Why 'post-racialism' is a myth

Spike Lee has been very adamant that just because we are living in a era where there is the first Black president does not mean that we are in a post-racial society.

Meaning that just because a Black man sits in the highest seat in the land doesn't mean that people of color have arrived.

He is right. I am anticipating Soledad O'Brien's documentary follow-up tonight, but in the wake of that, Henry Louis Gates gets arrested in his own home.

That shows how far we are from post-racial. There is nothing post-racial about debating whether Obama is a black president or a president who happens to be black. Nothing post-racial about the subtle increase of white supremacy. Nothing post-racial about increased unemployment among blacks and a pay ceiling that just won't move.

There is nothing post-racial about having to search out a public school academy or a private school in order to assure that your child has every opportunity they need to succeed.

Have race relations come a long way? Yes, definitely. Have we achieved post-racialism. Definitely not.

Michael Jackson

I didn't realize until Michael Jackson died that I had chosen to name my second son such a popular name....

When I was growing up, there was nothing better than "A-B-C", or "Got to be there" or "Rockin' Robin". I know I wasn't alone, but I was determined to marry Michael. No one else deserved him. (later, I determined Randy was acceptable also, just in case I couldn't get to Michael)

A dancer at heart, and one driven by music, harmony, and lyrics, I was completely taken by Michael from his Motown beginnings all the way to Epic and "Off the Wall". I tried his moves, I knew his lyrics. When I didn't comprehend the "Billie Jean" video (and still don't understand it, although completely understand its popularity), I recreated a more lyric-based one in my bedroom while hearing my grandmother's pleas to turn the music down.

I was in college when the Jacksons resurfaced, and, as I recall, there were only two or three good songs on that album--yes, ALBUM. But I bought it anyway. I think there was some controversy about the cover (but in those days, there was always a cover controversy) and I don't know if I got the original or the revised one.

I knew about his groundbreaking advent into MTV and I saw the primetime debut of his videos. But I didn't know until yesterday that he had patents for certain moves and technologies used in his videos. There was a lot I didn't know about the man whose birthday was just 2 days after mine.

It is sad that he is now gone, but, as someone interviewed on a station during the past two days reasoned--it was hard to imagine an 'old' Michael Jackson.

Now we won't have to.

The hole in the wall

OK. So, somewhere I hit a brick wall. It loomed before me in late March and just recently I broke a hole through the wall.

So many things have happened in the world and I wanted to write about all of them. I wanted to tell Obama not to bow. To tell people who live to criticize people to go somewhere and do something productive with their lives. To mention how courageous I thought Farrah Fawcett was to have her private struggle made so public. To moan about having to raise children in a society where nothing is sacred. The perils of raising boys to be men. Asking questions about how stupid people seem to succeed in this world.

I have been able to do none of that.

I think I am back, though.

Trying to get it together

If anyone out there is reading this, no, I haven't left. My computer, under the devious possessions of some mysterious virus, was completely uncooperative. Perhaps it was boycotting my exit from Facebook. Who knows or cares. All I know is that is has put me seriously behind.

I am trying to gather my thoughts to blog again. I will be back, soon.

What would you do?

Please respond if you read this.

• You are in desparate financial straits. In your P.O. Box you find a $2,800 check. It isn't addressed to you and you have no idea how it got there. Do you toss it? Return it? Risk going to jail but cash it?
• You see keys left in the door of a retail business afterhours. Do you ignore it because it isn't your business? Take the keys to return them tomorrow--hopefully? Call the police or leave the keys with a neighboring business?
• On the floor of a store you find a $50 bill. Turn it in or keep it?