Author: whodeanny

Welcome 2006, Thanks 2007!

Wow. What a year. I’m sitting here listening to (You Know) That I Want You by George Michael, really enjoying my rainy Sunday afternoon and reflecting on 2006.

I married the love of my life in 2006. She makes me happier than I ever knew I wanted to be.

After that, most other things suffer by the comparison but still so much has been so good. My family survived, and somehow became closer in this first year of our existence without my mom. my home family has prospered in some beautiful tangible and intangible ways. I’m still a really lucky person.

People in our families battled through illness and fatigue, suffering and loss in 2006 and we’re all making our way into 2007.

We’ve had the good fortune to share part of our year with people who are important to us if not as close as we once were. It is always wonderful to share memories and reflections with the folks who occupy important space in our individual hearts.

Remember to keep dividing your sorrows and multiplying your joys!

TP

James Brown is dead

Yes, it’s true. The Godfather of Soul is dead. It’s hard to acknowledge all the impacts James Brown has had on American society. It’s so much broader than music and includes politics, drugs, urban violence, Black identity, sports and so much more.

Mr. Dynamite was more than an entertainer and an icon; he was a force for positive social, cultural and personal change. His power was more an expression of will than a manifestation of skill. To begin life with so little and end it as such a revolutionary force is an amazing example of how much an individual can accomplish.

In my Black History class, I identify the Hardest Working Man in Show Business as one of the 10 most important Black Americans of the 20th century. I can only hope that the positive elements of his legacy (and the lessons of his monumental failures) are remembered as long as his music will be heard.

Soul Brother No. 1, it’s only been a day, but we already miss you.

FDO

James Brown is dead

Yes, it’s true. The Godfather of Soul is dead. It’s hard to acknowledge all the impacts James Brown has had on American society. It’s so much broader than music and includes politics, drugs, urban violence, Black identity, sports and so much more.

Mr. Dynamite was more than an entertainer and an icon; he was a force for positive social, cultural and personal change. His power was more an expression of will than a manifestation of skill. To begin life with so little and end it as such a revolutionary force is an amazing example of how much an individual can accomplish.

In my Black History class, I identify the Hardest Working Man in Show Business as one of the 10 most important Black Americans of the 20th century. I can only hope that the positive elements of his legacy (and the lessons of his monumental failures) are remembered as long as his music will be heard.

Soul Brother No. 1, it’s only been a day, but we already miss you.

TP

Bush’s successes

Just curious: Can anyone help me fill out a list of GWB’s actual successes as a President?

Whether one agrees with his politics or not, it seems quite difficult to categorize many of his efforts as being legitimately successful. even the men who have had the ‘worst’ tenures as President have been able to say that yes, they accomplished some important things or died too soon. Nixon, Andrew Johnson, Ford, Carter, Fillmore, Grant, Pierce, Buchanan (okay, maybe not Buchanan) all got some things very right. I’m sure that GWB has too but what? Please help me out.

So far, this is my list…

John Roberts

labeling Darfur a genocide

racial diversity

Roberts is probably going to be a very good Justice and it was an excellent choice to stick him in the CJ spot. Scalia would have generated too much ill will and Thomas is over his head as it is so Roberts was as good a choice as probably could have been made.

Darfur is a phenomenally dangerous place and to continue pretending that there is no organization to the murders there would have continued a horrible legacy of indifference to mass murder. It was brave and right for the U. S. to lead the way in labeling the situation correctly. Now, as with all things Bush, one good turn was followed by a bad one. After Roberts was selected, the ridiculous choice of Harriet Miers immediately followed. After Colin Powell led the way in describing Darfur as a genocide, the administration directly announced that simply because the U. S. knew a genocide was happening didn’t mean anything needed to be done about it. Ish. (Is this how any of us want our country to proceed?)

Finally, Bush has been a real advocate for racial diversity in top positions in his administration. Powell and Rice have been the most important Black political figures in American history. While he’s been the leader of the national Republican party, Black Republicans have also managed to secure nominations for numerous governorships. The negative here? Powell was globally embarassed by his bogus UN testimony. Any prospect he had of retiring as a wholly heroic figure was negated by that disgusting episode. (I feel especially bad for him because he was sold out by Bush and Cheney.) If Condi does run in 08 she’ll have to create significant distance from GWB. Of course, her closeness to him is the only reason she’s in the position to be a contender. And despite his support, in Ohio and Pennsylvania, neither of the Black GOP candidates for governor actually won. (Neither did Michael Steele win his Senate race but he always had an uphill battle there. Of course, Harold Ford lost too, but he lost in a state in which it was widely assumed he had an inherent 10 point gap due to race.)

Okay, so there’s the list. Please let me know what I’m missing!

TP

Euphemisms

Passed away, passed on, passed.

Ended, terminated, concluded.

The ‘N’ Word.

hoo hoo, coochee, wee wee, pee pee, doo doo, poo.

Why is it that so many of the most (and often least) important things in our lives are hidden or at least obscured by our almost pervasive use of obfuscating language? I consistently ask my students to use adult words to discuss adult realities but they seem to be almost congenitally incapable.

Except that it’s not about them at all. Or any of us individually. It’s a full fledged societal dilemma that probably concerns only me but c’mon, can we please start saying what we mean? I understand and appreciate political correctness as much as anyone but I don’t think our overwrought refusal to speak clearly is about fear of offense but fear of discomfort. The perception seems to be that if we only talk about uncomfortable things obtusely they will somehow be less uncomfortable.

Is that really even true? Should it make me more comfortable to talk about my mother’s death by saying she’s passed away? She’s just as dead, isn’t she?

And does my saying that raise your hackles? Just wondering.

Much more to come.

It’s true! Two weeks away from work/school for me. Lots of holidays, decent weather, extra family time and best of all, Rachel home for more than a week! Wow, what could be finer?!? (Except early retirement I guess.)

I hope everyone is/has been enjoying the holidays.

TP