THE SAUDA VOICE

Do You Belong on the Black List?

Suzan-Lori Parks, Pulitzer Prize Winning Playwright

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The Sauda Voice believes that many of you do!  Ironically, the term "blacklist" or "blacklisted" is defined as a list or register of persons who, for one reason or another, are being denied a particular privilege, service, mobility, access or recognition (Source: Wikipedia).  If this is not a fitting term to describe the experience of African-Americans in this country then I don't know what is.

Portrait photographer/filmmaker Timothy Greenfield-Sanders and NPR radio host, journalist and former New York Times film critic Elvis Mitchell have turned the term "blacklist" on its head with their HBO Documentary Film The Black List, Volume One.  As filmmakers, Greenfield-Sanders and Mitchell give us a glimpse into the diverse and beautiful world of blackness and achievement through the words of many of our modern greats (from a wide array of fields, including theater, sports, activism, music, and politics). 

The Sauda Voice highly recommends The Black List!  It is currently airing on HBO.  To find out upcoming airtimes, see full schedule. 

Here are just a few of the many phenomenal achievers you'll see on:
The Black List

Slash, Guns 'N Roses

Toni Morrison, Nobel Prize Winning Author

Louis Gossett, Jr., Academy Award Winning Actor

Lorna Simpson, Artist & Photographer
&
MANY MORE!

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

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You are not beholden to someone else's opinion of you.

(Toni Morrison)

BEAUTIFUL BLACK: Halle & Nahla Make Appearance at the Zoo!

Halle Berry with daughter Nahla

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The beautiful Halle Berry was recently seen out and about at the LA Zoo.  And who was with the gorgeous mom?  Her equally gorgeous newborn daughter Nahla that's who!  It seems the beautiful baby girl has already begun to take after her mom in the looks department, even down to her beautiful brown coloring. I think I even spot some curly hair coming in on the cutie pie!

Congrats Halle!

Who is Sarah Palin? Is a Vagina All You Need to be VP These Days?

Sarah Palin, Republican Vice Presidential Nominee
Are the Die Hard Hillary Clinton Supporters Happy Now?

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By now, all of you should have heard the news that John McCain named his VP pick.  For all of you die hard Hillary Clinton supporters, his pick was.................drum roll please.................A WOMAN!!

Do I hear screams!?  Do I see tears!?  Are you experiencing an emotional climax!?  From the opinions that many of you *expressed* after Barack Obama became the presumptive Democratic nominee, I would think that this choice makes you extremely happy!  Why do I say this?  Because after a while, it seemed like the most important thing for many of you was nominating a woman for president, regardless of the character of that woman.  What else explains your continued and unwavering support for a woman who repeatedly and overtly exploited racial bigotries and fear for political gain?  I simply will never understand this.  I don't believe Hillary Clinton is a bigot, just someone who is willing to appeal to bigots if it will result in political gain. 

Now, on to the new Republican VP pick.   I know that this may be hard for some people to grasp, but I am both black AND A WOMAN!  Go figure!  So those die hard Clinton supporters don't own the market on womanhood.  As a woman, I find Senator McCain's vice presidential choice insulting.  It is a blatant (and, in some ways, disrespectful) ploy to bring women voters into the Republican fold, specifically those Clinton supporters who said they would never vote for Senator Obama (although they self-identify as Democrats).  Apparently, I'm not the only one who got the impression that having a "vagina" is all some women needed to cast a vote for a particular candidate.  You know, in the spirit of feminism and all!  (Apparently, this is the same kind of feminism that says it's okay to exploit one group for the benefit of another.  I'm for the type of feminism and feminists who don't tolerate or engage in the exploitation of ANY group.)

Here's a little snapshot of our formerly unknown Sarah Palin:

1. She was elected Alaska's governor a little over a year and a half ago. Her previous office was Mayor of Wasilla, a small town outside of Anchorage, Alaska. 
2. Palin is strongly anti-choice, opposing abortion even in the case of rape or incest.
3. She supported right-wing extremist Pat Buchanan for president in 2000.
4. Palin thinks creationism should be taught in public schools.
5. She's doesn't think humans are the cause of climate change.
6. She's solidly in line with John McCain's "Big Oil first" energy policy. She's pushed hard for more oil drilling and says renewables won't be ready for years. She also sued the Bush administration for listing polar bears as an endangered species.  She was worried it would interfere with more oil drilling in Alaska.

Source:  MoveOn

For the Sauda Voice, it takes more than being a woman to get my support, in the same way that it takes more than being black.  Yes, that's right!  Contrary to some popular belief, black folks also judge a candidate on the issues.  If a candidate is black or a woman, that's just an added bonus!

DNC CONVENTION: Meet the Next President of the United States!

"America, we are better than these last eight years.
We are a better country than this!"

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Where do I begin?  Here are some words that come to mind to describe the emotions that I felt while watching Senator Obama's convention speech this evening:  Inspired, Love, Pride, Hope, Happiness, Faith, Strength, and Conviction.  No matter what happens on election day, I am thankful that I had the opportunity to witness such a gift during my lifetime! 

This is truly a special moment in time. I can only imagine that these feelings stirring inside of me are similar to those felt by the young and old, black and white, and rich and poor who marched on Washington in 1963 and listened to Dr. King's "I Have A Dream" speech.  That feeling that something PHENOMENAL was happening!  Yes, this black woman is proud to say that she will be voting for Barack Obama on election day!

Here are just a few quotes from Obama's speech:

"Tonight, I say to the American people, to Democrats and Republicans and Independents across this great land - enough! This moment - this election - is our chance to keep, in the 21st century, the American promise alive. Because next week, in Minnesota, the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Cheney will ask this country for a third. And we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look like the last eight. On November 4th, we must stand up and say: "Eight is enough."

On John McCain

"It's not because John McCain doesn't care. It's because John McCain doesn't get it.  For over two decades, he's subscribed to that old, discredited Republican philosophy - give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. In Washington, they call this the Ownership Society, but what it really means is - you're on your own. Out of work? Tough luck. No health care? The market will fix it. Born into poverty? Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps - even if you don't have boots. You're on your own."

"John McCain likes to say that he'll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell - but he won't even go to the cave where he lives."

On Patriotism

"But what I will not do is suggest that the Senator takes his positions for political purposes. Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other's character and patriotism.

The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America - they have served the United States of America."

"So I've got news for you, John McCain. We all put our country first."

On Hot Button Issues

"We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country.

The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang-violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals.

I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination.

Passions fly on immigration, but I don't know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers."

"This too is part of America's promise - the promise of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort."

Need Specifics?  For those of you who continue to complain about Senator Obama lacking specifics, I challenge you to read his speech in its entirety.  If, after reading his speech, you still come away feeling that Obama still "lacks specifics" then you have proven yourself to be hopelessly biased on partisan grounds and there's nothing that Obama can say or do that will ever allow you to give him the credit that he is due!

For all others, enjoy watching this special moment in American history below: 

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MORE PICS FROM TONIGHT

 

 

YES WE CAN!