I came across this unbelievable and downright disturbing story on one of the blogs that I visit on the regular (Black Snob) and I had to say something.

Not only does it cross the line with Senator Barack Obama and his family, but also with Senator Hillary Clinton (I can go back to saying her name now…it’s all good). The exhibit, displaying the names “The Assassination of Hillary Clinton/The Assassination of Barack Obama” was set up in a store front in Midtown Manhattan last week and the Secret Service and NYPD quickly came and shut it down. They took the artist in for questioning, but he was released later.

According to an article in the New York Times, the artist, Yazmany, had this to say:

“It’s art. It’s not supposed to be harmful. It’s about character assassination — about how Obama and Hillary have been portrayed by the media.” He added, “It’s about the media.”

I am linking to his Web site only so you can see the travesty that is this. I am offended, as a mother, as a Black person, and as a woman.

Here is the Obama display…

And here is the Clinton one…

After you see them, let me know what you think in the comments…

I wanted to re-post this after hearing that Mildred died last week…how can we stop this from happening again?

It is truly gone beyond understanding when you hear a story of a young girl being shot because she rejected the advances of a group of niggas (yeah, I said it) yelling at her from a car. You see, Mildred Beaubrun, 18, and her friends had just left a club and had stopped at a 7-Eleven in Orlando last Monday. A car full of…whatever…drove up and followed the girls when they left, driving alongside them and yelling at them, asking for their phone numbers and what not. The exchange became more intense when the dudes began to throw things at the car the young ladies were in, and then it happened: one of these mothafuckas pulled out a gun and shot into the car, striking Mildred, who sat in the back seat. She now lays in an Orlando hospital, unconscious and fighting for her life.

For what? Mike over at Happy Go Lucky Bachelor wrote a piece that puts into perspective the difference between then and now. Back then, young men had examples to follow and were able to take rejection with a grain of salt. Now, rejection is seen as an insult, a dig to their pride, and they can’t go out looking like a punk in front of their boys. So to avoid that, to make it seem like they are bigger than what they are, that they don’t take no shit off of anyone, they resort to this kind of bullshit. What has shooting this woman got them? If they are caught (and Lord, I pray that they are), they are facing jail time and an undeniable life filled with more hatred of themselves.

Because that is what this breaks down to: there is no love for themselves, so there is no love for anyone else. The level of respect is nonexistent; and there are no men in their lives to correct them and tell them that if a woman rejects you, take it in stride and move to the next one. Of course, I don’t know what that feels like from a man’s perspective (being rejected), but I do know that if you have any sense, you absolutely know that every woman is not going to fall at your feet because you are yelling at her from some car window. But I digress…

How do we prepare our girls for this kind of behavior? How do we keep them safe from these bastards that have no regard for human life: theirs or others? Because this is frightening, and we are living in a world where violence seems to be the first choice, instead of the last resort. Violence has become the norm, and it no longer surprises or takes us aback when we hear stories like this. That is shameful, and we should be ashamed as a society that we have watched from the sidelines to this thing that has grown into a disease.

I am an eternal optimist when it comes to the youth of the world. I believe that they can be saved. Sure there are some that are way gone, and there is no solution to their problems but 3 hots and cot. But there are others that still have hope in their eyes, hidden beneath their anger and disillusionment. All they need is for someone to constantly tell them they can make it and to help them believe in themselves. I have seen it happen with the kids I work with at my son’s school. I have seen it happen with neighborhood kids that I sit and talk to. My neighbor used to work with kids at a group home and I’m sure she saw plenty of young men that just needed someone, anyone who believed in them. That goes for both girls and boys.

I don’t have a solution to this problem; I wish I did, but I don’t have the answer. Better parenting, better schools, better environments…they all contribute to the solutions, but how do we get there without some assistance? No one wants to take responsibility for the problem, and therefore, no solutions. What I can do is this: ensure that my son and those he interacts with know what it means to respect and love the women they will encounter in their lives. 

Mildred Beaubrun may not live; she had surgery to remove part of her lung and her family is surrounding her at her hospital bedside, praying fervently I’m sure. I add my prayers to theirs, and send my blessings to them.

Have you ever sat and really listened to Erykah Badu? Her voice drips with honey, and has a way of taking you back to a time where the music meant something. The words strike your heart with feeling and emotion, and are filled with emotional challenges that get you to wanting, needing, craving…something. You may not know what that something is, but you know that you want it…and you are ready to do what it takes to get it.

Ms. Badu hit the scene in 1997 with her highly acclaimed CD, “Baduizm” which introduces us to her jazzy licks and cements her establishment in the Neo-Soul eschelon of royalty. Her single, “On & On” was the hit off of this CD, although the album boasted many jewels (”Next Lifetime,” “4 Leaf Clover,” “Otherside of the Game,”…I could go on and on).

video credit: originally uploaded to YouTube on May 1, 2007 by foxysoul94

Then Erykah hits us with “Live,” a concert CD filled with raw Badu. It is this concert CD that made me fall completely in love with her. If an artist can hold up in concert, they pretty much have me. I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing her in concert, so I hold on to this Live CD with my life. My favorite cut on this CD has to be “Ye Yo”…on the CD, you can hear her tears flowing as she sings this song to her unborn child. It is this emotion, raw and uncut, that brings you closer to Erykah.

Following up the “Live” CD is “Mama’s Gun,” the CD that deals with relationships, and the way of the world. Erykah outdoes herself here, with tracks such as “Bag Lady,” “Didn’t Cha Know,” and the centerpiece of the album, “Green Eyes.” “Green Eyes” is one of those rare tracks that eclipses all of your emotions in one song; it is sweeping and swelling and beautiful, but it is also sad and heartbreaking and tender. The song is attributed to her relationship, and consequential breakup, with Andre 3000 of Outkast. Both parties have said there is no animosity between them, but you know the feelings were heavy.

video credit: originally uploaded to YouTube on January 23, 2008 by Mistahjey

Erykah’s subsequent releases (”Worldwide Underground,” “New Amerykah Part One”) have stayed true to form and provided us with the same raw and emotional music that Erykah has always delivered. She is one of my favorites and maintains a high spot in my mp3 player. When I need some substance, she is one of few that I choose to listen to…

video credit: originally uploaded to YouTube on August 21, 2007 by 24Adrian24