Mystery Train

Did anyone notice how the paintings of Elvis began to look bad from one room to the next?

Memphis Animal Shelters

I am a huge animal lover, so when I read about how the animals were being abused at the Memphis Animal Shelter in the Commerical Appeal this morning, I became extremely angry. Apparently, the Memphis Animal Shelter was served a search warrant before sunrise because the animals there had been being abused, some were even starved to the point of requiring euthanasia. The article neglected to mention if the abuse was related to a lack of funds, or negligence from the employees. Our new mayor A.C. Wharton claims to do something to improve the conditions, which makes me feels a lot better, but it saddens me that it was happening in the first place. Clearly America is a country of animal lovers, Michael Vick was temporarily dismissed from the NFL for conducting pit bull fights. Therefore, I really upset to hear that animals are being abused in a place where they should be a temporary safe haven for them. Also, I looked up animal shelters in other cities in Tennessee, and the conditions there were much better than the Memphis Animal Shelter, including the animal shelter in nearby Bartlett, Tennessee. I sincerely hope that something is done about this in the near future because this problem does not seem all that difficult to fix.

Shelby County Residents v. Memphis City Residents (Whites v. Blacks)

A.C. Wharton is now the new Mayor of Memphis, Tennessee. I was watching the news when the election results were announced and I saw how happy all of his supporters were. All of them seemed to be very excited about the results and were very proud to show their support for Mr . Wharton. The one question I would have liked to ask his supporters was, "What is your view on consolidation?" You see it is very obvious by his campaign logo (One Memphis) that he sincerely believes in consolidation. No more Shelby County Government, only Memphis City Government. Consolidation would elimate two public school systems, two fire departments, two mayors, two different councils, two police forces and supposedly make our great city equal in all aspects. The City of Memphis would like better public schools, but Shelby County does not want Memphis' crime. For some reason whenever the issue of consolidation is addresses on television it seems to be white v. black.

This leads me to believe that regardless of the transparency that Mayor Pro Tem Myron Lowery claimed he brought to the Mayor's office, we are still a city divided. The City of Memphis would very much like to share the cost of everything with the county. The City of Memphis is more concerned with the monetary aspect. Then there are the people I see on television being interviewed from Shelby County. They comment on the fact that if consolidation happens their schools will deteriorate and the crime rate will raise. For some reason all of the people interviewed for the County are white and those for the City are a mixture. Also, those who are interviewed for the County seem to have a chip on their shoulder. Those who are interviewed for the City seem to be more laid back, or shall I say "Hospitable."

I am not quite sure what Mayor A.C. Wharton has in store for the City of Memphis and only time will tell. I only hope that he can end this Shelby Residents v. Memphis Residents and bring us together as "One Memphis."

Women in trouble

I went to see Women in Trouble during Indie Memphis week. I thouhgt the movie would depict issues relating to women's rights or crimes against women. This movie was totally opposite of what I imagined completely! The story line was going in very different angles. The best part of the movie was the ending. A little girl realizes that her aunt is not her mother and in turn she forgives her biological mother for lying to her. An adult film star finds out that she is pregnant and wants to tell her movie star, "one night stand", but he bumps his head on the bathroom sink and dies. She did not have to tell him anything in the end. Another young lady thinks her friend forgot her birthday and doesn't find her attractive enough to date. The friend tells her that she did not forget her birthday because it was not until the next day! How ironic is that! The young lady did not even know her own birthday. This movie is not something that would see on a daily basis. It was random, yet it was an unforgettable experience.
The movie theater was wonderful. I thought I had not been there before, but I had a long time ago on a class field trip. The movie theater could be easily missed because it is on a little sid street. I enjoyed the theater quite a bit. It was small and cozy. They sold fruit bowls and coffee. Great place to hang out with friends.

The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia

This was my second year attending the Memphis Independent Film Festival and the only thing I have to say is "Thumbs Up." I cannot begin to explain the The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia. The only thing that comes to mind is Ghetto Ass White People. There isn't a drug that they don't do and they have sex with just about anybody. They are the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of D Ray and Bertie Mae White. Jesco, Maime, Poney, Sue Bob, and Bo are the children of D Ray and Bertie Mae. Bertie Mae also raised children who were left my their parents or their parents died.

The White family gained notoriety after the documentary the Dancing Outlaw was released. The documentary focused on Jesco who learned the art of mountain dancing from his daddy D Ray. Throughout the documentary I never saw another one of the family members moutain dancing. Therefore, I assume no one else knew how to do the jig. The rest of the family is basically famous for being bad. Jesco supposedly has a huge hole in one side of brain from huffing gasoline. There was not one White who lived in Virigina who did not do drugs, except for Bertie Mae. The others smoked weed, sniffed oxycotin, drank alcohol, popped pills and did whatever else they could get their hands on. My fault, Kirk, Bo's daughter, stated that she never did angel dust. Sue Bob's son, Brandon, got extremely high one night and tried to kill his Aunt Mamie's boyfriend, set a car on fire, and had a shoot out with the police. When he was interviewed in jail he commented on how the judge liked him and would probably give him an alternative sentencing, such as house arrest. Brandon was eventually sentenced to 50 years in prison. Mamie's daughter Mousie was being released from jail during the documentary and trying to hook back up with her husband Charles, who previously slept with her cousin Kirk.

I know what you are thinking. I can tell you everything about this documentary and it still won't be the same as watching it on the screen. While watching this film, I was constantly thinking how it relates to Memphis. Well, I know some moms and dads who smoke weed with their kids. I know at least two bank robbers. I know plenty of baby momas and baby daddys. I have known people who pop x-pills and viagra. I know people who love to fight just to fight. Basically, I have known and still know some "Whites" in Memphis, Tennessee. If the Whites were to move to Memphis, they would be a perfect fit. If someone had told me about the Whites before I saw the movie, I would swear up and down they were black. Okay, I have one more thing to tell you about this film. During one part of the film, Derrick, Bo's son, asked if you wanted to hear the Boone County mating call. He then holds up a prescription pill bottle and starts to shake it. That was the funniest thing I have ever seen.

All and all this film was hillarious, yet sad at the same time. The Whites make you laugh, but you wonder what is really going on with them. I began to think maybe they all were bipolar and no one had diagnosed them. There has to be something missing. However, I cannot lie and say that I did not enjoy each and every minute that I had with the Whites.

My Re-Visit to Elmwood Cemetary

A few weeks back, we went as a class to experience the historical Elmwood Cemetery. Our visit was almost life changing for me. Before our visit, I never viewed a cemetery as a place anyone should EVER go unless they are there to celebrate the life of a loved one. After experiencing the cemetery as a class, I had a complete change of heart about cemeteries, and over the break, I found myself back at the last place that I ever expected myself to be in my spare time. During our fall break, a few friends of mine came back into town from school. We were looking for a quiet place outdoors to have bible study, and I suggested that we go to Elmwood Cemetery. The experience was even better than the first time when we went as a class. We got the opportunity to do the audio tour, which is extremely informative and interesting. It tells you about the construction of the tombstones and gives background information on the people who are buried there. Also, we bought a book in the gift shop that shows pictures of the tombstones in their original condition. Additionally, one of the workers informed us of a website that we could go to to track our ancestors and find out where they were buried. Since then, we have went on the web, and one of my friends found her Irish great-great-great-great grandfather's grave right here in Memphis! It was so exciting to research our history together, and I believe that it brought us closer in the process. I encourage the rest of our honors students to track their ancestry. There are many sites on the web that are dedicated to helping people find information on their family members. You never know, your great-great-great-great grandfather could have been a famous war hero and you never knew it!

A Date With The Doctor

Last night was quite interesting, to say the least. I enjoyed the company of Dr. Poussaint, a leading black pychiatrist. I didn't think the speech would be all too entertaing but once again I was proven wrong. Dr. Poussaint touched on issues of race, child abuse, social equality and lack there of. Poussaint didn't hesistate to mention the stats. He informed the audience that 80% of prison inmates are high school dropouts, meaning 6 out of 10 high school dropouts are are prison inmates; 40-45% of all prison inmates are black, 1/3 of homeless people are black men; chidren from upperclass parents will hear 20,000,000 words by age 3, and chilren from lowerclass parents will only hear 1,000,000 by age 3.

Poussaint entertained the crowd when describing his own life stories as a child. Once, as a school boy, he felt embarrased by all the other kids because he knew he couldn't speak as well as they did. So, he hid. His teacher pulled him out of hiding and made him talk and once he did she told him he had a speech impedement. She said that he needed a speech pathologist. He fired back saying, "Well, let's go get all the kids from the block 'cause they talk just like me." Watching the time , Poussaint tried not to be long with his talking. That brought out a story of when he and his father would go to church. When the preacher put his watch on the podium, Poussaint asked his father, "What does that mean?" His father would reply, "Not a damn thang." Poussaint had the crowd burst into laughs.

Listening to Dr. Poussaint and all his words of wisdom made me really wish my parents had of been there. They needed to hear it more that I did, especially about Poussaint's parenting infromation. My folks go by the old saying, "Spare the rod, ruin the child." Poussaint had much to say about parenting. Wise men say, "It takes a village to raise a child." Poussaint says, "No it don't! It takes a fortune."

I See Dead People!!!

It happen on a hollows eve; the place was Elmwood cemetary. All the little kids were being tucked in bed with faith that God would answer the prayers they said. As the sun was setting a classroom was beginning. The students lurked through the terrors of the night, hoping to find creatures of a fright.......

Ok, that's not what really happened. But it would of been really cool if it did. It was actually a Tuesday afternoon and it was quite sunny. Me and my Honors Inquiry class were given a tour of Elmwood Cemetary by Mrs. Bodayla. Sounds frightening, doesn't it? In all honesty, it was quite humorous. We were shone really cool headstones; one of which that made the person seem quite insignificant. Her headstone read,"Dorothy Ann Whitaker: Born, Who Knows? Died,Who Cares?"
Mrs. Bodayla, whose toured many cemetaries around the world, had filled the class in on all things graveyard. She told us about how the early cemetaries were run by people of horticulture and how some cemetaries are on a grid pattern but most are usually not. The class also learned about the symbols on a headstone. Headstones with a lamb symbolizes innocence; meaning it's of a child's. Headstones that feature a tree that's chopped symbolizes a life that's been cut short. It isn't neccessarily a child's headstone but a young adult. The symbols go on and on forever.
Speaking of forever, one student felt a bit uncomfortable visiting the cemetary. She felt that it was an univiting place. As if their body may be dead and gone but their spirit lives on forever. Indeed, it did give off an univiting vibe. The bridge that leads into the cemetary can only fit one car at a time, which made it difficult for many to enter. The cemetary was nicely keep but it was centered in an urban gutter side of town. Hmmmmm. Interesting.
Another interesting fact about Elmwood cemetary is that it is the original burial place of Nathan Bedford Forest, a founding member of the KKK. Remember him back in my blog entitled "A Park to Remember". Well there just so happens to be a lot of people wanting him and his very large statue back at Elmwood cemetary and I'm one of them. The thing is, I think that Nathan would fit right in at the cemetary. His headstone would help compliment the cemetary even more. I mean, who wants a creepy spirit like Nathan Beford Forest in a public park? Because when he starts scaring all the little kids , who ya gonna call? I'll tell you who to call, GHOSTBUSTERS!!!

In Whitman's Words and Mine

Beat! Beat! Drums! is a poem written by Walt Whitman that describes how what was being looked at as a short lived war is going to turn into a long, drawn out war. Also describes the thought of how the civil war was disrupting all aspects off life, both adult and children, civilian and soldier. Whitman's words were very inspiring. I dedcided that I would write a poem inspired by his. However, after a deeper anaylsis of Beat! Beat! Drums!, I realized that I already had. A Beautiful World is a poem I wrote after the 9/11 attack. I entered it into a poetry contest and became a semi-finalist. My poem was published in The Colors of Life, an international library poetry book.

A Beautiful World

A beautiful world,

A world full of kindness and grace,

A world that's just a beautiful place,

A world were no one stands alone,

A world were no one is without a home,

A world were peace is abound,

A world were love is all around,

A world were everyone believes in God,

A world were parents don't have to use the rod,

A world were war does not exist,

A world where people laugh and reminisce,

A world where the sky stays nice a blue...

Wow!

Wouldn't that be so beautiful if it were really true?

Facing History and Ourselves

Last night I was presently surprised at how profound, interesting, and insightful the lecture given by Dr. Alvin S. Poussaint at the Hutchinson School was. Dr. Poussaint managed to speak on very heavy subjects such as race, poverty, outreach programs, and violence in a conversational and insightful manner. I was truly impressed by his insights.

The section of the lecture that stood out the most to me was his assesment of corporal punishment in the home and in the schools. Dr. Poussaint believes that when a parent "spanks" their child too often, it sends the child a message that violence is okay, and even necessary for survival. He even went on to suggest that prolonged child abuse negatively effects the thought and logic portion of a child's brain, causing them to have violent reactions and preventing them from having proper conflict resolution skills.

That portion of the lecture stood out to me because when I was growing up, I had one parent who believed in corporal punishment, and one who did not. I spent the majority of my time with my mother, who did not believe in corporal punishment, and I had other siblings who spent more time with my father who did. As a result, I am much more soft spoken, and a firm believer in conflict resolution, while they are not. While my other siblings are much more disciplined, I feel as if they lack the self confidence needed to truly be well rounded. I have personally thought a great deal about whether or not I should "spank" my own child, and I still have not decided, however, Dr. Poussaint helped put corporal punishment in perspective for me and for that I am grateful.

A Day at the Dixon

Eyes that speak to you, landscapes that move you, and sculptures that entice you: these are the elements that the "Bold, Cautious, and True" exhibit posses. History lies within the walls of The Dixion Gallery. There, history is told without saying a word.
Never again will I attend a museum so casually dressed. Upon entering, there were middle aged ladies wearing their Sunday best, as if they were going to church or a tea party. I entered the Dixon decked out in Aeropastale sweat pants, polo, jacket, and tennis shoes. I felt so out of place. However, all of my out-of-place feelings went away when I entered the exhibit. Reading the timeline of Walt Whitman, and observing and reading about the portraits, made me feel secure in myself. My mother pointed out that if not for the war, we probably would've still been serving Master his tea. The exhibit featured a painting by Thomas Satterwhite's The Price of Blood really spoke to me and my mother. The painting shows a mulatto (mixed) young man being sold by his white father to another slave owner. Being very fortunate of not being a slave, I came to realize my freedom: my freedom of dress, freedom of speech, and freedom to just be me. There were other paintings and sculptures that stood out from the rest. The scuplture The Freedman by John Quincy Adams Ward really made my mother gasp. She was in awe of how Ward dipicted a "strong black man" as she said. All in all, the day at the Dixon was unlike any other day. It was filled with history, art, and appreciation.

Chapters 3 & 4 of our reading

In my reading of chapter four, I was amazed at the statics of Memphis in the fields of education. Memphis has a graduation rate of 48.5% which is one of the worst in the U.S. It ranked fourtieth in the graduation rates among the fifty largest public school systems. Our poverty rate is 23.5 %. I also thought about what I read about how we have a fortune 500 company, FedEx, in Memphis. If that is so then why are we in poverty? I have not heard about FedEx giving back to the community of Frayser in which I live. It is down the street from my residence, yet the community is still in shambles. Also it amazed me in chapter 3 how large shelby farms is in comparison to other city parks. I was also stunned that they were even considering putting an interstate throught Overton Park. How outrageous......

New Hunan

I went to New Hunan around 12:30 this afternoon with my friend Brittney. The food was amazing! We both ate from the buffet. They had an array of choices. There was of course rice, teriyaki chicken, pork on a stick, sweetcorn, french fries, etc. There were a number of desserts as well. I had chocolate and banana pudding, vanilla icecream, a cream puff, and a piece of cake. The atmosphere was very quiet and calming, except the occassional slamming of dishes. The pictures on the wall were beautiful! I really would like to have one in my bedroom. When first walking into New Hunan, I saw nothing but caucasian people. So I thought oh my goodness they have me in a place with nothing but white people. To my surprise they were not bothered by my prescence and in a few more minutes black people and other chinese people began to walk through the door. Their fried chicken was awesome also. Everything I ate was delicious and I plan on going back there one day this week with my boyfriend.... I can't wait to tell my mom about my experience when she gets off work at 4:3o. I was skeptical about going to a chinese restaurant because I do not like chinese food but everything was tasty today! The meal cost $15.15 for my friend and I together! That's a bargain. The buffett is $6.45 before 4:00pm and $8 and something after that time. Either way I had a wonderful afternoon. My friend and I departed ways around 1:30pm..... I plan on going back to this restaurant really soon ,no joke!

New Hunan

Give Honor Where Honor is Due.

The visit to the Nathan Bedford Forrest Park was interesting to say the least we had a very good discussion about Nathan Bedford Forrest and the reason why he is in the park. We all had different point of views for different reasons. I actually don't mind the fact he is buried there. I would just like them to write in that he was one of the founders of the KKK since that is a part of his history as well. I believe that was intentionally left out. We as a people have come so far that a statue in a part does not discredit us. If anything it shows how far we all have come not just blacks but whites as well. We should not say that this man doesn't deserve to be Honored because of his past. I believe people can change if given the chance.