Tag: news

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Blackety Black Black

Image: Grandson Christian Bennett, with me on the night Kendrick Lamar shook America.

Y’all, Sunday night was a sight to behold, and my grandson, Christian Bennett, was here with me to witness it. I know it’s Black History Month, but I celebrate my blackness 365 days a year, and Sunday night affirmed why. I witnessed the halftime Super Bowl performance of Kendrick Lamar, an omniscient rapper who gave us a symbolic narrative for the “game” of being Black in America. After experiencing the noise of a Super Bowl party, my grandson escaped to my house to watch the performance with me, his Black elder.

Although these 74-year-old ears could not understand the words, I was mesmerized by Lamar’s rapping skills. The effect of the energy Lamar created had Christian moving out of his seat and me dancing to “They not like us,” the punchline of his Grammy-winning song. (No, I wasn’t Crip Walking like Serena Williams). Lamar’s reputation preceding the performance, the geometrically lighted stage, and Samuel L. Jackson’s (Uncle Sam’s) invitation to play the “game” had me researching social media to fully comprehend what I saw.

I defer to this YouTube post by Bobby Foster to break down every element of Lamar’s poignant performance. However, what brought me to this post was my senses stirred through Lamar. I feel Black America has been under assault for as long as this country has been in existence, especially now. Because we have been systemically divided through so much trauma, we have fallen to mental assault. No true history is taught, critical thinking is diminished, and we wade through muddy waters to find our way to the true heroes of our story – us! We are who we have been waiting for, and performances like Lamar’s clear our vision.

The Super Bowl performances of not only Kendrick Lamar, but Samuel L. Jackson, Jalen Hurts and Coach Autumn Lockwood, Ledisi, and Jon Batiste remind me that no matter what America does to us, we don’t merely survive; we rise, and all the colors of the world rise through us. This truth is magnified by true history, literature, music, and many inventions we enjoy. The universe is infused with/by us. We cannot be diminished; through every breath we take, we are Blackety, Black, Black, and the universe breathes with us. What?!!

Joy Juice

The music we dance to takes us to a new level of understanding. We are truth in spiritual light, not to be diminished. The youth found a way to cut through every age-group to clean our glasses off and ears out and remind us there are new ways of speaking. I am listening.

“I got loyalty, royalty inside my DNA” – Kendrick Lamar

“Garap lo tbia gadbia mou sajati.” — Wolof Proverb, West Africa
The split tree still grows.

The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord.” – Proverbs 20:27

“It’s all good/love/God” – Victorine

© 2025 Vicki Goldston, All rights reserved.

Please Subscribe and Follow my blog! Name(required) Email(required)

Please support Spicy…a blog by Victorine, through Patreon. 

 Victorine, Bio

Author of  Be S.A.F.E., StillAware, Faithful, Excellent, now available on Kindle Amazon as an e-book.

“…the book title and its content are intended to be a whisper, reminding us that by connecting with our spiritual self, we can center through anything and that we are forever within the bubble of God’s protection.”

Don’t forget to check out Garden Spices Magazine.

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Democracy, Lord, Democracy…

“What is Democracy? “Of the people, by the people, for the people” Abraham Lincoln. The word democracy comes from the Greek words “demos”, meaning people, and “kratos” meaning power; so democracy can be thought of as “power of the people”: a way of governing which depends on the will of the people.” Oxford languages

I can’t stand to start my posts with a quote or definition, but I had to get a working definition of democracy myself. Democracy has been ripped up, torn down, taken for granted, and given an unrecognizable face. What?!

I remember the Black Panthers’ cry, “Power to the people!” Immediately, that cry conjured up revolutionary socialism that threatened the political and social norms of the USA. That cry was signaling the truth – in a democratic government, the power should belong to every American. Each government member should represent our voices and needs to encourage and enact an equitable nation. So far, we have not experienced this. Where does accountability start? Right In our own backyards.

Y’all know I live in Alabama. We are the guinea pig for Project 2025/Agenda 47. My daughter’s activist org. and other Black childcare providers across the state advocate for a hot topic in Bama – Women’s Reproductive Rights: Equitable Childcare Policy and Family Justice. Camille is the lobbyist. She tells me about the rampant posturing and egos of politicians looking out for their reelection and capitalism rather than the needs of the people (“the community-based providers on the ground”). She claims both parties fall prey to this disposition, leading to inaction for the people.

As Lobbyists, her team has to gain access to politicians to discuss bills on the floor. They primarily work to modify or kill bills enacted against their advocacy areas. They speak for the needs of constituents who might never get the ears of local politicians. They also speak during sessions related to their bills. I travel with her to Montgomery to support her. However, she will not let me go to the Statehouse while lobbying. She fears that I will not be able to contain my emotions. (Hmph…’think I can’t stand and deliver?) What?!

I asked Camille what we could do in Alabama to secure Democracy, and she answered:

“What can we control in Alabama.? We are a Red State. In 2024, if you are voting against Project 2025, your vote is simply for data collection, which is very important. However, we must pay attention to the policies created in our city and state. Beyond that, we must hold our elected officials accountable, regardless of their political affiliations. Politicians are public servants who work for us – not celebrities, not to be hero-worshipped, but public servants who should treat the people with respect. When we send out a Call for Direct Action, please lend your participation.”

My two cents are that we must dust off our civics books (at least they aren’t banned) and learn how the government/democracy works, from local to the White House. Then, we can do what we can to support important issues by calling, writing, and doing what we can to hold our government accountable. It should reflect all people, and we people hold the power.

Joy Juice

Guess what? I can post the good, bad, and ugly about our country without being persecuted. I feel that, as Americans, we all have the responsibility to work for and maintain democracy. After we elect folks, we must hold them accountable and do our part to help in any way possible. Democracy? Yes, Lord, Democracy.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. African Proverb

Government is “to seek, serve, and promote the common good of the people, not the good of the rulers” (Romans 13:4)

“A Peaceful World Begins with Small Peaceful Actions.” Buddhism, Lion’s Roar

“It’s all good/love/God” – Victorine

© 2024 Vicki Goldston, All rights reserved.

Please Subscribe and Follow my blog! Name(required) Email(required)

Please support Spicy…a blog by Victorine, through Patreon. 

 Victorine, Bio

Author of  Be S.A.F.E., StillAware, Faithful, Excellent, now available on Kindle Amazon as an e-book.

“…the book title and its content are intended to be a whisper, reminding us that by connecting with our spiritual self, we can center through anything and that we are forever within the bubble of God’s protection.”

Don’t forget to check out Garden Spices Magazine.

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Worth Another Conversation?

Picture generated by AI

So, I was at the CVS Pharmacy counter on Florence Blvd., Florence, AL, checking out my purchases, and I was greeted by the new, becoming a familiar, face of their affable employee. He has a white Santa-esque smile and greets me warmly. I interrupted a conversation, which continued as he checked me out. He told the other worker about the FEMA director who was attacked by responders to the Asheville storm crisis. I couldn’t help but question him.

He told me that responders were being halted by the FEMA Director trying to give aid on air and the ground and were told they could not enter the city. He said they angrily attacked the director and entered Asheville with a vengeance. I found this incredulous, but I listened to him with doubting eyes. I mentioned how I read that FEMA feared they would run out of funds for all the upcoming hurricanes. However, when I mentioned that, he immediately informed me that FEMA was supplying the financing for the Ukraine war; how we can’t take care of everyone else if we can’t take care of ourselves. He then gave me the amount of money we had poured into Ukraine. Then…

…he started on Canada and how they know how to handle things and how tight their military is. “Our military can’t move without the government,” he complained. I queried, “So, you want the military to have full power to run this country. Have you read about countries run by the military or by DICTATORS?” I told him about a Venezuelan family that had to hide under the bed from a military regime on the rampage. He digressed and said, “I think if anything happened in this country, we would take care of ourselves in Alabama.” I looked at him doubtingly and asked, “All of us?” He looked squeamish and said, “I really think so. There’s not a person I would not help if they needed it.” I believed him, or I believed he believed himself. What?!

By now, you must have guessed which way this guy leans politically – right to you know who. He reported what he knew to be true, but it was conjecture, false news, most of it sprouted by X, which used to be Twitter. My questions did not move his opinion about the fate of the country. However, I screenshotted a news item that refuted his “news” about the FEMA director. When I see him next, I will show him my capture, and because he is Santaesque, I will give him the gift of conversation. This time, it is about truth, lies, and the American way. I probably won’t change his mind/vote, but I may open his eyes.

What do you think?

Joy Juice

Shoot me; I have rose-colored glasses and feel change can be affected through communication, even on a small scale.

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; James l:19

“A person is a person because of other people.” African Proverb

“It’s all good/love/God” – Victorine

© 2024 Vicki Goldston, All rights reserved.

Please Subscribe and Follow my blog! Name(required) Email(required)

Please support Spicy…a blog by Victorine, through Patreon. 

 Victorine, Bio

Author of  Be S.A.F.E., StillAware, Faithful, Excellent, now available on Kindle Amazon as an e-book.

“…the book title and its content are intended to be a whisper, reminding us that by connecting with our spiritual self, we can center through anything and that we are forever within the bubble of God’s protection.”

Don’t forget to check out Garden Spices Magazine.