Life Gets In Your Way

Jennifer, Sheryl, and Loretta at The Imperial Theatre in 1981.

Loving/living life in 2006 but a little too tired and lethargic (despite the steadfast raw foodism) to post the things that come to mind. I think about processing in pixel and then I up and do something else like dancing or listening or venturing down to 'Philly, Philly' Martin Luther (The) King, Jr. weekend to see Dreamgirls (boo boo on the Beyoncé casting for the film adaptation).

A lot of things are on my mind though. I have been angry, not in a self destructive way but rather I experience myself being disconcerted out of my NYC-induced disaffection, my 'penny with a hole in it'-ness, if you will. I'm lucid. So when you go telling me no again and I wonder why I am asking for your permission.

Coretta and Martin: "Happier than the Morning Sun"

I like this picture. They are without a doubt in a struggle for OUR lives but they are happy (esp. the woman with her right arm extended on the far right; I wonder what her story is/was?) I been tired of tear-streaked faces, distended bellies, ashy ankles, cardboard-encased feet and other markers of black despair paraded across T.V. screens for bug-eyed consumption. Scenes of Subjection. Saidiya ain't lie. No more patronizing laments on cyclical poverty in one breath while scarfing down rare (and yet still black) carcasses in the other. Bernie got that "beat 'em to the white meat shows" somewhere from some damn(ed) body. I am a lover of freedom, esp. my own, but I could not bear the thought of sacrificing my life much less my peace of mind to save white people from themselves but this man-- a representative of a fearless body of unsung women and men-- did. It's not a game. It was not that long ago. White supremacist capitalist patriachy is alive and f*cking well but I am not gonna risk raising my blood pressure by testifying to their trespasses and I damn sure ain't ready to forgive.* And folk wonder why we all suffer from hypertension! (Please believe it ain't just soul food that's killing us. Plenty health-conscious black folks is taking they medication twice daily. What did Chris say: "I ain't worried 'bout Al Qaeda...") Let me stop. I gotta go to sleep. I got a hair appt at 7:30am and a train to catch soon after but since I won't be back before Monday I would sincerely hope that we all honor Dr. King and the brave black women and men of the Civil Rights Movement this weekend. Like somebody, probably Jesse, said, "It's a day on not a day off."

*"righteous cause for sinnin'" not withstanding "man, I gotta get my soul right"