Professor Locs: September 2013

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September 2013

09/29/2013

Student With 4.0 GPA Brings Gun to School To Protect Himself. Why?

I have to thank my girl Latrese Wiliams for hipping me to this sad story. A young brother, Darnell D. Hamilton a student at Urban Prep Charter Academy on the West Side of Chicago made a bad choice due to being pressured everyday by rival gangs who threatened him daily as he made his way to school.

Darnell's mother LaDonna Petty shared that "They wait for him when he gets off the train."

This apparently stressed Hamilton out to the point he got a gun from a friend but someone at school saw it and reported him to the authorities. His locker was serached the gun was found and Hamilton was arrested.

Hamiliton appeared in court still dressed in his school uniform: a white buttoned-down shirt and khaki pants where the judge charged him as an adult with unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a firearm in school, both felonies. Hamilton's bail was set at $75,000.

Hamilton has a 4.0 GPA and has already been promised a scholarship by Ohio State University but recently he has been hoping to go to Duke University or Howard University to study Computer Engineering.

This just gets to me so upset on so many levels. Here is a young brother trying to do the right thing and because he is being pressured and threatenend by other disinfranchised and lost young men he ends up making a bad choice.

He made a poor decision but what is really criminal is that a young African-American man has maintained a 4.0 GPA while negotiating gang territory daily just to be in school but we cannot protect this young man while he is striving for adademic excellence.

Chicogo has been riddled with people getting killed and senseless violence. It seems the real crime is we cannot even protect a kid who is trying to do the right thing and rise above a bad environment.

Also it is sad that it was so easy for this young brother to get a gun in the first place. So much for better gun control laws!

Keep this young brother and his mother in your thoughts and prayers.

Posted at 12:24 PM in African-American, Education, Popular culture | Permalink | Comments (3)

09/26/2013

Biopic Film Celebrating the Life of Mahalia Jackson

A new biopic film is being developed that will celebrate the life and career of the great gospel Diva Mahalia Jackson.

This Mahalia Jackson project will be directed by Vaun Monroe, a screenwriter/director and college professor at Columbia College in Chicago, and Chicago filmmaker Ruth L. Ratny, for Joyful Noise, LLC.

According to Shadow and Act, there is apparently another film being directed by Euzhan Palcy, starring Fantasia Barrino.

Now I am not hating on Fantasia but I do not see her voice nor her acting chops paying appropriate homage to the Queen of Gospel music, Mahalia Jackson but Fantasia might surprise everyone.

Mahalia's voice is so distinctive, moving and authentic. She was an absolute God given talented singer. Mahalia Jackson was a christian woman and was committed to gospel music. She rarely sang in secular environments. The only film she ever did was "Imitation of Life" which still brings me to tears everytime I hear her sing in that film.

I dare you to watch Imitation of Life and try not to do the ugly cry....LOL.

I can see Queen Latifah pulling this off seeing as she can both sing and has some serious acting chops!

Another contender could even be my girl Kelly Price, that is when she is not walking around with a bag of timberlands and vaseline trying shank and beat down her reality co starts on "R & B Divas LA"....LOl.

It is about time a film was made that showcases the incredible talent and contributions of this amazing woman.

So you gospel and music fans who would you like to see playing the great Mahalia Jackson?

Posted at 07:44 AM in African-American, Celebrities, Film, Music, Popular culture, Religion | Permalink | Comments (1)

09/24/2013

Twerking Declared Illegal In Louisianna

Just in time for the absolute cooption of culture where you see pop princess celebrity Miley Cyrus make twerking a mainstream phenomenon, well one small town has had enough.

The twerking I guess has been so bad in the small town of DeQuincy, Louisiana, with a population of 3,398, according to the 2000 census, that the city officials have made it illegal.

Yes if you get the urge to twerk you could be facing 30 days in jail.

I wonder if there is a lesser sentence for crumping?

I mean is twerking that rampant in this small town? Are folks twerking at the bus stops, farmers market, on the sidewalks and at the express lines at the local Piggly Wiggly?

Maynard Wilkens, the Mayor of DeQuincy, spoke to CNN about the ban that will go into effect on September 19 and issues a statement:

“Twerking is a defiant act against Jesus and his teachings. The rest of the country can keep their heads in the sand about this s****l act before marriage, but not the great city of DeQuincy,” Wilkens said. “We will still allow dancing in DeQuincy, just no jigglin’, shakin’ and ‘dry humping’ anywhere in our city limits.”

Wow I know I did not do very well in Bible school but I think I cannot recall the passage that specifically addresses Jesus's dissatisfaction with twerking.

I also have heard of dry counties but now we have a no "dry humping" county!

I guess this means DeQuincy will be out of the running for the twerking grandmother's convention scheduled later this year....LOL.

Posted at 10:02 AM in Celebrities, Current Affairs, Popular culture | Permalink | Comments (8)

09/18/2013

Antoine Dodson Is Going To Be A Father

The man who became an internet sensation as the “hide ya wife, hide ya kids” guy is once again extending his fifteen minutes of fame.

Dodson who was once a fiercely gay man came out recently again but this time renouncing homosexuality.

Mr. Thing found religion and said he was no longer homosexual but he still has that voice (Paris is Burning reference...lol).

Which is exactly what the LGBT community needs is more non-sense that the church can pray the gay away.

Now Dodson is taking it a step further and says that he is going to become a father.

He tweeted the news via his Twitter page, “I just became the happiest man alive!! My beautiful Queen and I are having a baby!!”

Now unless this fool is talking about some Drag Queen I cannot believe any woman is that clueless and desperate to let this former gay boy procreate with her.

Hide your wife, hide your kids and hide the Vodka, I just can't.

Posted at 02:51 PM in African-American | Permalink | Comments (0)

09/16/2013

Don Lemon and Bill Cosby Team Up as the Dynamic "No Groes" Duo

Don Lemon is in the middle of some controversy again because he is continuing his quest to call out the uneducated, black poor folks. Lemon has called out sagging jeans as a major contributor to unemployment among black youth.

I agree that walking around with your butt hanging out does not exactly scream CEO but maybe a challenged economy may have more to do with high unemployment among young African-Americans.

Lemon decided to get help in his quest to point out all the bad issues in the black community by asking historically critical comedian of black culture Bill Cosby to be a guest on his show.

Bill Cosby responded to folks who criticize him for airing black folks dirty laundry in public when he responded:

"Regarding people who criticize him for pointing out negative aspects of black culture, Cosby said, “….this is when you hear the no-groes jump up and say ‘Why don’t you talk about the good things?…Because the good things happen to be taking care of themselves pretty well."

Now I have much respect for Bill Cosby and the major difference I see between these two dudes is that Cosby has had a long history of supporting black youth, education especially among HBCU's like Spelman and Morehouse.

I have spent 20 years educating, ispiring and mentoring students many of which have been young African-Americans. So I can speak with confidence on some of the challenges the community faces because I have been in the trenches.

My issue with Lemon is I am not sure how he has participated in working with youth as a mentor or using his media status to support other orgaznizations committed to affirming work within the black community.

Also CNN with its small stable of mostly light skinned talent is not exactly an expert on black culture.

I would like to see Lemon teach a journalism class at a small HBCU and come face to face with all the challenges you deal with in helping young black folks successfully negotiate mainstream environments with very little or sometimes no point of reference of collegiate life.

If he keeps this up Lemon is going to just sound like sour grapes.