am a doing person. I hate being idle. Sometimes I don’t know exactly how to relax because I am always planning or scheduling activities in my head. It’s just my nature. I detest boredom. I don’t leave my home without reading material. I am terrified of being somewhere and not having a book or magazine to read. This doesn’t mean I am some hermit who uses the excuse of a book to ignore human company. I enjoy company but I’d much rather read.

So, as I have all this time on my hands, I keep wishing I were doing something else. However in the midst of wishing I were doing, I suddenly stopped a few afternoons ago. I realized that this might be the only time in my life for a long time, when I am completely and totally in control of my time. A time will come in my life when my time may not be mine alone. When my life will be given to the dictates of family, work, and other pressing demands of life.

As devoid of awe as this revelation was, it was one of those moments Isaac Newton must have had on the verge of great invention. I realized I had a great gift, one that many seek, but only few ever posses; the gift of time. Upon this realization, my thinking shifted. Sometimes in life, nothing major has to change. We don’t have to come into great wealth or find the elixir of youth. We just need a paradigm shift, a new way of thinking. So, in the meantime, I need to make sure I use this gift of time wisely to ensure I give back to the Giver a gift in this time.

Why the Saints Need to win Super Bowl XLIV

2010-02-07T12:45:00.000-08:00

i. Keeping up with the Kardashians needs to return for another season of pure mindless foolywang
ii. Reggie Bush needs to propose to Kim. Lala's got a man, Khloe's got Lamar, Kourtney has a son and a shrimp...
iii. I need to hear my Nawlins folk blow their brass instruments
iv. Nothing will give me as much pleasure as a celebratory Second Line all around the stadium
v. Hand grenades will taste much better
vi. The Saints need to go marching in tonight
vii. We need to see those white 'kerchiefs raised in victory
viii. It will be the right way to kick off Mardi Gras
ix. It will make wearing any garment or trinket with a fleur de lis so worth it tomorrow
x. After Katrina, don't the Saints deserve to win?

So, who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints? I thought so! Go Saints et laissez les bon temps rouler!

Hope for Haiti Now Telethon

2010-01-22T16:49:00.000-08:00

"Hope For Haiti Now: A Global Benefit For Earthquake Relief" announces lineup of superstar musical performances.

Wyclef Jean, Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Shakira, and Sting Will Appear in New York City; Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, Dave Matthews, John Legend, Justin Timberlake, Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift, and a Group Performance by Keith Urban, Kid Rock, and Sheryl Crow in Los Angeles; Coldplay, and a Group Performance by Bono, The Edge, Jay‐Z, and Rihanna in London.

All Performances to be Available for Purchase from Apple® iTunes® Store with Proceeds Benefiting Select Haiti Relief Funds. More than One Hundred of the Biggest Names in Film, Television, and Music to Appear on “Hope for Haiti Now,” Along with Wyclef Jean in New York City, George Clooney in Los Angeles, and CNN’s Anderson Cooper in Haiti.

The telethon will air commercial-free across MTV, VH1, ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CNN, BET, the CW, HBO, CMT, PBS, TNT, Showtime, Comedy Central, Bravo, E! Entertainment Network, National Geographic Channel, Oxygen, G4, Centric, Current TV, Fuse, MLB Network, Epix, Palladia, SoapNet, Style, Discovery Health and Planet Green. Canada's CTV, CBC Television, Global Television and MuchMusic also will air "Hope for Haiti," as will BET International, CNN International, National Geographic and MTV Networks International, making the event available in 640 million homes worldwide.

You can also view the entire "Hope for Haiti" telethon online, at www.facebook.com/DisasterRelief.

Information from Hope for Haiti Now Facebook page.

Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2010-01-19T20:36:00.000-08:00

The holiday was yesterday, but the dream lives on everyday.

Save Haiti Now

2010-01-12T23:25:00.000-08:00

A fierce earthquake labeled as the worse in 200 years devastated the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince on January 12. The 7.0 magnitude earthquake left the capital in shambles, with toppled buildings strewn all over. The death toll has not been estimated, however, it is sure to be high, in a city were overpopulation is an issue. That Haiti should suffer a catastrophe of this sort is quite sad, given that Haiti is without question the poorest country in the western hemisphere.

Over the next couple of days, I will blog more about Haiti. I have a special interest in the country, that began with Dr. Paul Farmer, renowned Harvard University professor of medicine whom I had the pleasure of meeting a few years ago in Denver and the famed writer Edwidge Danticat, who introduced me through her writings to the immigrant experience of Haitians in America. To help the relief effort in Haiti, please visit the following charities and follow their links to contribute monetarily.

yéle haiti
American Red Cross
Unicef

Please be a savvy giver. If you are unsure about any organizations soliciting funds for victims of the earthquake, do your research before making a donation.
Photograph courtesy of the New York Times

Weekend Post

2009-11-15T16:49:00.001-08:00

Pretty much sums up what I'm thinking right now...
Photograph courtesy of sea of shoes.

Only Champions Understand that Look

2009-11-14T20:34:00.000-08:00

Photograph courtesy of the Kanye blog.

Harriet Project's Top Ten Destinations for 2010

2009-11-14T17:15:00.000-08:00

1. New Year's Eve, South Beach, January 1
The numero uno spot for 2010 belongs to the New Year's Eve celebration going down in South Beach. What better way to bring in the New Year than with great music, good drinks, and festive people? The night will be filled with open bars, champagne toasts and celebrity hosts. Maxim magazine rates Miami as the number one party city and certainly the place to be to bring in the next decades in the new millenium. Miami is giving a party so large that clubs in South Beach actually have a website with a ticker counting down to the new year. The parties are going to be hosted by some of Miami's hottest party spots, including Mansion, Set, Louis, Cameo, and Wall. To find out more about the hottest party for NYE visit South Beach's own countdown to party website here.

2. Passion :: Twenty-Ten, Atlanta Georgia, Philips Arena and Georgia World Congress Center, January 2-5
But the party doesn't have to end in Miami does it? The next top destination for the new year is the Passion 2010 conference sponsored by Louis Giglio and the Passion Network. The Passion Network and Louis Giglio exist for one reason; to spread the fame and the name of the only one who matters the most, God. If you've ever visited 7:22, the mega Bible study of almost three thousand young adults that was initially at North Point Community Church and then finally at the Buckhead Church, you'll understand why this event must be tagged in your PDA or marked on your calendar under "must attend." Louis will be speaking and he always has a fresh word from God. Never stale. He's like the guy next door who wants to draw you into an intimate relationship with the Master. Registration for the event starts at $179 through December 1, 2009 but will be $209 at the door. The speakers and performers besides the inspiring Louis Giglio are Matt Redman, John Piper, Charlie Hall, Chris Tomlin, Andy Stanley, Fee, Francis Chan, and Beth Moore amongst others. Information about Louis Giglio and the Passion Network can be found by visiting their website.

3. Sundance Film Festival, Park City, Utah, January 21-31
One of my all time favorite film festivals rolls through Utah, for an exciting eleven days. For anyone who's about as crazy about indie films and great movies and documentaries, Sundance is the place to be. Think about Sundance as not just a place to peruse what movies might be contenders for awards and such, but see it as a prelude to fashion week. Sundance is the place to strut glamourous boots and those furs that will certainly drive PETA wild. The line up for the movies that will be showcased will be launched in December, so keep checking their website for more updates.

4. Mercedes Benz Fall Fashion Week, New York, February 11-18
For those still recovering from spring fashion week, there's more to drool over as fall fashion week takes over Bryant Park for one week plus a day. The line up as always is very exciting and promises to deliver on what trends will be hot in the fall of twenty-ten. At spring fashion week just a weeks ago, the hottest accesory of course was the Amber Rose, something Kanye West wears frequently like an amulet. Hopefully, Amber will be there to spice things up again under the tents come February. The line up of designers has not been published yet, however, registration for the event begins December 7th.

5. 82nd Academy Awards, Los Angeles, March 7
Next year, the Oscars will be moving to March instead of late February, to avoid competing for ratings with the Winter Olympics taking place in Vancouver. The hosts for the awards ceremony will be Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin. Although Baldwin and Martin make a remarkable comedic team, they score low marks on the sex appeal radar and pale in comparison to the previous host, the uber sexy Aussie, Hugh Jackman. Nonetheless, the hopefuls in all categories will be fierce. So far, the pictures generating tremendous Oscar buzz are Lee Daniel's movie "Precious" starring Monique, Gabourey Sidibe, Paula Patton, and Mariah Carey. Other notable mentions include Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds," The Princess and the Frog, Public Enemies, The Lovely Bones, Up, A Serious Man, Amelia, Coraline, Pedro Almodovar's "Broken Embraces," and the Clint Eastwood epic about Nelson Mandela starring Morgan Freeman. The Oscars are my favorite award and I can't wait until I actually make it to the red carpet at the Kodak Theatre.

6. SXSW 2010, Austin, Texas, March 12-21
The biggest media event comes to honky tonk country, Texas! South by Southwest rocked the socks off Austin this year and 2010 will be no exception. The buzz generated by the event this year was incredible. The performances and the showcases were top notch. Southwest is the ultimate destination to showcase music, films, and other interactive media. If I don't make it to any other event, I need to make it to SXSW 2010.

7. Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs, Kentucky, May 1
There's nothing like the Derby to bring out the belle in any well heeled southern lady. The Derby has become more than about horse races. The races while exhilarating are secondary. The fashion at the Derby takes the cake. The outfits are glamourous and the hats well perched atop the heads of the ladies are even more glamourous. The history of the Derby is quite interesting and worth studying for anyone interested in horses and horse racing. The Derby opens the triple crown series. Following on the heels of the Derby come the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes. The book "Black Beauty" made me an avid horse lover. I may not make it to the Derby next year, but when I do make it to the Derby I will go in grand style.

8. World Cup, South Africa, June 11-July 11
Ole, ole, ole, ole...
Leave it to FIFA and the South Africans to throw the largest party of the summer. From Polokwane, to Durban, to Capetown, football teams from all over the world will vie for the World Cup title. The last title was taken home by the French, led by their captain Zinedine Zidane. Zidane, unfortunately received a red card after the bull type head butt, marking a sad end to what should have been a joyous moment. Hopefully, the event next year will be incident free. For those heading down to Zululand for the event, there's more than football to look forward to. There are great resorts, delectable food, amazing sights, great music, and an exciting night scene. But don't forget to be on your guard as the crime rate in South Africa is at an all time high and poverty is rife. Also, prepare to be shocked by the juxtaposition of great wealth against the poor shanty towns; the unfortunate legacy of apartheid. Either way, get some boboti, great South African local brew, and some grilled zebra and oh, practice the Mexican wave before you leave.

9. U.S. Open, Flushing Meadows, New York, Late Summer
Three words: Must for tennis lunatics. No, that was four words.

10. Atlanta Half Marathon, Thanksgiving Day, 2010
Nikes, check. Gatorade, check, Meet me at the finish line. 13.1 miles and yes, I'll kick ass.

Understanding Fort Hood

2009-11-05T18:59:00.000-08:00

Deconstructing the shooting that occurred earlier today in Fort Hood Texas involves a lot. Was this a case of abuse of Second Amendment Rights, Jihad, untreated post traumatic stress disorder or just a case of outright brutality? Although the details of the shooting are still hazy, the known facts are that the primary perpetrator Nidal Malik Hasan a military psychiatrist walked into a readiness facility and opened fire, killing 11 and injuring 31 people. Hasan who was born and raised in Virginia is the son of Palestinian immigrants. From what is known, Hasan was a devout Muslim who embraced Islam after the passing of both his parents.

The ramifications of the attack are especially grave for Muslims living in the United States. Since the attacks on Manhattan on September 11, 2001, the discussion over whether moderate Islam exists has consumed the media and everyday folk in the United States. While it is still unclear if Hasan's motives were motivated by a Jihadist mentality, the fact still remains that he is a Muslim and this alone will lead many to conclusions that may not be altogether accurate. When the name of the killer got into the hands of reporters on Fox news, a comment was made about how the name of the killer explains a lot. Do actions of people like Hasan and Osama bin Laden decry the truth of moderate Islam, or should they be viewed as sociopaths like Timothy McVeigh and Eric Klebold. Either way, the issue of gun laws and gun control come into play, but who would consider gun laws for those who know all too well the danger of firearm abuse?

One thing is certain though, the mentality of shooting sprees is slowly becoming as American as McDonalds. Divorce, anger, betrayal, unemployment...open fire in public spaces and kill en masse. There is no other developed country that has the rate of homicide due to gun violence that comes close to that of the United States. Our culture has slowly become obsesively trigger happy and it doesn't seem like any action is been taken. Isn't it ironic that for a country where little boys are not allowed to paly with toy guns, there is so much gun violence? Just a thought, but if little American boys are allowed to play with toy guns will they be less obssessed with them as adults? Let's think about gun violence and our Second Amendment rights a little more. The killings are senseless and we do not need any more bloodbaths.

Fame Kills: We Were Once a Fairytale

2009-11-04T21:00:00.000-08:00

So yes, fame does indeed kill. I have a lot of thoughts on this video, Spike Jonze's directing, and Kanye's crazy antics. But for now, I'll let them stew. To watch the video, click here.

Oslo's Ambivalent Bequest

2009-10-09T23:41:00.001-07:00

A day can make a difference. President Barack Obama is no stranger to this cliché. This past year has brought about interesting episodes in his life. However, all such occurrences have not been complete surprises. When he won several key primaries, it came as no surprise. When he clinched the Democratic nomination, it perhaps was not much of a surprise either. Even the Presidency I doubt was a surprise. After a few key states closed their polling stations and the votes were tallied, it was pretty obvious that he had won the Presidency, and by a wide margin.

However, nothing could have prepared the President for the news he received this morning, that he had won the coveted and extremely prestigious Nobel Peace Prize. Obama is the fourth American President to win the award. Other Presidents who have been thus honored include Woodrow Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt and Jimmy Carter, Carter having received the award years after he left office. Obama not only joins the ranks of American Presidents who have received this award, but also enters an exclusive club that boasts members from the Dalai Lama to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Elie Wiesel, Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandela.

Founded in 1901 by Alfred Nobel, the prize awards men and women across the globe for outstanding contributions to physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and for works in peace. Alfred Nobel whose riches came primarily from oil left much of his wealth to the establishment of the prize. While he lived, Nobel was an accomplished scientist, inventor, entrepreneur, author, and pacifist. The prize over the years has gone to several men and women for outstanding contributions that run the gamut from creating the Grameen Bank to improving empirical economic analysis.

Invitations for nominations are sent to previous Nobel Prize winners, individuals in academia, scientists, and members of Parliament from different countries. The nominators are chosen so that the nominees are from a varied pool, representing as many countries and universities as possible. Obama was selected as winner from a pool of 205 names that included 33 organizations. The names of nominees are kept secret and it will not be known whom the President was up against until 2059.

The reaction of the White House to Obama’s win was one of shock. The White House staff admits that the news was initially received as a joke; an Ashton Kutcher type stunt. However, it seems that a few phone calls might have confirmed that the President was not about to be Punk’d, and that he had indeed won the prize.

Upon hearing that the President had won, the most popular question that followed was “for what?” This question asked by numerous Americans will be visited countless times over the next couple of days and for several years to come.
The President’s win is severely premature. This is not intended to suggest that he is not deserving of the award or that he could never win the award. For the feats he has accomplished, there is no question that given a few years he would merit the prize, but coming at this time, it is unquestionably rash and could perhaps create for the President an ideal to which he will be forced to live up to. President Obama clearly has no fault in being chosen for the award just like Taylor Swift couldn’t help that she won the award for best video. He perhaps is just about as shocked as the rest of the world.

However, it is safe to conclude that for all the President embodies, the nominators and the committee should have exercised better judgment in making their selection. Information on the website of the Nobel Prize notes that Obama was awarded the Prize for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between people. It is unfair to trivialize his win, but when held against other winners like Dr. King or Mother Teresa, it seems as though the committee may have unfairly passed up individuals or organizations that have labored in very convincing ways for peace.

The President’s speeches in Germany, Cairo and Turkey were inspiring, but rhetoric should not be the basis for the selection. Dr. King gave speeches but his speeches were backed by marches, imprisonment, and his willingness to die for the cause. Elie Wiesel was interned in a concentration camp and watched his family die. Rhetoric therefore cannot be a measure for determining eligibility; it takes away from the effort of individuals and groups for whom the win was about more than that. Could it be that the Committee were under the spell of what the popular media has labeled as the Obama star power and wanted to buy into sensationalism of some sort?

Despite, the reasons the committee will put forward, I have not seen Americans so polarized on an issue since Bush decided to declare war on Iraq. The rhetoric from the right has been loaded with vitriol. Rush Limbaugh criticized the President as though he were responsible for the nomination or had bribed the committee to earn the award. On his popular radio talk show, Limbaugh noted that Obama is “not only the nation’s post racial President but is also the nation’s post accomplishment President.” He went further to assert that the win was a greater embarrassment than the United States losing the Olympic bid.

The reason the United States is where she is today is because the country has embraced democracy and other such freedoms. Dissent is good. Healthy discourse is great. However, dissent that is loaded with vitriol and hate, the like that spews from individuals such as Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and Michael Steele do not have a place in a democracy. Their comments are the fuel that power hate groups. Regardless of how Limbaugh’s comments are analyzed, it is clear that his rhetoric is laced with hate and reminiscent of white supremacist group type monologue.

That the news of the win was greeted more favorably abroad than it was domestically is not an indictment of the President, but rather is only a testament to how human are apt to act, embracing the other and turning away from self. While it is laudatory that the President won, the award is certainly too much too soon. The risk of the award is that the President may be lampooned and severely so if he fails to live up to the expectations the prize puts on him. In his speech today at the White House he was quick to note that the prize was given for inherent potential and not so much his present accomplishments. The debates over Afghanistan this week and the Saturday Night Live skit are just a glimpse into how vindictive society can be.

Hopefully, as much as this is a great honor for the President and a testament to what potential he has in creating an atmosphere that tends towards peace, the President will be better served by remembering this day as Bo’s birthday and preparing for the three day weekend his daughters have.

The world is becoming increasingly complex even though it seems technology may have made it simpler. Peace is not about what electrons flow where or about forecasting and prose, it’s about the deep ravine that is the human mind. Capable of selfless acts and at the same time able to scheme mass genocides and holocausts. This is the Prize Obama has just been awarded. Making man think in ways that tend him toward been benevolent with a hint of great pacifism. Unlike past winners who may choose to bask in their accomplishments because their work speaks for them, the President has his work cut out for him and will have to work twice as hard to prove that he does indeed merit the prize.

What is Amber Rose?

2009-09-03T17:22:00.000-07:00

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week kicks off next week with the Michael Angel show. The fashion will be hot but the accessories will be even hotter. The most talked about accessory will be Amber Rose. The tall female with the blonde buzz cut will be the boldest piece that will furnish Kanye West’s look this fall. With boobs hanging out and her pout polished a dark shade of crimson, Rose will take the place of the Jesus necklace.

Just a few months ago, Rose was a little known bi-sexual stripper and exotic dancer. Her credits before meeting West included appearances in some music videos and a gynecological spread she did for Smooth magazine. By her account she met West after she was hired to appear in one of his videos. The two developed a bond over the course of the shoot and that bond has been nurtured into a relationship.

At first, Rose seemed like a joke, another of West’s publicity stunts, one of his incessant failed attempt at attention. Then he took her to the Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute Gala. That was a big deal. Is Rose West’s muse; his little human mannequin that he could exert over and dress up like a little Bratz doll? Perhaps she dresses herself up, but she so expertly channels the bane of West’s ideals.

She’s been referred to as an android from outer space and by other not-so-flattering adjectives, but whatever the case, it seems like Rose’s fifteen minutes just started and could probably be extending into an hour of pained fame whoring.

Rose is certainly a hip-hop fairy tale. Kanye, modern day fairy godmother. How does one go from being a dancer at Delilah’s Den, a famous strip club, to the arm of West? Not that West is celestial that a girl like Rose cannot desire or have him or vice-versa, but she gives new life to the hundreds of opportunists who are looking to score an athlete or entertainer and squeeze out a celebrity offspring.

Like her lover, Amber has a penchant for outlandish clothes. She’s been spotted wearing leopard print leggings, extremely short shorts, Doc Martens, and her signature dark glasses. But she went the clothing optional route this summer when she showed up on a beach in Miami naked save for the barely there thongs she had on.

By all accounts, Rose is a fame whore. While she sunbathed topless on the beach, her beau West was fully clad in clothes. As Rose tried different poses for her adoring fans and the paparazzi West doled out scowls and gave the finger to a camera hugging human at some point.

According to Wikipedia, the south Philadelphia born Rose is of Italian-American and Cape Verdean heritage. A mutt, that is right up West's alley. Finally his fantasies have caught up with him and he truly is now living his dreams. His incessant chatter about his obsession with pornography has finally turned into reality. This accessory seems to think she is a porn star.

Rose is a departure from West’s previous public relationships, the first with Brooke Crittendon, which supposedly ended over a botched MySpace war and the most recent with Alexis Phifer, the designer to whom he was briefly engaged.

Rose breaks the mold, not just in her personality but also in her appearance. She is a stark departure from what had seemed to be West’s preference for darker skinned moderately tame women. Rose has got both bite and bark in her and she's been vocal about whom or what she is. Never shying away from the camera, Rose might be what Kanye always wanted but was afraid to go after.

Could Mommy Dearest’s presence have been a deterrent? Without doubt, because it seems unlikely that Kanye would have brought anyone the likes of Rose around his mother while she still lived. Yeah, it’s old news that she is probably rolling in her grave, but Rose could care less, this is the stage she’s always wanted.

Is Rose just a fad or has she come to stay?

Might Rose become a classic like Ray-Ban wayfarers or is she going to take on the quality of those pesky colorful resin jewelry that never just seem right. Always tacky and overdone. Or will she become a refreshing staple that never goes out of style?

She is fun to watch because she keeps her look interesting. She is also raw and speaks her mind (when she does speak), a marked departure from most fame whores who often come off as robotic, constantly looking for the always elusive right words. West too doesn’t seem to care about public opinion anymore. It’s as though he’s found his soul mate in Rose. She is his fashion equivalent and seems to be just as brash as he is.

Paradoxically, Rose is one of those girls that West can’t stop singing about. The gold digger girls who ride on the coattails of athletes and singer types like West, riding them into fame and fortune. Already, Rose has scored a modeling contract by association and who knows what else she has planned to get out of the relationship before it’s all over, if ever. West’s always been prophetic, he foretold the coming of Rose, review his lyrics for his anthem Gold Digger, or better yet those for Stronger:

Heard they’d do anything for a Klondike
Well I’d do anything for a blond dyke
And she’ll do anything for the limelight
And we’ll do anything when the time’s right

So the time’s probably right, for West has scored his blond whatever she is. Rose is loving the limelight, and could care less. The rest of the world can jump off a cliff. West’s loving it and doesn’t give a damn.

Photograph courtesy of Complex Magazine

Come out and play in New Orleans...?

2009-08-26T09:14:00.000-07:00

This week marks the fourth anniversary since the great deluge reduced New Orleans from the diadem of the Gulf to the shame of a nation. Katrina did not only destroy New Orleans and especially the Ninth Ward, it did far more. It exposed the recesses of this country that we’d rather hide; the dark corners we like to forget do exist. I still remember the day the levees broke. From my apartment in Denver, I watched as news coverage showed the water levels rising until the entire Ninth Ward and most of the city was under several feet of water.

My first thoughts went to the White House. Where was the President? In days following the incidence, I had to debate staunch Bush supporters who told me it was in the best interest of the nation that the President did not come on the scene immediately. There would be too much at stake if he did. There was too much at stake for George W. Bush to visit and stand in solidarity with the people of New Orleans, but there wasn’t much at stake for the hundreds of New Orleanians who were crouched in attics, on rooftops and in the Super Dome.

In the final weeks of August 2005, Hurricane Katrina a Category 5 storm battered the Gulf Coast of the United States. The devastation that followed led several to conclude that the Hurricane was the worse natural disaster that had ever occurred in the United States. The tragedy was not in the hurricane that destroyed millions of homes and shattered many lives, the tragedy was in the response and recovery that followed in the aftermath. Why were the residents of the city not evacuated quickly or at all and why was the response poorly executed?

In retrospect, it’s easy to dismiss the dismal response with the excuse that it was an incidence out of the ordinary. Modern day Americans had never witnessed such a bizarre occurrence. Fires, bombings, shootings, but not hurricanes. Certainly not a disaster in a poor city. What if the Upper East Side in New York City got flooded? Or maybe Georgetown? Would the response have been any different? There are still many questions swirling about why New Orleaneans were left to die. Was it because the majority of the victims were poor blacks? Did authorities assume that poor blacks were used to hardship and would know what to do?

Obviously, the aftermath and the death toll showed that poor black Americans in the city of New Orleans did not know what to do. Although footage from the deluge would show an America that in many ways resembled Haiti more that the United States, the victims were every inch as American as residents of San Diego. For one thing, this was a case in point of underdevelopment in a developed country. There was no difference between New Orleans and developing countries mired in squalor, save for running water and electricity. The residents of New Orleans were poor, mostly uneducated, riddled with terminal and long term debilitating and chronic illnesses, they battled sexually transmitted diseases, they confronted drug and alcohol abuse on a level that was unprecedented in most parts of the country.

How did New Orleans get to become the armpit of the United States? How did neglect and social vices find a haven in the city of New Orleans? How did New Orleanians fall through the cracks? The history of the city will point to the present but it does not sufficiently explain the "how" or answer the "why."

The response has been criticized. FEMA has been scorned. Michael Brown has stepped down but the questions still echo. Questions of abandonment, assisted suicide at Memorial Medical Center, those trailers, the thousands of FEMA dollars that were doled out; some of the monies going to imposters who did not suffer any loss or damage. Then we wonder why there’s a recession. Were the Levees bombed to save Uptown, does George Bush not care about black people like Kanye West suggested, was the Hurricane an act of a just God, punishing a sinful city?

While these questions go unanswered or only partially so, Katrina certainly was a wakeup call to the fact that America is far from the promise of liberty and justice for all. The Hurricane showed that there’s a lot wrong with this country than corrupt politicians and banks. New Orleans is a development crisis. America’s dirty little secret. Sure the Hurricane unwittingly was a blessing. Go ask Anderson Cooper or some journalists at the Times-Picayune or Mayor Nagin, whose fortunes were set by the misfortunes of others, although unintentionally.

The city is still in ruins, partially rebuilt. The New Orleanians are in other cities, some vowing never to return. For most there’s not much to come back to. But that little city that sits below sea level must be rebuilt, must be preserved. If there’s one lesson to be learned from all this, it’s that New Orleanians are Americans too, although some Americans are more equal than others.

But, New Orleans is America, in a very un-American way. There is a quality to the city that is idyllic and quaint. New Orleans is not your average Chicago or your Portland. New Orleans is beignets, costumes and parades, crawfish and andouille. New Orleans is Canal Street, and Tulane. New Orleans is beads, and roux. New Orleans is not your average city. Perhaps New Orleans is your chocolate city or New Orleans is dirty politicking. But New Orleans is not New York. New Orleans is big band and second line; New Orleans is parasols and voodoo. New Orleans is…But New Orleans will never be the same again.

Photographs by Bruce Weber for W Magazine

Kennedy Family Patriarch Dies

2009-08-26T08:53:00.000-07:00

Ted Kennedy, the patriarch of the Kennedy family has died. He died in his home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts after a lengthy battle with a malignant brain tumor. He will be fondly remembered for the indelible mark he left on American politics. He died fighting until the end and was indeed one of those rare individuals who truly embodied the American spirit. He was 77.

For all his accomplishments, Ted Kennedy battled so many demons. He battled an alcohol addiction and was a rabid womanizer. His flaws severely detracted from his many talents and often cost him dearly. Nonetheless, he was driven not so much by political ambition, but rather by the desire to be a good man and a great American. His cancer diagnosis did not prevent him from making his presence felt, especially on the issue of health care. His death is bittersweet, coming at this juncture in history, where health care has taken center stage in a period the outcome of which could change the landscape of this nation for a long time.

Ted’s health scare, the tumor, was made public in May of 2008 after doctors discovered an inoperable tumor in his brain. Despite the prognosis and the advice that he received from his doctors, Ted still sought out help and insisted on under going and operation at Duke Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina to remove as much of the tumor as possible. Although the surgery was successful, Ted’s prognosis remained grim. He would endure chemotherapy after the surgery, which was quite inconsequential.

Managing to remain in the public eye, Ted’s most recent appearance was at the signing of a health care bill named in the honor of his family. In spite of his privilege, he struggled for the down trodden and fought bravely for equality for all. His desire was to see healthcare become a right and not a privilege. He called his ardent struggle for affordable healthcare for all the “cause of my life.”

Ted’s presence in the Senate will be greatly missed, after 46 years of service on the floor. His service puts him in the ranks as one the longest serving Senator in the history of the United States, his tenure rivaled by that of Strom Thurmond from South Carolina and Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia.

Like his brothers John and Robert, Ted had tried to win the presidency, but his bid was colored by what came to be known as the Chappaquiddick incidence, where Ted fled the scene of an accident. He had been driving a car that had swerved and fallen into a lake with his brother, Robert’s aide, the 28 year-old Mary Jo, Kopechne strapped inside. Ted failed to report the incident to the police until several hours had elapsed. The accident raised many questions and also raised the issue of privilege considering Ted got a mere slap on the wrist.

His poor judgment in the matter led many to question his character. He would pay dearly for the infraction, losing his bid for the presidency to fellow Democrat Jimmy Carter. Had Ted won his party’s nomination, it is almost certain that he would have won the presidency and perhaps might have changed the landscape of American history.

Born Edward Moore Kennedy on February 22, 1932 in Brookline, Massachusetts to John P. Kennedy and Rose Fitzgerald, Ted was the last of nine children and the fourth son. He was born into a family where talk of political ambition and power dominated and into the affluence and trappings of what would become known as the “Kennedy curse.” His parents were influential Irish Roman Catholics whose stake in American politics bequeathed their children the wings and roots necessary for pursuit of whatever political office they desired both in the state of Massachusetts and in the nation’s capital. Ted attended Harvard College and the University of Virginia School of Law. He fathered three children, Kara Anne Kennedy, Edward Moore Kennedy, and John Patrick Kennedy, products of his first marriage to socialite Virginia Joan Kennedy. The marriage ended in divorce. Kennedy then married Washington lawyer Victoria Reggie Kennedy who is often credited with bringing stability to his life.

At the Democratic National Convention last August in Denver, Colorado, Ted made a surprise appearance and gave a speech that electrified the crowd. Following an introduction by his niece Caroline Kennedy, he gave a speech that was reminiscent of one he had given several years ago at the Democratic Convention in 1980. His speech was significant because he was passing on the torch to Barack Obama, a civil rights victory, and a testament to the Act his brother John had signed several years before. But importantly, Obama embodied the charm and the essence of Camelot and can be described as the last of the Kennedy brothers.

Though living to old age, Ted’s life was often peppered with tragedy. He had to endure the death of his eldest brother Jack, who died in a plane crash, and then the assassinations of his brothers, John and Robert. Ted had his own brush with death on several occasions, managing to escape a drowning accident and then a plane crash that left him with a bad back that forced to walk with a gait. The untimely death of his brothers would spur Ted into the role of patriarch, as he became a surrogate father to his numerous nieces and nephews.

Known for being polarizing at times, Kennedy was often known to work across party lines, making friends of foes and brokering deals that were in the best interest of the nation. He battled a host of demons that included womanizing, alcoholism, weight problems and several health challenges. His final demon was his battle with the tumor that sought to snuff out his life. For all his demons, Ted did achieve over his brothers, for he lived to old age, a feat that his brothers Jack, John, and Robert never accomplished. He not only outlive his brothers, but unfortunately attended the funerals of a number of nieces and nephews, including that of the prince of Camelot, his nephew, John F. Kennedy Jr.

John M. Broder writes: “Teddy was the youngest, the little bear whom everyone cuddled, whom no one took seriously and from whom little was expected. He reluctantly and at times awkwardly carried the Kennedy standard, with all it implied and all it required. And yet, some scholars contend, he may have proved himself the most worthy.”

Norman J. Ornstein, a political scientist at the American Enterprise Institute writes: “He was a quintessential Kennedy, in the sense that he had all the warts as well as all the charisma and a lot of the strengths…If his father, Joe, had surveyed, from an early age up to the time of his death, all of his children, his sons in particular, and asked to rank them on talents, effectiveness, likelihood to have an impact on the world, Ted would have been a very poor fourth. Joe, John, Bobby ... Ted.”

For all his imperfections, Ted was a fighter and a survivor. He managed to escape the Kennedy curse, dying from what kills even the best of us: cancer. He did not die in a plane crash like his brother Jack or even like his sister Kathleen. He managed to escape the assassin’s bullet that felled his brothers John and Robert and lived to be an old man. He is indeed in the words of President Barack Obama, "the greatest Senator of our time." He will be sorely missed and fondly remembered as the great American who died fighting.

Photograph courtesy of The Huffington Post.

Georgia Implants

2009-08-22T10:27:00.000-07:00

I've been flirting with the idea of short stories lately. So here's one...

The bus drove by the stadium swiftly. Brent looked out of the window, fighting the urge to press his lips against the glass. He had done so many times in his Grandpa’s truck, for which he received a thrashing each time. He picked up the book he had been reading and opened to the middle, staring vaguely at the pages. He looked out of the window a second time, and let his nose touch the warm glass lightly at first, then he pressed his lips against the glass. His face was against the glass when he saw the girl from his class. He retreated, hoping she hadn’t recognized him. He let his head fall back quickly and snapped his book shut.

As the bus rolled on, he looked at his reflection in the glass. His brown hair stuck limply to his forehead. His hair was wiry and dry, and now his perspiration made it limp and stringy. In the seventh grade, he shaved his hair, but then his teeth stood out. Then in the eight grade, Alfonso told him that if he tried to kiss a girl, her tongue would get caught between his teeth. Either that, or his teeth would rip her tongue. Hamidou once told him that he didn’t have good white boy hair. Good hair was Patrick Dempsey’s, Hamidou explained.

Brent didn’t know he had bad teeth, until the summer he got sent to Albany. It was the summer he turned six. The kids told him he looked like an aardvark. Some said a hare. Others said a gorilla. His upper jaw stuck out. It seemed as though an invisible force was pulling his upper jaw forward, causing his teeth to spread out like the prongs of a rake. His lower jaw was constantly playing catch up and failing miserably.

When the bus pulled to the front of his dorm, he picked his book bag and prepared to get off. He walked across the lawn quickly, kicking a stray pinecone in his path. He went into his room and threw his book bag on the bed. He took off his hoodie and grabbed the first shirt his eyes fell on. He held the shirt to his nose for a little while. No matter how many times he ran it through the washer, it still had his smell. He opened the refrigerator and reached for a ham and cheese snack. He took off the packaging, wrapped the pastry in a paper napkin and put it in the microwave. He almost felt like he could predict what the pastries contained by pressing them. He had eaten enough frozen pastry snacks to feed his entire dorm at least three time over.

He pulled out his chair and sat in it upright. He reached for his notebook and began reading his notes, circling every other word. He read the first page and then flipped over to the next page. He read quickly and was on the last page of notes when he heard the key turn in the lock. Etienne walked in. His voice loud as he talked on the phone in heavily accented English. Etienne gave Brent a heavy pat on the back as he walked by him. He put his books on his desk, picked up the remote control and turned on the television as walked over to the refrigerator. He returned with a soda can and a paper plate wrapped in foil. As he struggled with the foil wrapper, grains of rice fell freely to the floor. He dropped the plate on his chair, picked up the soda can and tried to open it. The top of the can broke off and the phone fell from where it had been lodged between his ear and shoulder.

“Damn, soda. Damn American soda, why can’t they sell it in a bottle?” He hissed loudly.

He picked up the phone and spoke into it. The other end was silent. He flung the phone on the bed carelessly, walking toward the sink, soda can in hand. He reached for a spoon and used the end to punch a hole through the top of the can, spilling the soda on the floor.

“Man, I’m just tired. I didn’t eat any breakfast this morning. No lunch too. I’m just really hungry man, really, really, hungry,” he said.

He took a long swig from the can before setting it on the desk. He reached for the foil-covered plate, this time peeling the layers of foil gently. He took off the last roll of foil, crumpled it into a ball and tossed it into the trashcan. He warmed the food in the microwave and began stuffing his mouth with the spicy jollof rice and oxtail. Afterwards, he picked up the remote control and began flipping through the channels, settling on the local news.

“What’s that you’re watching?” Brent asked finally.

“Nothing man, just the news. Let’s see whose house got burned in Athens today or who stole their grandma’s cigarettes,” Etienne joked.

Brent laughed nervously and turned around to pick up his notebook. He pretended to study for a few minutes.
“So, when are you leaving for Cameroon?” Brent asked.

“Oh, three days before Christmas,” Etienne replied, with a stuffed mouth. “I want to spend sometime with my aunty in Douglasville. My cousins are coming into town and I want to see them before I leave for home” he continued.

“Cool.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be coming home with me this holiday?”

“Am I…?”

“Trust me my mother won’t be serving grilled monkey this Christmas, we eat chicken during the holidays.”

“I don’t mind trying monkey, really. I heard it’s flavorful…I saw it on PBS.”

“Oh, I was just pulling your legs, I’ve never tasted monkey meat…”

“I’m sorry Etienne.”

“That’s alright, so when are you moving your stuff out of this place?”

“I’ll move the last day of class, I think I’ll just go back home and hang for a while until I hear back from Wal-Mart.”

“Wow, man with your degree, Wal-Mart?”

“Yeah, I’ll take whatever and then find something else. The economy is still shitty, I’ll be lucky if Wal-Mart even calls me back.”
“Dieu d’Abraham.”

“What was that?”

“Oh nothing, I just said ‘God of Abraham.’ My grandmother used to say that a lot.”

“Okay.”

“Alright, I think I’ll take a short nap. If you’re awake, wake me up at 8:00pm.”

“Sure.”

Brent settled back into his chair and turned on his laptop. The screen lit up slowly. He spent half his life watching Japanese anime. When he wasn’t in class, he was either studying in his room or watching anime. He got up and took out another frozen snack from the freezer. It was a broccoli and cheese pastry. He wrapped the pastry in a paper towel and set the microwave timer for six minutes. He liked when the broccoli was limp and dark. It was easier to chew. When the timer went off, he got the snack out of the oven and bit the edge of the crust. He heard a sound and looked over his shoulder. Etienne had rolled over and now lay in the bed with his feet planted, while his knees pointed up to the ceiling. Brent reminded himself to wake Etienne up at 7:45pm. It usually took at least twenty minutes to rouse him from sleep. Early in the semester, Etienne overslept and missed a biology lab examination. That was the day they had their first argument. After that argument, Brent always made sure to start the process of waking Etienne minutes ahead of time.

---

Etienne was the first roommate Brent got along with. Brent had spent the last three years in the same dorm, in the same room. The roommates came and went, each worse than the last. In his junior year, his roommate was Obadiah Durbin, a sophomore from Ludowici. Obadiah made sense of the world only as it applied to football. He had come to Georgia just for football. Everything else was secondary. He described colors using the names of school. Apples weren’t just red, they were Georgia red. Salmon was Gator orange. His life revolved around football and sex. Obadiah wasn’t particularly attractive or bright but very out going. He was the poster child for small town celebrity gone wild.

Brent’s freshman roommate was Tanner Pierce from South Carolina. Tanner got to the room first and picked the bed by the window. He was the first person Brent had ever seen apply shaving cream with a brush. Tanner had rows of brightly colored shirts, each shirt had a logo of a lamb hanging from a ribbon. Brent couldn’t remember where he had seen that logo, but it looked familiar. Tanner was patronizing. He considered Brent stupid and perhaps inbred. He rarely spoke to Brent, and when he did he stared at Brent’s teeth, as though he was talking to them.

In Brent’s sophomore year, it was some kid from Pakistan, Sulman. Brent and Sulman never spoke. Sulman had a habit of leaving his shoes by the door. By the end of the first week, he had four shoes by the door. Brent arranged the shoes back in Sulman’s closet. When Sulman returned, he put the shoes by the door. Thus began the silent ritual. Sulman left the shoes by the door and Brent put them back in the closet. They were the perfect odd couple. They just came and went like zombies unaware of the other.

Brent met Etienne during the African Students Association sponsored event; Africa Week. Etienne was standing outside the Student Center passing out flyers for an event. Etienne stopped Brent as he walked by and convinced him to come to a panel discussion the next day. At the event, there were only two white kids in the audience besides Brent. The girl had a piece of African fabric wrapped around her waist over her jeans. She perfectly channeled the typical returning Peace Corps volunteer and seemed to be the “Africa” expert. When she spoke about white people, she didn’t say “we,” instead she said “they.” Brent was astonished, she had said she was from Virginia. The other white kid was a boy from South Africa.

The following day, Brent ran into Etienne at the library and mumbled some words about how informative the discussion had been.

“Do you have a Facebook account?” Etienne asked, falling in step with Brent.

“No, I don’t,” Brent replied.

“No Facebook? How do you keep in touch?”

It was hard understanding Etienne because of his thick French accent. Brent listened and nodded even when he didn’t understand what Etienne was saying. Etienne talked and laughed a lot. He didn’t care that he had an accent. He made American friends because he wanted his English to improve. Brent still had not found a roommate for the fall and Etienne wanted an American roommate.

Etienne went back to Douala for the summer. Brent sent him messages on Facebook. At the end of the summer, Brent had only forty-three Facebook friends compared to the almost nine hundred Etienne had. Brent still didn’t have a profile picture and his Facebook friends were mostly his cousins and random kids from high school. Etienne was Brent’s only Facebook friend from college.

---

At 7:45pm, Brent walked over to Etienne’s bed and shook him lightly.

“Wake up,” Brent said, standing over Etienne.

Etienne turned over lazily.

“Is it eight yet?” He asked.

“Will be when you get out of bed,” Brent replied.

Etienne understood Brent’s routine.

“Okay, let me sleep for five more minutes, please,” he begged.

“If you go back to sleep, you’ll be sleeping until tomorrow,” Brent replied.

“Please, just five minutes.”

Brent turned away and headed for his chair. As he sat down, a knock came at the door.
He walked up to the door and looked through the peephole. Etienne’s friends were at the door. He opened the door and Hamidou and Emmanuel walked in, talking loudly.

Emmanuel was Nigerian and had perfected his American accent. Hamidou was a freshman from Senegal.

“Etienne, wake up, sleeping like a pregnant woman,” Hamidou said walking over to where Etienne lay.

Etienne gave Hamidou the finger and turned to face the wall. Emmanuel pulled up Etienne’s chair and sat in it.

Hamidou grabbed Etienne’s comforter and yanked it off his body.

“Etienne, stop this bullshit and wake up man, you’ve got all night to sleep,” Hamidou said loudly.

Etienne finally sat up in bed his comforter pulled up to his knees.

“What’s going on?” Emmanuel asked reverting to his Nigerian accent.

“Nothing much man, just trying to get some sleep. I didn’t sleep last night, studying for that stupid Organic Chemistry test,” Etienne replied.

“Oh, thank God I don’t have to deal with that,” Emmanuel laughed. “All you Africans want to be doctors.”

“Man, I can’t come to America to learn business. I gotta do something profitable. There are hundreds of successful business men in Douala who never saw a classroom, but there are no Douala doctors who never went to med school,” Etienne replied, looking serious.

Hamidou and Brent laughed at the same time.

“Do Cameroonian witch doctors go to school?” Emmanuel asked.

“Man, they go to the one that’s greater than school, Douala witch doctors don’t play,” Etienne responded.

“Is witchcraft real… I mean is it real?” Brent asked, with restrained excitement.

Hamidou looked at Etienne and they both burst out laughing at the same time.

Etienne started to say something but couldn’t for the laughter that now shook his body.

“Witchcraft is real. It happens everywhere,” Hamidou finally said.

“But have you seen it happen?” Brent asked.

“I mean I guess American witchcraft is different, but in Africa, witchcraft is no joke. Witch doctors do all sorts of things. They make amulets, provide fertility potions, they can turn…I mean they do everything. They can cure illness, make money…” Hamidou continued.

“Really?” Brent asked a look of comical surprise on his face.

“Seeing is believing. When you see a witch you’ll believe,” Emmanuel added.

“But how can you believe in witchcraft? That’s just dumb,” Brent argued.

“Americans believe in Santa Claus and fairies. Fairies are emissaries of witches, does that make them dumb? How about Harry Potter? Isn’t he a wizard?” Emmanuel asked.

“Well, that ‘s all make believe. It’s entertainment,” Brent continued.

“Oh really,” Emmanuel said, his voice rising. “So, American witches are now special or what?” He asked a look of sarcasm on his face.

“Damn you and those teeth,” Emmanuel continued.

“Damn you too,” Brent yelled.

“Alright, it’s too late for all this, break this up, at least neither of you has seen a witch for real,” Etienne said. “Brent, common it’s alright,” he added.

“Your white boy is getting red,” Hamidou laughed.

“What did you just say?” Brent asked furiously.

“He didn’t say anything,” Etienne replied quickly, coming to Hamidou’s defense.

“So, when are you buying your ticket?” Etienne asked Hamidou.

“Ticket for what?” Hamidou replied.

“Dummy, world cup,” Etienne replied. “We have to buy them at the same time so we can get on the same flight,” he continued.
“Either that, or whoever gets to Johannesburg first will have to wait at the airport for the rest,” Hamidou added.
“I am not doing that waiting deal,” Emmanuel replied.

Hamidou looked at Etienne and motioned towards Brent. He didn’t want to speak French so Brent wouldn’t get suspicious.
“Hey Brent, do you want to come with us to South Africa?” Etienne asked.

Brent was hesitant for a while. He was still sulking and was upset with Etienne for not defending him against Emmanuel.
“I’ll think about it,” he mumbled, his face glued to his laptop screen.

“You should come with us, it’ll be fun. We can go on a Safari afterwards, go to Robben Island…” Emmanuel added.
Brent pretended not to hear and continued watching his movie.

Etienne looked in Emmanuel’s direction and made eye contact, pointing his head in Brent’s direction. Emmanuel got up and walked over to Brent and held out his hand. Brent looked aside at first until Hamidou prodded him. Finally, he got up and took Emmanuel’s hand in his. Emmanuel grasp was firm. He pulled Brent in, patting him on the back.

“How much is the ticket to Johannesburg?” Brent asked as Emmanuel walked away.

“Right now, it’s about $2,100,” Hamidou responded.

“I don’t know if I can make it. I don’t have that kind of money. I don’t even have a passport.” Brent replied.

“It’s that pricey with a major airline, it should be cheaper if you search other outlets, say $1,600. You can come up with that right?” Hamidou asked.

“Not really,” Brent replied.

Etienne got off his bed and walked over to his desk. He got his Biology textbook and headed back for his bed. He sat down and opened the book, signaling that the night was over. Emmanuel got up and headed for the door, Hamidou trailing him.
When Hamidou and Emmanuel left Etienne shut his textbook.

“How about the money for your implants?” He asked Brent.

“I can’t spend that money, I need to get my implants next year. I’m starting a new job and I might meet someone. I also need to move to Atlanta. I can’t go back to Dawson.” Brent said.

“But you don’t know if you even have the job yet. Come with us to South Africa. It’s going to be amazing. Just us guys. You can route your flight through Cameroon so you can meet my family. The trip won’t cost that much. We can travel with Pavle, the white South African. Remember him? You already interviewed without implants, it won’t make much of a difference if you begin the job without them,” Etienne said.

“I really want to transform myself next year. I’m graduating in two months, the first in my family to do so. Getting out of Dawson, implants, a girl on the side…”

“Skip the implants and take the trip of a lifetime. You’ve never even been to New York!”

“I really need to fix my teeth.”

At 11:00pm Brent turned off his laptop and crawled into bed. Etienne got out his Organic Chemistry notes and began flipping through. He wanted to cover four chapters before going to bed. He stretched and looked over to where Brent lay asleep. He felt sorry for him. In four years in college, Brent had almost no friends and had never had a girlfriend. The last time he took Brent downtown Athens with some friends, Brent sat down at the end of the bar, looking into his drink, avoiding conversation. Living with Brent this past semester had helped him improve his accent and English. Brent talked and laughed around him but was moody and withdrawn around other people. Etienne looked away and shook his head. He felt like he had tried to get Brent to come out of his shell. In December Brent would be on his own navigating life solo. Brent had done more in Athens these last few months than he had done since his freshman year.

---

Brent got back from class exhausted. He had been thinking hard all day. He wanted to go to South Africa with Etienne and the other guys but he wanted to fix his teeth. He had saved the money, working hard at the library, but he had never left the country. He didn’t care for soccer that much but he wanted to go to Africa with Etienne. He would not only be the first to go to college, but the first to travel overseas. He figured he could save up more money to fix his teeth before he traveled in the summer. If he did.

He turned on his laptop as he nursed a pepperoni snack in his hand. He reclined his chair while the computer booted, chewing noisily on his snack. He sat back up in a few minutes wiping both palms down the front of his pants. Etienne and the others bought their tickets the previous week. They pleaded with him to come but he was adamant. Now, Brent took a deep breath and began searching for flights. He only had $2,000 in savings and the flights he found were unaffordable, so he finally decided to do a random search. The words almost jumped in his face. CHEAP TICKETS TO AFRICA. He clicked on the link nervously, trying to contain his excitement. . There were price listings to almost every country in Africa, and an offer to Johannesburg for $1,300. He figured he could use the extra $700 to get an apartment in January until his first paycheck came in. He sent an email to the travel agent and the reply came almost at once advising him to send the money by Western Union.
The next morning, Brent woke up with anticipation and left the room in a rush without breakfast. The ticket prices were subject to change and he didn’t want to take the chance.

On Thursday, the ticket came. It was the day before Brent’s big exam. He had spent the entire night studying for his final. He pulled out the envelope from his mailbox and stuck it in the middle of a notebook in his bag. He was going to let Etienne open the envelope. As he waited for the bus he looked around. For the first time, he noticed a name that was etched into the oak tree that shaded the bus stop. He noticed that the roots of the tree had almost displaced the black wrought iron fence. He noticed the beautiful spires the fence ended in, for the first time.

When Brent walked into the room, Etienne was sitting at the edge of the bed talking on the phone. His voice was soft and feathery. Brent guessed it was Georgette, Etienne’s girlfriend on the other end of the phone. When Etienne got off the phone, Brent handed him the brown envelope.

“What’s inside?” Etienne asked.

“Turn it over,” Brent said, almost giggling.

Etienne turned the envelope over and mouthed the words, “Blessed Travel Agency, Salina KS. KS?”

“That’s Kansas. KS,” Brent replied. Etienne carefully opened the envelope and pulled the ticket out.

“Johannesburg?” he screamed out. “Man so you’re coming right? Sweet. How much did you pay?”
“Only $1,300,” Brent replied.

“That’s crazy,“ Etienne said, grabbing Brent’s shoulder.

Etienne looked down at the ticket one more time. When he looked up, Brent knew something was wrong.
“Why is the travel date for twenty-eleven?” Etienne asked.

Brent snatched the ticket out of Etienne’s hand. The travel dates were indeed for twenty-eleven.

“I told him twenty ten,” he cried in horror. “I told the damned fool twenty-ten. What part of twenty-ten didn’t he understand?”

“It’s alright, calm down and call him,” Etienne suggested.

Brent raced for his laptop and sent the travel agent an email.

“He replies rather quickly,” Brent said as he tapped the table nervously.

“Hit refresh,” Etienne said.

Brent obeyed, his hands shaking as he did.

A new unread email was at the top of the list. The subject read, “ALL SALES ARE FINAL.” Etienne clicked on the message, it contained no text.

“Call the agent,” Etienne said, his voice rising.

“I can’t,” Brent said softly, fighting back tears. “They don’t have a number listed.”

Etienne picked up the envelope and looked at the postage stamp. The letter was mailed from Houston. He put the envelope on the desk and let his hand rest on Brent’s shoulder.

On Friday, Wal-Mart called. Brent did not get the job. He did not go for his final. As he lay in bed, he let the tears fall. He had not cried since his Aunt Sally died. His life was supposed to begin in twenty-ten. New job, South Africa, and his new teeth. As he cried, he sucked in air between his teeth.

Word du Jour: Sotomayor

2009-08-06T21:39:00.000-07:00

Today, Sonia Sotomayor made history, becoming the first Latina to be confirmed to the Supreme Court of the United States. Following the hearings held a few weeks ago, she was confirmed by a bipartisan vote of 68-31, becoming the third woman to grace the bench. With the announcement for her nomination coinciding with the annual Scripps National Spelling held in Washington D.C., it was only expected to imagine what the candidates and the rest of the nation would make of the word, "Sotomayor."

Born on June 25, 1954 to Puerto Rican immigrants, Sotomayor rose from the projects of Bronx, New York, living in a single parent home headed by her mother, after her father died when she was only nine. Following his passing, her mother raised Sonia and her brother, Juan, seeking out educational opportunities for them and for herself. Her mother would study to become a nurse while Sotomayor's pursuit of educational excellence would lead her first to Princeton University and then to Yale Law School where she served as an editor of the Yale Law Review. Her brother would go on to become a physician and medical professor.

The Sotomayor's meteoric rise amid hard times and obstacles in many ways mirrors that of the Robinson family. The Robinsons like the Sotomayors raised their children, Michelle and Craig, giving them the foundation that would steer them both towards Princeton University and then Harvard Law School for Michelle Obama. The story of these two families merging at this confluence in history is a reminder that there is no substitute for hard work and that perseverance always leads to success in the end.

When Sotomayor is sworn into office, she will replace the retired Justice David Souter who stepped down after nineteen years on the bench. Sotomayor's appointment is indeed significant not just because she is a female, but especially because she is a minority and Latina. Sotomayor has been championed by Latinas all over the United States who have given her almost unanimous support. Hence, it will be interesting to note the effects if any that her appointment will have on Latino consciousness in the United States.

Latinos are increasing becoming the biggest minority group in the United States, but their growth has not come with much success in the public arena. Latinos are still under represented in educational institutions and in public office. However, they have become and economic force to reckon with, as well as major players with respect to increasing crime rates and social vices in most major urban cities. The rate of Latino incarceration is increasing as more young Latino males and females participate in gang activity and crime.

Will Sotomayor's appointment to office awaken the Latino consciousness and steer most inner city Latinos who would otherwise be given to crime in a positive direction?

It is without doubt that when push comes to shove, Justice Sotomayor will side with Latinos, but will her presence be a force enough to bring about a positive influence? Now, this raises questions of bias as it relates to the law. We are constantly reminded that Lady Liberty is blind folded, alluding to the notion that she metes out justice without preference. However, precedent shows that the justice system in the United States is not blind. For if the justice system were blind, Presidents when nominating individuals to the office of the Supreme Court will not factor in the candidates opinion on issues such as abortion or the death penalty.

For if the law were blind, Barack Obama would have nominated a hard-core Republican whose views on abortion ran along the lines of fire and brimstone. Further, in his search for Supreme Court justices, George W. Bush would have never nominated Samuel Alito, John Roberts, or Harriet Miers. So, we do see that even with the nominations there is a deep level of bias, with Presidents making nominations of people who are sympathetic to the ideals of their parties.

So, if the nominations are made with bias, is it not a stretch to expect the Justices to be impartial?

When Sotomayor takes the office, she will bring a wealth of legal experience and the head of a very wise Latina who will vie to leave her imprint on the justice system of the Unites States of America.

Happy Birthday Love!

2009-08-03T22:04:00.001-07:00

To the man I met two years ago. I met him on a Sunday. The first time I met him, I wore a black Catherine Malandrino dress and pink and black python Stuart Weitzman shoes. I heard he would be in town and I showed up early. I stood in those shoes for a long while. The shoes hurt my feet so bad...

Finally, he heard I had been waiting and came out. The applause was thundering. I don't believe he saw me, but I was his only audience. He gave the same speech. He spoke and I listened. He gave the charge and I was ready to obey. Finally, he gave the final word, and invited the crowd to press forward. They moved as though drawn to a light. As though it was Buddha with a halo. He shook hands and hearts swooned. I walked up, but he was gone.

My feet still hurt and a hand shake I did not receive. I sat and sulked, mad that he did not see I had come just for him. After all, I was his only audience. I waited a while because I was told he knew I was there and would come out just to see me. He didn't. I decided to leave, when I saw him in the alley. He was thinner than I thought. I called his first name, and his head spun around. My eyes seemed to say, "didn't you know I came just for you?" I pressed forward and Reggie told me not to. I didn't care what Reggie said. I pressed on.

I gained his audience and we spoke for a while.

I wish I were giddy. I wasn't. It was more triumph, and knowing that he knew I was there. That I had come just for him. The road ahead was tough and he needed to know that I cared. That I was in his corner.

I remember the rough days. The mud slinging. The name calling. He looked at the camera, all the while seeming to say, "do you hear McCain, do you hear Hillary? Do you still believe in my dream, the dreams from my father?" I let him know I did.

Then came Super Tuesday and he trumped her; he trumped them. Then he called Biden. Then a little known lady crawled out of nowhere. Said she was from Wasilla and had come to visit Washington. But she forgot to do her laundry. She wore those square frames and really expensive suits. Little lady Alaska had to get all dolled up. But she was no match, for she saw Russia from her window. Alas, she got undone as she sat before Katie Couric. Who said Dave Chappelle was master of spoof? This lady got it down packed, she should have been Tina Fey

But then, you knew I was there and you stood strong, taking it all. You crossed the first hurdle. I remember Chicago that night.

Then Grandma passed.

I remember November 4th. I saw you wait. I felt the tension in the room. The air was taut. Then, I heard Roland Martin call it. I saw that tear drop. You weren't the only one who cried. I cried too. It had finally happened. For they said that day would never come, but it did.

Then you called up Lincoln's Bible, and you took the oath of office. Sure the road's been bumpy, but then even Roosevelt didn't have it easy. But there you are on Pennsylvania Avenue, making things happen. From the auto industry to healthcare. You are bringing about Change. Sure, you're smoking your Marlboros and having your beer parties, but heck, you sure can. There's been no lady in a blue dress and no mispronoucing the word "nuclear."

Walking Bo and shooting hoops. Tucking Sasha and Malia in and well Michelle too...

But hey, you know I am still watching and hopefully you won't let me down. I'll be there the next time you're in town and this time we'll paint Georgia blue. I promise we will, and it won't be the last thing we do. We'll bring Change. Lasting Change. Yes we will and we sure can. You and I, hand in hand.

Happy Birthday to the 44th President of the United States of America.

Not My Kind of Black

2009-07-13T22:07:00.000-07:00

I once left my desk for some coffee. When I returned, a Caucasian co-worker informed me that a black female had stopped by. After exhausting all possible descriptive adjectives, I asked about the woman’s skin tone. The response was a blank stare. Although he said nothing, I guessed his thoughts. How do you tell one black person from another? Aren’t they all the same?

To most non-blacks, there is no difference between blacks. The absence of Caucasoid features is all that is needed to categorize an individual as fitting in the black box. But most blacks can upon first glance spot differences that are of ethnic significance. Broadly speaking, blacks in the United States fit into two categories: African-Americans and other black immigrants. More narrowly, there are African-Americans and new black American immigrants, primarily from Africa. It is the relationship between these two groups that is shaping race-relations in the black community and essentially defining how blacks perceive other blacks.

The legacy of slavery and the long-standing consequences has made the relationship between both groups tense. African-Americans almost single handedly fought for their liberation. From Sojourner Truth, to Rosa Parks and then Martin Luther King Jr. African-American pioneers paved the way and opened doors that have essentially granted minorities in the United States access to unlimited freedom and resources. But the civil liberties and doors of opportunity were not open without a cost. African-Americans paid their fare from Africa to the shores of the United States with their blood and used that same blood as currency to negotiate the liberties they enjoy today.

Although slavery has long been abolished and it has been a while since a fire hydrant served as a weapon to quell perceived civil disobedience, the vestige of that era still remains. Hence, for a number of African-Americans it is a slap in the face to observe African immigrants enjoy the privileges their forefathers fought so hard to obtain. Even more disturbing is the knowledge that their fellow Africans played a role in their enslavement.

It is no wonder then that some African-Americans view Africans with a measure of suspicion. Africans they claim are to blame for the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. If not for the slave trade, perhaps they would not have suffered the harsh consequences of slavery and ensuing Jim Crow laws. Or maybe not, because for a young man named Soulja Boy, the slave trade was beneficial. For without it he wouldn’t have tattoos or bling.

However, the anger some African-Americans feel goes beyond slavery. Africans are blamed for taking jobs that would otherwise go to them. But are Africans really taking the jobs or are they simply embracing opportunities absent in their countries?

A hiring manager once told me he’d rather hire Africans because they didn’t complain and did whatever tasks they were given. It could simply be because Africans are used to a system of deference and our cultures have taught us to obey before complaining or not to complain at all. After all, with the structure of most African governments, reprisal or complaint is met with reproof. So, Africans perhaps might be victims of circumstance, using a crutch to their advantage.

Then there are the stories I have heard of African-American women who have married African men to realize they were not wives but rather access to American citizenship. My hairdresser unfortunately was a victim. The sad part is her ex-husband claimed to be a prince. Blame it on Eddie Murphy and his portrayal of Prince Hakeem in the movie “Coming to America.” Undoubtedly, there are several immensely wealthy Africans and the King in the movie is comparable to a modern day Mobutu Sese Seko. But I bet even Mobutu did not walk on rose petals.

Equally, some Africans deride African-Americans. As a young child, I watched endless hours of The Cosby Show and other African-American shows. I had access to copies of Ebony magazine and was acquainted with African-American accomplishments. Not all Africans have had the opportunity to read about a Frederick Douglass or Ursula Burns, thus their opinions about African-Americans are tainted. For them African Americans are associated with social vices and fall into the category of either drug dealer or gang member.

While the representation of African-Americans in the popular media does not adequately reflect their accomplishments, African-American owned media has not always helped to shape perceptions either and several Africans find BET and other such outlets odious. The portrayal of blacks as modern day minstrels is a tough pill to swallow for especially conservative Africans and an effort is made to avoid unnecessary mixing with African-Americans.

As a result, some Africans are scared of living in predominantly African-American neighborhoods. The consequence of such is that their children will attend schools populated by African-American children. The last thing they want is for their children to sound African-American. Also, they do not want their children to sag their pants or pop, lock and drop anything or imitate other behavior they consider despicable. It’s preferable for their children to sound white and wear Abercrombie and Fitch. So, most Africans will pay any price to live in white neighborhoods where they are not always welcome.

But beyond schooling, God forbid their child brings home an akata love interest. Literally, the word akata refers to a bush animal of some sort. I’ve had the meaning confirmed by indigenous Yorubas from different states in Nigeria, and there is consensus that the word is derogatory and debasing. Yet, it’s not uncommon for some to claim that it’s a term of endearment. The word is derogatory and will only be a term of endearment when the word nigger becomes such.

Nonetheless, there’ve been some unifying moments. During the last presidential election, I hardly met an African who didn’t support Barack Obama. But could it be because he is indeed African? His father was Kenyan and his mother white. To most Africans, he simply was an African child raised in America. It was gratifying knowing that the first black president of the United States was African.

Further, when hate crimes occur like the Jena 6 incidence or incidents like Sean Bell’s unfortunate murder, there is a sense of solidarity because we know that the racist or bigot does not confirm ethnicity before pulling the trigger. Other collective victories and successes are shared. All blacks own Oprah Winfrey and are proud of Michael Jordan. Importantly we all agree Michael Jackson is our brother and was black first.

So how does one define what it means to be black in America? Is there just one type of black or several types? Do Africans and African-Americans in the United States still share a common heritage, or have they become completely disparate? Can we essentially get along?

Solidarity is important, but it is also essential that we maintain our unique cultural identities while working towards the goal of unity in diversity. As more Africans seek out greener pasture, the influx into the United States is going to increase. Hence, it is essential that we initiate dialogue of some sorts within our spheres of influence regarding race relations and start to collectively define what it truly means to be black in America.

Remembering Michael Jackson: Gone Too Soon

2009-07-07T18:36:00.001-07:00

Michael Jackson (1958-2009)

2009-06-25T22:25:00.001-07:00

They Always Go in Threes

2009-06-25T16:07:00.000-07:00

It is quite extraordinary, but whenever famous people die, they always go in threes. When Ray Charles died, his death was about the same time as that of Ronald Reagan and Marlon Brando. James Brown's death occurred in the same week as that of Gerald Ford, and Saddam Hussein. I remember chiding James Brown for passing away on Christmas day. I wished he had "picked" a different day to die. Nonetheless, while I was yet mourning the passing of the King of Soul, I received the news while out bowling that Gerald Ford had passed. There have been others who have died in the same pattern. Isaac Hayes, Bernie Mac, and Stephanie Tubbs Jones all died within days of each other. The deaths of Hayes and Mac were quite ironic and caused a stir because they had both starred in a movie together along with Samuel Jackson. After the passing of these actors, it was feared that Jackson would follow next completing the deadly triad.

The old adage that death comes in threes holds true. Early in the week, it was announced that Ed McMahon had died. I awoke this morning to the news that Farrah Fawcett the original Charlie's Angel had died. Fawcett’s death however was overshadowed later in the day by the demise of Michael Jackson, the King of Pop. Michael's death comes as a shock because it was unexpected. More than any of the deaths and the adage of deaths in threes, the passing of Michael Jackson at 50 is epic and truly touching. He had just announced the line up for his last performance scheduled to begin early in July. His passing is quite tragic because it seems as though his life was unfairly truncated and he did not get to see the final curtain call on his last act.

Is this triad mere coincidence or is there something more to the number three? The number three is significant in many cultures and religions, permeating folklore, the Bible and literature. In the Bible three represents the Holy Trinity, comprising the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Besides signifying the holy deity, Jesus suffered three temptations, there were three wise men present at this birth in the manger and Noah had three sons. In folklore, the significance of the number is played on again. There were three little pigs, Goldilocks and the three bears, and there were three musketeers. Also, In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s book the Scarlet Letter, the number three is symbolic of redemption, representing the relationship between self, other and God. Further, in Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, the number three is often interpreted to be symbolic of the trinity and unifies the characters and events that occur. From folklore, to religion and ancient culture the number three often servers as a unifying force. Three does what one and two are unable to do, and makes up for the insufficiency of four.

Do The Right Thing: Race Relations Twenty Years Later

2009-06-24T23:53:00.001-07:00

"Those that will tell don't know, and those that know don't tell."

This week marks the twentieth anniversary of the release of director Spike Lee's defining movie, "Do The Right Thing." Released on June 30, 1989, the movie boasted a cast of very talented thespians, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Samuel L. Jackson, Rosie Perez, Martin Lawrence, Danny Aiello, John Turturro, Bill Nunn, Spike Lee amongst others. The movie was received critically and scored two Oscar nominations in the categories for best actor and best screenplay. When the movie was released, there was concern over its contents being too incendiary and capable of inciting violence. However, the fears of violence were not realized and the movie was important then and still is relevant in initiating dialogue between different racial groups.

Set in the multiethnic Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood in New York, the events in the movie take place on the hottest day of the summer. For a younger audience not familiar with the movie, the key events in the movie take place in a single day just like in the Friday trilogy. The movie examines racial tensions between Sal, the owner of an Italian pizzeria, his employee Mookie, Korean immigrants who own a fruit stand, Puerto Ricans, Caribbean immigrants, and other African-Americans in the neighborhood.

The plot of the movie revolves around Sal and his sons and their relationship with their predominantly black clientele. Tensions in the movie rise when an African-American customer Buggin Out demands that Sal add pictures of African-American heroes to his wall of fame that up till that point only had pictures of renowned Italian Americans. Sal refuses to comply and charges Buggin Out to leave his store and not return. In another scene, Sal gets into an altercation with another young man, Radio Raheem, who walks around with a radio that constantly plays the Public Enemy anthem, "Fight the Power." In order to receive service Sal orders the young man to turn off his radio. Feeling scorned both Radio Raheem and Buggin Out return to the pizzeria after hours with the intent of having a show down with Sal. A fight breaks out between Sal and Raheem, the police gets called in and asphyxiate Raheem in attempt to quell the fight.

The tensions in the movie are so important in understanding race relations and perceptions shared by certain ethnic groups about other cultures. In one scene, Mookie who works as a delivery boy for Sal gets into an argument with Sal's son, Pino. Pino is extremely racists, however he lists Magic Johnson, Eddie Murphy and Prince as his favorite athlete and entertainers. When he is made to realize that his roll call included only African-Americans, he makes the argument that these individuals are not African-American. Or even if they are, they were a different kind of African-American. They weren't like the thugs he had to deal with in his neighborhood. It's llike most Caucasians and other non-blacks today who revere Oprah but will not have a conversation with their African-American neighbors. For most Caucasians, because Oprah is rich and influential, she is seen as not black, less black, more than black, or not as black as perhaps the young kid who sags his pants on his knees. In order words, her social status, affects her race, making her "white" since of course someone as successful could certainly not be black because being black is often associated with malign forces.

The movie also helps to re-examine some of the unrealistic expectations certain cultural groups hold other groups to. When Buggin Out, challenges Sal over the wall of fame, did it not ever occur to him to open up his own establishment if he wanted to see African-American revolutionaries honored? There is hardly an African-American hairdresser who will put up a picture of Marilyn Munroe on the wall of her salon. Whatever happened to Madame C.J. Walker? Too often African-Americans pull the race card and engage in unforgiving self pity. However, this behavior is often not addressed for fear of being labelled a bigot. Using slavery as a crutch, there is a reluctance to contribute actively to society and instead a prevalence of social ills. Examine most major inner cities in the United States and the rise in gang violence, teenage pregnancies, and high school drop-out rates are shocking. Nonetheless, there is the ever increasing demand in most African-American communities that the government meet certain needs because of a feeling of entitlement.

Common themes explored in the movie that still remain relevant today are the power of a mob to incite a fight. In the scene where a Caucasian bicyclist steps on Buggin Out's shoes, he gives in to pressure from the crowd and challenges the man for the infraction. It's not quite clear if the action was intentional or an innocent accident. Police brutality especially towards African-Americans is also examined. Interestingly, Spike Lee weaves two disparate reactions of the police into the movie. In one scene where a man makes a complaint about his car geting soaked, the police do not press charges. It should be noted that the police could have decided to arrest everyone on the scene if not for getting the car wet, then for tampering with a fire hydrant. But in the final scene, the police kill Radio Raheem in an attempt to break up his fight with Sal. Police brutality still has not ended and New York's finest still haven't paid the full costs for the deaths of Ahmadu Diallo or Sean Bell.

In the end, the movie raises the age old question of the place of violence in race relations. When is violence necessary and do some people ever have it coming? Over the past weekend celebrity blogger Perez Hilton was assaulted by the manager of the group Black-Eyed Peas. Many argued that Hilton deserved the beating because he constantly antagonized celebrities on his ride to fame. In the same vein it can be argued that Radio Raheem had it coming. If he respected Sal and turned his radio off he would not have suffered Sal's wrath. But is violence ever the solution? As the anniversary of this ground breaking movie is celebrated it is imperative that Americans once again examine race-relations with meaningful dialogue.

Jon Minus Kate Plus Eight

2009-06-22T23:37:00.001-07:00

The announcement that had a bunch of televsion fans of the series Jon and Kate plus Eight spellbound has been made. After five seasons, the couple decided that they were seeking a permanent separation following reports of Jon's infidelity. The couple who met in 1997 and have been married since 1999 have eight children, a set of fraternal twins and sextuplets.

In a broadcast on Sunday morning on CNN a report showed that in the past few years between 10-12 contestants or participants in television reality shows had either killed themselves or at least attempted suicide. The dialogue was over if involvement in a reality series increased the propensity for suicide or if reality shows intentionally preyed on and attracted individuals who were already on the brink and likely to take their own lives.

The series catapulted Jon and Kate Gosselin, ordinary surbuban parents with children born of extra ordinary circumstances into the spotlight. The spotlight unfortunatley brought with it pressures they were ill equipped to handle. Although admittedly the divorce rate is three times as high for parents with multiple birth, is it possible that the show added to that pressure? When will society draw the line and stop this madness called reality television?

Iran: On the Brink of Another Revolution?

2009-06-18T08:37:00.000-07:00

The instability in Iran could worsen over the next couple of days and become something short of revolution if the mandate of the people is not upheld. The mandate of the people is hard to decipher because it seems as though there are as many protesters for the incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as there are for the opposition Mir Hossain Moussavi. Currently, the situation in Iran is very tense and has been marked by several violent and non-violent protests resulting in a number of casualties. The marches in Iran were precipitated by what many viewed as a rigged election. Going into the election Moussavi was the favored candidate in a country hungry for reform and economic change. The reform movement was spear-headed by the youth of the country who make up 60% of the population in Iran.

Iran's voting system is different from that in the United States and other western countries where electronic ballot boxes are used. In Iran, paper ballots that have to be counted individually are used instead. In an election that brought out several millions to the polls, the result of the election was announced two hours after the polls closed and the incumbent Ahmadinejad was declared the new Prime Minister of Iran. Ahmadinejad did not only win most major battlegrounds in the election, but he also won the popular vote in Moussavi's hometown of ethnic Azeri Turks. Previously, the electoral commission had announced that the vote count would require several days, so it came as a shock when the results were announced the same day as the elections.

Ahmadinejad, is no stranger to politics nor the international stage. He was previously mayor of Tehran and was catapulted to world prominence as a result of his anti-Semitic views and nuclear weapons program. Ahmadinejad however is in a favored position, because unlike his opponent he has the support of the Supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Guardian Council as well. Khamenei who is the supreme authority in Iran came into power in 1989 following the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Khomeini came to power after the Iranian Revolution in the 1970s that deposed the United States backed Shah of Iran.

The Iranian Revolution of the 1970s also known as the Islamic Revolution was precipitated by several events. The primary event that drove the Revolution was the fear that that Shah of Iran in response to a western influence was turning Iran to a completely secular nation. In an attempt to preserve whatever relics of Islam were left, the Ayatollah organized a coup that seized power and installed an Islamic regime while the Shah was away from the country. The new Islamic regime rewrote the Constitution of Iran and remains the chief governing body of Iran along with the Guardian Council, a group of men appointed by the Supreme leader.

Khamenei and the Guardian Council are the authority responsible for the vote recount. This is were an impasse will be reached because it is quite unlikely that the Ayatollah will decide on a ruling in favor of Moussavi. Although Ahmadinejad has several supporters, Moussavi also has about a comparable number most of whom are young people who are beginning to view the Islamists who govern the nation as more of a liability than an asset. Most young people are burdened by the heavy handedness of Shari'a Law and the economic crisis in the country. Real estate and other commodities have become almost completely unaffordable and Ahmadinejad's priorities seem to lie elsewhere.

The next few days in Iran might be extremely volatile and the country could break out in a revolution that might decide the future of the Iranian people. The role of the international community and of the United States will become clearer in the coming days. What role if any will Russia play in the events and will true reform come to Iran finally?

Summer of the Westerns

2009-06-17T20:02:00.000-07:00

For as long as I can remember, every summer has always had a theme. The summer after my freshman year in college was devoted to reading plays. I did almost all of Shakespeare's works, several works by August Wilson, Anton Chekov and several playwrights I don't remember anymore. That was the same summer I read Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun." The next summer I read short stories. I did several short stories by Flannery O'Connor. I needed the diversion these short stories created because that was the summer I took the dreaded Organic Chemistry.

That perhaps was the summer I learned to hate my life, momentarily. I dreaded the class and feared the lab even more. Just when I thought my life couldn't get any worse, my lab partner bailed out on me. I still remember her full name and middle initial and the look on her face when she told me she didn't want to work with me anymore. Imagine my angst. Nonetheless, in spite of the themes I chose, every summer ended with me hugging a copy of my favorite book, "Things Fall Apart." Did my life come undone in those labs or was it just my imagination? But suffice it to say I haven't passed a single summer yet without Chinua Achebe's classic.

I've long ditched reading in favor of movies. Not! I'm still an avid reader. But I love a good movie. So, this summer I've decided on a theme. I'll watch sixty western movies from now until the last day of the summer. I watched the first today, "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly." I saw that movie many years ago in grade school. Yes, I was watching rated R movies in grade school and I turned out right. However, I was a different breed and I don't endorse such movies for anyone under the age of twenty one.

Watching the movie now again as an older twenty-someone was a great experience. It was a combination of some things I really love. Clint Eastwood, the American West, the Civil War, fantastic directing and photography, and a great score. I didn't realize how sexy Clint Eastwood was as a young man. To an eight year old in the eighties, he was just an American cowboy. But now in the words of Perez Hilton, "completely gratuitious."

The movie falls into the genre of Western movies known as Spaghetti Westerns. Spaghetti Westerns are a sub-genre of Western movies that were chiefly directed by Italian directors usually with a Spanish partner and a Spanish technical crew. The movie was written primary by Italians and was released in Italy under the name, Il Buono, il Brutto, il Cattivo. The release of the movie in the United States was preceeded by the Italian release by a few days. Although the movie is violent, the violence portrayed adequately the desperation that was a hallmark of those times, when survival was utmost. Conquering the American West fits the clichéd "desperate times call for desperate measures." The movie is arguably one of the finest movies I have seen, especially for that time period.

For reasons I cannot explain, I am quite nostalgic about America before the twentieth century. I sometimes get lost in this fantasy that I forget how opressive this period was for minorities. From the Native Americans, to people of African descent, early European and Asian immigrants, and Mexican in the South, the early years of this country was oppression personified. For poor white Americans, the terrain was tasking. I've read stories of American families who suffered poverty, disease, and hardship as they tried to conquer this untamed land. Yet, this oppressive landscape is the backdrop to some the best stories. Writers and playwrights alike have capitalized on this fact and have woven stories that qualify both as historical fiction and fictional history. While I enjoyed "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," I couldn't help but notice that African-Americans were conspicuously absent from the movie, especially the battles during the War.

The beauty of movies for me is in the analysis. I bring all my senses to a movie, and there's nothing as a good as a well-written and produced movie. Oh, the joy! So, I have fifty nine more westerns to watch before the last day of the summer. Next on my list, "The Outlaw Josey Wales." Then I'll be entertained by "3:10 to Yuma," "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," and then "Brokeback Mountain." If you have a suggestion for a great western, please leave me a comment and tell me why it's a good movie.

Cool Bible Devotional Website

2009-06-15T22:56:00.001-07:00

http://www.bobgass.com

My Name is Harriet.

2009-06-13T22:49:00.000-07:00

Hello, my name is Harriet and I am an addict. I have been struggling with my addiction for several months. I became an addict because everyone else was doing it. It was sort of a monkey see, monkey do kind of trap. I never wanted to be addicted, but my sisters encouraged me to try it and I gave in. See, it had class and was different from the ghetto like façade and blinding colors of the other close rival. I liked the layout and it won me over. I once worked on a web usability project and I learned that you didn't have to search endlessly to find what you were looking for. If it wasn't immediately obvious or if there were too many distractions, then it wasn't worth my time. My addiction obeyed all the rules so I indulged even more.

I like to consider myself a private person. I've never been one to invite others into the recesses of my soul to play a game of charades or hopscotch. However, my addiction demands that I let down my guard every so often, displaying pictures or updating my status. Most times I update my status with my blog address, begging people to visit the blog, which they sometimes do. I do want you to read my status which I consider cheap tweets, but honestly I don't care to know what is on your mind.

Yet, I am forced to know and become privy to the mundane indiscretions of random people I really do not particularly care for; don't mind that you're on my friend's list. I don't care about you! When they get depressed, they tell the world. The house is burning, they just got their nails done, they catch their significant other cheating, they have a baby by Usher, get engaged to Adam Levine, kissed Lil' Wayne's back when he pressed close to them in a crowd, and the world needs to know. I hate such and I could really care less, yet, I still find myself checking back so often to see who's been where and done what! It's becoming the first thing I do when I awake and the last thing I do before the lights go out.

I know if I do not seek help, psychosis of some sort lurks around the corner. So, I fit myself in my disguise and head off to the local chapter of *Anonymous. We go around and make the introductions. If you've been in one of these meetings, you know the drill. No last names please. First names only. Just incase you don't understand how we operate, rent a copy of "Rachel Getting Married." We all pretend to look sober the first time. We pretend we haven't seen the demon all day. But then as the girl next to me picks up her Blackberry and pretends to check a text message, I know she's secretly indulging in that old sin.

So the facilitator speaks up, and the first meeting kicks off. I'm told there are twelve steps to recovery. First, I need to admit that I am powerless to my addiction and my life has become unmanageable. The second step is to believe that a Power greater than I can restore me to sanity. Third step, make a decision to turn my life and will to the power of God. Step four, make a searching and fearless inventory of myself. Step five, admit to God, another human being and myself, the exact nature of my wrong. Step six, ready myself for God to remove all defects of my character. Step seven, humbly ask God to remove my shortcomings. Step eight, make a list of all people harmed and be willing to make amends with them. Step nine, make a direct amend to these people except where doing so would cause them harm. Step ten, continue a personal inventory, Step eleven, seek through prayer and meditation a conscious way to improve, and for the final step, pass this message on to other addicts.

Now I feel cleansed and have gone cold turkey for a few minutes. I gloat in my victory and feel immensely bad for the rest of you who are slaves to my old sin. I am free and soaring higher and higher...until my eyes land on the keyboard of my computer and I feverishly hit the "f" key all the while mumbling softly...God grant me the serenity, to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Amen.

June 12 Mandate

2009-06-12T18:02:00.000-07:00

For many Nigerians, the date June 12 is a reminder of what the country could have been. After being governed by a corrupt and brutally harsh military dictatorship under the auspices of General Ibrahim Babangida, Nigerians were allowed to form political parties and have contested elections. Ibrahim Babaginda became President of the country after a bloodless coup in 1985 that overthrew the military regime of General Muhammadu Buhari. Under Babangida's leadership, there was mass repression of the press and public opinion. Babangida is famously known for launching the widely unpopular "Structural Adjustment Programs," as part of economic programs in conjunction with the International Monetary Fund. The program eliminated marketing boards, abolished price controls, led to the privatization of public services, and devalued the currency. The intent of the program was to revitalize the economy, but instead, they had the opposite effect. Babangida's presidency marked some of the most economically challenging times the country had perhaps seen since I believe the Nigerian civil war. Now this might be a stretch, but according to my recollection, times were had for low income and most middle income families. Many social services were cut during Babangida's regime, and abject poverty spread. The dire conditions in the country were popularized in song by local artists, many of whom were repressed or even killed by the government.

In the midst of the corruptions, Moshood Kashimawo Kolawole Abiola, a Nigerian entrepreneur who had some connections to the government ran for the Presidency. Abiola's Presidency was significant because it marked Nigeria's move away from military dictatorship to being democratically governed. Also, Abiola a southern Muslim was the favored candidate in a country that had previously been governed by mostly northern Muslims. In Nigeria, tribalism is a major factor and was all the more so in this election. For many Africans the tribe is exalted above nationality and many will lay down their lives for their tribes before their nation. Because of the high stakes involved, the election held on June 12, 1993 was closely monitored by the international community and was in the opinion of many the fairest and most organized election the country had ever held. As the results were tallied and it was evident that the election would be called in favor of Abiola, the mood in the country changed. Although the atmosphere was a bit tense there was a palpable sense of relief and a belief that with Abiola's inauguration as President, Nigeria would once again regain the economic prowess she once held in the 1960s.

However, the results of the election were annulled by the then sitting president Babangida. The reasons for the annulment still remain unclear but Abiola nonetheless disregarded the supposed annulment and declared himself President. His actions were considered treason and he was taken into custody by armed military henchmen. Abiola was thrown into jail with the condition for his release the renouncement of his claim to the presidency. Despite his imprisonment he refused to renounce his claim, further lengthening his incarceration. His plight and renown garnered international attention, but in spite of pressure from activists across the world the Nigerian government refused to honor the mandate nor release Abiola from prison. In the ensuing drama, Abiola's wife Kudirat Abiola was assassinated for her relentless vocal campaign protesting her husband's imprisonment. Abiola would spend five years in prison, before his suspicious death on July 7, 1998 the supposed day of his release from prison. The details surrounding his death are still clouded in several conspiracy theories but he is alleged to have collapsed while in a meeting with delegates from the United States Department of State.

Had Abiola's mandate been honored what would that have meant for Nigeria? Also, it is interesting to note that the international community and with that I mean the United States government was almost silent in the wake of the annulment of the mandate and Abiola's subsequent imprisonment. It is also quite a coincidence that he died while in a meeting with State Department delegates. Is there more to this story than we know and what if any was the involvement of the United States in thwarting democracy in Nigeria? At the time of these events, George H. Bush was president of the United States of America. Could a reprisal of the Gulf War and his fear over a fuel crisis in the United States have played a role in the events in Nigeria? The United States has intervened with force in other countries with the intent of coercion. Why were they reluctant to act in this case. I am not putting the onus for a stable and democratic Nigeria on the United States, however, the gross inaction seems inconsistent with the character of the United States. Nonetheless, the annulment of Abiola's mandate coincided with Babangida's resignation, a short transitional government and the subsequent presidency of one of the world's worst dictators General Sani Abacha. Thus, Abiola was denied the opportunity to govern and leave is mark, good or bad on the country and all Nigerians were robbed of the opportunity of watching the struggle for a truly democratic Nigeria emerge.

Swine Flu Pandemic

2009-06-11T23:44:00.002-07:00

Today the World Health Organization declared the H1N1 flu a pandemic. The alert level for the flu was raised to the the highest level for any pandemic by WHO standards. The increased alert level is not so much because the flu has become more virulent, but rather because it has spread to more countries. As of June 10, the virus had spread to 72 countries. According to the Centers for Disease Control, there were 25,288 confirmed cases and 139 deaths. Thus far, the United States has 13,217 confirmed cases and 27 deaths. The alert level has prompted school closures in most parts of the world as governments scramble to bring the pandemic under control within their borders. The preventive measures initially suggested still remain. Frequent and thorough hand washing, sneezing into fabric as opposed to the open air, and other preventative measures still remain the best defense against the flu.

Another Cougar Gets the Axe

2009-06-11T23:44:00.001-07:00

Rumor has it that singer and actor Usher Raymond has filed for divorce from his wife of two years, Tameka Foster. Usher's divorce is among the list of high profile cougar breakups this year, the other being the split between guitarist John Mayer and Jennifer Anniston. According to the Urban Dictionary, a cougar is an older woman who frequents clubs in order to score with a much younger man. The cougar can be anyone from an overly surgically altered wind tunnel victim, to an absolutely sad and bloated old horn meister to a real hottie. These prowlers are aggressive and stop at nothing until they snag young men off the market. I've always wondered what the attraction is in dating someone who looks like your son or nephew. Anniston looked the role of chaperon, while Foster looked like Usher's aunt. She is significantly aged and looked worn next to the youthful Usher. Young men have cited all sorts of reasons for choosing older women that run the gamut from older women being better lovers to having motherly instincts that these men so badly crave. They want to have it all though it seems. Lover, cook, aunt, mother and cougar all in one. So, when the first old lady winks at them, they assume they've found love. Her wrinkled cleavage and spider veins are no longer deterrents. They have rather become the icing on the cake sealing these boorish deals.

It's quite understandable that Usher's marriage to Tameka was the source of so much consternation. At the time of the wedding, Usher was only 28 while Foster was 37. This was not the first time Usher had wandered into cougar territory though. He had previously dated Chili a former member of the girl group TLC and he was rumored to have dated super model Naomi Campbell. It seems as though the anger might have been because Foster had three sons from a previous relationship. Further, she had a pending felony charge. Importantly many people viewed Foster as an opportunist who was looking to make Usher her next cash cow. The trick is so simple. Cougar falls in love with sexy boy toy, gets pregnant and secures her future through child support payments.

The marriage between the two started off on the wrong note. Usher allegedly tripped and fell as he made his way to the altar to await his heavily pregnant bride. In wedding pictures, his mother was noticeably absent, signifying that she hadn't given her blessings. In spite of these, Usher continued to tell fans that all was well and his family had embraced Tameka Foster. I remember him ranting on MTV's TRL sometime last May, telling fans he was the happiest he had ever been and Tameka was his personal choice. But neither his MTV tirade nor a cover spread in Essence was enough to quash the disturbing rumors about his marriage.

Tameka was old. She had so much baggage, and she was insecure. Earlier this year, Usher had to pull out of the Grammy Awards to fly to be with his wife in Brazil. She had secretly left the country to seek cosmetic surgery in Brazil. The surgery went awry when she went into cardiac failure and had to be resuscitated. What lessons from Donda West didn't she learn? She had only had a baby about three months before she left the country for the surgery. Even though Usher went to Brazil after the incidence, the duo returned separately and it seemed that the marriage finally was a wrap. Sources close to the couple are now reporting that it was indeed so because the duo had not lived together for several months despite welcoming a son late last year.

It almost seems so convenient that Usher is calling it quits with his wife now. He is set to release an album titled "Monster" this fall and this just might be a publicity stunt. His last studio album, "Here I Stand" did very poorly and failed to become popular. "Confessions," which was his last best selling album, was released shortly after his public break up with Chili. If "Monster" is a confessional like his last break up album was, then fans might expect him to snitch on Foster making for a juicy album. Truth is, the album needs to be juicy and he needs to sell records. He has two young children to support for the next 18 years. Giving his earnings, Usher will probably be dealt the same blow as Russell Simmons and Sean Combs, who are doling out thousands to support their children monthly.

Usher needs his freedom. The poor kid has visible scratch marks and needs to become relevant again. His popularity and desirability plummeted sharply after his marriage to Tameka. It's quite unfortunate because marriage need not always ruin a sex symbol's career. David Beckham, Jay-Z (so not a sex symbol), Hugh Jackman, and Will Smith all managed to remain relevant despite tying the knot. Usher however just picked the wrong woman to be chained down with. So now, he's a free agent again and already he's been rumored to be hanging from the tail of yet another cougar. Either way, it's one more cougar down and in the words of another blogger, bring out the Goose. And please, tell Demi Moore to dig those claws deeper.

Without Sanctuary

2009-06-10T21:50:00.000-07:00

Today's shooting at the Holocaust Museum in the nation's capital is evidence that America's biggest war is within her territory. Unfortunately, the United States has neglected an imminent threat and has instead gone in pursuit of outlaws in other strange lands. On January 20, 2009, many Americans lauded what was deemed the dawn of a new era. Barack Obama despite his African heritage became the President of the United States. Barack's election to the Presidency might have given some a false sense that reconciliation between the races had occurred. But closer examination proves the contrary.

The United States is not over its history of racism nor of segregation. Whilst we laud the progression to a more stable union, we have to address the pockets of miscreants who are determined to continue to view this nation through a lens that upholds oppression and fosters dissent. The United States afterall is primarily a melting pot, bringing together diverse people groups from all corners of the earth. That the English were chief at staking their claim to the land is no reason to assume that this nation belongs to their descendants. The United States belongs to the Lithuanians who worked the meat packing districts in Chicago as much as it belongs to the Cubans in Miami. The Haitians in New York and the Armenians in California own a chunk of this nation that is comparable to that of the early Anglo-Saxons who settled this land.

The issue in America today is not so much individuals who hold the same ideologies as the shooter, James W. von Brunn, a self-proclaimed Neo-Nazi, but that the history of this nations is not accurate. When I read books about "fore-fathers" or the so-called "founding fathers," there is that unstated claim, that this nation truly was bare until the Europeans "discovered" it for themselves. There is little mention of the Native Americans in the proper context; as the owners of the land. When they do get mentioned, they are portrayed as apparitions, figments of the imagination of some. It's as though they never were. Their current residence in reservations strokes this fantasy all the more. Afterall, who has ever met a real Native American? I will be the first to announce that the only native American I know lives in a Disney movie. If it is not the source of major consternation that the people group who once inhabited this great country have almost been wiped out then I do not know what is!

So what indeeed ails America is not Liberalism, like von Brunn claims. Niether is the saturation of the diplomacy, businesses, and resources by Jews the problem as he states. The problem is that the individuals who wrote the Constitution of this country did not include for posterity the fact that the Americas were inhabited before they arrived. The crafted document that reads "We the people...," forgot to accurately mention "these" people. In a land once inhabited by several self-governing tribes, the Constitution proclaimed the inaalienable rights of some but failed to explain that the annihilation of millions was the high road to "We the People." So, von Brunn is not what plagues America. For every von Brunn killed or incarcerated, there are millions more who believe New York is the present day location of the Garden of Eden. These are the terrorists within our borders that the government needs to address. White supremacists, neo-nazis, religious radicals of all faiths who will stop at nothing until they shed the blood of innocents. What this country needs to address then is its Constitution and other historical documents that still play the tune that gives ownership of this land to blue eyed and blond haired Europeans.

Step Back, Your Breath Stinks!

2009-05-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

Imagine you're out hanging with a group of friends discussing political strategy. No burgers are served with chunky purple rings of onions and there's no garlic stew either. Just bottled water. Tim leans over to make a direct comment and instantly you feel your liver and other vital organs incinerate inside you. What toxic breath! Did he eat a dead skunk really? We've all been victims of Tim or perhaps we've had our own Tim moments for sure. I know I've had mine. I remember sophomore year in college. I had just finished a tasty bowl of Ramen noodles and I went about thinking my breath smelled of roses. But a good friend was "nice" enough to let me know my breath was on fire. Her exact words were "your breath is on fire." Although she gave me some gum and I was glad she was the only person who got remotely burned, nonetheless, the revelation that my breath wasn't immaculate hurt for a while. I accepted the gum and if I could blush I would have been red in both hands.

One time, a lady sat in front of me at church, wearing pants that were several sizes too small that the strings and other lacy accesories from her thongs were quite visible and unpleasantly so. I sat through the torture for a while and then I eventually passed her a note to take care of her visible undergarments. There are even more uncomfortable situations. Like having to tell an Asian lady that there was a big red blotch on her skirt. She gave me the look of horror! I didn't know if she appreciated me telling her or if I had crossed some cultural barrier I should not have. She walked away quickly and I was left alone in a bare hallway. Talk about keeping my mouth shut.

So, how do you tactfully handle those life's situations that are quite uncomfortable. If you've ever wondered, on Monday, the Oprah Winfrey Show will air a special episode that will discuss handling these situations. I'm sure we all want to know what to do besides playfully or seriously offering someone a stick of gum. Personally, I don't accept offers of gum from people. And please don't hold open a box of Altoids in my face. I have and will stare you dead in the face like the Asian lady did to me. And then I might run for cover, cup my hand over my mouth and breathe in and out. When I'm satisfied I don't smell like Pepé Le Pew then I will confidently stroll away. Oh and let's not talk about unsightly ball sized gunk in people's noses. These situations are quite difficult to handle, but maybe on Monday between four and five in the afternoon the skills will finally be learned. However, if you find someone not wearing undergarments don't approach them. It might be intentional.

Life is What Happens...

2009-05-21T12:06:00.000-07:00

I sincerely do apologize to all my readers for my prolonged absence. I have been occupied with planning the next phase of my life. Truth is, life doesn't stop while we make plans and then resume when we think we have it all figured out. Life goes on. Hence, I was reminded by a dear young man that I haven't blogged in a while and so this post is dedicated to him for encouraging me.

I just saw a picture of Liam Neeson's late wife, Natasha Richardson who passed away as a result of a fall while on a ski trip. I remember how engrossed the media was with the actress and the nature of her death. At least for two weeks. Now, Natasha Richardson may be all but a memory to those who only knew of her after her accident and from roles on the silver screen.

Life doesn't take breaks and the wheels of time never stop turning. Even those who will be greatly celebrated will all be but a memory someday. An oft quoted verse in the Bible reads, "He that observeth the winds shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap." So, live your life. Carpe diem. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

God Bless the Child...

2009-05-07T10:28:00.001-07:00

Them that's got shall have
Them that's not shall lose
So the Bible said and it still is news
Mama may have, Papa may have
But God bless the child that's got his own
That's got his own

Yes the strong gets more
While the weak ones fade
Empty pockets don't ever make the grade
Mama may have, Papa may have
But God bless the child that's got his own
That's got his own

Money you've got lots of friends
Crowding round the door
When you're gone, spending ends
They don't come no more
Rich relations give
Crust of bread and such
You can help yourself
But don't take too much
Mama may have, Papa may have
But God bless the child that's got his own
That's got his own

Mama may have, Papa may have
But God bless the child that's got his own
He just worry 'bout nothin'
Cause he got his own

~Billie Holliday

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

2009-05-01T23:59:00.001-07:00

It's Hugh Jackman on the big screen in the much awaited movie, X-Men Origins: Wolverine. For some, a cheap thrill on a P.C. could have been gotten weeks ago when the movie leaked widely, but genuine fans chose to wait out and enjoy the theatre experience. The movie is a glimpse into the early years of the X-Men character, Wolverine taking movie goers to the early days of the character and the finally telling the tale of infamous signature claws. In the opening scenes of the movie, Wolverine's military experience in the Conferderate War, the Second World War, and a stint in perhaps the Vietnam War are shown. Typically, a good movie is one that can hold your attention and draw you in within the first five minutes. Opening with two vicious murders and children on the run from the law, the movie obeyed the first rule of good behavior for all movies.

The ensuing scenes were a foray into globe-trotting. From Lagos, to Canada and then Ohio. In the scene in Lagos, the sitting government in the Unites States goes after a special elixir in form of a supposed precious metal that was supposed to confer immortality. The scene in Lagos is sort of a gaffe because it is historically inacurate. The language that was spoken is not one that is local to the western part of the country. Further, the road signs and the geography were anywhere but Lagos.

As the movie progresses, Wolverine (Lucas), has his fair share of wars and settles into life in Canada as a logger with a brunette love interest. His occupation is an attempt to distance himself from his past. Nonetheless, despite burning the bridge to this past, it still comes back to haunt him when his brother begins a murderous adventure aimed at the other superheroes. The murderous spree would include the death of Wolverine's lover. However, it's all a ploy to get Wolverine back into his superhero lifestyle. The scheme works like a charm, Wolverine is forced back into his old life to avenge the death of his brunette lover and that's where the scenes heat up.

But, the adventure really begins when Lucas undergoes an experimental operation that confers immortality. His claws also are upgraded from their bony structure to a sleek metal that cuts through steel. Armed with his new claws he goes in search of his detractors and his brother. The fight scenes that ensue are breathtaking. From his boxing match to other fight scenes, the action keeps coming but does not climax unfortunately.

Hugh Jackman delivers but the movie does not do him justice considering the amount of training he put into it. Jackman's physique is astounding and takes sexy to a new high. He leaps, and claws and snarls like only he can.

However, there seems to be a great disconnect in the movie. In the famous scene where he runs down a passage between cages on either side, the director fails dismally. When Wolverine reaches the last of the cages he just stops abruptly and stares. After such a feat, that scene should have ended with Lucas screaming in thirst for vengeance and the scream should have transitioned into the next shot. However, he just stopped short, a huge failure in the movie. That was a great scene and the director failed to capitalize on that moment.

Also, the fight between Lucas and the new mutant also fails to deliver. The suspense it should have delivered was absent. There is that sense of a foreboding of bloodshed, but the scene missed the bull's eye. I wanted more intensity, more suspense and a whole lot more drama. However, the scene was disappointing and the action was weak. Despite being a quality movie, there were several misses that could have made for an even greater action flick.

In the end, Wolverine loses his memory after the ultimate fight which unfortunately did not not have the intensity it should have packed. Nonetheless, Jackman is at his best physically and is possilby the best Wolverine he can be. In all, X-Men Origins: Wolverine deserves a B.

100 Days and Counting: Grading the President

2009-04-29T07:59:00.000-07:00

The last 100 days in the United States has been one of the single most significant 100 day period in the history of the United States. Significant because for the first time in the two hundred and thirty three year history of this nation, a man of African descent was elected President of this country. President Barack Obama's ascent to the Presidency is interesting because, perhaps for the first time -besides at sporting events- Americans from varied walks of life rallied behind a person of color for the highest office in the land. What inherently began as a rocky and at times tense political campaign season gave way to an albeit eventful first hundred days in office.

The first few days of the Presidency were marked with trivial yet interesting complaints. The first of these complaints came from Inaugural day festivities. The first lady was criticized for snubbing African-American fashion designer and instead using other non-Americans to supply the outfits she wore. Then came the outburst from Etta James who felt insulted because Beyonce rather than she was invited to serenade the first lady and Mr. Presdent to their first dance to just not any song, but one she made popular. Interestingly, I doubt that the White House ever addressed any of these complaints. So, there began the first days of the Obama Presidency.

Over the next few days, the President announced that he would be sending 14,000 more troops to Afghanistan. Osama bin Laden still remained at large, and the war in Iraq still showed no signs of coming to an end. Following closely on the heels of the war decisions came the signing of the Mexico City documents, a key blow to supporters of the pro-life movement. Then, we heard of an interesting character, Bernie Madoff. No surprise there, his last name said it all. Then the questions came rolling in. Would the government step in and if so what role would they play in a recovery effort of some sort?

Speaking of recovery, the first hundred days have seen some natural disasters. From wild fires to the flood scare in the Midwest, the level of readiness by response teams has been challenged. However, Obama has not had to deal with a large scale natural disaster such as Katrina. Facing such would definitely be a test of the new FEMA, a response that would reflect on the President's legacy.

Importantly, the Obama Presidency has had to deal with the issue of bank failures and bail-outs and Timothy Geithner's near demise from office in the wake of the AIG scandal. The AIG scandal raised the interesting issues all presidencies have had to face, of "who knew what and when." Thankfully though, the crisis was managed with recovery of some bonuses from some AIG workers and Geithner remained the Secretary of the Treasury.

The President has also had to handle weightier matters like Guantanamo Bay and the issue of torture as a means of coercion employed during interrogations. Was the President's decision to look into the use of torture fair or was it a politicized move? Definitely heads will roll, but could Obama potentially be preparing his own gallows?

Then there was the successful landing of U.S. Airways flight 1549 on the Hudson river and two other deadly plane crashes that followed. Sure the President is not directly connected to these events but they do bear on his Presidency.

Another hot topic that has not received enough attention is the issue of gun control. When and if it does become an issue, the ensuing debates on both sides of the spectrum will show how much of their freedoms Americans will be willing to surrender or will have to surrender for the hope of a somewhat safer union.

On the international stage, the President has ventured into Europe, initiated talks with Cuba and showed a willingness to bring an end to former hostilities. Then there was the incriminating hand shake with Hugo Chavez for which the President caught much flak. South of the border, Mexico has once again become a hot topic with the issue of drug trafficking and most recently, the swine flu. The Obama presidency also witnessed the capture and release of a U.S. vessel by Somali pirates, albeit with some bloodshed. The ensuing murders of some of the Somali pirates were indicative of vengeance for the Black Hawk incidence of 1993.

Surely, the President has had a busy 100 days in office, more eventful than he perhaps anticipated. However, some issues still remain tabled; immigration reform, healthcare, and more efficient energy solutions. Definitely, Obama has been on his toes but surely, this is not the best he or his administration can give. It's still early to fully access what progress if any the White House has made, but it is safe to say that at least there is a vested interest in serving the common good, and that in itself is a step in the right direction. In all, The Harriet Project gives the President and his administration a grade of B-.

For more information and to track Obama's accomplishments regarding his promises on the campaign trial, visit Politifact.

Containing the Swine Flu

2009-04-28T12:18:00.000-07:00

The Centers for Disease Control recently reported that it might not be feasible to control the spread of the swine flu. So far there have been 64 confirmed cases of the disease in the United States but no fatalities. No major warnings have been posted by the Deparment of Hoemland Security besides the travel advisory against nonessential travel. However the Cuban government has moved to ban all travel to Mexico. The virus has been spreading fast and there have been other reported cases in Spain and in Israel proving that the swine flu is fast becoming a pandemic. While containing the flu is not an option been considered, preventive measures and good health practices should be observed to prevent further spread of the virus.

Already, the outbreak is causing waves that might distabilize national markets. With the global stress on world economies, the flu or any pandemic of any sort is the last thing the world needs right now. In 2003, the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which originated in Asia supposedly in Hong Kong severely distabilized world markets and resulted in over 700 deaths worldwide with about 8,000 cases of illness. With pandemics, the challenge is not to contain outbreaks but rather to make sure there is an effective response team to handle cases of outbreak. Consequently, the United States government has moved in to disseminate information -even though some of it is vague- and prepare a response team to handle a massive outbreak of the disease.

The Spanish Influenza

2009-04-27T22:06:00.000-07:00

This time yesterday, the number of casualties supposedly claimed by the Swine Flu was still under a hundred, and the reported cases in the United States were a little over a handful. But a day does make a difference. Whereas the United States government was wary about discouraging travel to Mexico, today came the appeal to halt any unimportant trips to the region. The European Union was much frightened and issued a warning against all nonessential trips even before the United States government made the announcement. The specter of the next great plague and of emerging diseases has fascinated and terrified at the same time. From movies to television there has been no shortage of human creativity in bringing to life the effects of some supposed super bug. So, is this that dreaded super bug or just some wart that will be easily thwarted?

My Mother Remembers Spanish Influenza

I was the first person in our town
to catch the Spanish Influenza.
I heard it came over on the streetcar,
hissing and snapping to itself
as it crossed the river
And when the car stopped at the foot of our hil,
the bell rang twice, the flu got off
and burst inside my head
like sparklers on the Fourth of July
Soon it was smooth and hot as rails in the sun,
running inside my head, metal on metal, ice on ice.
When it began to go away,
the neighborhood children took it, piece by piece,
on the thick, round wheels of their roller skates.
Mother brought me a white paper bag
of coconut macaroons.
I ate three and I was sick
into the gray metal basin
filled with disinfectant and water
that was kept near my bed.
Mother doubted that the flu came on the streetcar.
It seemed more likely to her
that my two young uncles
had brought it back from France with them,
hidden in the silk webbing
that stretched between the carved ivory fingers
of the painted fan they had given me.
But I knew better.
I could still hear it, when Mother left the room at night,
whispering to itself about itself
as it came across the river on the last car.
It stopped at the foot of our hill for a second,
and then rode on down the valley to the carbarn,
where it waited out the night.

-JOHN RATTI

Published in the September 17, 1979 issue of The New Yorker magazine, the poem was written by Ratti about his mother's recollection of the Spanish Influenza of 1918.

The Great Swine Flu of 2009

2009-04-26T10:05:00.001-07:00

Is this the big one that's supposed to wipe millions of the face of the earth? Should we fear for our lives? These and other similar questions have been on the minds of several people since news of the outbreak of the swine flu in Mexico and parts of the United States was released. So far, 81 deaths have been reported in Mexico, while about 20 cases have been identified in the United States. Cases of the flu have also been reported in Canada and in New Zealand, some students who recently vistited Mexico have shown flu-like symptoms that are believed to be the swine flu upon their arrival. The H1H1 swine flu is associated with pigs and can be spread from person to person. When the flu spreads in this way it becomes challenging to treat because each transmission is accompanied by a mutation of the flu virus. Symptoms of the swine flu include fever, sore throat, lethargy, lack of apetite, coughing, running nose, diarrhea, vomitting, and triedness according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Currently, the White House is monitoring the situation but has not issued any general travel precautions. President Barack Obama recently returned from Mexico but so far has shown no symptoms of the swine flu. However, the Department of Health and Human Services has issued a public emergency warning with regards to the flu. As with most influenza strains, the general precautions remain the same. According to the CDC, the best preventive measure against the flu is to get vaccinated. In addition to getting the flu vaccine, other precautions include avoiding close contact with those who may have the flu, frequent proper hand washing, covering the mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing, avoid touching nose, eyes and mouth, and observing other healthy behavior.

As with any epidemic, severe precaution needs to be taken. We are in the age of emerging diseases and viral strains are proving more hardy and resistance to some old and even new treatments. This could possibly turn out to be more deadly than was imagined or conversely good public health measures can help to contain the outbreak. Nonetheless, it's better to be cautious and report to a physician immediately any flu-like symptons are observed. For more information on the swine flu, please visit the Department of Health and Homeland Security and the Centers for Disease Control.

Is The First Family Over Exposed?

2009-04-24T21:56:00.001-07:00

Is it just the excitement of the first hundred days in office or is this a foray into a never ending celebrity frenzy? I like to think I had more excitement and energy on January 20th than a school bus filled with middle school cheerleaders. I jumped, I sang, and I cried as I watched the first family. First as the President took the oath of office and as he and Michelle Obama danced the night away at several inaugural balls. In the days following I was all too excited to see the first family on the television and say with a warmth in my insides..."that's my President, that's my President."

Now all of a sudden, he is everywhere I turn. From the cover of tabloids to magazines and journals worth their salt, I see his face. Michelle too hasn't been left behind. Each time I glimpse at fashion blogs or magazines she is there! At one point her face graced the front covers of "Vogue," "O," and "Essence." The first couple seemed to have taken the nation by storm. This was a blitzkrieg of some sort. And of course let's not forget the darling children and now the rambunctious little Bo.

Like most other Americans, I appreciate seeing our elected officials and knowing that they are at work in their posts. Nonetheless, it seems like everywhere I turn these days the President is there. I remember sometime a few weeks ago he was doing so many press conferences, appearing on talk shows, giving so many interview, dabbling in so much, and trying to take on the whole world all at once, just like Superman. Now, while it was reassuring to know that he was not vacationing at Camp David or running off to Hawaii to further tan his already sun-kissed skin, I began to get a little wary of him.

"Just go away will you, so I can miss you some." I almost cried. It seemed as though the more I saw of him, the less interested I appeared to be in hearing what he had to say. I wasn't advocating that he be gone so long that his sighting when it did occur would be like that of the sun god, but the President didn't know when to stop. Michelle was no better either, reveling in the warmth of the spotlight too. And not only wer they seen, but they were heard through a loud gramophone.

The danger in all this is that the more he (especially) speaks which is a given at these many events, the greater the opportunities are for those foot in the mouth incidences. Further, when the public sees too much of the President and of course hears his voice, they become inundated and somewhat irritated [at least I was getting so]. There's a law about demand and supply and a theory about scarce goods and the stock market. So as the first one hundred days in office approaches, and the President clouds his calendar with pizza parties, galas and balls, maybe he'll find time for a one on one with Paul Krugman. That's hoping he'll finally get the pronunciation of Krugman's name right. Hey, Mr. President, incase Occidental and Columbia forgot, it's time for Economics 101: Fewer Presidential Sighting.

Torture and Sleeping Dogs

2009-04-23T15:05:00.000-07:00

By the end of the week, there will be more interesting and perhaps shocking documents that will be reviewed as the Obama administration determines the extent to which torture was used by the Bush administration. Since the investigations began, I have been somewhat concerned that in an attempt to be transparent the Obama administration might be creating precedent that will undoubtedly prove a tough act to follow. Regardless of the system of governance in any country, I can almost unequivocally admit that torture as a form of coercion is always employed. Even when the victim of the oppressive method isn't a foreign national there are still subtle forms of torture used in most interrogations.

Beginning this week, the Obama administration launched a series of investigations backed by the ACLU and other civil liberties groups around the issue of torture and particularly water boarding used as a tool of coercion by the past administration. If Obama moves forward with a thorough investigation, he will be making good on his promise of transparency. Nonetheless, he will be reneging on his promise of not awakening old ghosts.

It is an open secret that the United States has used torture methods against perceived terrorists and other antagonists. Tales from Abu Ghraib to Guantanamo Bay are proof that human rights injustices are a common thread in the way Americans treat perceived law breakers. The story of John Walker Lindh as narrated in a recent issue of GQ magazine gives a glimpse into how the American government will and have treated antagonists.

There are several cases in which the need to use a form of torture, however subtle come into play. If the United States were to capture Osama bin Laden, the administration will be hard pressed to not employ some means of torture in extracting useful intelligence information from him. Obviously, bin Laden will be prosecuted by the United States legal system should he be brought to trial and not in an International Criminals Court. Hence, with the duty of prosecuting him, the United States will want to build a strong case against him and if it entails starving him or using waterboarding as a means to an end, who is to say what entails torture? I am not making the argument for or against torture, but rather building a case that shows that torture regardless of how subtle is routine.

Already, former Vice-President Dick Cheney has spoken on the issue and maintains that his administration's use of torture was pertinent to national security and was useful in warding of a supposed attack. While Cheney's claims are incredible, I will be interested in a study that shows how the attack he refers to was directly intercepted through means of torture. Nonetheless, I am convinced that when the Bush administratin acted, they did so in the perceived best interest of the American people. So, as the investigations proceed, the future of several individuals will be at stake. From top aides within the government to pundits in academia, heads will roll.

Many have already advised that the investigations be stopped and that if at all an independent panel should be brought in to review the allegations. If the investigations continue, it is possible that top aides in the Bush administration will be subpoenaed and possibly face imminent jail time if convicted. Hence, as the Obama administration makes such bold moves, they need to make sure their rear guard is up at all times. While the use of torture should be evaluated on a case by case basis, there is some wisdom that can be garnered in President Ford's decision to pardon his predecessor Richard Nixon. Obama is not yet a hundred days into his administration. But, the world is becoming increasingly volatile and as long as he remains in office he will make his own mistakes and someday face the possibility of been held accountable by an administration yet unborn.

Chasing Pavements

2009-04-23T10:40:00.000-07:00

Onwards from akqa on Vimeo.

Happy Earth Day 2009

2009-04-22T13:34:00.001-07:00

Photograph courtesy of The Huffington Post

Perez Defiled: The Miss California Saga

2009-04-21T22:19:00.000-07:00

Since the Miss U.S.A pageant aired on Sunday night, the controversy over Miss California's repsonse has garnered wide media attention. During the pageant Miss California responded to a question by celebrity judge and blogger Perez Hilton that many speculate might have caused her the title. Hilton asked Miss California for her opinion on Vermont's decision to legalize same sex marriage and if she believed other states should follow suit. In posing the question Hilton asked Miss California to argue for or against same sex union.

Miss California proceeded to answer the question by stating that while American values embraced freedom of choice, she believed that marriage should be defined as a union between a man and a woman. Her response was greeted by almost equal numbers of boos and applause. For some, it came as a shock that a pageant contestant from the state of California would express views that were intepreted by most same sex advocates as divisive. In the end, Miss California echoed the opinion of California voters who voted last winter in favor of Propostion 8, a California State ballot that changed the State Constitution to to restrict the definition of marriage to opposite sex couples thus denying same sex couples the right to legally be married.

First, I commend Miss California for speaking out boldly in defense of her beliefs regarding the issue. As I sat back and watched the pageant, I knew even before the results were announced that she would not win because of her remarks. No sooner had the competition ended, I went on Perez Hilton's eponymous blog and was not surprised when I saw he had already posted a response to Miss California, providing his own version of how he believed she should have answered his question.

Now, Miss California was asked by Perez to give an opinion on the issue. She then did and was now penalized because she did not give an answer most judges wanted to hear. In Perez' opinion she should have given a response that was politically correct so as not to come of as polarizing but rather unifying. Is this the America that our founding fathers fought for? One where personal opinion and beliefs are stifled in favor of popularity and being politically correct? Miss California wasn't asked to give an answer that would suit the judges she was asked to give an answer that was reflective of her beliefs which she did.

Sadly, Miss California is now being scorned because according to Perez Hilton and some celebrities who have spoken out on the issue, the duty of a potential Miss USA should be to represent the views of all Americans. Hence, given this broad definition, Miss California does not in the opinion of some fit the description as a unifier and as the face of this country because she is opposed to same sex marriage. Had she responded in favor of same sex marriage, she would have been more representative of the varied landscape of this nation.

Surely, the United States is a melting pot. There are hard working, honest citizens and there are bank robbers as well in this nation. The terrorist is neighbor to the pacifist, and the serial killer is neighbor to the priest. That President Barack Obama does not support the Ku Klux Klan does not make him polarizing or any less of a leader representative of the diversity this nation has come to be known for. We all do not have the same ideologies and no individual should be faulted for their beliefs. Nonetheless, irrespective of whether she won or lost, I believe the title of Miss USA belongs to the young lady who is able to capture and hold the attention of the media and so far there is no contest regarding whom the title really belongs to.

All The Way

2009-04-18T16:13:00.000-07:00

Through the good or lean years
And for all the in between years- come what may

But if you let me love you
It's for sure I'm gonna love you- all the way, all the way

I don't write personal posts that much. Nonetheless, it's been a really eventful week in more ways than one. Those who know me know I am extremely fond of Ol' Blue Eyes...yes, Frank Sinatra. In view of this week, I found no other song to sum up the way I feel than Sinatra's song "All The Way." Don't ever settle for less than what's real.

Peace.

Sometimes in April

2009-04-07T22:05:00.000-07:00

Remembering the 15th Anniversary of the Genocide in Rwanda. For a full time line of the 100 day massacre that began on April 7, 1994 please visit HBO Films.

Another Manifesto, Another Killing

2009-04-06T19:02:00.000-07:00

In what is being called the worst mass murder since the Virginia Tech massacre Jiverly Wong, a 41-year-old Vietnamese immigrant armed with two hand guns burst into the American Civic Association in Binghampton, New York, where he took the lives of 13 immigrants enrolled in citizenship and other skills classes before turning the gun on himself. The killings that occurred on Friday, April 5, bear so many similarities to the murderous spree that took place on the campus of Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007.

The perpetrators of both crimes were both Asian immigrants who believed they were being persecuted by society. Both killings occurred in the month of April, the murder scene in both cases were institutions of learning of some sort, both killers were described as having mental health issues and importantly, both of the killers sent in manifestos to television stations either detailing or trying to provide an explanation for their inexplicable tirades.

Jiverly Wong is a coward and a weakling. Frustrated with his own life he decided to take the lives of others, some of whom were satisfied with their own personal journey. Wong took the lives of 13 immigrants each with a different face, background, and life path. What most of his victims shared in common was they had all come to New York in pursuit of the American dream.

Wong took the lives of promising people like Layla Khalil, 57, an Iraqi immigrant who was settling into a peaceful existence for the first time in many years in the United States. He also ended the hope of an American dream for a Haitian couple, Marc Henry Bernand and his wife, Maria Sonia Bernand who leave behind two children, forced to face the world without the love and direction of their parents.

There has been no explanation, other than that Wong's biggest frustration beside losing his job was that he was constantly taunted for his poor English diction. Hence, I cannot understand why he would kill others like himself who were probably facing the same ridicule. He killed immigrants, most of whom were not proficient in English either. If his intent was to inflict punishment on his antagonists why didn't he seek out a gathering of perfectly blue-eyed, blond haired, baseball watching, hamburger eating, full blooded Americans? Why did he choose to murder immigrants like himself? The reasons for which no answers may ever be found just go to show that Wong was indeed, like Seung-Hui Cho a frustrated coward. The murders were senseless. Whether he had killed Americans or immigrants will never be enough justification for his actions. Almost every human has endured some form of ridicule or felt inadequate at times.

Like Cho, Wong was not new to the United States. Records show that he came to the United States in the early 1980s. He had held a series of jobs and while it might be unfair to indict him for not learning to speak English he's had almost thirty years to learn the language.

Are Wong and Cho a unique case or do they provide a warning that perhaps needs to be heeded. Both killers are Asian immigrants and although China and Vietnam may seem worlds apart, could it be possible that there is something Asian about the killings? Both men had a history of mental health issues that their families were aware of. And while both their families were shocked by the killings, it seems they expected these individuals to snap at some point.

It will be interesting to study the perception of mental health in the Asian community and the responses if any to the issue. Is mental health so stigmatized that affected individuals in the community are unable to get the help they need? Further, Asian communities are often perceived as tight knit, so why did Wong and Cho fall through the cracks?

The repercussions of the Virginia Tech massacre and Friday's killings on members of the larger Asian community will be grave because the parallels between both separate incidents reveal a pattern, one that might be interpreted as an outright attack against American culture. If so, it may be helpful to begin useful dialogues within Asian communities, not only in light of the killing sprees but because behind the facade of a strong communal bond might be individuals who are time bombs waiting to go off.

Cho still holds the unfortunate record for the single greatest mass killing spree in the history of the United States. Perhaps, Wong may have attempted to beat that record. Hence, when the history of the world is written April will be remembered for Cho, Wong, Columbine, and the Rwandan genocide. Is it something about April or something about Asian immigrants? Or, maybe it's something about suburban white kids, or tribalistic Africans. But then it all occurred sometime in April...

Madonna Shunned in Malawi

2009-04-03T07:28:00.001-07:00

Madonna and Angelina Jolie didn't invent international adoption, but they have made the trend very popular. Yesterday, Madonna was stopped by a judge from adopting a little girl from an orphanage in Malawi. If she were allowed to adopt the little girl this would have been the second African child for Madonna. The judge denied Madonna's request because there was no direct proof that the child did not have a good quality of life in Malawi. The argument was if the child's life was endangered or threatened, then there would be a reason to approve the adoption which wasn't the case. Further, she was denied based on residency issues because the law requires that adoptive parents should have lived in Malawi for at least 18 months.

Long before the trend became popular, I also fancied the idea and wanted to adopt a little girl from Brazil. Although I have always advocated for adoption, I found it worthwhile to actually step back and reveiw my motive. If I was interested in giving a child the best quality of life, then why did it matter where the child came from? I might as well adopt from the neighborhood orphanage or take a drive down to Memphis or Mississippi. There simply is no reason to go south of the continent in search of that special child from Brazil whose life I could improve. But we all know that Gisele Bundchen is from Brazil.

Importing children from different countries to give them a good quality of life is quite humble and definitely praise-worthy. But when the number of children in the United States foster care system wiating for stable homes is considered, then the international adoption shindig loses its flavor. More so, when it's celebrities in the picture, the motives become even more questionable because the lines between humane effort and publicity stunt become blurred. Sure, some African and Asian children do need to be adopted but shouldn't charity begin at home?

Photograph courtesy of The New York Times

World Market Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)

2009-04-02T04:16:00.000-07:00

Had he not been killed, Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. would have been seventy years old today, having died twenty five years ago on April 1, 1984, murdered at the hands of his own father Marvin Gay Sr. Reflecting on the life of the singer Marvin Gaye, there's much to be said about his art and the social consciousness behind his music.

Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) was realeased as the third and final song on Marvin's chart topping album "What's Going On." The lyrics of the song echoed his frustrations with inner city life in the United States.

In celebrating Marvin's life, the good news is that this song is still relevant today because sadly, the inner cities haven't changed. They are still much the same or perhaps worse than when Marvin himself lived in inner city Washington D.C.

Poverty is still rife, and based on recent reports, the alarming increase in new cases of HIV infection in the D.C. area have made the nation's capital the poster child for worse case scenario of new and existing HIV infections, taking the cake from some African countries that formerly bore the title. But AIDS is not D.C's only problem these days. Big bonuses, reckless spending, dishonesty, tax evasion, cover-ups, bribes, bad government and more. If this doesn't make you wanna holler...

Rockets, moon shots
Spend it on the have nots
Money, we make it
Fore we see it you take it

Oh, make you wanna holler
The way they do my life
Make me wanna holler
The way they do my life

This ain't livin', This ain't livin'
No, no baby, this ain't livin'
No, no, no

Inflation no chance
To increase finance
Bills pile up sky high
Send that boy off to die

Make me wanna holler
The way they do my life
Make me wanna holler
The way they do my life

Hang ups, let downs
Bad breaks, set backs
Natural fact is
Honey, that I can't pay my taxes

Oh, make me wanna holler
And throw up both my hands
Yea, it makes me wanna holler
And throw up both my hands

Crime is increasing
Trigger happy policing
Panic is spreading
God know where we're heading
Oh, make me wanna holler
They don't understand

Sani Abacha Pikin Don Die!

2009-03-31T21:33:00.000-07:00

Dear All,
I am Aziz M. Hossein, a legal practitioner in Malaysia with many years of practice. I was an attorney to a deceased client of mine, who died in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia of a heart related condition in 2001. My reason of sending you this email is to help secure the funds left behind by my client before it is confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where this fund valued at $4.7 million was deposited.

Since you do have the same surname with my late client, I would want to present you as the legitimate beneficiary with all legal documents required to back the claim up. The holding bank has issued me a notice to contact the next of kin, or the account will be confiscated, and so far, all my efforts to get hold of someone related to this man has proved abortive.

This is my proposal; I am asking for your consent to present you to the bank as the next-of-kin and beneficiary of my late client, since you have the same last name, so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you. Then we can share the amount on a mutually agreed-upon percentage. I do have a good standing in Malaysia it is my assurance that this transaction will be successful and that I will make sure that the transaction is done within the applicable laws to guarantee full legitimacy.

All legal documents to back up your claim as my client's next-of-kin will be provided by me.All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this transaction through. This will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. However, if this business proposition offends your moral values, do accept my apology.

Please contact me at once to indicate your interest. Do understand that this transaction do require utmost confidence and you should keep this mail to yourself not with standing if you are rejecting the transaction or accepting it.

Note that I reserve the right to reject your acceptance of this proposal if I have reasons to believe that you may not be honest or discreet as it concerns this proposal.

Further details will be giving as soon as your interest is indicated.

Yours Sincerely,
Bar Aziz M. Hossein.
Attorney at Law
Email:ahossein1@hotmail.com

Disclaimer: Oh, the irony! This is an exact copy of an email I came across a few days ago. I thought it would be interesting to share it with you all. All those interested please contact Mr. Aziz Hossein. Seriously.

The Harriet Project does not endorse Mr. Hussein and therefore is not responsible for any unfortunate circumstances that might occur if he is indeed contacted.

Happy April Fools Day!

Networking for Girls

2009-03-28T18:16:00.000-07:00

The battle begins the day the girl is born, but then it really depends on geography. Females conceived in some countries are not lucky enough to be born. Think India, China, and some parts of Africa and other parts of the world, where a female child is seen more as a curse than a blessing. So, the battle is fought and won before the girl is born.

If the government allows families only a child or if an expensive dowry has to be paid why then would any logical thinking family want one with two X chromosomes?

So, from the play ground to the boardroom girls are bullied by those of the other sex, but sometimes too the cruelty is from within. Sure there's that part about kissing in a tree and a baby carriage on the journey from play ground to boardroom. But, even what society has come to refer to as the dating game is some sort of trick to make women really believe they are some priced jewel. It's not uncommon for men to talk about their women over drinks like they are bison or buffalo. Whoever came up with the concept of the trophy wife must have had dinner with Socrates at some point; there's no other appropriate term for spoils from a hunt than of course a trophy.

But these days, it's not so much about being hunted. Some women really love to believe they are deer or maybe warthogs. Now, now this is not meant to offend but walk into any dance club on Saturday night and if you stare long enough, you'll notice you're standing on grass. Some deer might walk by and make an attempt to brush against the male. She might have that deer in the headlights look on her face. And a guffaw that in between teeth if listened to long enough sounds like a plea to be taken home. Home to the slaughter or maybe for Easter brunch, but just wants to be taken home.

It's like the Trojan commercial where the men look like pigs, but now the joke is on the ladies. With eyes as big as possums they stare at these men. Dance with me their eyes seem to say...and then take me home.

But really it's not the hunt neither is it the chance of being born or not being born. Those were an aside. How is a girl supposed to move up in the world when she is only supposed to just be deer? She's talked about like she's a priced moose or bison, but really all she is is deer.

There are countless of those events. The swanky networking shindigs. It's always open bar and the cheeses are so exquisite. This girl doesn't care about the cheese or the nicely arranged Ritz crackers, she wants some business cards...a lead to something. But remember she is but deer.

So now the cards are all stacked. Or maybe they are in a fancy card case from Tiffany's. Remember the gentleman who works for Random House? Nice Armani suit, really great shoes...smelled good too but wore the dreaded band, going south on his anatomy, on an appendage, on one of his phalanges. Yes that guy. He talked to you about how he climbed his way up the ladder at the company. And of course he mentioned that he had to play tooth fairy that night to some grubby monster with play dough up his ears and brocolli underneath his bed.

But the man has connections, connections the girl needs. The key word is network! Network! Network! But how does she call him and start a conversation about a potential lead?

It's easy to tell women to network but then it's not so easy to make things happen once the hangover from all that good wine is gone. So a good girl keeps his number for weeks while it burns a hole in her card case. She's not even remotely attracted to the guy, but what if she calls and he gets the wrong signal?

"Hey, I remember you...red lipstick...ahhh yes was it a magenta suit?" he quips. "They call them power suits these days my secretary tells me..." Now why didn't he make reference to junior with the missing tooth's Mom? Doesn't she have an opinon on power suits? If he had mentioned junior's Mom and not secretary it would signal that although he remembers the suit and lip rouge he still wants to make it clear that the ring on his finger is doing things other than cutting off his circulation. "Okay, bring your resume and we can brainstorm opportunities for you at the company over lunch." Now this is starting to look not so good. He remembererd the red lipstick. Sure it was worn so it would be remembered, but he remembered it. Surely he's a family man. He rambled about junior all night long...but I could easily email the resume. And he could Twitter a response to me. Why do we have to do lunch?

Or maybe it's not the Armani suit wearing executive from the publishing house. Maybe it's the older gentleman who is well connected. He calls her dear. Now is that dear as in you're just like my grandchild dear, deer or what is it really?

Soon, there are all these invites to do lunch, meet at Gallery X, Museum Y, and Bar Z. But the girl only wants to network and connect with the power brokers. She doesn't want to be your mistress or rescue you from your unhappy matrimonial contract. She just wants to be your friend and maybe someday your co-worker or your friend's co-worker.

And then in the midst of all this, there's inspiring news about alpha females like Sarah Palin and Nadya Suleman who got to the top sans business card from Armani wearing dude or Grandpa-well-connected and girl wonders what she's doing wrong. Maybe she'll call Hugh Hefner tomorrow. He's always taking applications she's told. He'll take her home, he'll be good for networking, and definitely he'll give her a job. She won't be deer no more. Now she'll be a bunny.

Outing Meghan McCain

2009-03-24T08:34:00.000-07:00

From her appearance on "The View" to her most recent on the Larry King Show last night, the oldest McCain daughter and recent Columbia Universtiy graduate didn't spend too much time picking out an outfit reflective of a change in the season. She's turned down nice pastels and colorful frocks in favor of black. Black hair bands, black blouses with mathching black pants and jacket. Maybe Meghan is still mourning her father's failure to win the Presidency or maybe she's smart enough to know that black is every fashionable woman's first defense in the battle of the bulge. Black makes you look slim. It streamlines those love handles and although black done right can have a strong appeal it also has that blah factor that steals from any further interest in the subject.

A few days ago Meghan made headlines for asking conservative talk show host Laura Ingraham to kiss her fat Arizona ass after Ingraham made an acerbic joke about Meghan's weight. Since then she has gone on a tirade letting the world know she is comfortable with her weight. So comfortable that she still continues to wear black even though it's spring. I wish I had her kind of confidence...Oh the places I would go. But Meghan didn't just spend the past week battling Ingraham and others on a weight witch hunt. She's also followed in mine and her Dad's footsteps by joining Twitter and currently has a record 11,000 people following her every mindless thoughts on the social network. But that's not all, Meghan McCain has a lot more on her mind.

For starters she is quite patriotic and unlike the elephant in the fat man suit, she doesn't want the President to fail. She wants the President to succeed so badly that she's willing to admit that she loves gay people, doesn't care what people do with their bodies, and importantly she told Larry King that she's a progressive Republican. That sounds like a synonym for Democrat doesn't it? I'm still waiting for Meghan to come out. Give or take, she'll make that decision soon and I'll be heading to Hallmark to buy her a card. They now have one to celebrate that. She'll be the the director of the Obama campaign in Arizona or maybe she'll choose New York.

Her Dad already seems to be warming up to that one and it won't be long before Meghan does the same. It's sexy to be a Democrat now. Meghan would know. She's quite the self proclaimed pop culture nut, so it doesn't come as a surprise that inspite of her Ivy League education and world class exposure she still manages to channel what comes off as a chimera of Nicole Ritchie and Paris Hilton. Ditsy yet confident in ways only known to one who's John McCain's offspring. She is quite an interesting girl that Meghan McCain. Every time I hear her speak it's like watching an episode of The Hills and I sometimes fall asleep waking up to the fear that the teeth, yes Audrina's are biting my toes, and I don't know why. To follow the young maverick visit her blog, McCainBlogette. It'll explain things a whole lot better.

Spring Is In The Air

2009-03-20T09:02:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2009-03-17T21:25:00.001-07:00

Homelessness in America

2009-03-16T20:54:00.000-07:00

It was 2009. Historians will have a ball of many sorts when the history of the Second Great Depression is written. Mostly, they will document the housing crisis and how it was the start of what would become the most challenging financial crisis in the history of the United States of America. But, long before the housing crisis, the United States has always had issues with housing; finding a house, affording one, or simply the lack thereof of housing. A few years ago, I worked with a number of coalitions in the city of Atlanta devoted to managing the problem of homelessness. I was alarmed at the number of homeless individuals in the city. Homeless in the United States seems paradoxical at first. The United States hasn't had a major war, not since Sherman's army marched on the South, yet homelessness still continues to pervade the fabric of this nation. Over the next couple of days and perhaps weeks I will write some articles addressing the issue. The first installment is an article I wrote in 2004 as part of my application for a so called unamed Ivy League School. Inspite of the housing crisis in the United States and considering that none of Americas homeless are victims of a domestic war why is homelessness still a problem in this country?

Top Guns: When Bare Arms Were in Vogue

2009-03-07T13:37:00.000-08:00

Michelle Obama has been taking some heat lately for showing too much skin. From the campaign trail to the Inaugural balls and in her portiat for the White House website, the first lady has defended her right to bare arms. In a recent cover for Vogue magazine, the first lady sported a sleeveless magenta silk dress by designer Jason Wu, who also designed her Inaugural ball gown. The backlash is quite alarming, as though baring ones arms is a new and unchaste fashion concept. The critics who want her arms covered are trying to deflect the wrath of the Taliban, since bare arms are the new erotica. Besides Americans just hate to see well toned arms, it's inappropriate, but we'd rather watch naked celebrities on our networks.

The sleeveless frock is a staple in the closet of many American women adorning the pencil thin frame of Audrey Hepburn and the voluptuous curves of Marilyn Monroe. Beginning with the late fifties and the early sixties, long sleeves gave way for frocks that were sleeveless, in a style that is reminiscent of Jackie O. While some outfits were still made with sleeves it was fashionable to bare arms. If the 1920s granted women suffrage rights, the right to bare arms was achieved in the 1960s. Arms are not objects of eroticism, just as toes aren't, but there's room for debate. Michelle is not going around the White House or making public appearances without appropriate undergarments. She is not wearing sheer blouses with no underwear or sporting a visible panty line. She is a woman who looks great for her age and has a pair of perfectly toned arms to go along with the rest of the package.

There's nothing shocking about Michelle's trend. It's a revival of an old trend. In the late fifties and early sixties popular styles for women were fitted sleeveless dresses with full skirts that hit slightly below the knees. Michelle is definitely a different kind of fashionista and first lady. She is world's away from the frailty that was Nancy Reagan or the stoic Eleanor Roosevelt. Michelle cannot be likened to Hillary Clinton either. While Hillary possesed a unique sense of self and an almost unrivaled intelligence, she missed the memo consistently when it came to style, first in the Arkansas White House and then on Pennsylvania Avenue. Her recent stylish rebirth has only come with age and years of enduring her husband's infidelity. If I were to compare Michelle to a former first lady, it would be Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The self described queen of Camelot, Kennedy Onassis had a style that was oft described as timeless, classic and modern. These same flowery descriptions have been used to describe Michelle's style as well.

Had she been the first to stake a claim to the right to bare arms then there might be room for an arguemnt. But, this is 2009, and if Jacqueline Kennedy could in the sixties why can't Michelle do so now? Jacqueline Kennedy did not live in this century if we need to be reminded yet she showed off her arms not only in private moments but publicly. Bare arms, where acceptable then and still are now. Those who want to pick a bone with Michelle will be welcome to do so if their complaint was that her bare arms were either too hairy or flabby. Her arms are neither. If change has come to Washington, shouldn't we expect that it pervade the style there as well? I doubt that Michelle Obama will back down and become more conservative with regards to her style. She's favored the sleeveless frock even before she met and married the President. Her job title is first lady, she's not training for the convent. If France can deal with Mrs. Sarkozy why can't Americans handle Michelle's bare arms? So, it's Michelle Obama's party and no one is invited.

Update

2009-03-05T19:25:00.001-08:00

In an earlier post, I wrote about a Georgia man who committed suicide at the Coverdell Legislative Office Building across from the State Capitol. At the time of the post, no information was available on the victim. However, new information shows that the victim, Richard Areingdale a 42-year-old state employee and Cobb County resident, was wanted on eight felony child molestation charges.

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, he was charged with one count each of rape, statutory rape and incest, two counts of child molestation, aggravated sodomy, and three counts of child molestation. The charges occurred between January 2001 and March 2009. Reports notes that the police had gone to his house the previous night to serve him a warrant. Apparently, he may have already committed suicide while the police were at his house attempting to serve the warrant for his arrest. Inspite of the charges against him, his decision to take his own life is still quite unfortunate and could have been prevented.

How to Commit Career Suicide

2009-03-05T06:21:00.000-08:00

Sleeping on the job, stealing from your boss, or lying on your resume are so 1940s. When it comes to the ultimate method to giving your career the final farewell, consider getting into a fight with your slightly not so teenage girlfriend just hours before you are both scheduled to perform at the Grammy Awards. But you say you don't have a girlfriend and you have no singing talent. To fix the first problem, post an ad on Craigslist. It should read something like this, "single guy seeks a 21 year old female for a long-term relationship. Female should be preferably Bajan who is insecure and thinks getting a beating is a true expression of love." To fix the second, I'd suggest talking to Kanye West or maybe T-Pain. They have perfected the art of singing without a hint of talent.

Since the Chris Brown-Rihanna alleged report of domestic violence became public, there have been speculations about what truly happened that night. From blogs, to radio personalities, major television networks and even on the Oprah Winfrey Show, many concerned Americans have tried to understand with almost little to no information the reason Chris Brown attacked his lover turned unnamed female companion just hours before they were to perform at the Grammy's. For a while, all most people relied on to make their judgments was just plain hear say, and reports from Chris Brown's camp and Rihanna's. However, when the photographs of a badly battered Rihanna leaked from the Los Angeles Police Department archives into the claws of tabloid site TMZ, it was clear that regardless of what may have taken place that night that Rihanna did indeed suffer a brutal beating at the hands of Chris Brown.

In the past weeks, Chris Brown has been kicked off some major deals, including one for Wrigley's chewing gum. Some radio stations have stopped playing his songs altogether and he has become the poster boy for domestic abuse dons across the United States. In spite of the allegations against him, the young man over the weekend vacationed in Miami on the property of Sean Combs and defiantly flexed his muscles and smiled with glee as the paparazzi swarmed to get his pictures as he rode on a jet ski. After all, he had done his part. He already issued an apology and claimed that he was in counseling to ensure that his abusive behavior would not be repeated. Then he hired top defense attorney, Mark Geragos who helped both Winona Ryder and Michael Jackson get just what probably amounts to a slap on the wrist when they should otherwise be behind the slammer.

Earlier today, Chris Brown appeared in court in a somber looking and terribly ill fitting three piece suit with a tie that looked like a giant Chinese kite. His attorney, Geragos appeared very upbeat, and laughed a couple of times before the proceedings. Despite being arraigned in court earlier today on two felony counts, Chris Brown's attorneys have managed to get his hearing moved to April 6. So with the time lapse, they will get their own witnesses, testimony will get badly screwed up, Rihanna will be deeper in love with her abuser -hence there will be more reason not to press charges- and their spawn if rumors are true will be incubating as the two lovebirds plan their future together. Maybe Chris Brown will get the axe and be sent to a state facility or maybe he'll be sent off to his studio to work on some songs his fans badly need to hear. He'll probably get more deals, just ask Kobe Bryant. Or maybe he'll play stab Rihanna next time and go to jail for real like O.J. Simpson. I really don't have the formula for career suicide. When you are young and rich and have the word "celebrity" used in the same sentence as your name the lines become blurred and it's all about rolling dice.

Suicide on the Fifth Floor

2009-03-04T08:50:00.000-08:00

Like most days, my work day started at 9:00am with a Democratic Caucus Meeting. Before the meeting I had the most eventful ride on the state transit from the suburbs into the city. Some middle-aged Caucasian woman was on the phone all 50 minutes of the ride on the bus, cutting through the usually quiet route. She literally was having a board meeting and we were all attendees without a stake, so we all sat in silence as she bellowed loudly for the full stretch. Other bus riders were whispering and complaining. Some were laughing uncontrollably as she discussed strategies and even considered what I'd call a cruel delegation plan all within our hearing. As the bus pulled into the downtown area, she finally ended her conversation to thunderous applause that shook the entire bus.

As the bus got close to the Capitol, we had to make several stops to make way for police cars and ambulances. I came off the bus as usual in front of the Coverdell Legislative Building across from the Capitol, to my surprise all the ambulances were parked in front of the Capitol. I walked across the street, and sat down with the other aides at the meeting. As the leader gave instructions, Senator Emmanuel Jones received a call that a young black male who worked in the Legislative Building had committed suicide overnight, hanging himself somewhere on the fifth floor. The silence in the room was eerie for moments, as we all privately pondered, wondering if we knew this young man.

Death is always quite a difficult issue to deal with, more so when the cause of death is suicide. It is hard to understand why some people are driven down that path. There are lots of reasons, and I will not try to understand or even judge a suicidal person because their struggles are not mine. I am again reminded of the suicides of two prominent individuals who took their lives in the wake of the Madoff scandal. Madoff who is at the center of the entire debacle is not thinking of outing himself any time soon. He still believes he has many good years ahead of him, or he wouldn't be bargaining to keep his $7 million penthouse and other assets valued at almost $69 million. So what makes Madoff different from these individuals?

According to the National Institute for Mental Health, suicide is a preventable public health problem and was the 11th leading cause of death in the United States in 2004 accounting for 32,439 deaths. Suicidal behavior is complex and the risk factors for suicide include depression and mental disorder, prior suicide attempt, family history of suicide, firearms in the home, incarceration, family violence and stressful life events. Besides these factors, suicide has been linked to levels of certain neurotransmitters and serotonin levels in the brain. Suicidal individuals and victims of suicide usually have decreased levels of serotonin in their brains. Further, age and gender affect suicidal rates with males being more likely to commit suicide.

Another important factor affecting the rates of suicide include ethnicity. When race is used to evaluate susceptibility to suicide, African-American males fall into the category of individuals more likely to commit suicide. They are more likely to be homeless due to reasons not limited to poverty and military service, are disproportionately exposed to violence and the welfare system and are more likely to be incarcerated. Hence, these social factors along with a biological predisposition to suicide disproportionately put black men at risk for suicide.

Unfortunately, mental health issues have and still continue to be taboo topics in the African-American community. Certain crimes or certain behaviors are often perceived through the lens of race. Hence, when told about the occurrence of a crime there is a tendency to guess the race of the perpetrator based on the nature of the crime. As a result, suicide is not termed a "black" behavior. Nonetheless, the mentality that suicide only occurs in certain communities has not prevented suicide from been one of the major causes of death among African-American males. But there is still a huge stigma surrounding mental health in the African-American community and an unwillingness to discuss the issue. Erratic behavior that may be signs of suicide are often dismissed as a case of the blues or merely "acting out," when in reality the behavior may be a sign of impending doom.

We need to let our boys cry and do away with the mentality of homophobia that has crippled so many men who would otherwise get help for mental illness issues. Crying does not make a man a sissy. It is part of being human and is a necessary expression of humanity. The stigma associated with mental illness needs to be done away with, so affected individuals are empowered to seek help. Suicide should not be a cause of death, there are other options and life really could be worse.

In This Season

2009-03-01T23:32:00.000-08:00

I have been blogging for almost a year now even though my profile shows that I have been on Blogger since February of 2008. Long before I became familiar with blogs, I would periodically write short articles, little nuggets of encouragement I called them, and send them to a list of friends via email. At the time, I always wished there were some means I could use, a personal website of some sort to send out these pieces I often poured my heart into writing. Mostly, I wrote about my faith. I talked about my relationship and experiences with God, something I realize I've never done since the concept of blogging became an answer to my prayer for a a medium of some sort to share my writing.

It's almost surreal, but 2009 is almost fast becoming all but a blur. I like to see the glass as half full but I realize that the year is almost ending, just as quickly as it began. It's already the first day in the month of March. For a while now, I have been on a spiritual journey, a journey back to where it all began, the heart of God. Our world is changing so fast and with the changes, a measure of uncertainty has gripped the hearts of many. Last night, I was at the airport and as I circled around the deck trying to find parking, I thought about my light affliction and was tempted to complain. Then I was reminded about the mother who was been evicted as I looked for a parking spot. The children somewhere in this great nation of ours who would go to bed hungry, veterans and retirees who have served this great nation and are now in dire straits, their hopes for a future dashed because of the greedy ambition of a few.

Then I realized that I had so much to be thankful for. I am always reminded that hope springs eternal and that if we only wait and trust God, life is never as bad as we sometimes imagine it. I know for some people, there is never that light at the end of the tunnel. For there are some who struggle all their lives and go without a reward. Some people are never going to have it good in life jsut ask the Walker family from the sitcom, "Good Times." It doesn't matter how many charities there are to support them. Some people will always have a so called hellish experience for reasons we may never understand.

Nonetheless, in the midst of these trying economic times I am reminded that God is not bound by the limitations we face. He is God and will do just what he wants to do. As I considered these things, I perused You Tube looking for a song and came upon a clip from the Pastor of Greater Saint Stephens Full Gospel Baptist Church, Bishop Paul S. Morton. Paul Morton pastored one of the largest congregations in New Orleans, Louisiana until the flood waters of Hurricane Katrina dealt the Big Easy a blow. Despite losing almost all he owned including the church builidng, he has pulled through remarkably. As I watched, he sang this song that had just one line, "God whatever you're doing in this season, please don't do it without me." I believe that inspite of it all, God is moving and I pray that I be a part of what God plans to do in this season. Times may be hard and the future uncertain, but God still moves stones!

Nothing New About So Called "Newbos"

2009-02-26T18:18:00.000-08:00

For three years, Lee Hawkins a Wall Street Journal Staff Reporter has been working on a project about the rise of what he calls the "Newbos," a slang term for New Black Overclass. Tonight, in a primetime slot on CNBC, he premiered his one-hour documentary, "Newbos: The Rise of America's New Black Overclass." I am sorry to report, but there was nothing novel or inspiring about Hawkins's documentary. The idea of the documentary was to profile black individuals who are so-called overclass. The word overclass gives the impression that these people have surpassed lower class, middle class and upper class and are now what Hawkins calls overclass.

Hawkins's documentary is unoriginal and just about as boring and annoying as CNN's "Black in America." The documentary did not provide any insight into this so called black overclass, individuals who are supposedly riding the wave of the Obama Presidency. The show featured the same run of the mill wealthy African-Americans who fall into one of two categories; entertainers or athletes. He profiled Lebron James, Kirk Franklin, Bob Jones, and Lil' Wayne among others. Sure Bob Jones is neither an athlete nor entertainer but legend has it he once owned an entertainment network. There is nothing new about this so called uber wealthy or overclass blacks. We have always had the same people, they have just had different names; Michael Jackson, MC Hammer, or Michael Jordan. If Hawkins' argument was that rich people of color just began to emerge in this century then he would have a documentary. Rather, his documentary if anything was stale and just a poor attempt at notoriety. Further, the narration in the documentary was boring and monotone.

I was hoping his documentary would profile wealthy African-Americans who are entrepreneurs with no ties to either entertainment or sports. I was looking forward to seeing scientists, attorneys, writers, engineers, and maybe the occasional movie producer who truly can be described as a new breed of African-Americans. African-American who have become wealthy by means other than atheletics and entertainment do exist. They live in almost every major American city! He did not have to profile Lil' Wayne who is notorious for drunken performances and profane lyrics as the new black overclass. Hawkins falls into the class of individuals who are hell bent on becoming noted for coining a new word. Throughout the one-hour special, he used the word "overclass" over and over in a painful attempt to make sure the viewer walked away believing that overclass is the new metrosexual.

Besides being stale and poorly produced, there is an actual danger in the idea of an "overclass black." Low income or even middle income blacks who watched the show or become familiar with the new word are somewhat liable to walk away thinking they have less worth because they do not fall into a certain income bracket. Further, the term overclass, and the focus of Hawkins' documentary further feeds into the mentality that to be a successful person of color, one has to be either an entertainer or an athlete. Becoming either of the two seems even more promising as the nation is in a recession. Hence, rather than tough it out in academia and face the uncertainty of unemployment, the get rich quick fields of entertainment and athletics are once again being peddled as perhaps the only channels to success for people of color. Sadly, the documentary seemed liked a cheap attempt for Hawkins to meet and fraternize with celebrities he fancies under the pretext of showing the American people something they already know. Want a real documentary made by a person of color? Then check out Mr. Spike Lee's "When the Levees Broke." Hawkins needs to find new material and ditch this idea of a black overclass, it's a train that is sure to derail.

My Adventures in Twitterland

2009-02-26T16:35:00.000-08:00

I just joined about 6 million or so other users on Twitter on Tuesday. Friends of mine have been on twitter for a long time but I really did not care about the social network until I saw Meghan McCain on a morning television show. The younger McCain was talking about how her dad who is a self proclaimed computer illiterate is now on the social network. He has been twittering about everything from his football team to "porkiest projects on the Congress spending bill." Not to be outdone by Senator John McCain I made a mad dash to my computer and signed up on the social network.

Ranked after social networks Facebook and MySpace, Twitter is an online networking site that allows users to update their profile in 140 words or less. Their updates are made available to either a few people in their circle or to a an open feed based on the selected preferences of the user. So far, I have left my preferences open and I currently have about 7 people who receive my twitter feeds. There are many joys of using Twitter, one been that users can update their profiles using a host of devices including a BlackBerry. Since joining, I've only updated my profile once.

Joining Twitter is somewhat out of character, for I have always repudiated the idea of people who go on Facebook to update every single detail of their existence. There was this particular girl I know on Facebook but have never met in person (she left Facebook a short while ago). I felt like I knew her because she updated her profile several times a day. From waking up, to mundane tasks as using the bathroom and getting meals she put every detail on Facebook. She missed the memo on discretion in ones personal life. At one point I felt she needed to be cautioned because she could be abducted or even worse seriously hurt by a stalker who was privy to her indiscretions. So why am I twittering now? I will not be outdone by a man who was born in 1936 and needs time to remember how many homes he owns.

The Bobby Jindal Fiasco

2009-02-25T12:17:00.000-08:00

Last night's Republican rebuttal by Governor Bobby Jindal was if anything, comical, laughable and a downright disaster. Despite having access to the President's speech before it was presented before the Joint Session of Congress, Jindal's rebuttal was a missed opportunity for his personal ascent within his party as well as a blow to the Republican party as a whole. I am not sure what happened last night, but when Jindal came on screen, the first words that came out of my mouth where "He does not look Presidential at all." The purpose of using Jindal was an attempt by the Republican Party to offer a fresh face and someone who could possibly be a candidate for the Presidency in 2012. In his first speech on a national scale, Jindal received a failing grade. His speech was stale and he did not look the part at all. For someone as smart as Jindal, something went terribly wrong last night. His response was completely off topic and did not match the oratorical display or content of President Barack Obama's speech at all.

His remarks focused on the concerns of his party and did not address the larger problems of the American people. He did not attack the stimulus bill or the tax cuts that many in his party are vehemently opposed to. He spoke about everything from Disney land to volcanic eruptions and everything in between. He failed to show that the Republican Party was aware and would be ready to hold the President accountable if the stimulus plans fail to deliver. The Republican Party has to look elsewhere because thus far they have performed dismally at all attempts to present what might be a suitable candidate for 2012. Sarah Palin was an embarrassment and judging by Jindal's performance last night, the Republican Party has a full plate. I remember back in the Bush years, when I looked forward to the Democratic response after State of the Union addresses. I feel so bad for Jindal. Hopefully he'll be able to repair his image when he comes to the understanding that the country needs to be united now and not resort to divisive comments like his famous line from last night, "we can't trust the Federal Government."

Milking the Madea Franchise

2009-02-22T22:15:00.000-08:00

Tyler Perry once again proves that although his movies may not be considered Oscar worthy, he is the undeniable king of the box office. His latest movie "Madea Goes to Jail" ended the weekend with a staggering $41.1 million. Tyler needs to share the secret of his movie success becaue Madea seems like she can do no wrong! Even when she lands in jail she still manages to rake in the cash and send Tyler smiling all the way to bank.

Bollywood Stuns at the Oscars

2009-02-22T21:31:00.000-08:00

There are award shows and then, the Academy Awards. I respect the Oscars not only for its class, but because it is such a beautiful award show, an ode to the movies it celebrates. From the glitz and the glamour of the red carpet, to the presentations and performances, the Academy Awards definitely is the mother of all Award shows. Despite a few changes to the show, it was still spectacular. How about leading man, Hugh Jackman? I hope he returns as a performer and next I would be pleased to have the lovely Ms. Tina Fey host the show. Tina is so composed but at the same time is a comedic train wreck, in a good sense.

Tonight, there weren't any major surprises in my opinion. I was certain "Slumdog Millionaire" would win in most of the categories and I didn't have to stretch my imagination. I am so thrilled and believe this is not only an accolade for the minds behind the movie but also an affirmation of the magic Bollywood has brought to the silver screen. As I child growing up in Nigeria, I remember sweeping through my chores on Saturday mornings to make it to the front of the television to watch a Bollywood flick. Those mornings saw my sisters and I huddled on the floor and the couch watching these mostly subtitled movies. Often times we never got through these pictures without crying, and doing so immensely.

Although I haven't seen a Bollywood flick in a long time, I am so amazed that Bollywood finally gets her day at the Oscars. For all the awards for the movie, I was most thrilled for the Best Director category. I would have jumped out of my bedroom window if Danny Boyle had not won the Award. I watched as Danny cried and laughed with others from the movie who won and it would have been ultimate treachery if he was snubbed.

Other winners tonight included Penelope Cruz for supporting actress, the late Mr. Heath Ledger winnning posthumously for Best Supporting Actor, Kate Winslet winning the award for Best Actress for her performance in "The Reader," proving that a Holocaust movie is a sure fire way to win an Oscar, as was echoed at the Golden Globe Award. And my all time favorite, Sean Penn taking home the ultimate award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Harvey Milk in the biopic "Milk."

As I watch the Oscars I am reminded of dreams. The Oscars certainly and the movies they honor teach us that anything is possible. With the current recession, one industry that hasn't suffered much is the movie industry. Movies are other worldly and have the power to take us to faraway lands. Movies help us dream and definitely broaden our scope. Movies also inspire hope and for a few seconds or if we wish to prolong the euphoria, can for a few years make such an impression that is transformative and inspiring.

I can still remember some scenes from some of my favorite movies...the little girl in the red coat from "Schindler's List," crossing the Alps in "The Sound of Music," Rosebud from "Citizen Kane," and of course Clark Gable walking into the fog as he utters those famous words in "Gone With the Wind." That's the beauty of motion pictures, bringing to life ideas that are awe inspiring and at the same time imaginative. Everyone is a winner tonight and I am so privileged to be able to participate in the show.

NY Post Apologizes...Sort Of

2009-02-20T16:11:00.000-08:00

After much pressure and criticism the New York Post finally made an apology for cartoonist Sean Delonas' cartoon which was published on Wednesday February 18. The Post claims the cartoon was just that; a cartoon, the intent being to mock those who wrote the stimulus bill and was in no way intended to hint at the race of President Barack Obama. Those who expressed dissent over the cartoon have been criticized for being overly sensitive and for making a mountain of a mole hill.

While the apology by the Post might be a bit genuine, the cartoon was just not a cartoon. Although the cartoon made reference to Travis the Connecticut chimp who was shot earlier in the week anyone with a little common sense can deduce that Travis was not the intended brunt of the joke. Comparisons of people of African descent to chimpanzees is not novel. And while it may be argued that President Obama did not directly write the stimulus bill, the bill is still the President's agenda. We may have an African-American president in office, but Delonas' cartoon shows that race is still an issue and not even the President is exempt.

I Heart Hugh Jackman!

2009-02-20T13:16:00.000-08:00

I have watched the Academy Awards for as long as I can remember. This year, I am going to have an even bigger reason to watch the show. Hugh Jackman is hosting the Oscars! I love, love Hugh Jackman. I seriously think he is illogically good looking and definitely the sexiest man alive! I fell in love with Hugh Jackman all over again after seeing him in "Kate and Leopold." Hugh is the complete package. He is extremely handsome, talented and will never know what the short man syndrome is. Adding to his looks is his uber sexy accent. And what's not to love about an Aussie! I absolutely love Hugh and heard he will be singing and probably dancing during the show.

Undeniably, the Oscars has been struggling with ratings, and this year will be tough as a few changes have been made to the show. Nonetheless, I hope Hugh's charm can definitely give the show the boost it needs this year. Past hosts of the show have included Jon Stewart, Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Martin, Chris Rock, and David Letterman. Hugh has admitted to having a case of nerves which of course is natural and somewhat necessary for any presenter. So, with great anticipation, I am awaiting Sunday night like a child waiting for Christmas morning!

Got That Loving Feeling...

2009-02-13T12:57:00.000-08:00

To jump start Valentine's Day, I've put together a list of some romantic movies. The top five are movies I like and the rest are on the list just because. What are your favorite romantic movies?

1. Gone With the Wind
2. Love Story
3. Sweet Home Alabama
4. Brown Sugar
5. Coming to America
6. Kate and Leopold
7. The Notebook
8. Raising Helen
9. The Sound of Music
10. Sex and the City
11. The Color Purple (hehe)
12. Titanic
13. Casablanca
14. Beauty and the Beast
15. Wall-E

NAACP Turns 100

2009-02-12T10:11:00.001-08:00

Today marks the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Founded February 12, 1909, the NAACP is one the largest and most well recognized grassroots civil rights organizations in the United States and the world. The organization was founded by about 60 people, seven of whom were African-Americans and included Ida B. Wells, and W.E.B. Du Bois in response to lynchings and riots in Abraham Lincoln's home state of Illinois. The founding of the organization was set to coincide with the birthday of President Abraham Lincoln. The focus of the organization since its inception has been to foster civil rights and fight for equality mostly for individuals of African-American descent. However, lately there has been some dissent in the African-American community over the organization's focus, with calls made to change the focus to one that encourages economic development and progress to aid African-Americans who are trapped in a cycle of poverty.

In 2004, Kweisi Mfume resigned his position as president of the organization after serving for nine years. He was replaced by Bruce Gordon, who left the position after only 19 months at the helm. Gordon came to the organization after many years of service in corporate America. His vision was to transform the organization from one that was primarily focused on fighting injustice to one that championed economic empowerment. He was unable to do so because he had to contend with an unweilding board comprised of 64 members, most of whom differed in opinion when matters of the organization's direction arose. Although many critics had suggested that Gordon wouldn't be a good fit for the organization and rightfully so, he was instrumental in restoring the relaitonship of the organization with the White House. When President George W. Bush assumed office he broke tradition by refusing to address the organization, making him the first President since Herbert Hoover to turn down an invitation to speak at the organization. The organization is currently headed by Benjamin Jealous who succeeded Gordon.

Crticism of the group is not without merit. The group ranks as one of the lowest rated charities with the highest paid executives. Also, I question the relevance of the organization today. The most visible participation of the organization comes in form of the NAACP Image Awards which honors African-Americans for their achivement. It is possible the organization is making positive change, but the visibility is not over arching. While the group has other civic functions and roles it plays in the community, it is fair to say that the issues that are relevant to African-Americans today are on the organization's back burner. There are still issues of poverty, increasing high school drop out rates, teenage pregnacy, and other social issues in the community which seem to be worsening. I am not placing the onus of fixing our ailing inner cities on the organization, but the organization has failed in its duties and instead become another social hub that has as its most visible role organizing luncheons and dinners for the rich and famous to fraternize, while those who need the aid watch in awe.

Salmonella Pleads the Fifth or When Peanuts Wouldn't Speak

2009-02-11T21:50:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week, I attended a luncheon given in honor of Georgia Farmers by the State of Georgia and Governor Sonny Purdue. Addressing the audience, Governor Purdue criticized the owners of the peanut plant who have recently been in the news for accusation of salmonella contamination. It's interesting to note that despite being aware of the contamination, the owner of the plant begged the Food and Drug Administration to allow him "turn the raw peanuts on our floor into money." Eight deaths and five hundred and fifty salmonella related illnesses later, Stewart Parnell the President of the Peanut Corporation of America and owner of the plant in question today refused to testify before Congress, citing his Fifth Amedment rights against self incrimination.

For many years the plant owned by Parnell had been in a sorry state. There was a constantly leaking roof, rodent invasion and positive results for salmonella testing. In general there was gross mismanagement and utter negligence of the worse kind, especially for a food processing plant. Parnell, has had his day before Congress and before long may have his day before a Judicial panel of some sort. Whatever punishment he receives will only be a tap on the wrist and nothing compared to the punishment China's Zheng Xiaoyu received. Zheng, the former head of China's FDA was executed by the government for allowing untested medication be sold in exchange for monetary compensation.

Today in the news, it was reported that companies owned by Parnell filed for bankruptcy. This is only the beginning, but the real punishment will come when Parnell is made to face the full brunt of the law. Zheng had his day and didn't live to tell his story. Parnell will have his soon, hopefully, but will possibly live to tell his story in a state sponsored facility payed for by federal tax dollars. He'll live alright thanks to the democracy that is the United States. But soon, the chickens will come home to roost.

Domestic Violence and the Dame

2009-02-09T20:50:00.001-08:00

There's a new face of domestic violence. Over the weekend Chris Brown and his long time girlfriend Rihanna got into a fight that supposedly left the singer bruised and battered. I remember how the story broke. It all began with the Grammy pre-show on E! with Ryan Seacrest. While Seacrest was speaking, he was interrupted with some important news. The story was that Chris Brown wouldn't be performing because he had been in an unfortunate domestic incidence with a female who was in his car the previous night [Chris Brown and Rihanna both attended an event hosted by Clive Davis on the night of the alleged incidence]. A few minutes later, Seacrest then announced that Rihanna wouldn't be performing at the Award show as well. For anyone who remotely reads any gossip blogs, it's easy to guess whom the unidentified female was. There's no Chris Brown without Rihanna and vice-versa.

I'm not sure when the entire Chris Brown Rihanna relationship began, however, I have been disturbed by their relationship for as long as I can remember. For one, Chris Brown and Rihanna are constantly together and have been so for the last year and half or perhaps more if I remember correctly. When Rihanna went on tour last summer Chris accompanied her. Further, I am constantly forced to endure stories and pictures of the two traipsing around the continent. I don't want to sound like the bitter old aunt, but I always wondered where the parents were in the picture. I understand that Chris Brown is supposedly "a country boy from Tappahannock, [Virginia]" and princess RiRi as she is fondly called by Perez Hilton is a Bajan idol. Chris is from a single parent home and his mother resides in Virginia and RiRi's folks are miles away in Barbados. It's understandable that their parents have other concerns besides their children's careers, but they are two of the biggest stars I know whose families have been totally out of the picture. Michael Jackson's parents were a constant presence early in his career. Same with Beyonce, Usher, Brandy, Miley Cyrus, the Jonas brothers, Lindsay Lohan and a bunch of other celebrities.

Not all of these celebrities turned out right, however, the argument can be made that having that parental presence was reassuring even if the parents were train wrecks; Joseph Simpson and Joseph Jackson prime example of cabooses that lost their minds. For as long as I've known Rihanna and Chris Brown, there have been almost no references and few sightings of their parents. I've seen pictures of them in pools in far away lands, partying in clubs in Europe, and jumping all around the continental United States. They are often photographed drinking alcohol even though neither of them is of legal drinking age and just engaging in all sorts of cavalier behavior. I know it's different because they are celebrities, but somehow, I believe they got carried away with their fame and forgot they were still young adults and teenagers who may have missed out on a "normal life" because they found fame and fortune too soon. Thanks to Michael Jackson and Britney Spears we've all become acquainted with the so called "Arrested Development" syndrome and its devastating effects.

It's unfortunate because these two suffer from mild AR and adding to their angst, they seem like they are constantly left to their own devices. I am not in any way advocating that Rihanna deserved to be abused by Chris Brown, but I am making the point that perhaps parents should reconsider their roles, even more so when their children are thrust in the spotlight. Several teenagers and young adults get abused regularly by their love interests even with parents present, but the Chris and RiRi saga was just totally crazy. I'm reminded of Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears all over again and we all know how unpleasant that episode was. Now, there's a battered young lady who's being labeled victim and a young man whose better days may be behind him. Given the times we live in I'd expect them to know better. We live in the age of MTV's "Parental Control," and if that's any indication of a sign of the times, it's only going to go down hill from here.

Etta James is NOT Dead

2009-02-06T21:44:00.000-08:00

This week has seen some diva drama between Etta James and Beyonce Knowles. Miss James is miffed that Beyonce got to sing her classic "At Last" at the Inaugural Ball for President Barack Obama and his wife's first dance. Over the weekend she supposedly joked that she wanted to "whoop Beyonce's ass" and called out President Obama for having "big ears." She went on to say that for what he did "he ain't her President." Now if all of that isn't funny I don't know what is.

On the night of the Inaugural Ball, I was tempted to do a post with the above title. I was equally miffed that Etta was alive and the Obama team had Beyonce singing her song. That was really, totally wrong. That's what is called a big-time "diss." Imagine what Aretha Franklin would have done if they had Fantasia singing "R-E-S-P-E-C-T" at the Ball. Trust me, there would have been more than threats of "ass-whoopings." We would have had saucer shaped hats flying in all directions. There's nothing as volatile as a woman scorned.

How dare they let Beyonce sing her song, while the woman was on her couch back at home? No wonder she's pissed. I bet she'll rather have two Bushes over Obama, but that may not help because Bush is just as pitiful as Obama in the "ear" department. So Dear Inaugural team, we need some damage control. Etta James is mad as a hatter. Even though she recanted what she said and argues it was all a joke in good faith, trust me, the sister is angry and just might give Bey a good beat down should the opportunity arise. And finally when that day comes, she'll have good reason to belt out..."At last she got a good ass whooping, now she won't be singing my song no more..." So Mrs. Jay-Z, next time, sing one of your originals like "Upgrade You," or "Bootylicious." Leave the classics to the real pros like Etta-you-know-who.

Editorials and Opinions

2009-02-03T20:25:00.000-08:00

About two weeks ago, I posted a piece in reaction to President Obama's policies on abortion and funding. In order to be fair and engaging I wanted the parties affected to voice their opinions on what the current legislature on abortion means for their orgnizations. Below are reactions from the Executive Director of the Georgia Right to Life, Nancy Stith and from Leola Reis, Vice President for Extenal Affairs for the Planned Parenthood of Georgia Incorporated. The first article is from the former and the article following is from the latter.

The Pro-Life Response
Nancy Stith, Executive Director, Georgia Right to Life

As the 36th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade approached just days after our new president was inaugurated many of us in the prolife movement knew change was coming, but not the change that his supporters have been chanting about in the last several months. As hope has now been revived that we live in a country where race no longer is a barrier for anyone to achieve their dreams, we want to believe that this can and will also be a country where a child of every race will survive his mother’s womb with the chance of achieving those dreams as well.

As the commencement of service of our 44th President, Profilers across the nation feared the inevitable striking down of the ban of giving federal money to international groups that perform abortions or provide abortion information. Also known as the "Mexico City policy" or “Global Gag Rule”, this ban is mistakenly said to prevent necessary health care to some of the world's poorest women. What the ban truly does is prevent US tax payer dollars to fund international abortions. It isn’t bad enough that today in this country we have abortion on demand all nine months of pregnancy for any reason or for no reason; we are now funding the killing babies all over the world. Before the ban funds were distributed to those who provided healthcare to some of the poorest women in the world, it just didn’t allow them to “terminate” their pregnancies with U.S. tax dollars. One of the hardest things for me to understand is how ending a pregnancy is considered such a big part of a woman’s healthcare.

President Obama has mentioned on several occasions on how he wants to reduce the number of abortions and that the government should not be allowed to intrude on our most private family matters. Does anyone not see the contradiction in this? The government should not be able to tell us what to do, but the tax payers are obligated to fund it. How is funding abortions a way to help reduce abortions here or abroad? A Gallup Poll recently published on President Obama’s approval rating has shown only 35% support of his allowing funding for overseas family planning groups that provides abortions. This puzzles me. Why didn’t the average American understand during election time that a candidate that is staunchly pro-choice would not be supporting these types of programs?

The average American does not want to look abortion in the eye. This pill is a little too bitter for many of Americans to swallow. Statistics show that 93% of woman have abortions for social issues (i.e. the child is unwanted or inconvenient). No one really wants to talk about that. We are killing our children, our legacies and our future out of inconvenience. We cannot own up to it though even though it is shown in black and white. God forbid, that would mean we are cruel, heartless and just plain selfish. Our country has voted in the kind of change that will allow us to continue to kill millions of babies and create apathy for death instead of compassion for life domestically and globally.

The Pro-Choice Response
Leola Reis, VP, External Affairs, Planned Parenthood of Georgia, Inc.,

The news about the reversal of the Global Gag rule, affecting a federal funding stream that has existed for many years, is a tremendous step forward in preserving women's health around the world. These funds, which have existed for many years, go to developing countries. No US funds can be used for abortions or abortion counseling. However, under the previous administration, no US funds would go to any country that used its own funds for abortion counseling or services. President Obama's reversal of the Global Gag Rule means that these countries can use US funds for contraception and other health care initiatives.

Clearly, we now have a President who understands the importance of protecting and strengthening women's health. Planned Parenthood fully supports the Freedom of Choice Act, but there's a long list of things to get done: increasing access to affordable birth control, move funding for family planning, comprehensive sex education to keep our teens healthy and safe, and health care for all Americans. FOCA is a part of that list, but not at the top.

The American people have clearly stated that they reject the divisive politics of the past and are looking for a future guided by common sense solutions to the real problems we face. Americans want policies that address the root causes of abortion, such as poverty and health care inequities, and they simply tune out the din of extremist language.

There is much to be done in our own state to address health care issues and to help women prevent unintended pregnancies and plan for healthy ones. We are hoping that Georgia legislators on both sides of the isle will work together to improve access to reproductive health care that includes cancer screenings and birth control

Eric Holder, U.S. Attorney General

2009-02-03T20:13:00.000-08:00

Born on January 21, 1951, Eric Holder is the 82nd Attorney General of the United States. Confirmed on February 2, 2009, he is the first African-American to hold the position of Attorney General of the United States. Mr. Holder received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia University and his Juris Doctor for Columbia Law School. He is married to Dr. Sharon Malone, an obstetrician and they have three children together.

Michelle Obama

2009-02-02T21:51:00.000-08:00

Michell Obama is the wife of the President of the United States, Barack Hussein Obama. She has two daughters, Malia and Sasha. Born in Chicago Illinois to Fraser Robinson and Marian Shields Robinson on January 17, 1964. Michelle was raised in the South side of Chicago and attended Princeton University and Harvard Law School. She worked at the law firm Sidley Austin after graduation from law school. She also was part of the staff of former Chicago mayor Richard Daley and worked at the University of Chicago Medical Center before becoming first lady of the United States. Michelle Obama is the first African-American first lady of the United States of America.

The Rafa Rules!

2009-02-01T05:17:00.000-08:00

In a match that lasted four hours and twenty three minutes Rafael Nadal defeated Roger Federer to win his 6th major title. Although today's match pales in comparison to the almost six hour match between the two rivals last year at the All England Club, Rafael Nadal showed Roger Federer who's boss. Nadal has more wins that Federer overall, and his win this morning at the Rod Laver Arena doesn't seem so surprising. This time though there was no roof top scramble in a bid to reach his Mom. After returning the volley in the last set, Rafa fell to the floor even before he was sure he had won the point.

Nadal has displayed tremendous sportsmanship, and even when the tables are turned against him he still gives the fans their money's worth. Federer on the other hand needs to work on his sportsmanship. He hates to lose and he makes it so clear. At Wimbledon last year, he already brought his "winners" oufit. I bet he must have pictured what he'd look like on the front page of every daily in his nice white v-necked ensemble. Federer is a more mature player though, managing to rein his emotions and maintain some consistency. Nadal is more fun to watch though sans his stringy hair.

If the game was interesting, the award ceremony was a certified tear-jerker. Federer cried uncontrollably and was unable to give his speech. He was helped with tissue and soothing words but still couldn't help the Colorado River from flowing from his tear glands. Winning today's match would have tied Federer with Pete Sampras at fourteen wins at major championships. Federer's sadness is quite understandable. He will be headed to Roland Garros next for the French Open where potentially he might face Rafa on the clay. Rafa has a record with several wins over Federer on the clay courts. So with three more grand slams to go this year, the Rafa has more chances to show Federer who's king of the court.

Ted Haggard Update

2009-01-29T21:12:00.001-08:00

The young man mentioned in the recent scandals involving Ted Haggard has been identified as Grant Haas. Mr. Haas alleges he became friends with Haggard following his expuslion from a Bible College for admitting he was gay. Although Haggard maintains he only solicited Mike Jones for sex, Haas said he received over 2,000 text messages from Haggard over a period of months, messages where Haggard recounted sexual encounters he had while traveling doing church business.

The story is getting even more twisted and I hope Mr. Haggard doesn't end up regretting his decision to not only continue with the production of the documentary but also his many public appearances in the last few days including "The Larry King Show" tonight.

Trials, Tribulations, and Temptations of Ted Haggard

2009-01-29T07:23:00.000-08:00

After being exiled from his church and home state for admitting he had solicited sex and drugs from a male prostitute, Ted Haggard, the founder and pastor of the evangelical New Life Church in Colorado Springs is making headlines again. When news of his affair became public, Haggard who was also the president of the National Association for Evangelicals - a role that gave him weekly access to President George W. Bush- denied the allegations. He would later admit his involvement and was subsequently fired from the 14,000 member church that he helped start and left Colorado for counseling at an undisclosed location in Arizona. Within three weeks of the program, Haggard made the announcement that he was heterosexual, an announcement that angered many in the gay community.

At the time the allegations were made, Haggard assured the public and the church that despite dealing with "thoughts that were contrary to his belief," the escort Mike Jones who tipped off authorities was the only male he had been with. In an article carried by the Denver Post, members of the leadership board at the church speculated that the encounter with Mr. Jones may have been Haggard's only foray into homosexuality because after three months of the news becoming public no one had come forward with other allegations. But this Sunday, Brady Boyd who is now the senior pastor at New Life made an announcement to the church that Haggard had another indiscretion with a young man at the church who is now 25. The indiscretion happened when the young man was already an adult, so Haggard will not be criminally charged. The church also admitted to assisting the young man with money for college and other monetary needs since 2007. The money came from insurance they claim and not from the church.

In an interview with the New York Times, Boyd notes that the allegations were not made public because the church was trying to be discreet and do what was honorable. The incidence was supposed to be kept secret, but the young man whose name has still not been released threatened to go public. Preempting his decision, Boyd made the announcement to the now 10,500 member church. Haggard admits to inappropriate relations with the young man but has denied any sexual contact. And it seems Jones and the young man are not the only players in this game that has become increasingly tangled. The church admits that a couple of church members who witnessed or had inappropriate relations with Mr. Haggard have come forward, but no settlements have been made.

Following Haggard's admission back in 2006 that he was now heterosexual, I assumed that it would be there would be a huge lapse before he made any more public appearances. He had previously hinted that both he and his wife Gayle were returning to school to pursue advanced degrees in psychology. Haggard is back in the news now and has made appearances with prominents stake holders in the media as he promotes a new documentary based on his life, "The Trials of Ted Haggard," which is set to air on HBO tonight at 8:00pm. Directed by Alexandra Pelosi, daughter of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the aim of the documentary she says is "not about whether Ted had one or 1,000 indiscretions... This film is about a what happened to a man and his family after his fall from grace."

So is Ted Haggard gay, straight, or somewhere in between and what are his views on homosexuality? In an interview with the Associated Press this month, Haggard admits that "stereotypical boxes don't work for me...My story's got some gray areas in it. And of course, I'm sad about that, but it's the reality." Haggards admits to telling his wife about wrestling with some "inappropriate thoughts" years ago but speaking with Charles Gibson in an interview this week he claims that he and his wife are enjoying what appears to be a peak in their intimate relationship. When asked by Gibson if homosexuality was a sin, Haggard responded by saying that for him, the practice was sinful. Speaking on the Oprah Winfrey show this week, Haggard admitted to being "a heterosexual with issues." Haggard says he refuses to be put in a box because it would be a denial of whom he was. His wife Gayle tried to make the argument that despite inclinations of some sort, there is still the issue of choice, a matter Ms. Winfrey strongly refused to accept.

Haggard's recent media foray comes as a shock but raises important issues. Issues about homosexuality, choice, the will of God, sexual abuse and pedophilia. Haggard admits to being sexuality abused by his father as a 7 year old and blames his struggle with sexuality on the incidence. "I had same-sex play as a second grader, and then all that blew up when I was 50," Haggard says in a clip for the documentary. In the documentary he is forth coming with his struggles to take his own life, his anger at being dismissed from the church he started in his basement and the treatment he has received from the evangelical community. Cases like Haggard's present many gray areas. He is however quick to point out that he has issues and is seeking recovery. There's a possiblity he admits that his affair with Mike Jones and the ensuing public scandal were attempts by God to help bring healing to him. Haggard's struggle with homosexuality and his struggle to be honorable to his family signals the element of choice in the homosexual lifestyle. There is still a lot that is unknown about Ted Haggard the man that hopefully will become clear with time.

The Trials of Ted Haggard airs tonight on HBO at 8:00pm.

"We Are the World" at 24

2009-01-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

What began as an idea by Harry Belafonte and Will Kragen to put together a concert to raise money for Africa became reality when on January 28, 1985, the song "We Are the World," was recorded on the night of the American Music Awards. Written by Lionel Ritchie and Michael Jackson and produced by Quincy Jones, the song debuted at number twenty-one on the Billboard chart and rose to claim the top spot after only three weeks. A testament to the power of team work in support of a cause "We Are the World" is an endearing song that is still relevant even today.

...And the ARt went First

2009-01-27T19:46:00.000-08:00

Struggling to recover from falling victim to the nearly $50 million Bernard Madoff ponzi scheme, Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts has made the decision to sell its entire art collection at the Rose Art Museum. The collection at the Rose is one of the largest collections of post-war art in New England. The move to sell the art has come as the school struggles to find balance in the recession, as its nearly $700 million endowment is all but gone. The collection includes works by Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Stuart Davis, Milton Avery and many other American artists. The museum's collections is valued at between $350 to $400 million. The case is currently under review by the office of the Massachusetts attorney-general. The closing is significant because it does not only jeopardize the study of arts at the University but also the jobs of the museum's employees, some of whom heard about the school's decision through the media.

The Rose Art Museum opened it doors 48 years ago, and 2011 marks the 50th anniversary of the museum. The museum was the dream of Brandeis University President Abram Sachar and two generous donors, Edward and Bertha Rose for whom the museum is named. Lacking an acquisition budget when it first opened in 1961, the museum was able to acquire a major part of its collection largely in part by a donation by collectors Leon Mnuchin and his wife Harriet Gevirtz-Mnuchin. The Mnuchins donated $50,000 with the specification that the money be used to purchase only contemporary art. According to the museum's website, the Mnuchins' gift back in 1961 is comparable to Bill and Melinda Gates making a donation of $150,000,000 million today. The Rose Museum has a great collection that has been loaned to museums from Paris to Spain and around the United States.

But now the 7,000 strong collection at the museum is about to be sold, some of the works for less than their current market value. It should be noted that Brandeis' move to sell gifts of art work is not a first. In 2005 and then in 2007 Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee and Randolph College in Lynchburg Virginia respectively both made attempts at selling paintings that were part of their collection. Fisk was stopped while Randolph made a sale and has plans for more sales in the future.

As a student who attended a University with an exceptional art museum the decision by Brandeis is deplorable. There should be other means to raise money for an academic institution beset by hard times besides selling works of art that have become part of the fabric of the institution. By selling the paintings in the collection, the University is not only making an unsound economic decision, but selling what I believe is a huge piece of academia. The works of art have as much a stake in providing a wholesome learning experience for the students and the Waltham community as the books in the library. I would be appalled to learn that any school is selling historic documents and I am no less so with Brandeis's decision.

While Brandeis will not be setting precedent, if they are allowed to carry on with their intentions of selling almost 7,000 works of art valued at almost $400 milion they will be sending the message that a price tag can be put on knowledge. The repercussions will be significant and may open up an avenue for other institutions in similar financial circumstances to auction off or either sell relics of their institution. Will Emory University move next to sell the papers of Seamus Heaney, Flannery O'Connor or Alice Walker? Regardless of how dire the circumstances are at Brandeis, the University should be strongly condemned and should not be allowed to continue with their decision. Would New York City ever consider selling the Statue of Liberty?

On the website of The Rose Museum there is still no word of the closing or the impending sale of works in the collection. Soon, "the dream of the Rose to honor its unique and inestimable collection...and enhancing it with the inexhaustible generosity of donors and the keen, experienced eyes of its caretakers," will soon be all but forgotten.

Photograph courtesy of the New York Times

Editorials and Opinions

2009-01-27T15:23:00.000-08:00

Late last week, I wrote about two key significant issues that took place in the United States. One of the issues was pro-life rallies commemorating the landmark Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade that took place in the capitals of several major cities and in Washington D.C. Another issue was the reversal of the so called "global gag rule" by President Barack Obama. The ruling lifted the ban on funding for international agencies that provide abortions as options to their clients.

In conversations over the weekend, I believed it would be best to engage both parties involved in the issue. Hence, I contacted The Georgia Right to Life, and The Planned Parenthood Federation chapter in Atlanta. I offered to give them a platform and they obliged. Over the next few days, I will post opinion pieces from both of the organizations as they respond to the global gag rule and what implications it has for their organizations going forward.

Mexico City Policy

2009-01-23T15:29:00.000-08:00

In what was considered a major defeat for pro-life advocates, President Barack Obama lifted the ban on giving money to international organizations that provide abortions or give information about abortions. Obama's actions comes just a day after a series of pro-life rallies marking the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. By lifting the ban Obama ends his first working week in office, a week that has been spent reversing policies of the Bush administration.

The ban on funding abortion groups is known as the "Mexico City Policy." Adopted in 1984 by Republican President Ronald Reagan the ban was lifted when President Bill Clinton came into office. It was revived again during the Bush years and now has been lifted again with Democratic control of the White House. The ban previously prevented the United States Agency for International Development from using tax payers money to fund international groups who provide forms of birth control that include abortion. The bill comes as a victory for several Democrats including Senator John Kerry, Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Cinton.

The ban which is also refered to as the "gag rule" has been criticized for preventing necessary health care to some of the world's poorest women. However supporters of the ban argue that the rule does not prevent access to reproductive health care but only restricts abortions some of which they consider unecessary. Lifting the ban will free money that had been allocated to the U.N. but was withheld by the Bush adminstration. Lifting the ban should come as no surprise. The ban has been lifted and reinstated in accordance with party platforms beginning with the Reagan years. Already, pro-life supporters have lost a key battle and winning the war will prove to be an uphill struggle.

Whose Victory Is It Anyway?

2009-01-22T15:11:00.000-08:00

Today, tens of thousands of pro-life supporters rallied at state Capitols all across the nation and at the national mall in Washington D.C. The events today symbolized a Memorial for the Unborn, marking the 36th Anniversary of the Legalization of Abortion. Now, these rallies for the unborn face a questionable fate with the election of President Barack Obama. Since women were granted suffrage, a woman's right to choose has been on the national agenda, polarizing the nation, creating individuals who are vehemently either pro-life or pro-choice. Often, only few straddle the fence.

In 1973, the Supreme Court decided that most anti-abortion laws were unconstitutional and violated a woman's right to privacy as stipulated by the Fourteenth Amendment. The landmark ruling Roe v. Wade changed the landscape of abortion on a federal level. Regardless, states still had the right to exercise what kinds of abortion laws would be permitted, and some states like South Dakota were able to enact laws to counter the ruling. Besides South Dakota, most states redefined the ruling by including some stipulations. Stipulations such as minors requiring parental consent, spousal consent, a waiting period before the abortion, laws requiring that abortions be performed only at hospitals and not clinics, and other such laws. It seems however, that the laws most states have fought so hard for may soon be pulled from underneath their feet.

On the campaign trail, President Barack Obama spoke about abortion at a number of rallies. During the third Presidential debate, he expressed his views on abortion in what seemed like support for a pro-life agenda. But, his speech at Planned Parenthood rallies did not reflect what seemed to be his conviction on the night of the debate. On July 17, 2007, President Barack Obama promised that one of the first things he woud do once he assumed office was sign the "Freedom of Choice Act." Once in effect, the Freedom of Choice Act would make abortions a fundamental right, erasing many hard years of pro-life effort. The Act will in essence take away any rights states currently have. It would uphold Roe v. Wade to the full extent of the law, even erasing the need for parental notification that is still required for minors in most states.

The argument over abortion is sensitive. It has polarized the nation and has disallowed room for logical reasoning. Quoting President Obama, I would like to say that no one wants an abortion, but I know that statement is untrue. I understand the position of pro-life supporters because they echo my sentiments. On the other hand, I have never understood if the fight for a woman's right to choose was to provide a level playing field for women where they had access to making their own decision without interference or if abortions simply were just justified. I understand that in cases of incest or rape the decision to have an abortion provides recourse, albeit temporary. However, I am unable to reconcile giving minors who choose to engage in cavalier activities the right to terminate a pregnancy without parental cosent. If minors are refused dental procedures without parental permission then why should they be permitted to decide the fate of another individual without such.

I understand that abstinence does not work in all cases and it does not provide for a moral society. However, there is room for common ground and compromise. Compromise that makes sense, compromise that is within the confines of what we can agree on as a suitable definition for morality. Morality is relative, but I would like to think that we would all agree that a sexually active 13-year old is cause for concern. We may not agree on vending machines that dispense condoms or on birth control in our schools, but we should agree that sex education makes sense. We should agree that making individuals aware of the choices before them makes reasonable sense. My argument thus far seems narrow because it alludes to young people. However, the choice to have an abortion is not a decision only young people make. It is also made by women who are of age, who for some reason decide to terminate a pregnancy. The will is hard to bend and education and dialogue will serve both sides of the argument as we seek to forge ahead.

Tomorrow marks the third day of Obama's presidency. Over the coming days he will feel the pull of special interest lobbyist and will be expected to make good on most of his promises, the Freedom of Choice Act being one of them. Divesting any power states wield will only prove to so many that Obama was the wrong choice. Afterall, during the campaign, I heard expressed on several occassion how the "idea" of a "Barack Obama" was great. Nonetheless, some wished he were packaged a little differently or in some cases was a different person entirely. Already, the Obama adminstration seems hard at work. But in their quest for change, they might be undoing what others saw as a movement towards real change.

Presidential Pledge Update

2009-01-22T14:55:00.001-08:00

MySpace Celebrity and Katalyst present The Presidential Pledge

The Presidential Pledge website, a collaboration between MySpace Celebrity and Katalyst Media a production company co-founded by Ashton Kutcher and Jason Goldberg has been officially launched. The website features celebrities making a pledge to move the nation forward in the spirit of Obama's presidency. To upload your pledge, please visit Presidential Pledge.