Gonzales Should Be Out

Gonzales used the phrase "can't recall" fifty times while testifying before congress. It is high time he was taken down from the post of Attorney General.

Today I thought about my Aunt Earnestine's yard as I saw some flowers that looked like some of those that she had. She had a huge, tall tree that grew tulips that hung over the porch, then she had several bushes full of very scented roses and other flowers. She also had jonquils that grew at the foot of the porch and several other flowers growing throughout the yard. My aunt kept a wonderful yard.

Reminiscing All Morning

I so love the Pointer Sisters!

Sinnerman

Nina Simone

Oh Sinnerman, where you gonna run to?
Sinnerman, where you gonna run to?
Where you gonna run to?
All along dem day
Well I run to the rock, please hide me
I run to the rock,please hide me
I run to the rock, please hide me, Lord
All along dem day
But the rock cried out, I can't hide you
The rock cried out, I can't hide you
The rock cried out, I ain't gonna hide you guy
All along dem day
I said, Rock, what's a matter with you rock?
Don't you see I need you, rock?
Lord, Lord, Lord
All along dem day
So I run to the river, it was bleedin'
I run to the sea, it was bleedin'
I run to the sea, it was bleedin'
All along dem day
So I run to the river, it was boilin'
I run to the sea, it was boilin'
I run to the sea, it was boilin'
Along dem day
So I run to the Lord, please hide me Lord
Don't you see me prayin'?
Don't you see me down here prayin'?
But the Lord said, go to the devil
The Lord said, go to the devil
He said, go to the devil
All along dem day
So I ran to the devil, he was waitin'
I ran to the devil, he was waitin'
Ran to the devil, he was waitin'
All on that day
I cried -
POWER!!!!!!!
(Power to da Lord)
[8x]
Bring down,
(Power to da lord),
[4x]
POWER!!!
(power to da lord)
[12x]

(Instrumental)

Oh yeah, Woh yeah, Woh yeah
Well I run to the river, it was boilin'
I run to the sea, it was boilin'
I run to the sea, it was boilin'
All along dem day
So I ran to the Lord
I said, Lord hide me, please hide me
please help me
Along dem day
He said, child, where were you
when you oughta been prayin'?
I said,Lord, Lord, hear me prayin'
Lord, Lord, hear me prayin'
Lord, Lord, hear me prayin'
All along dem day
Sinnerman you oughta be prayin'
Oughta be prayin', Sinnerman
Oughta be prayin',
All on that day
I cried -
POWER!!!!!!!
(Power to da Lord)
[12x]
Go down
(Power to da Lord)
[3x]
POWER!!!!!!!
(Power to da Lord)
[3x]
Power, Power, Lord
Don't you know I need you Lord
Don't you know that I need you
Don't you know that I need you
Power, Lord!

I only caught today's segment of Oprah's show on the Imus fiasco. I must say, I have lost what little respect I had for the likes of Russell Simmons and Common. They sat up there on that panel and evaded every issue concerning sexism and misogyny in the products that they put out. They need to have their power taken away until they put an end to the bullshit. God Bless Stanley Crouch! I was so with him today and I could not have agreed with him more. You go Stanley!

LifeLine

One night I dreamed I was in slavery, 'bout 1850 was the time
Sorrow was the only sign, there's nothing about to ease my mind
out of the night appeared a lady leading a distant pilgrim band
First mate, she cried point her hand, make room aboard for this young woman


Come on up, I've got a lifeline
Come on up to this train of mine
Come on up, I've got a lifeline
Come on up to this train of mine
They said her name was Harriet Tubman
And she drove for the Underground Railroad


Hundreds of miles, we traveled onward gathering slaves from town to town
Seeking all the lost and found and setting those free that once were bound
Somehow my heart was growing weaker, I fell by the wayside sinking sand
Firmly did this lady stand, she lifted me up and took my hand

Sadie

The Spinners

In a world like today
It’s a rare occasion to be able
To see young mothers like the ones
That were around when I grew up
But they live on in memory
To quite a few of us
And this song is dedicated
To those who cherish that memory

Early one Sunday morning
Breakfast was on the table
There was no time to eat
She said to me, “Boy, hurry to Sunday school”

Filled with her load of glory
We learned the Holy story
She’ll always have her dreams
Despite the things this troubled world can bring

Oh, Sadie
Don’t you know we love you
Sweet Sadie
Place no one above you

Sweet Sadie (Well, well, well)
Living in the past
Some times it seems so funny
But no money will turn your life around

Sweeter than cotton candy
Stronger than papa’s old brandy
Always that needed smile
Once in awhile she would break down and cry

Some times she’d be so happy
Just being with us and daddy
Standing the worst of times
Breaking the binds with just a simple song

Oh, Sadie (Oh, Sadie, baby)
Don’t you know we love you (She’ll love us all in a special way)
Sweet Sadie (Well, well, well)
Place no one above you

Sweet Sadie (Sweet Sadie livin’ in the past)
Living in the past
Oh, she’s never sinnin’
In love she’s always winnin’, yeah

Sadie (My, my, my, my, my)
Don’t you know we love you (I love you, mama)
Sweet Sadie
Place no one above you (I just can’t forget)

Sweet Sadie (How you gave me love, oh, Lord)
Living in the past
If there’s a heaven up above
I know she’s teaching angels how to love

Sadie (It’s a mean world without you)
Don’t you know we love you
Sweet Sadie (All the love you showed)
Place no one above you (Oh, I could never, ever doubt her lovely word)

Sweet Sadie
Living in the past
Ain’t it funny that in the end it’s not money
It’s just the love you gave us all

60 Minutes Tonight

I detest the way the media is handling the Lacross Rape case. Leslie Stahl's broadcast concerning the exoneration of the three men was totally insensitive to the young woman who was raped and made every attempt to criminalize, demonize, and assault her person. This is not how you treat any rape victim, no matter whether the crime is solved or not. Alas, I feel no sympathy for these boys. They might perhaps have benefited from serving sentences for this affair in order to foster some empathy and understanding for those who have endured such for hundreds upon hundreds of years. Alas, wherever the white male power structure acts and talks like this new North Carolina prosecutor is, I doubt wholeheartedly and with my whole being that any sort of justice is being done. Who paid him to get these men off? Somebodys wealthy white connections....

This is a very interesting article about American expatriates/ immigrants living in Mexico from Dissent.

Midwest Peace Summit

The Midwest Peace Summit came off beautifully this year. I am not sure how detailed I will be in this post,but I will assuredly give a full report. The numbers were down this year, however the summit was still a great success. We had two speakers this year. Cindy Sheehan spoke to a crowd of a little under four hundred(I really am surprised that so few came out in Indy). It was an empowering evening. James Yee spoke Saturday night to a fuller crowd and his testimonies concerning what he witnessed at Guantanamo Bay prison were stirring and absolutely upsetting. Everyone should have their ears perched to hear, find, read about James Yee's experience at Guantanamo Bay and his own later incarceration and mistreatment at U.S. hands. I will write more later.

Cindy Sheehan at Purdue

Cindy Sheehan addressed a jam-packed, five hundred seated crowd at Fowler Hall tonight with an over flow into other rooms. She was brilliant and wonderful and reminded us of the importance of speaking truth to power.

Venezuelsa's National Healthcare System a Success

Read here about the new graduates of Venezuela's new medical training program which is modeled off of Cuba and is one example of the great collaboration and friendship between Venezuela and Cuba and the great blossoming of socialism throughout Latin America.

I so cannot read my great-great grandmother's face. I spend a lot of time studying it.

I think one thing should be pointed out with respect to both the Tawana Brawley and the Duke Rape cases. The case is not being made that nothing ever happened. There is no evidence on which to convict. Anything could have happened to either of those two women.

U.S. Hands are Tainted with Torture of Iranian Diplomat

An Iranian diplomat, one of those seized by the U.S. not too very long ago as part of their underhanded actions, has just revealed, confirming this with the International Red Cross, that he was tortured by the CIA. The Bush Administration's response has been that they had nothing to do with this man's detention. How clever. It's all about the language folks, these people want to maintain their power and authority. They perhaps had no part in his detention, but did they torture him? This country has so much to pay for.

I Got an Article Published

I just got an editorial published in the Spanish newspaper, La Specula. Im excited.

Security Culture

This new security culture is such bullshit. Advertisments are now using such phrases as "get caught" at such and such, and borrowing other elements from security culture. Two things to learn: You can't control everything and we all will die, including you. God Bless Alice Walker.

My aunt used to have this wonderful electric picture of the city of chicago that hung at the house in Chicago and later at Aunt Earnestine's house. I used to love to play with it and light up all the different parts of the picture. It was a scene of the city, with tall skyscrapers intersected by the Chicago River and there was a big boat that was making its way down the river and the entire thing was filled with light.

One Thing I Learned at the Conference

The experience was great, but one thing really sticks in my mind. I never knew Marlon Brando was bisexual. Wowee

My Trip to Boston

Boston was wonderful. I felt absolutely comfortable the entire time I was there. I walked everywhere. I love walking around big cities.I went out to the South End one night...and from what I saw, their gay nightlife is just as sad as Lafayette's. I think I just didnt go to the right place. I met some wonderful people at the conference and made some great contacts. It was great to see Susan, she is a godsend. The Fat Studies and African American contingents were really great. Im very glad I got a chance to meet them. I got really sick on the way back on the train. Also, I got hit on three times, all three times by women(hmm).