An Open Secret

It was an open secret that Ed Brooke had a relationship with Barbara Waters; she cried on air the night his electoral lost was mentioned. More recently, Maine’s former senator, William Cohen, married a beautiful African-American woman and they still share an rich relationship.

As southern families embrace their African-American cousins at family reunions the barriers are coming down quickly on interrace marriages Intact black families like the Obamas face deep, harsh resistance, as seen in the online hatred extended to his spouse and family.

Herman Cain offers a different quirk: the black male accused of aggressive sexual behavior by white woman; surprisingly (at least to me, a Southerner!), many women (and men) defended Cain and questioned the character and motives of the multiple women who brought forth claims.

Race, like many cultural issues is leveraged by power. But history is replete with examples. SC-born Robert Purvis, known as the president of the underground railroad (then living in Philly), had mixed parentage, as did SC-born Archibald and Francis Grimke, activists (NACCP founder and minister) and nephews of the Grimke sisters, and SC-born Morris Brown, a famous AME bishop. The family owning Kiawah Island (site of the 2012 PGA) put its planting in the hands of Quash, an interrace son. For a limited account of Charleston’s 19th century interrace families involved in politics and activists, see “A Glory Over Everything:” [http://wp.me/p1mBVu-Rl].

Miss Manners on Zombies

Miss Manners suggests the nice handwritten note, in black or blue real ink, thanking them for their invitation.

Its not nice to slam established zombies who bear long term witness to dead ideas walking on the same day as the appearance, right after it aired, before the video clips are posted. A 24 hour wait is de rigeur.

“Next”

Bullets are the gears of society spinning to a halt, breaking the chain apart, flying out of control. The hands that control those gears pull gently and pivot like dancers as bullets explode in a slow motion passage through which death often rapidly descends. Bodies fall in a staccato noise that channels fear to our ears. Their out-of-control spin is for sale, available for purchase at walk up counters, and comes in sizes and hardnesses, with different powers. Bought as a package of mini-explosions, accompanied by precision machines that increase their speed of flight to bring death to a wider area, taking down trust and respect and replacing it rapidly with dying.

All the noise, all the noise doesn’t cover the silent, immutable presence of death, of society spinning to a halt, flying on insufficient cliches, “tragic,” “unspeakable,” as empty as death, as empty as the reason why, as out of control as our acceptance of somebody’s next purchase at the walk up counter.

@walterrhett Saw your reply to Mourning and Mulling on NY Times.Bravo, sir.Bravo.

— slushfundbaby (@slushfundbaby) July 21, 2012

“Let’s Stay Together”

From the Financial Times:
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The quote (via Paul Krugman):

Mr Romney’s  warbling suggested a lack of harmony between his rhetoric and his record in government and the private equity business.  .  . A well-known supporter of Mr Romney – Suzy Welch, former editor in chief of the Harvard Business Review, and wife of Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric, in an CNN interview with her husband, suggested that Mr Obama’s personal style and choice of musical material define him as a member of a “different America”. . . 

“It’s the difference between the songs that they’re singing,” Mrs Welch said. “Mitt Romney didn’t exactly do a beautiful job on that song, but think about what he’s singing, OK? I mean it’s that patriotic song and he goes all the way through it. Then you’ve got the very cool Barack Obama singing Al Green. That is the two different Americas. Isn’t it?”

This is deep! First they come for Al Green. Then they come for Aretha Franklin, Ben E. King, Donna Summer, Dionne Warwick, Smokey Robinson, James Brown, Etta James, Bootsy (for sure!), Earth, Wind and Fire (a cult!), then Carole King, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, the radical anarchist Charlie Parker, the militant John Coltrane; Laura Nyro, Phoebe Snow, the Rolling Stones–that foreign group, the Beatles . . .

All we will have left is the Ray Conniff singers (no Chris Connor or Patti Page!) and weekly reruns of Lawrence Welk (which I sometimes watch). Sununu, born in Havana to non-American parents who later immigrated, I’m sure will oppose the Yoruba chant to the orisha earth spirit by Ricky Arnaz: “Babu-lu.”

True note: A single drum organized a colonial uprising by the enslaved (the Stono Rebellion!), South Carolina outlawed the beating of drums by Africans in 1740-forward.

We have come to that again. Beware the drum circles. Let’s Stay Together” is a radical anthem of the 99–and a pagan to big donors!

Blogging and Paul Krugman

A blog is a personal vehicle for highly interested readers, those who agree or disagree. That’s its earliest conception and its use here and elsewhere.

Many of us (not all–obviously!) are interested and accustomed to Paul’s schedule and have more than a passing interest in his circumstances, including the well being of his parents and 2 cats, He informs us as a courtesy, which many (me!) appreciate. I know not to check back all day for links, discussions, review posts and the other information he feels through the blog. It’s not different than my coffee roaster announcing a morning closing or any business (or blog!) with regular followers.

It’s not a sign of ego; it’s strong evidence of community.