I have found a new love for Kanye West.

Oh Nina,

I Wish I knew How it Would Feel to be Free
(As sung by Nina Simone)

I wish I knew how it would feel to be free
I wish I could break all the chains holding me
I wish I could say all the things that I should say
say 'em loud, say 'em clear
for the whole round world to hear.

I wish I could share all the love that's in my heart
remove all the bars that keep us apart
I wish you could know what it means to be me
Then you'd see and agree
that every man should be free.

I wish I could give all I'm longing to give
I wish I could live like I'm longing to live
I wish that I could do all the things that I can do
though I'm way overdue I'd be starting anew.

Well I wish I could be like a bird in the sky
how sweet it would be if I found I could fly
Oh I'd soar to the sun and look down at the sea
and I'd sing cos I'd know that
and I'd sing cos I'd know that
and I'd sing cos I'd know that
I'd know how it feels to be free
I'd know how it feels to be free
I'd know how it feels to be free

I have been watching the news as of late( I rarely watch television), but I have taken notice of the way that the media has been reporting the devastation down in New Orleans. I say, the next time, and every time after that, that someone in the media gets the nerve to talk about Black people in New Orleans or mention the word looting, someone should seriously beat the shit out of them.

For the Bush Administration... And the U.S. Media ...In This Time of Great Suffering

Now if your mind lies in the Devil's workshop
And evil duens your thrill
And trouble and mischief is all you live for
You know darn well
That you'll go to hell
So you're living high and mighty
Rich off the fat of the land
Just don't dispose of your natural soul
'cos you know darn well
That you'll go to hell
I say hell
Where your natural soul burns
Hell
Where you pay for your sins
Hell
Keep your children from wrongdoing
'cos you know darn well
That they'll go to hell.
I say hell
Man, woman were created
Hell
To live for eternity
Hell
With an apple they ate from the tree of hate
So you know darn well
That they went to hell
Now Satan was an angel in heaven
But he stirred up trouble and war
So the LORD commanded that the Devil be branded
So you know darn well
He went to hell
Yeah, he went to hell
Yeah, he went to hell
He went to hell.

For a biting analysis of the way this country, and especially those with power have handled and portrayed the situation in New Orleans read here

There is just too much going on in the world. 1,000 were killed today in a stampede

Trent Lott has apparently
lost his house

Lauren at Feministe has a very moving post concerning Katrina and what has happened in the aftermath spells out in terms of American culture, how it operates, and what it values.

By way of Hungry Blues, Marian's blog has a great analysis of the Bush administration's totally disgraceful response to the after-effects of the hurricane and flooding of New Orleans and the Gulf area.

I am saddened and utterly depressed about the situation in New Orleans. At the same time, while thinking about the total destruction of the oil refineries along the Gulf the lyrics to a Nina Simone's song keeps popping into my head, " Now if your mind lies in the devil's workshop and evil doings your thrill, and trouble and mischief is all you live for, you know darn well that you'll go to hell." My heart goes out to the people of New Orleans, especially those that are left stranded there in that city with no shelter, no food, no clothing. God forbid. Please donate to the relief effort for those affected by this disaster. You can do that here

I swear I recieve more male attention than vinegar and water attracts flies. Why though does it always seem that nothing is catching?

Nina Simone's "Look of Love" is running through my head today( as it was last night), so I listened to the CD. I love Nina. While listening to the CD I also re-appreciated her rendition of "I Love You Porgy." All from the Released CD.

This article concerns the hinderance of freedom of the press and free speech by the U.S. military in Iraq.

I am really concerned about the effect that Hurricane Katrina has had on the Afro-American communities of New Orleans, Biloxi, and other towns.

This Game from Body and Soul

Go to www.musicoutfitters.com and type in the year of your high school graduation and get the top 100 songs from that year. Italicize the ones you didnt like, bold the ones you liked, and underline your favorite(s). Leave the one's you dont remember alone.

Top 100 Hits of 1998 / Top 100 Songs of 1998
1. Too Close, Next
2. The Boy Is Mine, Brandy and Monica
3. You're Still The One, Shania Twain
4. Truly Madly Deeply, Savage Garden
5. How Do I Live, LeAnn Rimes
6. Together Again, Janet
7. All My Life, K-Ci and JoJo
8. Candle In The Wind 1997, Elton John
9. Nice and Slow, Usher
10. I Don't Want To Wait, Paula Cole
11. How's It Going To Be, Third Eye Blind
12. No, No, No, Destiny's Child
13. My Heart Will Go On, Celine Dion
14. Gettin' Jiggy Wit, Will Smith
15. You Make Me Wanna..., Usher
16. My Way, Usher
17. My All, Mariah Carey
18. The First Night, Monica
19. Been Around The World, Puff Daddy and The Family
20. Adia, Sarah McLachlan
21. Crush, Jennifer Paige
22. Everybody (Backstreet's Back), Backstreet Boys
23. I Don't Want To Miss A Thing, Aerosmith
24. Body Bumpin Yippie-Yi-Yo, Public Announcement
25. This Kiss, Faith Hill
26. I Don't Ever Want To See You Again, Uncle Sam
27. Let's Ride, Montell Jordan
28. Sex And Candy, Marcy Playground
29. Show Me Love, Robyn
30. A Song For Mama, Boyz II Men
31. What You Want, Mase
32. Frozen, Madonna
33. Gone Till November, Wyclef Jean
34. My Body, Lsg
35. Tubthumping, Chumbawamba
36. Deja Vu (Uptown Baby), Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz
37. I Want You Back, 'N Sync
38. When The Lights Go Out, Five
39. They Don't Know, Jon B.
40. Make Em' Say Uhh!, Master P
41. Make It Hot, Nicole Featuring Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott and Mocha
42. Never Eve, All Saints
43. I Get Lonely, Janet
44. Feel So Good, Mase
45. Say It, Voices Of Theory
46. Kiss The Rain, Billie Myers
47. Come With Me, Puff Daddy
48. Romeo And Juliet, Sylk-E Fyne
49. It's All About Me, Mya and Sisqo
50. I Will Come To You, Hanson
51. One Week, Barenaked Ladies
52. Swing My Way, K.P. and Envyi
53. The Arms Of The One Who Loves You, Xscape
54. My Love Is The Shhh!, Somethin' For The People
55. Daydreamin', Tatyana Ali
56. We're Not Making Love No More, Dru Hill
57. Semi-Charmed Life, Third Eye Blind
58. I Do, Lisa Loeb
59. Lookin' At Me, Mase
60. Looking Through Your Eyes, LeAnn Rimes
61. Lately, Divine
62. Quit Playing Games (With My Heart), Backstreet Boys
63. I Still Love You, Next
64. Time After Time, Inoj
65. Are You Jimmy Ray?, Jimmy Ray
66. Cruel Summer, Ace Of Base
67. I Got The Hook Up!, Master P
68. Victory, Puff Daddy and The Family
69. Too Much, Spice Girls
70. Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are), Pras Feat. Ol' Dirty Bastard and Mya
71. How Deep Is Your Love, Dru Hill Featuring Redman
72. Friend Of Mine, Kelly Price
73. Turn It Up [Remix] / Fire It Up, Busta Rhymes
74. I'll Be, Edwin McCain
75. Ray Of Light, Madonna
76. All For You, Sister Hazel
77. Touch It, Monifah
78. Money, Power and Respect, Lox
79. Bitter Sweet Symphony, The Verve
80. Dangerous, Busta Rhymes
81. Spice Up Your Life, Spice Girls
82. Because Of You, 98 Degrees
83. The Mummers' Dance, Loreena McKennitt
84. All Cried Out, Allure Featuring 112
85. Still Not A Player, Big Punisher Featuring Joe
86. The One I Gave My Heart To, Aaliyah
87. Foolish Games / You Were Meant For Me, Jewel
88. Love You Down, Inoj
89. Do For Love, 2Pac
90. Raise The Roof, Luke
91. Heaven, Nu Flavor
92. The Party Continues, Jd
93. Sock It 2 Me, Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott Featuring Da Brat
94. Butta Love, Next
95. A Rose Is Still A Rose, Aretha Franklin
96. 4 Seasons Of Loneliness, Boyz II Men
97. Father, LL Cool J
98. Thinkin' Bout It, Gerald Levert
99. Nobody's Supposed To Be Here, Deborah Cox
100. Westside, TQ

The FBI is Now Using Terrorism to Harass Peace and Civil Rights Organizations

Hungry Blues has just disclosed that the FBI is using Anti-Terrorist surveillance to Harass and profile Peace and Civil Rights groups. You can read about it here

Why is Condoleeza Rice Afraid of the Venezuela-Cuba Alliance?

Znet has an interesting article concerning the congenial relationship between Cuba and Venezuela and why Condoleeza Rice is utterly opposed to it here .

Backlash Blues

Nina Simone, Langston Hughes


Mr. Backlash, Mr. Backlash
Just who do think I am
You raise my taxes, freeze my wages
And send my son to Vietnam

You give me second class houses
And second class schools
Do you think that alla colored folks
Are just second class fools
Mr. Backlash, I'm gonna leave you
With the backlash blues

When I try to find a job
To earn a little cash
All you got to offer
Is your mean old white backlash
But the world is big
Big and bright and round
And it's full of folks like me
Who are black, yellow, beige and brown
Mr. Backlash, I'm gonna leave you
With the backlash blues

Mr. Backlash, Mr. Backlash
Just what do you think I got to lose
I'm gonna leave you
With the backlash blues
You're the one will have the blues
Not me, just wait and see

S.K.'s friend that works at the library here at Purdue is quite an attractive man. I am absolutely smiling right now sitting in the library. I wonder if he is married. I have not seen a ring on his finger.

This is a hilarious post concerning that ever popular song (especially with my niece and my sister) "Hollaback Girl."

Racism at Purdue

Having picked up the Purdue newspaper this morning, I ran across an article concerning a Purdue football player, Uche Nwaneri. According to the account in the paper, he was approached and assaulted by a former colleague from the Purdue football teacm, Ryan Noblet at a summer work out camp. Nwaneri responded by hitting Noblet, fracturing his jaw. What followed reeks of the underlying racism that is present at this university and is something that totally needs to end. Nwaneri states that a day later the police came and took him down to the police station where he gave a statement. The university then charged Nwaneri with misconduct. At a hearing, Nwaneri was found guilty of battery and was suspended from the University for the fall semester.

At his appeal,which was closed to the public, his attorneys were allowed to be present, but were not allowed to speak, only to whisper advice in Nwaneri's ear. When he pursued a line of questioning concerning racism at Purdue, the appeals board chairman dissallowed his line of questioning. During the appeal, Ryan Noblett's history of assaulting classmates was produced by witnesses, a history covering three years at Purdue. During the appeal, Nwaneri states that Purdue Police placed him in an interrogation room for over an hour where, in his words they "threatened, bullied, and intimidated him." Lt. Fred Davis of the Purdue Police, the interrogator,accused Nwaneri of "lying, of being a criminal, and told him that he would have to stand trial and that he was going to jail." There is no police record of this interrogation. Davis could not be reached for comment by the Newspapers. Nwaneri is pursuing a lawsuit based on a negation of his right to due process.

I believe this is absolutely a violation of Civil and Human rights and that this is a case that should definitely be on the radar of the ACLU, the ICLU, and other Civil Rights Organizations. Everyone should be paying attention to this.

What Happened at the Jazz and Blues Fest Tonight Here in Lafayette

Tonight, the Jazz and Blues festival here in Lafayette was quite nice, a beautiful evening. However, there was one incident which quite stands out and says soo much about Lafayette and god forbid why is the world like it is? Well, anyway, what happened was, a new act had started and so a friend and I walked over to the venue where they were playing ( a really great band called Mississippi Heat---they are excellent!). Well, there were no seats left, so we stood there at the front-- where there were other people standing. Well, some old white lady decides to get up out of her chair and grab my friend I and shove us out of the way. Hmm. I mean not ask if we could move, but pull us out of the way. Honey lord have mercy. My great great granddaddys name was Morgan Goodson and my great granddaddys name was John Archie DeRamus, I am not about to play. Well, at first, when she shoved me, I went and stood against the wall, you know being passive and standing there, but then I decided I was going to go back and stand again. So I did, and she decided she wanted to push me again. Well, I just kept standing there and gave her the eye that said, "white woman, who in the hell do you think you are? Get your hands off of me." Well, the lady who sang with the band, Ida something-- she was GREAT!- well, she noticed what was going on and she told that lady from the stage---in the middle of singing-- "get your hands off that man." Well I was pleased as punch and very greatful and I enjoyed myself the rest of the night dancing quite wildly with the rest of the crowd that joined there in the front. It was lovely, but alas, why are there such people in this world. I know, but still. Lovely night though!