Friday, September 07, 2007

Talk Show Hosts Come To Aid Of Jena 6

From H-Net Portside

Michael Baisden, Ruben Armstrong among those demanding justice
for Mychal Bell.

September 5, 2007, EurWeb

http://www.eurweb.com/story/eur36488.cfm

The gross miscarriage of justice in the Jena 6 Case has drawn
the immediate attention of key figures in television and
radio.

Nationally syndicated radio personality Michael Baisden will
join Rev. Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King, III on Sept. 20
at the court house in Jena, Louisiana for the 9 a.m. start of
a rally dubbed, 'National March For Justice.'

Gathered protesters will demand fair treatment for Mychal
Bell, one of the African-American teenagers awaiting sentence
in the Jena 6 Case. Sharpton was contacted by Bell's family to
help bring national attention to the case and to fight for
justice on behalf of the six black students involved.

As summarized in the Philadelphia Daily News by writer Fatimah
Ali: 'In short, a black student at Jena High School asked if
it was all right to sit under a shade tree normally used by
white students. Soon after, three nooses were found hanging
from the tree branches. Fights and tensions between white and
black students escalated over the next few weeks. One black
student was beaten at a party by white students. Then, a white
student was injured in a fight with black students. Following
that fight, the student was treated at the hospital and
released a few hours later, and six black teens were charged
with attempted murder. In July, one of them, Bell, a star
athlete, was convicted on reduced charges by an all-white jury
and faces up to 22 years in prison. Most of the accused are in
jail, unable to post bail, and Bell awaits sentencing after
being swiftly convicted. The "weapon" in question that
escalated a schoolyard brawl to attempted-murder charges ? A
sneaker.'

Sharpton, who has been to Jena twice, arrived last month with
Martin Luther King, III and met with local leaders, preachers
and families of the students. They visited with Bell in jail
and vowed to continue to fight for him and the others.

On Sept. 19, television talk show host Ruben Armstrong will
broadcast live from Jena and also march the following day,
when Bell is to be sentenced on charges of attempted murder.

Armstrong and his production team will be interviewing the
family and supporters. According to a spokesperson for Reuben
Armstrong, the show will broadcast live from Jena, Louisiana
in its entirety and rebroadcast on Sept. 22nd at 12 p.m. CST.
You can watch and listen to this broadcast at
http://www.reubenarmstrongshow.com/

Movement

Swift energy pulsating life
constant progression
changing perspectives shifting
stages cycles life
spreading wings expanse
the width of the ocean
momentum life

Show Me

John Legend
I realized as I lay down to sleep
We haven't spoke in weeks
So many things that I'd like to know
Come have a talk with me
I need a sign, something I can see
Why all the mystery?
I try not to fall for make believe
But what is reality?
Where do we go?
What do we know?
Life has to have a meaning
Show me the light
Show me the way
Show that you're listening

Show me that you love me
Show me that you walk with me
Hopefully, just above me
Heaven's watching over me

Guess it's funny how I say thanks to you
For all you've given me
Sometimes the price of what you gave to me
I can't stop questioning
O God of love, peace, and mercy
[ Show Me lyrics found on http://www.completealbumlyrics.com ]
Why so much suffering?
I pray for the world, it gets worse to me
Wonder if you're listening
When people go
Why do they go?
Why don't you choose me?
But someday I know
I'm gonna go
I hope you're waiting for me

Show me that you love me
Show me that you walk with me
Hopefully, just above me
Heaven's watching over me

Maybe we'll talk
Some other night
Right now I'll take it easy
Won't spent my time
Waiting to die
Enjoy the life I'm living

Show me that you love me
Show me that you walk with me
Hopefully, just above me
Heaven's watching over me

Thursday, September 06, 2007

When I was little,(actually, I was more like a teenager) I wanted a house that stretched from Maine to Florida. I could just move to one side of my house during the winter and go to the other one in spring.

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Transitions

So, I moved out of my beautiful apartment the other day. It was a bittersweet moment. Very different from other moves I have made. This apartment that I had was absolutely beautiful--and I was quite comfortable in it. As I was packing, I started to think about the idea of moving, which made my mind wander to bell hooks and her narration of her mother throwing her things into suitcases, having been thrown out by her father. Then, I thought about Beneatha Younger. And I thought about that final scene in the play/film where Beneatha is standing there, Black matriarch, saying a little prayer over the space she is leaving behind. In hopes of the new one to come. I said a little prayer over my apartment. I also thought about Ruth Younger(I think it was Ruth, my memory is rusty) and the hope that lay ahead for her and her declaration that she would "scrub every kitchen in America" in order to make her transition into her new house. Perseverance and dedication. Amen.

Take Me As I Am

Mary J Blige

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.
so you can get the real 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
[ Take Me As I Am lyrics found on http://www.completealbumlyrics.com ]
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.
so you can get the real 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.

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Update Concerning Me

I have been accepted to the Phd Program at the Centre for Cultural Studies at Goldsmith's College, University of London. I am delaying for a year in order to secure funding.
It is shameful that I have said nothing about the passing of Max Roach. He was a brilliant man. And what an honor for him that he was married to Abbie Lincoln and was her ex-husband.

Monday, September 03, 2007

How It Goes With Me

So, I have just been accepted to a doctoral program in England--and find myself in an interesting transitional mode. I will definitely embrace the future!

Black Butterfly- Deniece Williams

Morning light, silken dream to flight
As the darkness gave way to dawn
You've survived, now your moment has arrived
Now your dream has finally been born

Chorus:
Black Butterfly, sailed across the waters
tell your sons and daughters
what the struggle brings
Black Butterfly, set the skies on fire
rise up even higher
so the ageless winds of time can catch your wings

ooh...ooh

While you slept, the promise was unkept
But your faith was as sure as the stars
Now you're free, and the world has come to see
Just how proud and beautiful you are

Chorus

Let the current lift your heart and send it soaring
Write the timeless message clear across the sky
So that all of can read it and remember when we need it
That a dream conceived in truth can never die
Butterfly

Cause now that you're free and the world has come to see
Just how proud and beautiful you are

Chorus

Fly
Butterfly
Yeah, yeah, yes
Fly
Is it crazy to say that Oprah speaks to me? I find so much I need from O, magazine and just watching the Oprah show. She delivers messages to me everyday. Stuff that absolutely helps me along in this transition. "All night, all day, angels watching over me my lord, all night all day, angels watching over me!"