I guess MAYBE we can give Kentucky Fried Chicken some cool points for jumping on to a good cause but mofo please!

How about KFC ALSO donate monies from its sales to nutrition education. Double Down anyone?

Hat Tip to Average Bro!

Not only did he note that April was Confederate Month in VA, he also failed to mention SLAVERY or the events that initiated the the civil war. Double fail!

It wasn’t until people raised concern over his foolish & hurtful decree that McDonnell saw a need to include the mention of peculiar institution of slavery. Then he offered this sappy mea culpa:

“The proclamation issued by this Office designating April as Confederate History Month contained a major omission. The failure to include any reference to slavery was a mistake, and for that I apologize to any fellow Virginian who has been offended or disappointed,” said McDonell.

The abomination of slavery divided our nation, deprived people of their God-given inalienable rights, and led to the Civil War. Slavery was an evil, vicious and inhumane practice which degraded human beings to property, and it has left a stain on the soul of this state and nation.”

Racists love to apologize and want to hold hands after they have been busted shitting on the existence of other people.

Then you have this jump off here with Roland Martin & Brag Bowling.

Bragg illustrates exactly why we need to stop using the words “post racial.”  America is straight up racial! And Obama’s presidency really doesn’t mean shit when it all boils down to it.

Part 1

Part 2

All I can say about Bragg is a fool will never comprehend his own ignorance.

On a related note; If you ever wondered what America would be like if the Confederate army actually won, then you have to see the “Confederate States of America” movie! MUST!

You may have heard the sad news that Emmy winning TV writer, producer & loved blogger David Mills aKa “Undercover Black Man” passed week.

David’s sudden death came as a huge shock! His last blog post was 3/29/10 & it has been flooded with messages of condolences.

Another factor of this loss is that David was a writer on the upcoming HBO show “Treme,” which deals with the drama in New Orleans post Hurricane Katrina. Treme is set to debut April 11, 2010 & you can see a preview of Treme here. I’ll be watching!

David’s talent, humor & love of music will surely be missed!

So a related lighter note, my girl Thembi of “What Would Thembi Do” pointed to me to one of David’s blog posts where he interviewed Eldridge Cleaver.

The interview covered a lot of ground but my point of interest was the topic of fashion. Yes fashion. Who knew that Angry old Eldrigde could have had people talking at NYC fashion week?

Here is a portion of the interview:

MILLS: A few years ago, you were in the news for designing pants for men with a pouch in front to contain the genitals. Whatever became of those pants?

CLEAVER: As far as a business venture? I’m not a businessman so I wasn’t able to do any spectacular business. I lost money. But from an aesthetic point of view, from the point of view of clothing, I think this whole thing has been misunderstood.

My design had to do with an argument against what’s being done with our clothing. Who controls our clothing? If you notice, the clothing industry is dominated by homosexuals. They want men and women to look basically the same.

There are a lot of problems involved in the design of men’s clothing. The way our clothing is designed right now requires a man to wear his genitals in either his right or his left pants leg. There are a lot of implications to that. Scientifically, it’s been determined that that structure generates a lot of heat that has a decomposing effect on sperm. There’s a whole warping effect that comes from wearing your genitals in your pants leg.

There’s a lot of evil in society that comes from clothing. Most of us are completely ignorant of this. One of the things that distinguishes us from animals is that we have the control of our second skin. This is a great power, because we can go underwater, we can go to the moon, we can go to the desert, to Alaska, because we just don’t have scales or hair. We have a technology where we manage our second skin.

This is a sacred responsibility, yet like many other things it is dealt with frivolously. And one of the most obnoxious things that is happening today is what the homosexuals are doing to our clothing.

If you view your pants as an extension of the fig leaf – which is what clothing really is, symbolically speaking – you begin to see that this is very intimately connected with the whole condition of man in the world. Scripturally, the fig leaf came about as a fallout from the fall of man. And I think from that point on, we’ve made a lot of trouble for ourselves by the way we handle our clothing.

All that I can say is, I’m sure he hated Ms Celie’s “FolksPants!” Nothing more. Nothing less.

You can read more from the interview here:

Q&A: Eldridge Cleaver (pt. 1)
Q&A: Eldridge Cleaver (pt. 2)
Q&A: Eldridge Cleaver (pt. 3)

Kinda funny where conversations can lead when discussing Easter outfits. Thx Thembi!

1992 was a big year for me. I entered the 12 grade at Mackenzie High School, I turned 18 years old & I voted for former president Bill Clinton.

Back then, all I cared about was voting for the 1st time, graduating, looking good & my little information booth job at Fairlane mall.

My mind was right up until November 5 that year when one of largest incidences of police brutality occurred in Detroit; the death of Malice Green.

I remember going to school Nov 6th and how many of my friends were saddened and outraged that another Black man was brutilized by the hands of white police officers. Men who swore to serve and protect.

Malice Green’s death ignited a powder keg of racial tension in and around Detroit. As details started to leak about the night the fatal blows ended a life things got more intense & people seemed more angry.

If you know anything about Detroit, then you know that it’s one of the most racially segregated cities in the US (Google it if you don’t believe me) and this case did nothing but present more barriers.

When I drive past the intersection of Warren & 23rd and see the mural dedicated to Malice, I have strong memories of people talking about rioting if the offending officers were convicted. The possibility of rioting was very real then considering the 1992 Los Angeles riots (remember poor Reginald Denny?) which occurred after the police officers who brutally attacked Rodney King were acquitted.

The good news is there was no riot, the officers were convicted & the city began to heal.

On the flip side of this story, I also remember being in love with Kym Worthy who was the prosecutor on the case.

It’s hard to believe this happened 18 years ago.

———————————————————–
Backstory

Malice Green was a resident of Detroit, Michigan who died while in police custody after being arrested by Detroit police officers Walter Budzyn and Larry Nevers on November 5, 1992 during a traffic stop. Both officers were later convicted for Green’s death. While Green’s autopsy showed he had crack cocaine and alcohol in his system, the official cause of death was ruled due to blunt force trauma to his head, although several other prominent neuro-pathologists ruled that Green died from an acute cocaine overdose. Green allegedly failed to relinquish a vial of crack cocaine, attempted to assault the officers, attempted to grab Nevers’ gun and resisted arrest. Nevers struck Green in the head with his flashlight approximately seven times during the struggle which, according to the official autopsy, resulted in his death. Again other neuro-pathologist ruled that his head wounds were superficial, and could not alone have caused death.

After the struggle Green was transported to a local hospital for treatment for the head injuries sustained in the struggle where he died.

A subsequent report presented by the police officers’ paid experts at their trial stated that Green died of heart failure, caused in part by an enlarged heart due to years of substance abuse, and aggravated by the struggle with police.

Green, a drug addict and career criminal, was black and the two decorated officers were white. The incident occurred only months after the Los Angeles riots of 1992, which protested the acquittal of police officers in the video-taped beating of Rodney King. Local leaders, including Detroit Mayor Coleman A. Young, may have feared a repeat of the Los Angeles riots in Detroit. Young stated that Green was “literally murdered by police” on national television less than 72 hours after the incident, before any investigation had been concluded. He also stated that the “wrong” verdict in the case could cause riots similar to those in Los Angeles after the Rodney King incident. (Source | Wikipedia)

Officers Larry Nevers and Walter Budzyn were convicted of second-degree murder in 1993 by a mostly Black jury.

My mother & I discussed the census the other day along with the racial categories listed this time around.

During the conversation, I asked what she preferred to be called; Black, Negro, AA etc. She answered with Colored, which was somewhat of a surprise. Her preference is because Colored was listed on her birth certificate (born 1953). Overall she’s cool with either Colored or Black.

She also discussed  her memories of becoming Black in the 60/70s, Black liberation, & how James Brown & the Black Panthers ignited a firestorm of Black awareness through music & action respectively.

Really interesting how since the 1950s we moved from Colored > Negro > Black > African American. What will we be next?

Side Notes:

- In Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech, he used the terms Negro 15 times and black 4 times. Perhaps this was the beginning to the racial classification shift in terms.

- My birth certificate states that my race is Black.

- Both of my daughter’s birth certificates state no race at all.

- My grandfather named my mother (Stella) after after a 1953 Detroit boxing match titled “Stella’s Main Attraction.” My grandmother went into labor with her the night of the fight.

Earlier this year when I learned that the Census Bureau included the classification of “Negro” on the 2010 census form I didn’t think it was a big deal but ironically I do now.

If you know me, then you know that I hate the term African American with a passion & that I consider myself to be Negro, Black or an African caught up in America.

What is an African American anyway? No, I won’t go there now. Not in the mood…

So anyway, when I got my census form the other day. I was turned off with the mandatory completion statement on the envelope & was ready to toss that bitch. Why is the census mandatory but voting is optional? What kind of mess is that? I’m just saying.

Then I open it up today to see the Negro classification & all of the other information they are attempting to collect & I’m like no! I’m too busy!

Why can’t this be submitted online? They had 10 years to prepare since the last one to plan? I’m so tempted to get a little chicken grease on it before sending it in.

The way I see things, Negroes shouldn’t have to complete this shit until we get the 40 acres & mule that was promised to our ancestors. Just saying!

I guess I will rest my militant Negro ways to avoid harassment by our government. And I really don’t want a census worker coming to my house cause I’d hate to pull a “Silence of the Lambs” move!

“A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti.” ~ Hannibal Lector

If you’re planning on being militant & not sending your form in just know the following:

- The census response is required by law according to Title 13 section 221 of the United States Code.

- A fine of up to $5,000 can be imposed for failure to respond to the census

And yes, I know that I’m somewhat contradicting myself with my racial identification preference but that’s how I do.

I spotted this video over on The Prisoner’s Wife blog & just had to post it here. It’s way too funny not to. This guy really has skills!

Yesterday for Earth Day, I decided to take a hoe bath instead of a shower. I may have saved 18 gallons of water but my balls were musty most of the day. It so was not worth it!

Tuesday night, one of my Twitter friends asked me what I was going to do to celebrate Earth Day. I told him that I was pouring the paint in my garage down the rain drain in front of my house & that I was going to burn some tires in my back yard.

He then asked me how was this helping the environment. I told him that it was helping the environment in my garage by clearing it out & will keep my wife from hounding me to get rid of the items. A win-win in my book.

Of course I was just kidding.

On a real note, my family does its part for the environment. We recycle weekly, conserve on lights & gas usage, I down sized my SVU for a small car & We shop at Whole Foods (which really means nothing); blah blah blah

If you are a Negro on the fence about what the environment means to you & how it affects you, check out this great discussion that I heard on NPR’s “Tell Me More” program.

To return back to my original sarcastic tone, did you know that today (April 23rd) is “Fuck The Earth Day?” You have to see this great promo video!

And lastly, does anyone really think that the earth gives a fuck about the 12% of her inhabitants giving her love on one special day or on hour during “Earth Hour.” Why can’t we all be conscious all the time?

I’m sure by now that I cannot share anything about my experience new because you heard something similar from others so I will share some high points of the trip with you.

- On the way to DC, I got a call from my BFF’s wife letting me know that she got an inauguration ticket for me. Actually the ticket was given to my by my BFF because there were only three & he sacrificed for me. I mentioned this a few posts below but I am still blown away by his act of generosity.

- While in DC, I ate very well. You know that I am fat as hell & love to eat! Of all the food that I ate, I am still dreaming of the pesto chicken pizza that I ate at Matchbox Vintage Pizza Bistro. That pizza was so damn good, I came on myself a little bit.

- Lola from the “Whatever Lola Wants” blog. We met at Teaism, a wonderful little spot that I wish was near me but that is beside the point.

Like other bloggers that I have met out & about, Lola is cool & is just as animated in real life as she is on her blog. She, like others I have met offline is someone that I would kick it with in real life. It’s so funny to meet online friends (those of us who blog) and you already know them or at least it seems like it. It’s almost like it’s a friend that you have not seen in a while but talk all the time.

Anyway, I now know that the next time I hook up with Lola, we will have to do it in a place where we can talk shit & laugh loudly where people will not be like what the fuck is up with them. I think BFB & the Good Dr. Long were like, you guys are like way too loud.

- I really enjoyed the Blackness of DC. Yeah I know I grew up in another Chocolate City but Detroit & DC are two very different beast. From what I saw, the Negroes in DC seem to be more socially progressive, about their business & they seem to know how to act in a club. While I have an aversion to actually living anywhere along the east coast, DC is some place that I will visit often. As a matter of fact, I will be venturing back in the spring with Olivia for the Cherry Blossom Festival. It’s a little father/daughter photographic getaway trip.

- The actual time I spent on the national mall before & during the inauguration is something so big & I cannot compare it to anything else in my life that I have experienced. It was not as big as seeing my kids born but shit, it was up there. Literally being one in a crowd of almost two million is something that I still trip out on when I think about it. The other day I saw a satellite photo taken during the inauguration & a chill went down my spine. I saw myself as an ant participating in one of the biggest events of my life/the history of America/Black history.

Wow, just fucking wow!

- My one & only regret from my trip to DC last week was not buying that Michelle Obama body oil for Suite Suzy when I was on U Street! I should have also taken a picture of it. It was in a small vile & it was brite flourescent pink & basically almost glowing. The guys selling it, were also selling Barack Obama aprons & spatulas. Hmmmm!

- Not sure if I mentioned this previously but I did drive to DC with a friend. We were going to go & come back together but that plan changed & I had to drive back home alone. At 1st I was nervous about that because like most men, I get lost & I really need a navigator.

- I’m not going to discuss why I had to take a hoe bath the day of the inauguration & why I had on the same clothes & underwear for over 29 hours. It was & I was a hot mess.

Well I had to get over my anxiety & get my mind right for the trip home. I winded up really embracing the idea. It seized the 8.5 hour drive home to reflect on my experience & the significance of it all. I used the time to talk to myself & work a few things out in my head. And I used the time to take a few deep breaths & just enjoy myself. I found that I alone am a good road partner. I now think that there is nothing like a good road trip to help you get your mind right.

Lastly & most importantly, here is a link to a few photos that I captured on my trip. I hope that you do enjoy them.

And since when did having a brother in law that is of a different race/ethinc group make a racist a lover of all people? Nigga please!

I still cannot believe that I have a ticket. My BFF’s sacrifice was large & I appreciate him giving up his ticket for me.
———————————————————–
Behind the Lens for milestone
BY TINA REED
The Ann Arbor News

“When Barack Obama began visiting Michigan on the presidential campaign trail last year, Ann Arbor resident Tafari Stevenson-Howard, 34, started a journey of his own.

Turning to his love of photography, the business student at Eastern Michigan University and employee of the University of Michigan wanted to chronicle history. He began by taking pictures of Obama’s visit to Troy High School.

On election night, he was snapping photos at Obama’s Ypsilanti headquarters where volunteers had gathered to wait for results, then he headed home to celebrate with his family.

I found out during my 9 hour road trip that a ticket was waiting with my name on it. My BFF’s boo “The Good Dr. Long” had got tix & had one for me after my BFF gave me his because he knew that I would be willing to kill for it. The trip has now taken on more significance!!!

Anyway, I left the house today at 5am, got to my BFF’s house at 2 something after dropping off my friend who road with me.

All in all, it was a great road trip, that was very smooth. My friends in DC were all amazed that I got in town so fast.

So right now, it’s 730, I’m filled with good food, tired ass hell & looking forward to the rest of my trip. Gotta get some sleep.

BTW, I’m hoping to meet with other DC bloggers. Gotta get my schedule together but still, hit me up.

Sorry that this post is kinda scant but my mind is not 100%, actually, I feel like I’m at 42.7%.

Today I had a pretty interesting & intense day. First of all, I woke up late for work, had nothing to eat good for breakfast & a friend of mine gave me some pretty shocking news. The news was shocking, even my girl Alexyss K. Tylor could not comprehend. I wish I could discuss it but even I can keep some things on the lo-lo.

So after all of this jump-started my day, I had to reserve some energy & professional vibes for an interview that I had this AM with photographer Rosh Sillars for his blog & podcast “New Media Photographer”.

During the interview/conversation, we discussed my photography & my hopes for the future. We also discussed TWITTER and its evils & my favorite site, Flickr. It was a great discussion.

The talk seemed short but when it was all said & done it lasted for 17 minutes (WOW). The podcast will be online next Monday & of course I will keep you posted.

I have no idea how I sounded & I hope I keep it real.

Rosh is really a cool guy & his work is great. We meet at a holiday party last month sponsored by the Michigan chapter of American Society of Media Photographers. I love networking!!!

So after Rosh & I were done, I ran to Quizno’s for a couple of Italian Sammies to eat before I taught my class.

So had class, it went well but my cell phone kept jumping off during. So after class, I check my messages & I had one from Tina Reed of the Ann Arbor News who as calling me to discuss my trip to DC for the inauguration. Thx to my boo’s BFF Ramona Jones.

We had quite a long conversation about what the election meant to me, what I was going to be doing in DC, my accommodations & everything in between.

We are supposed to have a follow up discussion next week & they will also be contacting me the day of the inauguration to get updates on what’s going on. It should be pretty interesting.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Speaking of DC, I’m leaving next weekend & cannot wait! I had planned on driving with a friend but those plans feel through & I am hitting the road solo. Should be peaceful & I will make a kick ass playlist to make the 8.5 hr drive fly by.

I’m staying with my BFF BFB & his wifey. We have been on the lookout for Negro budget friendly events (under 40 bucks) & have been batting zero. That all changed about 1 hour ago thanks to one of my Twitter friends who posted budget friendly inauguration events on the “Soul Bounce” blog.

There are like three events that I must do on the Soul Bounce list.

I am also planning on attending a pre-inaugural reception hosted by my congressional district’s house member John Dingell on MLK day. I got the invite yesterday & have to admit I was excited. The funny thing is, I did not vote for Dingell because he voted on things that pissed me off last year but I am a sucker for a free party. And for the occasion, I’m putting partisanship aside.

On a final DC note, I’m also excited to see BFB, we talk all the time but have not seen each other since he moved to VA in early fall last year. Looking forward to having cocktails with my BFF as we talk shit & argue the way that we have for the last 24 years (I feel old saying that, but we have been friends since we were 10).

So tomorrow, I will be getting ready for my trip to DC by seeing my hair colorist for a touch up, can’t leave town without a fresh dip boo, & I am doing something about these bitch length nails (my cuticles are out of control too).

Anyway, I need to get back to this bottle of dark liquor; I’m in decompression mode like a mutha!

If you are in DC or will be in DC we should hook up, hit me up!

Why come all of Jonny Depp’s movies are the shit? I just watched the “9th Gate”.

Why come I’m addicted to Twitter. It’s really affecting my blogging?

Why come I’m happy as hell that I passed my last accounting test with an 80% & quiz with a 100%. One more test & 2 more quizzes & I am out that bitch?

Why come I’m geeked that I sold a piece of art at the American Society of Media Photographers “object Art show” benefiting AIDS last Friday? The theme was apples & I sold “A Stranger’s Apple“

Why come my Obama love fest is so over but his campaign keeps emailing me for donations?

Why come CNN is all over Sarah Palin like white on rice asking that Bitch if she is gonna run in 2012. She needs to do a whole lot of reading before we can ask her shit like that.

Why come 70% of voting Negroes in CA voted against Prop 8? And how did the Mormons get so rich to come up with 20 something million to support the ban on gay marriage?

Why come radio host Joe Madison is the shit?

Why come Beyonce wants to portray Wonder Woman on the silver screen? Am I the only person in the world that thinks she should be limited to starring in her own videos?

Why come I can’t stop listening to George Dukes “I want You For Myself”? Disco Jazz is a genre that needs a comeback!

Why come I recently saw a friend’s husband out with another woman the other night & he totally looked busted? And why come I feel like I cannot say shit about it to my friend although she knows that I know that he’s hoeish anyway?

Why come Negroes @ the gym be working out with doo rags & headscarves on? Why not sacrifice your waves & perms so that you do not look ghetto as hell in front of mixed company?

Why come the staff at my senators office acted clueless today when I called to get tickets to the inauguration. I am officially on the waiting list in 4 congressional offices and yes I even called Kwame’s wig wearing momma for some tix.

Why come in 1½ hours, I will be watching the early release of “Quantum of Solace”. Not gettin my usual large mixed icee & medium popcorn though. We I might get the icee.