"wells, obviously..."

okay now i heard about this story a few weeks ago, but i did not know it would get this much attention. also, i dont really know what my opinion is about it. this is the original story:



now, i agree: it is best to raise awareness about a rapist in the neighborhood. still, was this the best way to go about it? well, i dont know. clearly, kelly and antoine were upset and feeling victimized. clearly, the attempted rape warranted the vengeful emotions so evident in this video. so were antoine's words, volume, and demeanor so wrong--or "ghetto," "shameful," and "shedding a bad light on the black community" as so many people have observed? I don't know the answer to that either.
I mean what does it really mean to be ghetto? We have had conversations like this in AoR many times, considering the actual definition of ghetto (as a noun) and then how it is so loosely used in people's daily vocab (as a noun and adjective). these people live in the PJs, are brown, use ebonics, and appear extraordinary and outrageous when it comes to physical appearance. yes, because of institutionalized racism, they have been forced into this racially homogeneous area where plight is rampant. still, as bill cosby asserts on occasion--and a often overstates--this is not all "the system's" fault. to some extent, these people's choices do affect their situations, and they have no one to blame but themselves. AND, as it relates to the video, the dodsons are a part of the black community. in fact, they represent a large part of it, so displaying them in this situation is not constructive, but it is accurate. no, not all black people in america behave this way, but some do, as we have seen.
the problem comes when others (people who are ignorant about race relations in america, biggots, non blacks, and impressionable youngsters who do not have any other image of themselves in their social environment) actually take this footage to be reflective of black americans in general. unfortunately, the individuals listed above constitute the majority of americans, and thus most of the people watching this video. people who do not have to be reminded of their skin color and all the detrimental stereotypes that follow it on a regular basis do not have to care about racism. people who accept these stereotypes about themselves and perpetuate them dont do anything about racism. this brings me to the next video:



so now, the criminal environment that has been imposed upon and accepted by poor blacks in the PJs is being made a spectacle of by some of the very people that i listed above, who do not have to care about or act against racism. yes, this shit is fucking hilarious. i mean really, it is funny. but let us not forget that people were victimized here. dodson was burglarized and then almost raped in front of her child, so why has the focus shifted to the manner in which this crime was publicized? and with all of these videos, songs, ring tones, and fan pages, why hasnt there been a description of the perpetrator released? why, after almost a month, hasnt this guy been caught? did she kelly or antoine get a look at him? which way did he run down the street? were there any witnesses throughout the PJs? what happened to the goddamn criminal investigation?????

well, if this guy is not going to be caught, at least something else that is positive came of the video(I could not embed the next video, but here is a link to the interview with cbs):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og5znBpNEh8

apparently, the dodsons will be moving into a new home, using the profits from the media coverage and the music track. also, antoine is a source of support for some "fans" who have been raped and victimized in other ways. yes, this apparent exploitation of the dodsons' terrible situation is quite evident and antoine's immediate reaction perpetuated some negative stereotypes about black americans. but think about it: if you had personally been a victim of rape, your sister was now almost raped, you tried to tell people and they ignored you, then you had the chance just hours after the incident to raise awareness about it, and you have grown up in a situation where perceived weakness can be dangerous, your interview would probably not have been much different. also, if a ringtone that showcases such an incident will produce the means to decreases the chances of it recurring, you might just play into the whole thing too.

still, where is the fucking burglar and attempted rapist????

what thee fuck!

are these us government community development jobs plotting to crush my dreams? to shatter my hopes? to kill me? i have never been rejected for so many fucking employment opportunities in a row in such a short period of time. between peace corps and americorps, one would think i had no community service experience, was a terrible communicator, and never even went to fucking college. oh my fuck. shit. i feel sick.

usher i can break you down

i really like this song...and this video...good dancing


o o o o o o o o o o o o m g

basically.

jessica biel has an exquisite ass...and body in general...and teeth. basically she is one of the most beautiful people i have ever seen. that is all.

"i ain't born typical"

first off, SEE THE LOSERS. it was the shit, and everyone is so good looking!

secondly, this song, from the film, was also the shit. i cannot stop playing it. i'm about to buy it, and if you know me, you know that i rarely buy music. instead, i basically just plug my iPod into my friends' computers. lol.



thirdly, zoe is cute...



















but this bitch is so damn skinny...

i could not take her seriously as the sultry distraction from legitimate business that she was meant to portray...sorry...

either way, the movie was good...so check it out.

finally again

have not found a mars volta song that i like as much as televators until matt introduced me to this piece of magic...

yeah yeah yeahs!

off off off with your head! dance dance dance 'til you're dead! heads will roll...heads will roll...

AAAAAAAHHHH!

the book that helped changed my life is now a movie! omg. i cannot remember the last time i have been this excited about a film. i mean i actually read this book (which is rare since i barely ever complete novels and do not usually read the ones that become movies) and it has so much significance for me. i cannot wait to see liz gilbert's story told through yet another artistic avenue. AAAAAAAHHH!



and one more...AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!

dayum!

although several of these points may be disputed to no end, i cannot help but appreciate how well articulated they are. also, i would like to add that i personally have little to dispute here, as hitchens has addressed several components that a reasonable person might take issue with upon examining the ten commandments and their contemporary and historical applications and meaning.



"in short, don't swallow your moral code in tablet form."

brilliant!

thank you to:
-kind and blunt hitchens for the insight.
-wonderful matt walendzik for posting this for my viewing pleasure.

the power to move mountains

so on the bus this morning, the driver was playing a gospel music cd. (i am not sure if this is legal, since constituents are not even allowed to bring music onto the bus and ddot is not a faith-based organization. but this is neither here or there.) at first, i was a bit put off, then i got over it and just listened as the music walked me down memory lane to places where i used to be when i was a christian. suddenly, i found myself getting teary-eyed during kirk franklin's now behold the lamb. i was so moved, and i dont even beleive in that shit. music is indeed one of the most powerful phenomena that humanity has created.