Some Rappers Are Really Slaves
by Jolivette Anderson 'the poet warrior'

I watched 60 minutes last week and was appalled at the interview done with the rapper Camron and the whole notion of 'to snitch or to not snitch' that be the question and the answer to many of our problems in the black community. What use to be a code of ethics for criminals and thugs decades ago is not the code of ethics for this generation of young people and it makes no sense to me. Murdering people in broad daylight is possibly not punishable by law because the people who saw the murder will not say anything to the police. Okay, if you want to handle some community issues without the police but come one, black people, let's draw the line at murder. Don't let murders stay out on the street in our communities because you and yours could be next. While we are working to change America from the inside out, let's use the system as best we can ESPECIALLY, when it comes to protecting ourselves and others from people who kill each other. Anything less is UNCIVILIZED!

Oh, before I forget, the title of this blog simply means that Camron and others refuse to fight the record companies on lyrics. They want to keep on singing and shufflin bout killing etc. simply because it sells. Yes, it sells and it serves the master's plan of continuously creating despair.

more later...

Nadja News: Read Mama a Story
by Jolivette Anderson 'the poet warrior'

Nadja now has about three or so nicknames. She is 1) the baby punka nunka (after her auntie Tufara in Little Rock), 2) Baby Grandma (from the folks at her daycare because she is developing rather quickly), 3) Nadja Dou (short for her last name-that I may change to my last name once I officially get rid of the marriage that never was cause I was the only one in the marriage actually being married)

Nadja's development is humbling me in a way that I can not describe. She is walking, she is studying situations, she is imitating sounds, she says hi and bye and waves, she has eight teeth and she is only 11 months old. What makes me the proudest though is that she is a 'happy baby'. She wakes up asking questions, expecting to be treated with the same routine Monday through Friday and for the weekends, she expects School House Rock on the DVD player and free reign over the living room while Mama is half sleep on the couch.

She has charm and uses it, at 11 months old!

Nadja also loves books. I read to her often. I began reading to her when she was in the womb. I remember those evenings when I would go up to Barnes and Noble and sit in the children's section to just browse for titles. I found Baby Einstein and several African American books. Before she was 6 weeks old, we made weekly trips to the bookstore. I did not realize that because of all of that, Nadja would start trying to read to me at 11 month old.

Of course, she did not speak words, but she knew that to look at a book cover, something was suppose to come out of my mouth. Each time a page turned, something was suppose to come out of my mouth. So, instead of waiting on me, she began turning pages and making sounds.

I felt beautiful and proud to be her Mama!

By the way, she has learned her 'Ms' so she say Ma Ma a whole lot (smile)!

In Mama's Hood, Blackness is an Issue
by Jolivette Andrson 'the poet warrior'

I have had my words printed, taken out of context, in online newspapers for the past few weeks. A man by the name of Greeson, in his attempt to support Barack Obama's candidacy for President of the United States of America, used a piece of an interview I did with a student and printed the part that best fit his position. My position on Mr. Obama and any other candidate remains the same, simply, 'if you can not tell me what you plan to do for Black folks in this country, you do not have my vote.'

Prior to Mr. Obama's being a 'serious candidate', many have felt that we were just voting for the lesser of two evils or as I often say, 'the best of a mess'. However, I am appalled at the fact that some seem to think that I should temper my tone and position on Blackness simply because Mr. Obama is Black. NO! NO! AND HELL NAW!

I have even more constructive criticism because now I actually think there is some hope that some of my concerns will be addressed on a national scale. And, can someone explain to me just why is it that all of a sudden the national media is focusing on race? From Don Imus (who has been doing the same level of BS for over 10 years, to the Secretary of State from Indiana, Todd Rokita comparing the Democratic Party and Black people as a Master / Slave Relationship, I ask, what the hell is going on? Have we finally realized that there has been too much silence about race in this country, or is Obama being set up?

Between those who don't want him to have to deal with people like me who question his position on 'Blackness' because there is an absence of generational experience and understanding as it relates to Jim Crow America to those that support him blindly simply because he is a Black man, will a National Conversation on Race and Misogyny help or hinder his run for the presidency? You be the judge.

I am still going to raise Nadja to be 'race conscious'. She will know that she is Black and African and American and eventually make her own decisions about how to define herself instead of letting others define who she is to exercise power over her.

Peace!

The Black Family
by Jolivette Anderson 'the poet warrior'
(c) april 7, 2007

Male and Female relationships are important because they are what makes the family function in a healthy way. Black male and female relationships in the family I come from where long-lasting. Uncle Jim and Aunt Genevie were married for 65 years. My mom and dad were married for 40 years and a couple of months before dad died (amen-ase).

When my father died, I felt extremely guilty for not giving him a grandchild. I felt that he thought that his blood would not continue. He only had one biologically that was his own, Jamir, my nephew. My older and younger sisters are not going to have any children for various medical reasons. So, here I am, mid 30s at the time, but not financially ready, no steady boyfriend.

I had planned to go to the sperm bank at age 40 and take my chances. Afterall, there is so much Frankenstein shit out there you can have children into your 50s if you can afford the medical bills. Instead, of the three men I was dating off and on, I begain asking the questions, would you consider being the father of our child. This was possibly the wrong way to ask the question because 'in my mind' this means we will have to get married and form a partnership that would grow into love instead of falling in love and having the fairytale crap happen. This is at the root of my present relationship ordeal with my husband.

He is from Africa and wanted a green card. As long as we are in this for the long haul, I have no problem with that, afterall, we are getting married and trying to have a baby so naturally, I want you to have peace of mind and be able to move around in the country without fear and anxiety (as best a black man can).

Oh what a fucking mistake it was for me to think this way. Africans (some of them), immigration, green cards. I have never met so many lying, deceitful, dishonest people in my life. If being in this country is so wonderful and where you come from is so bad that you don't want to go back to it so you do the kinds of things he and his people do to stay here... I am very fortunate for not knowing that level of poverty. I have compassion but I don't think that a human being should sink that low to use me, my father and mother, my sisters and brothers and our unborn child (at the time) to leverage whether or not you will stay in the U.S. or leave it.

While I tried to maintain my principles ( I took his two sons into my home, I took care of all of the bills, I worked until I was 8 months and 3 weeks pregnant, I filled out all the paperwork and handled all administrative communication written and verbal with INS / Homeland Security) and I mean EVERYTHING, and as soon as the card came through, when our daughter was 3 weeks old--HE LEFT!

As I reflect on it now, after losing almost all of who I am as a woman while trying to figure out who I am as a Mother, I realize that his character was below low and it would have been that way with or without the greencard. Maybe INS will find a measuring tool for Iwa Pele (good character) and send those without away--this is wishful thinking based on personal baggage of course, but there is much to be said for how we as women see the actions of men and what we allow ourselves to take and to not take.

I messed up. I believe babies need daddies and women need men IN THE HOME WORKING AND BUILDING THINGS TOGETHER. As a woman, I should have waited on God to send him. As a mother, my child is perfection in my eyes. As for riding the wave between these two realities, I understand now how women who did not love their husbands anymore stayed in relationships for the children. Two incomes is better than one. A woman and a man get to live out their full potential (go back to school, have hobbies, travel, go out sometimes) when two people partner together.

If marriage is Euro Centric and a part of the state, it is still what I believe in for manovering in this country and raising children in healthy environments.

more later,
Jolivette

Love and Loss
by Jolivette 'the poet warrior'

I may not be Radio Raheem with the Love/Hate rings from 'do the right thing'
but I am...
SORRY.
I apologize to you Love
for thinking you were something you are not and
acting selfishly in how unselfishly I
gave you away to those that did not want you.

I apologize to you Hate
for using you to cleanse the things in me
that Love created,
that I mistakenly redefined.

I can't get rid of either of you in this dance of denial.
fighting myself is useless,
fighting you is futile
I will only ask you back again
once I am healed
but the next time around,
I will respect the sacred ground that you enter,
that sacred ground is the heart and mind of the one courageous enough
to let you in again.

That would be me, eventually.
(to be continued)

Mama's Wisdom Whispers

her wisdom is a whisper
during times like these
when you are hurting and simply
trying to be
who you are

don't fight the urge, the need
to grow into your own
there will be bumps and bruises when you fall
but you will get up
cause it's in you
you come from a long line of strength and endurance

if you break, in any way
you can make yourself whole again
sometimes
breaking down
is breaking through

i love you...

Mama's Outrage: R. Kelly at the Daycare (protect your daughters)

Some days, you don't know who to be mad at, you just know that you are mad as hell and you not gonna take too much shit off of anyone.

I walk into the daycare and the lady who watches my daughter is grooving to a video on her portable TV of R. Kelly in concert. I lost it!

"I don't want my daughter watching R. Kelly." She did not turn it off. As I was walking out the door, I said, "I'm serious, put her down, don't let her see him, I don't want my daughter watching him."

When I got to my car, running late did not matter to me, I slowed down, picked up my cell phone and called the daycare and said, "R. Kelly is a pedophile, I do not want her exposed to him like that."

I was told it would be turned off.

I did not know how pissed off I was at even the allegation of R. Kelly having sex with 14 year old girls. What even pisses me off more is the fact that there is a large population of the Black community (colony) that looks at 14 year old girls as grown women and saw nor see anything wrong with this man manipulating children.

Do we hate ourselves so much sisters that we refuse to protect our daughters from damaging images and people? Our children will continue to run crazed in the street because we have let our guard down on what is right and wrong in society. Children should be protected. R. Kelly and others like him are threats and should be treated as such.