One of the many people putting thoughts online. I am a daughter, a sister, a mom, an aunt, a teacher, a student, a dreamer, a procrastinator, and still a girl that loves sewing, nurturing, reading & writing, jazz, and the music of the 80's.
photo taken by ANDRE J. JACKSON/DFPI was shocked to read: "It's between him and his constituents," Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson said before the forum. "I don't need to be piling on."
Labels: kwame Kilpatrick, L. Brooks Patterson, Oakland County
posted by Abundance @ 8:20 AM
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Started a program this week and have not watched much TV. I missed last night TV news report and heard about this exchange on the radio and from a friend that work for the city. Once I watched the Friday City Council meeting angry exchange online today.....All I could think as I listened to the name calling and watching Monica Conyer's juvenile gesturing was:
”This is so embarrassing........................”
I must quote a Freep.com poster (recessbreak) who put it best......... when commenting on the article “Conyers defends attack on Cockrel”
“Monica Conyers should be ashamed of herself for the childlike behavior she displayed during the council's fact-finding hearing. I gasped when witnessing her temper tantrums, aggressive streets behavior, and name calling. These actions occurred when she was asked to cease interrupting others while they're speaking. If this remark caused her to become upset, I shiver with wonders on how she reacts to serious matters. She was asking for respect from her fellow council members; YET, she lacked giving them the same thoughtfulness. Throughout these hearings, she haven't presented herself professionally, she is constantly rolling her eyes and neck and continuously saying inappropriate remarks. She is embarrassing to the citizens of Detroit. I find most interesting that she is married to the long timed U.S. Rep. John Conyers. People need to look at HIS records and question is he behaviorally fit to be representing Michigan.”
Well folks, I think we should load up on the popcorn, preset the DVRs, and TiVos because we ain't see nothing yet. I now see why Sam Riddle fled from that office.............I think Monica Conyers needs a back up plan because I hope she will not hold another public office in this city again. Oops, I forget about her husband-the backup plan or cushion. Rep. Conyers is so old, that I doubt he can even check or advise his wife anyway. From her comments, I guess we can tell who is running the Conyers household. However stranger things can happen, like in Sharon McPhail's case, she could be appointed. After Lonnie Bates resurfaced to City Council and later went to jail, one never knows who my fellow city residents might elect again in the future.
Councilwoman Monica Conyers has been in skirmishes before her verbal smack-down with council President Ken Cockrel Jr. on Friday:
Feb. 13, 2008: Mayoral staffer DeDan Milton tells police that Conyers "threatened to shoot" him "with a gun" at a pension board meeting. Sam Riddle, then Conyers' chief of staff, says Milton cursed first, but notes Conyers responded "in street lingo. It was on." No charges were filed.Nov. 28, 2007: Conyers, temporarily chairing a council meeting, tells two colleagues to stop bickering. "Well, at least it's not at the bar," says one, Sheila Cockrel. Conyers retorts, "Did you say something about a bar? Because you drink a lot at the bar when I see you." A bit later, when Ken Cockrel returns to preside, he chides the others for arguing. "It's not that serious," Conyers replies. "Drunks always have something to say."
Dec. 20, 2006: Conyers brawls with another woman at the Crossroads Lounge on Livernois. Rebecca Mews says Conyers arrived at the bar and began asking patrons to buy her a drink, including Mews' date, which led to fisticuffs between Conyers and Mews. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy later rules Conyers acted in self-defense.Labels: Detroit City Council, Ken Cockrel Jr, Monica Conyers
posted by Abundance @ 7:30 PM
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Was driving home tonight and heard the Sheryl Crow version..........Listening to it made me reflect on my life right now, and some choices I am contemplating.
I realized that I did have the Crow version at home, but curious about its origin. I knew that Rod Stewart had done a version, but learned that Cat Stevens, whose song "Peace Train," another favorite of mines, wrote the song. Then I found out that the first person that originally recorded it was a P.P. Arnold. When I looked her up, I found out that she was black and had backed Ike and Tina Turner as a former Ikette. I did find P.P. Arnold's version on YouTube that is below. One aspect that I noticed she shared with Tina Turner, is that domestic violence made both of them make major changes in their life. Despite tragedies, (loss of a child, and an almost crippling car accident before a major tour) career ups and downs, she has had a long varied career that also included TV and the stage.
From her website: P.P. Arnold.com
Although I have to give it to Tina Turner a lot of credit for her career, but after reading about P.P. Arnold, I all I can say is that she was one hard working woman that I definitely do admire.
The First Cut is the Deepest
By Cat Stevens, 1967
Labels: cat stevens, Ikettes, p.p. arnold, sixties music, the first Cut is the deepest
posted by Abundance @ 10:14 PM
2 comments
Labels: 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, Memphis, Tennessee
posted by Abundance @ 12:18 PM
1 comments
Occasionally I listen to a local talk radio show in the evening. Sometimes, I call in to make a comment. The host is what keeps me coming back, because as an educated black man, he is very knowledgeable, conscientious, street smart, witty, comical, and at times hilarious. Yet he can be sensitive and compassionate when the common and everyday folks call in to voice their opinions. Even when some callers are long winded, have a speech impediment, take a while to make their point, or have an extreme way out view, I have never heard him to deal with them in a cutting or dismissive manner like some other talk radio hosts in the Metro Detroit area relate to their callers.
When I listened to the Valentine Day show, he had assembled a panel of local single women to discuss relationships. The women were from various backgrounds. The group conversation, questions, and comments, respectfully, and entertainingly covered the many spectrum's of dating and dynamics of black relationships. Listening to those women positively talk with him about what they expected, had to deal with, were willing to give and desired of a man without a hint of any negative or stereotypical characterized ghetto-like behavior made me mentally commended his wife for marrying him. However he was not there this particular evening and there was another host. But what made me stay tuned on the station was one of the guests. I was prompted to call in to speak but I was not successful in getting through.
Being mindful of not wanting to be sued for slander and feeling recently that Detroit for me, is socially and politically like a Third World nation, I will not mention the man's name here because he is a prominent lawyer. He does take on a lot of underdog cases which do get him major media coverage, even though some of his clients may be guilty. The main key to his “success” is that he does get them less time or probation. This week he will be honored for his “remarkable contributions to the legal profession, ” at an annual college benefit.
I happened to meet the lawyer some twenty years ago at a former job I held, which was at a major financial institution. When I initially encountered him, he approached me and demanded that I handle his transaction immediately. I attempted to remind him that there were other customers in line. He insisted that I take care of him right away. I tried again to remind the man that there was almost ten or more customers that have been patiently waiting. At that time, being young and relatively somewhat a new employee, I did not know who he was, but when my supervisor rushed over to me and insisted that I service him immediately, I realized then that he must be a big wig. I politely did the transaction.
The main reason why I protested, was because we were short-staffed at the time, and had a very heavy volume of customers on that particular day. After the incident, my supervisor berated me for my actions. When I loosely indicate the term “berate,” that was really her managerial style. I do not know if she ever spoke to him about the incident, but that lawyer would regularly approach me in the same condescending arrogant manner, and shove his transactions at me without so much of a hello. After inquiring around with my coworkers, I found that he treated most of them the same way. Another thing that bothered me was I found out that he did not have an account with that institution. I always dealt with his behavior in a polite manner and later I was fortunate to get a transfer from that office which was a very stressful working environment anyway. My mother has always taught me the adage, “Kill them with Kindness” when dealing with difficult people. It was hard to follow that when dealing with that man, but I knew that if I wanted to keep my job, I better do so.
Some years later, I had taken my mother to a local grocery store to do some shopping and saw the lawyer with his wife and daughter. Had not my mother, or his wife and daughter been on the scene, I would have spoken to him then about his past behavior, and I would have done it in a respectful manner. Listening to him on the recent radio talk show made me feel that I had a chance, so I attempted to call in. However I learned a lesson. When attempting to get at your target, you need to know subtle ways to get pass the gatekeepers. You must definitely appear nonthreatening, and be willing to talk up/praise the target, and be willing to massage the ego of the gatekeepers to appeal to them. When the producer quizzed me on what was my inquiry of the lawyer, I tried to indicate that it was about an matter that I spoken to the lawyer some years ago. She kept probing, and although I stayed nonchalant, she put me on hold for a minute, and then disconnected my call. I tried to call in again, but I could not get through. All I can figure is that: Either she was psychic, was being very careful, I pissed her off, or someone else who also had a bone to pick with him had beaten me to the punch.
Later I thought of some other ways I could have used and mentally filed them for the future. When discussing the incident with family and some friends, I got some good tips, and some told me that time was not a good time to bring the matter up. Ideally, I prefer to address the incident with him face to face if given the opportunity again. Some told me to forgive him and let it go. I have forgiven him of the way he treated me, but I still want to let him know that I had not forgotten it. I still want to remind the lawyer that when he steps on people on his way up, he will encounter those folks on his way down, like our Mayor will find out in time.
Labels: Detroit talk radio, gatekeepers, lawyers
posted by Abundance @ 7:51 AM
0 comments
"Rarely does a film raise awareness without doing so either distorted by the influence of Hollywood or through a narrative based on the narrow perspective of White Americans. The Killing Fields raised awareness as much as any film I know, and did so largely from the perspective of Dith Pran - his strength inspired a generation of us and his life affirmed that one dedicated and humble man can be effective in the fight against inhumanity. Rarely in my lifetime have I seen greatness manifested in seemingly simple people. Dith Pran never seemed to capitalize on his fame nor embellish his story for gain, but stayed true to the teachings of his faith throughout his life even in the face of American fame and all that accompanies it.
[Note on films that raise awareness - We all know of Dith Pran because of the movie. A critical look at movies that raise awareness (measured by public reaction) shows that they very often rely on a White hero coming in to do for the victims (nearly always people of color) what they seemingly cannot do for themselves. See "Mississippi Burning", where the films hero is White and resolves the conflict, which is small town racism and larger issues of civil rights. I remember that public reaction was that it was a great film for raising awareness about the civil rights movement, yet all of the African Americans in the film relied upon Whites to act on their behalf or effectively address the violence, burnings, intimidation. They are relegated, in the film, to praying, suffering and staying non-violent - they are cast merely as victims, not heros. Now - apply this same critique to most any awareness-raising film involving people of color and you will find the same objectionable dynamic. The Killing Fields is guilty of this to some extent, (White Americans are cast as the ones who 'can get him out', but they fail). The main hero IS Dith Pran and he is effective, in many ways, in the massive struggle against inhumanity.]"
Labels: Cambodia, Dith Pran, New York Times, The Killing Fields
posted by Abundance @ 7:38 AM
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Working on me, still a work in progress, and try to live life to its fullest.......
