No matter what, Wednesday will be "a great wakin' up morning in America".
We may have Barack Obama as our next President. Or we may not.
That all depends on how the actual voter turn-out turns out.
Whatever the final count(s) reached in this election, if you can say you voted you can claim credit for real change.
If the numbers of "change" advocates at the polls is anywhere close to what's expected, this nation will forever be transformed.
And we'll have Mrs. Dunham to thank for raising a grandson with the spine of steel needed to help change the course of history.
VIDEO: YOUTUBE
He's the dearly departed's precious gift to all of us whoever felt powerless to make a difference.
How do we repay pillars like her, who thought they'd go to their glory convinced that no black man would ever rise high enough to come close to becoming Commander in Chief. Much less winning.
If you can't carry someone sick or shut-in to the vote, at least reach out and keep them posted about the turnout and returns. Take pictures to show them later on.
But not much later. Share this lasting moment with them while you still can.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
We Wear the Mask: Ode to Dunbar
The most fervent Barack Obama supporter I know literally shoved a rubber mask of the Senator from Illinois into my arms yesterday at our kids' playground.
His rationale for bestowing it upon me: it felt rather 'suffocating'.
Given this cat's fanaticism for the front-running Presidential candidate, I'd have expected him to at least hold onto the novelty item for posterity's sake. And since I've slacked on the donation tip to the campaign, the urge to return it to him tugs at me.
But first I'll wear it and try not to hyper-ventilate for a few obligatory snapshots during the apres trick-or-treat shin dig we're hosting for close friends and their chittlins.
I suspect I won't be the only one who wraps the Obama mask on and mugs for the camera. Our anticipation's running high, after all. And we're mixing Bloody Marys in equal proportion to the Gel-O worm cups for dessert.
Except for that one guy who flaunts his Obama-mania on his "statement" shirt sleeves, this will be a gathering of folks who keep their true election night longings to themselves.
For better or worse, for the most part, we're not the types that will make wig-pullin' cameos on Action News the morning after. In professional settings, we'll contain our glee if he wins. At home with our kids, we'll fake brave faces if he loses.
Which brings me back to words written a century ago by Paul Laurence Dunbar; the son of an escaped slave who changed a chunk of his world's mindset from his home base in the 'swing state' of Ohio.
VIDEO: YOUTUBE
With all credit due (Citadel Press, 1993), Dunbar wrote:
We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes, _
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
And mouth with myriad subtleties.
(Go buy your own copy for the stirring, still-relevant remarks between THAT and this...)
We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask!
Thanks, eternally PLB.
This won't be the last Halloween I think of you.
For additional perspectives, view this post I found on theroot.com...
http://www.theroot.com/id/48627
His rationale for bestowing it upon me: it felt rather 'suffocating'.
Given this cat's fanaticism for the front-running Presidential candidate, I'd have expected him to at least hold onto the novelty item for posterity's sake. And since I've slacked on the donation tip to the campaign, the urge to return it to him tugs at me.
But first I'll wear it and try not to hyper-ventilate for a few obligatory snapshots during the apres trick-or-treat shin dig we're hosting for close friends and their chittlins.
I suspect I won't be the only one who wraps the Obama mask on and mugs for the camera. Our anticipation's running high, after all. And we're mixing Bloody Marys in equal proportion to the Gel-O worm cups for dessert.
Except for that one guy who flaunts his Obama-mania on his "statement" shirt sleeves, this will be a gathering of folks who keep their true election night longings to themselves.
For better or worse, for the most part, we're not the types that will make wig-pullin' cameos on Action News the morning after. In professional settings, we'll contain our glee if he wins. At home with our kids, we'll fake brave faces if he loses.
Which brings me back to words written a century ago by Paul Laurence Dunbar; the son of an escaped slave who changed a chunk of his world's mindset from his home base in the 'swing state' of Ohio.
VIDEO: YOUTUBE
With all credit due (Citadel Press, 1993), Dunbar wrote:
We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes, _
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
And mouth with myriad subtleties.
(Go buy your own copy for the stirring, still-relevant remarks between THAT and this...)
We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask!
Thanks, eternally PLB.
This won't be the last Halloween I think of you.
For additional perspectives, view this post I found on theroot.com...
http://www.theroot.com/id/48627
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Shame on us, Tysheema
Stevie Wonder ought to write a song or, better yet, a symphony about this Brown woman from the northeast suburbs of Atlanta who, reportedly, tried to abandon her son at a Nevada hospital, and wash her hands of him.
How sad a state have we reached when a 12-year-old black boy's mother claims she has no other choice but to drive him 1,000 miles away, and then burn rubber, for his own good? Doesn't this dilemma speak volumes about how detached we've become from the touchstones of "village" existence when any male child can be cast off so early in life?
VIDEO: YOUTUBE
Other than being the son of an unwed mother amid conditions that contribute in precious few ways to his potential success as a productive member of society, what could a boy like that have done so wrong (or been incapable of stopping himself from doing)?
This isn't to cast total blame here on any mother who falls so harshly on the fringe of frustration. Nor can we deny how hip-hop media has coaxed our youth down a path of abject poverty of the spirit and disconnect from right vs. wrong principles.
But if an incident like this doesn't prompt more concerned black men to actively attempt to teach by example, the future may as well be marked "delete".
How sad a state have we reached when a 12-year-old black boy's mother claims she has no other choice but to drive him 1,000 miles away, and then burn rubber, for his own good? Doesn't this dilemma speak volumes about how detached we've become from the touchstones of "village" existence when any male child can be cast off so early in life?
VIDEO: YOUTUBE
Other than being the son of an unwed mother amid conditions that contribute in precious few ways to his potential success as a productive member of society, what could a boy like that have done so wrong (or been incapable of stopping himself from doing)?
This isn't to cast total blame here on any mother who falls so harshly on the fringe of frustration. Nor can we deny how hip-hop media has coaxed our youth down a path of abject poverty of the spirit and disconnect from right vs. wrong principles.
But if an incident like this doesn't prompt more concerned black men to actively attempt to teach by example, the future may as well be marked "delete".
Friday, September 5, 2008
'cuda_don't_preach
I have no interest in seeing any more high-priced pictures of the knocked-up daughter of the Repblicans' VP nominee.
VIDEO: YOUTUBE
Until last week, I had never heard of the Republicans' VP nominee.
Her household's a virtual breeding ground, from what I've gleened. And yet she favors abstinence lessons in public schools.
Hello? Public school monitors? Has that abstinence thing ever worked?
Me and Barracuda are about the same age. Too young, to me, to contemplate or activate grandma/pa mode.
Strangely, I envy the predicament. Yes, the whole world knows your child defied you in the most blatant way. Still, you'll have the energy and the assets to indulge that new little baby like there's no tomorrow.
As disconnected as most families are these days, the VP's lot is unfortunately common.
Let's just not allow the situation we're all tuned-in to, without really wanting to, to foster the notion among our young girls and boys that if it's OK in THAT family, it's OK in ours too.
Right?
VIDEO: YOUTUBE
Until last week, I had never heard of the Republicans' VP nominee.
Her household's a virtual breeding ground, from what I've gleened. And yet she favors abstinence lessons in public schools.
Hello? Public school monitors? Has that abstinence thing ever worked?
Me and Barracuda are about the same age. Too young, to me, to contemplate or activate grandma/pa mode.
Strangely, I envy the predicament. Yes, the whole world knows your child defied you in the most blatant way. Still, you'll have the energy and the assets to indulge that new little baby like there's no tomorrow.
As disconnected as most families are these days, the VP's lot is unfortunately common.
Let's just not allow the situation we're all tuned-in to, without really wanting to, to foster the notion among our young girls and boys that if it's OK in THAT family, it's OK in ours too.
Right?
Monday, September 1, 2008
Sarah_Palin:_Grandma Moses?
Fate didn't conspire to make me a white woman born of relative privilege in Alaska 44 years ago. So I can't imagine, really, what it's like to walk in the Republicans' Vice Presidential nominee's snowshoes right now, in the late hours after it's been revealed that her abstinence preachings weren't enough to keep her teenage daughter from getting knocked up.
But I did grow up in what's considered the Great White north _ where the snow fell heavy for months at a time and Journey's "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin' " fueled many teenage urges.
I get where Palin's coming from when she tries to pass her daughter's pre-marital pregnancy off as something that happens to even the best of families. She may miraculously succeed in parting the water's that conservative blowhards flood the airwaves with. The sea of unwanted pregenancies in America isn't just a muddy one.
I'd no doubt be devastated if a teenage son of mine came home with the news that he'd irresponsibly helped conceive a child out of wedlock. The fault for adding to any other family's burden in this heavyweight fight called life would fall, somewhat, on me. Any son of mine should know better.
Palin and I are just about the same age; yet she falls far closer to the grandbaby's daddy drama than I ever expect to see. Some of us benefit from holding off on marriage and having kids. No matter how wisely we manage the early and middle stages of our careers, we're not all fully prepared to even approach the challenges of parenthood until we're nearly 40.
There's a delicate balance between talking about our kids, talking to them, talking for them and talking passed them.
I'm no more qualified to be Vice President of the United States than candidate Palin is, but I'm sure going to take note of her missteps.
But I did grow up in what's considered the Great White north _ where the snow fell heavy for months at a time and Journey's "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin' " fueled many teenage urges.
I get where Palin's coming from when she tries to pass her daughter's pre-marital pregnancy off as something that happens to even the best of families. She may miraculously succeed in parting the water's that conservative blowhards flood the airwaves with. The sea of unwanted pregenancies in America isn't just a muddy one.
I'd no doubt be devastated if a teenage son of mine came home with the news that he'd irresponsibly helped conceive a child out of wedlock. The fault for adding to any other family's burden in this heavyweight fight called life would fall, somewhat, on me. Any son of mine should know better.
Palin and I are just about the same age; yet she falls far closer to the grandbaby's daddy drama than I ever expect to see. Some of us benefit from holding off on marriage and having kids. No matter how wisely we manage the early and middle stages of our careers, we're not all fully prepared to even approach the challenges of parenthood until we're nearly 40.
There's a delicate balance between talking about our kids, talking to them, talking for them and talking passed them.
I'm no more qualified to be Vice President of the United States than candidate Palin is, but I'm sure going to take note of her missteps.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
About the deaths of Isaac Hayes and Bernie Mac...
I just pray there's some bright and blessed bastard out there who had the good sense to sit Black Moses down and record, extensively, his words on what it took for a country boy to compose a symphony for a film about a heroic black ganster; and win Oscar gold in the process.
VIDEO: YOUTUBE
We've heard (prefab) rags-to-riches stories like Bernie Mac's before. But wouldn't it be a shame if no one's captured and prepared to disseminate the Mac Man's parting thoughts on how, if nothing else, there's no greater fortune than one's health.
VIDEO: YOUTUBE
My mother off-handedly reminded me on the phone tonight that my pop turns 63 in the morning. He'll treat it, when I call, like it's JUST ANOTHER DAY.
But it ain't. The cool, old school dudes are dropping like flies. So I'm going to insist that pop sits down tomorrow and records at least an hour on the cassette player I sent him last Christmas.
Let's not let the men we admire take their greatest stories never told with them to the grave.
VIDEO: YOUTUBE
We've heard (prefab) rags-to-riches stories like Bernie Mac's before. But wouldn't it be a shame if no one's captured and prepared to disseminate the Mac Man's parting thoughts on how, if nothing else, there's no greater fortune than one's health.
VIDEO: YOUTUBE
My mother off-handedly reminded me on the phone tonight that my pop turns 63 in the morning. He'll treat it, when I call, like it's JUST ANOTHER DAY.
But it ain't. The cool, old school dudes are dropping like flies. So I'm going to insist that pop sits down tomorrow and records at least an hour on the cassette player I sent him last Christmas.
Let's not let the men we admire take their greatest stories never told with them to the grave.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
What's it all about, Luda?
First of all "Ludacris" and "Obama" don't even belong in the same sentence.
VIDEO: YOUTUBE
So how is it that I wake up today to the radio blare of a rapper posting a song on Youtube that could sabotage the chances of the Dems' nominee for President?
Chris Bridges (a.k.a. Ludracris) is one of the more soft-spoken, polite and deliberate celebrities you'll ever meet in person. Or, at least, he was on the one occasion I dined over several courses of steak and wine with him a few years back at a restaurant opening.
My mixed feelings about rap and its messages aside, Luda's got skills I find extraordinary. This new tune about Obama? Garbage, unless weak lyrics and tired beats suit your taste.
I'm no music critic. I'm just sayin'...
This new stunt single he's released is nothing but a pathetic lurch for attention and dollars. Ludracris has the right to grab the mic and insult George W., McCain and Hillary 'til the cows come home. But why do it in Obama's name?
If you can't say something nice (or in the least bit edifying for your audience) why say it at all? And if you have to say something stoopid, why not keep the responsibility for those "statements" to yourself?
http://askyourdaddy.blogspot.com/
VIDEO: YOUTUBE
So how is it that I wake up today to the radio blare of a rapper posting a song on Youtube that could sabotage the chances of the Dems' nominee for President?
Chris Bridges (a.k.a. Ludracris) is one of the more soft-spoken, polite and deliberate celebrities you'll ever meet in person. Or, at least, he was on the one occasion I dined over several courses of steak and wine with him a few years back at a restaurant opening.
My mixed feelings about rap and its messages aside, Luda's got skills I find extraordinary. This new tune about Obama? Garbage, unless weak lyrics and tired beats suit your taste.
I'm no music critic. I'm just sayin'...
This new stunt single he's released is nothing but a pathetic lurch for attention and dollars. Ludracris has the right to grab the mic and insult George W., McCain and Hillary 'til the cows come home. But why do it in Obama's name?
If you can't say something nice (or in the least bit edifying for your audience) why say it at all? And if you have to say something stoopid, why not keep the responsibility for those "statements" to yourself?
http://askyourdaddy.blogspot.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
