A place for Huey

Well, there you have it. Everyone has probably seen this already; I just stumbled upon it 5 minutes ago.

good kid, mad city, mad world  I was recently at a meeting where an important person advised another important person that "is easier to build peace than to prevent conflict". I nodded in earnest agreement, even murmuring to myself that this man is deep. But today, after watching the video below, of a woman talking about the election results in Ghana, I am wondering if that man's assertion is true, if it even makes sense. What do we really mean by peacebuilding? Can you build peace? When are we ever not in conflict? What is conflict prevention? I guess at heart, I am wondering if I am or can ever be a true pacifist like civil rights activist Bayard Rustin. Can I revere Che, Malcolm, Toussaint, and Yaa Asantewaa and be a pacifist? Aren't these individuals defined by and great because of their militancy and relentless struggle "by all means necessary" in an unjust world? To be clear, I am not necessarily concerned with the election and post electio...

Just lots of questions and ideas. As a Black woman in America, I have said at least a dozen thousand times during these past four years that I want a man like Obama. I know that I am not the only one. There have been many articles published about women and the Obama/Michelle paradigm/effect. There is even a web series called Finding my Obama . As much as or even more than his political views, policies, and decisions, the endearing nature of Obama's relationship with Michele and his children has captivated the world, especially the world of women. This post is about my honest curiosity about how the Obamas' relationship and the narrative about this relationship that was sold to us played a role in Obama's election and reelection and how this relationship speaks to a generation, specifically my generation, about sex, love, specifically intimate love, and politics. A conversation with my male cousin this past Saturday is especially pertinent to this post. Him and I had a v...

A question of African immigrant political incorporation in America Having left my predominantly liberal/progressive college campus, following the U.S. electoral campaign at home with my conservative Republican father was surprisingly exciting, informative, and challenging. A bit more knowledgeable and reflective today than I was four years ago, I was more informed, engaged, and truly interested in the process and not solely the outcome of this year's elections. In addition to fostering a healthy tolerance for Fox news and a deeper understanding of American history and politics, being back in my home city of the Bronx and living at home during the electoral period highlighted an issue I had not considered before: the question of how Ghanaian immigrants in America, and by extension African immigrants in general, relate to the political process and politics in this country. Or more broadly, immigrant political incorporation in America. This is some of what I have been thinking...

Let me get straight to the point: I agree more with hip hop artists Lupe, Kendrick, and J.Cole about their disenchantment with this campaign season and electoral process than with Samuel L. Jackson's sentiment that America needs to wake the f%ck up to the Obama's achievements over the last 4 years.  I really do. And it is not a stance I came to recently either.  It have felt quite apathetic towards this election season for sometime. I understand that given the long struggle for civil rights for Blacks and other minorities in America, some people believe that it as insensitive (and naive) for a Black person to decide that they will not vote. In fact, in light of voter suppression laws spreading like wide fire across the country, I do not take my right to vote as a Black African woman in America lightly. But first, I think that the right to vote in itself guarantees that the enfranchised person has a right to abstain. And that is important to assert. I also think that ...

I just received an email from Change.org on how to register/ check my status to vote [link below]. The website I received in the email was really helpful in easing some of my concerns as I did not know whether I was registered or not and had no idea on how to check for that information. So if you want to register to vote: http://www.ourtime.org/ Want to check if you are in fact registered to vote: https://www.usvotefoundation.org/state-elections/state-election-dates-deadlines (Click on your state and fill out the information to check you voter status. It should say active) If you need an absentee ballot or have questions about deadlines, the site is also a good resource. The organization On The Count: The Prison and Criminal Justice Report shared this on their page on facebook and I think that it is important to share. &&&&& It is National Voter Registration Day... My next post will be on my thoughts on the "debate" of whe...

Michelle Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention last night is one of my favorite speeches of all time. There is so much I can say about the speech and about her but suffice it to say that she is the kind of woman that I am working on becoming. Wow, Mrs. Obama! Wow!

Just to quickly jot down some thoughts on what has passed through my mind today: basically, an interesting day in Washington, D.C. 1. Supreme Court rules in favor of the constitutionality of Obama's health care bill! Phenomenal, all around, especially in terms of the bill's implication for the millions of uninsured, those discriminated against by insurance providers, and young adults. This is perhaps the very first time I have immediately sensed and experienced the effect of legislation on my personal wellbeing; it is an odd feeling that a reverse decision (perhaps a dissenting vote from John Roberts) would have basically left me uninsured and drastically changed my life. Honestly, medical expenses are no joke.  2. Eric Holder is held in criminal and civil contempt of Congress and the walk out of the House by Democrats = history. To watch this unfold in real time on CNN was surreal. Mr. Holder's press conference was pretty bold too. Holder did not hold his head in disgr...

The video above of President Obama titled "CNN-Barack Obama: "Ask bin laden about appeasement"-Like a Boss" came to me by way of a friend's facebook post. On the post were the following comments, "like a boss" and "he is so cool". This raw, unedited response by the President will feed into his swag canister when and as it finds its way to millions of viewers via social media. And for a president who epitomizes the icon of the hip, younger liberal, cool is good. What I am going to do below, however, is argue from a few angles that this is not a Boss moment for the president. Some of my arguments are undoubtedly stronger than others and none of my opinions are set in stone. I simply hope that this opens up a discussion on war, Obama, coolness, and citizenship. First, take Obama's statement "Ask Bin Laden and the 22 out of the 30 top Al Qeada leaders who have been taken off the field whether or not I engage in app...