Whoopi Was Right! And, The Oppression Olympics...

There Are ONLY Three (3) Races In The Entire World According To CENTURIES Of Anthropological Study:

*NEGROID, CAUCASOID, MONGOLOID*

EVERYTHING Else Is An Ethnic Group Within A Race Or A Mixed Race Ethnic Group/Culture. Period. And, A RELIGION Is NOT A Race, Especially When Historically It Has Members From All 3 Races For Millenia (See The Geneology Of JESUS With His Bronzed Skin And Woolen Hair...👀).

Additionally, You Can NOT Have White Privilege (And The Money And Power To Literally Operate In Racism *See NYC Landlords And Court Documents*) And Claim Marginalization Based On Race. 

Antisemitism Is Religious Persecution, NOT Racism. Religions, Cultures And Ethnic Groups Are NOT Races. That Is An Uneducated Stance, It Is Not Based In Fact, And The Optics Are Horrible. They Give Off More Of A "We're Making A Power Play To Put And Keep Rich And Powerful BLACKS (With A Capital B) In Their Place" Than Any Kind Of Genuine Offense. If The Offense Requires This Much Explanation And Justification, It Seems To Me There Is Some Serious BS Going On... 

Germans Were Well Aware Of The Science Of Race. They Simply Chose To Ignore It To Justify Their Disgusting Agenda And Propaganda. Let Me Put This More Simply. THEY PRETENDED THAT EUROPEAN JEWS WERE NOT WHITE WHILE KNOWING THAT THEY WERE, IN FACT, ALSO WHITE (Asian And Black Jews Weren't Historically Present In That Part Of Europe And Original Jews Were NOT European *See Historical Jewish Migration And Ethnic Erasure Through Intermixing With White Europeans*). 

So, To Be Clear... The Media Is Perpetuating The Willful Ignorance Of Nazis And The Intentional Misinformation They Fed Their People About Race, And Repackaging It As If It Is (Alternative) Truth To Justify The Punishment Of National Treasures Who State Scientific Facts? Really? 

So, TV Executives Are Literally Pretending To Agree With Nazis Who Pretended Not To Understand The Concept Of Race To Railroad Whoopi Into Submission...? Do They Get To Go Right Back To Just Being White People Who Practice A Shared Religion When They're Done Pretending They Suffer An Equivalent Plight To Black People In This Country? Will They Continue Enjoying All Of That Privilege And Power Once They've Destroyed A Black Woman's Career Just To Prove They Could? Or, Are People Just Out Here Pretending They Haven't Been Enjoying Whiteness In Western Culture For The Last 60+ Years For Just THIS Week? 

Epic Fail.

Ethnocentricity Is NOT Racism. Religious Prejudice Is NOT Racism. Only RACISM Is Racism. And, That Is NOT A Western Concept. It's Not Exclusive To America Or American History. It's Worldwide! And, The Only Jews Who Experience Racism Are The Ones Of Black And Perhaps, Occasionally, Asian Descent. It Sure As Shit Is NOT The Ones Who Have Assimilated Entirely Into Western Whiteness Via DNA And Privilege And Enjoy All Of The Opportunities And Perks That Come With It Including The Power To Marginalize Others... 

I Mean, When Was The Last Time An Unarmed Jew Was Shot In Their Home, In Their Bed, Or At A Peaceful Traffic Stop By The Police Who Then Justified It By Claiming They Were "Afraid For Their Lives"? 

I'll Wait...🙄

#AmeriKKKa

When You Are More Than They're Used To...

✨Originally Posted Today 8 Years Ago✨

When I Was A Child, My Mom Explained To Me That Sometimes Your Light Is So Bright That People Would Rather Try To Snuff It Out Than Look At It (Or You)... 

It Either Hurts The Eyes Of Their Egos And Illuminates Their Own Inadequacies And Dysfunction In Uncomfortable Ways, Or It Just Reflects Back To Them Their Own Darkness...

Neither Is Your Fault Or Problem. Being Misunderstood, Rejected, Belittled Or Even Abandoned By Those Who Can Not Handle The Magnitude Of Your Destiny Doesn't Diminish Your Worth. Rejection Is An Unkind And Unfair Prerequisite On The Path To Greatness. 

It's Easier For Most People To Celebrate Mediocrity Than Brilliance. Elevating Basic, Ordinary And Average, Or Just Above, Is Easy. It Feels Attainable. Within Reach. Like Maybe They Could Achieve The Same Heights As Those Who've Stumbled And Lucked Into Success And Celebration Through Sheer Chance And Unwarranted Support By People Too Small And Insecure To Acknowledge (Or, Show Loyalty To) The Remarkable Among Them.

Extraordinary, Though, Is Hard To Accept Or Celebrate For The Ordinary Because It Is Unattainable. It Is A Birthright. It Can't Be Faked Or Learned. It Just Is. And, Until The Rest Of The World Catches Up And It And You Have Become Undeniable, People Will Play You Down And Pretend Not To See Your Light Or You Just To Preserve Their Own Fragile Senses Of Self, Reality, Security And Possibility.

People Know When They Aren't On Your Level. They Know When They Can Never Go Where You're Going. And, If They Can Convince You That You're Nothing Special — That You're Not As Bright, Shiny And As Unique As The Star You Truly Are, You Won't Get There, Either...

DO NOT LET THEM. 

There Is Absolutely Nothing Wrong With Being Extraordinary, Special, Brilliant, Vibrant, Beautiful, Gifted, Magnificent, Different, Anointed, Unique Or Even An *AnOmali*!... 

So, Never Dim Yourself For The Appeasement, Acceptance Or Approval (Or Even The Love) Of Others... Don't Let Rejection Or Denial Make You See Yourself As Less Than God Made You To Be. Your Time Will Come. Your Light Will Shine For The Whole World To See. And, It Will Be Undeniable. 🔥⭐🌠

#SHINE ✨

#Butterpillar 🦋

On Dave Chappelle And The Intentionally Obtuse Hypocrisy Of The Queer Community...

Queer friendly, alphabet adjacent person here (P 🍳)... I honestly believe a lot of what Dave Chappelle said in his last comedy special was taken WAY out of context. And, the fact that he was also making JOKES based in very deliberate truths that the LGBTQIA community is WELL aware of and discuss privately and regularly was missed entirely by most of his detractors. 

He made very valid points, and as someone who's worked and lived WITHIN in the LGBTQIA community extensively (I founded and ran a sizeable non-profit in this community that included ALL the children and although I have a clear preference for men at this point in my life, have always identified as PAN...#Heteroflexible), and with every letter, (I've probably more experience with the trans community than most), I personally believe that a lot of the backlash is based in narcissism which is RAMPANT in this community. Yep. I said it. 

Some alphabet folks are going to take offense no matter what he said because that's what they wanted to do before they even saw the routine. I believe the Bible refers to it as "the sin of offense"... And, it is laced with arrogance and entitlement, ignorance and lack of self awareness or any awareness of any other person or group in the world as equally important to one's own "plight". And, I'm about as minority (triple) and marginalized at they come statistically speaking, so... This is no outside perspective. 

Victimhood seems addictive to this community and I'm over it, especially considering how much racism and privilege exists within it (Google the issues of race, elitism and division in the queer community). He NAILED that point and I need everyone to stop pretending we haven't been having THAT discussion for YEARS... Anyone from Philly should remember all the craziness with Sisters and other clubs in the "gayborhood" because of the blatant racism that goes on to this day, including how the cops would only harass and raid the predominantly Black clubs like Libations... 

Black women are murdered disproportionately in this country. Period. Not just Black trans women. Their rate is higher, but, that is relative when you look at the bigger statistics. And, if women are women, and we aren't to differentiate generally, then... Black people are murdered at high rates period. Not just queer people or queer Black people. And, WE get murdered by the POLICE at higher rates than EVERYONE ELSE... And, Black queer people are at even higher risk to it ALL. To be clear, I'm not minimizing anyone's suffering or inequity. But, it's all relative in the bigger picture and the statistical comparison does lend some perspective. And, stating these facts doesn't minimize the imminent danger of one group over the other. But, these groups overlap significantly. 

Everything can't just be about one group ALL THE DAMN TIME and the queer community is NOT the only vulnerable group in the world although you wouldn't know it with all of this commotion every time somebody gets their panties in a bunch over nothing (Dave is NOT going to get anyone killed and that notion is hyperbolic and annoying!).

Furthermore, everyone in this community isn't some innocent victim being attacked by the brilliant, funny man provoking thoughts and calling out and challenging BS no matter what group it's coming from. He does this to EVERYONE. His points were solid and much of his humor and accurate observations went over the heads (and, egos) of most of those who are most outraged. 

A lot of what he said was contextual and my queer people purposely took it out of context and intentionally missed every positive implication because it's easier to just make everyone the enemy and continue to play the victim and find something innane to protest instead of the real, convoluted, nuanced and difficult issues we face as a people. Because it's all about visibility, right? Even though I thought equality and justice, accountability and normalization was the real goal...👀

I've seen this phenomenon way too many times up close and personal in the microcosm of community and organizations I've worked in and for. Rebels without a cause or simply taking up the wrong cause because it gets them more attention while the real work goes undone in the community they claim to love so well and the real victims within it suffer disproportionately as a result. 

There are much bigger fish to fry than a comedian who is perfectly entitled to his humor, observation, intellectual approach and opinions. One of his first jokes was about space and Jews. SPACE JEWS! Yet you don't hear a soul talking about that and decrying antisemitism — because it WASN'T antisemitic. It was a historical and current social observation about what is going on in Israel and with the Palestinians. It's hard to argue with a joke based in hard truth. 

In summary, I'm so sick of this community acting deliberately daft and being intentionally obtuse about this comedy special as if they are unable to process nuance and shades of gray. Because if any community knows the world isn't in all black and white, it's this one — the masters of all SHADE: loosely defined as uncomfortable humor based in truth! And, truth be told, there is no more powerful group of "marginalized people" anywhere in the world than the LGBTQIA gang.

Dave is brilliant. What he a said was true however uncomfortable. Gay is more protected than Black in this country even though it can be hidden and skin color can NOT be. A hit dog will holler. It was funny. He's not homo or trans phobic, he's just not afraid to confront people smack in the middle of their own cognitive dissonance, lack of perspective and accountability and personal delusions. And, I'm irked that people are still dwelling on this as if we're not in a whole pandemic with millions dead, Black lives still don't matter enough, the foster care system and all social services aren't a disaster, there's no cure for cancer or AIDS, Israel is not still terrorizing, murdering and displacing Palestinians...and there is not STILL war and children starving in Africa...👀

He's a Comedian. He did his job. He's rich and he won't be canceled nor should he be. 

It's seriously time to move on...

Love Thy Enemies (Karma And Such)...

I Realized Today That I Love My Enemies... No, Really... Like Literally —

I LOVE MY ENEMIES! 😲

I Promise I'm NOT Being Snarky... 

And, Wooo! That Ish Is A Lot To Process And Heavy To Hold...

You Know You've Leveled Up Spiritually And You're Vibrating Higher When You Watch Someone Who Knowingly And Intentionally Abused And Violated You From A Position Of Power Inflicting Real Harm, Suffer Or Die, And, Instead Of Feeling Like Karma Gave Them Their Just Due, You Feel Empathy And Sadness.

I Cried Today For Someone With ZERO Integrity Who Legit Tried To Ruin My Life 7 Years Ago...All While My Maternal Grandmother Was Dying. You Don't Forget Milestones Like That... I Will Not Disclose The Details Although Some Of You Do Know Of Whom/What I Speak And How It Almost Went To Court... I Sincerely And Genuinely Wept For His Demise In Spite Of The Truth Of Who He Was And How He Lived Behind Closed Doors; The Details The Well Fooled Masses Weren't Privy To.

He Was Well Insulated By A Very Old (The Oldest), Black, Religious Organization Which Operates A Lot Like The Catholic Church When It Comes To Scandal, Etc. — Politically, Unethically And In The Shadows With Little Concern For Right And Wrong. And, Honestly, It Is Irksome To Watch People Who Are Utterly Ignorant Of The Ugly Things He's Done To Me And Other Women Celebrate Him Like He Was Some Kind Of Role Model, Hero Or Saint. While I Can't Speak To Their Experience Of Him, I Lived The Reality Of Mine — With Receipts. 

Still I'm Sad For His Misfortune. And, Thus, Conflicted. 

I've Always Had A Big, Soft Heart. But, Mother (Me) Has Also Always Loved Balanced Scales...⚖️. I LOVE JUSTICE. Restitution Is Not Only My Apology Language. It's A Part Of My Foundational Code... Yet, There Is No Reveling In His Suffering. I No Longer Feel Bitterness Towards Him Regarding The Abuse I Suffered At His Hands. I Survived Him, I Healed And I Moved On. I Hadn't Thought Of Him In YEARS. 

I Remember Him, Though. He Was Incredibly Arrogant. Narcissistic. He Took Pleasure In Having The Power To Do Me Harm To Cover His Own Ass In Front Of His Congregants And Organization. I Doubt He Even Fully Understood The Magnitude Of His Actions Though He Absolutely Knew They Were Wrong. He Was Incapable Of Considering Others If It Conflicted With His Image Or Ambition. And, Not Only Did I NOT Ever Receive An Apology Or What I Was Owed From His unGodly, Bitter Church Of Crypt Keepers, But, He Lied About Me And What Had Transpired To Protect Himself. 

Then His Organization, While Acknowledging That They Believed Me And My Evidence And That This Wasn't The First Legitimate Complaint Against Him, Closed Ranks Around Him Instead Of Protecting And Doing Right By An Innocent Me. For Emphasis, They Had The Power To Make It Right And CHOSE To Do Nothing Because They Were Afraid Of The Repercussions To Their Respective Titles... 

To This Day, I Have Absolutely No Respect For This Entire Denomination. And, To Be Clear, I Didn't Have Much Prior To These Events As I Was All Too Familiar With The Foul Way In Which They Operate. I've Had Decades Of Experience Working For Their Churches And My Stepfather Is A Part Of Their Fold... I'm No Novice Or True Outsider. 

I Will Say This Much. It Truly Seems That Life Humbled Him Beyond Recognition In His Last Several Months Here On Earth. Perhaps He'd Learned His Lesson And Finally, Genuinely Gotten To Know The God He Used To Play From Behind His Title And The Pulpit. If God Could (Seemingly) Change Him, Maybe, One Day, His Carnal Denomination Will Get To Know God, Too, And It Won't Take A Collective Deathbed To Bring About This Change. Perhaps, A Little Holy Ghost Might Help. That Obvious Lack Would Explain Why They Seem To Continue To Do Wrong With Absolutely No Conviction (And, Their Desert Dry 🤬 Services)...😒

I Digress... 

For The Record, I Don't Feel Like His Death Is Any Kind Of Justice On Only My Behalf. It ISN'T. I Don't Even Believe In Capitol Punishment And My Father Was Murdered By A Serial Killer (For Context). I See His Suffering As Human, Not As Retribution. God Doesn't Think Like Us. But, I Do Think We Make Life Choices That Can Have Reverberating Consequences, Especially When We Don't Take Steps To Right Our Wrongs. There Is A Balance To This Universe That Must Be Maintained. However, From My Vantage Point, THIS Was Beyond That. He Suffered FAR Beyond The Damage He Inflicted Upon Me. Knowing This, All I Feel Is Sympathy. Compassion. PITY. It's Disheartening. I Hate To See ANYONE Truly Suffer Or Face Their End In Endless Pain... And, It's Baffling How That Flies In The Face Of My Nature; Of Human Nature. 

The Hawkins Wrote A Song Called "What Is This?" That Aptly Describes Spiritual Transformation. It's An Evolution Beyond My Own Power Or Might. Simply Stated: I Didn't Get Here, To Unconditional Compassion, On My Own...

This Self Work; This Time In The Mirror With God, It's Not For The Faint Of Heart. God Is Changing My Base Nature. I'm Learning To Honestly Hold My Peace Even Though My True Nature Is That Of A Fearless (And, Sometimes Reckless) Warrior. And, I No Longer Surmise That The Passage Of Scripture Stating "Whatsoever A Man Soweth That Shall He Also Reap" Is Rhetoric. I've Seen Too Many People Who Have Harmed Me Face A Hell Of Their Own Making. I Couldn't Glory In It Even If I Wanted To (I Don't). Apparently I'm A Punk Who, Sadly, Loves Every Damn Body At My Core. And, I Now Pray Mercy Over My Enemies And Mean It! WTH?

As My Godmother (In My Head), Oprah, Would Say: 'What I Know For Sure' Is... Love Is All That Matters. No One Is All One Thing. There's Bad In The Best Of Us And Good In The Worst Of Us — Even Those Who Have Unjustly Damaged My Life, Heart, Person, Livelihood, Ability To Trust And/Or Good Name And Reputation. I Think My Ability To See This Way — Multidimensionally — Is Why The Intentional Infliction Of Pain Has Always Hurt Me So Deeply And Is So Much Harder To Forgive. I See People Beyond Their Actions. I've Always Been More Invested In The Why Than The What. Motives And Intentions Hold The Greatest Weight For Me. So, I Have Compassion Even When They Are Unworthy And It Is Undeserved. Sometimes I Wish I Didn't...😔

After The Events Of This Day — To Each And Every Person On My List Of Enemies, Frenemies, Foes And/Or Unforgivable Offenses:

I FORGIVE YOU. I Continually Work To Forgive At Deeper Layers And Levels. I Don't Wish Any Harm Upon You. I Still Want VINDICATION And RESTITUTION. Always. Full Stop. But, I Also Love You And I'm Praying For You... For Real. Mercy, Lord... I Don't Want To See ANYONE Else Suffer Like He Did. I Don't Need An Apology (I Still WANT One, But, I Don't NEED One...). Just Do Me A Favor And Remember That Karma Is Real...

I No Longer Want You To Change Anymore. Not For Me. Spirit And Life And Doing The Work Has Changed ME Enough For The Both Of Us.

All Is Well. 

Man, God Is Radical...

#Butterpillar 🦋

Never Can Say Goodbye...

(Goodbyes Beyond Space And Time)

I Found Out Today That Someone I Love Profoundly; Someone I'm Incredibly Close To And Whom I've Known Almost My Entire Life And Who May Arguably Know Me Better Than Anyone Else In The World Is REALLY Sick... Like Stage 4 Sick... Like Really Late Diagnosis Sick. Like, We're Treating To Make You Comfortable Sick And Not To Cure Sick... 

I Had A Dream About Him Last Night. Those Of You Who Are Close To Me Know About My Dreams And That I Can't Afford To Dismiss Them Especially When People Pop Up Or Come To Me In Them Seemingly Out Of Nowhere. So, I Tentatively Reached Out. We Had A Falling Out Last Year And Hadn't Spoken In A Few Months. But, Like Any True, Unconditional Love And Deep Bond Between Two People Who Were Once Deeply In Love — And, When Even Through Life's Changes The Love Has Remained — It Was A Temporary Break.

In Retrospect, As Was Our Usual, It Stemmed Less From Anger And More From Hurt And Defense Mechanism When Matters Of The Past Arose. We See It Very Differently. He Sees Me As The Villain In The Story Of His Heart. I See The Story As Much More Nuanced Than That. I Was So Incredibly Young And There Is A Decent Age Gap Between Us, Him On The Higher End.

Love Was Never Our Issue... We Were So Intense. Damn Near Psychically Linked In Our Levels And Modes Of Intimacy. We Still Communicate In Ways, Both Verbal And Non-verbal That Would Baffle The Outside World... I Just Wasn't Ready. I Wasn't A Fully Integrated Adult. I Wasn't Even 20 Yet... I Didn't Know Myself Nearly As Well As I Knew Him. I Needed More Experience. I Needed More Time... Full Stop. Human Nature Stuff. There's A LOT Of History There As We've Weaved In And Out Of Each Other's Lives Over The Years... Time... TIMING, Was Always Our Problem. On Repeat. But, 25+ Years In (From My Literal Childhood) And We've Always Found Our Way Back To Love, Even All These Years Later, As Dear Friends With A Much Deeper Connection Beneath...

So, I Made The Call Because I Needed To Know Why I'd Dreamt About Him So Vividly Out Of The Blue. And, Why I'd Awakened Clearly Remembering The Details — An Uncommon Occurrence. I Knew There Was A Reason. And, My Gut Told Me There Would Be An Immediate Answer And It Would Come From Him Directly.

And, There Was... I Just Had No Idea My Early AM Was Going To Begin With A Gut Punch Of Epic Proportions. I Didn't Know It Would Feel Like A Bomb Had Just Exploded. We Always Think We Have More Time... But, There's Never Enough Time...

I've Taken The Entire Day To Process The Information Pretty Clinically. That's My Nature In A Crisis As I've Seen More Than My Fair Share Of Trauma And Loss. I'm A "Get Things Done Now And Feel Things Later" Kind Of Girl. And, I Honestly Couldn't Feel Anything All Day. I Was Just In My Head And Staying Busy And Wondering What The Hell Was Wrong With Me That I Was Being So Cavalier. I Didn't Notice That I Didn't Eat Anything All Day Until Just Now. That My Body Was Processing My Feelings Before My Heart Or Head Could Because I Was In Shock. But, Now, At 3AM, It's Hit Me Like A Ton Of Bricks — All At Once. It Knocked The Wind Out Of Me. And, I Can't Breathe!!! Like, I Literally Can't Breathe... I've Had A Full Blown Panic Attack. And, It's Too Late To Call Anybody. And, It's Not Usually Like Me To Turn Outward Instead Of Inward In Difficulty Regardless. And, What Would I Say Anyway? So, I'm Writing Because, As A Creative, That's What I Do...

I'm Having A Complete Meltdown And I Need To Pull It Together For Him So I Can Be Fully Present And Positive And Supportive Come Tomorrow And Every Tomorrow After. But, Sometimes It's Hard To Be Positive When Your Gift Is Sight... I Don't Even Know How To Pray About This Yet. Or, At All...

Right Now I Just Can't Breathe. Or, Eat. Or, Sleep. And, I Can't Stop Crying. Probably For About The Last Hour+ Now. It Feels Like I'm Preemptively Grieving. And, I Know I Shouldn't Be... But, I Can't Control It. Please Pray. Pray For My Loved One. Pray For His Strength And Courage And Healing And God's Perfect Will. And, Please Pray For My Strength, Focus And Resolve....Not For My Sake, But, For His — That I Might Be The Friend And Support He Needs And That We Might Have Just A Little More Time... Because There's Never Enough Time... Because There Will Never Be Enough Time. 🙏🏼💙🥺

Black with a capital B.

Black with a capital B 

(Black NOT b̶l̶a̶c̶k̶) 

Black with a capital B.

Black with a capital B.

Black with a capital B.

On This The First Day Of #BlackHistoryMonth❤️🖤💚 — I've Decided That Now Is Finally The Time To Address An Issue That Has Been Bothering Me For YEARS... 

The word "BLACK"should ALWAYS be capitalized when race is being discussed. No other group is disrespected in this way — not being referred to as a genuine entity or proper noun/adjective (a specific group of people/the descriptor of a specific group of people). Examples: Asian (Race). Caucasian/European (Race) [white is a description and a social construct, NOT a race, FYI, and should not be capitalized]. Latino (Ethnic Group) [the word 'brown' is also a descriptor and NOT a race and should not be capitalized as it can refer to a multitude of non-specific ethnic groups — i.e.: Indian, Indigenous/Native, Latino (Mexican, Brazilian, Puerto Rican, etc.), Arab/Persian, Mixed, etc., and even Black and Asian people].

As most of us (Blacks) are of mixed heritage in this country/continent/hemisphere (North, Central and South America) whether by choice or by force, the term 'Black' includes any and everyone who is a descendant of the African Diaspora in this country and the world at large. The term 'African-American' is an incredibly limiting description of some Blacks in America as an ethnic group, and NOT as a race. As such, we are not truly 'African-American' (capitalized as it should be). We are NOT even all American. We are Black AND American — a completely different and varied cultural experience extending from Afro-Latino to Creole to West Indian to Aboriginal to Melanesians and the like from islands near Australia and in the South Pacific (who are neither African or American but who are indeed Black) to the children of African Immigrants and, finally, to the diluted and diverse descendants of Black African men and women who were enslaved and everything in between (please note how all of those sub-groups are capitalized). "Black", in ethnicity, race and culture, is both a singular entity and a polylith describing a multitude of people sharing a common ancestry. Simply stated, the term Black is all inclusive.

Furthermore, Africa is a CONTINENT and not a country (with more countries and languages, cultures and diversity than any other continent in the WORLD). It is the continent that seeded all others (which is why there are still Black people on remote islands that are not technically African going back tens of thousands of years). Sadly, we don't have the privilege of knowing to which countries, tribes, etc., we trace our origins beyond random and often inaccurate DNA tests (through no fault of ours). Thus, the term "African-American" is not only an inaccurate oversimplification; it is just plain LAZY.

Please strongly consider revising your spelling of the word "Black" as a proper noun EVERY time you use it in any capacity in the future (proper nouns and adjectives are ALWAYS capitalized). Otherwise, any written point you are attempting to make is immediately nullified for many. The implication is to minimize us in step with American (and, world) history and it's consistent dehumanization of us through systematic racism in every facet of our society. It is not acceptable. It reads as a microagression from whites and blatant ignorance from POC. It is not a small thing. And, yes, it matters! 

I am Black: an ethnic group and sub-genre of the African continent with ancestors hailing from four others — a multi-ethnic, multiracial, American ethnic group with it's own unique culture AND part of the African Diaspora and the Black race.

I am NOT black. I AM Black. 🖤✊🏽

***WRITE!*** (A NYE Prayer🧎🏼‍♀️)

{An Early #HappyNewYear! 🎆}

Write Bridges, Healing, Peace, Joy, Abundance, And Success! Write Growth, Health, Life, Focus, Plans, The Steps Towards Each Goal — Big And Small, Transcendence And Victory! Write Acceptance, Surrender And FORGIVENESS...

Write Climbed Mountains, Conquered Valleys, Opened Doors, Dreams Actualized, Unconditional Love Manifested Or Realized, Write Happy Fulfilling Symbiotic Purpose Filled Relationships, Self Love, Healing, Self Care And Wholeness!

Write About How You're No Longer Holding Onto Or Internalizing Things, People And/Or The Choices And Behaviors, Habits, Routines, Internal Nonsense Like Bitterness, Self Loathing, Etc., Or The Pieces Of Your Past, That No Longer Serve You!

Write About Gratitude DAILY! It Will Save Your LIFE!

Write Deeper Communion With The God Of Your Understanding, Ordered Steps, Divine Purpose And Timing In Everything, Goodness, Kindness,, Righteousness, Justice, And The Consciousness Of Christ.

Write It All With Good And Pure Intentions — Most Importantly, The Intention Of Genuine Pursuit!

Most Of All, Be Open And Trust God To Edit Your Story...

He Has The Final Say...

#AnOmali™#

Butterpillar 🦋

#WriteTheVision ©️

#HappyNewYear 🎁

#SelfLoveIsAFullTimeGig 👑

#WhatBelongsToMeWillFindMe 💫

RHOP — #Triggered

I'm so sick of this narrative that if a woman has a few defunct relationships it denotes there is some character failure on her part or she's failing as a woman. Here's a reality check. Woman are NOT defined by men or the success of a longterm relationship with one. Some people get divorced after 5, 10...30 years, so, what then? How, Sway?

Every man is NOT meant to be kept. Less than 1% of the population ends up with their first or even their 5th relationship partner. And, MOST people SETTLE! Some of us want more than others and refuse to settle. And, everyone finds what they are looking for and are ready for at different times in their journey and what you want and/or need evolves over time as you grow and change... 

Y'all need to stop with that "she can't keep a man" BS when I don't EVER hear, "he can't keep a woman" in regards to even men like Pastor Jamal Bryant! But, you'll persecute the women they've screwed over. #Fail

Sometimes the end of a relationship is a personal VICTORY! Everything isn't healthy and every couple isn't meant to be...

Personally speaking, I promise you if you talk to most of my exes, you'll find out I left them (not the other way around) and they are STILL checking in regularly in hopes of playing the long game to win me back from as far back as my adolescence. I am single by CHOICE. I know what I want and I've yet to encounter it... When I do, I won't have to "keep" a thing. We will be committed, equally, to each other. In this I am not unique. 

Most women can "keep a man". There are some men who need to be thrown back. No one is trying to "keep a man" just for the sake of having one... Why keep a guppy, a goldfish or even a shark when you're actually fishing for and fit for a whale? 

Shalom.

#WaitingOnMyOwnPersonalAquaman 🐋

#SelfLoveIsAFullTimeGig 👑

Scissors ✂️

Written On This Day In 2016

I've Gotten Very Good At Going It Alone And Have Learned Definitively That I Can't Depend On Anyone But God And Myself, So, Please Believe Me When I Tell You I Have No Need To Stay Connected Or Attached To People Who Offer Me Nothing Positive, Bring No Value, Goodness Or Kindness To My Life Or Have No Integrity. I'm In The Season Of Reciprocity And My Cut Off Game, Both On And Offline, Is #Strong 💪🏽:

Bad Friends? Cutting You Off. Shady? Cutting You Off. Flaky? Cutting You Off. Don't Honor Your Word? Cutting You Off. Pretentious? Cutting You Off. Relatives That Don't Act Like Family? Cutting You Off. Are Never There For Me When I Need You? Cutting You Off. Don't Have Good Intentions? Cutting You Off. Disloyal? Cutting You Off. Dishonest? Cutting You Off. Cause Me Intentional Harm In Word Or Deed? Cutting You Off. Project Your Crap Onto Me? Cutting You Off. No Ownership Or Accountability? Cutting You Off. Abusive Or Toxic? Cutting You Off. Passive Aggressive? Cutting You Off. Poor Communicator? Cutting You Off. Not Self Actualized And Working On You And Your Stuff? Cutting You Off. Holding Me Back? Cutting You Off. Let Me Down Consistently? Cutting You Off. 

I No Longer Have The Time Or Energy To Extend Grace For The Same Offenses Over And Over Again In The Name Of Love And History. My Life, My Time, My Peace Are Precious. So Is My Love, Loyalty And Friendship. I'll No Longer Invest Anything Precious In That Which Is Unworthy. I've Had Enough. Going Through This Nightmare Alone (Divorce) In This Unfamiliar City And Having So Few People I've Loved Well For Years Show Up For Me Even Via A Simple Returned Text Or Call Has Changed Something In Me. Permanently. I've Had Enough. If I'm Alone Anyway, I Might As Well Make It Official By Clearing My Space Of Anyone Not Contributing In A Positive Way To My Healing, Growth And Future To Make Room For What And Whoever Should Actually Be There.

If You Can't Show Up For Me When It Matters, You'll No Longer Have Access To Me At Your Convenience Or At All, Especially Once My Light Is Fully Restored. Period. This Goes For People And Entire Organizations. You're Either For Me In Real And Tangible Ways, Or, You Are Against Me. My Life No Longer Has Room For Shades Of Grey. It's All Love. But, I'm Going To Love Me More. I Will Only Carry Forward With Me That And Those Who Spark Joy. If You Don't, Thank You For Your Time, Contributions And The Lessons You Brought, But This Is A Good Goodbye. 

Be Best. ✂️💋

***On Saying Goodbye To My Last Living Grandmother...***

Although I've Tried Not To Give Thoughts Of This New Reality Too Much Energy This Week, Today I Lack The Ability To Compartmentalize My Current Truth...

YESTERDAY WE LAID MY BELOVED PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER — OUR MATRIARCH — TO REST. #MotherDear #Mama 💔

I Attended Via Photos And Video Clips In As Close To Real Time As Possible. In As Close To Real Time As My Processing Would Allow...

This Is What Goodbye Looks Like In This New World. No Hugging Or Holding. No Tangible, Physical Presence. Lonely And Empty And Unresolved. 

I Am On Autopilot. My Numbness And It's Origins As A Coping Mechanism Are Not Lost On Me. I Know My Emotions Will Catch Up With Me. In Some Ways They Already Have Via My Internal Process...But, From A Distance. I Am A Voyeur To My Own Pain. #Disconnected

So, For Today, I Worship. And, Hope. And, Move Forward The Only Way I Know How. Focused On An Uncertain Future With Powerful Determination To Manifest The Dreams She Didn't Get To See Come To Fruition While Here On Earth... Knowing That My Strength — That Willful, Obstinate Courage And Defiance Dressed In Quick Wit, A Razor Sharp Truth Telling Tongue, And A Wry Smile — I Got That From My Mama. 💪🏽🙏🏼💙

And, I Wish I Could Rain...

Over 10k Have Died In Italy. Spain Is Averaging 1k Deaths A Day. A DAY! The US Didn't Listen To Italian Experts A Month Ago And We Are Now Well Past 120k Confirmed Cases And Rising. Our Federal Government Is Completely Incompetent And Unprepared With A Malignent Narcissist At The Helm Singlehandedly Murdering His Followers With His Careless Tongue.

People Are Dying. DYING. Full Stop.

The Empath In Me Is Currently Greater Than The Fear In Me. As Is My Righteous Anger. I Cannot Begin To Imagine The Magnitude And Horror Of These Losses. Over 30k Worldwide With No Stop In Sight Because Of Human Ignorance And Arrogance And Horrific Governments. And, I Don't Know A Single Empath Who Doesn't Have An Anxiety Disorder Of Some Sort, So There's Also That. This Is A Nightmare Of Unimagined Proportions And I Think So Many Still Have Their Heads Up Their 🤬🤬🤬.

"Can't You See The Clouds Gathering?".

I'm Still Grateful For Shelter And Provision And Health. But, I Am Also Sad And Grieving The Tremendous Loss Of Life And The Reality That It Will Be Exponentially Worse Before This Is All Over. What Is Abundantly Clear To Me Is That Life And The World Will Never Be The Same After This. Because This Virus Marks A Before And After...

Today It Is Storming And Rainy And I Feel Just Like The Skies — Dark, Heavy, Tempestuous, And Wishing I Could Wash It All Away...😢

#Coronavirus #Covid19 

Romanticism And The Ghosts Of Toxic Relationships Past...

You Do Yourself No Favors By Romanticizing Your Relationship History And Pretending All Of Those Red Flags You Missed, Overlooked, Or Simply Pretended Not To See Simply Didn't Exist. 

Sometimes The Real Reason You Can't Get Over An Ex Isn't Because It Or They Were So Great. It's Because You Are Still More Attached To The Idea Of Who (You Thought) They Were (The Representative), Than Who That Person Actually WAS, IS And Has Proven Themselves To Be Over And Over Again, And, At Your Expense. You Are More Attached To What You Think/THOUGHT You Shared (With Them) Than To The Reality You Actually Lived Through... Your Ego Won't Let You Accept That You Miss A Feeling, An Idea, A Fantasy More Than You Miss A Person...#Romanticism

Sometimes We Need To Step Back And See An Ugly Thing In Our History For What It Really Is Before We Miss Out On All The Amazing Beauty In Our Future... Stop Settling For Permissive When You Could Have Perfect... Grieve And MOVE ON. 

It's Akin To Putting Handcuffs On God. Our Actions, Lack Of Faith In Mere Possibility, And CHOICE To Stay Stuck Has Everything To Do With Us. It's Like Knowing There Are 8 Billion People On The Planet, But, Still Subconsciously Believing That The Now Defunct, Toxic Dysfunctional Relationship From Our Past We Are Still Clutching Onto The Memory Of For Dear Life (As It Robs Us Of Energy, Life, Hope And Our Future) Is As Good As It Gets Because It's REPRESENTATIVE Felt So Good For A SEASON. As If God Couldn't Do Any Better... As If God Sends Counterfeits Or Unfinished Work For Us To Complete For Him...

NO! It Was Just As Good As You've Gotten. Accepted. Could Handle. Were Ready For. Were PREPARED For... And, It Wasn't Even Real! Because A Lie Can Never Be Real And A Representative's Performance — Even An Extended, Oscar Worthy One — Can Never Be The Truth. It's A False Narrative. 

How Could You Have Built Something Real With Or On A Facade? Sometimes It Just Is What It Is. 

Greater Can't Come Because You Won't Make Room For It. Because You Still Believe In A Figment Of Your Imagination. Because Real Will Require More Of You Than The Counterfeit Ever Did. Even Before It Arrives...

Do. The. Work. 

Let. It. Go.

Let. It. Die.

#Choose #LIVE

(Or, Stay Stuck)

#TheWait #TheWork #TheLessons #TheProcess #Butterpillar 🦋

Abyss (Resignation/The Temp/Better Than)

I'm always going to be the girl
Who slipped through the cracks
Of your brokenness

Only to occupy the emptiness
Left behind
To keep you from feeling
It's vacant sting

Never to be enough
Loved enough
Seen enough
Cherished enough
Or, leave a hole
Of my own
In my inevitable absence...

Never To Be The Dream.
The idea.
The standard.
Above all others —
No matter how extraordinary
Worthy
Deserving
I might be...
Am.
Or,
The love of your life.
The one who would
Or, even could
Inspire you
To one day boldly proclaim
"I've never loved any woman
The way that I
Love you!"
Not your everything
Or, even first.

Only The Shallow Water
That lines the abyss
That was once
Your heart.

For, that space...
That space will always
Belong to another.

Less worthy. Less true.
Less pure.

Less ME.

But, you don't want (SEE) me.
Not really.
Or, you'd be, things would be
This would be...
Different.

So, I...

And, I...

I am only here
To occupy
The void
Until I am left
With one of my own...


—AnOmali™

#WhyIDidntReportIt

 

#WhyIDidntReportIt

Because I was the Bible study teacher and gospel choir director on my college campus with a LOT of bad theology to unlearn. And, because prior, I was an outspoken virgin and abstinence advocate, purity ring and all... Because preachers and pastors had been touching me inappropriately on the low since I was 13 or younger as a young Minister of Music. Because I thought no one would believe the 17 year old sophomore from Philly hanging out with the 22 year old football player from Texas alone in the dorms after hours... Because teammates he told made jokes that somebody had "finally hit that". 

Because I was a CHILD. Because Daddy wasn't around to build my sense of self worth and confidence and I didn't feel safe or like I would be protected because I had NEVER felt safe or protected in any situation or environment including church... Because I'd be seen as a race traitor to a Black man and athlete with a promising career. Because I didn't want to give the adult church tyrants any more ammunition to torment and ostracize teenage me than they'd already manufactured to justify their insecurity based constant cruelty and bullying that had pushed me to attempt suicide before the age of 16. 

Because Black women are never seen as victims, only unacknowledged survivors. Because I felt responsible. Because... Shame. Guilt. Confusion. Fear. Judgement. Because no one told me I could/should OR that, as a [Black] girl, it was OK to ever show weakness or even complain... Because I'd never been given the tools I needed to survive, so, I just had to figure it all out by myself along the way and had no concept of how to depend on others or even let anyone in. Because I felt ugly. And, dirty. And, undesirable. And, unworthy. And, small. And, betrayed. 

Because he took my voice away. 

Because society took my voice away. 

Because church folks took my voice away. 

Because the conditioning of lifelong abuse in every conceivable space — took my voice away...

#Solidarity

#Survival

#Cleansing

#Freedom ✊🏼

(Thank you @ L. Michael Gipson for giving me the courage to process this question and share a portion of it's answer aloud...❤️)

We...

None have ever loved as we...

If ever two have loved as we, we were they—in lives past.
In worlds past.
In past, present and future tense.

We are.

Love infinite...

For My One... (Only One)

My One

As the moon recognizes the passing hand of the sun
I saw you pass and recognized you as
The one, MY one
Meaning more than half the day spent
Memorizing the nape of your neck
Tonguing down trails
And back up to vocal chords that murmur:
"Don't stop, Don't stop"
We fit
You are my one
My perfect one
My single most wanted
Hips, ass and toes,
Lips, ears and nose
To be exposed
On top of this face of
Smiling grace
That dislikes the taste of tens
And only has appetite for the likes
Of my one
You're my one,
My one
Please be my only one

- Saul Williams -

#Winning

After Several Years Of Disappointments, Setbacks, Heartbreaks And Horrors (This Past 12 Months Having Been The Most Difficult Test Of All)--I Am Finally Firmly On The Path To Having And Being Everything God Predestined For Me And My Life With Certainty... I'm On My Way To The Fulfillment Of Prophecies Spoken Over My Life All Of My Life (Even Before My Literal Backwards Exodus From My Mother's Swollen Womb); To The Realizing Of Dreams, The Blowing Of Minds, The Silencing Of Haters, And, The Sighting Of The Sweetest Revenge By So Many Who Inflicted Upon Me Intentional Hurt And Harm: Success.

And, While This Is Amazingly Validating, Exciting, Gratifying, Fulfilling And Affirming--Today, What Is Pressing Closest To The Surface Of My Soul Is How Much I Wish My Sister...My Father, My Grandmom, My Aunt, My First Cousins...Were Still Here-On Earth-To See Me "Make It"... And, For Some Of These To Maybe, Finally, Even, Truly SEE Me...For My Impending Success To Make Me Visible; Comprehended, In A Way My Love, Loyalty, Longing And Hoop Jumping Efforts For Family-For Connection, And My Mere Existence, Never Seemed To.

I Miss My Sister... I. Miss. My. Sister. Grief Is Such A Funny, Unpredictable Thing. Life Is A Sphere Of Dichotomies. Never All One Thing Or The Other. Always A Blurred Mix Of Ironies And Opposites All At Once... Even Within Us. Even When We Win.

#Winning... But...

#Munchie

Unrequited...

God made me promises about you before I ever knew your name.

God gave me visions of you; who you'd be, what your soul, your character, your nature would look like, before I'd ever seen your face.

So, it never occurred to me that God gave me you before He ever gave me those things by which I would judge and recognize you...

Imagine a broken girl meeting her predestined soul mate at 14 years old, before she had any concept of what a Godly husband or even love itself was really supposed to look like...

"How would you think I'd recognize something that's never been mine...?"

Imagine all the reasons, I didn't, couldn't have known, that it was you. 

That it was always you...

Until now.

Until it was too late...

Old Friends, Foes, And Frenemies...

I Just Ended A Call With The Person Who Represents, Perhaps, One Of The Worst Heartbreaks Of My Life... My Former Best Friend Of Over 20 Years...

No Romantic Split Hurts Like Breaking Up With A Close Friend You've Known Your Entire Life From Early Childhood, Shared Everything With, And Have Incomparable History With. It's True What They Say - You Can't Make A New Old Friend. But, Sometimes As Much As You Love And Miss Someone, Because Of That History, They Are A Luxury Your Heart And Emotions Can No Longer Afford--To Trust, Invest In, Or Depend On... Because You Miss Who They Once Were, Not Who They've Become...

We Were Closer Than Sisters, It's Been Over 8 Years Since We've Spoken, And I Expected Not To Feel Anything Because So Much Time Has Passed, And I Made The Choice To Sever All Ties... Surprise. The Joke Was On Me. Because, That Level Of Effortless Familiarity With Someone Who In Many Ways Is Now A Complete Stranger Hurts Like Hell.

She Was So Happy To Hear My Voice. Giddy, Even. She'd Been On My Mind, Because She Had Run Into My Mom At A Convention And Passed Her Number Through Her To Me Months Earlier. The Amount Of Time It Took Me To Deliberate. Smart. I Guess She Still Knew Me Well Enough To Know Not To Call Even Though My Number Never Changed. I Was Clear On Our Finality. I Am Stern In My Resolve When I Make A Final Decision. I'm A Taurus. I've Always Been...

She Wants To Stay In Touch... Wants To Call And Text Sometimes. She's Clearly Looking For Reconnection. She Was Warm. Vulnerable. Open. I Was As Cold As Ice. Not Because I'm Unfeeling--But Because I Feel Entirely Too Much. There Is Too Much Left Unsaid. Still. Too Much That Was Never Said Even When I Uttered Those Fateful Words Just Before Her Wedding, "Let's Just Not Do This Anymore. You're Not My Friend And You Haven't Been For A Long Time, So Let's Stop Pretending"... It Was The Last Time We Ever Spoke--Until Today.

To Be Clear, It Was No Petty Breakup. It Had Been Building And Festering Inside Of My Heart For Years... Starting With The Day, 10 Years Earlier, When My "Best Friend" Missed My Father's Funeral. My Father Who Had Been Murdered In The Church He Pastored By A Serial Killer Named Juan Covington. That's Just A Snippet From The Highlight Reel Of Selfishness And A Gross Lack In Reciprocity (Though, To Be Clear, Was The Greatest Offense Of All--An Offense That I Swallowed, Accepted Shallow Excuses For, And Moved On From Like Nothing Was Wrong, But Never Fully Rebounded From... A Blunder Of Youth...).

There Are Some Things You Never Forget. And, Forgiveness Feels Hollow When There's Never Been Proper Communique Or Contrition About The Events That Served As Scissors To Cut The Ties That Bound... It's Always Water Under The Bridge When Time Has Gone By For The Offender. Not So Much For The Offended... To Her, The Past Is The Past, So Let's Just Move On From Here And Never Discuss It Honestly, Gain Clarity, Offer Apologies, Etc...

Tell That To My Heart...

I Need To Share Everything That Hurt Me. I Need To Be Understood. I Need Responsibility Taken, And Apologies Offered, Otherwise What Common Ground Could We Ever Have Again With A Tug-of-war Brewing Just Beneath My Surface Every Time We Were To Speak? What Authentic Healing Or Relationship Could Ever Come Out Of Treading Lightly Around The Truth? That Goes Against My Very Nature. It's The Very Reason I Have No Relationship With My Delusional, Oldest Biological Sister. I Can't Live In A Fantasy World Of Fractures, Scars And Gushing Wounds And Pretend They Aren't Bleeding All Over The Floor. I Can't Do Shallow. I Can't Put A Bandaid On Cancer... You Either Kill Cancer Or You Cut It Out... Otherwise, Cancer Kills Everything Around It... Then, You.

So, She Wants To Slowly Attempt To Rebuild Our Friendship--Or, Something Of The Like. She Asked If It Would Be OK If She Kept In Touch... I Realize, In Retrospect, I Sound Like A Monster In This Conversation. I Wasn't. I'm Not. I'm Just Not Emotionally Available To Her, And Thankfully, She Still Knows Me Well Enough To Perceive And Respect That.

She Wants To Be A Part Of My Life. I Think, After Losing My Bio Sister Last Year, Who I Wasn't Nearly As Close To Growing Up, I Just Needed Closure... I Don't Think My Heart Can Risk Anything More. I Don't Think I Have The Strength To Utter The Three Most Basic Words That Must Be Said Because I Think They Will Fall On Deaf Ears...: "You Hurt Me".

No One Can Hurt You Like A Sister/Best/Old Friend... And, I'm Just Not Ready, Or Willing, Or Maybe I'm Just Too Damn Stubborn To Tear Down These Walls And Try Again...💔 I Don't Even Know How... Where Would I Even Begin? I've Always Been Of The Mindset That If You Have To Explain And Justify To Someone How And Why They Hurt You, Then What Is Even The Point? Because, It Is Unlikely They Will Even Understand And You'll Be Left Worse Off Than Before The Attempt Was Made. No, That's Historically Where I Exit Stage Left, For Better Or For Worse. For Safety. And, For Sanity. Even With Family.

Part Of Me Wishes I Was...Open--That I Could Will Myself; My Heart Open. But, I Can Not. With All Of The Shared History, All Of The Unspoken Pain And Contention Of Wounds That Were Left To Fester Too Long In The Emotional Cowardice And Inability To Be Vulnerable Of My Twenties... It Isn't Water Under The Bridge. It's A Gaping Hole In My Heart, And It Just Hurts Too Much To Even Try... I'm Just Not Ready.

I Guess I Just Needed To Say This Out Loud To Whomever Would Listen (Read) Without Judgement... Can Anyone Relate? 💔

On Kim Burrell And The Misrepresentation Of Christians Everywhere By Fundamentalists And The Right (Wrong)...

(This Is Being Copied From A Post/Rant Made On My Facebook Page That Accidentally Turned Into A Blog...)

I Wasn't Going To Address This Again, And I Was Very Graceful In My Only Address Earlier This Week... HOWEVER, I'm Angry Now! And, I'm Too Sick And Exhausted To Internalize It And Damage Myself Any Further--I NEED TO GO TO SLEEP, So, To That End, I Need To Get It Out. Here Goes...:

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

SERIOUSLY???

This ***KIM BURRELL*** Debacle Is Doing As Much To Expose My Hateful HOMOPHOBIC So-called "CHRISTIAN" Friends As The ***TRUMP ELECTION*** Did To Expose My RACIST And IGNORANT "WHITE FRIENDS" And Truly Stupid, Self Loathing Friends Of Color!!!

This Is Not Even About Kim Anymore! It's About The Use Of Her Sentiments As A Divisive Tool Of Oppression To Spew Hate All Over Facebook! I'm Seriously About To Go On Another Deleting Spree If I See Any More Ridiculous Posts! I'm Not Going To Argue With People Who Are Less Informed Than I (Or, My Ivy League Educated Pastor, Bishop, Professor, Biblical Scholar, Ph.D. Mentors And Friends Who Could Give You A Better And Less Emotionally Driven Dissertation Than I On The Matter At Hand) About God AND The BIBLE. You May Be Temporarily Able To Holler Louder And With Far Less Etiquette Or Class, But That Doesn't Make Your Godless Separatism Right...

My God Is A God Of LOVE, And Most Of You Know About As Much About Genuine Biblical Study (Or, Love) As You Do Pakistani Politics... That Is To Say:  EXACTLY NOTHING!

You BLACK Christians Are Especially Embarrassing - (And, To Be Clear, I AM Both Black AND Christian) - Because All You're Doing Is Naively And Hatefully Spewing What White Massa Taught Your Ancestors...NOT WHAT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE STUDIED THROUGH ANY ACCREDITED CLASS AND KNOW TO BE TRUE! It's Actually "Simon Says" En Masse! Monkey See, Monkey Do... Why Don't You Ask Those Slaves How Following The Misinterpreted Letter Of The Law Worked For Them Instead Of Embracing The Spirit Of It...! How Can You Claim To Worship In God's Presence; To Love GOD--Who IS LOVE, But Live In Hate? How Are You Ok With Injustice And Cruelty So Long As It Doesn't Affect YOU?

Here's A Scripture You Should Probably Commit To Memory While You're Quoting Leviticus And Eating Shrimp Wrapped In Bacon...:

"Micah 6:8
 
       He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do JUSTICE, and to love kindness (KJV = mercy), and to walk HUMBLY with your God?"

Or, How About This One...?

"Matthew 22:37-40

       37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

You AME's Quote That One Rhetorically EVERY SUNDAY! (I've Played For Enough Of Your Churches To Know!).

And, While We Are At It, Don't Sing Or Play One Single Song Written Or Performed By Another Queer Gospel Artist EVER (Living Or Dead, GMWA)! OH, WAIT! YOU CAN'T -- BECAUSE YOU'D HAVE ALMOST NOTHING LEFT TO SING (Don't Make Me Start Naming Your Favorites!)! If Every LGBTQIA Person In Church (Especially Leadership) Was Outted At Once, You'd Probably Have A Mass Stroke! And, You Homophobic CHURCH Musicians Really Need To Quit Because You Know In Your Hearts Half Of Your Homies And Most Of Your Mentors Are GAY, GAY, GAY! So, Have Several 🛋️🛋️🛋️!

I Don't Do Stupid, Intentionally Ignorant, And I Especially Don't Do Them With Hate Mixed In, And In The Name Of My God! Pick Up A Book... Take A Class! God And Science Are NOT Mutually Exclusive! LEARN SOMETHING! And, While You're Giving Your Heart To Jesus, BRING YOUR BRAIN TO CHURCH!

You Are NOT Fit To Judge ANYBODY! And, If You Do Think Of Yourself "More Highly Than You Ought", I Pray Your Hidden Places Get Exposed, Too. Maybe The Only Way To Learn How To Love Like The Christ You Claim To Serve Is To Be Humbled In PUBLIC, So You'll See That You Are No Better Than Those You Publicly Condemn...

I'VE HAD ENOUGH! I Don't Want To Hear, See, Or Discuss This Any Further In Debate. If You're Not Trying To Learn And Grow And Walk In Agape, Please Miss Me With The Foolishness.

GOD LOVES EVERYBODY! And, God Can Use ANYBODY!

#GetIntoItOrGetOverIt #LoveIsAll

I Love You ALL, But My Bible NEVER Said I Couldn't Love You From A Distance. Get RIGHT Or Get LEFT! Shalom.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

PS: If You Come For Me Wrong (Disrespectfully) On MY Page About MY Post, You Will Get Dragged (By A Multitude - She/Me/Her Is Loved By A Great Many Children Who Also Love Jesus)! #YouveBeenWarned

...On Being Single, Christian, And Female Over 30 In 2016...

BEING SINGLE IS HARD

(The Article That Sparked This Conversation)

#THIS Article (Link Above) Is As Real As It Gets...

We Were Made To Be Coupled, And There Isn't A Flaw In Knowing That A Huge Portion Of Your Destiny Is Attached To The Mate That God's Chosen For You In His Perfect Will - And, Even A Permissive Will Partner Might Be More Desirable Than An Eternity Of Singleness Some Days... Yet, For The Single Amongst Us - The "Church" Is Negligent...

Being Single Doesn't Mean You're Not Ready Or Not Whole... Some Of You Couples Just Settled Rather Than Being Alone While We Continue To Ready Ourselves For Someone Who's Face We've Never Seen (And, That's Called #Faith). And--The Not Settling - That Proves Both #SelfLoveMastery, #Wholeness And #Readiness... #RealTalk

#SoWeWorkWhileWeWait
#ProactiveAndOverPrepared

PS: Here Is A Poignant Response To This Article:

 WHAT SHALL WE SAY TO THESE THINGS? THE IMPLICATIONS OF BLACK WOMEN'S SINGLENESS

And, The Tree Was Happy... (The Christ-Like Tree)

I Find Tremendous Peace, Satisfaction And Joy In Having Empathy And Agape For Those In My Life Who Aren't Necessarily Worthy, But Who Have Found A Place In My Heart Nonetheless... It Does Something For My Soul To Be Able To See The Pain, Roots And Intentions Beneath Behavior That Might Otherwise Cause Me To Internalize, Put Up Walls, Become Offended, Defensive And Withdraw...

"The Giving Tree" Was My Favorite Book When I Was A Little Girl, Although At The Time, No One Understood Why... It Seems That No Matter Our Journey, We Are Who We Are, And My Heart Has Found It's Way Back To It's Roots And My Truth. To The Little Girl Who Loved That Tree. It Gives Me Pleasure To Give Love Away. That Book Validated My Soul Before I Was Even Old Enough To Understand Why Or What It Meant.

I Love Because I Do. Not Because It Is Merited Or Reciprocal. Not Because It's Well Deserved. Not Because Those I Choose To Love Always Treat Me Well. Love Simply Is. When I Am My Best Self, It Is My Choice: My Only Choice, Regardless Of It All. And Even When It Hurts, I Am Far Better This Way...Learning To Love, In Patience, And In Practice, Without Conditions, And Willing To Give My All...

‪#‎AndTheTreeWasHappy‬