I was gonna go to bed – had a long day at school, stressed out and tired.  I was reading more tweets about Derrion Albert and got worked up all over again.  Then I read another article on CNN about the murder and how they’re trying these 4 teens as adults and I get to bottom and read

Albert’s aunt, Rose Braxton, told CNN affiliate WGN-TV that the family was hurt again when a memorial in Albert’s honor was burned down.

“To go and burn a memorial after such tragedy, then that just speaks for itself to what kind of people they are,” she told WGN-TV.

Pardon my french (and sorry Mom because I know you read this) but WHAT THE FUCK?

What is wrong with us?  How you gonna be fighting some rival “gang” and then just beat down other kids who happen to be outside.  How you gonna clobber people with railroad ties (where in the world did they even get those)?!  How do you stomp someone’s head? Repeatedly.  Apparently both “gangs” beat on Derrion, which shows they don’t even know who in the world their “enemies” are.  What is wrong with these kids?

So now kids can’t even leave school without worrying about getting beaten down to a bloody pulp?  Kids can’t stand outside their community center anymore? What the fuck?

We can’t even mourn people who were killed?  We have to now worry if the memorial we create for our loved one is going to be BURNED down because some “gang” members are upset their homeboys are in jail.

It’s enough.  It’s too much.  It’s senseless.

I don’t even know what the answer is.  People want to blame the parents.  I used to do that until my brother went through his “I’m a thug/I wanna join a gang and be an asshole” phase.  My mom raised both of us in the ‘burbs.  She sent both of us to private school.  She’s involved in his life and constantly keeps him involved in sports so he’d have no time for that foolishness.  But somehow his sophomore year in college he got in with the wrong crowd and lost his ever loving mind.  He was out of control.  For once in my life, I was scared of my little brother.  It was truly a dark time.  I don’t know what brought him back – disappointment from his family, disapproval from his peers, hell, maybe even God.  I don’t know what bought him back but I’m thankful it did.

My other brother, not so sure where that will end.  Do I love him?  Of course.  Is he a good kid?  Around me he is.  Do I think he could get caught up in a group mentality and do something completely stupid and senseless and violent.  Yes.  And that’s what scares me.  These kids out here terrorizing Chicago, and New York and Newark and Hartford are our brothers.  They are our sons.  And we gotta figure out a way to bring them back.  Because this shit has got to stop.

Nas wrote a letter to these “warriors” telling them “killing is played out.”  Bow Wow made a video telling kids to increase the peace and urged his celebrity peers to speak out.  I hope other men that these kids look up to also condemn this senseless violence.  I know open letters and PSAs aren’t going to do much.  But at least they show these men that yes, you are hurt and upset about the hand you’ve been dealt, but you gotta handle things differently.

I’ll end with this video courtesy of Baratunde of Jack and Jill – This is not normal.

peace,
e.

alternate title: We hate you BET.

Ok, I know there’s a lot going on in the world right, but the fact that I’m still pissed the next day means I just have to say something.  What in the world was going on with the BET awards last night? That was not a tribute to Michael and it was just 3 hours of foolishness.  It seems like the only people paying tribute were Jamie Foxx, Neyo, Ciara and Janet Jackson.   Joe Jackson was up in there with chillin with Al ‘do Sharpton.  Beyonce was acting like it was her concert.  People who never met Michael talking about their favorite MJ memories.  Being forced to watch the commercial for the new Tiny show.  Ugh.  But the worst was Lil Wayne and co talkin’ bout “I wish I could *bleep* every girl in the world” with preteens on the stage.  Just gross.  I just cannot.  BET do better.

I think best response I’ve read in response to the BET awards was “I wish BET died and that Michael did a tribute to it.”

At any rate, I didn’t post anything right after MJ died because there aren’t any words to say.  I still don’t have words. We lost a legend.

My ultimate favorite video.

peace,
e.

p.s. Did you notice the Boyz in this video?! I just died.

I’m sure by now you’ve seen the tragic video of Neda Soltan‘s death.  It is heartbreaking.  And it makes me so angry.

The details about her are hazy. I’ve read that she was 16, I’ve read that she was 27.  One report said she was a philosphy student, another said she was into music.  One said she was engaged, another said she was dating.  None of it matters.  She was a human, and humans deserve better than to be randomly shot and to die in the street in their father’s arms.

I get why Obama’s not doing more, I understand his restraint.  But what is going on in Iran is simply out of control.  People are dying every single day for democracy.  What is it going to take for the people of Iran to have some freedom, to have their voice heard?  Are we supposed to be waiting for another Islamic Revolution?

I’m not sure what to do – I mean sure it’s fine to tint my avatar green or change the timezone on my twitter, but I want to do more.  It’s just so upsetting.

EDIT: You could also sign this letter to the UN asking them to intervene.

peace,
e.

at the hands of the police. I hadn’t read my google reader in a few days, and I first came across the story over at postbougie. A quick google search provided no actual news, except for blogs. I’m so pissed.

The story: around 2 am on New Years a few brown men were pulled off the train for an altercation. some were handcuffed, others weren’t. among those not handcuffed was 22 year old Oscar Grant. Apparently Mr. Grant was pleaded with the cops to not taser him, when they put him face down on the ground and shot him. Don’t believe me? It was caught on tape by two different people.

Granted it’s on a camera phone, you can still clearly see a cop holding Oscar down and another cop shotting him. What’s more crazy is that are MAD people watching, inside the train and on the platform. It’s just soo brazen I can’t believe it.

Of course the cops are trying to argue that he was trying to pull out his taser gun and mistakenly pulled out a gun. I’m sorry but a taser gun looks different than a real gun. Very different. And the worse part is that like Rodney King, these cops will probably be acquitted.

I finally found the story on CNN. Do a search for Oscar Grant and the first story is how the cop is getting death threats. Then you see the story about Oscar himself. Enough. American needs to start caring about Black men anf it needs to start now.

e.

cross posted at evahaldane.com

Wow what a weekend.  Isaac Hayes was found unconscious next to his still-running treadmill.  He was pronounced dead at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Bernie Mac died on Saturday from complications from pneumonia.  He was 50.