Okay, repeat after me: “Don’t, don’t don’t, don’t believe the hype!” Yes, there’s been a lot of talk about rising premiums and how Obamacare has made things so expensive that employers are now forced to cut the hours of low-wage workers. Well, newsflash: it isn’t even 2014, and the exchanges haven’t even been set up in states. In other words: Obamacare has yet to be fully implemented, dumbass. Damn right; and, all that talk is nonsense. In truth, as Think Progress pointed out earlier this week, companies cutting hours have been cutting the hours of workers long before Obamacare was signed by President Barack Obama. Yes, they were cutting the hours of workers long before Obamcare was evrm around.

This from Think Progress:

Obamacare critics have been pointing to several companies’ claims that the law isforcing them to cut their part-time workers’ hours as proof that the health law is bad for businesses and employees. But a new report finds that employers were cutting health benefits and workers’ hours long before Obamacare was even an idea.

According to data compiled by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), large employers have increasingly been turning to part-time workers for their labor. Between 2007 and 2011, the percentage of workers employed in part-time jobs increased from 16.7 percent to 22.2 percent of the work force. That means that workers’ hours have also been declining, since using more part-time workers lets companies scale back on how many hours those employees can work.

But these companies’ cuts haven’t been limited to workers’ hours — they’ve been cutting back on part-time employees’ health benefits, too. During the same four year period, part-time workers experienced a 15.7 percent decline in the likelihood of having health coverage through their jobs.

But no, let them tell it, Obamacare is destroying America. Yes, and not only that, it will make premiums a lot more expensive. Uh-huh, all of this before one exchange is established in any one of the fifty states.b But like I said: Don’t believe the hype. Speaking of which, here’s more good news.

This from wonkblog:

Obamacare got some very good news on Thursday.

In 2009, the Congressional Budget Office predicted that a medium-level “silver” plan — which covers 70 percent of a beneficiary’s expected health costs — on the California health exchange would cost $5,200 annually. More recently, a report from the consulting firm Milliman predicted it would carry a $450 monthly premium. Yesterday, we got the real numbers. And they’re lower than anyone thought.

As always, Sarah Kliff has the details. The California exchange will have 13 insurance options, and the heavy competition appears to be driving down prices. The most affordable silver-level plan is charging $276-a-month. The second-most affordable plan is charging $294. And all this is before subsidies. Someone making twice the poverty line, say, will only pay $104-a-month.

Sparer plans are even cheaper. A young person buying the cheapest “bronze”-level plan will pay $172 — and that, again, is before any subsidies.

Just another low-information voter.

California is a particularly important test for Obamacare. It’s not just the largest state in the nation. It’s also one of the states most committed to implementing Obamacare effectively. Under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger — remember how that really happened? — California was the first state to begin building its insurance exchanges. The state’s outreach efforts are unparalleled. Its insurance regulators are working hard to bring in good plans and make sure they’re playing fair. If California can’t make the law work, perhaps no one can. But if California can make the law work, it shows that others can, too.

And perhaps others will. We’re beginning to see competition drive down proposed rates in some exchanges around the country. Remember Maryland, where CareFirst grabbed headlines with a shocking 25 percent proposed increase in rates? More plans have streamed in with lower bids. Kaiser Permanente, for instance, is only increasing its rates next year by 4.3 percent — a modest increase that will make CareFirst’s proposal almost impossible to sustain. My guess is when the exchange actually opens in October, CareFirst will have dropped its price substantially. If they don’t, then Kaiser and others will grab all the market share.

The way this competition can drive down rates is already evident in Oregon. There, one insurer came in with monthly premium costs in the $169 range, while other insurers asked to charge more than $400. But then, seeing what their competitors were charging, two insurers came back to the state’s regulators and asked if they could refile at lower rates. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be competitive in the exchange. The Obama administration was ecstatic to see this: It’s exactly what they’re hoping will happen across the country.

Well, sucks for you if you live in Texas or any other state that refuses to take up the offer to expand medicare. The only thing I can tell you unfortunate individuals is to get rich or die trying. Either that or consider moving to a state that has decided to get on board and provide its residents with affordable health care coverage. Now of we can get more jobs rolling, “We’d be all to the good,” as one of my homies says.

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Pope Francis Says Atheists Can Go To Heaven

So, according to Pope Francis, atheists can get into heaven. Well, if they can walk through the pearly gates, why then are women not allowed to be priests?Okay, see what I just did? Yes, don’t worry about wasting your time trying to rationalize the Catholic churches policy of gender discrimination. Nope, I’m not trying to hear it — besides, I’m an atheist. I know, it’s hard to believe since I’m black, right? Um, we exist, folks.

This from Catholic Online:

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) – The Holy Father is full of surprises, born of true and faithful humility. On Wednesday he declared that all people, not just Catholics, are redeemed through Jesus, even atheists.

However, he did emphasize there was a catch. Those people must still do good. In fact, it is in doing good that they are led to the One who is the Source of all that is good. In essence he simply restated the hope of the Church that all come to know God, through His Son Jesus Christ.

Francis based his homily on the message of Christ to his disciples taken from the Gospel of Mark. Francis delivered his message by sharing a story of a Catholic who asked a priest if atheists were saved by Christ.

“They complain,” Francis said, “If he is not one of us, he cannot do good. If he is not of our party, he cannot do good.” He explained that Jesus corrected them, “Do not hinder him, he says, let him do good.”

The disciples, Pope Francis explained, “were a little intolerant,” closed off by the idea of possessing the truth, convinced that “those who do not have the truth, cannot do good.” “This was wrong… Jesus broadens the horizon.” Pope Francis said, “The root of this possibility of doing good – that we all have – is in creation.”

“Even them, everyone, we all have the duty to do good, Pope Francis said on Vatican Radio.

“Just do good” was his challenge, “and we’ll find a meeting point.”

Francis explained himself, “The Lord created us in His image and likeness, and we are the image of the Lord, and He does good and all of us have this commandment at heart, do good and do not do evil. All of us. ‘But, Father, this is not Catholic! He cannot do good.’ Yes, he can… “The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ, all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! ‘Father, the atheists?’ Even the atheists. Everyone!” We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there.”

Okay look, the idea of atheists being in heaven sounds hilarious. Seriously, if you ask me, it makes for the premise of a really cool sitcom. No joke, it would be sort of like the cartoon The Smurfs. Everyone will be singing, praying, or whatever believers say they’ll be doing in heaven (everything but having sex because there are no sex organs beyond the pearly gates), while there are more than a few Grumpy Smurfs fighting for freedom and the ability to get on the next train to purgatory. Yes, that’s how I see it; and it’s especially extra funny considering that I’m a former altar boy.

I’m not sure if Pope Francis’ revelation is one along the lines of esotericism or maybe some shit that was originally on the tablets broken by Moses, but I do know that the pope allegedly has a direct line to God. That said, Pope Francis may want to let somebody in the Vatican know the deal, because according to one Vatican spokesperson, Pope Francis full of shit (yeah, my words not his). And of course, you don’t want to send any mixed messages.

This from CNN:

On Thursday, the Vatican issued an “explanatory note on the meaning to ‘salvation.’”

The Rev. Thomas Rosica, a Vatican spokesman, said that people who aware of the Catholic church “cannot be saved” if they “refuse to enter her or remain in her.”

At the same time, Rosica writes, “every man or woman, whatever their situation, can be saved. Even non-Christians can respond to this saving action of the Spirit. No person is excluded from salvation simply because of so-called original sin.”

Rosica also said that Francis had “no intention of provoking a theological debate on the nature of salvation,” during his homily on Wednesday.

So, just for shits and giggles, what are your thoughts on atheists being in heaven? For me, if I was a believer, I’d say that Pope Francis is on some bullshit — and I respectfully say that. However, to his point: just because someone doesn’t believe in God, Jesus Christ (or any white man who lives in the sky) doesn’t automatically mean that they’re evil, immoral, and incapable of doing good deeds.

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I don’t see too many of “us” in the black blogosphere writing about the Kaitlyn Hunt story, and I think it’s unfortunate. Why? Because with a few exceptions, in many ways it mirrors the Genarlow Wilson case. What’s ironic, is that I don’t see advocates for victims of rape, like famed word-hustler and blogger, Gina McCauley of What About Our Daughters raising hell. My guess is that there’s no money to be made in this one; yes, this daughter doesn’t matter, in spite of petitions being circulated, and Facebook Fan Pages dedicated to the purpose of justice for Kaitlyn Hunt.

Yet, the usual voices who advocate for the victims of rape within the black blogosphere, are eerily silent. Which if you read one of our recent posts, this might be a good thing considering the motives of some within the black blogosphere. Even so, we can’t complain about a lack of coverage and attention to “our” daughters when we ignore the daughters of “certain people” when they fight for justice — to do so is hypocritical.

So who is Kaitlyn Hunt?

She’s a teenager facing felony charges for having sexual relations with another female four years her junior. Yes, she is a lesbian; and yes, as you can see in the picture above, Kaitlyn Hunt is white. But should any of that matter when it comes to her case? I’ll let you answer that question after reading the following story below, which details her case. Still, I question the silence of some, and I wonder whether Kaitlyn Hunt’s sexuality — the fact that she’s a lesbian — has anything to do with said silence. Could it be the fact that the accused in this case doesn’t have a penis, make her less of a “child predator,” or “rapist,” as Gina McCauley described Genarlow Wilson in one of her many assaults?

This from ABC News:

A Florida high school senior was expelled from school and is facing felony charges for a sexual relationship she allegedly had with a fellow girls’ basketball teammate who is three years younger.

Kaitlyn Hunt, a cheerleader and basketball player at Sebastian River High School, is facing two counts of felony lewd and lascivious conduct on a child ages 12 to 14 for her alleged relationship with a freshman classmate.

She has denied the charges, which were filed earlier this year in Indian River County.

The girls were 18 and 14 when they became sexually involved, according to an arrest affidavit by the county Sheriff’s Department. The girls basketball coach at the high school found out about the relationship, told the younger girl’s mother, who also works as a coach, and kicked Hunt off the team, according to Hunt’s family.

The younger girl’s parents then contacted police, according to the Hunt family.

The police set up a phone sting operation in which the 14-year-old called Hunt and asked her details about their relationship, according to the affidavit. Police then arrested Hunt in February, based on the details the girls discussed on the phone, according to the document. She was charged and spent 24 hours in jail before posting bond.

[...] Hunt’s family says the 14-year-old student’s parents are angry that their daughter was in a same-sex relationship, and decided to go to police, according to Andrew Gay, Hunt’s uncle and the family spokesman.

“Our understanding form the other family is the reason they initially pursued this case is because they’re unhappy with their daughter being a same sex relationship,” he said. “It would appear to be the case if Kate were a male this wouldn’t be happening.”

The freshman’s parents also twice asked a judge to provide a court order banning Hunt from attending Sebastian River, but the petition was denied, Gay said. The school board then expelled Hunt from the school, and she has been attending an alternative high school, he added.

The Indian River School District declined to comment on the case except to say that it followed the district’s student code of conduct in dealing with the situation.

The case has sparked outrage in the Indian River community and online, where petitions and a “Free Kate” Facebook page have gained more than 20,000 followers, which has fueled the recent interest.

“Our family’s perspective on this is that Kaitlyn made a poor choice, but this is something that could have been dealt with between families,” Gay said. “But they refused to talk. They’ve been very aggressive. I understand feeling like you need to protect your child, but I don’t understand ruining another child’s life.”

He said the 14-year-old has told police she was in the relationship voluntarily, but the girl’s parents are pursuing the action. The younger student’s identity has not been released by police or the Hunt family.

Gay said the family understands that the significant age difference between the girls led to the legal problems, but said it points to a wider, national problem of seniors in high school facing jail time for becoming involved with freshmen.

“Just because you turn eighteen doesn’t mean you’re the wisest person on earth,” he said. “This happens all the time with males. It’s a national tragedy that seniors in high school are going to jail for dating freshmen. If they shouldn’t be intermingling with one another, then they shouldn’t be in the same school.”

Hunt has pleaded not guilty to the charges, but has been offered a plea deal by the prosecutor’s office that she must decide whether to accept by Friday, according to Gay.

The prosecutor’s office offered Hunt the chance to avoid jail time if she pleads guilty to felony child abuse, he said.

“She’s hanging in there, but it’s been rough,” Gay said. “She’s spent three years doing medical training in high school and had plans to start college and a nursing program.

“A felony convict can’t become a nurse, so that would ruin her plan for her entire life.”

Watch the video below:

Kaitlyn Hunt

Now I’ll be honest, I have a 14-year-old-niece who will be a high school freshman this fall. And I’d be lying if I said that it would anger me if she were to have a sexual relationship with a high school senior. Forget the sexual relationship; hell, I would be pissed if I ever found out that she was even dating a senior. And since I’m being honest, I might as well let it be known that the sex of the senior in question wouldn’t matter. Yes, I would be equally as upset whether the relationship was heterosexual or not. Why? Because at her age I think dating someone four years her senior is inappropriate That said, if I were the parent of a 14-year-old girl, I doubt I would be calling the cops like the parents in the story above.

I can’t say whether they did what they did because they refused to accept that their daughter may be a lesbian as is alleged. But nonetheless, given that the law is the law, they do have every right to pursue charges against Kaitlyn Hunt in spite of what some may think about them. But the real issue here — as it was in the Genarlow Wilson case — is whether the punishment fits the crime. Like the Genarlow Wilson case, I think it’s outrageous to prosecute and charge Kaitlyn Hunt with a felony, and having her imprisoned for life with the label of being a sex offender. But hey, that;s just me and my thoughts on the situation. I would love to hear where you stand on this one, so don’t be afraid to share in the comment section below. At the end of the day, a “Romeo and Juliet” provision should be used to make Kaitlyn Hunt’s crime no more than a misdemeanor, in my opinion.

The post Kaitlyn Hunt: Like Genarlow Wilson, She’s No “Rapist” or “Predator” appeared first on Madness & Reality.

Editor’s Note: The following post was written by Hip Hop scholar, activist, and journalist  Davey D. It was was originally posted at Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner, and it’s an honor to have it posted with permission here at TIOMAR.

Michelle Obama gave a speech over the weekend at Bowie State saying that too many Black kids fantasize about being ‘ballers and rappers’. Her exact quotes were as follows…

Today, more than 150 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, more than 50 years after the end of ‘separate but equal,’ when it comes to getting an education, too many of our young people just can’t be bothered,”

“Today, instead of walking miles every day to school, they’re sitting on couches for hours, playing video games, watching TV. Instead of dreaming of being a teacher or a lawyer or a business leader, they’re fantasizing about being a baller or a rapper,”

She concluded that many Black kids think getting an education is acting white… Her quote was “reject the slander that a black child with a book is trying to act white.”

Damn Michelle who the hell wrote your speech??

A few things to think about.. First lets just go on record and note, those ballers and rappers that many fantasize about, played a key role in getting Michelle and her husband into the White House, not once but twice..From Lebron James to Jay-Z to Will I am toCommon to Beyonce who the First Lady famously asserted was role model for her daughters, were all up in the mix during their campaigns and subsequent inaugurations..These rappers and ballers went out and engaged their fans, by doing songs, concerts and special appearances  to go to the polls and vote in what we are now seeing to be record numbers..

If we really wanna keep it 100.. I saw Diddy and Jigga hanging out at the inaugurations in 08 and not prominent scholars like a Cornel West who actually went and campaigned in 60 + cities for the president. We’ve seen countless pictures of rappers all up in the white house..Why wouldn’t a kid fantasize about being a rapper or baller when its them hob nobbing with the Obamas not his teacher or preacher?

Second point.. For the love of God, lets dispel with this 25-year-old cliché first uttered by Spike Lee back in the late 80s at the height of the crack epidemic about Black kids not wanting to read because it would make them appear white.. People who are trying to do the tough love thing have been running with that quote for far too long and it has no bearing in reality.

In the age of Youtube, the Internet and other forms of technology we have all sorts of cross pollination taking place. You have some kids in the hood rocking skinny jeans and skateboard gear made popular by white kids and in the burbs you will see white kids rocking a hat to the side and sagging pants made popular by their Black counterparts. Slang and patterns of speech are damn near universal at this point in time. In short if we’re going by style of dress and surface mannerisms one can question about what does it mean to be Black or white?

If we wanna talk about Black kids reading books and stereotypical perceptions behind that, we have to couch that in the context of disparities in education and how that plays out on the ground.

The fact is many of the ballers and rappers who kids MAY fantasize about are actually moguls in their own right with lots of money and perceived power which many have come to understand is the result of them having hustle, a willingness to grind and intelligence to navigate the systems before them.. Whether its Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Common, Rick Ross, Kobe  or Beyonce, you name it all have made it abundantly clear their success was the result of them grinding ..Its been made clear their mogulness has been the result of them soaking up game and learning the business aspect of the worlds they enter. As Jay-Z once famously rapped..I’m a businessman, I’m a Business, Man If that hasn’t been made clear, its up to people like Michelle Obama to highlight that aspect vs deriding one’s ‘fantasy’

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So, a security officer at Walmart falsely suspected a white father of kidnapping his “mixed” children; and, some of my friends are mad about it. One of my friends sent me the following story and asked that I share my thoughts. In their opinion, the following is yet another example of racial profiling gone bad. Only that they didn’t say it in those exact words. Instead, my friend said was, “What the Walmart security guard did to that poor white man was fucking racist!” Yes, she was pretty hyped and I guess with us being post-racial and all, she wanted me to join her in her moment of rage. I’m not sure if she wanted me to plan a march, a boycott of Walmart, or start a riot by throwing a garbage can through the window of a local pizzeria. But, I figured I’d share the story with you readers to help me decide how I should act. Having said that, check out the following story.

This from MyFOXdc:

WOODBRIDGE, Va. -A Prince William County man says he was suspected by Walmart security of possibly kidnapping his three young daughters — all because they aren’t the same race.Joseph, who doesn’t want his family’s last name revealed, and his wife Keana are an interracial couple. They have been married for nearly 10 years and have three daughters: a 4-year-old and 2-year-old

On Thursday evening, Joseph took all three girls to the Walmart in Potomac Mills in Woodbridge to cash a check. He says they weren’t there long, but spent a few extra minutes in the parking lot while he buckled the girls in and then made a phone call.

Joseph says he then went to up his wife, Keana, and as they were arriving home, they were shocked to find a Prince William County police officer waiting for them.

“He asks us very sincerely, ‘Hey, I was sent here by Walmart security. I just need to make sure that the children that you have are your own,’” Joseph says.

“I was dumbfounded,” says Keana. “I sat there for a minute and I thought, ‘Did he just ask us if these were our kids knowing what we went through to have our children?’

“He took my ID and asked my 4-year-old to point out who her mother and father were.”

Joseph says the officer told them a Walmart security guard reported seeing him in the parking lot with the girls and thought it was strange.

Soon after the officer left, Keana called Walmart demanding an explanation. She says after asking to speak with a manager, she was transferred to a Walmart security officer who denied raising the alarm. The officer said it was a customer that came forward.

Keana says she was told, “Well, the customer was concerned because they saw the children with your husband and he didn’t think that they fit. And I said, ‘What do you mean by they don’t fit?’ And I was trying to get her to say it. And she says, ‘Well, they just don’t match up.’”

Keana and Joseph say the incident at Walmart is troubling, but not surprising. They say throughout their courtship and marriage, they have been subjected to racism in various forms.

They say now that their daughters are in the picture, they are speaking out to help shed light on the ignorance that still exists. They want to show people that love sees no color, especially when it comes to family.

Walmart issued a statement saying: “There’s still a lot of unknowns at this time and we’re currently looking into the situation.”

Joseph and Keana say they will never shop at Walmart again.

Watch the video below:

When cops fail to respond, the consequences can be dire as in this case:

Last August, a woman in Josephine County called 911 and pleaded with dispatchers to send police — “my ex-boyfriend is trying to break into my house. I’m not letting him in but he’s like, tried to break down the door and he’s tried to break into one of the windows.” The woman had good reason to be afraid of this man, as she told the dispatcher on the other side of the phone, this same abusive ex had put her in the hospital just a few weeks before. But the dispatcher has no one to send. Because the local sheriff’s department recently lost millions in federal funds, it laid off 23 of its 29 deputies and limited their availability to eight hours on Mondays through Fridays. The woman’s call to 911 took place on a Saturday.

With no deputies available, the 911 dispatcher transferred the woman to the state police — but they would not come rescue the woman either. In the words of the state police dispatcher, “I don’t have anybody to send out there. You know, obviously, if he comes inside the residence and assaults you, can you ask him to go away? Do you know if he’s intoxicated or anything?”

Eventually, the ex-boyfriend, a man named Michael Bellah, pried open the woman’s front door. Choked her. And raped her. After he was caught, he plead guilty to kidnapping, assault, and sex abuse.

As for it being racist, or akin to racial profiling? Let’s just say that had they pulled him over by cops after being followed around Walmart by security under the suspicion of shoplifting because his kids are black (?). Well yeah, then I would say that you might have a good argument for throwing down a race card like it’s a big joker while playing spades. But RiPPa it’s 2013 and white men and women are having mixed kids! Sure they are and no, there’s nothing wrong with that. Unfortunately for them, we have pedophiles to blame for this hyper-vigilance and not racism. Yes I know this happened in Virgina; and yes, I know all about that state and the landmark court case, Virginia V. Loving. But like I said, this might be a tough break for the couple involved; but, it’s better be safe than sorry when it comes to the safety and of children no matter their race.

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“Hotter than a middle eastern climate, find it 20 mataran dutty whine it, while it, Nicki on a pit while I sign it, how these niggas so one-track minded but really really I don’t give a F-U-C-K” – NICKI MINAJ, “MONSTER”

On May 19th, 2013, Nicki Minaj performed on stage at the 2013 Billboard awards. This performance included Lil’ Wayne in a duet fashion performing the song “High School”. The overall performance was divided it into three acts: Act one: Nicki Minaj coming out and doing her solo verse, a slightly erotic gyration as she eases from bar to bar verbally and physically hypnotizing her adoring fans; act two: Lil’ Wayne and Nicki Minaj piggy backing bars with Lil’ Wayne introducing his dull cliché of hypermasculine energy that has prevailed for much of hip hop’s history; act three: Which is of course, my second favorite act, Nicki Minaj giving Lil’ Wayne a strip club style lap dance.

Check out the performance below:

Look at all that ass!

My biggest concern with all of this outside of the normal apprehensions that come when one thinks about all the young children that might be watching was Lil’ Wayne’s inability to let Nicki Minaj just have her moment. Now, it needs to be written, Nicki Minaj totally owned Lil’ Wayne on that stage when he was sitting in that chair and she kicks that right leg up, slides with a step to straddle and just goes into her popping. She embraces her physique’s appeal, a strip tease for the audience of fantasizing fans that have fetishized her gluteus maximus with her hands pulling teasingly through her legs. And just when she concludes with her Captain Morgan’s stance on the chair after dismissing Lil’ Wayne, her prop…her stage accoutrement speaks in its mutant language.

The Stats of Destiny’s Child Catering Service

It was an embarrassing power transferal. I would not even call it that. The statement in that moment is better referred to as power dissipation, really. And it did remind me of a similar performance by Kelly, Michelle, and Beyoncé of Destiny Child’s.

Musical group Destiny’s Child, Michelle Williams, Kelly Rowland and Beyonce Knowles perform onstage with Magic Johnson, Nelly and Terrence Howard onstage at the BET Awards 05 at the Kodak Theatre on June 28, 2005 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

At the 2005 BET Awards Show, the ladies escort Magic Johnson, Nelly, and Terrance Howard out to the main stage area and sit them down in respective chairs. Michelle partnered with Magic; Kelly partnered with Nelly; and Beyoncé with Terrance Howard. It seemed as though poor Michelle needed a footstool to hurdle onto the lap of Magic, and once there she seemed completely out of her league by being on his lap! There is a natural power dynamic attendant to height, and even sexual prowess can be incapable of reducing it. Kelly completely overpowered Nelly. In parts of the tease we can see Kelly having to guide Nelly’s hands, it just looked like poor Nelly had completely been reduced to the proverbial putty in Kelly’s hand. Which makes Beyoncé’s grace look less than polished in that particular performance.

‘In Righteous Discontent: The Women’s Movement in the Black Baptist Church, 1880-1920, Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham first coined the term “politics of respectability” to describe the work of the Women’s Convention of the Black Baptist Church during the Progressive Era. She specifically referred to African American’s promotion of temperance, cleanliness of person and property, thrift, polite manners, and sexual purity. The politics of respectability entailed “reform of individual behavior as a goal in itself and as a strategy for reform.” Respectability was part of “uplift politics,” and had two audiences: African Americans, who were encouraged to be respectable and white people, who needed to be shown that African Americans could be respectable.

African American women were particularly likely to use respectability and to be judged by it. Moreover, African American women symbolized, even embodied, this concept. Respectability became an issue at the juncture of public and private. It thus became increasingly important as both black and white women entered public spaces.

…The prevailing interpretation suggests that the politics of respectability undermined the rigidly scientific nature of racial categories, but generally tended to reinforce status distinctions within the African American community. These distinctions were about class, but they were defined primarily in behavioral, not economic, terms. By linking worthiness for respect to sexual propriety, behavioral decorum, and neatness, respectability served a gatekeeping function, establishing a behavioral “entrance fee,” to the right to respect and the right to full citizenship…’ -- Gatekeeping and Remaking: The Politics of Respectability in African American Women’s History and Black Feminism, Paisley Jane Harris

Without delving too deeply into the politics of respectability, I do want to say that there is a difference between what Nicki does and what the Women of Destiny’s Child do. And I do not want this to get bogged down in the class (behavioral) discussion, because I feel Nicki could have done the exact same performance without the guy that used to strike a pose kissing his “daddy” and it would have been extremely powerful. Lil’ Wayne was at best a prop. However, there is a nuance that separates “seductive” from “sexy”, and I do believe Nicki Minaj falls into the later category. Sure, from my hetero masculine eyes, it is easy to fetishize Nicki in the same manner that White men have been fetishizing the Afrikan feminine anatomy throughout their records of history.

And without having to dance around the ring in any polemic bouts, sure, there is an objectifying quality here. But, sexual appreciation is often objectifying. Yet, I fully respect and honor the SHE of Kelly Rowland as she effortlessly causes Nelly to slide into trance level state of consciousness with her body movements and allure. While objectifying her in his head, she’s turned him into not much more than an object! And honestly, so has Minaj. While Little Tunechi is looking for a role to play, he settles for the shallowest pebble in his mind, the obvious look at Nicki Minaj’s derrière and locker room puerility of a 17 year young seaman recruit receiving his first lap dance. Little absorbs the collective psyche of 15 year old White boys in the United States and says what they wish, while Howard does to Beyoncé only what Jay seems to have, or at least I am hoping for Jay’s sake.

“How These Niggas So One-track Minded”

It is the childish expression that Little chooses out of his bag of mental marbles to display that causes me to wish Minaj had not done the performance with him. I can handle the raunchy. It was intentional. Destiny Child is singing a ballad catering to the men, some feminists may be adverse to that, but it was the song. I refuse to attend the outrage of anyone upset that heterosexual women are singing heterosexual songs. Minaj is rapping with Little– although their verses are asymmetrical– about a tryst between a man and woman. Nicki Minaj’s verse discussing how a woman helps a man to see the finer things in life after he has been incarcerated, Little’s concluding verse a batch of controlling banter that happens to be highly sexual. I expect Minaj to pay homage to Choice, Lil Kim, Trina, Salt-N-Pepa, Oaktown 357 and that sort of style of dancing and presentation because that is the genre in which she is in, and her entire career has been in homage to that particular posture developed by those women. I did not feel as though she was distasteful, in fact, I thought it was tantalizing. Her moves need polish, but so did Beyoncé’s moves.

Ultimately, I never want to write anything that would ever be deemed as me reducing any woman’s, or group of women’s power to “ass shaking”. For one, I would never reduce the herstories of Women globally to sex, there is too much pain in an Assata chapter for that. Nor would I ever reduce what Nicki Minaj, Michelle, Kelly, or Bey did as “ass shaking”. From belly dancing to ghost dancing, there is an extensive human art, science, and politic to the kinesiology represented in dance. I would just like it if niggaz let women do their thing, and if there must be power transference, let it be the gracefulness of a stare held too long cascading into the personae unmasking itself on stage in laughter.

Politics Of Sex & Sport

 “An argument might be made that part of what it means to be a male athlete is to remain, emotionally at least, at the developmental level of many adolescent boys.” – “Studs, Tools, And The Family Jewels: Metaphors Men Live By” Peter F. Murphy pg. 80

“When sex becomes a contest, a means for domination and conquest, male-female relationships are reduced to a game in which there are “winners” and “losers.” The question, “Did you score last night, Steve?” represents an extension of male competitiveness in which “females are often perceived as opponents and various strategies or game plans are developed to get them to submit”. Men feel comfortable on the playing field, where they know the rules of the game and can maneuver a victory. This may be part of the reason many men avoid smart women. In addition to having their sense of insecurity about their own intelligence exacerbated, men may also fear losing. A woman who understands the rules of the game may be too much of an opponent, and male identity may be too invested in being the winner.” – ibid, pg. 85

That being typed, I think this comparison is an interesting study in how certain power dynamics operate. Without having to lean too heavily on my patriarchal socialization, there are spaces where sex is sport. And there is a space where the choices of conduct that deem us as quick witted are sport. Sport in the United States, is traditionally a male dominated social area. US professional sports define “equality” by the idea that no woman is physically capable of competing with male athletes. Even trying out for a position on a professional team where men compete is scoffed at (although that as a hiring practice in any other domain would be illegal). This fundamental notion is extended beyond race and class. In the Black community the male intellectual is relegated to the position of patriarch(like the pastor of one’s church, think Cornell West, Michael Eric Dyson), and the woman athlete is relegated to social statures that are familiar as well: the “tomboy, the “stud”(or “want-to-be male”), or a hobbyist at best.

“Since their earliest manifestations in pre-Greek civilization, sports have grown out of a society’s need to be proficient in war. Hunting, wrestling, running, horse racing, and fencing gave warriors a means to improve crucial components of the limited military resources they had at hand. Ideologically, sports have been used domestically to reinforce class differences and to encourage men to become soldiers.” - “Studs, Tools, And The Family Jewels: Metaphors Men Live By” Peter F. Murphy, pg. 60

Hip hop, as many will explain, has as one of its many roots, the battle rap. This is art as sport, music as competition. For Nicki to be privy to the space she holds– a Woman successfully navigating a space of sport in the US– is a feat in and of it Self. Dance also has competitive space, with dance competitive companies. Dance as competition has emerged to the degree of suggestions of pole dancing as an Olympic sport as Pole competitions is a professional sport. So, none of this is far-fetched. The space Michelle, Beyoncé, Kelly, and Nicki Minaj find them Selves in is not new terrain in the psyche of the viewers. Yet, like most things where Women, especially Black Women, have an advantage, the status of the event is tampered with to appease male insecurities.

 “The relationship between sports and war in U.S. history illustrates the role of athletics as an instrument of oppression and animosity. Gorn and Goldstein trace the subtleties of this association, beginning with the American Civil War which “provided a well of memory, a master metaphor for the belief that conflict between individuals, classes and nations lay at the heart of human existence”. As a moral equivalent of war, “athletics offered an opportunity for young men to get their first taste of glory, and for older men to renew the tingle of heroic combat”.” – “Studs, Tools, And The Family Jewels: Metaphors Men Live By” Peter F. Murphy, pg. 61

Nicki Minaj, one of the only Women in professional Hip Hop in 2013 with the degree of her success, can surely be taken to task for certain, um, added physical accessories. But so should Lil’ Kim, Janet Jackson, Beyoncé, and a host of other Black Women with national media coverage throughout history that alter body parts for cosmetic purposes. Sure, is there a pornification of Hip Hop? There has BEEN a pornification of Hip Hop since back when Salt-N-Pepa got on a stage in those black skintight outfits and told the world to “Push It”. I think it is dangerous to immediately run to the old standby of sexual lewdness as deleterious when it is women, or specifically Black Women, that command the power of the sexual act being portrayed.

Hip Hop dance, as well as sexual performance in the art of dance, is a fairly Woman dominated sport. An aside here could easily be that the competitive forms of dance dominated by men such as tap dance, break dance, and Capoeira as dance are more popular and acceptable in mainstream. The portrayal of Little, Magic, Nelly, and Howard as submissive instruments for the extension of Black Women’s exhibition is not a role men, especially Black men of stature, are commonly associated with. Yes, Nelly got the treatment, and showed it, and he was supposed to! Little was worked like the uneven bars in a Gabby Douglas set. Unfortunately, for Nicki, after she was done with her presentation of prowess, the damn balance beam wants to remind the world why it was supposed to be the inanimate object to begin with!

“Historically, as form of resistance to the negative stigmas and caricatures about their morality, African Americans adopted a “politics of respectability.” Claiming respectability through manners and morality furnished an avenue for African Americans to assert the will and agency to redefine themselves outside the prevailing racist discourses. Although many deployed the politics of respectability as a form of resistance, its ideological nature constituted a deliberate concession to mainstream societal values. The self-imposed adherence to respectability that permeated African American women’s lives, as well as African American culture, also later impacted African American activism and the course of scholarship in African American Studies. This strict adherence to what is socially deemed “respectable” has resulted in African American scholars’ confining their scholarship on African Americans to often the most “heroic,” and the most successful attributes in African American culture; it has also resulted in the proliferation of analyses which can be characterized as culturally defensive, patriarchal, and heterosexist.” – “Examining the Politics of Respectability in African American Studies”, Kali N. Gross

So far, US history has shown us that Black Women are going to be lambasted as “whores” and morally deprived for simply being the interests of male concupiscence. If it is Black male concupiscence, there may not be an interruption in the game, but if it is in command of White male concupiscence, then you can almost guarantee a flag on the play. Madonna comes out on stage in a teddy to be received as queen and is not even performing, Beyoncé is attacked as being ‘too racy’ and ‘trampy’for energizing an audience with spectacular use of technology, choreography, and enchantment. As a Black man and a media analyst, I have to toe the line of observer, voyeur, historian and critic. There is a history of competition between Black women and White women that reflects a delicate history where White men could glance, hawk, and rape Black women almost like hunting as Thomas Jefferson does Sally Hemmings, and then returns to the bed to place his White wife trophy on the well sculpted pedestal. The hard-fought battles of women like Ida B. Wells, Mary Church Terrell, Fannie Lou Hamer, Mary Bethune-Cookman, Assata Shakur, Elaine Brown, and countless others were not waged alongside White Women in the manner some feminist writers might misleadingly inject. The need for the protection of the “chaste” image of White Women remained a bloody timeline, while Black Women had to navigate a desirability that historically marked them as libidinous, a justification for the centuries of rape by White men, and also one that was anchored in centuries of caste positioning them in a psychological strata below White Women even in the minds of Black men.

That any Black Woman is able to capture the appeal of audiences in a seductive and sexy fashion without it being labeled in some manner as “animalistic” or “less than ladylike” is to confuse one’s Self with the implements of strategy. There is power in the sport of art and that power is economically viable, and psychologically impacting. We are not discussing subjective qualifications alone here, this is practical and utilitarian. Sport is the peacetime version of war, and there are gains to be had by the victors. Those gains will not be silently and calmly transmitted.

“The sports hero embodies this sense of control for the fan who vicariously lives out his fantasy world through the superathlete who has it all: money, fame, and beautiful women. Spectatorship emerged concomitantly with the rise of a consumer society and came replete with myths of the superathlete created by a burgeoning profession of sportswriting for an audience that sought “a sentimental sense of community, not new information or good writing”” - ibid, Murphy, pg. 76

Since sport is the peacetime preparation for war, it also contains elements of power and conquest. As a man, the sport of mating is a dog pit where my emotions and position as patriarch is the booty while I am tasked with getting…well, the booty. Beyoncé and Minaj are not just seen as artist in that sort of dynamic, they are looked at as champions. But there is a social dynamic of White supremacy that even in the most quantifiable of topics will place some quality of White involvement in a more worthy position than any other participant, as well as reduce the role of those non-white participants. It is a part of the game. What we call “shyt talking”, or “bad mouthing” on the court or the field of game is the propaganda of the war monger. As such, those competitors that are not the Beyoncé’s, the Michelle’s, the Kelly’s, the Nicki’s or a host of other celebrated Black Women whose entertainment puts them at the level of champion will be attacked, maligned, and antagonized like Jordan Crawford insulting Carmelo Anthony. Which makes me disdainful of Little and his immature response to what was a powerful play. It is proper to note here that Gabby Douglas, the first US Black Woman, and subsequently the only US athlete, to win gold in both the individual all-around and team competitions at the same Olympics was not celebrated for her status but demeaned for her hair.

Black Men: Ball-hogging and Lack of Team Loyalty

 “Racism finds a counterpoint in the sexism and misogyny of sports. Despite the impressive growth in the number of women participating in athletics, sports continue to evolve as an expression of a male culture that keeps women in their place even while on the playing field.” - “Studs, Tools, And The Family Jewels: Metaphors Men Live By” Peter F. Murphy, pg. 78

In the same vein that I felt insulted that Shawn Carter had to refer to Beyoncé as a “bitch” in his song with Kanye, “that’s my Bitch”, I felt like Wayne fumbled a ball on a fourth down pass right at the in-zone. If a Black man of Carter’s stature can pay homage to the stereotypical older White patriarchs with his suit and ties and tumblers of brown liquor, can he not also extend the image of a team mate to the Woman that got him the Oprah interview? I cannot demand anyone treat their wife without verbally abusing them, wait, that’s not true, but, I am not going to do it now. It would be nice if Black men could show the same degree of loyalty to the team that Black Women collectively have shown throughout our genesis in the US. Nicki Minaj is helping to establish your brand beyond the place she found it. Regardless of what the uninitiated might think or type, proper training in team sports holds that if your teammate is about to score, the least you do is get out of the way and let them, if you can’t block or defend them. The proper show of appreciation in most sport cultures in the US is to grasp hands, nod approvingly, hug, or slap arse. You don’t have to open your mouth to the adoring fans in the stands. Champions walk off the stage of sport with the thunder of applauding fans as the background music of their life without needing to speak or allude to their win. Not because they are arrogant, but because they have been there before.

[ORIGINALLY POSTED AT OWL ASYLUM]

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The Genarlow Wilson case is burning up the internet again…

This case gained notoriety when it hit the headlines back around 2007. The case and subsequent conviction of Genarlow Wilson was based on a flawed statue that made it a felony for a minor to engage in oral sex with another minor – while if those two individuals were to engage in actual intercourse it would only have been considered a felony. Upon conviction Mr. Wilson was sentenced to ten years in prison without probation and his case wound its way through the court system and his sentence was ultimately overturned on the basis of it being “cruel and inhumane” given the circumstances of the act itself and the laws that were on the books at that time. The laws themselves were as a result of this case amended. Mr. Wilson’s case gained media attention and quite a few persons of note lent their support to his case including Tom Joyner who personally backed Mr. Wilson’s entry into Morehouse College where He graduated this past Sunday with honors.

Ebony Vs WAOD

This story first reared its head via social media channels, namely Twitter and Facebook when there was a story published about Mr. Wilson that purported to demonstrate his overcoming the adversity surrounding his involvement in that case. The backlash as a result led to a campaign which targeted ebony sponsors and advertisers and led to the Genarlow Wilson story ultimately being pulled off the Ebony.com site.

Amid much gnashing of teeth and bickering on Twitter and Facebook The argument that Mr. Wilson’s crime was not properly addressed and that the “victim” in the case did not receive justice was a common theme and many were incensed at the idea that a convicted “rapist” was allowed to go scot-free.

Twitter Bursts Into Flames

Just when it seemed that story had died out or at least had been sent into retirement, the Morehouse graduation of Genarlow Wilson this past weekend managed to be the impetus for those who were engaged in the original slugfest, to bring it back to the forefront. Although this time around, it appears to be much uglier and volatile than before. The recent article can be found here including tweets from various people known to the blogosphere and Twitterverse. The vitriol that has come from this most recent piece is somewhat disturbing if not outright slanderous. Making inferences about someone being a child molester simply because they support Mr. Wilson is a little over the top if not way out-of-bounds.

Second Chances

Genarlow Wilson

I am not going to rehash the right vs. wrong of this case; it has been done to death already. There was a crime committed for which the offender served his time as the court dictated. So the question now becomes why is that not enough? IF the 17-year-old served his time and is now moving on with his life including seeking higher education and graduating with honors from a prestigious educational institution, why all the animosity. Should Genarlow Wilson have donned sackcloth and ashes and retreated to live the life of a hermit because of his actions back when he was 17?

The New Age/Self-Help meme has always been about not giving up and perseverance so when a young black male manages to transcend a negative incident in his life at what point do we acknowledge that?

There is no support for rape culture or those who wish to abuse or mistreat women and are incapable of understanding our value. There is however appreciation for someone who faced extremely negative circumstances and managed to turn his life towards a positive outcome. Especially when so many are not able to. Have we become so twisted as a society that this is actually the wrong thing? Is the new meme now that once you make a mistake you are eternally doomed to an existence of punitive daily acts of contrition or do you have to shed blood to satisfy the angry crowds?

Just wondering?

With A Little Help From My Friends

Is the anger directed at the supportive structure surrounding a Morehouse or those who stepped forward to help Genarlow Wilson get into and attend Morehouse? Strange when complaints like that come from those who have themselves benefited at one time or another from being in the “cool kids club”. Of course there are thousands more in similar situations that did not get the opportunity that Genarlow Wilson did – it is not what you know all the time but who you know and this is real talk PERIOD. When wagons are circled to help or protect someone or support their attempt to do the right things, should it be met with hate and vitriol ? Then people whine about people not sticking together…..Think people i know it’s hard but the brain cells are up there for a reason to be used….

Kindly advice – before you jump on any side of this or any other issue you might want to apprise yourself of the facts before speaking out publicly. In this case the court transcripts are factual documents that outline the case and the outcome (Check them out).

Check them out

Listen to Genarlow Wilson in his own words:

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There’s nothing like an act of Mother Nature to remind us of our humanity. Looking at the ongoing coverage of yesterday’s tornado that devastated the small community of Moore, Oklahoma, I’m reminded of this.

Much like in the first few minutes after the Boston Marathon bombing, images of rescue efforts by first responders assisting victims serves as a subtle reminder. That would be, that in tragic events, the most important item is the human condition in times of pain, fear, and desperation.

In those first few moments, not much thought is given to the loss of property and material items. All that matters is the rescue of lives. And it is as such, that many individuals spring into action with abandon of self in an attempt to save lives.

One would think that everyone from Oklahoma especially, would be this way. But just as the tragic events of yesterday’s tornado gives us a glimpse of the human spirit and the will to live, unfortunately it also exposes our worst attributes as human beings. In the wake of yesterday’s tornado, it’s sad to see Senator Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) be that very person. One would think that a politician who represents Oklahoma would be the last person to play partisan politics when it comes to the mater of rescue, recovery, and federal disaster aid funds. Unfortunately for the Oklahoma tornado victims, Tom Coburn is the man poised to play partisan politics at their time of desperate need.

This from Washington Post:

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) will insist that any federal aid to deal with the tornado in his home state must be offset by budget cuts.

“He will ask his colleagues to sacrifice lower priority areas of the budget to help Oklahoma,” spokesman John Hart said. Should other Republicans join Coburn, it could set up a fight similar to the January tug-of-war over Hurricane Sandy funding. That aid package was delayed by GOP opposition and ultimately passed with mostly Democratic support.

Coburn was against the Sandy relief package, as well as 2011 legislation toreplenish the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster fund. His office has noted that the 1995 aid for victims of the Oklahoma City bombing was balanced by cuts to unspent appropriations. However, he did ask for expedited FEMA aid in 2007, when an ice storm hit his state.

Oh well, at least Coburn is being consistent. Yep, and I’m sure that it would not be long before someone blames President Obama for staging the tornado. Yep, because we all know that he used his other-worldly powers to create the tornado so as to get Climate Change legislation on the table.

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It’s pretty clear that Republicans are taking shots at Hillary Clinton in lieu of her possible presidential run in 2016. I know it’s only 2013 and we’re a long way away from the next presidential election. But, when you’ve lost two election cycles back to back as Republicans have, to a black guy with a funny-sounding name. You spare no moment to sling mud at another minority — this time a woman — who could quite possibly clean your clock. Yes, and as the politics of desperation would have it, Hillary Clinton appears to be the worst fear of the Republican party. As such, she is being derided by right-wing talking heads and politicians alike, for the sole purpose of securing a Republican presidential victory in 2016.

Yes, and this is what the Benghazi fuss is all about, folk. It isn’t because Republican politicians are concerned with the death of four Americans at a U.S. Consulate at Benghazi. Hell, if they truly cared about the safety of Americans at U.S. consulates and embassies, they would’ve never blocked legislation to provide extra funds for security at said facilities overseas. But don’t tell that to any right-wing asshat with a conscience or a soul. For them, the simple fact I just stated means nothing in their quest to regain power in 2016. As such, this is why Mrs. Clinton is their main target. And to that point, here’s what conservative radio host, Pete Santilli, said in a recent broadcast.

This from Right Wing Watch:

I want to shoot her right in the vagina and I don’t want her to die right away; I want her to feel the pain and I want to look her in the eyes and I want to say, on behalf of all Americans that you’ve killed, on behalf of the Navy SEALS, the families of Navy SEAL Team Six who were involved in the fake hunt down of this Obama, Obama bin Laden thing, that whole fake scenario, because these Navy SEALS know the truth, they killed them all. On behalf of all of those people, I’m supporting our troops by saying we need to try, convict, and shoot Hillary Clinton in the vagina.

Santilli hosts his show on his website, but says he’s “ready to take my show to national syndication; that is, of course, if the FCC regulated AM/FM radio stations can handle my truth & honesty.” Well, since we’re being honest and truthful: Is it any wonder why there has been a spike in military sexual assaults of late given the mindset of men like Santilli, who are willing to shoot innocent women in their vagina? Don’t worry about answering that question — yep, no need to complicate the issue. But at any rate, listen to one of your beloved patriots below.

Clearly, he has small penis issues.

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It’s spring. As temperatures continue to rise, I’m impelled to think about the crude comments women are assailed by, as they walk down the street in the summer finery they waited all season to wear.

Street harassment is a daily occurrence experienced by women all over the world who navigate open, shared spaces with men. According to Stop Street Harassment, between 70-99% of women experience street harassment at some point in their lives while trying to simply walk down the street safely, by men who will say the most inappropriate things and make the most dictatorial demands of us, as we wind our way around their abuse. And often, the street harassment and gendered violence experienced by black women is especially troubling; given that black women face the highest instances of street harassment and sexual assault, and are often silenced or dissuaded from speaking out about it. Even worse, the infractions committed against black women often go unnoticed and unopposed because we, somehow, asked for it or brought  it on ourselves.

It’s not uncommon for me to scan either of my social networking timelines, and come across some Bitches Be Like… “Dear Black Women…”picture meme or missive by a  segment of men who love to flex their entitlement under the guise of ‘constructive advice’, when it really amounts to nothing more than backlash, taking women to ask over some perceived slight against their ‘manhood’. The primary issue seems to be the expectation that black women should speak when spoken to by strangers on the street, and smile on command lest we present ourselves as “bitter” or bearing a grudge against black men. The comments provided by the brigade of men who love to wax indignant about how ‘uppity’ black women supposedly are and voice their growing disdain for us, are generally par for the course. The internalized patriarchy displayed by other women who seem more than happy to throw their sistren under the bus for the favor of that male gaze, never ceases to disappoint, however. I won’t even bother dissecting the surge of ‘life coaches’ and relationship gurus, offering up advice to fledgling sociopaths, on the art of coercion and matters of the like, when a woman says ‘no’.

I’m tired of this culture of misogyny and patriarchy dictating that it’s somehow my job to placate some man’s ego, for fear of being berated, stalked, attacked, or looked upon unfavorably because I’m exercising my right to do whatever and emote however I see fit. As an adult woman in her mid-30s, I feel no sense of obligation to speak or smile on cue just because some stranger I’ve never met or interacted with, will feel slighted.  On any given day, a woman can be in the throes of some experience that has her distracted or under distress, or just not feeling particularly social.

Recently, I was watched (unbeknownst to me) and then stalked into a wine bar, where I was then  told by the perpetrator that he “had the right” to basically invade my space and rattle off a list of unsavory and crude things. Specifically, he vehemently said that he “deserved a woman like me” after I was vocal about my discomfort and asked him to leave me alone before being saved by the woman tending bar that day.

Listen, my humanity– if and when it’s acknowledged at all– has been relegated to a binder’s worth of fucks. Having to navigate a predominantly male political landscape that wants control of my reproductive rights and thinks rape is legitimate, with any resulting pregnancies considered a gift from G-d, is treacherous enough; when I’m prompted to lament a culture that champions the blueprint for date rape, or the prospect of having to walk on eggshells around a subset of men who’re more than willing to defend the right to be able to stomp the shit out of me , because I won’t say “hi” or smile, is too much.

When you tell me to smile or insist that women need to speak when spoken to,  as if this isn’t a democratic society, the short answer is NO, I won’t and don’t. Your response should be to move on without incident.

To besiege women with verbal or physical assault, or wade deep in your feelings via some hateful online manifesto, because of  a woman  has refused to comply with your demands or advances (benign or otherwise) is sick. If you’re a man whose treatment of a woman is contingent upon whether or not she smiles and bats her eyelashes at you… a stranger… on the street, and it has that much of an impact on your ego you, then it speaks volumes about you more than it does about whatever perceived, negative dispositional affect, men love to diagnose black women as having.  It’s not a matter of black women being incorrigible… it’s a matter of consent and recognizing a woman’s agency over her own person. Men shouldn’t have to be encouraged to stop harassing women on the street with pleas that they think of their mothers, sisters, nieces, girlfriend, or wives to humanize women, and as a way to underscore behavior that’s just wrong. Period. Regardless of personal relationships.

Here’s the official MEMO: I will speak if I feel like it and reserve the right to smile if a situation warrants me to crack one. I will, under no pressure or obligation to do so, or just to put you at ease. All women have the right to that very same entitlement without the threat of vitriol, push-back, or hate. You’re not automatically guaranteed a date , a smile, or my time to exchange  pleasantries with you on the street,  just because you’re a man or because you’re “being nice”.

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