FREE MUMIA!

For almost 30 years he has been a victim of our corrupt judicial system. He remaines locked down for 23 hours a day and denied contact visits with his family after being wrongfully convicted of murdering Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner. Before that, he was an active member of the Black Panther Party, an award winning journalist, who earned then title of the "voice of the voiceless," and President of the Philadelphia chapter of the Association of Black Journalists. He STILL is a father of eight, a grandfather, an author of several books, an activist, and for some people, like myself, he's a hero.

Today, there was a hearing held to establish whether or not they would reestablish the death penalty in his case or if he would spend the rest of his life in prison. The truth is, he never should have been there in the first place. All of the evidence points to his innocence and another man even came forward and confessed to murdering Officer Faulkner. If this is the case, then what could be the reason that he is still sitting in prison? Maybe its his affiliation with the Black Panther Party and the MOVE organization, perhaps it was his coverage of the MOVE 9 conspiracy, or it could be skin color alone. It is likely to be a combination of all of those things.

DRAW YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS
Facts About The Trial
* The policeman was killed with a 44 caliber gun. Abu-Jamal's gun which he was licensed to carry as a night-time taxi driver, was a 38 caliber.

* The police never tested Abu-Jamal's gun to see if it had been recently fired. They never tested his hands to see if he had fired a gun. They have never shown Abu-Jamal 's gun to be the fatal weapon.

* No police officers present at Abu-Jamal's arrest claimed to have heard Jamal's "confession" until two months after it allegedly occurred. This was right after Abu-Jamal had filed police brutality charges.

* Abu-Jamal's doctor said that Abu-Jamal, who was unconscious, said nothing. He reported that a nurse found police with loaded guns pointed at Mumia as he lay unconscious in his hospital bed.

* William Singletary, a Vietnam veteran and local businessman, saw the whole incident and has testified that Abu-Jamal was not the shooter. However, the police forced him to change his story and intimidated him into leaving Philadelphia.

* Other key witnesses, such as Veronica Jones -- who now testifies in support of Abu-Jamal, were harassed into giving false testimony. Two prosecution witnesses were given special favors, including exemption from criminal prosecution, for their testimony.

Elements in an unfair trial:

* The Judge, Albert Sabo, sentenced more people to death than any other sitting judge in the US.

* The public defender didn't interview a single witness in preparation for the trial, and didn't have funds for defending a capital case.

* The prosecutor removed 11 qualified African Americans from the jury. He also argued for the death penalty because of Mumia's membership in the Black Panther Party, a practice later condemned as unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court.

* The racial bias of Philadelphia's courts has resulted in 120 people on death row, all but 13 non-white.

[ALL INFO TAKEN FROM www.freemumia.org]

Today, while I was waiting for the live broadcast from the rally for Mumia to begin, I was wasting time on Twitter, trying to get my 150+ of my followers to join the Free Mumia Movement. As I glanced to the right of my screen I noticed that despite how many people were tweeting "#freemumia," FREE WIZ (as in rapper Wiz Khalifa) was a trending topic. I also began to think about how much Gucci Mane's release from prison was celebrated, how many FREE WEEZY shirts I saw, and how publicized Lil Wayne's release was, and now, how many people were in an uproar that Khalifa was arrested for drug possession AFTER admitting his guilt on twitter. All three of these people were guilty of committing a crime and yet, there was a public outcry over their imprisonment; but an innocent man, who falls victim to 450 years of grudges, is easily forgotten. To me, the message that sends to our youth is "rappers trump political prisoners." It's time to make a stand and get involved in movements that can make a difference in the country we live in; in the very justice system that fails our youth on a regular basis. Its time to reevaluate our priorties and make a stand for something that matters.

GET INVOLVED
Visit www.freemumia.com & www.freemumia.org to find out how.
Follow the movement on twitter @MumiaAbuJamal and on Facebook at Mumia Abu Jamal.
Sign the petitions, attend the rallies, join the movement in a city near you. Don't have one? Start a chapter & spread the word.
It's time to fight to get this innocent man out of prison and back home where he belongs.
*~Writers Ink~*

NOTE: All pictures can be linked to their original site by clicking on them. All references can be linked to their original site by clicking on the highlighted words.

"My Personality is my music & my music is my personality"

Its been a long time since hip-hop has seen a female lyricist with raw talent and a true love for the game. Face it, femcees such as MC Lyte and Queen Latifa, who helped give life to hip-hop through revolutionary lyrics, don't exist anymore. Instead we're forced to listen to artists like Nicki Minaj, who are slowly stealing the life out of the art with elementary lyrics and sexploitation. However, just when I started to lose faith in any female artist taking over the game, this young female emcee came out from the shadows and it couldn't have come at a better time.

She was born Kelli Mallory to Kenneth and Cassandra Mallory, on December 4, 1983. Majority of her childhood was spent in Washington, D.C. and her teenage years, up until now, have been spent in Prince George's County Maryland. She is currently a student at the Art Institute of Washington, working on her Bachelor of Science degree in Audio Engineering.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Jai Blazin....


Her name is street given; Jai, pronounced "jy," is a slang term known in the DMV (DC, MD, and VA) to mean "kind of," and Blazin, meaning hot. "My fellow artists and peers would compliment my music or presence on stage stating that I was 'jy blazing'." She felt that it sounded much better than Young Trice, a name that she was previously using, so she altered the spelling of it and made moves to turn it into a household name.
She first learned that she had a way with words at the age of 13. "I was always a writer, from poems to high school English papers. Vocabulary can show growth and to me, it was profound, and through it I believed in making music fortifying," she said. In high school, she realized she could flow off the top of her head, when her teammates would make beats on the bleachers and freestyle to them before basketball games. By the age of 15, she was writing songs for personal pleasure. She performed in front of a crowd for the first time at the School Without Walls SHS in Washington, D.C. When asked what it felt like to be performing for the first time she replied, "it felt like being kissed for the first time by someone you REALLY like! It almost felt like I was high without the substance to do so with!" Since then, she has performed at a list of events, but says that Bowie State University Homecoming Yardfest has been her favorite place thus far; this year made it her 2nd appearance for that event.

THE MIXTAPE
Today, October 31, 2010, Jai Blazin is releasing her much anticipated mixtape, "The Best To Never Do It." She chose to release her mixtape on Halloween because she says she's "a monster when it comes to this music thing," and this project is so powerful that its scary. She says that she got the inspiration for the title from a couple of things; birth being one and because if she were to stop making music right now, she would be the best to never do it; meaning the best to never sign with a record label, the best to never become internationally known and still be the best despite never being able to make a difference in the world. "At birth, you haven't done anything yet to set a historical mark or anything important for that matter besides entering the world. When I was born, I was at my best already without ever doing anything."
The mixtape consists of 19 tracks and while majority of the instrumentals are industry, she does have some original and distinct sounds that come from a couple of producers; Bravo-Danga, who is featured on 2 of the tracks, and Kayo The God, a rap extraordinaire from D.C. who has a project of his own entitled "And It Begins," coming out on 12/15/10. "I didn't work with many people on this particular project because by being my first compilation, I wanted the listeners to get to know me without it being drowned in features." Some of the other artists that she did have the pleasure of working with besides Bravo-Danga and Kayo The God were Dagga, B-Ez and McGhee.
According to Jai Blazin, the mixtape has a 90's twist with a lot of lyrical content. "I wanted it to have a REAL hip hop feel, something that'll take years to comprehend but you love it right away." She says that she was able to let her personality shine; she is the same person on the mixtape as she is off of it. "I had NO dictators. My team & others who participated in the project were very supportive and were just playing as the audience." Networking and promoting helped her gain new friends and fans.

The question remains, is Jai Blazin what hip hop has been missing? "I do feel as though I am the missing piece to the music industry. I have self respect, a genuine love for music and I have an attitude of someone who wants to change the world." She feels like hip hop is missing balance due to the lack of females in the industry, past and present, and it's missing substance. "Artists don't even make albums anymore. All you need is a hot single to make a few bucks and you're good. They talk about anything now, they've lost originality."
There are several things that she hopes her audience will take away from this project. "I'm hoping that the audience gets life from it. Whether you're down on your luck or everything is perfect, I pray that this compilation of music sends you higher than that." More importantly, she wants the youth to understand that if they have a dream, don't be afraid to live it. "Never let anyone tell you that your dreams are beyond your imagination or too far to be reached. Don't be afraid to be yourself."

You can request a hard copy of the mixtape through email or login to Facebook, Twitter, datpiff.com, livemixtapes.com, and reverbnation.com for the link. The download link will support all PC's, laptops, ipods, and cell phones.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD "THE BEST TO NEVER DO IT"

Contact Info for Jai Blazin
Email: jaiblazin143@yahoo.com
Facebook: facebook.com/jaiblazin
Twitter: twitter.com/jaiblazin
Youtube: youtube.com/jaiblazin
Datpiff: datpiff.com/jaiblazin

Want to view the whole interview? Check writersinkorporated.tumblr.com for the entire Q & A session.

*~Writers Ink~*

Spirit Day...

In light of recent suicides by gay youth, there is a nationwide Spirit Day tomorrow, October 20. Show your support by wearing purple! I know I will!

SPECIAL REQUEST...

Hunter Scott has been fighting brain cancer for 3 years. He will be turning 7 on Oct. 23rd, according to his doctors, this may be his last. When asked what he wanted for his birthday, he replied LOTS OF BDAY CARDS. Please help by sending your birthday cards

Hunter Scott
c/o Jessica Koehn
P.O. Box 278
St. Leonard, MD 20685.

Please repost and pass on the message to all your friends. Let's help bring a big smile to Hunter!

I Will Make It Brief...

...Columbus Day? So we're still celebrating frauds, thieves, oppressors, & murders I see. In honor of Columbus Day I am going to go next door, tell my neighbors I found their house first, enslave them, give them small pox, no wait a modern day disease....AIDS! Yea! And then I'm going to keep the house as my own. Sounds like a master plan to get a holiday in my honor!

Most people have no clue as to the foundations that this country was built upon. The lies and deceit that educators have passed on as our history only fertilize seeds of false identities. The only way to know where we are headed is to know where we came from.

THE TRUTH:
1. You can't discover a place if people already live there. Columbus landed on America and encountered Native Americans. Hence, he did not discover America.

2. According to an excerpt from Indians are Us
(Common Courage Press, 1994), after arriving in the Americas "he promptly instituted policies of
slavery (encomiendo) and systematic extermination against the native
Taino population."

3. Columbus and his forces participated in what we know as genocide. Another excerpt of the book shows written proof from one of the commanders admits to giving the natives blankets and handkerchiefs that were infected with small pox.

Thats not even half of the story....


Celebrating Columbus Day is like embracing Slavery or the Holocaust and it welcomes the idea that we as a nation will tolerate such acts in the future. If we continue to celebrate this "holiday," we might as well give Adolf Hitler and Willie Lynch a day of their own. What do you think?

*~Writers Ink~*

"You & Me. 3 o'clock..."

I remember when bullying consisted of one person known by the whole school and it usually meant that if you weren't the bully, you got the crap kicked out of you on the playground, after school, or in the locker room. It resulted in a few black eyes, your lunch money getting stolen, or you ended up being stuffed inside of a locker. That was before computers and cellphones ruled the world and bullies weren't worried about anonymity. But just as technology has changed, so has the act of bullying and the effects it has on its victims.

Cyber bullying; the new trend in terror amongst children, teens, and even college students. It can be defined as one person targeting another person by using the internet, cell phones, interactive and digital technologies to threaten, harass, torment, humiliate, and embarrass them. According to www.stopcyberbullying.org, there are two types of cyber bullying; direct attacks and cyberbullying by proxy. Direct attacks involve text messaging, instant messaging, impersonation, sending porn,stealing passwords, sending viruses, sending personal pictures or videos through email or SMS messages, and interactive gaming such as Xbox live or online gaming. Cyberbullying by proxy is when the cyberbully gets someone else to do the damage for them. They may pose as their target online and use the people around them to participate without their knowledge; this can sometimes even mean adults.

Cyberbulling has never really been exploited in the media until recently, when Rutgers freshman Tyler Clementi took his own life, after his roommate, Dharun Ravi, and one other person, Molly Wei, streamed video of him engaging in a sexual act with another man. According to the NY Times, Ravi posted a message on Twitter on September 19th admitting to turning on his webcam from Wei's room the night that Clementi asked for the room until midnight. He attempted to produce another live feed on the 21st, just a day before Clementi jumped off of the George Washington Bridge. Ravi and Wei are both being charged with invasion of privacy.

The effects of bullying doesn't stop with Clementi; he was just one of five teens who committed suicide over a 3 week span because they were being taunted over their sexual orientation. Thats not where it started either. Let's not forget April of 2009 when a Georgia fifth grader, Jaheem Herrera and 11 year old, Massachusetts native, Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, both committed suicide after being bullied at school.

The truth is, bullying might as well be a modern day genocide. It is about time that communities come together to help prevent bullying in schools, neighborhoods, as well as homes and places of business. Educating children, at home and at school, about the consequences of bullying and instilling in them respect for others during early childhood is a start. Teaching children to stand up against bullying won't prevent it from happening but it will help show bullies that there is no place for that type of "violence" in their community. Most importantly, teach your children to report bullying and encourage teachers to take it seriously. Teachers who fail to intervene should be held accountable as well. Parents should be active in their children's lives and know what types of activities they participate in. I understand that after a certain age, kids want to keep their parents at as much of a distance as they can, but as a parent, you need to know how much distance is too much. Bullying can cause victims to live a life full of fear, anxiety, loneliness, and depression; ask yourself, "is that really any way to live?" Bullies should be held accountable for their actions up to 100%. In my opinion, Ravi & Wei should be charged with more than just invasion of privacy. In fact, anyone who could be the cause of someone else taking their own life should be charged with murder. I am by no means knowledgeable in law, but in cases such as these the maximum punishment just doesn't seem enough for the hurt and pain a bully inflicts on their victims. It's time that everyone stood up and said no to bullying.


*~Writers Ink~*

Visit http://www.mwpuab.com/bullycide.html to see faces and read the stories of other "bullycide" victims.

Have you ever been a victim of bullying? Do you have a story you would like to share? Comment or email me @ writers_inkorporated@yahoo.com

*All photos can be linked back to their original site & follow the links for originial stories*

Routine Traffic Stops

How many of us have been pulled over by the police and felt that they were stopped for no reason? How many of us have been pulled over and proceeded to argue with the "officer" that stopped us? How many of us have been pulled over and lied to the "officer" about why we were speeding, failing to use a turn signal, etc? Well, I read this really "interesting" article on yahoo this morning where police offer some friendly advice on what not to say to them when you get pulled over.

Upon seeing those flashing lights in your rearview and/or sideview mirrors keep in mind these:

"Friendly Tips"
1. Don't Argue.
They say that arguing with them is the same as calling them idiots. Obviously they have caught you breaking the law so you should just accept it.

2. Don't Lie.
Officers are trained to detect "human characteristics of lying" and they also know how to ask questions to make you slip up and get caught in a lie. If you tell the truth you are more likely to be "set free."

3. Avoid calling them negative names (such as pig & oppressor) and avoid pet names (such as baby, sweetheart, honey, etc.)
Police like for you to remember that they are "Officer" to you.

4. Be Polite.
Don't talk over them and don't try to get the last word in.

5. Avoid Nervous Behavior.
Police are already on high alert to protect themselves so after being pulled over, don't reach in your pockets, glove compartment, under your seat, or arm rests until being asked to get your license, registration, and in some cases, proof of insurance.



I started writing this blog at about 7:30pm and I had planned on taking this topic in a direction that was completely opposite from the article on yahoo. The officers who volunteered their advice for that article came across as rude and mightier than thou which made fueled my intentions of being as much of a smart ass as I could. The truth is, I strongly dislike the police. If history has taught me nothing else, I've learned that the police and the government that establishes our departments place themselves on a pedestal high above the people they are supposed to serve and protect. Most of the police I have ever come in contact with are pricks who spend more time on traffic enforcement than they do working to lower our crime rates. That was my opinion of ALL police...

...but it is now 2:39am and I had the most coincidental thing happen to me about an hour ago which changed my point of view slightly. I was leaving a 7-11 around the corner from where I stay and after sitting at a red light (with a no turn on red sign) for almost 10 minutes, I decided to just make the right turn anyway. Hey, it was 1:30am and there was no traffic coming and I was just trying to get home. Well, right after I made that right hand turn I passed a police officer coming in the opposite direction who proceeded to make a U-turn and pull me over. Upon approaching my car, he asked me to place both of my hands outside of the vehicle, which I did, and at that point I thought this was going to turn into an ugly situation. He said thank you and approached the driver side window, where he asked me if I knew why he was stopping me. Of course, I knew why he did so I said yes and he asked me why I made the turn anyway. I told him that I had been sitting there for 10 mins and the person I was in the car with had gallstones and was in excruciating pain so I was just trying to get both of us back home safely. He asked if he needed to call an ambulance before he took my license and registration. He walked away and was gone for maybe 5 minutes before he returned and told me that if I had lied and told him I didn't know I couldn't turn or I didn't know why he was stopping me, he would have given me a ticket but because I was honest with him he was just going to let me go with a warning. He told me to wait next time and to have a goodnight.

This was the first time since I have been driving that I actually got pulled over by a pleasant cop. He didn't talk down to me, he didn't show any aggression, and he definitely didn't seem to be on that pedestal every other cop I've encountered had placed themselves on. The timing of that traffic stop amazed me so I was inspired to finish this entry before I went to bed.

MY ADVICE:
The next time you look in your mirror and see those flashing lights, do yourself a favor and follow the advice these officers gave you. You never know what you will encounter. I'm definitely not saying that my ONE encounter tonight will change my perception of law enforcement officials, but I can say that it opened my mind to the idea that not ALL cops are out to attack you. However, there will still be times when you get pulled over because of some stereotype, be it your race, how old you look, or the color of your car, so I do advise EVERYONE to know their rights in traffic stop situations because for every 1 legitimate traffic stop, there may be 10 illegitimate stops. In order to preserve your freedom and exercise your rights, you have to know what the police can and can't get away with. Check out www.lawfirms.com for more information.

*~Writers Ink.~*

Want to share a similar experience or voice your opinion on this blog? Feel free to comment, email me at writers_inkorporated@yahoo.com, or send me an IM!


SIDENOTE:
All pictures can be linked back to the original website they were found on by clicking on the photo & the orignal yahoo article can be found at http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/110666/what-not-to-say-when-pulled-over-by-a-cop

Quick Question...

Today is Labor Day....

But What Are YOU Celebrating?

"I have advocated and I still advocate revolutionary change"

I just finished reading Assata Shakur's book, Assata: In Her Own Words and since I was already an Assata supporter, this didn't take me long to get through. As always, her spirit and her words encouraged me to get involved with the movement. What movement you ask? The REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT.

This PEACE of literature is compiled of letters and memoirs that she has written over the years; many of which I believe are an attempt to uplift the community. She talks about her trial, the events that led up to her being arrested, and the aftermath of her escape from prison. She shines light on her side of the story and the inconsistent reports and testimony of the officers involved in the shoot out which left State Trooper Werner Forrester dead. The New Jersey State Government wrote a letter to Pope, hoping to get him to convince Fidel Castro to let the U.S. extradite Shakur back to the States to serve out her sentence during his trip to Cuba. Their letter was never made public, however, she wrote a letter to the Pope in response to what she assumes they said and that letter was included in the book. She does include a few statistics so if you're really interested in numbers for research purposes, then a pen and paper would come in handy.

Some of the information is repetitive, but that is to be expected when you have several writings that were done at separate times all combined into one book. Evelyn A. Williams wrote the "Statement of Facts in the New Jersey Trial of Assata Shakur" and that portion of the book, in my opinion, is wordy. She has a lot of sentences that seem to be rambling but if you can get past the intro then the rest of the book is smooth sailing.

I would recommend this book to everyone who is interested in educating yourself. The light she shines on the judicial system and the state of racism is remarkable. It is a must read!

Purchase The Book Here

Have you read the book? Do you have any questions? Please feel free to share your opinion or ask me any questions you may have!

*~Writer's Ink~*

5 Years Later

August 29, 2010 marked the 5 year anniversary since Hurricane Katrina devastated the southern states of Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Katrina was one of the strongest storms to impact the coast of the United States in the last 100 years. The strong winds, heavy rain, and minimum central pressure brought with it chaos and destruction that we will probably never forget.

Hurricane Katrina began as a tropical depression 175 miles southeast of the Bahamas on August 23, 2005 and turned into a tropical storm overnight. By the time it reached Florida on the 25th, it had become a category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 80mph and gusts that passed 90mph. As it blew through Florida, it brought with it flooding and substantial damage and it took the lives of 14 people on its exit. After passing through Florida, it mixed with the warm water in the Gulf of Mexico, increasing wind speeds. On the 28th, wind speeds had increased to 175mph and the National Hurricane Center warned that coastal storm surge flooding could rise up as high as 28 feet and that some of the levees in New Orleans may not be able to withstand the pressure. On Monday August 29, its center was about 90 miles southeast of New Orleans and when it finally passed through the destruction it left behind was catastrophic. All factors of the storm is what caused a rise in Lake Pontchartrain and the strain the water pressure put on the levees is what finally caused them to fail on August 30, 2005. The events that took place after the levees gave way is what makes this natural disaster even more tragic; New Orleans was flooded which left the entire city virtually under water. (All information broken down and taken from www.ncdc.noaa.gov)

Monetary damages to homes an businesses caused by Hurricane Katrina are said to be over $125 billion and the death toll is around 1833 people and that number doesn't include the hundreds of people still unaccounted for (www.ncdc.noaa.gov pg 3).

Death Toll By State:
Louisiana - 1,577
Mississippi - 238
Florida – 14
Georgia – 2
Alabama – 2

The lack of response by our government to help their own people was appalling. Anyone looking in from the outside would think that these people were left to die. They went days without food, water, or medical help. Some spent days on rooftops and others spent days on rafts, boats, or any other item they could use as a flotation devices. People were being held at gun point by the police for "luting" when they were trying to get groceries out of the store. Thousands of people were moved to the Super Dome and held there without any kind of proper security measures. FEMA was given the job of checking all houses and business for bodies and many of those buildings marked as having no dead bodies found inside, had actually not been searched. What kind of government would label and treat their own citizens as refugees? The kind of government that always comes to the aid of countries devastated by natural disasters and the kind of government who will interfere in other countries conflicts. What happened to taking care of home first?

So here we are 5 years later and what is the progress like? Well, the population in many places have been cut drastically and many houses and buildings still have yet to be rebuilt. According to The Urban Times, Louisiana residents are located in more than 5,500 cities across the nation and tens of thousands of people are paying rent on places that are out of their budget because affordable housing is not available to them. A CBS news story which covered the 5 years after Katrina said that Plaquemines Parish, who felt the wrath of Katrina first, is the last to be rebuilt. CBS News correspondent Michelle Miller reported that 15,000 people occupied housing on the Parish's south and east ends before Katrina but now it is only 3,500; 700 of those people are still living in FEMA trailers or mobile homes. In fact, "the bulk of the more than $600 million in federal recovery money has gone to the more populated north section of the parish leaving those in the lower section feeling neglected," reports Miller (CBS Article).

While progress is still being made to rebuild these cities, many places still remain untouched. Government funding has fallen short on multiple occasions to support rebuilding of homes and businesses. For example, according to The Urban Times, Louisiana's "Road Home" project, which was designed to rebuild damaged homes, was short of $35,000 that was needed to fund rebuilding. Its seems to me that when the cameras and news reporters are gone disasters such as Katrina go on to be forgotten the longer they are out of sight.

I encourage everyone to remember the faces of despair that you first saw during the initial coverage because those same faces may be residents that still need our help to rebuild. There are still volunteer groups and projects that still need people to donate their time and help. Let's not forget our neighbors and fellow citizens because one day you could be in the same situation.

*For full length articles, statistics, and facts, all links can be followed by clicking on the highlighted areas! Pictures are linked to their original website, to visit the site, just click on the pictures*


Are you a Katrina survivor? Do you know someone who is? Maybe you just have a blog idea or want my opinion on something. Feel free to email me your stories at writers_inkorporated@yahoo.com, IM me, or comment directly on the blog!

UPDATE: The Legend Lives On...

On his birthday, I blogged about the man and the legend; the one whose music and message would live on LONG after he's been gone and on June 23, 2010 Tupac was finally honored by the Library of Congress.

After years of being ridiculed, labeled for his harsh lyrics and "thug mentality," the true value of Tupac's music is finally getting the credit that he deserved. "Dear Mama," a song dedicated to his mother, Afeni Shakur, was deemed culturally significant by the Library of Congress. Shakur is only one of three emcees to be placed in the Library of Congress.

According to www.sohh.com Afeni Shakur's reacted to her son's induction by saying, "I'm incredibly touched. It could have been any song, but I'm honored they chose 'Dear Mama' in particular. It is a song that spoke not just to me, but every mother that has been in that situation, and there have been millions of us. Tupac recognized our struggle, and he is still our hero." (All Hip Hop) For those of you who don't know, the song is about a single mother who struggles with drug addiction and poverty level living conditions while trying to take care of her children.

Former Vice President Dan Quayle tried to ban Tupac's music from even hitting shelves. He claimed that there was no place in society for his type of music and even went as far as claiming that "gangster rap" was the reason cops were being killed. Well I wonder what Quayle has to say now.

Regardless of what anyone used to believe or still does believe, Tupac Amaru Shakur was a legend in music and a legend in the community. His music was more than just "gangsta rap;" it had significant messages. "Dear Mama" and "Brenda's Got A Baby" are just 2 of many that prove my point so everyone should try opening their ears before denying Tupac his place on the throne.

READ THE CBS ARTICLE IN FULL

*~Writers Ink~*

Have a story you want me to feature? Just want my opinion on something? Feel free to email me at writers_inkorporated@yahoo.com!

Be Aware of Your Surroundings...

A few weeks ago, I was visiting a family member in the hospital and we were watching this show that was called, "What Would You Do?" That particular night the show videotaped what people would do if they saw a man dropping something in his date's drink. While it was on, one of the nurses shared an interesting story with us and I thought it was important to share it.

One night, she and a friend decided to go to this club for "Goth Night" because they had never been in an environment like that before. After being there for a while, they were approached by a man who told them that they seemed like "interesting" people and asked if they would like to go with him to check something out. So they did; and as they were being led down this stairwell into the basement of the club she noticed that something didn't seem right. As they got to the bottom of the stairs and she looked into the room that he was leading them to she noticed chains, whips, swings, and other S&M type paraphernalia. Both her and her friend aggressively made it clear that they weren't into that type of thing and backed up the steps keeping a close eye on the basement they just came out of and left the club shaken.

She says that she can't believe that she made that type of judgement call because anything could have happened to the both of them that night. She tells her story to as many people as she can and I thought I could help spread the word about the importance of being aware of your surroundings.



According to the RAINN (Rape Abuse & Incest National Network), someone is sexually assualted every 2 minutes in the United States. Although reports show that instances of sexual assault has dropped by 60% since 1993, in 2007 alone, there were 248,300 victims of sexual assault over the age of 12. In a lifetime, 1 out of every 6 women, and 1 out of every 33 men will be sexually assaulted. Yes fellas, it can happen to you as well.

A few important statistics to know:
-Approximately 2/3 of rapes were committed by someone known to the victim.
-73% of sexual assaults were perpetrated by a non-stranger.
-38% of rapists are a friend or acquaintance.
-28% are an intimate.
-7% are a relative.

So for all of my clubheads, party-goers, and people out to have a good time, please keep the following tips in mind when you go out:
-Do not accept open drinks at parties, especially from people you don't know. This also includes any sodas, juices, and bottled water. If you're drinking from a bottle or can, open it yourself.

-Never leave your drink unattended. Only ask someone that you trust to watch your drink and if you walk away with no one to watch your drink, buy a new one when you return.

-Never go out to a bar, party or club alone. Take atleast one person you know and trust with you; take a group of people to make the experience even safer.

- If your drink has an unusual taste, or appearance (salty taste, has excessive foam, or residue) DO NOT continue to drink it.

-Never mix drugs and alcohol. The combination can be dangerous.

Drink responsibly and party responsibly. It could save your life. For more information about Rape please check out http://www.rainn.org/statistics.

*Do you have an experience you'd like to share? Feel free to email me @ writers_inkorporated@yahoo.com. Or you can comment here, or send me and IM!*

DISCLAIMER: All statistics can be linked to their original site by clicking on any highlighted portion of this blog

July 4th: Independence For Who?

On Monday, June 28, 2010 the longest serving senator in U.S. history, Robert C. Byrd (West Virginia) passed away after years of failing health. He served 51 years in the United States Senate and six years in the House of Representatives, accomplishing much throughout the years. He held the offices of both majority and minority leader, along with president pro tem. He came from a poor background, self educating himself, who eventually took college courses sometime around his 30's or 40's. He wrote a book about his life and was proud to say he represented the people of his home state.

The question that we really should be asking is exactly who was he representing. Byrd was a member of the Klu Klux Klan in his youth and later he joined the group of Southern Democrats that rallied an unsuccessful filibuster against the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 1944, Byrd wrote in a letter to Mississippi Democratic Senator Theodore Bilbo...
“I shall never fight in the armed forces with a Negro by my side... Rather I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds.”
Let me give credit to Byrd for later apologizing for his past and for supporting President Barack Obama, however, is it possible for a man who wrote so passionately against African Americans be truly sincere in his apology? This man represented the "people" for over 50 years but can we honestly say that it he was an equal opportunity representative; whose best interests did he have in mind while in office?

While we do live in a "free" country and we are in a position where everyone is able to vote, it's not to say that his appointment to Congress was UNFAIR but it makes me question the mindset of voters. I overstand that West Virginia is still a predominately racist state but in the age of an African American President, is it still acceptable to have people with this mindset, reformed or not, even representing us in the first place? It's a lot to think about on this day of "Independence."

But just as a close friend of mine said, "Today is the day this nation gained Independence while people's ancestors remained bound and beaten, carrying the weight on their backs LITERALLY. While scars healed on their backs and created deep roots for the tree of life I don't think they imagined barbecues & fireworks reasons to celebrate." You can argue me until you're tired or just agree to disagree, but until people can open their minds, throw out their prejudices, and educate themselves before they vote, our country is still far from being "The Land of the Free" and our people, ALL people, are far from being able to celebrate freedom.

Happy 4th of July Everyone!

The Legacy Lives On...

On June 16, 1971, Afeni Shakur gave birth to her "Black Prince," whom she said would save the black nation. 39 years later, and almost 14 years after his death, his controversial lyrics and legendary music continues to live on.

He was born, Lesane Parish Crooks, in the Bronx, New York; his name was later changed to Tupac Amaru Shakur. His mother was a member of the Black Panther Party, and his father, for much of his life, went unknown. He grew up in a number of places, all of which played a part in turning him into the man that he was. He was an actor,a poet, a lyricist, an activist and a revolutionary. His creativity gave birth to six solo albums in life, and many more in death. He starred in 6 films and after his death, a book of his poetry along with two poetry Cd's were released. His music shed light on the problems that faced the community and many would say that he was way ahead of his time. On September 13, 1996, Tupac died from fatal gunshot wounds after he was gunned down in Las Vegas, Nevada; his murder has never been solved.

Tupac can undoubtedly be considered one of the greatest of all time. While hip-hop today is plagued with garbage lyrics from the likes of Soulja Boy & Gucci Mane, Tupac's music still helped lay the foundation for hip-hop that some artists still follow. His name and style can never be copied but it lives on through artists and fans that still represent his ideology.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAC!

Discrimination Is World Wide...

It's no secret that countries, states, and cities want a picture perfect image when they may be the home to some popular events like the Super Bowl, the Olympics, and the World Cup. In 1996, the city of Atlanta initiated the removal of 15,000 public housing residents in order to make room for Centennial Park (www.ryanvande.com). More recently, the City of Detroit initiated a city wide "clean up" for the homeless, placing them in shelters, prior to Super Bowl XL in 2008. Now, the government of South Africa has displaced thousands of the impoverished people from Cape Town in order to create a postcard image for those tuning in to see the World Cup.

According to an article printed in The Washington Post, thousands of people found themselves being forced to relocate into an area of Delft, Cape Town, nicknamed Blikkiesdorp, which in Afrikaans means "tin-can town." Blikkiesdorp is a temporary relocation camp made up of over 1,000 one room, iron corrugated, shacks, that are about 193 square feet in size. Typically, one shack houses five or more people and four units share one bathroom.

Blikkiesdorp has a high crime rate, the living conditions are below poverty level, and the living environment extreme; many of the residents use duct tape to hold their roof and walls together during high winds and/or rain. Conditions like these are breeding grounds for diseases but the site is so far away from the city itself that it makes finding transportation to medical clinics extremely difficult. The children rarely go to school because of transportation and the security on the site is ridiculous; guards patrol frequently with K9 dogs and the entire site is surrounded by barbed wire.

South Africa's government had $450 million to spend on a new stadium but can't seem to find the funds to provide these people, whom they have uprooted from their own living quarters, with adequate living space. This is not a situation that should be "swept under the rug." There is no such thing as a "picture perfect" anything; everything has a dark side and Blikkiesdorp exploits the underlying issues that still remain 16 years after the end of apartheid; this time its a segregation of class more than it is race. They have been placed in what may as well be a concentration camp and left there; but left there until when? The South African government says that the money it has put into constructing the new stadiums and new businesses in the Cape Town area will provide more jobs, raise living standards, and open up more opportunities. It sounds like a bunch of empty promises made to pacify the situation. The truth is that the government placed its image over its people and that is something that will never change any where. The lower class will never matter to the upper class in any country unless we all come together and demand change. Sounds like we're in need of a revolution. What do you think?


For the complete story and more images, please visit www.washingtonpost.com

*~Writer's Ink.~*

Share you thoughts and opinions below or email me @ writers_inkorporated@yahoo.com.

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Call me ignorant...

I have had a few people send me an email asking me for my thoughts on the oil spill situation in the Gulf of Mexico and so far I have an opinion BUT it is not one of value. I have no substance or education behind my response and every place I seem to look for more information is inconsistent with the place I looked before that. So please forgive me for my lack of response thus far. I am still trying to educate myself so that I can offer an educated response as well as offer feasible solutions to a much larger problem. I will have a response for you as soon as I feel that what I am saying shows that I know what I am talking about.

In the meantime, stay tuned because I will have other topics to blog on.

Single Mother Stereotype...

Yesterday morning I got a call from a good friend of mine who just wanted to vent about a frustrating situation she has encountered while being pregnant. Our conversation inspired this entry and will focus more on my opinion than it does on facts but it is something I had to share because I found the situation to be one I can't quite wrap my mind around.
While on the way to work she was approached by a guy , whom she had never met before, at the bus stop who asked her if her baby was his (he clearly knew it wasn't his child). This young man then proceeded to tell her that no one would do for her and the baby like he would so she should just let him take care of her. Keep in mind that she is married and wears her ring EVERYDAY so it's not like he couldn't read the signs. She said that this is not the first time that it has happened to her and she was finally at a point where she was ready to snap. She is not the first of my friends that has faced this kind of problem when they were pregnant which leads me to my biggest issue. Why do so many people look a a pregnant woman or a woman with children and automatically assume that she is or will be a single mother?

The U.S. Census Bureau statistics from November of 2009 show that there are 13.7 million single parents that are raising approximately 21.8 million children; which accounts for 26% of children under the age of 21 in the United States. I do understand that being a single parent is unfortunately a common occurance but when does it become acceptable to assume that all women with children are single mothers? Another problem I have is that if so many men show so much concern for women and children that aren't theirs, then why are there so many single mothers out here today? How many of those men offering to take care of someone else's child have children of their own that they don't take care of? Come on people!

It is time to push aside the stereotypes and stop assuming that all women with children are single mothers. Pay attention to the signs people and stop being so disrespectful.