on the black hand side

Celebrate Kwanzaa

Happy Kwanzaa, everybody! We are on day five of the week-long non-religious celebration designed to strengthen the family and community by practicing the Nguzo Saba or Seven Principles.

Umoja [OO-MO-JAH] ("U-N-I-T-Y"  Queen Latifah) - To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, race. (Black Candle)

"There is a battle to be fought, there are obstacles to be overcome. There is a world struggle for human dignity to be won. Let us address ourselves seriously to the supreme tasks that lie ahead." Kwame Nkrumah

Kujichagulia [KOO-GEE-CHA-GOO-LEE-YAH] (Self-Determination) - To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves instead of being defined, named, created for and spoken for by others. (Red Candle)

"Up you mighty race, you can accomplish what you will." Marcus Mosiah Garvey

Ujima [OO-GEE-MAH] (Creative Work & Responsibility) - To build and maintain our community together and make our sisters' and brothers' problems our problems and solve them together. (Green Candle)

"I freed thousands of slaves, I could have freed thousands more, if they had known they were slaves." Harriet Ross Tubman

Ujamaa [OO-JAH-MAH] (Cooperative Economics) - To build and maintain our own stores and other businesses and to profit from them together. (Red Candle)

"I am not a millionaire, but I hope to be some day, not for the money, but because I could do so much to help my race." Madame C.J. Walker

Nia [NEE-YAH] (Purpose) - To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness. (Green Candle)

"Policies change, programs change, according to time. But objectives never changes. You might change your method of achieving the objective, but the objective never changes. Our objective is complete freedom, complete justice, complete equality, by any means necessary." Malcolm X

Kuumba [KOO-OOM-BAH] (Creativity) - To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it. (Red Candle)

"Potential powers of creativity are within us and we have the duty to work asssduously to discover these powers." Martin Luther King, Jr.

Imani [EE-MAH-NEE] (Faith) - To believe with all our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle. (Green Candle)

"Keep the faith, baby." Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.

Quotes from Pyramid Design Enterprises' KWANZAA MOBILE
 

Kwanzaa is actually more than a celebration; it is a way of life. Celebrate Kwanzaa all year long!

Church Folks Gone Wild!

Do  check out the video below. It shows a portion of the celebration of the 132^nd anniversary of the Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church of Decatur, GA.  E. Dewey Smith, Jr. is the pastor.

 

That was fun. Which generation are you? Builders, Boomers, Busters or Bridges?  I’m in the Boomers category. While Miss Aretha’s “Respect” is an excellent song choice for that generation, I think I would have chosen this….

 

What song would you choose for your generation?

 

© 2008, Blogging Black Miami, www.bloggingblackmiami.com

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New York Giants LB Antonio Pierce Caught on Strip Club Videotape

The guy in the photo is Antonio Pierce, linebacker for the New York Giants. He’s with his wife, Jocelyn Maldonado, announcer for the New York Mets and model. The two had a beautiful, well-publicized wedding in Maui during Memorial Day Weekend this year.

Now it seems Pierce may be in hot water with wifey because of surveillance video on the fateful night out with teammate Plaxico Burress. The two were at a New York strip club. We know that Plaxico shot himself but Pierce was creepin’ with a woman and it’s on videotape.

Mrs. Pierce was in denial but now that the video is out; Mr. Pierce has a lot of ‘splaining to do. It would be cool if they could work through this but that’s for them to answer.

 

© 2008, on the black hand side, www.blackhandside.net

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If It Walks Like a Duck and Talks Like a Duck: Justice for Brandon McClelland

Howard Witt of the Chicago Tribune reports that the two men arrested for the murder of Brandon McClelland have been indicted for first-degree murder by a Paris, Texas grand jury. McClelland was run over and dragged in a manner very similar to that of James Byrd, Jr. on June 7, 1998 in Jasper, Texas.

McClelland’s family is pleased that the two men, who are white, are charged with murder but others, such as the NAACP, are wondering why there is no hate crime charge attached to the incident. In this post-racial Barack-Obama-elected-by-white-people America, is one expected to believe that hate crimes no longer exist? I didn’t drink that Kool-Aid…did you?

While most Americans are still basking in the Barack Obama presidential campaign afterglow, other important issues affecting the fabric of the nation are largely ignored from a national perspective. So what issues are we basically dealing with? The economy, rightfully so, and the Rod Blagojevich scandal. OK, I’ve had enough of that guy already. Wake me when the FBI investigation is complete or something new and important occurs.

As a black person, I want to know more about cases such as Brandon McClelland, Troy Davis, Cory Maye and the rise in the purchase of guns in the United States. This is what happens when our media is so focused  on the revenue side of reporting the news that we the people don’t even get news. If you don’t believe me, ask yourself how many times you’ve heard the McClelland case mentioned on major news shows or in your local media.  

The more people talk about the McClelland case, the more folks can dispel the ridiculous notion that his murder was not a hate crime because the guys were “friends”. With friends like that, who needs enemies?

Brandon McClelland and his family deserve justice and not a whitewash of his murder. If the justice system chooses to not categorize his murder as a hate crime doesn’t mean that it’s not a hate crime. If it walks like a duck…you know the rest.

 

Related Link:   Killing in a small town raises hate crime fears

© 2008, on the black hand side, www.blackhandside.net

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Fantasia May Lose One of Her Homes

American Idol winner Fantasia may lose one of her her homes in Charlotte, NC. It seems that home will be auctioned off in January due to an unpaid loan to a Florida-based company.

http://www.charlott eobserver. com/239/story/ 405167.html

© 2008, on the black hand side, www.blackhandside.net

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Morgan Freeman's Divorce to Result in More Than $100 MM Pay-out

Actor and businessman, Morgan Freeman and wife, Myrna Colley-Lee, are getting a divorce. It is estimated that she may get from $100 MM to $170 MM. That’s a lot of money. The couple has been married for 24 years. Freeman accumulated millions in real estate, homes and collectibles. Who knew the man from The Electric Company had it like that?

Apparently, Freeman cheated on wifey and now he’ll pay big time. If you recall, in August of this year, Freeman was in a car accident, late at night in the company of another woman. He and wife have been separated since December of last year.

 

© 2008, on the black hand side, www.blackhandside.net

Vote for this blog for Best Pop Culture Blog and Best Blog About Stuff in the 2009 Bloggers Choice Awards.

Nelly Gives More Hotness to Sean John Ads

For Nelly fans or those of you who just like to see a brother with a nice chest and abs, here is rapper/actor/model Nelly in Sean John's Spring/Summer 2009 ad campaign.

 

 

Link: Shop Sean John

Obama Worship Gone Too Far

OK, if you've read any of my blogs for a minute, it goes without saying that I am a Barack Obama supporter. I won't relay details of my support; just know that the Obama candidacy sparked the flame of my interest in politics and it it still burns bright.

During the presidential campaign, I bought lapel pins, bumper stickers, yard signs, rally signs, ink pens, mugs, buttons, handbags, car flags, posters, t-shirts, tote bags, lapel stickers, car magnets, fans, action figures, blankets, umbrellas, mugs and caps. Now don't get it twisted, I didn't keep all of those things, I gave them away to encourage others to vote for Barack Obama. I didn't sell them; I just made each persontake an oath to vote for Obama and encourage others to vote for him also.

No matter how much I supported Obama; there is a limit...a line of good taste that should not be crossed. OK, good taste is subjective but come on, some things just shouldn't be done.

 

I can appreciate the artistry and creativity but that's just wrong!

 

© 2008, on the black hand side, www.blackhandside.net

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Remembering Odetta, the Voice of the Civil Rights Movement

Singer and civil rights activist, Odetta, transitioned on December 2, 2008. A classically-trained singer born in Birmingham, AL on December 31, 1930, it was folk music that would establish her as an icon.

From the Tavis Smiley Show:

Odetta

original airdate January 25, 2008

Called one of the great treasures of American music, musical activist Odetta has influenced such artists as Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin and Joan Baez. Since her '54 debut album, she's toured the world telling stories of America's southern experience in her songs. The Birmingham (AL) native sang at the March on Washington in '63, marched with Dr. King in Selma and protested against U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. In '03, the Library of Congress honored the Grammy-nominated artist with its rare "Living Legend Award."

 

Click here to listen to her interview and read the transcript from the Tavis Smiley Show of January 25, 2008.

 

Related Links:

Odetta, Voice of Civil Rights Movement, Dies at 77

Folk legend Odetta, 75, reflects on a pioneer's life

 

 

 

 

© 2008, on the black hand side, www.blackhandside.net

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Cuff Links: A Brief American History

This cartoon was forwarded to me by a friend. There is not much else to be said.