Nooses Everywhere

First it was the Jena 6 and their controversy that began after they basically sat under the "For Whites Only" tree during lunch, and the whites retaliated with hanging nooses from the tree. Now every freaking week there is a new noose incident. WTF!!

OK. So America is hoplessly racist. Is that the message of the nooses? I already knew that, but would prefer to go back to where they hide it and I pretend I don't know it exists. On the real, it's not like I obviously notice it on a day to day basis anyway. But sometimes (like now), I just can't avoid it or pretend it does not exist cause every week someone is a hanging noose somewhere.

I'm so done. Sick, but done. Get over it White America, we are not going anywhere and hanging nooses from every tree from Maine to Florida ain't gonna change that. Get a grip already. This is 2007. We live in your neighborhoods, shop at your stores, go to school with your children and if we want to sit under a tree or work in the police department or teach in a university or be the principal of a public school, you sending a noose or hanging a noose somewhere ain't gonna change that.

Again, for real, I'm done. Oh and I'm gonna skip the CNN special on the noose epidemic.

Neither Black, Nor White, Just Green

Finally, after more than a week of controversy, Don Imus was fired by CBS from his nationally syndicated talk show. I have to admit when all this first jumped off I was blissfully ignorant as I was on vacation. I was enjoying a family vacation with my husband and 2 of our sons in Florida, but I digress.

When I got home it was all over the media and when I returned to work on Wednesday, I started downloading the reports from the New York Daily News where I get my email alert from daily. Do I read everything, of course not. The news is normally depressing. I skim the headlines just so I'm not totally ignorant of what is happening in the world around me. As of yesterday there were at least 20 stories related to this incident in that newspaper alone. And I read a whole bunch of them.

All I can say is it is sad that in 2007 the nation is still where they are. Yes he was finally fired for calling the Rutgers Womens Basketball team "nappy headed hos" but lets be for real. He thought it was a joke and to him and his regular listeners it was. When those words flew out of his mouth there were men 25-50 who are is regular listeners who laughed and thought it was just hilarious. The politicians who frequent his show thought it was no big deal after all he did eventually apologize for the comment. After all he's not a "bad guy". RIGHT!!

African-Americans were outraged. Rev. Sharpton stepped in. Women of many races were outraged as well. Conspiracy theorists wonder if this was a way to attack 2 of the democrats who have made bids for the White House, Obama who is black and Clinton who is a woman, with on phrase. Even rappers who were blamed for his statement because they use the word ho and bitch in rap lyrics had something to say. I like my rose colored glasses and sadly once again I have been forced to take them off.

The real deal is none of that makes a difference. The bottom line is people listen to him because they like what he says. He says the things that he does cause he knows that it entertains his audience who are faithful regulars. It bothers me less that he said it than the reality that there is a wide NATIONAL audience that was amused by it. Yes he was fired for it but I'm not impressed. His simulcast on WNBC was not dropped because the execs there realized that he is one sick puppy, it was dropped because the like$ of Proctor and Gamble, $taples and other$ $aid we won't pay to adverti$e during that time anymore. He was fired by CB$ for the $ame reason$. Like Ludacris said on his latest CD Release Therapy, "If it don't make dollars then it don't make sense".

Not Black, Nor White, Just Green.

I Salute Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Monday, January 15, 2007 was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day which actually fell on his birthday this year. I'm too young to remember Dr. King but I'm not to old or young to salute him. In school they teach you the highlights of who he was and what he did for the struggle for civil rights in America. Every year you learn of his humble beginnings, his great intelligence, his eloquence and his sacrifice. You learn about the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the March on Washington, and his assassination. You hear his famous "I have a Dream Speech and the end of his Promised Land speech.

On Monday morning on the way to the gym for my early morning workout I was blessed to be able to hear that final speech made on April 3, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee in it's entirety. I was moved almost to the point of tears and surely to the point of a few Hallelujah's. It inspired me to actually want to read the book that he talked about writing in that speech. It made me reflect on how fleeting our lives are and how important it is to make the most of every opportunity. It made me think about how much has changed and how little has changed since 1968. The biggest change is that we no longer have people who are willing to stand up for what is right even if it hurts, and to speak for those that the world would rather pretend does not exist. Not even the blacks and minorities exclusively but the poor every where, cause it doesn't even really matter in America if you're black or white but really just if you're rich or poor, for that is what truly determines if you're weak or poor.

What I Believe!

I'll just start by saying it is very important for each person to know what they believe. In my church it has often been said, "If you don't stand for anything, you will fall for anything." I took this to mean know what you believe and noone will be able to fill your head with their beliefs to your down fall.

Any way, I haven't felt like saying much lately, indeed I even missed the boat on an entry about my reflections on 2006, but today I got a video from one of my favorite deacons at my church about Oprah's view on Jesus and an entry rose up in my soul. I have to say that I'm not at all surprised. Oprah does a lot of good things, indeed she seems to be consumed with doing good. Is that a bad thing, of course not, or then maybe, if it's done for the wrong reasons I believe even a good work can then be a bad thing. In the video she stated that Jesus can't possibly be the only way to God. I know there are people all over the world of different faiths and I respect their right to believe whatever they choose to believe, but I'm a Christian so according to what I believe that statement is just plain wrong.


I actually watch Oprah fairly frequently and it always disturbs me that she never seems to say God or Jesus. She'll often refer to the feeling you get when something is dreadfully wrong, I believe in that, except I've learned to call that feeling the Holy Spirit. She talks of a higher being, I believe in that too, I call Him God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. And she gives credit often to people for the heroic deeds they do, but never to the power of God that gave them strenght, encouragement or foresight to do what they did. I notice these things regularly and they bother me.


Every morning on my way to the gym since the start of the New Year, Steve Harvey has said over and over, get closer to God in 2007. Which is wonderful for me, because that is exactly what I had already decided was my task for this year. I was baptized 22 years ago and have felt both near and far from God during that time. Lately I have felt on the far side so I decided 2007 would be dedicated to Worship and Study. Then I realized that was incomplete and I also needed to add Prayer to that list.


All of us come to Jesus in different ways, in that respect Oprah was right there are different paths. Your path might be a street revival or an eMass or a Hip-Hop Church. Anything that gets you to Jesus. I pray for Oprah and others who don't really know Him to meet Him in 2007. Once you meet Him, you'll know there is nothing else like Him.

That is what I believe.

Offensive Christmas Tree???

I very rarely actually get to watch the news in the morning or the evening for that matter and on the occasions that I do I realize why I don't miss it. The snippet that I caught this morning was the news that the Seattle airport had removed their Christmas Trees that traditionally stand atop the entrances of the airport. And as I seached for this article to link it I found a slew more from all over the country. WTH is the matter with this picture. Christmas is the one time of year when idiots all over think about their neighbors, are kind to strangers and generous to those in need. All in the name of the holiday season. Who are they kidding, it is all in the name of Christ. I'm afraid to see what will happen 10 years from now when the atheists, muslims, jews and others all have their way and eliminate Christ totally and irrevocably from the Christmas scene. Hopefully I'll be gone by then. To share a couple of other thoughts on the matter:

The month before Christmas

Twas the month before Christmas
When all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying
Nor taking a stand.

Why the Politically Correct Police had taken away,
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.
The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.

It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say
December 25th is just a "Holiday".
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit
pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!

CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod ,
Something was changing, something quite odd!
Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.

But as Targets were hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears
You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.

Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty
Are words that were used to intimidate me.
Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton,
Wolf Blitzen On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!

At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace.

The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.
So as you celebrate "Winter Break" under your "Dream Tree"
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.

Choose your words carefully, choose what you say
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday,
Our Countries were founded under the Christian way
To our "guests" I can say,
If You don't like it, You don't have to stay!!

Merry Christmas Everybody !!!!!

And:

The teacher asked her students how they celebrate Christmas.

She called onPatrick Murphy. "Tell me, Patrick, what does your family do at Christmastime?""Me and my twelve brothers and sisters go to the midnight Mass and we singhymns, then we come home very late and we put mince pies by the back door andhang up our stockings. Then, all excited, we go to bed and wait for FatherChristmas to come with all our toys.""Very nice, Patrick.

Betty Schmidt, what does your family do at Christmas?""My sister and I also go to Church with Mum and Dad and we sing carols and weget home ever so late. We put cookies and milk by the chimney and we hang up ourstockings. We hardly sleep, waiting for Santa Claus to bring our presents."

A Jewish boy had his hand in the air so the teacher asked Isaac Cohen, "Whatdoes your family do at Christmas?""It's the same thing every year. Dad comes home from the office. We all pileinto the Rolls Royce, then we drive to his toy factory. When we get inside, welook at all the empty shelves and sing 'What a Friend We Have in Jesus'. Thenwe all go to the Bahamas."

Merry Christmas Everybody!!

Racism American Style

So for the 4th day in a row the major topic of discussion has been the shooting that occurred in Jamaica, New York on Saturday morning. As usual I was very busy on Saturday morning and had not paid attention to the news that morning but only vaguely remember mention of a shoot out in the early hours of that morning. Did I pay attention to it at the time? Of Course Not! Now it is non-stop conversation amongst many and still front page news. It has even made the front page of the New York Times, which doesn't even normally concern itself with such trivial matters as the shootings of minority persons in New York City.

So what happened is still not really clear other than the fact that police officers fired 50 shots at 3 unarmed men in a vehicle outside a strip club in Jamaica, NY. The men were leaving the strip club after celebrating the upcoming nuptials to be held later that day of one of the victims of the shooting. The young ma that was killed in the shooting was 23 years old and was apparently driving the vehicle. The other men in the vehicle are still hospitalized. So what was initially reported as a shootout was evidently just a shooting. To be a shootout someone would have had to have had a gun and shot back. None of the men in the vehicle were armed.

Sunday morning on the way to church it was the topic of discussion. This morning on the way to work it was the topic of discussion. A lot of the discussion seems to be surrounding the use of the word "nigger" in music and such as if that was responsible for the shooting of this young man. Can we all say Bull Shit? Let's call it what it was, another act of racism in a city that tries to pretend racism does not exist. Was the use of the word "nigger" responsible for the 41 bullets caught by Amadou Diallo while he was reaching for his wallet? Hi, no, that would be RACISM.

Believe it or not folks in 2006 in America we still have rampant racism. Now I’m not the one who subscribes to conspiracy theories or sees racists behind every door, but hello, I'm not a dummy either. I know it is out there. I might not experience it every day or even notice it sometimes, because that's just how I am but I know it's there. Every time incidents like this happen in the city I have lived in all of my life, it becomes more and more evident. When comics get upset, lose their temper and let that racism slip out, it is evident. When cops bust into an elderly woman's home and shoot her to death because they had a no-knock warrant and she happened to have a gun for her own protection, it is evident. When my college age African-American son who is dating a Caucasian young woman in and around a campus in suburban NY tells me his experiences, it is evident. Why lynch us and hang us from trees, shooting us to death for no damn reason is a lot easier, don't you think? Face it folks, do you really think a nation founded on racism could ever be anything but racist. Unfortunately, I don't think so. Pretty evident, don't you think.

Day Break ... Huh?

I am totally and irrevocably addicted to TV. This means that I watch more stuff than any person ought to ever watch each and every week. Now of course there are somethings that I wouldn't waste brain cells on like Flavor of Love, or Court Shows or most daytime talk shows like Maury and Jerry. But then I do kill a few brain cells with stuff like Ice-T's Rap School and the Wend Williams Experience.

So there's a new show that just started last week on ABC called Daybreak. It started with a 2-hour premiere last week and then another hour last week. Did I watch it despited the fact that both of my DVRs are full of shows and there are some shows I have not watched at all yet this season? Yes I did and the only thing it has going for it is that it is exciting. That and I happen to like Taye Diggs. I liked the show that they cancelled where he had custody of his cousins baby daughter. I also like excitement. But where in the hell can this show possibly go? Every day he wakes up and repeats the day before but different. HUH?? It reminds me of a really stupid movie from back in the day with Bill Murray called Ground Hog Day. Every day he wakes up and it is Ground Hog Day AGAIN. Stupid yes but that was a romantic comedy and stupid was ok. This is supposed to be for real and how can it possibly be and where can it possibly go. How many times can he repeat the same day and when he's not repeating the same day the premise for the series is done and what's left. Like I said before where in the hell can it possibly go?

Just had to get that off my chest. Back to my DVR viewing.