Saggy Pants Ban

I saw a news story this morning in which a young man was stopped for wearing "thug wear". I'm not sure what state, but the officer basically humiliated this young man, buy stopping and frisk him based solely on his choice of clothing. When the young man made a comment to him, the officer grab the young man by the throat and pushed him down. REALLY?? Is this the type of policing that we need in or society today? Unfortunately there are ordinances against this type of fashion choice; we have one here in Miami Dade. The Opa Locka City ordinance 07-19 also known as the saggy pants ban has large signs throughout the city notifying its residents that wearing your pants low is against the law.

-Opa Locka, FL
-Ordinance No. 07-19
-Passed on October 24, 2007
-The ordinance prohibits people from exposing boxer, briefs, or bare skin below the belt. This kind of indecent behavior is not permitted in parks, schools, libraries or any city owned property.
-Currently there are no fines or jail time.
-Interestingly the city was given a 1.2million dollar grant to revitalize and rehabilitate homes and businesses. (http://www.miamidade.gov/govaction/matter.asp?matter=052694&file=true&yearFolder=Y2005)
-During the years of 2003 & 2004 the city of Opa Locka had the highest rate of violent crime in the United States.(FBI)
It is interesting to note that with all of the city ordinances this is the only one that was deemed worthy of being displayed. The sign, quite large and visible displays two young men of African descent not only wearing their pants very low, but also their clothing looks very dirty and their hair unkempt. The message this sign is sending is that any male of African descent who wears their clothing and hair in this manner are possible criminals. This sign not only stereotypes on the basis of race, gender and ethnicity it also stereotypes based on age, clothing and choice of hairstyles. Everything about this was taken into consideration to instill the belief that stopping crime begins with men who dress in this way. The red color of the word NO, which consequently is in all caps, depicts an aggressive scream of hostility and frustration. The art director carefully chose colors that would not only identify with prison, but the posture of the subjects and the fact that their backs are shown may imply that they have total disregard for law enforcement.

I not only believe this is an insensitive message I believe that this message helps to perpetuate the stereotype of men and boys who dress in this manner; in particular ones of African descent. Over the past few months I have heard the reason for this ban stems from the overwhelmingly high crime rate in the city. But how is wearing your pants low a gateway to crime? There are many young men of various race and ethnicity's that dress in this manner. There are men who wear their Dockers in this manner. “NO Ifs, and or Butts…” but what if you were a city official and you stole millions would their be a city ordinance against wearing suits? Would there be signs throughout the city visually characterizing them? No!

The vice mayor Terrence Pinder was arrested for grand theft and other charges.

Criminalizing fashion choices will not only widen the gap between citizens and law enforcement it will help to facilitate a mood of self fulfilling prophecies.

Who is Sarah Palin?

For the past few days we we have been bombarded with the republican party's vice-presidential pick, Gov. Sarah Palin. I congratulate her for being the first woman picked on the republican side, but who is this woman? I know she is married, the mother of five, and a hockey mom, but what are her views? What does she want to do to improve the economy? What is she trying to do for the poor and underprivileged? What are her policy's about education, Iraq, Georgia, Osama bin Laden? I want to know if she is such a god fearing person that believes in the almighty bible and the religious text, why is she spewing such hateful words of rhetoric towards someone on the very night she accepted the nomination? Why is she hiding from the public? Don't just tell me that you put a plane on eBay, tell me if it was sold and did you make a profit? What did you do with the money once the plane was sold? What have you done for special needs children in you state? What is she all about? I want to know who is the real Sarah Palin?

Inspirational Poem

Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size

But when I start to tell them, They think I’m telling lies. I say, It’s in the reach of my arms,

The span of my hips, The stride of my step, The curl of my lips. I’m a woman Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman, That’s me.

I walk into a room Just as cool as you please, And to a man, The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees. Then they swarm around me, A hive of honey bees. I say,

It’s the fire in my eyes, And the flash of my teeth, The swing in my waist, And the joy in my feet.

I’m a woman Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman, That’s me. Men themselves have wondered What they see in me.

They try so much But they can’t touch My inner mystery. When I try to show them,

They say they still can’t see. I say, It’s in the arch of my back, The sun of my smile,

The ride of my breasts, The grace of my style. I’m a woman

Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me.

Now you understand Just why my head’s not bowed. I don’t shout or jump about

Or have to talk real loud. When you see me passing, It ought to make you proud. I say,

It’s in the click of my heels, The bend of my hair, the palm of my hand, The need for my care.

’Cause I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman,That’s me.
picture taken from: poetryfoundation.org

"Miami ranks last in adult volunteering at major U.S. cities"

I read an article today, while cruising the internet that stated, "Miami ranks last in adult volunteering at major U.S. cities" am I surprised? Nope! Am I shocked, Nope! Am, I disappointed, not at all.Volunteering is subjective in the fact that if the hours aren't logged and you're not associated with an "organization" then it never happened. I do believe that volunteering is probably down because of the hard times, we are facing in Miami and around the country. I don't think that the number of immigrants moving to Miami, however, has anything to do with the decrease in volunteers. If anything the fact that this city is filled with immigrants has probably boosted volunteering. Think of when Elian Gonzalez was here, the countless hours that many people put in to keep him here. Lawyers, doctors, politicians, neighbors all volunteered their time and effort. Are these volunteer hours counted in the research? How about the owner of Brahman auto dealership who was outside, last week, protesting the Marlins stadium, he had volunteers with signs protesting, was this counted? So before subjugating the world of volunteering to nationally recognized organization, take a look at the community as a whole and you may just find more volunteers than expected.
Picture taken from: www.flickr.com

Welcome to Miami!

Miami is the kind of city where living here is like, well living here. We live in a bubble. A bubble of corruption, poverty, immigrants (i'm one) and segregation. Yes, I said segregation. My use of the word segregation does not equate to slavery, or lack of women's rights. This segrgation is one in which, we live together in Miami, but we don't "live" together. We are a mash of cultures, in which many sociologist term a melting pot, melting what? The old people live on the beach , the Cubans live in little Havana, the Haitians live in little Haiti, Jamaican live in Lauderhill , etc. This is not to say that all people from these and many other groups only live in these area, but it is a very telling sign that the need to mix with other groups is pointless.

GO, Hillary!!!!

I hate the fact that Hillary is no longer a contender for the role of President, but I do love the fact that she has not let this set back stop her from bringing forth issues that deal with and affect women. The possibility of classifying various types of birth control as forms of abortion is outrageous. Like a trooper Hillary is on the for front of making sure that this does not happen. I have signed the petition and I hope that many others will do the same. It is beyond the scoop of the government to decide what I can and can not do with my body, prior to me having a or conceiving a child. I thank you Hillary for brining this pivitol and somewhat pressing issue to my and other citizens attention.

Quitting Clinton

The race is on they're neck and neck coming around the corner nearing the finish line and the winner is, I don't know. The race between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nominee is so close the winner may be decided by superdelegates. So why does everyone want Hillary Clinton to drop out. Whether you are a Hillary Clinton supporter or not you have to give the woman credit for being persistent. Do I think Hillary should quit, H.E. to the double hockey sticks NO! Hillary has as much right as the other candidates to not only pursue her dreams, but to stay to very end. I don't agree with some of the tactics devised by her camp, but I do feel that she should not be forced to conceded because the media and political activist feel that she is a hinderance to the Obama campaign. If Barack Obama is the strongest candidate the mere fact that Hillary is still in the mix should have no affect on him winning the nomination. I think both candidates have an equal opportunity of winning the nomination. The fact that the race is so close shows that voters are voting and that's a good thing. Regardless of which candidate wins, the fact still remains we are getting rid of BUSH!

To read the plaque click on the picture.

Photo copied from the website www.art.com

Lost Videos?

Can someone please explain to me why there are always lost then found video footage on shows such as "Entertainment Tonight" and "Extra"? I have always thought about this. Two days after Patrick Swayze announced that he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, miraculously lost video footage of an interview that was taken 10 years ago was found. Can these shows just state that the footage was not usable at the time? I mean why is it always missing, lost, uncovered and then found? The producers of these shows should get a professional organizer to store the tapes. I suppose it's a selling point and a way to grip the hearts of the viewing public like myself, but for heavens sake why not be truthful about the fact that they are using the footage now in order to increase the viewership of the show. TMZ has absolutely no problems with this, after all they air the footage as soon as they shoot it. Just A Thought!

Photo copied from the website www.school.discoveryeducation.com

Why are there so many "isms" in the 2008 Presidental Race?

I have noticed over the past few months increased attention is paid to the most notable features of each Presidential candidate. When John Edwards was in the running his $700 hair cut was the talk of the town. Mitt Romney's Rhett Butler looks were the charm. But now that we are down to three contenders there are three defining letters that are attached to each of them, I.S.M. Whenever John McCain's name is mentioned you can be sure that somewhere in the conversation his age is mentioned. His "ism" is age. Ageism not only defines John McCain to some it's the one thing that should prevent him from running for President. His active AARP card, the reality that he has gray hair and his young looking wife all deem him as unfit. How about looking at the facts, this man wants to stay in Iraq for another century, as a reason not to vote for him. Hillary Clinton's "ism" is based on her gender and that is genderism. Is it a crime to be a lawyer, a former first lady, current senator and be a woman running for President? I think not! But if you polled voters you are sure to get a few who would not vote for her because she is a woman. The fact that she cried in public did not help either. It appeared staged, but that was the icing on the cake for her opponents. Whatever! Go, Hillary! Last, but certainly not least Barack Obama, like the previous candidates Barack's "ism" is pretty darn obvious, or is it? His "ism" is based on his skin color, which results in comments that are under the category of racism. Whenever his name is uttered his racial color is mentioned. P.S. Barack can also be considered a Caucasian man after all his mother is white. For those who did not know there was another black candidate in this years Presidential race his name- Alan Keys, a republican. If there are debates or shows that touch upon the racial strife in the country everyone seems to look towards Barack for the answer. Why? He is not the only person with the answer for the racial problems in this country. There are some who feel that he is not black enough. Excuse me, but there is no pure race in this society? I thought that this was America the land of the free. This is the country where you are told you can do anything that you want, even become the President of the United States. How about looking at the candidates and review their stance on the issues that affect all of us like health care, the occupation in Iraq and education. So for all the people who have nothing better to do than to add an "ism" to the each of one of the candidates I say this to you-- GET A LIFE !


Photos copied from each candidates website.

Female Cutting vs Labiaplasty

A few months ago I was watching an episode of "Dr. 90210" and one of the medical procedures performed was called a labiaplasty. A Labiaplasty is a cosmetic surgery procedure most commonly performed to reduce the size of a woman's inner labia. I was not aware of this procedure, but as I watched I began to wonder what was the difference between a labiaplasty and female genital cutting (FGC). To my surprise the only difference between the two procedures is based on consent. Labiaplasty is an elective procedure whereas FGC is not. The overall goal for both is to regain or retain a virgin like tightness. Does this type of procedure put pressure on women in both societies to conform to particular standard for men? I really wonder. Women have always been placed on a pedestal, one that determines what they should look like. What message is being sent to our young women when we in the western world are shouting that female cutting is wrong, but embracing it when it is disguised as cosmetic surgery?
I did a little research and found that in the United States it is illegal to alter the genitals on a female minor. A recent case in Georgia involved an Ethiopian immigrant who was sentenced to ten years in prison for removing his 7 year old daughters clitoris with a pair of scissors. Yet, we have shows like "Dr. 90210" and magazine advertisments that are sending messages that if your vagina does not look normal you have to fix it.
Every year somewhere in the world on the continent of Africa and neighboring countries over 2 million girls are cut. In many countries the ritualized female genital cutting is considered a ceremonial practice. The young girl is taken to a room where a person usually an, elder will perform the procedure. I watched a documentary about female genital cutting and watched as a woman displayed all of the tools she used to cut the girls. In a hut, what we in America consider unsanitary conditions, the woman took a razor blade and cut the labia of a young girl. The actual cutting was not shown, but I was deeply affected just by hearing the screams of the girl. I felt that this young girl had not justice and no voice. But, I really began to wonder why is it seen as abuse in this country when in fact it's a ritual?
I personally am glad that I live in a country where I am not subjected to this type of torture. I am glad that I have the ability to choose if I want to have this procedure done. But what I would like to see is a message of understanding. Understanding other cultures and undersatnding choices. I would like to see a message that tells young girls it's okay to be different. It's okay to be you. No one is going to see what you have under your clothes unless you show it to them and even then it's okay not to be perfect.

Photo courtesy of Amensty International

In a Tired City!

So-- you go out and walk on the streets of this tired city looking for hope, but hope is hard to find. So you look for dreams, but dreams are nowhere to be found. Then go back to your room, take off your dress, and think about lying down for a while, cause if you lie down then you might fall asleep. Sleep is the only place where hope and dreams have any kind of chance in this tired city. The moment your eyes close and you begin to dream you are awaken by the sounds of the world around you. Friends and family open your eyes to the possibility that there is more to life than living in this tired city. You take a moment to process everything, then you pack your bags and leave. Leave this tired city find your hopes and dreams. Never look back on what could have been, but look forward to fulfilling your hopes and dreams, as you leave this tired city.
Photo by C. Malcolm

Thanks!

I want to give thanks to all the women who have come before me. I give thanks for the ability to vote, the ability to own my own home, the ability to choose who I want to marry and the ability to be a woman in a free society. I give thanks to the women who have died for causes that I take for granted and I give thanks for all the women in my life.

Pain

Ow Ow Pull it out, take it out;
Pain so many people go through
It hurts, I can’t look
I don’t believe this happened to me
My gosh Oh no, is it almost out?
There relief to you and me
I know there maybe some blood
But to me it’s the best
Cause getting a SPLINTER out can be such a mess.

Photo by C. Malcolm

Amateur Photograher

I love taking pictures. Pictures of the sky, the ocean, people, inanimate objects anything. With this blog I have the opportunity to showcase my work. I don't always have an exact inspiration behind the photos, but when I am in the moment and it feels right that's when I STOP and take the picture. I would love to work for National Geographic. When I receive my magazine each month I analyze the photographs and I try to image the inspiration behind the image. I try to become the photographer and I embrace the moment.

Photos by C. Malcolm

Thought Provoking Poem

This poem is not based on personal experience, but it is based on analytical analysis of situations that people are faced with in society. Please post your thoughts about the poem. Tell me what situation(s) I am referring to and why. I will then post the inspiration for the poem.
“Locked Behind Open Doors”
I ache inside myself waiting to break free, ready to experience new and unusual people. How can I do that when I am locked behind your watchful eyes, your piercing stares and frightening gestures leaves me with no choice, but to stay here with you. I can never wear that or do this; I can never see my friend, that’s what you tell me with your stares. The abuse is not physical, but watchful. My skin crawls with goose bumps because my fears are pressing through my skin. When tears roll down my face you see redness, the blood of hate that I feel for you.

Photo by C. Malcolm