Something I Wanted to Blog About

I can't believe that Chicago has allowed Tom Joyner to be taken off of its airwaves. Its tragic. I started listening to Tom Joyner when I was a little boy on Hot 107.5 GCI--when he was on at night and when he had an Afro. Its part of my childhood--and part of Chicago history. I think they need to bring him back to the airwaves in Chicago.

Prince on Leno

Prince is still so hot after all these years. lol

Oh Dear God

I learned today over at Melissa Harris-Lacewell's blog that John Hope Franklin has died. He was a giant among historians and one of the most important voices in the Black community, indeed in this country. His absence will surely be felt.

Harsh Beauty

I saw this documentary, which followed the lives of three eunuchs living in modern day India, on the Documentary Channel last night and I was quite intrigued. The entire concept of eunuchism is something very queer and one that has roots into the origins of humanity. While wathcing this documentary, I came to the realization that this history, that of the presence of eunuchs within societies-is one that has existed in societies ranging from Europe to China and one that has been practiced up until the 19th century ( and perhaps even later). It is truly fascinating what people will think up when left to their own devices. The most famous eunuch I have ever heard of was the Italian singer, Farinelli the famous 18th century castrato who's life was made into a film bearing his name. Wikipedia says that the last Eunuch present at the Vatican died in 1922. What intrigue. Definitely food for thought.

Analogies and The Language of Economic Crisis

Tonight, Chuck Todd perpetuated a practice that many in Washington and journalist all over this country have engaged in that I would like to see stopped. He referred to our efforts to emerge from this recession as a war. It has also seemed that the Obama Administration has also been forced into using this language as well--I have heard Christina Romer and others make use and agree to use this analogy on the political show circuit. The war analogy is wrong. Firstly, when you fight against something, you only strengthen it. Many have pointed out,and the history of this country reflects that the countless wars that this country has engaged in have for the most part failed. Vietnam, the war on drugs, the war on poverty...all of these have failed--and failed because those in power have engaged these problems in the wrong way. When I first heard the Obama administration announce its plan, they were making use of Dr. King's analogy of the house that is on fire. I believe this is the proper approach they should be taking and I believe they should not be persuaded from using this analogy. I pointed this out when they first laid out their plans for economic recovery. America does not need to engage in another ceaseless war that in the end will only serve to disintegrate this country even more. We need to shake off the shackles of patriarchy and phallocentrism(which is where this language comes from) and embrace a more humane way of living and being in this world. Only then, will the United States be secured against the total ruin that it now faces.

This Month's O Magazine

I want to rave some more about this month's O magazine. I just finished reading it-I never read the magazine all at once--and I go to what I really want to read first most times. So, I just finished reading O's magnificent essay on the fluidity of sexuality, She's So Fine! which I thought was very well done. I personally subsribe to Helene Cixous' theory that everyone is bisexual to various degrees. My own experiences with sex, gender, and sexuality have allowed me to come to this revelation. Sexuality is fluid-and people can bend. Now that said, I do say that it is in degrees. I think people have their preferences shaped and formed by the cultures and social settings that they come out of and those percieved choices(which oftentimes are just cultural imprints upon one's psyche and person) are hard to break. However, broken they can be. I can not tell you and you most probably couldn't imagine how many straight men I have found to be not so straight-or have personally recruited for the other team.I could, should, and probably will right a book. Men are easy-married, not married, doesn't matter. With enough lubrication, I believe any man can move from strict heterosexuality into queer. I wonder, and think that its probably the same for women. I myself have found women attractive and have even found myself flirting (on one particular occassion). However, I don't ever see myself becoming sexually or romantically involved with a woman. I found O's profiles of the lesbian couples in the article(with at least one previously straight partner) intriguing. Each of these couples tackle such issues as hierarchies within relationships(which mainstream society won't even acknowledge as existing nowadays) and the politics of being a lesbian couple in today's society. The article also does an interesting introspection of Jackie Warner of Bravo (you know that I am not a lesbian or the least bit hetero because I have never even feigned to watch that show lol). Perhaps each gender is supsceptible to it's own. Sexuality and gender roles are fascinating stuff. The study of identity and the politics of attraction are definitely fields that have not yet and probably never will be fully mined.

"Our Visions Begin With Our Desires"-Audre Lorde

Barbra-Stoney End

I was born from love
And my poor mother worked the mines
I was raised on the good book Jesus
Till I read between the lines
Now I don't believe I want to see the mornin'
Going down to stoney end
I never wanted to go down to stoney end
Mama let me start all over
Cradle me
Mama cradle me again

I can still remember him
With lovelight in his eyes
But the light flickered out and parted
As the sun began to rise
Now I don't believe I want to see the mornin'
Going down to stoney end
I never wanted to go down to stoney end
Mama let me start all over
Cradle me
Mama cradle me again

Never mind the forecast
'Cause the sky has lost control
'Cause the fury and the broken thunder's
Come to match my ragin' soul
Now I don't believe I want to see the mornin'
Going down to stoney end
I never wanted to go down to stoney end
Mama let me start all over
Cradle me
Mama cradle me again

Who Is The Greatest Prophetic Voice The United States Has Ever Seen?

Melissa Lacewell Harris declares it to be James Baldwin and I wholeheartedly agree. Listen to the speech he gave at UC Berkeley in 1979...