Whose America is it Anyway?

Sunday, May 24, 2009

It's not easy being in a relationship, much less to truly know the other one and accept them as they are with all their flaws and baggage. --2 Days in Paris

Sunday, April 5, 2009

An Open Letter to Oscar de la Renta and his ilk

This is in response to the following quotes:

"American fashion right now is struggling," says Oscar de la Renta. "I think I understand what [Obama and her advisers] are doing, but I don't think that is the right message at this particular point....I don't object to the fact that Mrs. Obama is wearing J. Crew to whatever because the diversity of America is what makes this country great. But there are a lot of great designers out there. I think it's wrong to go in one direction only."

"'You don't...go to Buckingham Palace in a sweater.'"

Did you forget that you are not entitled to dressing Mrs. O? Perhaps it's because you dressed many past first actual and aspiring ladies along with Governor Palin. Ah, those delusions of grandeur will getcha!

No designer is entitled to free publicity, m'dear. Most real women with kids to raise do not spend their time cataloging clothes they'd like to wear, fretting over labels and what Anna Wintour or Oscar thinks of them. They wear what they like and in her case, generally make sure it's from an American designer.

Being unable to take as many vacations to exotic locales isn't struggling nor is having to close one of your sweat-shop like warehouses. Struggling is wondering whether you'll have a roof over your head next month and living on 5/$1 Ramen Noodles. I hope Mrs. O wears more clothes from unknown designers who make affordable clothes and are actually struggling.

This love for diversity should extend to the models you use. Instead of a token, well-known non-white models, perhaps you and the rest of the big designers should consider the many stunning under-employed non-white models that I always saw waiting tables and fetching coffee in NYC.

Also, you don't win friends with vinegar and your spiteful quote about her outfit will not make her want to wear your clothes. Perhaps this bitchiness is how you get insecure Hollywood starlets to wear your designs, but it is certainly not how to win over Mrs. O or most women for that matter.

One would think the fashion world would be happy for Jason Wu and Isabel Toledo, but I suppose the big designers don't want unknowns stealing what they believe is their spotlight. Take some tips from Vera Wang ("I love seeing young designers and their vision and how they grow and all of that. On the other hand, of course, I wish she would consider some of us, because I think we also have contributions to make.") who doesn't have her head up her ass.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Free Hugs

Love it.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Rev. Al Rips Black Mega-Churches on LGBT, Prop 8

From Young Black Professionals Guide

First, two claps for Rev. Al.

Yeah, you read that right. In one of the more plain and clear ways to describe the hypocrisy that often creeps within religion, specifically within the corporation-esque entities of Black mega-churches, Rev. Al is being quoted all over the internet about a recent sermon he gave.

Rev. Al Sharpton Speaks on Prop 8

Appearing as the keynote speaker at the Human Rights Ecumenical Service held at Atlanta’s Tabernacle Baptist Church, via PageOneQ:

There is something immoral and sick about using all of that power to not end brutality and poverty, but to break into people’s bedrooms and claim that God sent you.

Oh no…he goes on.

It amazes me when I looked at California and saw churches that had nothing to say about police brutality, nothing to say when a young black boy was shot while he was wearing police handcuffs, nothing to say when they overturned affirmative action, nothing to say when people were being [relegated] into poverty, yet they were organizing and mobilizing to stop consenting adults from choosing their life partners.

That’s deep.

I am tired of seeing ministers who will preach homophobia by day, and then after they’re preaching, when the lights are off they go cruising for trade…We know you’re not preaching the Bible, because if you were preaching the Bible we would have heard from you. We would have heard from you when people were starving in California–when they deregulated the economy and crashed Wall Street you had nothing to say. When [accused Ponzi scammer] Madoff made off with the money, you had nothing to say. When Bush took us to war chasing weapons of mass destruction that weren’t there you had nothing to say.

Preach!!

But all of a sudden, when Proposition 8 came out, you had so much to say, but since you stepped in the rain, we’re going to step in the rain with you.

Damn.

I breathe a sigh of relief when I see things like this. Pastors are not all one voice. Black people do not all think the same. Not everyone is as ignorant as they seem (surprisingly).

So, what now, folks? Will his words fall on deaf ears? Will we see a whole bunch of Soul-Train award gospel songs denouncing Rev. Al and claiming they cured themselves of homosexuality?

I’ll be getting my popcorn out for this one…

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WOW. I am definitely a critic of some of his choices but I definitely have immense respect for him now.