I remember in the early 90s we would all pile up in the car, myself, my grandmother, Aunt Earnestine, Aunt Johnnie, and Aunt Bettye, and go to Montgomery for their doctors appointments. We would get there at 8 am and the sun would be down by the time we left the doctors office. I am quite familiar with hospitals as well. I remember with both Aunt Bertie and Uncle Archie we would be at the hospital and I would have to sit outside in the lounge area while the others went back. I always wanted to go back in the icu ward....

I'm Black and I'm Proud

I was so encouraged to hear that there were thousands in the streets marching behind James Brown's casket singing I'm Black and I'm proud!

Now we demand a chance to do things for ourserlfWe're tired of beatin' our head against the wallAnd workin' for someone elseWe're people, we're just like the birds and the beesWe'd rather die on our feetThan be livin' on our kneesSay it loud, I'm black and I'm proud

It has just been a holiday season for tears. Ms. Llewwellyn, my grandmother's neighbor and distant relation, just died.

What I Have Learned From bell hooks

There is no love without justice.

my grandmother the other day, she expressed some of the values that she holds that were passed on to me, and that stem from a time, an era, and a belief system that is all but forgotten. She said that she would never desire to be wealthy, that wealthy people more likely were not going to make it into heaven, that poor people lived closest to the lord. These values have been been tossed in this day and age where most people equate acquiring money and status as signs of goodness. Coinciding with this is a demonization of poverty , all of this indeed going on while this economy is being crunched and crushed more and more.

What a great passing with James Brown's death. The world is definitely changing.

Musings on History

I have often argued that in the larger context of history that Eleanor Roosevelt is much more important than her husband Franklin. I think that is ringing true.

A Streisand Christmas

This is a Twelve Days of Christmas Song .

One the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me a Barbra Streisand CD.
One the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me two Streisand tickets and a Barbra Streisand CD.
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me three Streisand specials, two Streisand Tickets, and a Barbra Streisand CD.
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me four Streisand films, three Streisand specials, two Streisand tickets and a Barbra Streisand CD.
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Barbra Streisand in the flesh! Four Streisand films, three Streisand specials, two streisand tickets and a Barbra Streisand CD.
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me 6 dates with Jason Gould, Barbra Streisand in the Flesh! Four Streisand Films, three Streisand specials, two Streisand tickets, and a Barbra Streisand CD.
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me a seven day honeymoon with Jason , 6 dates with Jason Gould, Barbra Streisand in the Flesh! Four Streisand Films, three Streisand specials, two streisand tickets, and a Barbra Streisand CD!
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me 8 Malibu mansions, a seven day honeymoon with Jason, six dates with Jason Gould, Barbra Streisand in the Flesh! Four Streisand films, three Streisand specials, two Streisand tickets and a Barbra Streisand CD!
On the Ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me nine Streisand impersonators, 8 Malibu Mansions, a seven day honeymoon with Jason, six dates with Jason Gould, Barbra Streisand in the flesh! Four Streisand Films, Three Streisand specials, two streisand tickets and a Barbra Streisand CD!
On the Tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ten Democratic fundraisers, nine Streisand impersonators, eight Malibu Mansions, a seven day honeymoon with Jason, six dates with Jason Gould, Barbra Streisand in the Flesh! Four Streisand films, Three Streisand specials, two Streisand tickets, and a Barbra Streisand CD!
On the Eleventh Day of Christmas my true love gave to me, 11 Streisand Oscar wins, Ten Democratic Fundraisers, Nine Streisand impersonators, Eight Malibu Mansions, a Seven day honeymoon with Jason, Six dates with Jason Gould, Barbra Streisand in the flesh! Four Streisand Films, three Streisand specials, two Streisand tickets, and a Barbra Streisand CD!
On the 12th Day of Christmas my true love gave to me Twelve years of Streisand in the White House! Eleven Streisand Oscar wins, Ten Democratic Fundraisers, Nine Streisand Impersonators, Eight Malibu Mansions,a Seven Day honeymoon with Jason, Six dates with Jason Gould, Barbra Streisand in the flesh!Four Streisand Films, Three Streisand specials, two Streisand Tickets, and a Barbra Streisand CD!

Take Me As I Am

Mary J Blige


[Verse 1:]
She's been down and out
She's been wrote about
She's been talked about, constantly
She's been up and down
She's been pushed around
But they held her down, NYC
She has no regrets
She accepts the past
All these things they
helped make to make she
She's been lost and found
And she's still around
There's a reason for everything
You know I've been holdin on.
Try to make me weak,
But I still stay strong.
Put my life all up in these songs
Jus so you can feel me.
[Chorus:]
So take me as I am,
or have nothing at all.
Just take me as I am,
or have nothing at all.
[Verse 2:]
Now she's older now
Yes, she's wiser now
Can't disguise her now
She don't need
No one tellin her
What to do and say
No one tellin her
Who to be
She's on solid ground
She's been lost and found
Now, she answers to G-O-D
And she's confident
This is not the end
Ask me how I know
Cause she is me.
You know I've been holdin on.
Try to make me weak,
But I still stay strong.
Put my life all up in these songs
Jus so you can feel me.
[Chorus:]
So take me as I am,
or have nothing at all.
Just take me as I am,
or have nothing at all.
[Bridge: 2x]
So it's all or nothing at all,
All or nothing at all
Don't you know I can only be me.
(I can only be me, yeah)
[Chorus:]
So take me as I am,
or have nothing at all.
Just take me as I am,
or have nothing at all.
Take me as I am.
Take me as I am.
Said it's all or nothing at all
Said it's all or nothing at all
Just take me as I am,
or have nothing at all. (This is me)
Just take me as I am, (take me as i am)
or have nothing at all.
Just take me as I am, (take me as i am)
or have nothing, nothing at all.
Take me as I am.

Something I Just Wrote

You spoke visciously because you thought you were something special. You didn't realize that you were only interesting and for the moment.

I love the film Lucia, Lucia.

Bebe Moore Campbell

"Discipline is the servant of Inspiration."

The Widow of Salamanca

Once there was a woman in Spain who met a man that worshipped her and could do all things if only she would ask. THey went to sleep one night and the next morning when they rose, he cooked her a beautiful breakfast of blueberry pancakes with honey almond syrup. She kissed him, she it enjoyed it so well,then she patted his side and embraced him. She then asked him to build her a house. He chopped the wood when the sun was new and lightly glistened on his back. In that day, he hauled the wood and hammered and sawed until he had built her the tallest, loveliest house in Salamanca. That night, they made love in her new house on top of lime-scented sheets and the passion they brought forth drifted up towards the moon, causing it to shine so bright it could have been day. That night, after their lovemaking, she took his hand in between hers and whispered in his ear, " I love you." The next morning, as she stood in the kitchen, washing the breakfast dishes and watching him out of the window as he laid stones for their beautiful garden, she saw a chariot racing across the sky and swoop down to where he was , arranging their beautiful garden. He didn't resist at all as the omniscient creature scopped him up as if he were a stone and placed him in the chariot. For a moment, she let out a yelp as the chariot aimed back for the sky, but she stopped in mid utterance sensing how futile it would be to stage her protest against what was to be. The next day, she rose and dressed herself in black, vowing to mourn her beloved for the rest of her life. She went outside to where their garden lay, half finished and made a shrine for her beloved out of stone and rockes and the leaves she gathered from the palm trees. After she was done, she sat in the windowsill of her beautiful house and set her eyes upon the spot where her beloved had been taken away. And there she sat for the rest of her life. The End.

Throw it Away

Abbey Lincoln

I think about the life I live
a figure made of clay,
and think about the things I lost;
the things I gave away,
and when I'm in a certain mood
I search the halls and look.
One day I found these magic words
in a magic book.

Throw it away. Throw it away
Give your love, live your life
each and every day,
and keep your hand wide open,
Let the sun shine through,
'cause you can never lose a thing
if it belongs to you.

There's a hand to rock the cradle
and a hand to help us stand,
with a gentle kind of motion
as it moves across the land,
and the hand's unclenched and open.
Gifts of life and love it brings,
so keep your hand wide open
if you're needing anything.

Throw it away. Throw it away.
Give your love, live your life
each and every day,
and keep your hand wide open.
Let the sun shine through,
'cause you can never lose a thing
if it belongs to you.

Throw it away. Throw it away
Give your love, live your life
each and every day,
and keep your hand wide open.
Let the sun shine through,
'cause you can never lose a thing
if it belongs to you.

One of these days, Im going to get around to making my own little shrine to Barbra Joan. J'adore La Streisand!

I strongly reccomend the film Haxan. Powerful film about the history of Witches.

Richard Pryor: Live and Smokin'

Was Richard Pryor gay?

Pretty Women/Ladies Who Lunch

Barbra

Pretty women
Fascinating
Sippin coffee
Dancing, pretty women
Pretty women
Are a wonder, pretty women
Sitting in the window or
Standing on the stair
Something in them cheers the air
Pretty women
Silhouetted
Stay within you
Glancing stay forever
Breathing lightly, pretty women,
Pretty women
Blowing out their candles or
Combing out their hair
Even when they leave
They still are there
They're there
Sipping coffee
Here's to the ladies who lunch
Everybody Laugh
Lounging in their caftans and
Planning a brunch
On their own behalf
Off to the gym
Then to a fitting,
Claiming they're fat
And looking grim,
Cause they've been sitting
Choosing a hat
I'll drink to that!

Here's to the girls who just watch
Aren't they the best
When they get depressed,
It's a bottle of scotch
Plus a little jest!
Another chance to disapprove
Another brilliant zinger
Another reason not to move
Another vodka stinger
I'll drink to that!

Here's to the girls who play wife
Aren't they too much!
Keeping house but clutching a copy of "Life"
Just to keep in touch
The ones who follow the rules
And meet themselves at the schools
Too busy to know that they're fools
Aren't they a gem!
I'll drink to them!
Let's all drink to...

Pretty women, fascinating
How they make a man sing...

**Here's to the girls on the go,
Everybody tries
Look into their eyes
And you'll see what they know,
Everybody dies
A toast to that invincible bunch
The dinosaurs surviving the crunch
Let's hear it for the ladies who lunch
Everybody rise
Everybody rise,

Pretty women at their mirrors
In their gardens
On committees, telephoning
Window shopping table hopping
Pretty women giving parties
Never stopping
Gossip swapping, capsule popping

Everybody rise, everybody rise,
Everybody rise, everybody rise-
Rise-rise-rise...
Pretty women rise!

Nina Simone is the voice of God.

Oh the unspoken. We need some castration in this world.

Where is the new Greenwich Village?

End of Hunger Strike

Today, I was so horribly proud. I am utterly encouraged by the activism on this campus--and at the press conference today, a Black Woman spoke at the mic. I see signs of changing.....

I would so love to be Abbey Lincoln. I first heard her "Avec Le Temps" on Alabama State's jazz radio station, and in the words of one reviewer I read "I didn't understand a word she said, but damn it sounded good!" She is one of the best....

I think an interesting light is being cast on the American press that I found no American wire service carrying the full text of Kofi Annan's speech. I only found it on the BBC.

Key Words From Kofi Annan's Address at the Truman Library

No state can make its own actions legitimate in the eyes of others. When power, especially military force, is used, the world will consider it legitimate only when convinced that it is being used for the right purpose- for broadly shared aims- in accordance with broadly accepted norms.

Kofi Annan's Address at the Truman Library

It is sad to see Kofi Annan leave the U.N. He should stay on forever.... I am glad to see that he let the United States have it in his farewell speech. God Bless him and Nan! Here is the text to his speech.

I Love Bob Schieffer

Here is his report on Bush's handling of Iraq.

Starting Here, Starting Now

Starting here, Starting now
When we walk, we walk together
Year by year, starting here
Starting now
When we talk
We wiII say the most with silence
When we're near
Starting here
Now when you sleep
You will dream a dream
That's free from care
For now when you wake
I'll be there so be still
Take my hand
For the greatest journey
Heaven can allow
Starting love
Starting here
Starting now
Now take my hand
For the greatest journey
Heaven can allow
Starting love
Starting here
Starting now...

Where Am I Going?

Barbra-- From Color Me Barbra

Where am I going?
And what will I find?
What's in this grab bag
That I cal I my mind?
What am I doing
Alone on the shelf?
Ain't it a shame,
But no one's to blame but myself.

Which way is clear
When you've lost your way
Year after year?

Do I keep falling in love for just a kick of it?
Staggering through the thin and thick of it,
Hating each old, tired trick of it,
Know what I am,
I'm good and sick of it!

Where am I going?
Why do I care?
Run where it's foul,
Run where it's fair,
No matter where I run I meet myself there.

Looking inside me, what do I see?
Anger and hope and doubt,
What em I all about?
And where am I going?
Tell me why do I care?

No matter where I run I meet myself there
Looking inside me, what do I see?
Anger and hope and doubt
What am I al I about?
And where am I going?
Where am I going?

Memory

When I was a little boy, most of my summers(all of them actually) were spent in Alabama with my grandmother and most of my summer afternoons were spent at the aging center with my grandmother and Earl. Everyday we would pack into my grandmother's white car and head off to the Harvest house. They would stop and buy me a nasty old sausage biscuit from Hardees which would be my lunch for the day. I so remember always wanting to have whatever they had for lunch(they ate whatever the aging center served). After lunch, I would wander into the very elegant drawing room and play checkers or dominoes with Cousin Adolph after which I would go outside and play Cinderella or something by the porch bannisters until time to go back home.

A Bit on John Archie and His Faith

I have said that Sadie Mae and John Archie were pious people and that they walked with the lord. I very much mean that they walked and in open communication with the spirit that made them. My great-grandfather suffered severely from asthma, and as he worked his fields, sometimes he would have episodes that would leave everyone wondering. He would calm them all as he said, my time has not come yet. I have faith that when it is my time to go, the lord will let me know. Surely, when he got ready to die he summoned all of his children to him and he was prepared in death as he was in life, to walk with his lord.

On My Great Grandmother Sadie Mae

My great grandmother was a woman who, as they say, walked with the lord in many ways all of her life. Her motto, which was printed on her obituary was "Cast your bread upon the water and it will come back to you."My great grandmother's heart and home was always open and there was no one who was turned away from her table and no one who did not recieve what help she could give when they came to recieve it. And many did come. One anecdote I remember is my grandmother telling me, quite fitfully--for it slightly disturbed her and the rest of her siblings, of how her mother told them to make sure to give some food to the hobos who came by looking for it(the railroad was very accessible to my great grandparents' home for the hobos). My grandmother tells of this one time a man came by, who wanted food, and had a story to tell. He had been in another town and had had fifteen cents to his name. He offered the fifteen cents to a woman at a house who said that she would cook him fifteen cents worth of food. The woman crossed him and took his money and refused to cook anything. My grandmother says that man burned that woman's house to the ground..and there was an account of it in the paper of how no one knew how the fire had been started.... Back to my great, great grandmother, she never refused anyone and always gave what she had to whomever needed it. My grandmother and her siblings are quite resentful in that they felt they never had a home to themselves as there was always someone else in it, someone to share everything with. People would come and set a baby down in my great grandmother's arms and that child often wouldnt leave until they were ready to go to college or off into the world in whichever way they went. Sadie Mae and her husband, my great grandfather John Archie, were pious people, who believed firmly in the lord and who spoke directly to that power at all times. They never feared or wanted for anything because they walk with god. It is amazing to think that Sadie not only reared her eight children that survived to adulthood(she had two that died as infants) and educated them all, but that she did much of the same for dozens of others as well. If she had a bed, you could sleep in it. If she had food, you were more than welcome to eat. She embodied the true principles of Christianity and what it truly means to be a good person.She was selfless and she had a deep concern for humanity. She is truly an inspiration.

I'm Going Through

Lord, I have started to walk in the light
That shines on my pathway so clearly, so bright;
I’ve bade the world and its follies adieu,
And now with my Savior I mean to go through.
Refrain:
I’m going through, I’m going through,
I’ll pay the price, whatever others do;
I’ll take the way with the Lord’s despised few;
I’m going through, Jesus, I’m going through.
Many once started to run in this race,
But with our Redeemer they could not keep pace;
Others accepted because it was new,
But not very many seem bound to go through.
Let me but follow my Lord all alone,
And have for my pillow, like Jacob, a stone,
Rather than vain worldly pleasures pursue,
Than turn from this pathway and fail to go through.
Come then, my comrades, and walk in this way
That leads to the kingdom of unending day;
Turn from your idols and join with the few,
Start in with your Savior, and keep going through.

Memory

I remember my mother making me polish my shoes so that we could go to Harold Washington's funeral.

Great Quiz!

Your 'Do You Want the Terrorists to Win' Score: 100%

You are a terrorist-loving, Bush-bashing, "blame America first"-crowd traitor. You are in league with evil-doers who hate our freedoms. By all counts you are a liberal, and as such cleary desire the terrorists to succeed and impose their harsh theocratic restrictions on us all. You are fit to be hung for treason! Luckily George Bush is tapping your internet connection and is now aware of your thought-crime. Have a nice day.... in Guantanamo!

Do You Want the Terrorists to Win?
Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

What Came to Me As A Revelation

I was standing in line at a campus restaurant, waiting to order. I definitely wasn't feeling the best today, so I wanted some hot soup. Standing there, I watched the girl behind the counter take the order and make the sandwich of the girl standing in front of me, who happened to be her friend. In nice slick tones, interspersed with chatter, she asked the girl how she wanted the sandwich done and took meticulous care to ask about every aspect of the order, in a far more formal, businesslike tone than the regular chatter. It clicked in my head. People are no longer people, thy are robots. I think this is true in every capacity. People have been programmed. What a revelation.

I LOVE the film Decalage Horaire.

The Scene Where I Jumped For Joy for Queer as Folk

Melanie and Brian are walking into a restaurant. Brian has just asked Melanie to represent him as he is being sued for sexual harrassment. Melanie is mulling it over, with no definite answer.


Brian: "So Homophobic Corporate America Wins Yet Again??"

Melanie: "Oh please! You know what?! You could hang a sign that says 'blow jobs: ten cents' from your office door and you would still have it better than any woman or any person of color in this country, because guess what?! You're a white man and that still counts for something in this country."

Everything

Barbra

I want to learn what life is for
I don't want much, I just want more
Ask what I want and I will sing
I want everything, everything.

I'd cure the cold and the traffic jam
If there were floods I'd give a damn
I'd never sleep, I'd only sing
Let me do everything, everything.

I'd like to plan a city
And play the cello
Play at Monte Carlo
Play Othello
Move into the White House
Paint it Yellow
Speak Portuguese and Dutch and if its not to much
I'd like to have the perfect twin, one who'd go out
as I came in. I've got to grab
the big brass ring
So I'll have everything, everything.

I'm like a child who's set free
at the funfair
every ride invites me
and it's unfair
saying that I only
get my one share
doesn't seem just
I could live as I must
if they'd give me the time
to turn the tide
Give me the truth
if once I lied
Give me the man
that's gonna bring
more of everything
more of everything
Then I'll have everything
then Ill have everything
everything whoaaaaaaaaaaa

Eighth Radical Progressive Carnival

We actually, surprisingly and much welcomed,have quite a slew of materials to post on the eighth Radical Progressive carnival. Firstly, from RDoctor Medical Portal, we have two insightful essays. The first, entitled The Psychology of Law and Order, gives us a very enlightening and insightful interview with a psychologist, discussing issues of treatment and the practice of blogging as a psychologist. The second essay from Rdoctor Medicap Portal provides an intense and eye-opening discussion with Healthcare specialist, Hank Stern, on the nature of healthcare in the US and the growing Healthcare crisis in the United States. Our second contributor, Phil For Humanity, provides us with an interesting post concerning Lobbyists in America. The Picket Line offers a detailed and very useful post on wartime tax resistance for any who would like to take part in tax resistance. Steven Silvers over at Scatterbox predicts the inevitable corporate scandals soon to arise with the fall of the Republican congress and the prospects of Congressional investigations. Lastly, but definitely not least, Black Looks offers us an essay on the use of art as activism among post colonial Africans who use art to make political statements and who defy the traditional definitions of art accepted by Western aesthetics. Very enlightening essay. All of these should be enjoyable reading.

The police shooting in New York is an outrage. Someone needs to do something about it. Some people need to lose their penises.

The First Mention of AIDS in a Presidential Press Conference

Frpm BitchPHD's website


The following press conference is the first public mention of AIDS in the Reagan White House. At that time 200 Americans had died of a new infectious disease. Reagan himself did not mention AIDS for three more years.
THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

PRESS BRIEFING BY LARRY SPEAKES

October 15, 1982

The Briefing Room

12:45pm EDT

Q: Larry, does the President have any reaction to the announcement ­ the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, that AIDS is now an epidemic and have over 600 cases?

MR. SPEAKES: What's AIDS?

Q: Over a third of them have died. It's known as "gay plague." (Laughter.) No, it is. I mean it's a pretty serious thing that one in every three people that get this have died. And I wondered if the President is aware of it?

MR. SPEAKES: I don't have it. Do you? (Laughter.)

Q: No, I don't.

MR. SPEAKES: You didn't answer my question.

Q: Well, I just wondered, does the President ­

MR. SPEAKES: How do you know? (Laughter.)

Q: In other words, the White House looks on this as a great joke?

MR. SPEAKES: No, I don't know anything about it, Lester.

Q: Does the President, does anyone in the White House know about this epidemic, Larry?

MR. SPEAKES: I don't think so. I don't think there's been any ­

Q: Nobody knows?

MR. SPEAKES: There has been no personal experience here, Lester.

Q: No, I mean, I thought you were keeping ­

MR. SPEAKES: I checked thoroughly with Dr. Ruge this morning and he's had no ­ (laughter) ­ no patients suffering from AIDS or whatever it is.

Q: The President doesn't have gay plague, is that what you're saying or what?

MR. SPEAKES: No, I didn't say that.

Q: Didn't say that?

MR. SPEAKES: I thought I heard you on the State Department over there. Why didn't you stay there? (Laughter.)

Q: Because I love you Larry, that's why (Laughter.)

MR. SPEAKES: Oh I see. Just don't put it in those terms, Lester. (Laughter.)

Q: Oh, I retract that.

MR. SPEAKES: I hope so.

Q: It's too late.

This transcript was quoted at the beginning of Jon Cohen's book, Shots in the Dark: The Wayward Search for an AIDS Vaccine, 2001.

I think it is quite important to point out that before the Civil Rights Movement was disbanded for the most part, particularly with the end of the 60s, there was a strong,vibrant Black press. Where is it now? We need it now.

I read a wonderful essay in The Nation about U.S. Imperialism. A Great new phrase to describe the United States, impotent omniscience. Wonderful essay by Jonathan Schell.

This is a wonderful essay on the realities of life for gay people in Cuba, the reality as opposed to the U.S.'s propaganda.

Woody Allen gave a wonderful definition of facism today in this biographical documentary I saw. He said that fascism is where you have a society where no one really talks exceptfor those select few at the top of the barrell. Their voices are like loudspeakers and are heard far above the masses, drowning out any progressive voices or voices of protest. Be aware of our lives and how we live.

Memories

I remember roaming my grandmother's bookshelves and then finding her old gradebooks, which I would play with. I never dreamed that I would have one of my own. That was too boring for me. I was Nancy Wilson and Nina Simone. I spoke French and jetsetted through the mediterreanean, wore chic dresses, sang loud, was coy, was sleek, and gave concerts to Parisian crowds.

I feel the blood of Morgan Goodson flowing through my veins this morning.

Something I was thinking about today, in regards to thoughts of a draft and some other things. World War II was the last war in which anyone really was willing to die for the United States. It was the last time in which "To Do or Die" worked on a mass scale. People, and especially young men I think, became disillusioned after that(and/or comfortable) and did not hold such strong convictions. Korea really disillusioned, especially black soldiers, and especially those who were left over there for an extra year. Vietnam was a full-hault stop as to patriotism driving anyone onto a battlefield. Any current efforts to draft will be sheer brute force on the part of the power structure.

I recently have been thinking a lot about the conversation that I had with Bernadine Dohrn. The power structure wants to make everyone think that it is omniscient. No one is omniscient except for God.

India Ranks Second in Fastest Growing Economies

Behind China, India has the second fastest growing economy. According to market analysts, India outshines them all in this quarter. We look to India and China as our future....

Something to Think About

When I was in Chicago over the holiday, one of my Uncles pointed out to me that the Black man that was the Washington D.C. sniper a few years ago was a military veteran, who had seen conflict, trained to be a sniper in the U.S. Marines....

Everyone should take a look at this essay by Charlene Mitchell on the Communist Party and the Black Panther Party. It is very insightful.

The wisest statement that ever came out of Western Culture is that everything that rises must fall. That is something to ponder, especially when you consider that the cyborg has no memory.

BUSH SIGNS THE MILITARY COMMISSIONS ACT: CCR CALLS IT A BLOW TO DEMOCRACY AND THE CONSTITUTION

From The Center for Constitutional Rights Website


New Law Suspends Right of Habeas Corpus for Non-Citizens, Empowers President to Authorize Torture and Gives Him Wide Power to Indefinitely Imprison Anyone, Including Americans, He Labels an

Center for Constitutional Rights Derides Unprecedented Expansion of Presidential Power and Vows to Challenge the Law in U.S. Supreme Court

October 17, 2006, New York, NY - Today, the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) denounced President Bush's signing into law of the Military Commissions Act (MCA). The final version of the bill emerged only four days before the Senate's 11th hour vote. Although President Bush declared that "time was of the essence" when he called for the legislation, he has waited nearly two weeks to sign it into law. Congress has once again been cowed into doing the President's bidding and abdicated their Constitutional powers in the process, say attorneys.

The new law strips the right of non-citizens to seek review of their detention by a court through the filing of a writ of habeas corpus, the venerated legal instrument that for centuries has protected people from arbitrary detention, disappearance and indefinite detention without charge. The Act is also meant to erase the hundreds of habeas corpus petitions that CCR and others have brought on behalf of many of the 450 men being held at Guantánamo Bay, a move already once denied by the Supreme Court.

Further, the MCA dramatically expands the President's powers in an array of profoundly troubling ways, including permitting him to determine what constitutes torture and who may be labeled an "unlawful enemy combatant" and therefore detained indefinitely. Such scope means that non-citizens, such as those unjustifiably rounded up in sweeps after 9/11 in the U.S., could be held without charge or trial. U.S. citizens deemed to have "materially supported" hostilities against the United States could be held as enemy combatants as well. Once in U.S. custody, the law allows detainees to be subjected to stress positions, temperature extremes, sleep deprivation, and possibly waterboarding. It also defines sexual violence crimes so narrowly that some of the outrages of Abu Ghraib, such as forced nudity, would not be punishable, and defines rape and sexual abuse in a manner that is inconsistent with international law, turning back the clock on the hard-fought victories of survivors of sexual violence. At the same time, the bill provides retroactive immunity for U.S military and intelligence officials for the torture and abuse of detainees, including the widely condemned horrors which occurred at Abu Ghraib and Guantánamo.

Characterizing the new law as "an assault on the Constitution," CCR Executive Director Vincent Warren said, "By trading our liberty for a false sense of security, Congress has effectively granted the President the power of tyrants to undermine the foundations of Democracy." He added, "CCR intends to challenge this outrage at every turn, using every tool at our disposal, until we reverse this affront to the rule of law."

Further, Warren pointed out that under this administration's lawless programs, innocent people like CCR client rendition victim Maher Arar-who was recently cleared of any links to terrorism-can be jailed and tortured with no recourse.

CCR has already filed the first new cases to challenge the stripping of habeas corpus: Mohammed v. Rumsfeld, a habeas petition on behalf of 25 men detained at Bagram Air Force Base; and Khan v. Bush, a habeas petition on behalf of Majid Khan, a Baltimore man held in secret by the CIA for nearly three years until President Bush transferred him to Guantánamo in early September. Both cases are in the D.C. District Court.

The law will likely also be tested in two consolidated cases brought on behalf of Guantánamo detainees currently pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals, Al Odah v. United States of America and Boumediene v. Bush. These cases represent the first 13 habeas petitions filed on behalf of Guantánamo detainees and challenge the legality of the detention of 53 men. The initial appeal was argued on September 8, 2005, and the three-panel court has yet to issue its decision.

According to CCR legal director Bill Goodman, the provision of the MCA that strips the right of habeas corpus is a direct violation of the suspension clause of the U.S. Constitution because it denies non-citizens a meaningful opportunity to challenge the legality of their detention. The clause states that the writ of habeas corpus can only be suspended "in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion." Goodman said recent reports of innocent men being released from Guantánamo underscore the importance of moving quickly to defeat this law:

"From Afghanistan to Spain and Germany to Pakistan, innocent men have been returned home to their families. We know, as does the Bush Administration, that many more of the roughly 450 men still held at Guantánamo are also innocent. To deny them the right to make their case and to win their freedom, is not only immoral and illegal, but undermines the concepts of liberty and democracy that this country was built on."

A more detailed review of the legal issues raised by the stripping provision of the Act and the legal process that may ensue is attached.

Call for a Special Prosecutor to Investigate U.S. Torture

From the Center for Constitutional Rights Website

The Center for Constitutional Rights is calling for the appointment of a Special Prosecutor to conduct a full, independent and public inquiry into the role of high-ranking U.S. officials in the abuse and torture of detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantánamo and elsewhere around the world.

With each week, more appalling government memos and documents come to light from a Freedom of Information Act request CCR filed with the American Civil Liberties Union, Physicians for Human Rights, Veterans for Common Sense, and Veterans for Peace: the Bush Administration has systematically encouraged torture techniques prohibited under the Geneva Conventions and the Covenant against Torture.

Our clients who have been released from Guantánamo and Abu Ghraib describe a deliberate program of abuse. Other CCR clients have been shipped off by our government to countries like Syria and Egypt to be interrogated under torture, a practice called “extraordinary rendition” chronicled in an early-February New Yorker article and a Bob Herbert’s column in The Times.

The Bush Administration has brought us down to a moral level unimaginable since the end of World War II, despite the fact that experts in interrogation know that torture produces bad intelligence and false confessions only fans the flames of hatred the world over and puts our own troops in danger.

People like Donald Rumsfeld and Alberto Gonzales must be held accountable for the dangerous policies they have put in place, but they will never investigate themselves.

Please tell Congress and the president this must end. Join CCR and other groups like Human Rights Watch to call for a Special Prosecutor today!

I am excited to see that David Cole of The Center for Constitutional Rights is the same David Cole from Georgetown!

Slowly Knocking Down the Power Structure

Today, a federal judge just stripped away key elements of George Bush's post 9/11 powers, declaring his newly bestowed authorty to declare groups as terrorist threats unconstitutional.

Martin Luther King spoke many truths when he told Harry Belafonte that Black people were integrating into a burning house. This world is falling apart and everything is being cast asunder.

Angela Davis and Assata Shakur are my spiiritual mothers.

Bridges

By Diane Reeves

I have crossed a thousand bridges
In my search for something real
There were great suspension bridges
Made like spider webs of steel
There were tiny wooden trestles
And there were bridges made of stone
I have always been a stranger and
I’ve always been alone
There’s a bridge to tomorrow
There’s a bridge to the past
There’s a bridge made of sorrow
That I pray will not last
There’s a bridge made of color

Link to materials on the Gizzendanner Family

Interesting Geneological Stuff for Keeps

My Wife's Lines:

1. RAWLINSON LINE: From England to Kent Co. Md (was there in early 1700s, to S.C., then to Alabama in ealry 1800s.

2. GAITHER LINE: To Maryland, then to S.C., then to Alabama in early 1800s.
3. DERAMUS LINE: From Switzerland (Joseph DeRamus who came to South Carolina from Switzerland was French, from French Hugenout parents who had fled France to Switzerland), to S.C., then to Alabama in early 1800s

I am definitely convinced that eharmony is some republican bullshit.

Chicago was great and beautiful. Kelly and Kathy have a beautiful new house. God Bless Uncle Donald, Aunt Joyce, and all of my relatives. While I was in chicago, I patronized quite a few establishments with which I was quite pleased.
Quinn took me to The Grille, a mom and pop on Halsted where I had a wonderful strawberry malt and she had a great looking hamburger.We then went to The Chicago Diner, also on the Northside, full of cute gay waiters, where I had the best organic german chocolate cake. Also while in Chicago, I revisited Ada's downtown, this time with Candace(who was in Chicago) where I absolutely raved over the sweet and sour cabbage soup. The atmosphere was also great. Aunt Joyce took me there once before a long time ago. Later, Candace and I also frequented The Red Head Piano Bar where we had much fun. Other restaurants I have enjoyed in Chicago are Gladys' and Mello Yello in Hyde Park(I love the idea of having drinks with breakfast and I love the orange juice, coconut milk, and rum blend!

This is the Selection List of the Nancy Wilson CD I Have Been Looking For

I had this on tape a long time ago. I want this CD--and the lyrics to these songs. I know them mostly, but I want them on paper.

01. IM YOUR SPECIAL FOOL
02. PRISONER OF MY EYES
03. PLAYER PLAY ON
04. ONLY LOVE
05. LOOKING BACK
06. IF WE ONLY HAVE LOVE
07. IN A LONG WHITE ROOM
08. YOUD BETTER GO
09. QUIET SOUL
10. WHAT DO YOU SEE IN HER?
11. WE COULD LEARN TOGETHER

The First Five Chapters

By Diane Reeves

Yesterdays... Yesterdays... Yesterdays
If you want to clap your hands it's okay
If you want to snap your fingers it's all right
Such a nice groove
For some nice folks
I want to tell you a story
About how I started out
I believe the year was 1976
When I decided to leave my home you see
It was time for me to go out into the world and to seek my fortune
I had a choice
I could either be starved and be cold
And move to the east
Or starve and be hot
So hot you see and move to the west
I picked LA
I wanna share with you the first five chapters of my life

Chapter One
I was walking down the street
With my head held high and my pockets filled with dreams
And I feel into a hole
I said to myself who put that hole there
Whoever put it there sure is mean
So I picked myself up out of the hole
Dusted myself off and went on my merry way

Chapter Two
I was walking down the same street
Feeling good
And I fell into a hole
I said to myself who put this hole there
Whoever put it there sure is mean
So I climbed up out of the hole and I dusted myself off went on my way
And remember thinking not everybody loves you like your mother

Chapter Three
I was walking down the same street
When I fell, oh yes I fell I tumbled hard this time
Down the same hole
I said to myself
I know this hole
I've been here before and I don't want to come back no more
So I picked myself up out of the hole
Dusted myself off
Said hole you ain't gonna get me no more

Well... Chapter 4
I was walking down the same street
I like to flurt with danger
That's my nature
But this time I saw the hole and I jumped over the hole
I said hole you won't get me no more
I kicked some dirt into the hole
Well now
That I learned how to live
I'm living what I learned

So I'm in chapter five right here right now
And I'm walking down a new street
Feelin' healthy
feelin' fine
feelin' prosperous oh the whole the world is mine
I take my time
do as I Please
Please when I want to
It sure feels good
They say life begins after that number and it sure does

Yesterday Yesterday Yesterdays
I love Yesterdays
Yesterdays
Now I'm thinking about today

Long Live Cuba!!

Much Love to Cuba, the Cuban people, and Castro as they celebrate fifty years of indepdendence!

I didn't know it was possibly to be Wicca, racist, and a capitalist pig. However, today I picked up a book by Hans Holz.

God Bless the Indonesian People

Indoensia wholly rejected George Bush as he entered their country today. May his visit be brief and icy. They should definitely meet him everywhere with loud yells of righteous anger and indignation.

Rangel's Draft

I very much love and support Charlie Rangel. He better know exactly what he's doing though--and have plenty of exemptions for Black folks....cause my Middle Class black behind ain't going nowhere...and none of mine either. As a matter of fact, thats what the Black Panthers called for, exemption for people of color, particularly Blacks, from military service. Lets have it.

Speech and effective communication are directly linked to power(s).

Dogville is one of the BEST films I have seen in ages!!! Kudos to Nicole Kidman!

Purdue POLE Sit-In In President's Office

Watchi the video in the above link of the student sit-in in the President's office here at Purdue. Students in this video are staging a protest in President Jischke's office to demand that Purdue cooperate with efforts to end sweatshops and create a living wage in the factories that make Purdue apparrel.

The House That Ruth Built

Ruth Brown, the legendary R&B singer that put Atlantic Records on the map, has died at 78. What a passing.

I think that it is absolutely important to stress what Dr. John Henrik Clarke pointed out, that nonviolence is a strategy...it is not meant to be a way of life.

I was quite impressed with the POLE action today.

Why? The King of Love is Dead

Nina Simone

What's gonna happen now? In all of our cities?
My people are rising; they're living in lies.
Even if they have to die
Even if they have to die at the moment they know what life is
Even at that one moment that ya know what life is
If you have to die, it's all right
Cause you know what life is
You know what freedom is for one moment of your life

But he had seen the mountaintop
And he knew he could not stop
Always living with the threat of death ahead
Folks you'd better stop and think
Everybody knows we're on the brink
What will happen, now that the King is dead?

We can all shed tears; it won't change a thing
Teach your people: Will they ever learn?
Must you always kill with burn and burn with guns
And kill with guns and burn - don't you know how we gotta react?

But he had seen the mountaintop
And he knew he could not stop
Always living with the threat of death ahead
Folks you'd better stop and think
Everybody knows we're on the brink
What will happen, now that the King of love is dead?

We should all strive to walk through the world with humility, dignity, and respect for all humanity. It is when we don't that the bullshit comes into play.

You Belong To Me-The Perfect Seduction Song

Carly Simon

Why'd you tell me this
Were you looking for my reaction
What do you need to know
Don't you know I'll always be your girl
You don't have to prove to me you're beautiful to strangers
I've got loving eyes of my own

You belong to me
Tell her you were fooling
You don't even know her
Tell her that I love you

You belong to me
Can it be, honey, that you're not sure
You belong to me
Thought we'd closed the book - locked the door
You don't have to prove to me that you're beautiful to strangers
I've got loving eyes of my own
And I can tell - I can tell darling
Tell her - tell her that I love you

You belong - you belong - you belong to me
Tell her you were fooling
Tell her she don't even know you
Tell her you were fooling
I know you from a long time ago, baby
Don't leave me to go to her now
You belong to me.

Black Organized Religion

This weekend I witnessed somewhat of a Black religious event/revival. There are some things that I definitely want to comment upon about Black organized religion. Black people's god, for a large part, and not for all for there are strains of progressivism within the Black church, but mainstream Black religion deifies white men and the great white father. Lets take some of the songs and just substitute. Or rather some phrases and I'll make up some as I go along, because I dont actually know any(of the gospel really, I know lots of spirituals).

(The White Father)He's a great god
(The White Father)God is good to me

I definitely do not intend and will never downplay anyone's religion. The sincerest expressions of religion are wonderful. I appreciate and connect with people's connections with god. Until the Black community shuns its apoltical stance and its passivity as a response to white supremacy, and especially the evils of imperialism that affect the entire world, Black religion will ring a false note.

People need to rediscover the meaning and the phrase the personal is political.

Representative Keith Ellison

Everyone should be keeping their eyes on this new face in the U.S. Congress. The Honorable Congressman Keith Ellison is the first Black person to be elected to public office from the state of Minnesota and is the first muslim to serve in the United States Congress. I definitely am looking forward to seeing good things from him. He is a staunchly progressive voice in the Democratic fold.

The End of A Love Affair

Chaka Khan/Billie Holiday

So I walk a little too fast and I drive a little too fast
And I'm reckless it's true, but what else can you do at the
end of a love affair?

So I talk a little too much, and I laugh a little too much
And my voice is too loud, when I'm out in a crowd
So that people are apt to stare

Do they know, do they care, that it's only that I'm lonely
and low as can be?
And the smile on my face isn't really a smile at atll!

So I smoke a little too much, and I drink a little too much
And the tunes I request are not always the best
But the ones where the trumpets blare!

So I go at a maddening pace, and I pretend that it's taking
your place
But what else can you do, at the end of a love affair

Mildred's Question

We had a great CCDS meeting today. I always enjoy CCDS--a great group of people and a wonderful gathering of progressive voices. Mildred posed a question in her discussion that I think is absolutely vital and is one that should be key and at the forefront in any consideration of politics. Her question was "Is the Entire Human Race being treated equally?" The answer to that question is the key to solving a lot of the world's problems.

Beheading George Washington and the Single Dollar Bill

I found this story eeriely funny.

Further Musings Related

At one point, stemming from the 18th to the 19th centuries in Europe, and especially among the Sepharadi, there was quite a movement to assimilate into mass and mainstream European culture--quite literally--with the one of the main themes floating around being that the efforts of the Jewish people should be to secure as many mixed marriages between gentiles and Jews as possible--and to secure a place for them amongst the englightnened, savoir faire classes of Europe. There was much the same trend in Japan as well in the 19th Century, where it was highly prised for Japanese people to secure marriages with white men from the west and produce mulatto children and bring a greater civilization to the race...oh what trends...that still need to end.

I just saw the Prime Minister of Israel on the Today Show demonizing the Palestinian people and spewing the same old filth of Zionism. It saddens me so to see Israel as it is. Since Theodor Herzl, and perhaps and most probably before, there has been that main trend that have lost all vertebrae along its spine and whose sole modus operandi have been to kiss as much white ass as possible. Horrd and horrid, and what is worse is that they themselves have become what their European/American lords and benefactors were-conquistadors, rapists, pillagers, patriarchal, teutonic assholes. You better try and maintain your integrity instead of trying to jump in the bed with the people you think have power. You can and will go straight to hell right along with them suffering the same fate.... I for one will absolutely not sit by and support Israel while they are trying to act like white men and Teutonic Heroes....they can and should be castrated too!

For Donald Rumsfeld and Co, George Bush and all the Others

Straight From Nina Simone

Now if your mind lies in the devils' workshop
And evil doing's your thrill
And trouble and mischief is all you live for
You know darn well that
That you'll go to the hell
That you'll go to the hell

So you're living high and migthy
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 the hell
That you'll go to the hell

Say hell where your natural soul burns
Hell where you pay for your sins
Hell keep your children from wrong doing
Cos you know darn well
That they'll go to the hell
That they'll go to the hell

I say hell man and woman were created
Hell to live for ethernity
Hell but an apple they ate from the tree of hate
So you know darn well
That they went to the hell
They went to the hell

Now Satan was an angel in Heaven
But he stirred up trouble and woe
So the Lord commanded the devil be branded
So you know darn well he went to the hell
Yeah he went to hell
Yeah he went to hell
He went to hell

I have been absent from the scene since this past weekend. We buried Voncile. It was a sombre occassion. I will write about it more later. There are a million things floating through my mind. Oh God, what is life?

Donald Rumsfeld Resigns!!!

I feel like Lee Remick after Amy Irving won in The Competition! YES!!!!

The Seventh Radical Progressive Blogcarnival

Very late, but here it is, the seventh edition of the Radical Progressive Blogcarnival.The first submission to make it to post this time is The Largest Minority's post "Sunnis' Establish Islamic Republic Inside Iraq." This post examines the media's assessments of Sunni efforts to establish a religious state in Iraq and questions the future of Iraq. Great post. I will also include my top ten book list. Should be great reading!

Female Genital Mutilation

One thing I wanted to comment on that has been in the news recently is the Female Genital Mutilation case stemming out of Georgia. This horrible practice has occurred in the United States for hundreds of years and for thousands of years in Africa and Asia and other parts of the world. In her novel,Possessing the Secret of Joy, Alice Walker discusses how white men would prod and examine the bodies of the African women they had captured and brought to the United States as slaves and took note of FGM in this way and began, in some instances, to use it on their wives and daughters. There is one point in the book in which Tashi, the African immigrant woman who has undergone FGM, is introduced to a white woman from Louisiana by her psychiatrist, Raye, who has also undergone Female Genital Mutilation. The difference in their cases was that Tashi underwent the procedure voluntarily as an adult, in foolish support of a national cause, while the white woman had undergone FGM at the hands of her parents as a deterrent from masturbation. This horrible practice should stop and the horrendous practices of it here in the New World, as well as in the old, should be brought to light.

We Are Living In 1984

This is a report that I saw on the BBC today. Britain and the United States have more surveillance of the people within their country than any others. Canada and Germany have the least.

This Song Has Been Playing in My Mind All Day--When You've Been Blessed

Patti Labelle

In a world of superheros, in a world of weak and
strong;
In a sea of have and have nots, I've survived the
raging storm.

And I pray for a world where we all can be free,
It's a heavenly vision, It's a garden that I see.
It's a joy that graced the heart of lovin me.
When you've been blessed...feels like heaven
When you've been blessed...feels like heaven.

I have faith, I have hope. And I trust in the day
When the music from heaven will show us the way.
It's a garden of music, it's a garden of love,
And we are all HIS children sharing gifts from
above.
When you've been blessed....feels like heaven, feels
like heaven
When you've been blessed...pass it on, pass it on

Lou Dobbs is a Great Man

Here is his excellent anaylsis of the upcoming election.

These people better learn to leave Barbra Streisand alone. Im sure she doesnt play and will knock them up against every tree that grows in Brooklyn!

Karl Rove=Rasputin

Midterm Elections

Democrats and Progressives need to be vigilant in this election cycle and need to go the extra mile to get out the vote. Republicans are going to try and play off of the disadvantages that the poor and minorities have in getting to the polls so there need to be massive, organized driving campaigns offering to take people to the polls, encourage people to take off work to go to the polls--in droves--and the NAACP and other Civil Rights organizations should be on the ready to fight tooth and nail to fight Republicans/evil white people over voter ID issues in minority and impoverished communities. Be prepared to take Karl Rove's scrotum if he tries to fuck with voter turn out in communities of color and impoverished communities.

Dear lord, Voncile is dead.

No Comment

100 dead in the month of October. Countless Iraqis.

Overheard

I heard that Lynne Cheney wrote a pornographic sex novel. Haha! I am sure it wasn't very good...

You're All I Need To Get By

Aretha Franklin

(You?re all I need to get by)
(You?re all I need to get by)
(You?re all I need to get by)
(You?re all I need to get by)
(You?re all... I need... to get by - hi - hi)

AslongasIgotyouthenbabyyouknowthatyougotme!
Oh (whoa - oh - ho)
CauseWeveGotOurLoveandsomeR-E-S-P-E-C-T!(oh) whoa oh ho

Like the sweet morning dew
I took one look at you
And it was plain to see you were my destiny
With my arms open wide I threw away my pride
I sacrificed for you, dedicate my life to you
I will go where you lead, I?ll be right there in a time of need
And when I lose my will, you?ll be right there to push me up that hill

(There?s no) no (no lookin? back for us) no way bab - bay
(We?ve got enough to show love that?s enough)
(You?re all) you?re all, all (you?re all I need)
(You?re all, you?re all I need, you?re all)
You?re all I need baby baby, to get by yeah, get by

Like an eagle protects his nest, for you I?ll do my best
Stand by you like a tree and damn anybody that try an move me
Darling in you I found, straight for I was torn down
I don?t know what?s in store, but together we can open any door
Just to do what?s good for you, I?ll inspire you alittle bit higher
I know you can make a real man
I?m a soul that didn?t have a goal

(Cause we?ve) yeah ( we?ve got the right foundation)
Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaah (and we?ve got determination)
Yes we do (oh) Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah
(You?re all, you?re all I need you?re all)
Yes, baby (you?re all I need you?re all)
(You?re all)
Oooo you?re all that I need to get by - i - i - i - i
Yeah, yeah

AslongasIgotyouthenbabyyouknowthatyougot me!
(Whoa) whoa (yeah) um umm hum
CausewevegotourloveandsomeR-E-S-P-E-C-T! oh whoa oh oh oh oh

(Baby) uum hum uum hum
Babyyouknowthatyougotme!
Oh you?re all I need (yeah)
Fades -
You?re all that I need
You?re all that I need

Oh My-Fraternities

Patriarchy and its twisted components. Oh me oh my. It seems like all of the patriarchal societies of this place very much organize amongst themselves, including with the gay ones....Fraternities...gay people....patriarchy...the world never ceases to be a wonder.

Border Song(Holy Moses)

Aretha Franklin

Holy Moses, I have been removed
I have seen the spectre, he was been here too
Distant cousin from down the line
Brand of people who ain't my kind
Holy Moses, I have been removed

Holy Moses, I have been deceived
Now the wind has changed direction
I think I'll have to leave
Won't you please excuse my frankness
But it's not my cup of tea
Holy Moses, I have been deceived, yes, I have

I'm going back to the border
Where my affairs, my affairs ain't been abused
I can't take any more bad water
I've been poisoned from my head down to my shoes
Yes, I have

Holy Moses, I have been removed

Holy Moses, can we live in peace
Let us try to find a way to make all hatred cease
There's a man standing over there
What's his color do you care
Holy Moses, can we live in peace

Holy Moses, can we live in peace
Holy Moses, can we live in
I wonder can we live in peace

More Love

by the Dixie Chicks

I'm so close to you baby
But I'm so far away
There's a silence between us
And there's so much to say
You're my strength, you're my weakness
You're my faith, you're my doubt
We gotta meet in the middle
To work this thing out

More love, I can hear our hearts cryin'
More love, I know that's all we need
More love, to flow in between us
To take us and hold us and lift us above
If there's ever an answer
It's more love

We're afraid to be idle
So we fill up the days
We run on the treadmill
Keep slavin' away 'til there's no time for talkin'
About trouble in mind
And the doors are all closed
Between your heart and mine

More love, I can hear our hearts cryin'
More love, I know that's all we need
More love, to flow in between us
To take us and hold us and lift us above
If there's ever an answer
It's more love

Just look out around us
People fightin' their wars
They think they'll be happy
When they've settled their scores
Let's lay down our weapons
That hold us apart
Be still for just a minute
Try to open our hearts

More love, I can hear our hearts cryin'
More love, I know that's all we need
More love, to flow in between us
To take us and hold us and lift us above
If there's ever an answer
It's more love

I can hear our hearts cryin'
More love, I know that's all we need
More love, to flow in between us
To take us and hold us and lift us above
If there's ever an answer
It's more love

U.S. Diplomat Violates Venezuelan Protocol

A U.S. diplomat appeared unannounced at the Venezuelan National Assembly. Something smells a bit COINTELPRO here. God Bless Hugo Chavez!

The Ten Books That Have Had the Most Influence on Me

In no particular order**.

Assata Shakur: The Autobiography
I read this book in college. I remember we were on a tournament and staying in a hotel. My friend Wanda had given me this and Elaine Brown's book. I cried after having read them both.

Angela Davis:The Autobiography
It must have been my freshman or sophomore year of college when I read this book. I have always been in awe of Angela Davis and I completely devoured the book. It was quite profound.


A Taste of Power- Elaine Brown’s Autobiography
Elaine Brown was very much unknown to me before I read this book my sophomore or junior year of college. This book, along with the others on this list, added something to my makeup and to my understanding and grasp of the world as I understand it today. Elaine Brown truly is an inspiration.

Possessing the Secret of Joy—Alice Walker
My favorite book. Enough said.

Giovanni’s Room- James Baldwin
I first read Giovanni's Room at the end of my junior year of college. I adore Jimmy Baldwin and this book definitely imprinted itself upon my consciousness. James Baldwin is a God.

Zami: A New Spelling of My Name- Audre Lorde
I read this book in the same period in which I read Giovanni's room. Audre Lorde is a Goddess/Mother of the earth. This book completely shook my foundation to the core and made me much more completely whole.

The Glory and the Dream- William Manchester
I read this book the summer after my sophomore year of High School for the A.P. American History course I took my junior year. It was quite profound and really made history a living entity for me, perhaps for the first time.

The Souls of Black Folk—W.E.B. DuBois
I got this book from my Uncle Lawrence's House when I was either thirteen or fourteen. DuBois was the first person I had ever read that profoundly shaped and influenced my intellect.

I Wonder as I Wander by Langston Hughes
I recieved this book from my Uncle Donald when I was about thirteen or fourteen. Langston's account of his travels and his descriptions of people and places all over the world from China to Cuba to Tashkent had a profound effect on me.

Before the Mayflower: A History of Black America by Lerone Bennett Jr.
I also recieved this book from my Uncle Lawrence's house. Whenever I would visit him, he would send me off with a big box of books from his library. This was one of them. It is a great history text.

Also worthy of mention:

Sex and Race series by J.A. Rogers

** Any of it may change at any time.

An Endorsement of Daniel Ortega

The evil, wicked United States is trying to sway the Nigcauraguan vote away from leftist, progressive Daniel Ortega. Someone should very much counter this effort and tell the United States to go to hell.

Imagination is the first element of revolution.

I have seen three great films on the independent film channel as of late: Girls Town,The Magdalene Sisters, and Habit.

Ludlow Massacre

by Woody Guthrie

It was early springtime when the strike was on,
They drove us miners out of doors,
Out from the houses that the Company owned,
We moved into tents up at old Ludlow.

I was worried bad about my children,
Soldiers guarding the railroad bridge,
Every once in a while a bullet would fly,
Kick up gravel under my feet.

We were so afraid you would kill our children,
We dug us a cave that was seven foot deep,
Carried our young ones and pregnant women
Down inside the cave to sleep.

That very night your soldiers waited,
Until all us miners were asleep,
You snuck around our little tent town,
Soaked our tents with your kerosene.

You struck a match and in the blaze that started,
You pulled the triggers of your gatling guns,
I made a run for the children but the fire wall stopped me.
Thirteen children died from your guns.

I carried my blanket to a wire fence corner,
Watched the fire till the blaze died down,
I helped some people drag their belongings,
While your bullets killed us all around.

I never will forget the look on the faces
Of the men and women that awful day,
When we stood around to preach their funerals,
And lay the corpses of the dead away.

We told the Colorado Governor to call the President,
Tell him to call off his National Guard,
But the National Guard belonged to the Governor,
So he didn't try so very hard.

Our women from Trinidad they hauled some potatoes,
Up to Walsenburg in a little cart,
They sold their potatoes and brought some guns back,
And they put a gun in every hand.

The state soldiers jumped us in a wire fence corners,
They did not know we had these guns,
And the Red-neck Miners mowed down these troopers,
You should have seen those poor boys run.

We took some cement and walled that cave up,
Where you killed these thirteen children inside,
I said, "God bless the Mine Workers' Union,"
And then I hung my head and cried.

Words and Music by Woody Guthrie

In Profile: Mattie Roper

My great-great grandmother was named Martha/Mattie Roper. Her mother,Caroline Roper, was the white daughter of a methodist minister and her father was a mulatto stud named Greenberry Smith. To look at her, she could have easily passed for a white woman. They say you couldnt tell she had any color until her children came around. I often wonder about her personality. It is also said that she was the best shot in Autauga County and that when her husband would get in his moods and not want to work, she would pick up the plow herself. She was a trained midwife and practiced in natural herbs and rememdies. My grandmother says that when she was a young girl, She would travel around to all of her children's homes loaded with preventive medicines to make sure none of them ever got sick. They say that she always wore pants and I suppose she was quite the tom boy.She and Morgan definitely had an interesting marriage, that I can tell just by the few things I know and have seen. She was born in 1857 and had her first child at 14, King Philip Goodson. She had her last child at 60. It is said that she died during an argument with her husband Morgan. We still have portraits of her. She and Morgan had 15 children that lived to adulthood and left ample property and legacy for their children.

When I was little, my mother and father used to tease me all of the time telling me that hwne I turned 18, I was going to have to join the military. My thoughts were hmm...yea...and then I would also be a bit frightened/not pleased and wonder why it wasnt my sister that would have to go. The prospects of such rigidity never sat well with me and the idea of anyone hollering at me..and I knew I couldnt run anywhere for any length of time and especially at 5 a.m. They loved to torture me like that. I do find it interesting to think about, however, the prospects that exists with other young boys, for as I definitely have never been under the threat of military service, I am sure that is not true for many, many youth.

Rock of Ages

I had an interesting conversation last night. This girl asked me about my identity and where I was from and such and so forth. So, I told her that my family was from the south, was large and cohesive. It started me to thinking about identity--and how it is very much sometimes tied to place as well as to kinship. After that discussion, this song started playing in my head

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.
Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyes shall close in death,
When I rise to worlds unknown,
And behold Thee on Thy throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

My great-great grandmother's photograph is so very hard to decipher. The expression on her face always seems serious, but sometimes dismal.

And Also

My people were farmers too.

Day before yesterday, I was riding in the car with Clint on my way home and we passed by the statue of the worker that is situated right before the football stadium and I began to think about the original purpose for this university, and perhaps my connection to it. Tied to this as well, I asl o noticed a bust of Abraham Lincoln sitting in one of the foyers on campus, dedicated to his contribution to the university with the signing of the Morrill Act. This university was founded to educate the children of farmers and laborers. It was a socialized program, begun with the Morrill Act to offer education to those who were not the wealthy elite. Its original purpose was to inspire these communities, help them develop and enhance their farms, their lives, and their communities by learning skills and inventive methods. There was a true social element at the core of this vision. I often wonder what it is today. I think about the founding of this university and its comparable stance with my families alma mater, Alabama State University and also Tuskegee University. Alabama State is a land grant institution just the same and although Tuskegee is private the intentions were the same. It makes me think of my Uncle Fess McDavid and how he would bring the professors and other people from Tuskeegee into Autauga County to teach the farmers new methods of farming, to interact with the students in his school. It was quite a philosophy of doing things. I think it is blessed. God Bless Fess McDavid and all other progressive minded people.

Today I made some teacakes for the first time in my own place.It was great. They came out very nicely too.

Barak Obama should have endorsed David Sanders while he was here in Indiana.

Monday and Tuesday night's performances at the Wells went exceptionally well. I very much enjoyed my duet with Clint.

I will never watch Project Runway again.

Letter Written to Howard Zinn

Dear Dr. Zinn,

I have long been an admirer of yours. You have profoundly influenced me in so
many ways, even before I read A People's History in High School, as I am a
profound follower of Alice Walker. One thing that I would like to question you
about is the philosophy of nonviolence. I myself, at this time, am not
committed to nonviolence. I believe in nonagression and I don't believe in war,
but if someone has their foot on my throat I am going to try and cut that foot
off and yes, kill them if I have to. The question, I suppose, is how can one
reconcile the idea of nonviolence with June Jordan's wonderful pronouncement
in "Poem About My Rights" that " I don't know who in the hell set things up
like this, but I can tell you that from now on in my simple and daily and
nightly resistance, in my very self-deteermination, it may very well cost you
your life." How do you reconcile these two things? Is there a contradiction? or
does nonviolence allow for this? I would hope, and like to think so. I am not
sure. I am waiting to be convinced otherwise.

It Sounds Like Richard Nixon is Back at Work Again

Someone in California has been sending outnotes to Hispanic residents telling them that if they aren't born in this country, it is illegal for them to vote.

Last night's performance of Howard Zinn's Voices of the People was spectacular! Kudos to everyone for bringing it off so well!

Diane Rehm

Listening to Diane Rehm today was absolutely horrifying! These people are actually building a wall. Like it's going to do any good anyhow. However, I think that is horrifying and these people are absolutely crazy and need to go to hell.

Today I had homemade hamburgers with homemade avacado and tomato sauce. Delicious!

U.N.I.T.Y

Queen Latifah

Uh, U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity
U.N.I.T.Y., love a black man from infinity to infinity
(Who you calling a bitch?)
U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity (You gotta let him know)
(You go, come on here we go)
U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black woman from (You got to let him know)
infinity to infinity (You ain't a bitch or a ho)
U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity (You gotta let him know)
(You go, come on here we go)
U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black man from (You got to let him know)
infinity to infinity (You ain't a bitch or a ho)

Instinct leads me to another flow
Everytime I hear a brother call a girl a bitch or a ho
Trying to make a sister feel low
You know all of that gots to go
Now everybody knows there's exceptions to this rule
Now don't be getting mad, when we playing, it's cool
But don't you be calling out my name
I bring wrath to those who disrespect me like a dame
That's why I'm talking, one day I was walking down the block
I had my cutoff shorts on right cause it was crazy hot
I walked past these dudes when they passed me
One of 'em felt my booty, he was nasty
I turned around red, somebody was catching the wrath
Then the little one said (Yeah me bitch) and laughed
Since he was with his boys he tried to break fly
Huh, I punched him dead in his eye and said "Who you calling a bitch?"

(Here we go)
U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity (You gotta let him know)
(You go, come on here we go)
U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black woman from (You got to let him know)
infinity to infinity (You ain't a bitch or a ho)
(Here we go)
U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity (You gotta let him know)
(You go, come on here we go)
U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black man from (You got to let him know)
infinity to infinity (You ain't a bitch or a ho)
I hit the bottom, ain't nowhere else to go but up
Bad days at work, if you an attitude then you were rough
And take it out on me but that's about enough
You put your hands on me again I'll put your ass in handcuffs
I guess I fell so deep in love I grew dependency
I was too blind to see just how it was affecting me
All I knew was you, you was all the man I had
And I was scared to let you go, even though you treated me bad
But I don't want my kids to see me getting beat down
By daddy smacking mommy all around
You say I'm nothing without ya, but I'm nothing with ya
A man don't really love you if he hits ya
This is my notice to the door, I'm not taking it no more
I'm not your personal whore, that's not what I'm here for
And nothing good gonna come to ya til you do right by me
Brother you ain't ?sick? (Who you calling a bitch?)

(Here we go)
U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity (You gotta let him know)
(You go, come on here we go)
U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black woman from (You got to let him know)
infinity to infinity (You ain't a bitch or a ho)
(Here we go)
U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity (You gotta let him know)
(You go, come on here we go)
U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black man from (You got to let him know)
infinity to infinity (You ain't a bitch or a ho)

What's going on in your mind is what I ask ya
But like Yo-Yo, you don't hear me though
You wear a rag around your head and you
Call yourself a "Gangsta Bitch" now that you saw Apache's video
I saw you wilding, acting like a fool
I peeped you out the window jumping girls after school
But where did all of this come from?
A minute ago, you was a nerd and nobody ever heard of ya
Now you a wannabe...hard
You barely know your ABC's, please
There's plenty of people out there with triggers ready to pull it
Why you trying to jump in front of the bullet (Young lady)
Uh, and real bad girls are the silent type
Ain't none of this work getting your face sliced
Cause that's what happened to your homegirl, right? Bucking with nobody
She got to wear that for life (Who you calling a bitch?)

(Here we go)
U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity (You gotta let him know)
(You go, come on here we go)
U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black woman from (You got to let him know)
infinity to infinity (You ain't a bitch or a ho)
(Here we go)
U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity (You gotta let him know)
(You go, come on here we go)
U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black man from (You must let him know)
infinity to infinity (You ain't a bitch or a ho)

Project Runway

If Nina Garcia were God, on judgement day I would have to bypass heaven and go straight to hell.

I saw Hedwig and the Angry Inch for the first time tonight.It says something about me. However, wonderful film! A blond,transsexual Tina Turner, wow!

I am so going to marry Kanye West!

This morning I watched a bit of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I love that film! I read the book a very long time ago and saw the film about the same time as well. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and I Remember Mama are two of the best films/books I ever saw and read!

God Bless Oprah. Her show on the state of this country and the war in Iraq yesterday was wonderful. She is a most progressive spirit!

On Sexuality

When you live in a repressive environment, you can't be anything but repressed.

I have always had the secret desire to be a dancer.

Project Runway

I am soo rooting for Michael. I wonder what happened wth Jeffrey. I must say that the experience has been a bit dampened for me because I have been reading some of the blogs and they have updates before the show even airs. I knew there was going to be a final four. Alas, I can't wait to see what happens!

I absolutely have a love for beauty and truth.

Yesterday, Diane Rehm had some wonderful truthtellers on her show. They spoke about Iraq, the Bush administration, and U.S. Imperialism. I think the truth is definitely coming out. Oprah had a great show too. I was very much inspired by the Iranian woman who went to the moon.

Yesterday/last night/this morning was an interesting series of events. As the school is on break, I decided to make a day trip to Indianapolis, which I did. It was quite enjoyable. C and I joined up with my friend Rolanda and saw the step show at the Convention Center. Before hand, we had dinner at a nice restaurant. Indy was quite lovely yssterday and I would have been quite content to sit in the park or on Monument Circle and read and take in the day...but it was definitely nice just the same. So that night after the step show, C and I left the convention center and headed back towards her car which was over in the park on the other side of the monument. It was 11 at night and there were throngs of BLack people out and about as the Circle City Classics had just ended and the step show had just let out. As we reached the corner a couple of streets up from the Convention Center, we saw a police officer holding this little black boy, who was no more than ten years old, very agressively in handcuffs. What an image. As a mixed blessing, the local television news had their cameras on and were recording the whole thing....at least its documented. It would have been better if the Black Panthers had been there....God where are the people we need now. Huey? Rap? Someone needs to heed the call and pick back up the banner....We definitely need radical progressive change and movement in this society. So, witnessing this incident sparked a conversation between Candace and I about what that image symbolized--that young Black boy in handcuffs in front of the camera....the message it was supposed to send out to the Black community, the ramifications of it, and the horridness of it. Candace became very angry and stopped and confronted some police officers about the way they handled Black youth their in the city.I was quite in awe of her and the courage and dignity that she possessed in that moment. I definitely did not do it.THat sat on our minds for the rest of the night...and still sits on our minds I am quite sure(at least it does on mine). Well, that was not the end of the night. So we jetset back to Lafayette and make it there by one at which point she wants to go to Hookah. Im already cold and a little tired but I agree....to sum it all up...it was a very enjoyable night indeed....but I am still sleepy and I didnt make it home til 6 a.m. I still havent slept. Alas, lots to mull over. Lots to reflect on. I will make another post about that young boy and the power structure that we live in.

The Way We Were

Memories like the corners of my mind
Misty water-colored memories
of the way we were.
Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind
Smiles we gave to one another
for the way we were.
Can it be that it was all so simple then?
Or has time rewritten every line?
If we had the chance to do it all again,
tell me could we?
Would we?
Memories may be beautiful and yet
What's too painful to remember
we simply choose to forget.
But it's the laughter
we will remember
whenever we rememeber
the way we were
the way we were

My Grandmother Loves to Sing this Song

May I Sleep in Your Barn Tonight, Mister?
Folk Song

One night it was dark and 'twas stormy
When along came a tramp in the rain
He was making his way to the station
To catch a long distance train

I have no tobacco or matches
And I'm sure I will do you no harm
I will tell you my story kind mister
For it runs through my heart like a thorn

May I sleep in your barn tonight, mister
It is cold lying out on the ground
And the cold north wind is a-howling
And I have no place to lie down

It was three years ago last summer
I shall never forget that sad day
When a stranger came out from the city
And said that he wanted to stay

One night as I came from my workshop
I was whistling and singing with joy
I expected a kind-hearted welcome
From my sweet loving wife and my boy

But what should I find I find but a letter
It was placed in the room on the stand
And the moment my eyes fell upon it
I picked it right up in my hand

This note said my wife and the stranger
They had left and had taken my son
I wonder if God up in Heaven
Only knows what this stranger has done

Oh Mary Don't You Weep

Well if I could I surely would
Stand on the rock where Moses stood
Pharaoh's army got drownded
O Mary don't you weep

O Mary don't you weep, don't you mourn
O Mary don't you weep, don't you mourn
Pharaoh's army got drownded
O Mary don't you weep

Well Mary wore three links and chains
On every link was Jesus' name
Pharaoh's army got drownded
O Mary don't you weep

O Mary don't you weep, don't you mourn
O Mary don't you weep, don't you mourn
Pharaoh's army got drownded
O Mary don't you weep
Go!

Go!

Well one of these nights bout 12 o'clock
This old world is gonna rock
Pharaoh's army got drownded
O Mary don't you weep

Well Moses stood on the Red Sea shore
Smote' the water with a two by four
Pharaoh's army got drownded
O Mary don't you weep

Alright!

(O Mary don't you weep, don't you mourn)
(O Mary don't you weep, don't you mourn)
(Pharaoh's army got drownded)
(O Mary don't you weep)

Well old Mr. Satan he got mad
Missed that soul that he thought he had
Pharaoh's army got drownded
O Mary don't you weep

Brothers and sisters don't you cry
There'll be good times by and by
Pharaoh's army got drownded
O Mary don't you weep

Well O Mary don't you weep, don't you mourn
O Mary don't you weep, don't you mourn
Pharaoh's army got drownded
O Mary don't you weep

Solo, try it out!
(O Mary don't you weep, don't you mourn)
(O Mary don't you weep, don't you mourn)
(Pharaoh's army got drownded)
(O Mary don't you weep)
Hey!

Drums!

God gave Noah the rainbow sign
"No more water but fire next time"
Pharaoh's army got drownded
O Mary don't you weep

O Mary don't you weep, don't you mourn
O Mary don't you weep, don't you mourn
Pharaoh's army got drownded
O Mary don't you weep

O Mary don't you weep, don't you mourn
O Mary don't you weep, don't you mourn
Pharaoh's army got drownded
O Mary don't you weep

Everybody!
(O Mary don't you weep, don't you mourn)
(O Mary don't you weep, don't you mourn)
(Pharaoh's army got drownded)
(O Mary don't you weep)

O Mary don't you weep, don't you mourn
O Mary don't you weep, don't you mourn
Pharaoh's army got drownded
Oooooooh, Mary don't yoooooou

(O Mary don't you weep, don't you mourn)
(O Mary don't you weep, don't you mourn)
(Pharaoh’s army got drownded)
(O Mary don't you weep)

Defining and Understanding the Military Industrial Complex

Think Cheney and his connection to Haliburton and Haliburton's contract worker profits coming out of Iraq. That is totally it. That went over in my mind last night as I watched Greenwald's film on war profiteering in Iraq. It is also very much tied to the internal Prison Industrial Complex. Profit(absolutely not Prophet) drives....

Honesty and Sincerity are the same thing.

Everything is Everything

Everything is everything
What is meant to be, will be
After winter, must come spring
Change, it comes eventually
[2x]

I wrote these words for everyone
Who struggles in their youth
Who won't accept deception
Instead of what is truth
It seems we lose the game,
Before we even start to play
Who made these rules? We're so confused
Easily led astray
Let me tell ya that
Everything is everything
Everything is everything
After winter, must come spring
Everything is everything

I philosophy
Possibly speak tongues
Beat drum, Abyssinian, street Baptist
Rap this in fine linen
From the beginning
My practice extending across the atlas
I begat this
Flippin' in the ghetto on a dirty mattress
You can't match this rapper / actress
More powerful than two Cleopatras
Bomb graffiti on the tomb of Nefertiti
MCs ain't ready to take it to the Serengeti
My rhymes is heavy like the mind of Sister Betty
L. Boogie spars with stars and constellations
Then came down for a little conversation
Adjacent to the king, fear no human being
Roll with cherubims to Nassau Coliseum
Now hear this mixture
Where hip hop meets scripture
Develop a negative into a positive picture

Now, everything is everything
What is meant to be, will be
After winter, must come spring
Change, it comes eventually

Sometimes it seems
We'll touch that dream
But things come slow or not at all
And the ones on top, won't make it stop
So convinced that they might fall
Let's love ourselves then we can't fail
To make a better situation
Tomorrow, our seeds will grow
All we need is dedication

Let me tell ya that,
Everything is everything
Everything is everything
After winter, must come spring
Everything is everything

Everything is everything
What is meant to be, will be
After winter, must come spring
Change, it comes eventually

Morgan Goodson

I want to profile my great great grandfather so as to give an accurate picture of him. They say he was the meanest man in Autauga County. He was relatively short, dark, and had red eyes. People called him a soothsayer and said he could tell the future. He also knew more about the law than most and people always went to him for advice. He let it be known, as he said, he didn't raise his children to work in any white man's kitchen. They say, when he took his cotton to the cotton gin to sell it, the white man who owned it was to have said, "You hurry up and you get Morgan Goodson out of here and you make sure his accounts are right because he is one crazy nigger and you just don't know what he might do." They say that he could fuss from sun up til sun down and that when his children got old enough to work he sat down. He and his wife, my great great grandmother Mattie, were quite interesting and industrious people, however. They owned about 400 acres of land, which they passed on to us, and had twenty children, fifteen that lived to see adulthood. They also had one son to go and recieve his phd(Macaulay Ware).They said that my great geat grandfather told the exact hour and day of his death. I believe he was a man of his time. His name is still spoken out of the mouths of many around the place where he lived with reverence.

Project Runway

Congratulations to Uli as well as to Michael and to Laura!!! I am glad they won! As for Michael's dress...it did look a little ghetto fabulous. Jeffrey's shit was just shit. Nothing more.

The First Definitive Steps Towards Facism

These are some of the provisions of the Senate Detainee bill just passed.

Update: Okay, I've got this from the NYT.
The measure would broaden the definition of enemy combatants beyond the traditional definition used in wartime, to include noncitizens living legally in the United States as well as those in foreign countries and anyone determined to be an enemy combatant under criteria defined by the president or secretary of defense.

It would strip at Guantánamo detainees of the habeas right to challenge their detention in court, relying instead on procedures known as combatant status review trials. Those trials have looser rules of evidence than the courts.

It would allow of evidence seized in this country or abroad without a search warrant to be admitted in trials.

I have never seen a more blatantly unconstitutional, violation of human rights passed for legitimate legislation. I hope the ACLU and others are geared to fight.

Senate Detainee Bill

There are 100 people, mostly white,mostly male, all sons of a bitches, that are going to hell...and this country is going with them. There is nothing left to say. I can't say anything really, so I will point everyone in the direction of what BitchPhd has to say(all can rest assured that these are not her children).

There is definitely a rivalry between Jill Scott and Erykah Badu.I think I fall more on Erykah's side. I do, however, love Jill.

All we can ever do is try and be progressive.

To Zion

Lauryn Hill

One day you'll understand... Zion
Unsure of what the balance held
I touched my belly overwhelmed
by what I had been chosen to perform
But then an angel came one day
Told me to kneel down and pray
for unto me a man child would be born
Woe this crazy circumstance
I knew his life deserved a chance
but everybody told me to be smart
"Look at your career " they said,
"Lauryn baby use your head."
But instead I chose to use my heart
Now the joy... of my world...
is in Zion! (Zion, Zion!)
Now the joy... of my world...
is in Zion! (Zion, uhh, Zion!)
How beautiful if nothing more
than to wait at Zion's door
I've never been in love like this before
Now let me pray to keep you from
the perils that will surely come
See life for you my Prince has just begun
And I thank you for choosing me
to come through unto life to be
A beautiful reflection of His grace
See I know that a gift so great
is only one God could create
And I'm reminded every time I see your face
that the joy... (JOY) of my world... (WORLD)
is in Zion! (IS IN ZION) I said Zion! (IS IN ZION)
Now the joy... (JOY) of my world... (WORLD)
is in Zion! (IS IN ZION, IS IN ZION)
Now the joy... Zion! (JOY) of my world... (WORLD)
is in Zion! (IS IN ZION, IS IN ZION)
Now the joy... Zion! (JOY) of my world... (WORLD)
is in Zion! (IS IN ZION, IS IN ZION)
Marching (marching) marching (marching)
to Zion (marching) marching (marching) -- we gon' march
Marching (marching) marching (marching)
to Zion (marching), beautiful beautiful Zion!
Marching (marching) marching (marching)
to Zion (marching) marching (marching)
Marching (marching) marching (marching)
to Zion (marching), beautiful beautiful Zion!
Marching (marching) marching (marching) -- MY JOY, MY JOY
to Zion (marching) marching (marching) -- MY JOY, MY JOY
Marching (marching) marching (marching) -- MY JOY, MY JOY
to Zion (marching), beautiful beautiful Zion! -- MY JOY, MY JOY
Marching (marching) marching (marching) -- MY JOY, MY JOY
to Zion (marching) marching (marching) -- MY JOY, MY JOY
Marching (marching) marching (marching) -- NOW THE JOY
to Zion (marching), beautiful beautiful Zion! -- OF MY LIFE
Marching (marching) marching (marching) -- IS ZION
to Zion (marching) marching (marching)
Marching (marching) marching (marching) -- NOW THE JOY
to Zion (marching), beautiful beautiful Zion! -- OF MY LIFE
Beautiful beautiful Zion! -- IS ZION
Beautiful beautiful Zion! -- IS ZION
Beautiful beautiful Zion!
Beautiful beautiful Zion!
Beautiful beautiful Zion!
Beautiful beautiful Zion!

Superstar

Lauryn Hill

Come on baby, light my fire
Everything you drop is so tired
Music is supposed to inspire
How come we ain't getting no higher?
Now tell me your philosophy
On exactly what an artist should be
Should they be someone with prosperity
And no concept of reality?
Now, who you know without any flaws
That lives above the spiritual laws
And does anything they feel just because
There's always someone there who'll applaud

Come on baby, light my fire
Everything you drop is so tired
Music is supposed to inspire
How come we ain't getting no higher?
I know you think that you've got it all
And by making other people feel small
Makes you think you're unable to fall
And when you do, who you gonna call?
See, what you give is just what you get
I know it hasn't hit you yet
Now I don't mean to get you upset
But every cause has an effect

Come on baby, light my fire
Everything you drop is so tired
Music is supposed to inspire
So, how come we're not getting no higher?
I cross sands in distant lands, made plans with the sheiks
Why you beef with freaks as my album sales peak?
All I wanted was to sell like 500
And be a ghetto superstar since my first album, Blunted
I used to work at Foot Locker, they fired me and fronted
Or I quitted, now I spit it - however do you want it?
Now you get it!
Writing rhymes my range with the frames slightly tinted
Then send it to your block and have my full name cemented
And if your rhymes sound like mine, I'm taking a percentage
Unprecedented and still respected when it vintage
I'm serious, I'm taking over areas in Aquarius
Running red lights with my 10,000 chariots
Just as Christ was a superstar, you stupid star
They'll hail you then they'll nail you, no matter who you
are
They'll make you now then take you down
And make you face it, if you slit the bag open
and put your pinky in it, then taste it

Come on baby, light my fire
Everything you drop is so tired
Music is supposed to inspire
So, how come we ain't getting no higher

Revelations

At 25, I am finally realizing my own power and my own agency.

Morgan Goodson and John Archie deramus

In my previous post I did not refer to Morgan Goodson as Mr. Morgan Goodson. This is because I don't think of him as such and I dont think he would have been addressed as such. He was simply, Morgan Goodson. A name that inspired reverence.Whereas Morgan Goodson was a fiery,stubborn, argumentative man who could raise hell till the sun came up and went down the next day, John Archie Deramus was a very soft-spoken man, renowned for being good and next to god, compassionate, and with a deep rooted integrity and sense of right. Morgan also had a sense of right, and in his way was next to god(they say he told wthe exact hour when he was going to die and that he could predict the future). Both were stern and set upon keeping to the path of righteousness. They differed, however, in temperament. Both were beautiful men. Sadie Mae Goodson Deramus, Morgan's daughter, however, inherited her fathers traits(as did most of the goodsons to my knowledge). I was told that sometimes she would just start to fuss and argue and would carry on for a very long time until John Archie, who was usually sitting by her or something to that effect, would say in his soft, guttural voice" alright Sadie, thats enough." She would then quiet down. John Archie himself had to be honed in however. They say when he first married my great grandmother, that he had some very backwards and faulty ideas that he had to be corrected of. He was somewhat superstitious for one, which my great grandmother corrrected him from(she reportedly said that they might have thought her father was a soothsayer, but she knew he was nothing but a man). he also apparently thoguht she should do what he told her to. On one occassion, when they had first married, he told he r to do something and she didnt get up and do it right when he asked her to. After a while, he came by and saw that she hadn't done it, so he hit her. They say my great grandmother picked up astick the size of a log and laid him out cold. She got so scared she ran down the road to call for his sister. His sister , Mattie(who was also married to a John) said to her, "Sadie, you hit your John?! I'd never hit my John." My great grandmother reportedly replied, " I will not only hit my John, I will kill my john." That was the end of that.