Sometimes in this journey called life, it can throw you for a loop. No matter who you are there are dilemmas that come your way unfounded by anything you could have done but yet just as devastating.
November 17th, 2009 my home was broken into by a local convicted sexual predator. He broke in through my bathroom window and fell asleep in a drunken stupor on my son’s bedroom floor. By the grace of God he did not harm my children or me.
After the police arrested this career criminal in the making I was notified and subpoenaed to his first pretrial hearing and after three months I was subpoenaed again. However, when the original letters was sent he had already had a second pretrial which bonded him out of jail. Today, he is out walking the streets a free man! I love the Mahoning County Justice system!!!!!
This erroneous story would not be so dreadful if it was not for two disturbing facts. The first fact is this idiot lives just a couple of streets behind me. Secondly, I see him almost daily walking the streets, without a care in the world. Right around the corner from my house, like nothing ever happened. I wake up in the middle of the night, wandering if he is in my house since I know he is obviously not in his. (Remember criminals do all of their pillaging at night!)
Now some say I should not post his name in this article because it’s not right. I said to myself………………..Bull!
I have drawn the conclusion while everyone is looking out for his best interest, who is looking out for mine. Of course me! Not the police. Not the judges. Not the system. I was the one victimized but now am being made to be the perpetrator.
I am stating all of this to say that I am mad as…… (well you know the rest!). Right now I feel like my life is at a stand-still. Right now I feel like a lady in waiting. Waiting for justice. Waiting for redemption. Waiting for the strength to take back my peace of mind.
Although this experience has made me a little cenacle, I will try to guard my heart from being blinded by the corrupt laws of the land that only truly protect the guilty.
I have always loved this city. Although so many bad things have been said about it overall I decided to stay and not take the flight to suburbia. I pray I am making the right decision. I never thought the inner city was any worse off than suburbia. I always just assumed the zero tolerance policy help the suburbs out a great deal. Until the city itself adopts the same policy, unfortunately it will always see more of the same. In the meantime, I will be waiting!!!!!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Mothers Sidelined in Sports Today
As mothers of son's who are involved in youth football, often time’s females become sidelined emotionally by male coaches. Mother's can become penalized for their natural nurturing spirit. A woman’s nurturing spirit can then be interpreted as being "overprotective" or "overbearing". Moreover, when a women intervenes on the child’s behalf, the child is then stigmatized as being a "momma's boy".
This is evident on any given day of any youth football league in the United States. You more than likely have been witnessed to the following scenario of tragic proportions many times. Have you ever noticed a young boy playing football and for whatever the reason he suddenly falls down in pain, or is slow to get up off the turf. The concerned mother then runs over to see what is going on with her child, only to be stopped by the coaches who then states unapologetically, “Leave him alone. He has to learn to be a man. He’ll be okay”.
The first problem with the coaches statement is the child is on the turf in some kind of agony, so the last thing he needs to be is left alone. The next thing that is terribly wrong with the coaches assessment of the situation is he is all of 6-years-old therefore he does not have to learn to be a man for at least another twelve years thereafter.
As women we regularly wonder if a small percentage of youth football coaches are often living vicariously through our 6-18-year-old children. Are they perpetuating their dreams on them and if so, how can our God-given right as caring women be implemented in our children’s sports without the blemish of being an “overbearing” mother. The answer is very simple: Coaches keep coaching and Mothers keep mothering!
This is evident on any given day of any youth football league in the United States. You more than likely have been witnessed to the following scenario of tragic proportions many times. Have you ever noticed a young boy playing football and for whatever the reason he suddenly falls down in pain, or is slow to get up off the turf. The concerned mother then runs over to see what is going on with her child, only to be stopped by the coaches who then states unapologetically, “Leave him alone. He has to learn to be a man. He’ll be okay”.
The first problem with the coaches statement is the child is on the turf in some kind of agony, so the last thing he needs to be is left alone. The next thing that is terribly wrong with the coaches assessment of the situation is he is all of 6-years-old therefore he does not have to learn to be a man for at least another twelve years thereafter.
As women we regularly wonder if a small percentage of youth football coaches are often living vicariously through our 6-18-year-old children. Are they perpetuating their dreams on them and if so, how can our God-given right as caring women be implemented in our children’s sports without the blemish of being an “overbearing” mother. The answer is very simple: Coaches keep coaching and Mothers keep mothering!
Friday, January 1, 2010
R.I.P. R&B
I am an avid music lover. My grandfather is a wonderful well-known drummer in the local scene. I grew up listening to his band practice in the basement of our house. The soul, jazz and R&B music the band played would echo a musical flow through the house like a river. I’ve grown to love jazz and R&B genres of music mainly. I value the appreciation I have for R&B music. However as of lately I have notice there is really no pure R&B anymore. The music that I have come across in the last several years is pop music passing for R&B. This saddens me to no end!
The history of R&B music dates back to the 1930’s. R&B was fused from jazz and gospel music which dates back to slavery. R&B came from some African American musical pioneers taking songs that were written by their Caucasian counterparts and adding extra rhythms and snares into it. This would soon be called rhythm and blues because of the extra beats in the music. The history of R&B itself is too rich to just let it die.
As I drive in my car and turn my radio on any given day, I began to miss R&B music. After listening to 10 pop songs in a row, sung by African American entertainers dubbed as R&B musicians, played on an urban radio station, my ears are yearning for the purest form of R&B. That form is from singers like Patti Labelle, Luther Vandross, Marvin Gaye, and Aretha Franklin. People who I grew up listening to as real R&B singers with real talent. Artist who sung with heart and soul, not synthesized, uninspired music. I guess that is what I miss the most……. the soul of R&B.
I have seen the most beautiful artist lately in all their glory singing. Nevertheless, I very seldom feel the rhythm or blues from these artists. It’s all about beauty and booty and talent is the last thing on the list.
Therefore, if you have any appealing qualities at all, you are now qualified to become an R&B titled pop artist. Now the first thing you would do is try to break into mainstream pop. Do you know why? Because it sells!!!!! Yes pop music is very lucrative. Its mainstream appeals to a broader audience and therefore it has the tendency to make artists and everyone around the artist very rich. So after knowing all of this, what genre would you sing? Would your rather sing R&B music and sell thousands of records or pop music and sell millions of records? Most people would probably choose the latter. While artist are selling their souls for just the money aspect they are missing the very essence and heart of rhythm and blues. Does anyone have a heart!!! (That’s an old Luther Vandross song people!!!!) Well R.I.P. R&B!!! You will truly be missed!
The history of R&B music dates back to the 1930’s. R&B was fused from jazz and gospel music which dates back to slavery. R&B came from some African American musical pioneers taking songs that were written by their Caucasian counterparts and adding extra rhythms and snares into it. This would soon be called rhythm and blues because of the extra beats in the music. The history of R&B itself is too rich to just let it die.
As I drive in my car and turn my radio on any given day, I began to miss R&B music. After listening to 10 pop songs in a row, sung by African American entertainers dubbed as R&B musicians, played on an urban radio station, my ears are yearning for the purest form of R&B. That form is from singers like Patti Labelle, Luther Vandross, Marvin Gaye, and Aretha Franklin. People who I grew up listening to as real R&B singers with real talent. Artist who sung with heart and soul, not synthesized, uninspired music. I guess that is what I miss the most……. the soul of R&B.
I have seen the most beautiful artist lately in all their glory singing. Nevertheless, I very seldom feel the rhythm or blues from these artists. It’s all about beauty and booty and talent is the last thing on the list.
Therefore, if you have any appealing qualities at all, you are now qualified to become an R&B titled pop artist. Now the first thing you would do is try to break into mainstream pop. Do you know why? Because it sells!!!!! Yes pop music is very lucrative. Its mainstream appeals to a broader audience and therefore it has the tendency to make artists and everyone around the artist very rich. So after knowing all of this, what genre would you sing? Would your rather sing R&B music and sell thousands of records or pop music and sell millions of records? Most people would probably choose the latter. While artist are selling their souls for just the money aspect they are missing the very essence and heart of rhythm and blues. Does anyone have a heart!!! (That’s an old Luther Vandross song people!!!!) Well R.I.P. R&B!!! You will truly be missed!
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