When Dove's Cry

It's been awhile since either of us has done a post and I am feeling like we are letting people down. I know...I know..we're the only people reading our own blog.

I was watching Tavis Smiley last night and he was airing a Prince interview from a few months ago (April 27, 2009). Last night I became even more of a Prince fan. It's ironic, well to me, that on the evening of Michael Jackson's death, I got into a discussion with a few younger kids (late teens and early 20's). They were adamant that Prince was a better artist than Michael Jackson and I took Michael Jackson's side, but I made it clear that Stevie Wonder was and is a better artist then the both of them. Truthfully, it really doesn't matter, they are all amazing and talented humans.

Towards the end of last nights segment, Prince mentioned Dick Gregory and urged everyone, to watch clips from the State of the Black Union. Needless to say, I was up late last night trying to and successfully finding Dick Gregory's comments. I'm not even sure if I saw this years State of the Black Union, but I know and I am always shocked that not everyone knows about this awesome yearly event that has been going on for 10 years. Prince mentioned that he likes to make his white friends watch footage when they go over to his house, and I completely understand where he is coming from.

I have to stress this, IN MY OPINION, one of the problems is that I don't have any non-black friends, lover, or colleague that has any interest in the State of the Black Union. It's a shame to me, because as blacks, browns, yellows, and reds we have always listened to, learned, and experienced the State of the Union (really white America). Remember as African Americans (I despise that phrase), we are the only group of AMERICANS that do not and cannot relate ourselves to any other country besides America or the continent of Africa. My Puerto Rican fiancee and best friend (neither of which speaks Spanish), or my Irish American co-worker or my childhood "Italian friends" always refer to their Great Grand Fathers birthplace. I mean my Great Grandfather is from North Carolina and I really cannot identify with being from there. More often than not, they do not know the language, they wave their flags, and swear because they know a few recipes that they can claim this other nation of theirs. I mean do you even have a relative that still lives there? When you get to "your country" and most have never been, what do they call you...AMERICAN I bet! I'm a proud American these days, I just wish that others would be too.

I'm not sure what this has to to do with Bed Stuy. I know that we need to stand up and recognize that we have a lot of work to do as a nation if everyone is going to have their civil and human rights.

I just chose this clip, but there is so much more.