Sunday Singin' Sensation: STEPHANIE MILLS!!!

Howdy!

I had a BUZY weekend! I hope that you enjoyed yours and was able to get out the HOUSE. On Saturday, about 20 of my Seniors met me at The Arizona Center to see "The Secret Life of Bees." We had a blast. Three students brought one of their siblings. I could tell that a significant # of these students do not get out very often. They were elated to do something that was "kid-oriented." I normally don't see many of my students smile; everyone left the theater with cheesy grins. It was nice to see them acting as "kids" rather than "mini-adults" who have their parents' burdens on their young shoulders.

Later that afternoon, T. and I hit Hooters for some lovely sangria. We had 2 pitchers. I told that fool not to order the 2nd one. Did he listen - NOOOOOO!!!! We attended our dept. chair's Halloween party. I made the following altered book for her. Adrienne, do you recall that Maya Road album that you sent me nearly 2 years ago? GIIIIIRL, I finally got around to painting/decorating it. Thanks again! ;)

This was my hostess gift:




Yesterday - church. Did y'all give MY JESUS some PRRRRRRRRAISE?! The guest minister truly struck a nerve yesterday - There are too many adults coming to church and treating it as a "preschool" rather than the "workshop" that it is. Folks, if you've been in the Word for over 4 years, and you see church as "Hang out Central," it's time that you change.

Word.

This week's SS: STEPHANIE MILLS! If you don't know who she is, SHAME ON YOU!!!! Who can think of 1980 without "Never Knew Love Like This Before?" Who can think of "The Wiz" without thinking of Stephanie (the Broadway production becuz you know that MIZ Diana ROSS HAD to star in the movie version)?

If you don't know who she is, go to Wikipedia. I ain't even giving you the link this week. You can also check out this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrvQrYi7mGU

Indeed, she is the "little girl with the big voice."

KUDOS TO MIZ SARAH AND BRAD ON THE BIRTH OF SAWYER!!!!!!!!!!!!! :hugs:

AIIIIIIIIIIGHT, folks, I got my early ballot. Can I get a WITNESS?!?!?! VOTE '08 folks. Women- VOTE. Christians - VOTE. Atheists - VOTE. Everyone - VOTE.

General Colin Powell (who should have ran for President 20 years ago), THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today, I share with you the following:

...as hard as it is to accept a black president, it's even harder to accept a
black first lady. First Lady has always held a beloved sentimental mother/wife
of the nation symbolism. Conservatives are not ready to have to look at this
very BLACK woman with her degrees and her fierceness and see her as the
epitome of the American mother/wife.
This will be a first for white people. They do not want this black woman in the
White house as their first lady. That New Yorker cartoon was [actually] about
Michelle - she was its focal point...look closely... She is the leader, the one
starting the 'revolution' they want you to imagine....

MSNBC's Chris Matthews said, in the course of covering the Obama candidacy,
'He (Barack Obama) brings none of the ' bad stuff, you know?' By 'Bad Stuff',
he meant the legacy of [whites] enslaving Africans in this country, keeping
them as second-class citizens until 1965, a mere 11 years before this country
celebrated its 200th anniversary. You know, 'the original sin', or ' the birth
defect', as Condi Rice called it. Barack escapes this 'bad stuff' only because
his mother was white and may have had ancestors involved in the slave trade; and
also because Barack's father was not African American. He was full blooded
African and therefore Barack had no ancestors enslaved by America - and so the
white guilt factor is missing when they think of him. HOWEVER, NO SUCH LUCK WITH MICHELLE!

Michelle Obama is a direct threat and lightening bolt against White
Superiority. Because, she's Black. VISIBLY BLACK. But it's important to note,
she does not, in any way, shape, or form , contour to the acceptable Black
Pathologies that enable White Supremacy to sigh with relief. [welfare mother,
fatherless child, druggie, etc.] Michelle was raised in a neighborhood. In a
home. With TWO parents. No child revolving in and out of jail.
Raised by a Black man who not only provided for his family, but did so, WITH A
DISABILITY. Her mother had a working class job - secretary- but it was taken
ONLY after she had seen her youngest child settle into HIGH SCHOOL.

Michelle Obama's poise, her confidence, her aura - that was created by that
humble Black man, who by all accounts, adored her. He told her that she is
worthy, and so, when you have that told to you by the first man who loves and
protects you, you seek that validation of that in your choice of mate, you'll
settle for nothing less, and Michelle hasn't.

Michelle Obama, doesn't fit any of the acceptable Black pathologies. And ! when you don't fit the acceptable Black pathologies, then you must be destroyed.
Michelle Obama has become the face of the Black America whose existence is
routinely denied by this country. Think about it.

In ONE generation, the face of this 'Invisible America ' has gone from living on
the top floor of a bungalow, to the possibility of living in T he White House.
And yet, Michelle Obama, refuses to say ' I'm special', in order to give white
America its usual security blanket [that she is one of the exceptions rather
than the rule], So what should be done?

Beat her down into submission.

Michelle Obama represents everything we black women want our daughters to be.
When we stand up for her we stand up for ourselves. No other women in the world
are more neglected and abused as African women period. Michelle looks like [our]
daughters, her daughters look like us. We love the way Barack looks at her we
adore the way he looks at his daughters. The Obamas represent the hope that we
can be loved by our men and they will support us in whatever we do. Little
African American girls need a vision and dream of what it is like to be loved by a man who looks just like them.

Is America ready for a First Lady who looks like her? A regular black woman? Not
a passable biracial curly haired girl that they call black, but a regular black
woman from the south side of Chicago ? With dark skin?

Is she going to be the face of The Woman on the largest pedestal in the country?
A self-confessed 'loud-mouth' black woman? If the Obamas succeed, it turns white
supremacy upside down. And not because a black man is in the White House; but,
because a black woman will be there who didn't have to come in the back door to
lie in bed with the president.