Ella Jenkins played such a strong role in my early life. I grew up and was duly influenced by her music which my Aunt Johnnie would play for me in class and at home.

Tonight was great.

I just told Cecily about how when my grandmother retired she got back at her principal by not turning simply putting in her sick and vacation days for an entire year ando t filing for retirement until the next year so that they would have to pay both her salary and a substitute. My grandmother is no slow cat.

I have read a reporting of Wilson Pickett's death on the ABCnews website, CNN, the Journal and Courier and at least two other news outlets...its all been the exact same article. Do they only use one journalist for everything?

More on the War in Iraq Forum

I found the Purdue Exponent's reporting of the forum last night to be absolutely hilarious. They quoted everyone that sat on the panel EXCEPT Harry--and Im sure thats because he was on David Horowitz's list(LOL, Oh these people) and they made it quite clear what their position on the war was.

A Sad Moment

A sad occurence today as my cousin, the legendary singer Wilson Pickett died today. My Aunt Bertie taught him while she was teaching in Autauga County.

War in Iraq Forum

The forum tonight was excellent! I was quite surprised that Kieth Schimko took such an avid and open anti-war position. Kudos to him(he is cute and gay;-) The icing on the cake was that I got to ask the last question...and I certainly did ask George Horowitz if he felt that raising a national income justified genocide.

Spike Lee at Purdue

Spike Lee was awesome and inspiring. Beautiful man, great talk...even though he tended to ramble at times. He said something quite interesting, however(besied knocking bush and Fema). His statement that the U.S. has come to dominate the world not because of military strength, but because our culture has been so adopted around the world. This is an interesting idea. Perhaps it is cultural politics that determine world power and not military strength?

My Great-Grandmother's Quote

My great-grandmother was known as a good woman, a Christian woman. The motto that she lived by was "Cast your bread upon the water and it will come back to you."

There is one anecdote that I find quite amusing,especially because it is about my Aunt Earnestine. At the time, my Aunt was a principal of one of the Black schools in the county and at home with her mother and father ( I believe just coming back from Ohio after having left one husband), Sadie Mae and John Archie.Well, apparently she hadn't paid her bill at the clothing store that she always always shopped at(and generally wasn't bothered about the bill, because they knew she was going to pay). However, the--according to my mother--old white devil who was the manager of the store(not the owner mind you) decided, at one point when he was in charge of the store, to send the sherrif after my aunt. LOL. Well, Aunt Earnestine apparently was crying buckets when this white man showed at the door(this was the 50s) and wanted to take her down to the police station. I can only imagine,haha! Well, as it was my great-grandfather was a good friend of Fred Posey, who was the judge there in the county, and with a few phone calls my frantic Aunt was put to rest when the Judge said she didn't have to go downtown, but to go ahead and pay her bill. LOL. I can only imagine though. My Aunt Earnestine was a mess. Quite a hilarious story though.

I remember hearing an anecdote told that there was this white boy whom my great-grandfather hired to do work around his farm--from a very young age--and practically helped raise. From what I was told, he was an orphan. Well, this boy grew up and went off to the War (WWII) and came back grown. Alas, my great-grandfather was in the store one day when he saw the boy after he returned. My great-grandfather apparently greeted him very warmly with "Why hello, Sam. How are you?" Well, this boy says to my great-grandfather, "Isn't it about time you start to call me mister." As the story goes my Great-grandfather gave him a look, there in the middle of the store and walked away. After the boy had left, one of the ladies there in the store, perhaps the wife of the owner tried to chastise my great-grandfather, " Aw, John, you know you could have called him Mr." In reply, my great-grandfather looked at her and said, " I didn't have to call him anything and I didn't" and proceeded to walk away. Something interesting to think about always.

Observations of the South

I wanted to comment upon my obersvations of the South and what I have realized since I have gone back, witnessed it, and left it in the first place. Montgomery, and indeed a large bulk of the south, and especially the powerhouse areas of the south have an influx of Afro-Americans(of course, its the trend ever since the 80s right?) However, one of the beautiful side effects of it is that you are beginning to see black owned, black controlled, and black influenced entities and institutions throughout the south--from the political, social, and economic fronts. One example of the stronghold of the Afro-american community in the south is WVAS 90.7, the radio station of Alabama State, which hosts NPR, jazz, and various functions from around the city of Montgomery. It is the best radio station in the area.

Also, indicative of this is the mayoral election in Montgomery during the '99 and '00 season. Not only was there a black woman running for the mayors race in the city of Montgomery (getting someting around 4% of the vote), but the Blacks and other progressives in the city ousted the old crudgeon of a mayor who had been sitting there for ages(I can't remember his name right now) and put in place someone who was only slightly more progressive. It was a small, but important victory.

Looking at other places in Alabama and throughout the South--it is absolutely astounding that Selma is now run by a Black muslim mayor. Beautiful and progressive. Alas, Hank Sanders (and his wife Rose) are power houses in the state of Alabama and the old Civil Rights veterans who were fortunate enough to be in the front of the lines and at the heads of the campaigns are sitting dignitaries in Alabama and Southern society. From Fred Gray to Andrew Young, they sit in the seats of reverance.

Progressivism, as a symptom of the changing of the guard, has invaded the South. Indeed, I was quite shocked to learn that in the last presidential election, Montomgery and Dallas County(the home county of Selma) went for Gore! That is quite amazing in the middle of that Bible belt. Times are definitely changing.

Alas, there is still much to be done in the south, and things to be challenged and fought. This is not a call to sit down. The guard is changing, but there still needs to be a constant banter of voices to express dissent and challenge the old powerbrokers of the south, whenever they come to stand in the way of progress.

What is the IDA?

What is the IDA(Institute for Defense Analyses) and what are its ties to the miltiary industrial complex and universities?

Go Iran

Identity Cards

The conservative agenda in Britain suffered a major blow as a measure to require all Britains to acquire ID Cards was soundly defeated.

It is bullshit like this that stifles any efforts towards progress in this world.

Equation

Me=Germaine Greer. In so many ways.

The mayor of New Orleans called for the people of the city to unify for the sake of Martin Luther King. There is thing to be noted; unifying doesn't mean that the dispossessed will stop demanding what is rightfully due to them.

I was just lookingback over my undergrad years.... HW is such great people. More people should be like her.

Dinner tonight with MM was much fun.