A Writer's Flow by: Danielle Hester

My Thoughts transcend

Into words and verbs of

Conjunctions and Prepositions

Phrases of Prepositions

Building intensifiers of

Subjects, objects,

Nouns, pronouns

They are rhythmic patterns that tell a story

Alphabetical, grammatical formats

Encoded words

Turned flowy prose

Storing thoughts once lingered in my membrane

Now transcribed onto a ghostly canvass remain

Expressions of inquisitive questions

Linking issues of race, poverty, gender, and all the "isms"

If they only knew how deep my thoughts transcended

First from the crescent of my pupil--Sights and observations

Marinating in  my frontal lob

Concocting interrogative words and phrases of 

How, why, when and what was?

Then lethally searching for answers in the realms of

History's wound

I write my thoughts

I thought my words

I am what they say

Combinations of oral reflections and sought out truth

Read them

Understand them

Critique me

Question me

Transcend above me

"Medea Goes to Jail" Catapults Perry's Feature Film Career

I think it is safe to say--if it hasn't been said already-- that Tyler Perry has hit the big time. On its opening weekend "Medea Goes to Jail" brought in an estimate $41.1 million, (nearly double what his first Madea feature-"Diary of a Mad Black Woman" earned its opening weekend four years ago). Now critics are saying the film's strong opening could garner a broader viewership beyond the Black community. The coined "chitlin circuit theater" DVD comedies, purchased on bootleg usually by a man selling them at the local chicken shack, and watched and discussed in the realms of the black home, could now be integrated into the homes of White families. I'm not really sure how to feel about that (ha ha). Although this serves as tremendous news for beloved Perry, it also feels as if a sacred part of Black culture is once again being stripped from us, (I know, I know, I'm getting to deep over a character that is essentially a man dressed in drag), but it does leave for food of thought--What will become of Madea once she assimilates?

Nevertheless, although I have yet to see the film, I have much respect for Tyler Perry for taking his dream and intensifing it to this level. Perry recently appeared on Larry King Live--word is that Perry wants to evidently own a cable network.

R.I.P Travis...

It is western culture to naturally cling to and adopt pets as part of the family--dogs and cats being the top two. Lets face it, us westerns love our pets just a much as we love our mothers, fathers, siblings and children. In my household our dog Shadow, a 70 lb Germaine Shepard mixed with Lab  is the center of attention. My mother talks to him all the time, asking him questions like "how is mommy's baby?," as if he is supposed to answer--( ok, ok, I am slightly guilty of it too). However, there is a very fine line between "house pet" and "wild animal." Which brings me to the point of this post. In the beginning of the week an elderly woman living in Stamford, CT faced what I would call "one of the most terrifying days of her life." This woman, whose name I do not know, was the proud "pet" owner of a 14-year-old, 200 lb Chimpanezz named Travis. She raised the domesticated chimp from a baby and entered him in numerous television commercials and movies. He was even known in the community. One neighbor commented that it was usual routine to see the lady and Travis taking walks and driving together.  

Yet, earlier this week Travis' innate barbarian nature kicked in. According to reports, Travis wanted to go for a drive. After being told no by his owner, Travis took the car keys and attempted to leave by himself. Now after this the details become a bit construe, but essentially, the woman calls a friend to come over and help tame Travis. When the woman gets to the house, Travis brutally attacked her, (resulting in her hospitalization and leaving her with no eyes, no nose, and half a jaw). From there, the lady proceeds to call the police. A team of policemen come to the house and end up shooting Travis down due to his dangerously violent rampage. A couple of days later reports claim the woman had giving her chimp Xanax to help calm him down.  And as the days pass, more and more information reveal that this is not the first time Travis has shown signs of aggressive behavior. 

Experts say it is not uncommon for people to "foster" baby chimps. However, due to their natural aggressive behavior, it is highly suggested giving them up at 5-6 years of age--Travis was 14-years-old and 200 lbs. Why in the world would someone want to sleep with an aggressive 200 lb animal in their home? It is in good intention that people take in pets and care for them. Yet, sometimes our good intentions end up hindering the natural order of things. In this case, one woman's neglectfulness to obey the law cost the life of Travis and mutually scared a good friend. CHeck out the story by clicking on the link below. Its crazy!

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=6901843

"Drunken Negro Cookies"

We take one step forward, only to take three steps back.

That's what it seems like after watching this story about a pastry shop in Greenwich Village, NY whose owner--Ted Kefalinos constructed what he called the "Drunken Negro Cookie," in honor of our new President Barack Obama. MyFoxNY.com reporter Arnold Diaz questioned Kefalinos about the inappropriateness of the name and image of his cookies. Diaz asked Kefalinos if he felt the cookies were racist and thought Blacks would be offended by the "unflattering image?"

"No its not [unflattering]. Its an expression of freedom, for me its just a fun thing, that's all it was, and anybody who says anything else [should] be a shamed of themselves," said Kefalinos in the television interview. 

Consequently, Diaz's report generated hundreds of strong reactions, and of course just 24 hours later, the Lafayette French Pastry's owner issued an apology to the community, saying, "seriously and from the bottom of my heart, it was an innocent design that I created and was nothing more than just a piece of art." He hopes that in the spirit of Martin Luther King, he would like to be forgiven for his mistakes. 

Reading the comments from Diaz's blog, the overall reaction to the cookies is not necessarily that of anger. Comments like: "While I think this is a despicable person to create such a cookie that promotes prejudice views, it's freedom of speech that makes our nation great."

and 

"Drunken Negro Head/Face...LMAO that is hilarious...I am Back and I think that is funny, but it would NOT be something I would sell on the street...that would be something I might joke about with my close friends...you would think folks would be a little more ware now a days."

Suggests that people are not angry at this man, they just think he is ignorant for not realizing he's being bluntly disrespectful.  What do you think? Is this something that suggests we have not come as far as we think we have. Or is this something that just illustrates the rights of the 1st Amendment and should be brushed off as ignorance?

Boondocks' Creator Feedup with Media Misinterpretations

Boondocks' creator Aaron McGruder tells press he just may stop talking period.
      After being misquoted during a speech he gave at Earlham College in Richmond, Ind, the cartoonist says not talking is the only way to avoid "this kind of thing." According to the Washington Post blog Comic Riffs, the paper quoted McGruder saying, "The person who is one of us in the White House is Michelle Obama and her momma..Obama is not black because he is not a descendant of a slave.
           In a statement issued a couple of days later, McGruder says, "it was a simple conversation about the difference between race, ethnicity, nationality, and trying to draw distinctions that most of the media and public seemed to be casually ignoring. That somehow became me calling someone who is obviously black not black." He goes on to say, '[s]adly, it no longer matters how carefully you choose your words--you said what the dumbest person in the audience said you said, I've certainly had my share of criticism for the 'legit' media--in fact, I largely stopped doing press because I hate being misquoted or misinterpreted by journalists--but this new kind of 'gutter news' from sites...[is] going to make it extremely difficult to engage in any sort of intelligent discourse."

Can you imagine Huey silencing his revolutionist rhetoric?

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs/2009/01/obama_talk_boondocks_creator_d.html

"At Last"...Black Love

It has been said that in the context of Black America, sitings of "real," authentic love is missing. Originating from colonial times, Black men were taught to oppress and objectify Black women. Black women were taught to hate themselves and use sexuality for fulfillment; in return, coming to resent the Black man, looking at him as their oppressor, rather than their companion. In essence, the lack of self love in Blacks created their incapability to love one another--If I can not fully learn to love and appreciate myself, how can I fully love and appreciate someone else? Even writers such as activist and feminist bell hooks has written about her experiences growing up having no real tangible sense of what "real" Black love was. In retrospect, there were, (and still are), few public displays of Black love, and, besides the Cosby Show, there were no other black family shows on television to show Black America how a husband and wife should love, (or at least none i can think of). In fact, I am sure many young Blacks who watched the Cosby Show usually dreamt about their families becoming the Huxtables.

Yet, on Tuesday, at about 8:15 pm, the world got a glimpse of what Black love looks like. As Beyonce sang the Etta James classic  "At Last" the Obama's slow danced their first dance as President and First Lady in front of millions. Throughout this presidential race journalists have blogged and complied footage of the affectionate displays and gestures shared between President and First Lady Obama. In a November 2008 issue of the Chicago Tribune, one journalist wrote, "[o]ver the last two years the future first couple has made a practice of sharing such small, intimate moments on the grandest of stages, whether trading fist bumps, whispering "I love you" or stealing quick kisses on the campaign trail. The Obama's unabashed affection for each other suggests they could become one of the most engaging sets of lovebirds in White House history."

And I must agree It was a moment that I am sure will stick in the minds of Black America for years to come.

Where were you when history was made?

On Tuesday January 20th, 2009, the United States of America sworn in its 44th and fifth-youngest President...it's first Black President--Barack Obama. It was, and is a monumental history maker.

That is why, for reasons self-explanatory, it bothered me that on the day history was being made in my existence I was...at work. Not in Washington, DC, covering the inauguration for a big time magazine, but at work...at Washington Mutual on Chicago's Southside. As gregarious crowds gathered at the NAtional Mall in Washington, to watch history, I, Danielle Nicole Hester, aspiring magazine writer, was conducting deposit and withdrawal transactions, and listening to people blame the bank for them only having $10.26 in their checking account. By the time I got home and turned on my television to ABC, remnants of Mariah Carey's performance at the Neighborhood Ball played--lucky me! I imagine years from now, my kids coming home from school, sitting at the dinner table reading the assigned social studies chapter "The New Millennium," and asking, "Mommy where were you when Obama became president?" Will I tell then I was working at a bank during that time and was unable to watch him get sworn in? Or will I embellish on a story I concocted in my mind years before their existence? Having to work all day, then come home and watch the inauguration speech on Youtube, hours after it took place, made me feel like I had neglected the significance of the moment. I wish I could have told Washington Mutual I didn't need to work for them, and that I was not coming in to work because the inauguration of this nation's first Black president is more precedent then getting a pay check. But reality is a pay check is precedent, so there I was.

In hindsight, as I watched recaps of his speech on my Macbook, while sitting in bed, my body got tingles as our President spoke to all peoples and nations. My heart swelled with pride as he spoke of being the son of a man "who less than 60 years ago, might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath," and encouraged us to "mark this day with remembrance of who we are and how far we have traveled." I imagined this must have been how our parents and grandparents felt on August 28, 1963, when Martin Luther King Jr gave his "I have a Dream" speech--history in the making. I imagined watching "Eyes on the Prize" videos and thinking how i wanted to feel the struggles and movements of the Black Power Movement (just for a day). And I imagined how good it would have felt to be a working journalist in Washington, DC, covering this moment.

Aside from his entire speech being inspirational, President Obama said something that stuck with me-- "we are keepers of this legacy." Each generation experiences something that makes them want to act and change systems of power. For Blacks, it has been a long struggle, and the struggle does not end now; it only continues. Moments like this--rare moments in time when your soul knows change is happening right in front of your eyes--are moments that no matter where you were, fact is you were there (in existence); living, breathing, able to see and sense its meaningfulness, able to talk to people who never thought they would live to see the day a Black man becomes President. This is what i will tell my children, not that I was working at a meaningless job and couldn't see an 18 minute speech; but that I lived during the time of Obama and his presidency. And prayerfully, I will tell them about how this man--a man for the people--helped restore our economy, our education system, our foreign affairs...our nation as a whole.