Storytime

So my mother, the lil sis, and I are in my little car driving to a barbecue this weekend.  We're listening to the music of the Baka people (pygmies) of Cameroon, specifically, this track:

When the singers ended the song in unison my mother nodded in approval, stating, "Eh-heh, eh-heh...when the conductor stops, you have to stop.  But there is often that one person who always keeps going after the conductor says to stop.  Because we practiced, and now, weh ku bibsi neh (you've ruined everything).  So we have to fine you five liters of shah (corn beer).  Of course, in an orchestra, there are two kinds of people: the ones who keep quiet and pay, and the ones who have a mouth, saying 'Mbi lah kah!  Ah bi gi keh ni meh?' (I won't pay!  What are you going to do to me?)"

At the Bar with Jana Mashonee

 ~ Special Edition Post ~

Fans will no doubt recognize the multi-awarding winning, soulful and humanitarian Native American chanteuse Jana Mashonee.  After communicating back and forth over several weeks, it was an honor to complete this interview with her on May 28, 2012.

I have been trying to promote your work at the bar. For patrons who are still getting to know you, what are some things you’d like to share about you?

I’d like people to know that my passion is music and what I want to share with others in a positive way. I love the universality of music and how it brings people of all walks of life together to experience it in a powerful way. I believe music is this powerful, and this art form can change people’s lives forever. I thank the Creator that I was blessed to be a part of music in some way and that I have the opportunity to share my music with others.

"With love...from a white fan"

This one's for Nicole & Pepp.

Violence, Answers

From the Chicago Tribune:

Panic shot through the small Tinley Park restaurant as quickly as the stream of determined, black-clad assailants marched in, clubs and hammers in hand.

The wide-eyed hostess frantically dialed 911. Old men leapt from their tables and grabbed chairs to fend off the surprise attack.

Several of the masked attackers targeted the bystanders, but authorities say the majority homed in on a long table — filled with who the attackers believed were about a dozen white supremacists meeting for lunch.

...

Authorities announced charges Monday against five Indiana men in the attacks and said they still sought about 13 who escaped arrest.

Those charged include three brothers, Jason W. Sutherlin, 33, Cody L. Sutherlin, 23, and Dylan J. Sutherlin, 20. Also charged were Alex R. Stuck, 22, and John S. Tucker, 26. All five live near Bloomington, Ind.

The men are connected to the Hoosier Anti-Racist Movement, which is part of the Anti-Racist Action Network that formed in Minneapolis in 1987 to address discrimination, according to a leader in the organization, Jacob Domke.

At the Bar with Alexis Brown

Fans will recognize metal chanteuse Alexis Brown as the lead singer of Straight Line Stitch. It was a great honor to complete this interview with her today, while she's currently on tour.
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Alexis, welcome to the bar; pull up a stool and order whatever you want on the house. While you’re at it, tell us about yourself.

Thanks for having me. As for a drink...I'm always good with an ice cold Bud of some sort. Now about me... I love Walt Disney's Goofy, old scary movies, love to read old school Harlequin Romance books, love sushi, I have a orange tabby named Waffles (named after Goofy's cat on the Goof Troop Series), I have a Chorkie (Chihuahua & Yorkie mix), & I'm also in a band that I've pretty much lived out on the road with for about the last 10 or so years.

How’s the tour going so far?

Tour is going well, just busy everyday.

At the Bar with Edward Hong

Meet the guy who makes the girls go ga-ga.  Actor Edward Hong, known for his nerd chic look and witty musings on YouTube, was kind enough to converse with me over a couple of days.  It was an honor to complete this interview with him today.
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Tell us about you. Tell us all about you.

I am a man who wear my emotions on my sleeves. "Passionate" is one of the most defining characteristics that make up who I am as well as being one hell of a loudmouth. More often than not, it can surprise people at times since I tend to look like a very dorky geeky looking Asian dude and thus it comes with the baggage that particular look comes with. However that instantly disappears as soon as I talk, especially when you get me talking about race/gender matters, representation in the media, or Cinnabons.

I also have very little tolerance for bullshit and when I see that in people, I have no problem in either pointing it out, making a joke about it, or in worst case scenarios, make you look like a complete fool. That being said, I welcome people to do just that for me since I like to be clean with minimal crap in my system.

I have an undying love affair for all things Cinnabon. That sinful pastry will one day be the death of me, and when that day comes, I will be a very happy man. That same love also goes out to House music because no music can transform me into a dancing monster like House. Oh baby.

Bring Me a Victim: Toasting the New Look

The Bar has been refurbished and patrons are welcome to pull up a seat.

What's on your minds?

He's not "the first gay president", kids

The Tacky Gods themselves do tremble.

Would be nice if he were though.

From Renee @ Womanist Musings:

You don't take on the identity of a marginalized person simply be attempting to be an ally. Now, to be clear, I'm not pulling a no homo here, I am talking about the appropriation of a marginalized identity in order to give the appearance of being liberal, inclusive and tolerant. A straight man, cannot by definition be the gay president. He can advocate for GLBT rights and in fact should do so, but I reject this appropriation.

I have never seen Obama as a true leftist, despite the way that the American right tries to paint him as the second coming of Karl Marx. He only appears to be left, because the right is so far out of touch with reality.

Yeah...that pretty much nails it.

Racism as a Mental Illness

(By way of We Are Respectable Negroes)

Is racism an illness? Psychiatrists and psychologists are debating the issue. The forthcoming Oxford Handbook of Personality Disorders, due for publication in August 2012, will include a chapter on identifying and assessing pathological bias. This is the form of racism that could lead supremacists to violently and randomly maim or massacre those of another race.

Meanwhile, a team of British psychologists recently announced they had stumbled upon a secondary use for Propranolol, a commonly prescribed medication for high blood pressure. They claim it could cure implicit bias, or the form of racism that can even occur in people “with a sincere belief in equality.” Scientists believe the discovery can be explained by the fact that implicit racism is fundamentally founded on fear, and the drug acts both on nerve circuits that govern automatic functions, such as heart rate, and the part of the brain involved in emotional responses.

Thinking of any form of racism as an illness is very troubling. Historically, psychiatrists, psychologists, the medical establishment and lay people have all agreed that the roots of racism are cultural or societal — a set of beliefs and behaviors that are learned and, as a result, can be unlearned. If it were to ever be declared an illness that can be treated, racists would no longer be legally or ethically responsible for their actions. Just imagine it: a medical justification for discriminating against, or even killing, those of another race. (Source)

Oh, no, no...we are not going there. "Going there" is something we most assuredly shall not do.

Good Job, Amber Riley

I know I'm late to the table on this one, but when I saw rumors of Amber Riley leaving Glee, I decided to check in on her.  Of course, she's not leaving Glee, but she is taking better care of herself, and her fans have been so very supportive.

One of the reasons I decided to zero in on Amber Riley is that I read another excellent response to the "Black women are fat" meme in which various pages and grassroots groups are highlighted.  Amerikkka would like to pretend that Black women are fat, lazy, irresponsible, and not doing anything about our health.  This article shatters that myth beautifully.

Seriously...Shut the Fuck Up Already

So another article was released (this time by a Black woman, of course) about Black women being fat.  I've read a bunch of different excellent responses to the article, and I'll be honest...the cheap Black woman-bashing of the article is not what bothers me.

It's the gigantic pink elephant in the room people either really can't see, or simply don't want to see.

War has been declared on non-skinny people, whether they are healthy or not.  This is not just about Black women, or even just women. I'm getting the feeling now that whenever these articles about Black women come out, the writers aren't just talking about Black women; they're talking about people in general.  Black women just happen to be the group of choice for criticism.  In other words, you're not going to get a severe backlash if you bash Black women.  You're going to get *crickets* from almost everyone but Black women, and that's an acceptable margin of wrath.

Let me break it down for you: in America, thin is in.  It's a fashion statement.  It has not a goddamn thing to do with health, okay?  America is a nation known for its narrow, dichomotous thinking.  In America, white is good, black is bad.  Rich is good, poor is bad.  Straight is good, gay is bad.  Small bodies are good, big bodies are bad - period.  In America, there is no in-between.

All About the Red

'Cause it's about damn time.

That awesome music you're hearing - which everyone seems to be emailing me about - is by A Tribe Called Red.

Count the Fail

I was going to ignore this one but...*shrug*.

I'll start: this song royally sucks.

Like I've Said About a Thousand Times.....

Y'all...I read way too much Clutch Magazine (bold emphasis mine):

Motherhood sells, according to an April 27, 2012, article in The New York Times. Whether you’re a fading female star searching for a second act or a party girl looking for a redemption story, announcing a pregnancy can be a path to attention in the form of paparazzi shots, reality TV deals and maternity/baby clothing lines. Tabloids bid heartily for shots of “baby bumps” and days-old celebrity spawn. And the public eats it up obsessively.

All this attention is both a reflection of gender bias and it is hypocrisy. The evidence is who is left out in the deification of parenthood and the fact that tabloid covers don’t translate into real, concrete support for everyday women.

The commercialization of parenthood is squick-making, but more disturbing is the attention paid to the childbearing (or not) of famous women. As Mary Elizabeth Williams at Salon wrote, “We are all – the famous and the not, the MTV teen moms and the pampered housewives, the perfectly dressed supermoms and the contentedly child-free – more than the contents of our uteri.” But tabloids are ambivalent about George Clooney’s childfree life but care mightily about Jennifer Anniston’s.

Colorful Media Update

Okay...back to business.  Ranting season is coming to an end, and we've got kinfolk to support.

Where the black girls are

In the Black Girls Club, we've been keeping strict tabs on Black women in American media.  I've been blogging there weekly about Taraji P. Henson (Person of Interest) and Kerry Washington (Scandal).  I even post eps from Hulu and quote commentary and interviews on the shows because, against my better judgment, I've fallen for them.  Henson is looking utterly fabulous as Detective Joss Carter, even with the often little screen time she's given.  And Washington has won me over as the powerful crisis manager Olivia Pope...affair with the President notwithstanding.

Meanwhile, on the web, Kim Williams is writing and starring in the webseries The Unwritten Rules, an entertaining (and very honest) show about a Black woman in a white workplace.  The production is top-notch, the casting is perfect, and the writing is quite amusing.

Not the Best Year for FHM

First, there was the Filipino issue portraying Bela Padilla surrounded by dark-skinned Filipinas painted even darker.

From Disgrasian:

For the cover of FHM Philippines’ March 2012 issue, someone thought it’d be an awesome idea to surround 20 year-old Filipina actress Bela Padilla with a group of black models. The racial message of the photo’s bad enough. Light-skinned model–or can we just say white here because that’s how it reads?– on a pedestal surrounded by dark-skinned models in subordinate positions. Then consider the fact that this is published for the Philippines, a country where it’s estimated half of the women bleach their skin.

Then there’s the caption. OH MY GOD, THE CAPTION.

Um...explanation, please?

I still want an answer to my question of 2-3 years. Who comes up with these names for tanning lotions??????

"Brown Envy"

The Rite of Passage

Previously

Um....No...We Can't Be Friends

Ever since I read this post on Lifeisannoying's blog, I've been scratching my head as to where I should post this.  The Blasian Narrative?  The Black Girls' Club?

Then I realized that this was one of those things which affects POC all across the spectrum, especially ones in predominantly white areas, and thus this post belonged at the Bar.  I'm talking about the white tendency to randomly reject POC, and I'm wondering if it's some sort of white rite of passage.

Now, before I continue, understand that if you - a person of color - physically and/or verbally express interest in a white person and you get rejected...*shrug*...tough shit.  Rejection is a part of life and you always run the risk of getting a "no" whenever you put yourself out there.  At some point, given enough time, everyone gets a "no", and how they handle that "no" is a testatement of their character.

But that's not what this post is about.

This post is about when a white person you've expressed absolutely no interest in what...so...ever takes it upon themselves to randomly tell you they're not attracted to you/members of your ethnicity.  I'm bringing this up because it happens, it happens a lot, and I don't think we've really addressed it here at the Bar.

Contemplating "How to Comment on YouTube"

Without M. Gibson, I wouldn't have stumbled across this.

GlobalMinority whined:

That's the problem rate there. It will NEVER be enough. 600,000 White men dead in the so called civil war to free them and it is still NOT enough. Enough already. Thank you and have a nice day.

paidthec0st replied:

600,000 men died fighting over the right to own slaves! With the southern dying because they wanted slavery continued and Northerners dying because they wouldn't accept southern secession. Blacks don't owe you anything for that nonsense, well over 10 millions blacks were lost in the slave trade. You may continue apologizing now.

Contemplating "When to Speak Up"

Why are we the only ones never allowed to say anything about anything that's said or done to us ever? If we push back against the racism that's spewed at the Obamas, we're racist. If we voice our concern about the whitewashing that's going on in Hollywood, we're imagining things. If we call out the constant black-woman bashing that's become all the rage lately, we being overly sensitive and insecure. And if we scream for justice for the unjustified killings of our black brothers and sisters, we're race hustlers.

So when are we ever supposed to speak up? When it's too late? When white people tell us that it's okay to do so?

~ Cinnamon

Book Trailers

The Ankhesen Mié Library

Violet Dusk (2011)

Woe to the chained ones
and to the bead-wearers.
Woe to the Old Tribes,
fallen and gone.
Your heartbeat, my heartbeat
Our sorrow, our song…

So goes the "Invocation", opening the very first poetry collection by Ankhesen Mié, and her third release after a three-year hiatus. Originally entitled The Smith Sundial after one of the poems, Mié changed her mind when she wrote a poem inspired by the photo of a Maasai model.

The poems mimic the various times of day, invoking the darkest and most turbulent hours to lighter, peaceful times. While fictional prose is her normally her vehicle of choice, Miss Mié has already decided this will be but one of multiple future volumes.

Available now from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

The Woman from Cheshire Avenue (2011)

Lilith Wells is a successful young black woman, and the daughter of a prominent local politician. After a bizarre first encounter, she becomes the object of obsession to a Neo-Nazi from the streets.

First introduced in Folklore, and Other Stories, the dreaded Hirosawa family returns, doing what they do best: pulling political strings and doing business on the other side of the law. The book introduces new members of the family, including Michael Hirosawa, who's been ordered to "play nice" with Lilith's father.

As Lilith finds herself being stalked by men with less than honorable intentions, she soon realizes the best way out of this mess is probably death.

Available now from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Folklore, and Other Stories (2012)

Originally published in 2008, this is a slightly extended and more polished version is available for download for the very first time.

"Folklore"

When young Kazuya Kurosaki orders the disposal of a rival’s favorite, beautiful Amisi Ryan shows up with a "'thank you'...from the dead". Her priceless gift, an approximately four-thousand-year-old solid gold mask, lures Kazuya into a world of myth and intoxicating fantasy, and with each telling of an ancient tale, he finds himself drawn further and further away from everything - and everyone - he knows.

"Echo"

Rory Zheng is a young traveler who arrives at Silver Wood Manor, an enchanting residence atop a mountain where he meets an array of characters. Among them are the mischievous old Irishman who designed the buildings and the chatty nine-year-old daughter of the beautiful, somber landlady of Silver Wood, whose husband is often away....

To unlock the mystery and history of the manor and its people, Rory employs some magic of his own: the art of storytelling.

"The Collection"

The divorce between Jason Rang and his filthy rich, soon-to-be ex-wife Mireille is actually going well. Or at least it does until Jason lets his new fiancée Maribel actually meet Mireille. Invited to Mireille’s newly inherited mansion (fully furnished with all manner of beautiful shirtless young men), Jason and Maribel find themselves lulled into a sensual world where they learn that sometimes - but only sometimes - an entire divorce proceeding can be just another lovers' quarrel.

Available now from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Lady of the Court is the debut novelette in the Selo & Inya series.  It introduces us to Selo, who is assigned to escort her Princess Abeti to a neighboring kingdom where she's to be given in a "blood marriage" after her mother wins a weary battle.

Upon arrival in at the princess’s new palace, Selo is sent to train as the princess’s Chief Attendant under the tutelage of Inya, who's acting as the court herbalist. Thus begins a friendship borne of unlikely circumstances, as Selo learns not only the troubling truth about mixed societies, but their royal houses as well.

Lady of the Court is now available from Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.