Happy Wednesday afternoon everyone! I just wanted to stop by and update the actual blog site and all the blogspot subscribers who didn't find the blog from the Facebook Fan page. Yes, well, there it is. On Tuesday, June 22nd, I created the fan page to promote the blog, keep me accountable to writing on a regular basis, and to eventually serve as a wide range of commentary and writing styles for freelance writing opportunities in the future. Since then, the fan page has had over 200 visits and as I'm writing there are 60 "fans." I'm very pleased with the progress that has been made, and I'm excited to see where the blog will go in the future.
Here are some things I'm working towards to increase site appeal.
Keep visiting during the summer, and you'll see more changes as I learn how to do all of this! I'm excited for the growth so far, and I'm going to make sure I don't get too caught up in the administrative element of running the blog that I forget to actually write good pieces for ya'll! :-)
Lot's of people are talking out there, but just remember...
Good morning all! Hopefully you were able to watch the BET awards show last night! I was there, via my living room, with my Facebook & Twitter awards show crew, ready to go in on the surprisingly non-ridiculous amounts of BET's EBTisms! Crazy thing about it, the awards might have been the most boring part of the show this year. Truth be told, BET awards aren't that big of a deal. I'm sure Alicia Keys will use hers as a paperweight for her blueprints of the baby room. Since I'm not really a celebrity blogger, I won't go into detail about the events of the show. It will be airing twice a day for the next two weeks on BET. You can also watch highlighted performances here @BET. If you got a chance to watch it last night, you'd probably be able to guess my favorite moment of the night. CHRIS BROWN!!! I feel like he's had one of the roughest years in the industry. From beating up his girlfriend, to that terrible bow-tie, making rap records w/ members of Young Money, and having to watch SO many untalented artists get shine b/c of that ridiculously lame album he dropped last year.
To me, this Michael Jackson tribute was more than him performing in memory of one of his biggest influences. I really believe this was Chris Brown's redemption song. I wasn't even sure if it was going to be him when the tribute began. His silhouette seemed smaller, but I knew it was all just a part of the suspense! His moves were stellar. You could tell he was really in the moment the entire time. The Smooth Criminal routine night light routine was very cute, and I was pleased to see they had made creative provision in the event that a dancer botched a move... AGAIN! Lol. Alas, the most touching moment was when he started to sing Man in The Mirror, and it just wouldn't happen. I think it just got to be too much for him. That song meant so much for every MJ fan, and with the last year that he's had, I know it must have meant a lot for him too. Tears literally poured out of that man's eye. It was so heart-felt. And somewhere in a back room, Usher was probably crying too. Just when things were starting to look good for the old guy, here comes that better dancing, cuter to a wider fan base Mr. Breezy to steal his shine... AGAIN!
I know he did something wrong with his domestic violence issue, but I was wondering if it was okay to forgive? I mean, ya'll forgave R. Kelly when he peed on a fourteen year old girl, had sex with her, recorded it on a tape, and then let the entire world see it... (-_-) In my opinion, Chris Brown's MJ Tribute >>>Redemption song than R.Kelly's Sorry I had sex with that little girl, Happy People/You Saved Me album. Now I just need him to come out with an amazing album somewhere near Christmas time so we can all have that warm feeling about baby Jesus in our hearts to help us make that iTunes 11.99 deluxe album purchase! Well, that's my Music Monday selection for this week. Fantastic job Breezy! I don't know about the rest of the world, but this Virginia girl is ready to crawl back to love! I might even play Graffiti today... Maybe.
~Niq'
***Hey***
That little Janelle Monae is some kind o' crazy! I loved her. I'm really behind on her music, but I'll be checking it out this week. I also copped the new Roots album, "How I Got Over", LEGALLY, lol, with an iTunes gift card so I'm definitely going to be posting some extra music reviews this week... Anybody up for Tune Tuesday? :-)
While I'm several days late speaking out about the police incident in Seattle, I've had the opportunity to read up on the story and do some research of my own.
What the People Want: Seattle, Washington- Caucasian police officer Ian P. Walsh punched under-aged African American female, Angel Rosenthal, during a routine jaywalking citation. Walsh used brute force to end the escalation of a two-on-one violent situation. Rosenthal, age 17, was struck in the face when coming to the defense of 19 year old Marilyn Levias, who was resisting apprehension. Later, Rosenthal's violent behavior was backed by a series of revelations including the recent death of her mother, and a criminal background in theft, robbery, and now assault. Rosenthal was charged in the incident, and Walsh, re-assigned until further investigation is completed. A review of police training in jaywalking situations has also been issued for the Seattle Police Department.
Jennifer Shaw, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington, said in a written statement that Monday's incident wasn't an isolated one. The SPD has a long history of allowing jaywalking citations to escalate into use-of-force situations," Shaw said. "The pattern is very predictable: The officer sees a jaywalker, orders the person to come to him, gets angry when the jaywalker either doesn't respond or argues, and ends up either in a physical confrontation or an arrest for an obstruction charge or both."-The Seattle Times 6.16.2010
That's the story.
And now for the... NiqSpeaks' Perspective
When I first heard about this story and watched the footage, several thoughts came to mind. Why would a cop just punch a girl in the face? Why are those girls so aggressive towards the police? How come it rains so much in Northern Washington, but never in Southern California? How come Washington state links with Montana, Arizona, Vermont and Wisconsin in my head? Wait, what are black people doing in Washington? And that's the question that started my research.
Back in 1940, just seventy years ago, the "Emerald City" only had a 4% non-white population. The city flourished due to a $5.6 million economic gold mine known as government issued wartime contracts, and in 1941, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 8802, which forbade discrimination in firms with these government contracts This order catapulted Seattle's minority population to over 10,000 by 1945.
President Roosevelt's Executive Order 8802- Roosevelt
In an effort to keep Seattle segregated, secret covenants were placed inside deeds across Seattle barring the sale or rental of certain homes to non-Whites and people of Irish descent. It wasn't until the Fair Housing Act of 1968 (prohibited discrimination of sale, rental, and financing of dwellings and other housing related transactions based on race, color, national, origin, religion, or sex) that Seattle was held legally responsible to cease its segregation tactics. Even after this, black families were often discouraged from living in these primarily white neighborhoods by area leaders and real estate agencies, and when these discouragements went unheeded, local utilities would "accidentally" shut off services to these non-white inhabited homes.
Open Housing Sit-in at Mayor's Office, July 3, 1964
At the end of the 1960s, the Black Panther Party movement emerged in Seattle, after 17 year old Welton Butch Armstead was shot and killed by police. While the Seattle Police Department claimed that their officer acted in self-defense, the BPP argued that the shooting was intentional, and should be identified as a homicide. During the parties' brief establishment, they built health clinics and sponsored feeding programs for low income families, in addition to rallying and protesting social injustices throughout the city. The BPP had a short lived existence in the emerald city, migrating to Oakland, California headquarters in 1972 to help with awareness efforts.
Left: Black Panther Party Headline News, 1968
Right: Seattle Magazine Cover, Oct. 1968
Bottom Center: Seattle Times Headline News, Oct. 19, 1968
In my own understanding of the duties of law enforcement, and the activities in which they actually partake, I know enough to realize that as an African-American, I can't raise my voice in anger, or even think to raise my hand at a police officer. I understand that cameras are placed inside police vehicles for the protection of the police and the nation's citizens, but I also understand that as easily as footage can be recorded, it can be altered, edited, and destroyed, if need be. I just can't bring myself to understand why these girls would try to fight the office instead of taking the citation and fighting it later. Even more confounding to me is why the officer would decide to Superman punch Rosenthal in the face, while a crowd of onlookers recorded the situation. Wasn't there a better way to respond that situation? Did his nerves get the best of him? Or his badge?
While all three parties in this matter were wrong for their actions, the issue goes far deeper, and until the mindsets of both non-white and white citizens of Seattle can be re-conditioned, I fear this won't be the last incident of its kind.
Signing off in the in the spirit of peace and love,
It's 1:37... a.m.... and as I work on resumes, update contact information for the few networking opportunities I've had, and jam out to this old India.Arie album, I can't help but to relate to this song!
"I AM having a private party!" I've climbed several ladders at this point in my life, and with my 25th birthday coming up in September, I'm beginning to reach some of my first big milestones. I've faced rejections (my VCU letter & countless job offers) and also been brought to tears by some of my accomplishments (graduating from college & getting accepted into graduate school).
"I'm learning how to celebrate the woman I've become." I know that I put a lot of pressure on myself to one day provide for my family in the same way that they've provided for me in the past. I have people that I want to bring up with me when I get "there." There's things I want to achieve, parties at which I haven't danced, and boys I still haven't kissed. With all of this in mind, I still have to stop and be thankful for what I have right now, and not grow weary in my well doing. It's a process. It seems slow, slower than I could have ever imagined, but I've been blessed with an insatiable desire to learn, and grow, and become better with each day that I've been given to live here on this earth. And my complexion looks good in just about any color. :-)
But seriously, it's a time of transition. I'm learning that. The footing is not sure, and the way seems unclear, but I know that if I keep taking steps in the right direction, and never let naysayers deter me from my destiny, I'll get there. I've just got to make it.
I wanted to kick off things off with a new segment so appropriately stolen from Twitter known as Music Monday! At the start of each week, I'll bring you something new from my iPod & let you know how and why it made it to my playlist.
This week's #MM pick is Vampire Weekend's sophomore album, Contra. This record is everything! It could only be better if I owned the vinyl copy (early birthday present?).
The How & Why: I actually found this group through some banner ads in one of my iPod Touch apps. After a few days of ignoring it, I decided to do a Google search on the group. From there, I watched a couple of their videos on Youtube, and knew I had to own the album for myself. What a splendid surprise! Every song tells its own story, but the track layout brings them all together. This post-folk California summer sound blends live instruments, catchy melodies, and the lead singer's nostalgic voice with modern lyrics, and a couple of subtle references to late hip hop legend, Notorious B.I.G. on title track, Contra.
I can't tell you what to listen to, but feel free to GET ADDICTED to the Vampire Weekend album, Contra.
I've decided to join the bandwagon of republicans/conservatives/vegans/and Fox News viewers in the blaming of President Obama for asinine things over which he has no control.
1. My undergrad GPA
2. The fact that I can't find the grey/green/white Jordan Flight 23s
3. The pile up in my laundry basket.
4. The Red Ring of death on Xbox 360s.
5. Twitter Whale Fails.
...I think I'll post a new list weekly.
That's all for now. And remember, God is love (in 140 characters or less)!
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