Flash Back Friday

Flashback Friday

The Absence of Silence and Etiquette

Thank you, pardon me, please, would you mind if I… I am sorry…I did not mean to…..

There was a time when people used their inside voices and manners in place like: libraries, museums, churches, theatres, restaurants and even on public transportation. Initially, being quiet and respectful was too expected, appreciated and the norm. The pleasure of closing out the business and noise of the outside world was a welcomed relief. The act of disturbing someone’s peace was considered a breach of social protocol.

Nowadays noise and being rude is the new commonplace. It seems that the louder and the ruder the better. People are learning to adjust to an increase in noise and bad mannerisms by plugging up and tuning out with more noise; or speaking louder than the conversation next to them. Moreover, making matters worse, we are living in a society of advanced technology that contributes to people exhibiting bad behavior. Furthermore, proper etiquette is no longer being instill in homes, schools and in the work environment. The attitude is that it’s an imposition to ask others to use proper decorum because we have become accustomed to conducting ourselves in an improper manner, and being corrected is considered as an insult.

Do you agree or disagree that we are living in a society that supports the lost art of manners?

What say you?

William F. B. O’Reilly Supports ‘Baltimore Mom’s Actions’

In response to Wiiliam F.B. O’Reilly’s April 30, 2015 column, ‘Baltimore Mom’, published in AMNewYork, tells a distressing story. I can honestly say that I am taken aback by Mr. O’Reilly’s opinion and observation of the actions of Florence Thompson, the mother who was trying to, in Mr. O’Reillys words, “forcefully herd her teenage son from the riots in Baltimore.”

It’s been the practice of society to look down on single mothers, like Ms. Thompson, who are unfairly judged and labeled ‘Welfare Queens’ and ‘Gold Diggers’ or ‘Losers.’ After reading Mr. O’Reillys comments of compassion and support for single mothers, I breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, someone in this harsh and unsympathic world sees single mothers for who they are, which is overburdened, overlooked, underpaid and underappreciated. Mothers like Ms. Thompson fight against stereotypes heaped on them by a society that would prefer to forget single mothers simply because those who sit in judgment feel that they are not productive members of society.

It’s my hope that Ms. Thompson’s action will be remembered and understood for what it is, a mothers love. On behalf of all those single mothers crying out in the wilderness, I say, keep crying and holding on someone will hear you because it certainly seems that Mr. O’Reilly did.

Throwback Thursday

 

The Colonization of the Black woman

The beauty myth

                “I’m black and I’m proud” was the black woman anthem during the Black is beautiful movement in the 60s. Nubian princesses proudly sported their natural afros, cornrows, and close cropped cut like the style fashioned by South African singer Miriam Makeba.  The current trend amongst black women in America is to display the image of what white society deems is the standards of beauty for women of color by enforcing European standards of beauty, which emphasizes a lighter skin color and a concern prescribed hair type. This type of programming deprives women of color the opportunity to express and explore their true identity because they are consistently bombarded by the media with the ideal Barbie image.  Black women are brain washed into altering their appearance to mimic that of the European or Asian woman because they are foolish to believe that they are enhancing their own beauty.

There is a fine line between enhancing ones natural attributes versus surgical alterations in order to gain acceptance. Black women who choose to mask who they are, run the risk of being labeled “sell outs” and “cowards” because they prefer to conform rather than stand firm in the belief that black is beautiful.