Pastor C. Wesley Knight--I Hope You Run Out

Book of John Chapter 4
Jaycee

Satire!....You say? I, say RACIST! Shame On Y'all!

Satire: Noun, A literary work that attacks humans vice or folly through irony, derision or wit. The branch of literature constituting such works. Irony, sarcasm or caustic wit used to attack or expose folly or vice.

Satirize: Verb, To Attack or Ridicule by means of Satire.

Courtesy of the American Heritage College Dictionary

I looked at the current issue of The New Yorker and I am shocked and appalled! A major magazine, respected worldwide puts out such an openly offensive, blatantly racist cover and then claims it was just Satire!

The Kevin and Bean radio show syndicated in Los Angeles pulled a promotional stunt a few years ago taking garden hoes, painting them Black and having people come and get their Black Hoes!

When Black folks called them on that crap, they said "Hey, it was just satire!"

No, Kevin and Bean, it was RACIST, Juvenile, insensitive, low classed , petty, bottom feeding and cruel and monumentally STUPID!

The New Yorker's current stunt is even worse! Kevin and Bean's audience is primarily young, white, college aged, beer drinking frat boys who I dare hope will one day mature and grow out of it! The New Yorker's cover demonstrates what occurs when they don't mature and grow out it!

Shame on The New Yorker! Shame on you for such low class, Racist crap! A Pox on your houses, gentlemen! Like all Judases, Biblical or otherwise, I'm sure you got paid for it!

You knew America is irrational about Obama's cultural and religious upbringing. You knew it and you know that this cover would just play into that fear. I guess you justified it that hey, we just pointed it out and that was the point! Screw that! Shame on You! Even though you've proven that you have none, shame on you!

Obama's a Muslim! No, he's not! He's a Christian, But so what! Praying to the God of Abraham five times a day, Making a pilgrimage to a Holy land at least once in the lifetime, giving alms, making a daily declaration of belief and fasting during a holy month are not bad things! Christians and Jews do it all the time!

Hey, Black folks have been oppressed in this country and are still being oppressed and treated unfairly. Black Anger is not to be taking lightly and disregarded. Black folks have always been loyal and patriotic to a fault even when we should not have been and to dress Michelle Obama as a militant with assault rifle is beyond tastelessness!

There was a big to do about Michelle Obama's comment, that she was proud of being an American for the first time! She, a Harvard educated lawyer, Black from a poor working class family. Worked hard and became the best. All the things that America says they respect! But, because she was honest about her people's history in this country for that moment she got slammed!

I wonder after this will she still be proud of America? I am not! To me, this kind of low class, Fox news, racial pandering is just more the same! It's as normal and natural and American Apple Pie! I'm still waiting for my overjoyed pride in American moment!

I listened to some folks who took a focus group for NPR about the candidates. One participant even though he believed Obama would probably be the better candidate, felt that if he voted for him he would be voting for a Black Agenda. At least he was honest! Most folks aren't but yes that may be there true feelings and you played right upon it! Shame on you!

You stooped to the lowest common denominator, well second lowest, there's FOX but still for you guys, Shame on YOU!

Be Careful! Be Mindful! Be Prayerful!

Jaycee

Judged By the Content of our Character! Another Crock!

I have a dream that one day our children will not be judged by the color or their skin but by the content of their character! Pastor, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 1963

Dr. Charles Richard Drew found a way to preserve blood plasma that helped America and the world but he bled to death, a southern medical facilities refusing to treat his injuries from an auto wreak!

Bishop Henry McNeil Turner was elected to the Georgia Legislature during reconstruction only to be betrayed by his own party. The Republicans who in an effort with southern democrats stripped the African American elected officials of their authority and ousted them from congress.

There are hundreds of examples of injustice but none worse than the misuse of Dr. King's quote. It's amazing that we allow it to be so shamelessly abused. White and Black so called conservatives use it ignoring everything else he said in that speech and in his overall ministry.

Everybody didn't grieve when Dr. King was murdered! While he was alive, he was harassed and under FBI surveillance! He was criticized, his efforts on behalf of the poor of this nation were presented as communist!

No! Everyone didn't grieve! Everyone wasn't sorry he was dead! Where were their efforts on behalf of the poor, did they take up his cause even if they didn't agree with his methods! Did they change the FBI's policies towards dissidents in this country? Naw! Did they make a real effort to create jobs and industry in poor and rural areas or did they give welfare instead?

Dr. King was in Memphis working on behalf of striking garbage workers when he was shot! Did they take up the torch of service? Dr. King, was a pastor of a respected church, a degreed professional and could have just stayed in a comfortable life of ministry and academia but he was on the front lines! Content of Character, each of these people Dr. King, Bishop Turner and Dr. Drew proved the content of their character by sharing what was theirs with the world. It's time that America return the favor!

You can start with job training programs in new and up coming industries, drug treatment assistance and a decriminalization of drug abuse and addicts! You can encourage industries to train and hire in the inner cities. Create jobs via Federal programs that rebuild America's infrastructure. There are alot of out of work folks who can build a freeway, a new levee, clear forest bush and plant trees and American would be better for it!

America can forgive student loans completely of those who teach in the inner cities and pay off loans and debts of new doctors and lawyers who devote at least five years in the inner cities to clinics and hospital and pro-bono work!

America, can restore the citizenship of those who have lost it. Remember those folks on Parole, some who can not vote in elections that will decide their futures and their childrens. They should have a say or you doom them to permanent disenfrancisement. Make them someone who's got nothing to gain or lose!

We can do it! That would show the content of our character!

Be Mindful! Be Careful! Be Prayerful!

Jaycee

What about the Poor?

They gave the Wealthy two tax breaks! They gave the poor a tax increase!

Lower Representation and Increased Taxation!

Higher tuition fees, Higher gas and energy prices, high food prices! Higher rents and higher homeowners fees! Stagnant wages!

The Rich got Richer and the Poor got the shaft! - Jaycee

Sen. Jesse Helms died on the 4th and my spiritual upbringing and current spiritual practices and beliefs would not allow me to dance and sing songs and burn incenses and fireworks! Darn, spiritual upbringing! Jesse Helms passed on the 4th and let that be the only thing Jaycee Williams ever noted on that subject.

This week the FISA telecom immunity bill passed! As I stated in an earlier post, we are being conned! The Democrats did not resist this policy! Obama, stated in earlier speeches that he would filibuster any effort to give telecommunications companies retroactive immunity for helping the Bush goverment illegially spy on us. He led no such effort! In fact Bam-Bam, voted for it! So much, for the constitution and protection from unreasonable search and seizure! Fourth amendment!

Speaker Pelosi, when faced with Kucinich's second impeachment proposal stated that she would consider it. Wow! What's changed? Why now? Could it be that the voters are angry and disappointed in your leadership? The troops have not been brought home barring war injuries or death. There is no time table for withdrawal! What's changed Nancy? What's changed?

In my May 7th post, I stated that no one except Sen. John Edwards was speaking on behalf of the poor and the working poor. No other candidate was doing that then and no other candidate is doing that now. Obama and McCain are speaking only on the wealthy and the middle class. The middle class as I said then is a nebulous term because it does not actually define its meaning in a concrete form. Most people who claim to be middle class are in fact poor or working poor!

They are using this incorrect and nebulous catch all term and getting fooled! When politicians speak of the middle class, they are speaking of couples who make 200 k or more a year, are educated professionals, and are property owners and investors. If you are not making that then they are not talking about you! And don't fool yourself with terms like lower middle class, upper middle class, catch all, feel good, nebulous terms that can be applied to anyone willing to take the label. Social values and religious mores do not make you middle class! Well behaved and responsible citizens maybe but not middle class! Politicians are happy not to define the meaning of middle class. They fool the poor with this feel good term but their policies benefit everyone except the poor.

So who is speaking for the poor and working poor? The gap between the Wealthy, Rich, Poor and Working poor is widening further and further everyday. People are losing their homes, Jobs are going overseas, factories are closing and infrastructure is falling down. Home loans are being defaulted and the government is talking bailout that the tax payers will have to foot.

I'm sorry but I gotta talk real. A loaf of bread, a gallon of milk, a jar of peanut butter and a dozen eggs can not be purchased for twenty dollars at the local supermarket. Twenty dollars will not fill your gas tank. Electricity and Natural gas prices are up and why? Some say it's the oil speculators, some say it's because we are running out of oil. Could be but Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Royal Dutch Shell and BP Oil are hiring right now not downsizing or cutting back so if they are growing and expanding while state and local governments are slashing their staffs and budgets then something don't add up!

These same oil companies and the politicians that they pay to represent them all say we should drill in all these places that have been off limits for years but that they are always trying to gain access to in order to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Con! Ask any mining town that allowed big business to come in, set up shop, drill, mine, explode or whatever how their town or land and local economies look now? How much useless land was left, how many health problems are they still dealing with? How many folks can get jobs there now that the steel, coal, chromium, oil or uranium is gone?

The Energy industry is out for itself and itself alone. It's not about nationalism or patriotism at all! If it were then we would have very different language being used like real conservation, nationalized price controls, tax breaks for the working poor on energy and rebates, and tax breaks for auto manufacturers that buy back vehicles like the Expedition and the Hummer and recycle them into new smaller cars with great gas mileage. How about 45 MPG? How about bringing back those wonderful electric vehicles that were only lease able a few years ago?

How about enforcing federal mandates against large publicly traded companies like MTA who have judgements against them for reducing the number of bus routes and buses in large metropolitan areas that serve the working poor and the poor. Oh, there are other solutions! But of course we are not hearing them from the congress, the senate, Obama or Mccain! We are being conned!

I am so disappointed in Bam-Bam and Old-cain as well. Bam-Bam is moving towards the center which was already skewed too much too the right and Old-Mac has just sold out whatever principles he espoused for the past thirty some odd years. Who suffers for that?

Oooh Oooh! I know! We do!

Be Careful! Be Mindful! Be Prayerful!

Jaycee

Don't Knock It 'til You Try It

Ray Bradbury at Acres of Books in Long Beach

Check my previous post "Eminent Domain, My Azz! Nuff Said!

Happy Birthday Auntie A!

Happy Birthday Auntie A!

Sit down with some great pastrami, some good music and smell some jasmine and honeysuckle. Love you!

Jaycee

Black Dots and Blue Notes!

Hey Y'all

I know that you enjoyed the past post featuring "Sandbloom" and then Double bassist Esperanza Spaulding but this week I have three great artists for you to check out. Trust... you already know from the previous posts that you ain't gonna hear em on MTV or BET but they are all worth every cent you spend. So this week I am presenting Lizz Wright, with her third set, " The Orchard" Rissi Palmer, a great African-American Country singer. She does Jordan Sparks " No Air! I am not sure to covered the song first. Ne-Yo wrote the tune and I think even Rhianna's done it! It's a great tune! Rissi does a really nice interpretation of it. Trust great! And Serious Soul Singer in training Lalah Hathaway. This is like her fourth or fifth set. She's got a great soul pedigree. Mommi's an opera singer, Daddy's Donnie " Mr. Soul Singer" Himself Hathaway and she's got pipes of her own. A deep soulful alto. Mmmmmm! Soulful Alto! I can't believe she's not one of music's biggest sellers!

Now, check em all out on You Tube then go to Itunes and buy em!

Remember, You can't add Soul in Pro-Tools! Ya gotta get the real thing!

Be Mindful! Be Prayerful! Be Careful!

Jaycee

Daily Wisdom

Solomon was endued with wonderful wisdom, but the world drew him away from God. Men today are no stronger than he; they are as prone to yield to the influences that caused his downfall. As God warned Solomon of his danger, so today He warns His children not to imperil their souls by affinity with the world. 'Come out from among them,' He pleads, 'and be ye separate, . . . and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.' 2 Corinthians 6:17, 18. {PK 59.2}

Kongo Square This Week's Chat with Ananda K. M. Leeke

Hey Y'all

Welcome to my new section of A Choice of Weapons, Kongo Square Chat and I am honored and humbled that my first interview is with Ananda Kiamsha Madalyne Leeke!

Reiki Master, Yogini, Author, Blogger, Poet and most of all just a real cool peeps!

I wrote Ananda online because we both belong to the same online Black Buddhist fellowship group, one of the groups I belong to and study with striving from clarity and greater light and she agreed to allow me to interview her when I first started my blog so I emailed her the questions and thanks to a break in her super busy schedule she finally got back to me. So now, I am going to present the interview but...but...but....first! check out her blog then come back read the interview. Dig!

http://kiamshacom.blogspot.com/

Jaycee: So, do you teach a lot of African American students?

Kiamsha: My students have been African American, Latino, Caribbean, Indian, Jewish, and Caucasian.

Jaycee: Is it equal interest among Men and Women?

Kiamsha: I teach more women than men.

Jaycee: Who stays and who goes?

Kiamsha:Women are my most consistent clients.

Jaycee: What have you found to be the reasons some might stay or go?

Kiamsha: Some folks only need yoga sessions to help them establish a home practice. Others, move from the area or have changes in their lives.

Jaycee: What is Yoga and what is it not?

Kiamsha: I define Yoga as Your opportunity to graciously accept yourself in the present moment. Yoga is a Sanskrit word that means union of body, mind, spirit, hearth, and breath. It is a life practice and philosophy that can help one navigate daily experiences. I am not one to say what yoga is not. I think each person can have their own definition of yoga.

Jaycee: What have you gained from it?

Kiamsha: Yoga has given me tools to surrender my ego, change my habits, open my heart, forgive, tap into my creativity, release stress, navigate change, understand my body’s energy, heal my emotions, release patterns and experiences that no longer serve me, and improve my physical body.

Now for a fun question.

Jaycee: What's the craziest Yoga pose that you've seen or done?

Kiamsha: I have a personal fear of doing handstands.

Jaycee: Did you try it?

Kiamsha: During my yoga teacher training I was able to do one with the support of a teacher and two classmates. It was very empowering for that moment. However, I have not tried it since that time. I am working on my fears now and upper body with the hope of being able to trust my body so I can do the pose again one day.

Jaycee: Why Yoga and not some other martial science?

Kiamsha: I studied karate when I was in elementary school for two summers, but it never appealed to me.

Jaycee: Did Buddhism come first or did Yoga?

Kiamsha: Buddhist meditation came first.

Jaycee: How long have you taught Yoga?

Kiamsha: I have been teaching yoga since 2005 as a teacher trainee and 2006 as a registered teacher. I have been practicing yoga since 1995.

I started practicing yoga when I was 30. I learned about it during an African American study tour to Egypt.

Jaycee: What style do you primarily perform and why?

Kiamsha: I practice Hatha yoga with a strong emphasis on kind and gentle, restorative, and yin yoga. These forms of yoga slow me down and open me up. I am a big fan of sun and moon salutations too. I also love the corpse, mountain, butterfly, goddess, tree, squat, cobra, downward facing dog, headstand, plough, fish, and forward fold poses.

Jaycee: What are some of the main things you see when someone comes to Yoga for the first time? Is it bad diet, injury or spiritual search?

Kiamsha: A lot of my clients are seeking ways to help manage stress in their lives and relieve back, neck, and shoulder pain.

Jaycee: Do you teach the other styles such as Kemetic or Ashtanga and Why?

Kiamsha: I teach kind and gentle yoga. I have included yin yoga and Kemetic yoga poses in my classes. I teach kind and gentle yoga because I believe most folks need to slow down and get in touch with themselves by offering their body kindness, gentleness, and compassion.

Jaycee: What is the main thing you would want to share with someone interested in Yoga?

Kiamsha: Yoga can help you learn more about yourself.

Ok, this may be a dumb question but I'm gonna ask it anyway ok?

Jaycee: If I'm not a Buddhist or a vegetarian can I do Yoga?

Kiamsha: Yes, anyone can do yoga. It is a life practice that has many benefits.

Jaycee: Wouldn't Buddhist practices conflict with my Christian faith or is it non sectarian?

Kiamsha: I am not one to speak about what conflicts with folks’ spiritual practices. I can only talk about my own. I use both Christian and Buddhist sacred practices in my life. I also use African, Hindu, Native American, and other world sacred practices. I attend a Unitarian church because it meets my needs. I also participate in two Buddhist Sanghas because they meet my needs. I think each person has to make his or her own choices when it comes to spiritual and life practices.

Ok, enough about Yoga and religious thought let's talk about something really important! Poetry!

Jaycee: How's the Karma, love Troubadour book tour coming along?

Kiamsha: The tour is headed to Atlanta on July 24. I will be back in DC for a reading on August 13 to celebrate my first anniversary of the book being published. The book promotion process has been intense. I am winding down now so I can focus on completing my poetic memoir which comes out in December.

Jaycee: How long have you been writing poetry?

Kiamsha: I have been writing since I was about 10 years old.

Jaycee: I've seen your videos on You tube and the poetry on your blog! Hey, Y'all check the book out and support by buying and recommending the book.

Jaycee: You got a law degree, studied French and teach yoga now, what have you learned from your law and French studies that helps you as an activist, author, poet and yogini now?

Kiamsha: My law degree continues to provide a strong business foundation for my role as a life entrepreneur. My French background helps me appreciate and understand other cultures.

Jaycee: Thank You, Ananda for letting me interview you. Thank you for A Choice of Weapons Kongo Square Chat!

Now, y'all go buy the Book!

Ananda Kiamsha Madelyn Leeke
Life Entrepreneur l Creativity Coach l Author l Artist l Yoga Teacher l Reiki Practitioner l Radio Host
http://us.mc592.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=kiamshaleeke@yahoo.com l http://www.lovestroubadours.com/ l http://kgyoga.blogspot.com/