On Monday, June 25th, two friends of Antwon, 17, a rising high school senior from Rankin, Pa., who was killed by an East Pittsburgh police officer one week prior to this writing, struggled to read that poem, “I Am Not What You Think!,” as family, schoolmates and friends gathered for Antwon’s funeral at his school, Woodland Hills Intermediate School, in Swissvale, Pa.
Antwon died after being shot three times as he ran from a vehicle during a traffic stop. The police said that he and another passenger fled after an officer stopped the Chevrolet Cruze they were in because it was thought to have been involved in an earlier shooting. The driver was taken into custody, interviewed and later released, the police have said.
“As it appears in … full read/full credit”
Two Years Before Police Murdered Antown Rose He Wrote a Poem Fearing His Life Would End
~Published on Jun 22, 2018~
17 year old Antwon Rose wrote a poem in 2016 hoping his mother would never have to experience losing her son to police violence.
Two years later, Police gunned down the unarmed African American.
Martin Luther King Jr., an American clergyman and civil rights leader, was shot at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968.
He was rushed to St. Joseph’s Hospital, and was pronounced dead at 7:05 p.m. CST. He was a prominent leader of the Civil Rights Movement and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who was known for his use of nonviolence and civil disobedience.
Martin Luther King Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the civil rights movement from 1954 through 1968.
He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights by using the tactics of nonviolence and civil disobedience based on his Christian beliefs and inspired by the nonviolent activism of Mahatma Gandhi.
King led the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott and in 1957 became the first president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). With the SCLC, he led an unsuccessful 1962 struggle against segregation in Albany, Georgia, and helped organize the nonviolent 1963 protests in Birmingham, Alabama.
He also helped organize the 1963 March on Washington, where he delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
I was born in Puerto Rico, a tiny island in the Caribbean,a commonwealth (“colony”) of the United States since the early 50’s. I was raised and lived there until my adult life. At the height of the Civil Rights Movement I was in my early teens. I must confess that I wasn’t aware of the events the country was going through.
Of course, I remember when JFK was shot and killed as well as when the same happened to Martin Luther King, Jr.
What I didn’t experience first hand is all that I have learned through time and reviewing historical data. Race in my country wasn’t that big of a deal because we are all a mixture of Spanish, African and Taino blood and ancestry.
I can’t begin to fathom what the “American Negro“, now called African American, went through. One would like to think that after the Civil Rights Movement advances, the differences between races were resolved. Some current events like Ferguson confirm that this isn’t the case. This movie portrays history in a real, touching, deeply inspiring and eye-opening way.
Sad to see our current reality.
Selma is a 2014 American historical drama film directed by Ava DuVernay and written by Paul Webb and Ava DuVernay. It is based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches led by James Bevel, Hosea Williams, and Martin Luther King, Jr. of SCLC and John Lewis of SNCC. The film stars David Oyelowo as King, Tom Wilkinson as President Lyndon Johnson, Common as James Bevel, Tim Roth as George Wallace, and Carmen Ejogo as Coretta Scott King.
Selma had four Golden Globe Award nominations, including Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director, and Best Actor, and won for Best Original Song. It is also nominated for Best Picture and Best Original Song at the 87th Academy Awards.
In 1964, Alabama, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is practicing a speech in front of the mirror. He stops to call in his wife Coretta Scott to comment on his tie, feeling it makes him look undignified in the face of those he is set to honor. Coretta fixes her husband’s tie and assures him he looks fine. The couple then goes to a ceremony where King accepts the Nobel Peace Prize and recites his speech. Four young girls are walking down the steps at the 16th Street Baptist Church. They are talking about the way they do their hair when an explosion goes off, killing all the girls. Annie Lee Cooper fills out a form to become a registered voter. The white registrar asks her how many county judges are in Alabama. She says there are 67, but the registrar tells her to name them all. When she cannot, he denies her application.
King meets with President Lyndon B. Johnson and his adviser Lee C. White over the issue of black citizens not being allowed to register for voting. King acknowledges that the whites are illegally denying the registration forms of the black community, while also pointing out the senseless acts of violence against them, including the church bombing. What King and his group seek is federal legislation for black citizens to register for voting unencumbered. Johnson, however, is more concerned about getting rid of poverty in the country.
King travels to Selma, Alabama with Ralph Abernathy, Andrew Young, James Orange, and Diane Nash. They meet with Reverend James Bevel and other civil rights activists of the group SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference) like Hosea Williams and Amelia Boynton at a hotel. As King is signing in, a young white man approaches him and socks King in the mouth. Johnson talks to J. Edgar Hoover about the incident. Hoover thinks King is becoming a problem, and he suggests to cause friction at home to weaken the dynamic, knowing there is tension between King and his wife. King goes home. Coretta shows reservations over her husband’s actions and concern for her family’s well-being. At night, King calls Mahalia Jackson to help him reach out and hear the Lord’s voice.
~~MOVIE GALLERY~~
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King speaks before a congregation of other civil rights activists and hopeful voters to rouse up their spirits and assure them that they will not let their oppressors keep them from reaching their goal. Their plan is to march from Selma to Montgomery, and their actions will be non-violent, despite knowing that the authorities would not hesitate to utilize violence against them.
King and his followers march through Selma before a crowd of white folks and the ruthless Sheriff Jim Clark. The marchers kneel down and put their hands on the back of their heads. One man fails to kneel as his wife and son help him. Clark and his cohorts go over to them and try to force the man down. When his son defends his father, Clark nearly strikes him with his club, until Annie hits Clark and knocks him down. In retaliation, Clark and his goons force Annie to the ground. King and many of his followers are subsequently arrested and incarcerated.
Eventually, the activists all gather for the final march to Montgomery. This is juxtaposed with actual footage of the real life marches. King delivers one more speech about how the black citizens are equal to the white citizens.
~As he continues his speech, we see some text on the film’s real life counterparts~
Andrew Young was appointed UN Ambassador under President Carter after serving three terms in Congress, and was later elected mayor of Atlanta for two terms
George Wallace unsuccessfully ran for president four times and was paralyzed by an assassination attempt in 1972
Sheriff Jim Clark was defeated by an overwhelming black vote and was never sheriff again
Viola Liuzzo was murdered by a Klansman hours after the march while trying to escort marchers back to Selma
Coretta Scott King established The King Center and successfully lobbied for a holiday in her husband’s honor. She never remarried
Five months later, Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 with Martin Luther King, Jr. at his side. King would go on to lead the American civil rights movement for 13 years through nonviolence until his assassination in 1968. He was 39 years old.
King concludes his speech by saying that freedom is coming closer thanks to the grace of the Lord.
“SELMA” is the story of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s historic struggle to secure voting rights for all people – a dangerous and terrifying campaign that culminated with the epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, and led to President Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
This is how Google has paid tribute to the civil rights activist with a doodle
Martin Luther King Jr Day, in memory of the black civil rights activist, has been marked with a Google Doogle on the search engine’s home page in the US.
The leader of the movement, who was famous for his inspiring “I have a dream” speech, was assassinated 47 years ago on 4 April 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee.
~~GALLERY~~
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~~Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2015 – Google Doodle~~
~About Martin Luther King Jr. Day~
Martin Luther King Jr. Day (officially Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.) is an American federal holiday marking the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around the time of King’s birthday, January 15. The floating holiday is similar to holidays set under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act.
“We Three Kings“, also known as “We Three Kings of Orient Are” or “The Quest of the Magi“, is a Christmas carol that was written by John Henry Hopkins, Jr., in 1857. At the time of composing the carol, Hopkins served as the rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and he wrote the carol for a Christmas pageant in New York City.
It remains one of the most popular and most frequently sung Christmas carols today.
December 25?
“For some Puerto Ricans, that’s merely a prelude to what they feel is really the important day of the marathon Christmas Season in Puerto Rico. I should point out that the Three Kings, or Los Reyes Magos, are not only venerated in Puerto Rico but throughout the Latin World.
The Kings, or Wise Men, certainly present a more spiritual and faithful representation of the birth of Christ than an once-obscure saint who came to be known as Santa Claus and who was squeezed into his signature red suit by the Coca-Cola Company.
But why are they such an important part of Puerto Rican culture and customs?
Regardless of faith, most Americans know the story, or at least, know of the story, of the Three Kings. As my venerable colleague and About Christianity Guide, Mary Fairchild, explains, we don’t know a whole lot about the Magi (which doesn’t mean magic-trick magicians but rather a general term for astrologers, seers, and fortunetellers). In their sole appearance in the Gospel of Matthew, they are never named, and hail from “the east.” (The names we have come to know them by — Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar — were handed to them much later on.) The most well-known thing about them, of course, is that they came bearing gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
On the night Christ was born, the were drawn by a “mysterious light” which became a star that hung in the western sky. The followed this sign to Bethlehem, where they arrived (a little late) to honor Christ’s birth. In fact, the “12 Days of Christmas,” which is so often believed to end on December 25, actually begins on the 25th and runs through January 6, culminating with the Feast of Epiphany, or “The Adoration of the Magi.”
Three Kings Day, or Epiphany, is one of the most important holidays on the Puerto Rican calendar. Traditionally, the island, and most of the Latin world, marked the eve of January 6 as the day to exchange presents rather than December 25. Kids would also gather grass, hay or straw in shoe-boxes for the Magi’s horses or camels — a charming alternative to cookies and milk for Santa.
Traditionally, you’ll find carvings and artwork of the three kings on horses instead of camels; that’s because the country folk in years past didn’t know what a camel was.”
I went to the movies with two of my grand children. One time with Angelika and the second time with Connor. Saw it the regular way and 3D. I must say it was very entertaining and it sure left off with a high probability for a sequel.
Big Hero 6 is a 2014 American 3D computer-animated superhero comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the 54th film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, and is inspired by the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. Directed by Don Hall and Chris Williams, the film tells the story of a young robotics prodigy named Hiro Hamada who forms a superhero team to combat a masked villain.
The film features the voices of Ryan Potter, Scott Adsit, Daniel Henney, T. J. Miller, Jamie Chung, Damon Wayans, Jr., and Génesis Rodríguez.
Big Hero 6 is the first Disney animated film to feature Marvel Comics characters; whose parent company was acquired by The Walt Disney Company in 2009. Walt Disney Animation Studios created new software technology to produce the film’s animated visuals.
Hiro Hamada is a 14-year-old robotics genius who lives in the futuristic city of San Fransokyo and spends his time participating in back-alley robot fights. His older brother Tadashi, worried that Hiro is wasting his potential, takes him to the robotics lab at his university, where Hiro meets Tadashi’s friends, GoGo, Wasabi, Honey Lemon, and Fred as well as Baymax, a personal healthcare robot Tadashi created.
Amazed, Hiro decides to apply to the school. He presents his project — microbots, swarms of tiny robots that can link together in any arrangement imaginable — at an annual exhibition to gain admission. Professor Callaghan, head of the program, is impressed, and Hiro gets in. When a fire breaks out at the university, Tadashi rushes in to rescue Callaghan, but the building explodes and both are killed. As a result of losing his brother, Hiro secludes himself from others.
For further information about the plot, click here
‘Dancing with the Stars’ Season 19: Halloween Night Performance
Season nineteen of Dancing with the Stars premiered on September 15, 2014. Tom Bergeron returned as host alongside Erin Andrews. Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli all returned as judges, while former professional and two-time champion Julianne Hough joined the panel as the permanent fourth judge of the season.
Ray Chew also returned as bandleader. Leah Remini filled in as co-host on October 20, due to Erin Andrews’ commitments with the 2014 World Series.
~Team Creepy~
Dancing with the Stars: Halloween Night
~~Published on Oct 27, 2014~~
Team Creepy with Alfonso Ribeiro, Witney Carson, Sadie Robertson, Mark Ballas, Antonio Sabato, Jr., Cheryl Burke, Tommy Chong and Peta Murgatroyd dance “The Time Warp” from “Rocky Horror Picture Show” (Glee Cast version) on Dancing with the Stars’ Halloween Night!
“If You Are in a Shell” is a thoughtful story about living with and overcoming shyness told by Ze Frank and choreographed and performed by Harry Shum, Jr.
Harry Shum, Jr. (born April 28, 1982) is a Costa Rican-born Asian Latino American dancer, actor, choreographer and singer of Chinese descent. He is best known for his role as Mike Chang on the Fox television show Glee. He has appeared in dance films such as Stomp the Yard, You Got Served, Step Up 2: The Streets and Step Up 3D. He also plays the character of Elliot Hoo in The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers.
“A video uploaded to the Internet Thursday features “Glee” actor Harry Shum Jr. and offers those who are “in a shell” some encouraging words.
The video, which has already accumulated over two-million views on YouTube, is narrated by online performance artist and BuzzFeed EVP Ze Frank and tells the story of Harry — who is described as a boy that was “very, very shy.”
Using Harry’s life experiences, the video attempts to speak to a larger audience that may find themselves “in a shell.”
“There are many things that can cause a person to recede, to look away from other people’s eyes, or to choose empty hallways over crowded ones,” the narrator says. “Some shy people try to reach out, and try, and nothing seems to come back. And then there’s just a point where they stop trying.”
“Some people describe this as receding into a shell, where the stillness hardens and protects,” Ze Frank continues. “But the eyes, even when they look down and away, are still watching, still looking for some way out, or in. Painfully shy.”
The narration concludes with some encouraging words for those who may be in a difficult place right now.
“If you, right now, are in a shell, you should know that you’re not alone,” it says. “That there are many, many other people like you, and that there’s nothing wrong with you. It might even be necessary right now, it might keep you safe for a time. But after the danger is gone, after it has exhausted its use, you’ll find a way out.”
“You may need help, you might need to work pretty hard. You may need to find some ways to laugh at yourself. Or find a passion or friend. But you will find it. And when you do, it will be so good to see you,” the narration concludes.
“This is Harry. As a boy, Harry was very, very shy.”
When we arrive on this world, we are connected to Source. We are like a blank page on a notebook. There’s nothing written there. There are no rules yet established. It’s like an empty CD. There’s innocence, all is good and pleasurable. No boundaries or limits are in place.
There’s intense love and purity.
How long does this stage last?
As soon as we realize what is around us, after the mother figure ceases to be the center of attention, that’s when the outside world starts invading our small inside “world”.
I remember when I first held Angelika, my oldest grandchild, in my forearm (that’s how tiny she was). I looked into those big, brown eyes and saw nothing but bright light and wonder. I didn’t want to let her go. I didn’t want to see her grow. I knew then that this couldn’t be. Of course, she would grow up and start making her way in her world.
As we all walk along our path we have experiences that leave their marks in our self. There’s pain generated through some experiences. There’s mistrust generated also. We may become bitter because of this.
Try with all our might to still believe that this is a beautiful world.
That’s our mission.
Keeping this mission, during the days that we are living, is proving to be difficult. How can we remain soft, avoid hate and bitterness? How can we remain soft when all that surrounds us can have no other effect but to make us hard?
We see greed, dishonesty, conflict, prejudice, disease, inequality, persecution, racism, bullying, poverty, hunger, conflicts, war, killing … on a daily basis, be it at “home” or around the world. Try as hard as you can …. keep the faith, continue your journey and believe.
“Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place.”
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. ( November 11, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was an American writer. His works such as Cat’s Cradle (1963), Slaughterhouse-Five (1969), and Breakfast of Champions (1973) blend satire,gallows humor, and science fiction. As a citizen he was a lifelong supporter of the American Civil Liberties Union and a critical pacifist intellectual. He was known for his humanist beliefs and was honorary president of the American Humanist Association.
The New York Times headline at the time of Vonnegut’s passing called Vonnegut “the counterculture’s novelist”.
Ignorance is a state of being uninformed (lack of knowledge).The word ignorant is an adjective describing a person in the state of being unaware and is often used as an insult to describe individuals who deliberately ignore or disregard important information or facts. Ignoramus is commonly used in the US, the UK, and Ireland as a term for someone who is willfully ignorant.
Ignorance is distinguished from stupidity, although both can lead to “unwise” acts.
Writer Thomas Pynchon articulated about the scope and structure of one’s ignorance: “Ignorance is not just a blank space on a person’s mental map. It has contours and coherence, and for all I know rules of operation as well. So as a corollary to [the advice of] writing about what we know, maybe we should add getting familiar with our ignorance, and the possibilities therein for writing a good story.”
Oppression is the exercise of authority or power in a burdensome, cruel, or unjust manner. It can also be defined as an act or instance of oppressing, the state of being oppressed, and the feeling of being heavily burdened, mentally or physically, by troubles, adverse conditions or people, and anxiety.
The systematic, socially supported mistreatment and exploitation of a group, category, or team of people or individual.
Institutional Oppression occurs when established laws, customs, and practices systematically reflect and produce inequities based on one’s membership in targeted social identity groups. If oppressive consequences accrue to institutional laws, customs, or practices, the institution is oppressive whether or not the individuals maintaining those practices have oppressive intentions.”
~~Government oppression through the use of force~~
~~Published on Jun 12, 2013~~
Stillness is the key to defeating all forms of ignorance, for in truth without movement IT is actually doomed.
It Is What It Is 