This song was written by Stevie Wonder in 1976 as part of his critically acclaimed and Grammy winning album, "Songs in the Key of Life." The album won "Album of the Year" and serves as Wonder's signature musical statement. While "As," as a single, only reached #24 on Billboard, it's message is timeless and has only grown in popularity and significance with the passage of time.
Wonder speaks of the incomprehensible love he has for his beloved. But, not only that, Wonder establishes the paradigm/model for the love humanity itself should embrace...heart to heart...person to person...family to family...nation to nation...race to race...gender to gender.
"As" has been covered by the likes of soul crooners Mary J. Blige and George Michael, jazz violinist Jean Luc-Ponty, jazz saxophonist Najee, and female R&B group Sister Sledge. But, listen as Stevie performs the greatest love song he EVER wrote...in my humble opinion.
The song is most inspiring and serves as the North Star for what real love should aspire to be. It's how you want love...and how you want to be loved!!
But, the song is not just personal, it's existential. If I were on President Obama's staff, I would make "As" his "Presidential Theme" for the last year of his presidency. It should be the song for which his administration is remembered. It captures his national/world vision and describes the fidelity his supporters have shown to that vision, his message, and his presidency.
Until a mythical red rose sprouts ethereal wings to fly...
Nelson "Madiba" Mandela - "South Africa's Greatest Son"
1918-2013
The great Maya Angelou penned her autobiographical novel, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," telling the world how a young, black girl growing up "imprisoned" by racial oppression, sexual degradation, extreme poverty, and low self-esteem can emerge from that "cage" to sing a song of victory.
The photo above shows Mandela emerging from a South African prison after 27 years...18 years spent in solitary confinement on the dreaded Robben Island. Mandela entered that South African prison as a struggling soloist, but he continued to stretch his vocal chords. In February 1990, he emerged as a virtuoso accompanied by a world chorus...and, oh how the "caged bird" sang.
Martin and Medgar were jailed; Malcolm and Steven Biko were imprisoned...yet, each emerged with a song in his heart. The aforementioned were all assassinated in the prime of their lives. But, after imprisonment, banishment, and being branded a terrorist by President Reagan and the United States government, Mandela lived long enough to comb grey hair...and became South Africa's first Black President.
I cannot fathom the sacrifice Mandela made to end the racist system of apartheid (apartness) in his country and change the consciousness of the world. But, the following excerpts give us a glimpse into the pain of being deprived the company of wife and family.
My dearest Winnie,
I have been fairly successful in putting on a mask behind which I have pined for the family, alone, never rushing for the post when it comes until somebody calls out my name. I also never linger after visits although sometimes the urge to do so becomes quite terrible. I am struggling to suppress my emotions as I write this letter.
I have received only one letter since you were detained, that one dated August 22. I do not know anything about family affairs, such as payment of rent, telephone bills, care of children and their expenses, whether you will get a job when released. As long as I don't hear from you, I will remain worried and dry like a desert.
I recall the Karoo I crossed on several occasions. I saw the desert again in Botswana on my way to and from Africa--endless pits of sand and not a drop of water. I have not had a letter from you. I feel dry like a desert.
Letters from you and the family are like the arrival of summer rains and spring that liven my life and make it enjoyable.
Whenever I write you, I feel that inside physical warmth, that makes me forget all my problems. I become full of love.
My dearest Winnie,
Our daughters raised in hardship are grown women today. The first born has her own house and is raising her family.
We couldn't fulfill our wishes, as we had planned, to have a baby boy. I had hoped to build you a refuge, no matter how small, so that we would have a place for rest and sustenance before the arrival of the sad, dry days. I fell down and couldn't do these things. I am as one building castles in the air.
My dearest Winnie,
You looked really wonderful on 17/11, very much like the woman I married. There was color in your face. Gone was the choleric appearance and glazed look in your eyes when you are under pressure of over-dieting. As usual, I kept addressing you as Mum but my body kept telling me that a woman is sitting across this platform. I felt like singing, even if just to say Hallelujah!
Reading these excerpts are both heartbreaking and heartening. Heartbreaking because of the dire straits he was forced to endure, but heartening because he prevailed against the odds. Mandela was Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and MLK rolled into one. South Africans call him "Madiba." To the world, he was a Lion whose song became a roar!!
The Lion sleeps tonight, but his ROAR will echo for all time!!
Not to be confused with Joy or Contentment, nonetheless, being Happy is a real good thing! That said, I'm really feeling this new music video by Pharrell called, "Happy."
It's fly...it's dope...and, it's a real mood booster!
Family, friends, good food, good drink, good conversation, good vibrations...
It doesn't come covered in overt religious raiment or adorned with material expectations...
Whether in word or deed, everyone is gathered to simply say, "Thank you!"
"THANK YOU!"
One simple phrase...Two small words...Eight elegant letters...Multitudinous meaning...
Noted author Brett Blumenthal said, "Gratitude is an expression of love."
Indeed.
Gratitude is an expression of love "to whom" and "for whom" you are thankful. But, it's also expresses the love of LIFE itself...and the innumerable opportunities which life has presented and continues to present.
The operative term in Blumenthal's quote is "expression."
Gratitude must be expressed to be effective! And, that expression ought to be heartfelt.
I am thankful on this and EVERYDAY for my health, the wealth of friendship, family, my beautiful children, dear loved ones, steady employment, liberty, freedom of expression...and too many things and people to list them all.
I credit everything that I am and will become to the wondrous people who "invested in me when there was no expectation of return on their investment" and loved me when I was most unlovable. To you, I am forever indebted.
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU!
Today, my "Thanks" are not random.
They are targeted with laser-like specificity.
Because of YOU, in this season of Thanksgiving, I am OVERJOYED!!!
President Abraham Lincoln
Haggard and Emaciated from the Ravages of the Civil War
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.
It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
Abraham Lincoln November 19, 1863
Lincoln spoke these words in dedication of the 51,112 men who closed their eyes for the last time on that Pennsylvania battlefield. Most of those men, Union and Confederate, had been rescued from hastily-dug shallow graves and buried properly on "Cemetery Hill" by ten Black men hired to perform the gruesome task. It was upon "Cemetery Hill" that Lincoln cast his spell.
The President was accompanied to Gettysburg by his personal valet, William H. Johnson. Johnson , a free Black man from Springfield, Illinois, was likely the only person to hear Lincoln's speech before he addressed the assembled mass.
As was customary for the time, several very long speeches were delivered prior to Lincoln's. At only 272 words, one might say Lincoln's address was a 19th Century "tweet." But ahhh, the brevity! Therein lies the genius! In less than three minutes, Lincoln had encapsulated the quintessence of American Demorcacy. He had recalled the Nation to its raison d'etre.
One of the most basic differences between Conservatives and Progressives is revealed in the first six words of this speech, "Four score and seven years ago..." Basic math will reveal that Lincoln references back to 1776, the year of the Declaration of Independence. While Conservatives give "pride of place" to the U.S. Constitution which became effective in 1789, Progressives adore the Declaration. Why? Because, while the U.S. Constitution condoned Slavery, the Declaration was "conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."
Lincoln's Gettysburg address has been studied and memorized the world over. It was the "tweet" heard round the world. It declared that Union victory in the Civil War would usher in a "new birth of freedom." It declared to the world that this Nation, and its experiment with Democracy would not be derailed by the misguided ideals of the Confederacy..."and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
It has required plenty of struggle, but "ooh, ooh, child" things continue to get brighter!
When Gregory Porter's "Water" broke, he birthed a musical child that convinced us to also "Be Good." Now, that child is pouring out its "Liquid Spirit" and doing so in a way that blesses us all.
In a February blog post on "GP," I exhausted my vocabulary in praise of this immense and extraordinary talent. So, rather than bore you with facile and incredibly inadequate descriptions of his latest offering "Liquid Spirit," just check this out.
We are often at odds while finding our place in this world...as lovers...partners...colleagues...brothers/sisters...fathers/daughters...mothers/sons...husbands/wives...as individuals.
Black man shot...Black woman raped...Black man imprisoned...Black woman sexually degraded...Black man facing unemployment...Black woman facing the glass ceiling...Black male rapper/misogynistic lyrics...Black female singer/sexually degrading poses...young Black male dropouts...young Black female college graduates....pimps up/hoes down...and on and on and on...
We must LISTEN to one another and STOP comparing grievances!! It's not white supremacy OR male patriarchy. Perhaps, it's BOTH operating in tandem. Life is hard, and it's harder when a community is divided. It's going to take love, understanding, and personal discipline to overcome our challenges.
Listen to Nina Simone, in her own unique voice, make the case from a Black woman's point of view. Just listen...just listen...just listen.
12 Years A Slave...400 Years of White Power
Art by: Michael Ray Charles
Who knew?
Who knew that the uncultured, irascible, rabidly racist John Tibeats, the villainous overseer from 12 Years A Slave, would pose one of the most elegantly existential and profoundly provocative questions ever uttered in American movie history?!
As enslaved freeman Solomon Northup (Platt) explains to Master Ford (the "good master") his plan for building a raft to safely transport cotton across the swamps to the marketplace, Tibeats sarcastically, caustically, and condescendingly inserts the knife,
"Are you an engineer, or are you a nigger?!"
Of course, Solomon is impaled upon the horns of a dilemma. As a slave, he certainly can't say that he's an engineer. And, as a former freeman, he won't concede that he's a "nigger." But, Tibeats' intent is crystal clear. He intends to put "Platt" in his place. Tibeats intends to remind "Platt" that he may be a "smart nigger," but he's still a "nigger!" And, no "nigger" is smarter than a white man. Irrespective of Master Ford's sympathetic ear, Tibeats insists upon reinforcing the brutal white power structure which reigned supreme in the South. For him, no level of black intelligence, black ingenuity, or black brilliance, would upset the social order of the day or elevate "Platt" above the status of mere livestock.
Mind you, I absolutely loved this film!!!! But, if there's one downside, it's the temptation for certain folk to learn ALL the wrong lessons...to believe that unless you exhibit the cruelty of Tibeats or Epps, you're not a racist...to believe racism and bigotry is a thing of the past...to believe that institutional or unconscious racism is non-existent...to believe Slavery and its progeny is the sin of their southern forefathers only to be examined in the rear view mirror. Malcolm reminded us that there are different forms of racism, some blatant and others less so. Ultimately, we need to stop castigating the South. "As long as you're south of the Canadian border, you're south!" Malcolm said. So, I'm sure Northup didn't return to a racial utopia when he returned to upstate New York. No racial utopia then...no racial utopia now.
The old folks used to say, "It's in the blood." And, if that's true, the DNA of race discrimination is stubbornly resisting evolutionary extinction. It continues to flow freely, sometimes imperceptibly, in the veins of a few.
For sure, America is a much evolved place in 2013. So, Blacks should not be overly sensitive to legitimate criticisms or walk around with a perpetual "race chip" on their shoulder. But, how often do 21st Century Blacks hear Tibeats' insulting question phrased in more discreet and subtle terms? How often is your authority, expertise, or credentials called into question? How often are you reminded in small ways to "stay in your place," or "don't get big headed." They say, "you got a raise three years ago, boy," or "He's arrogant and aloof"..."She's uppity and ungrateful"..."You may be right, but you're not in charge!!" or, "Why should you gain admission to Harvard over me?" "Who do you think you are?"
Barack Obama: "You lie!" "Are you the POTUS, or are you a nigger?"
Michelle Obama: "Are you the FLOTUS, or are you a nigger?"
Eric Holder: "Are you the U.S. Attorney General, or are you a nigger?"
Susan Rice: "Are you the National Security Advisor, or are you a nigger?"
Oprah Winfrey (in high-end European boutiques): "Are you an international celebrity with more money than God, or are you a nigger?"
Trayvon Martin: "Are you an innocent teenager with ice tea and candy, or are you a nigger?"
Marissa Alexander: "Are you a scared woman defending yourself from an abusive ex-husband, or are you a nigger?"
Dez Bryant: "Are you an impassioned star wide-receiver playing for "America's Team," or are you a nigger?"
Are you a Doctor, or...Are you an Attorney, or...Are you a Professor, or...Are you a Nurse, or...Are you a Millionaire, or...Are you an Artist, or...
"This shit is getting out of hand! This is not my grandpa's America. If we'd known they'd be this much trouble, we'd picked our own damn cotton!!" exclaims a Tea Party Patriot in exasperation.
Yeah, right! LOL In railing against food stamps and social welfare programs, conservatives say, "There is dignity in work." That so? Well, enslaved Africans and their descendants are among the most dignified people in human history. But, plantation owners didn't seem eager to share in that dignity (or the WORK for that matter).
No matter how politically correct the phrasing, whenever Blacks are confronted with Tibeats' profound question, they too are faced with a modern day dilemma. They can answer boldly and be labeled arrogant, uppity, or ungrateful. Or, they can smile, hat in hand, and slink back into their "place" among the "niggers."
Solomon Northup never forgot Tibeats' question. He grappled with it for twelve long years, and he answered it in the end. What say you?
Are you an engineer, or are you a nigger?
Be wise and discerning enough to recognized the question when it's asked! Be courageous and competent enough to answer it boldly!!
...Or, so said the Jack Nicholson character in A Few Good Men.
Well America, TRUTH has been served with all the trimmings. And, we'll see how your taste buds respond to the bitterness. Prepare yourself for the most heartrendingly honest and agonizingly vivid depiction of slavery ever portrayed on the silver screen.
This film is a dramatic adaptation of the 1853 historical autobiography Twelve Years a Slave written by Solomon Northup. Directed by Steve McQueen and screen-written by John Ridley, the film magnificently describes the turbulent trials of Northup, a free Black citizen of New York, who was kidnapped in the shadow of the nation's capital, sold into slavery and transported to Louisiana to live in perpetual torment for 12 horrific years.
The book itself is masterfully written in an elevated prose reminiscent of Dubois' The Souls of Black Folk. In the age of tweeting and texting, 12 Years stands as a 19th Century triumph of linguistic dexterity putting the average American college graduate of today to shame. In describing a particularly barbaric slaver, Northrup pens:
"Yet to speak truthfully of Edwin Epps would be to say -- he is a man in whose heart the quality of kindness or of justice is not found. A rough, rude energy united with an uncultivated mind and an avaricious spirit, are his prominent characteristics. He is known as a "nigger breaker," distinguished for his faculty of subduing the spirit of the slave, and priding himself upon his reputation in this respect, as a jockey boasts of his skill in managing a refractory horse. He looked upon the colored man, not as a human being, responsible to his Creator for the small talent entrusted to him, but as a "chattel personal," as mere live property, no better, except in value, than his mule or dog...He could have stood unmoved and seen the tongues of his poor slaves torn out by the roots -- he could have seen them burned to ashes over a slow fire, or gnawed to death by dogs, if it only brought him profit. Such a hard, cruel, unjust man is Edwin Epps...Ten years I toiled for that man without reward. Ten years of my incessant labor has contributed to increase the bulk of his possessions. Ten years I was compelled to address him with down-cast eyes and uncovered head -- in the attitude and language of a slave. I am indebted to him for nothing, save undeserved abuse and stripes."
After reading the book, I was skeptical the filmmakers could muster the courage to give cinematic clarity to the unmitigated inhumanity blanketing the pages of Northrup's masterpiece. Well, congratulations, Messrs. McQueen and Ridley! You have accomplished a monumental feat in visual storytelling...as convincingly as 12 years of captivity and debasement at the hands of the brutish, the beastly, and the ignorant could be told in the span of two hours.
Chiwetel Ujiofor delivers a tour de force performance as Solomon Northup. Michael Fassbender and Sarah Paulson are also magnificent as the villainous Master and Mistress Epps. But, who can remain unmoved by the unrelenting torment, treachery and turmoil heaped upon poor Patsy played by Lupita Nyong? The youth and innocence of Patsy stole our hearts...leaving us in tears at her unfathomable plight. Our hearts having been stolen, perhaps Nyong's spellbinding performance will steal the Oscar.
Morgan Freeman stated that he was reluctant to see the film because, "I don't want my anger quotient exacerbated..." In a backhanded compliment, another reviewer referred to 12 Years as, "the film for folks too smart for The Butler." Due respect to those distinguished gentlemen, but I think their statements are both flippant and misguided!!
Mark Twain once said, "A man need be reminded much more often than he need be instructed." Accordingly, this film serves as a vividly brilliant reminder! It gazes into our brutal past equipping us with insight through hindsight. That insight clears our vision to see seeds of ignorance and intolerance sprouting in our very midst. If that insight makes movie goers "too smart," then thank goodness! You see, Mr. Freeman, I'm much more concerned with the "intelligence quotient" than the "anger quotient." In fact, intelligence is often an antidote for anger. (Take a hint Tea Party.)
As the hauntingly evocative soundtrack continues to echo in my head, thoughts drift back to Patsy....that tragic soul exemplifying the fate of so many enslaved African women...last seen staring despairingly as her former comrade strides toward freedom...and she remains mired in thralldom not so far from New Orleans' frolicking French Quarter.
In my actively optimistic imagination, Patsy finally escapes the cruel clutches of slavery, secures her "freedom papers" and finds her way to a stage in the French Quarter... telling her story through Salvant's song... and renaming it, "Patsy's Theme."
...and at a table in the corner of that dimly lit groggery sits Solomon Northup, eyes transfixed and heart overflowing...he proudly and loudly proclaims "Now, THAT is the TRUTH...the whole TRUTH...and nothing but the TRUTH!"
Every now and then simple arithmetic just won't do!! Complex lives...complicated people...compound problems...we need complete solutions, right? Well, it's time for some higher learning.
Maybe we all can't master Trigonometry, Calculus, or Physics. But, Algebra...you can do dis, yeah!!
Isn't it funny that you're sometimes strangely stricken with an old memory...a place...a person...a situation...a song. The Universe has its way of communicating the essentials of life. I awakened this morning with a song on my mind...humming and singing the words I could remember (out of tune, of course). LOL
In my humble opinion, whether you are religious, non-religious, or merely spiritual, LOVE is really what makes life worth living. Allow it to embody your essence and move you to care more deeply for others. If that makes you different, so be it. Nod your head to that distant drumbeat and shake a leg to a remote rhythm.
"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music." Friedrich Nietzche
The juxtaposition of the royal birth in Britain and the royal persecution of Trayvon Martin in Florida is somewhat dizzying.
Imagine Michelle Obama giving birth to a little Black boy while President Obama is serving in the White House. Certainly, the young Obama would begin with many more privileges than the typical American child, Black or White. But, would young Obama be on schedule to inherit over a billion dollars as Kate and William's baby is predicted to inherit? Would he be immediately regarded as "His Royal Highness?" And, would he (the Black child of the President) be able to look forward to walking the streets of America without immediately raising suspicion of criminal intent? The answers to these questions are undoubtedly, No.
I understand, Britain is a constitutional monarchy and British royalty serve a merely ceremonial or symbolic role. But, to the degree that national symbols are important in affecting societal norms, enhancing national or group pride, and highlighting things upon which the nation places great value, the world-wide attention paid to the "royal baby" speaks volumes about how Britain feels about its young boys. And, the symbolism of the Zimmerman verdict speaks volumes about the value placed on young Black boys in America.
All little British boys can see themselves valued as little "Princes," while little Black boys in America are encouraged to see themselves as "Paupers," "Prisoners," and "Pariahs" worthy of only suspicion and never receiving the benefit of the doubt. You see, in spite of all the privileges that accrue to being the son of a U.S. President, young Obama would lack the one privilege capable of protecting him on a dark street in Florida...white skin privilege.
So, forgive me if I'm seen meandering down the street with an unsteady gait. I'm not drunk, high on drugs or aimlessly looking for a place to burglarize. No, I'm just trying to regain my sense of equilibrium after witnessing America's bewilderingly disparate treatment of it's own young, Black Prince (Trayvon) vis-a-vis its reverence for the British "royal baby."
Mind you, on that fateful night in Florida, Trayvon was as innocent as a newborn baby!
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."
Thomas Jefferson
On the night of February 26, 2012, the blood of Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman spilled in the streets of Sanford, Florida. While Zimmerman left the scene sporting only butterfly bandages, Trayvon spilled so much blood that he died tragically on that rain drenched street. Jefferson's "Tree of Liberty," parched from lack of nourishment, drank its fill that night!! But, in this real life Jeffersonian tragedy, who plays the role of Patriot and who plays the role of Tyrant?
Having some experience with it, I know that the criminal justice system is not necessarily equipped to provide the MORAL justice we seek. Why? Because the "system" often employs people ill-equipped to participate in it, and the laws supporting the "system" are often horrifically flawed. State laws such as Florida's "Stand Your Ground" are often vile, ideologically motivated, and ill-advised. Prosecutors and/or defense attorneys are sometimes incompetent or inadequately resourced. Judges and/or jurors often harbor secret biases or prejudices. These biases are exacerbated by imbalanced jury pools heavily weighted against minority inclusion. Lack of minority inclusion is accomplished by insane drug laws which permanently strip minorities of the right to vote or serve on juries.
So, is it really surprising that Zimmerman was found "not guilty" by a nearly all-white, all-female jury incapable of relating to the plight of a Black teenage male, dressed in customary teenage clothing, innocently walking home from the store with tea and Skittles (while talking to his girlfriend on the phone) in a predominantly white neighborhood? Not really. The script was written, the scene was set, the lines were rehearsed, the actors were in place, and the die was cast long before the verdict was rendered. Final Scene: The victim, Trayon Martin, transformed into the scary, vicious, monstrous perpetuator.
Michael Vick kills dogs and gets jail time...Plaxico Burress accidentally shoots himself in the leg and gets jail time...Marissa Alexander, a Black Florida woman who fired a warning shot into the ceiling while being threatened by her husband, gets 20 years in prison...while George Zimmerman takes the life of an innocent teen, walks free and is returned the gun with which he does the dirty deed. The dutiful neighborhood watchman...free to racially profile, stalk and perhaps kill again!
But, the story shouldn't end there. An epilogue is still to be written. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, "The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice." He lived in a time when "southern justice" was criminal in its treatment of Black people. Obviously, King was speaking not about mere criminal justice, but moral justice. In a twisted and perverse way, the verdict delivered by the jury in the State of Florida vs. George Zimmerman may serve a higher purpose...the purpose of bending the arc of the moral universe more quickly toward true justice...a battle lost on the road to ultimate victory.
Zimmerman may have been judged criminally "NOT GUILTY," but he is morally RESPONSIBLE for the death of Trayvon Benjamin Martin!!
The Zimmerman verdict highlights a moral gap in America's views on race, class, culture, public policy, and criminal justice. I'm hopeful that it will serve to accelerate the closing of those moral gaps in our society. And while George Zimmerman and the other Tyrants of "gun culture" stand their ground inside "Castles of Paranoia," Trayvon Martin will take his rightful place alongside the many Patriots whose blood have nourished the roots and splattered the leaves of that precious "Tree of Liberty."
We should follow the dignified and elegant example of Trayvon's parents while heeding the President's call for calm reflection. Still, how much more "Stange Fruit" must the "Tree of Liberty" be forced to bear?
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt
When I served in the US Army, I was honored to have one of my soldiers personally create a piece of art for me bearing this, one of my favorite quotes. I proudly displayed this artwork until the day I left the military.
I don't always agree with American foreign policy. In fact, I often disagree with it. But on this day...and everyday...we must remember that soldiers aren't responsible for creating American foreign policy. Soldiers aren't responsible for STRATEGY...they are responsible for employing the TACTICS which hopefully accomplish America's strategic goals.
American soldiers are Black and White...Gay and Straight...Republican and Democrat...English speaking and Spanish speaking...Male and Female...Christian, Jewish and Muslim...Political and apolitical...God fearing and Atheist.
When a soldier gets an order to go into a combat zone, he or she follows it. And, that order may have been given by a President for whom he or she did not vote! But, the soldier follows that order.
All soldiers serve...all soldiers bleed...and many soldiers die!!
So on this Memorial Day, please take the time to reflect on those who have served and died for the rights and privileges which many take for granted.
Chirlane McCray wife of NYC Mayoral Candidate Bill de Blasio
For those who aren't closely following the New York City mayoral race...ATENCION!!
Allow me to introduce CHIRLANE McCRAY… the most important spouse in the race for New York City.
Ms. McCray is the wife of candidate Bill de Blasio. Ms. McCray and her husband have been married for 19 years and have two beautiful children.
Mr. de Blasio is White and Ms. McCray is Black. Mr. de Blasio is an avowed heterosexual. In 1979, Ms. McCray wrote an article in Essence magazine proudly proclaiming:
"I Am a Lesbian."
She became an instant gay rights icon!!
You now understand some of the intrigue surrounding the current mayoral race. The plot is thickened by the fact that Christine Quinn, the first openly gay female to run for mayor of New York, is leading in most recent polls.
Life, being the messy complicated animal that it is, revels in presenting us with these irresistibly complex conundrums. So, the LGBT community is looking on with interest...the African-American community is doing likewise...ditto for Anthony Weiner who might have expected to garner great support from both those communities…and the Hollywood crowd is split in their allegiances.
I understand the philosophical quicksand that befuddles the minds of some in the LGBT community whenever a gay rights icon is perceived as "ex-gay." After all, it strikes at the heart of one of many arguments supporting the rights of gay Americans.
The LGBT community argues that being gay is not a "behavior." It is a "state of being.” It’s not simply a life choice, but it represents the very essence of one’s existence. Since the Constitution doesn't generally protect against ALL forms of discrimination but against "invidious" or unjustifiable discrimination, it gets tricky. Generally speaking, most illegal forms of discrimination are based on immutable or unchangeable characteristics…like skin color or gender, etc. Hence, Ms. McCray's perceived ”ex-gayness” could present a problem...in theory.
I believe every American should be treated equally before the law, period! I have no issues with gays, "ex-gays," gay marriage, or interracial marriage. But, I do have a problem with lying politicians! And, I'm always amazed at what politicians and their wives will say to get elected.
Ms. McCray avoids labeling herself as heterosexual, bisexual, or lesbian. That's not a problem! No one should be forced to accept an unwanted label. However, she says that when she first met her future husband in 1991, the biggest obstacle to a relationship was NOT his race...NOT that he was a man and she was a lesbian (although she'd never had a relationship with a man), but that he was six years her junior. How cute...but, Wha!!!!!
Listen…I really want to give Ms. McCray the benefit of the doubt.I want to believe that, 20 years ago, she was simply one of the most openly progressive and forward thinking people in America. I want to believe that her traditional ideas about age trumped her non-conventional views on race and sexuality, but…
My elders wisely advised me that, “Every closed eye ain’t sleep, all ‘goodbyes’ ain’t gone, and everybody carrying a suitcase ain’t headed outta town.” In other words, things aren’t always as they seem, and don’t believe everything you hear…especially coming out of the mouth of a politician…or his wife.
Ms. McCray, good luck to you and your husband in this race. I admire the courage you showed coming out as a lesbian in '79 in the African-American community. I applaud your personal and professional accomplishments, and I support your right to live as you please. I advocate for the right of all Americans to pursue happiness in whatever way that doesn't harm others.
But, Ms. McCray, don't stoop to typical political rhetoric, and please don’t insult my intelligence. Just sayin...
Until we rendezvous…
Peace!!
UPDATE!!! Bill DeBlasio has been elected Mayor of NYC. The first Democrat in 20 years! Therefore, Ms. McCray is the First Lady of New York!! Congratulations!! I wish you and your husband the best! For those who find it important, although David Dinkins was the first Black mayor of NYC, Ms. McCray will be the "most colorfully hued" First Lady to occupy that lofty position.
“The Great Gatsby” is the quintessential narrative in American literature.It’s a heartrending love story, indeed.But, it’s so much more. “Gatsby” tackles universal themes which have touched the hearts and minds of millions since the book was published in 1925; themes such as…love and lust…wealth and poverty…loyalty and betrayal…hope and death…truth and lies…rags to riches…beauty and the beast…black and white…class and culture…remaking and reinvention…upward mobility and downward descent…and what gives true meaning to Life itself.
I read the F. Scott Fitzgerald classic back in the day, and I was arrested by the power of the story line. Granted, I didn’t see the ‘74 Francis Ford Coppola film version of ‘Gatsby” starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow. So, I have no means of comparison, but…
"H to tha izzo, V to tha izza...not guilty, y’all gotta feel me! H to tha izzo, V to tha izza...that’s tha anthem, put cha damn hands up!"
Black cats and sexy sistas attired in "Roarin' ‘20’s" era garb...bouncin’ to Jay-Z circa 2001. Very interesting!!
I've heard the criticism of "Gatsby" mixing a prohibition era backdrop with a "hip-hop" vibe. Heard it, understand it, and respect it. But, I politely disagree with it. I mean, the goal of a classic remake is to introduce something of value to a new generation while remaining true to the essence of the original. In my opinion, part of that introduction necessarily means translating it into the language of that new generation. If you want to be a "true playa" in the 21st Centrury, you've got to speak both Shakespeare and Lil Wayne. This new generation is partially bilingual, and their first language is “hip-hop.” So, a spoonful of “hip-hop” might help the Classics go down...until millenials master their Shakespearean swag.
Jay Gatsby (or Jay G), the most hopeful man that Nick Caraway ever met, reinvented himself.Driven by his love for Daisy Buchanan, he was transformed from dirt poor to nouveau riche…and he died with the hope of that eternal love still in his heart.
In some small way, aren’t we all Jay Gatsby (or Jay G)? Aren’t we all striving to make our tomorrows more grand than our yesterdays. Aren't we rooting for the underdog to become the top dog (as we see ourselves as underdogs)? We are encouraged when we watch Madonna, Oprah, and Tina Turner reinvent themselves and somehow remain relevant. We savour the sight of the withering athlete who blossoms into the “big-ballin” broadcaster. We admire Hillary’s transition from wife…to First Lady...to Senator…to Secretary of State…to President??? Driven by our passions…love, lust, wealth, fame, family, or power, we transform ourselves from alcoholic to counselor…country boy to County Judge…prisoner to Pastor…welder to Wall Street…mime to millionaire…community organizer to President of the United States…street hustler to rapper to media mogul.
As with all Classics, there are several “morals” to this beautiful story about the life of Gatsby. If we have the courage to self-reflect, we can learn much about love, life, and ourselves. But, somehow I wonder…Jay G … Jay Z...Jay G...Jay Z????
Will the 2013 "Jay G" put the world under new management and win the eternal love of his "Daisy?" Not so subtle comparison, huh? LOL
I liked the movie. DiCaprio will probably be nominated for an Oscar. You should check it out.
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