SEEN/HEARD
And The Children Shall Lead Them...

This post is dedicated to the memory
of
Maurice McIver

Almost the entire 8th grade class at Intermediate School 318 in the South Bronx recently refused to take a 180 minute practice test. The diagnostic social studies exam, issued in six different classes, is in preparation for another test next month. This specific test does not, in any way, have an affect on grades.

The students' protest was mostly peaceful; all quietly handed in blank exams. There was a small skirmish involving a teacher who was angry over the protest, but nothing worth going into detail (BTW: none of the kids are going to ask this uptight bonehead to sign their yearbook).

The students even submitted signed petitions with a list of grievances to the principal and the Board of Education. They advise that they are sick of being used as "test dummies."

There are a couple of editorials on this incident. Most concur with something that I have been saying since I graduated high school back in the late '80's. Children in America aren't being taught to "think." They are being "taught to test." The NYC Board of Ed is doing its best to suppress the real issue here and get back to business as usual. That business being paying companies who do not have any stake at all in the community millions of dollars to test our kids on shit they may never, ever use in life.

Last weekend proved deadly in the Big Apple; quite a few teenagers were shot--one even lost his life. Ironically, one of the accused in the deadly incident was on a conditional release stemming from a gun charge last year. Why is it the powers that be are okay with children having illegal weapons but get all igged out about them staging a quiet protest? I'd rather see picket signs and petitions than pistols in our children's hands.

The 8th graders at 318 have taken a stand and I say, "more power to them!"

Axe.

Currently Reading: The Message: 100 Life Lessons from Hip-Hop's Greatest Songs by Felicia Pride
Currently Listening To: (what else) Fight The Power by Public Enemy, and Jesus Children of America by Sir Stevie Wonder

Links for stories on IS 318:

Bronx 8th Graders Boycott Exam
Civil Disobedience: Bronx 8th Graders Refuse The Test
Apathy Doesn't Live In The Bronx

FILTHY...
...And Yet Artistic

At a recent gathering with about half a dozen intelligent Afro-Americans discussing politics, "how things 'used to be,'" love, life, and playing cut-throat Monopoly, the conversation turned briefly, to sex. And of course, it got quite necessarily smutty. I say necessary because well, no matter how pristine a person's life may be, there is always a dab of smut somewhere. Everybody. Even if it is in their closet, buried under a stack of neatly folded clothes inside of a shoe box.

We happened to be discussing FUBU movies (for us, by us). We agreed that some have been excellent (Life, Get On The Bus, Ray, Dreamgirls) and argued about ones we thought should have gone straight to DVD, if at all. We were at odds on John Singleton's Baby Boy. However, all the women agreed 100% that the scene with Vhing Rhames and AJ Johnson leap frogging across the floor makes the film redeemable. Smut; it unifies, even when divided.

Got me to thinking what movie scenes that were smutty, yet creative and memorable, regardless of whether the film itself was good, or not.

8. She's Gotta Have It: Too many to list and describe here, so I'll just say, "all but one of the scenes where Nola (Tracy Camilla Johns) 'does the do' with one of her three suitors." Ya dig?

7. Jason's Lyric: This classic love story with the semi-happy ending has two scenes that almost make a girl wish she grew up in Houston's Fifth Ward and Alan Payne would come rescue her. Granted both scenes are pretty much the same--mad, passionate love making. Still, there are different circumstances involved with each. Down at the bayou, it is the "first time" for Lyric (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Jason (Alan Payne); homeboy washes her feet--say what? The other tryst occurs after a disagreement, and takes place in the television repair shop where our knight in shining armor works. It is late and there is a thunderstorm; no Teddy Pendergrass or Luther Vandross required.

6. Love Jones: Poetry and jazz. Chicago Stepping and a man with a motorcycle. Love at first sight and sex on the first date. 'Nuff said.

5. Baby Boy: Mama/Juanita (AJ Johnson) has already told her son, Joseph, "you need your own place." But she shows us up close and damn near in 3-D why. Her new man, Melvin (Ving Rhames), an ex-con, has moved in. She and her beau get down with their bad selves, in stereo, as they hop across the floor, making love "froggy style." Putting a little twist on the Pete Rock and CL Smooth tune "They Reminisce Over You," "...Mama's getting freaky in the house!"

4. The Best Man: During his wedding, football superstar Lance Sullivan (Morris Chestnutt) is still reeling after learning that his best man, Harper (Taye Diggs) slept with his "virgin" bride, Mia (Monica Calhoun) back in college; visions of Mia and Harper knocking boots (and well) continually flash through Sullivan's mind as he struggles to hold it together at the altar. The graphic, moan-filled scenes bring Sullivan's hypocritical, misogynist, forever-cheating ass to tears.

3. How Stella Got Her Groove Back: This May-December couple has undeniable chemistry. But after bringing her boy toy back to the states with her, the honeymoon slowly dissipates and there is constant friction. One last argument leaves Stella (Angela-always-has-fine-
leading-men-Bassett) and Winston (Taye-should-have-been-MY-
baby-Daddy) on the verge of breaking up. And like all fights there is tension, which builds to the most passionate yet tasteful love making on screen that this viewer had seen in a long time. Director Kevin Rodney Sullivan who made his motion picture debut with HSGHGB, shows us that there is nothing, I mean nothing like making up!

2. The Wood: Aleshia (Malinda Williams) and "Big" Mike (Sean Nelson), are teenagers who have been best friends for a few years. They are also both virgins. Their awkward sexual encounter is touching, funny, and causes you to sigh. Do you remember your first time?

1. Claudine: Our leading lady, Claudine (Diahann Carroll) is a mother with six children living on welfare in Harlem during the 1970's. She meets an intelligent, fine-as-all-outdoors garbageman named Rupert (James Earl Jones) out in the 'burbs where she works off the books to supplement her meager welfare check. She hesitantly agrees to go to out with him. The date has a very rocky start. When the two are finally alone, they argue briefly. Suddenly, but not surprisingly, Claudine and Rupert are rocking each other's world like their lives depended on it. This is old school smut, but it is classic and priceless.

Currently Reading: We've Gotta Have It--20 Years of Seeing Black At Movies by Esther Iverem
Currently Listening To: Epiphany by Jill Scott

WHAT YOU SEE, IS WHAT YOU GET...?
Does "Writing" The "Wrongs" Mean I'll Be Broke

It took many years for me to officially become a writer. Writing is something I have always loved and it has been quite some journey getting "here." Along the way, I have done my best to keep my skills honed, writing whenever and wherever I can, even if sometimes it means doing so for free.

Also, along the way, I listened to those who were "doing what they loved." One such person was Tavis Smiley. Mr. Smiley, a Black activist-slash-man of considerable intelligence-slash-radio host-slash-television hot-slash-author, always has tips for improving oneself. The advice to black people to "read stuff other than Jet, Ebony and Essence" was something that struck a chord with me.

As a result, I started watching and became fascinated with "60 Minutes." On the surface, the show is boring. But then I began to dissect some of the stories they ran. Some had a spin on it that I, as a journalist could see right through. A few however, left me wondering: are the shows' producers pro or con on the war, are they part of this country's racial problems or solution, how much longer are they going to subject us to Andy Rooney's commentaries, etc.

Still, yet another question was born: will journalism leave me poor and looking broke down? Sure, Diane Sawyer, Barbara Walters, and a few others always look good. But some of the real hard-hitting reporters, especially the ones on "60 Minutes," look like hell. During the two years that I avidly watched the show, beyond being enlightened, I noticed quite a few things. The late (and great) Brother Ed Bradley who worked almost up until he passed away, was in serious need of dental repair. Leslie Stahl cannot afford contacts or at the very least, a pair of glasses that do not look like she picked them up at the grocery store.

And, while I dig that Andy Rooney loves comfortable shoes, he works for the oldest news show on television. Surely he can afford some new kicks; ones better than the truly dogged out pair he showed America...or can he?

Axe.

Currently Reading: Not a doggone thing!
Currently Listening To: God Bless The Child by David Peaston