Mel Hopkins

🙄 welp, there goes that! Why not write it true to life? It could still be dramatic! Hell, if they got those degrees after the kid was born the absentee-parent would still be valid! This is why I can’t stand watching most “black” dramas. Show runners usually let us down. I don’t know why you want to get me started! 😡 I was ready to root for this show! Oh! By the way, I watched one episode of GoT and the black man was a “prop.” I didn’t see any black women - so I never went back. Don’t get me wrong, I indulge in Film & broadcast programming but it’s mostly romcom, rom-mystery, holiday romcom, mysteries, thrillers and the supernatural. Most of the time, even with a black cast, Hollywood does a better job with those genres.

You took the words right out of my head! 😆 I didn't want to give google or godaddy any airtime it would interrupt my flow. Thank you for the added information! (Quiet as kept, I counted on you adding it! lol)

Thank you @Troy ! I really enjoy slice of life stories - especially when the medium portrays our slices accurately. I'm going to check it out.

Some of us were not socially conservative but fiscally conservative. We believed in the bootstrapping way in life. -That was until I woke the eff up and realized that was a lie too. (Pre-Obama) I was actually a card-carrying republican appointed official for two years. When I moved to Illinois, the GOP preyed on me like I was a lost native venturing too near to the door of no return in West Africa. They snatched me up and appointed me an elected official. Once inside, I saw the GOP for what they were really are; gang members.- The political party system in America is nothing more than a bunch of thugs and gangsters. Prior to my two-year GOP stint, I was strictly independent and only voted issues - and that's where I've returned. I vote for folks who represent legislation that I believe is best for the nation.

@Troy what moved you to recommend this show? What's the plotline? Is this a lot of testosterone and chest beating - or are there some real life lessons? C'mon, give us the 411? 😉

YOUR WEBSITE!!! First, thank you for updating and managing your digital platform. We book lovers, and avid readers enjoy visiting you and purchasing your books directly. We like finding out about your appearances and events. We appreciate your photos, videos, blog postings, and podcast. We especially like updates such as information on when you'll release your next publication. Those of us who don't use social networking sites like Facebook, Instagram, etc., like knowing we don't have to sign in just to read your thoughts. We trust you with our email address, and we appreciate that you won't track us throughout the internet. Since we're on the topic of email addresses, did you know if you don't secure your website - you leave us, visitors, vulnerable? An unsecured site makes it easy for bad actors to get our information if we visit and purchase anything from your website. Now, before you say it, yes- big corporations are hacked all the time; this is why I'm asking you to secure your website. Visitors are hack-weary and if we see a not secure notice on your site - we may bounce. Let's make it easy for your supporters to do business with you. PLEASE SECURE YOUR WEBSITE with a digital certificate such as SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) Certificate. More on Digital certificates from Verisign. https://www.verisign.com/en_US/website-presence/online/ssl-certificates/index.xhtml

@Wosey Thank you. As a professional journalist, research takes up most of my time. But when I get a chance to encounter a primary source I jump at it. I’m familiar with the secondary source information on Yoruba culture - I even follow a priestess on wordpress (smile) but when you shared the background of the language, you appeared to be a native speaker with first hand information. That’s not to say I don’t use wikipedia - but I only use to determine the author’s sources - and then I go to the source. Usually when I ask questions on this board - it’s more for the member’s first hand experience.

@Troy any of them! BUT who has a product like CBS' 60 Minutes to distribute that caliber of an interview? Maybe because I was a managing editor/news producer for a CBS' Network Affiliate I understand what goes into making a polished product like 60 Minutes, CBS Sunday or even 48 hours. Ed Bradley was an excellent journalist but trust me, 60 Minutes, Sunday Morning et al - also has an elite team of writers, videographers, editors, graphic artist, sound, lighting technicians... AND it appears they had a generous budget too. 60 Minutes, the media product stands alone. I really do miss the days when we cared about packaging good journalism! ALSO, I did feel the gripping loss watching this interview! Thank you so much for sharing it! Toni Morrison was a giant! She was courageous and eloquent too. I don't think we'll see another like her, of any ethnicity or sex, in our lifetime. Morrison stood alone on that pedestal. And I'm not just talking about her literary skills, either. Morrison was the whole package who embodied all that a great writer represents. She made us want to be in her world.

@Troy can we purchase "The Africans" - A triple heritage through AABLC? I couldn't purchase this one through the publisher - and it appears Mazrui's website is defunct.

Let the church say "AMEN" and celebrate life!

@Delano Gotcha! And I think that's the truth for most of us. I think your position should also be considered too. Often we believe others are appropriating the African american culture because we expect people too look a certain way - but who can dictate who belongs to the culture and who does not. @Delano this is documentary I referencing. @Wosey, thank you. Are you a native speaker? what is the name of the universally accepted dialect?

@Maurice no apologies needed! I laughed because reading it - really highlights the absurdity of it all. Like, yes - who shoots up a “Garlic Festival?”

@Delano I shared this concept with my Nigerian ( Igbo) friend - because he displays this rhythm, tempo and cadence in all his creative endeavors. He mentioned I have it too. I’ve noticed it others - who like Slim Shady, do not share our phenotypic traits. So, these traits appear to be genetic but not limited to ethnicity. So, do you include genetic traits in your definition of culture? If so, would this mean African-American culture would be a misnomer? Would it be more inclusive to say - cultural traits found predominately in the African-American ethnic group. This is what the documentary video, I posted “The Africans - Three Heritages” talks about too! 😂😂😂. @Pioneer1 I keep telling you that’s the main reason I can’t be moderator! Moderators are supposed to provoke NOT agree! Sadly, history has shown this to be true. Whenever a group is captured and colonized the first thing outlawed is language.

@Wosey Thank You! Is the language called “Yoruba?” If not what is the name of the dialect? Also, is it your native language?