A Free Black Woman Has The Right To Choose

From time to time, some people may drop by to tell us how "misguided" we are or try to "save us from our selves." I like to address things I "smell" coming before they get out of hand. Therefore, let me be clear: As FREE, intelligent BW, we individually know our own minds and have our own life experiences.

I encourage each BW who reads this blog to be confident in what you know is your truth and move forward with your goals, desires and plans for your life. It has always been my understanding that the BW Bloggers I respect (check my Blog Roll) have encouraged BW to do the same.

If you want to be open to ALL Quality men, that is your right. If you want to exclusively date Quality WM, that is your right. Whatever choice YOU make, it is your right. Whatever your decision, choose Quality above all else. Life is not a cake-walk if the person walking with you shares your same skin tone, so what the hell difference does it make if he doesn't ?

Let me also say that I don't think there is ANYTHING wrong with strategizing with other sistas about how to find the best Quality man to date/marry. In my opinion, smart women know that whom they decide to marry is one of the single most important decisions you make in life. Do not let anyone make you feel "ashamed" or "superficial" for this. The decision about who you marry is not just "getting a man," it is a decision that determines the kind of life you have. It's not getting somebody to warm your bed, it's your FUTURE and that of any children you may choose to have. Again, know your own mind and do not let others deter you from your own goals.

CNN Initiative To Focus On Black America

Four-Month, Multi-Platform Project Begins With ‘King Assassination’ Content

By R. Thomas Umstead -- Multichannel News, 3/12/2008 4:00:00 AM

CNN will examine the current state of Black America as part of a four-month on-air and digital initiative dubbed CNN Presents: Black in America.

The initiative will include three, two-hour documentaries anchored by CNN special correspondent Soledad O’Brien focusing on “fresh analysis from new voices about the real lives behind the stereotypes, statistics and identity politics that frequently frame the national dialog about Black America,’ said the network.

The initiative is slated to April 3 with Eyewitness To Murder: The King Assassination, recognizing the 40-year anniversary of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.’s death.

Along with the specials, the project will feature a weekly series of reports that will investigate topics, including parenthood and marital rates among black adults; high rates of HIV/AIDS among African-Americans; achievement gaps in education, careers; and disparities in life expectancy rates between African Americans and the general population.

Later this month, CNN.com will launch a Web portal entitled Black in America that will feature excerpts from the programming and exclusive interviews with eyewitnesses to history. The section also will include timelines, maps and multimedia stories that highlight the ripple effects the King assassination had on the United States, said the network.

Among the other scheduled shows: Black in America: The Black Man, (June 18); and Black in America: The Black Woman & Family (June 19).

‘As we developed this series, it was critical to go beyond what viewers believe and already know to introduce them to the real people behind the headlines that we report every day on our assignments,’ O’Brien said. SOURCE

A New Underground Railroad is Born : A Message from Black Women Vote !

Subject: The Dunbar Village Atrocity

Synopsis:

In the past week, a rapidly-moving viral email campaign was launched, and thousands of concerned black citizens spread the word about a shocking crime against a Black woman and her 12 year old son, in which crimes against nature were committed. (read more details of the crime here)

This email, entitled “Stop Al Sharpton and the NAACP from endangering Black Women,” described a stunning betrayal in which the NAACP and Al Sharpton held a press conference and demanded bail consideration for three suspects in custody for the crime. (source1) (source2)

Concerned Black citizens all around the country were outraged by the actions of the NAACP and Al Sharpton, and many vowed to withdraw volunteering and financial support from these agencies “until they make the safety of Black women and children a priority.”

On March 24, 2008 an NAACP memo that attempted to defend this betrayal was sent to Beverly Neal, who is the Director of the NAACP’s Florida State Conference. The memo claims that the NAACP was brought into this fray by Rev. Al Sharpton. Moreover, the memo was written by Maude Ford Lee, who is President of the West Palm Beach Branch of the NAACP. (read the memo here)

On March 27,2008, activist Al Sharpton went on the air to clarify his position on the treatment of the Dunbar Village Suspects. He invited writer Tonyaa Weathersbee and blogger Arlene Fenton to his show, to discuss the matter. Rev. Sharpton claimed that he never said that the Dunbar Village suspects were being treated unfairly, and that he did not want bail for the suspects in question.

Ms Weathersbee and Ms Fenton said that their research indicated otherwise, as indicated by video footage, eyewitness accounts, and the reporting from the Florida Sun Sentinel and the Palm Beach Post.

At the end of the radio show, Al Sharpton strongly condemned any activity that would promote bail consideration for the suspects in question. Rev. Sharpton admitted that “if the suspects were white, he would have been there sooner.” He stated that this is a problem with many black civil rights organizations. He apologized and vowed to uphold his prior promise to advocate for the residents of Dunbar Village. He also challenged all activists, bloggers, and writers to be accountable to each other.

To date, the NAACP has not made an official statement denouncing the Dunbar Village Atrocity, nor have they officially expressed regret to the victim. The NAACP also has not officially retracted their statement requesting bail consideration for the alleged rapists/torturers. To our understanding, neither agency has contributed to the Victim’s Assistance Fund or created a reward program geared toward the apprehension of the remaining rapists/torturers.


Conclusion

WE ARE SATISFIED with Al Sharpton’s qualifying statements that he made on his radio show on 3/27/2008. We will watch to see if he fulfills his promise to advocate for the residents of Dunbar Village, and we are willing to assist any effort that promotes safer black neighborhoods in West Palm Beach, FL.


WE ARE NOT CONTENT with the reckless, irresponsible actions of the NAACP (West Palm Beach chapter). We continue to urge all black people, women especially, to refrain from volunteering or giving financially to this organization until they take our safety seriously.


WHAT WE WANT

We want law enforcement to make a concerted, sustained effort to apprehend the remaining suspects. We want to see a genuine reward system in place to encourage members of the community to come forward with the knowledge of the whereabouts of the remaining suspects.

We want the NAACP (West Palm Beach chapter) to reverse their position that the alleged rapists/torturers of this case should be considered for bail.

We want both the NAACP and the National Action Network to cease downgrading the gang rape/torture/atrocity of the Dunbar Village by comparing it to an unrelated gang rape, in which guns, maiming, and forced incest were not involved.

We want to see genuine victim advocacy in the form of financial support for the relocation, medical expenses, and mental therapy for the true victims in this case.


The Dunbar Village Victim Assistance Fund

Individuals who would like to donate money to the victims can go to any Wachovia Bank and donate to the St. Ann’s Victim’s Assistance Fund. Donations will go directly to the mother and her son.

St. Ann’s Catholic Church will also accept donations. Checks can be made payable to the "Dunbar Village Victim Assistance Fund - St. Ann’s".

Donations can be mailed to: St. Ann’s Catholic Church, 310 N. Olive Avenue, West Palm Beach, FL 33401

If you would like to post this Open Letter on your blog, you can copy the HTML here:

(Blogger HTML) A New Underground Railroad is Born
(General HTML) A New Underground Railroad is Born

For more information about this Dunbar Village Campaign, you can visit any of the following blogs:

http://www.dunbarvillage.blogspot.com/
http://adifferentstory.wordpress.com/
http://anonymissblog.blogspot.com/
http://auntjemimasrevenge.blogspot.com/
http://blackfirewhitefire.blogspot.com/
http://blackwomenvote.blogspot.com/
http://charactercorner.blogspot.com/
http://electronicvillage.blogspot.com/
http://episcopalienne.blogspot.com/
http://essentialpresence.blogspot.com/
http://focusedpurpose.blogspot.com/
http://h-essays.blogspot.com/
http://lareinacobre.blogspot.com/
http://mynewblog-ravenelvenlady.blogspot.com/
http://politicalseason.blogspot.com/
http://privyconcepts.blogspot.com/
http://thesowingcircle.blogspot.com/
http://tributetoblackwomen.com/news
http://web.mac.com/roslynholcomb/iWeb/Site/Blog/Blog.html
http://whataboutourdaughters.com/
http://whattamisaid.blogspot.com/
http://www.blacksapience.blogspot.com/
http://yanmommasaid.blogspot.com/
http://www.somethingwithin.com/blog

"Dangerous" Black Women ?

Ok, I needed my moment of comedy above before I tackled this post. As I was reading Aimee’s excellent article about Race and Gender, the usual suspects came out of the cyber-woodwork to challenge why BW need to advocate for themselves. I get soooooo tired of watching BW having to defend our right to be unapologetically interested in advancing our own agenda---however WE define it. Why is it that for BW to organize in any fashion with one another we have to explain why we’re doing so is legitimate? When other “groups” mobilize and set their agendas, why aren’t they questioned as to the validity of said agendas? Does anyone dare question the validity of organized groups within the Jewish community for example? Why should the importance of their agendas be more sacred than that of BW?

When a BW’s child is missing, I believe it’s less relevant to the population in general than that of a WW’s child. Perhaps we need our own "________ "’s Law. Does that count as a valid item to put on the BW’s agenda? Why does anyone have the right to denounce it if BW decided that it is an item we should have on our agenda. Does that imply that we don’t care about missing non-black children…NO. What it does mean, to me, is that I care about missing black children enough to make sure their names & faces make it to the airwaves EQUALLY as much as that of ALL other missing children. Why is that so hard to understand?

If the BW’s agenda includes how we are portrayed in the media, our healthcare, etc, Why is that so taboo? BW have been at the back of the everything bus for too long..just waiting for someone to value OUR problems as equal to that of other groups. We’re still waiting….but some of us are tired of waiting and want to DO something. However, let us start talking about just forming an agenda (not the actual “doing”) and you get folks stumbling up in the discussion crying “we are the world.” **** that….and yes, the word starts with an “F.”

As CW says, “The Time is Now”---whoever wants to ride with us is welcome and whoever has a problem with BW being “selfish” for the sake of our survival, thriving and happiness can check Johnny Cash on the left side-bar. We don’t OWE anyone a justification for our RIGHT to advocate for ourselves independently of any other “group.”

A Note About Evia, Halima & The Ladies of Gen II

I found Evia and Halima's blogs by way of the now infamous AP news article about the depressing numbers of single black women seeking to "date out" as an option to marriage...the "Something New" movement. As I read that AP article, I recognized my experience and those of my black women friends, acquaintances and even some family members. I knew from jump street when I started reading Evia & Halima that they were not going to "speak" to every black woman. I often found it puzzling why those women who did not have the experiences that Evia & Halima spoke of, just didn't move on to other blogs that would speak to their experiences with IR relationships, black men and the black community. The endless "trolls" and arguments were so tiresome. I think it has been stated that Evia turned off the comments on her original blog that is now the E-zine.

Then along came Evia's Gen II, a private subscription only blog. I decided to address my feelings on this subject and then never speak of it again because of my Gen II experience. So much has been said or inferred about the reason Gen II was formed and what went on there. I have to say much of what has been said, based on my own experience as a subscriber, is so wrong. Apart from regular commenters, other subscribers would have no idea who was a member, therefore, I don't "know" all the people who joined. But what I do know is that all members, silent or vocal, eventually became a community.

That's right, we had a small community of black women and some men. I'm writing this today because I want it known that there are some AMAZING women in the Gen II community. We are wonderful, smart, enterprising, good-hearted and just, again, the ladies of Gen II are amazing women. We are not mindless sheep who worship at the altar of any human being. I think what some people don't understand is that by creating Gen II, Evia gave us a place where we could have our own space, free of trolls and others who did not like what she or Halima had to offer to those of us who SOUGHT OUT what they had to say and what we could learn from other women on the blog. People were WILLING to pay for that privilege. For anyone who doesn't know, the Gen II ladies encouraged Evia to share some of the full articles from the paid blog on the Ezine and Evia was glad to do so. We are FREE BLACK WOMEN with minds of our own and what we choose to do with our money is our own business. Contrary to what some may think, we didn't sit around cyber-altars chanting about how evil all black men are or whatever some folks think. We discussed dbr men of all types when it came up. But we also networked, shared life experiences, encouraged each other to travel & shared travel experiences....I even discovered Bikram Yoga (thanks Delish !) I'm truly sorry if other members didn't have the same experience for whatever reason.

Some people may challenge my take about Gen II because so much has been written/said about "The Mammy Chronicles." To that I have to say, the Chronicles were never meant to demean anyone with a weight problem. It has always been my understanding that the Chronicles were meant to be a caricature of the behaviors that destroy the lives of some black women. For example, doing everything for everybody else except herself, never accepting help....essentially being a "mule" for the world. That is my honest belief of the intent behind them. The author can correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember the Chronicles started during a time when everyone was so sick and tired of hearing about black woman and child after another being murdered or raped and out of the author's mind came a way to cope with that. We were able to stop and laugh at the utter ridiculousness to keep from screaming. That is how the Chronicles were "born."

Now about the whole spying issue. I can only speak for myself, but it is my perception that the entire situation was so explosive because some felt their privacy had been invaded because Gen II was a "protected" community. In hindsight, I think emotions got in the way and Miriam was unfairly labeled a "spy" and for that I offer her my own personal apology.

I like my life off-line to mirror my life on-line: that's drama free. The notion that there are "blog wars" is just too stupid to comprehend anymore in light of the state of our nation...with the war and the economy, etc. However, people will do what they will do. For me, I have closed this ugly chapter in blog-land with this post and I'm moving on to more important things. After all, I have weeks and weeks of hotness pics to find.

Married At Last

I'm always happy when a fellow sista who wants to be married makes it down the aisle. However, I have *issues* with this particular story. Let me know if you see why I might have a bit of a hard time with this one.

Click Below To Read The Details:


Sheila Frazier and John Atchison

Vagina Power Ladies

Attention : NOT SAFE FOR WORK / ADULT THEMES

With all the discussions of weight and what is ideal vs. where you are now...my response is love what you have now until you can get to where you want to be.

Self love comes before any change.

The MOST Beautiful Woman At The Oscars

She may not have taken home an Oscar, but the incredible Ruby Dee was definitely a winner last night.

Just a quick post to show my love for the BADDEST ROCKING lady in the entertainment game.

With such beauty, style, grace and talent...we black girls can RULE THE WORLD. Never let age hold you back. As long as you are alive and healthy, you have the POWER to keep chasing your dreams.

Over 40 and not married yet, NOT too late. Still haven't gotten that college degree yet, NOT too late. Haven't traveled outside the United States yet, NOT too late. Whatever your dream, it's NOT too late. Get Busy !

Those Days Are Over !

I'm going to have to break it to my ww friends that they are no longer the "fairest of them all." The days of their good pal Pinky holding the purses while they go out on the dance floor with all the cute boys..OVER. Me reassuring them that, no, you're not fat..OVER. I no longer have time to listen to your boyfriend problems..OVER. No, I'm not going to tell you that you're not getting wrinkles...OVER. Hhhmmm...nope, I don't have time to listen to the hair-brained ideas you have of where I can meet "someone for me" OVER. Please don't point out the bm from the file room anymore...OVER. When you and Becky-Sue are oogling over the cute blonde in Accounting, guess what, so am I...leaving me out of that giggle-fest...OVER. I could go on, but you get the point.

It amazes me how willing I've been to sit at the back of the dating bus. Well, I'm putting some people in my life on notice, those days are OVER. If you have "friends" that see your love choices in life as limited, I suggest you put them on notice that you have as many options as they do.

A Sista Dropping Some Knowledge

Get It Young Miss !