Gil Scott Heron is on Parole for Killing A MockingBird, but Thunper says he loves that book.

[careycarey]

No folks, not Jill Scott, Gil Scott Heron. What, you haven't read about this? I bet you've heard of Nigger Jim and Edgar Allen Poe. And, To Kill A Freakin Mocking Bird.

Well, I know you've seen, or heard of Sex In The City, but what about Black Thighs?

Huh, what do you know about that?

Don't tell me you've read The Night Before Christmas and not, Before The White Man Came? Yep, you've seen Message In A Bottle, but what about Message To The Messengers? Who wrote the words to that piece and what was the message? Hint: It was a message to young rappers by the Godfather. Nope, not James Brown.

Okay, maybe this is not fair. Maybe all your books got lost in the washing machine or in the brainwash. But I'm just saying, I am sure you've heard about Broke Back Mountain, but what about On Coming From A Broken Home, huh? Have you read that? Surely you've heard of Hill Street Blues, but what about The Get Out Of The Ghetto Blues? Come on now folks, Woman Are From Venus And Men Are From Mars, or Whitey On The Moon, do you know anything about them?

Damn, don't take this ass whoopin personally but sing along with me... "home home on the range, where the dear and the antelope play, where seldom is heard a discouraging word, and the skies are all sunny all day". Now, do you know the words to "Home Is Where The Hatred Is"?

Well, if you've been stumped, it's gimme time. I mean, who hasn't seen Waiting To Exhale, but what about "Waiting For The Ax"? Come on, I know you've heard about the old slave negro and his Uncle Tom's Cabin, but what about the lyrics from "The Klan", huh, have you read them?

You guys are starting to piss me off. But maybe I am speaking to the wrong crowd, so I'll direct my attention to the old school crowd. Now, which of you has not taken a quick peek at the soap operas All My Children and The Guiding light? Okay, but what about the lyrics from Save The Children and The Guided? Wait, I have an easier one. Everybody knows a little something about Days Of Our Lives, but what about "Lady Day And John Coltrane"? Do you know anything about that literature?

I am sorry, how could I have been so careless. I should have made this a black thang. Okay, here we go. Err'body has danced to the Sooooul Train, but what about Your Soul And Mine. I mean, have you clap you hands and stomped your feet to that jam? But wait, who can forget Denzel Washington's performance in Walter Moseley's Devil In A Blue Dress, but do you know anything about "Me & The Devil"? Huh, have you heard of that?

Oh lawd, I am crying because this ass whoopin is hurting me more than it's hurting you, but I can't stop this train. No, not the soul train, this train of thought.

Speaking of a thought, I am thinking about writing Oprah to make a few suggestions. See, she has this book club thang. Well, although she has included a few books written by black folks, I'd like to included a few must read selections. Granted, she has championed the popular black writers like Toni Morrison (4 times), Bill Cosby (3 times), Maya Angelou, Pearl Cleage, Lalita Tademy, Sidney Poiter and a few others, but those are feel good authors. I mean, they are "safe" authors. But I have to admit that I did love two of Toni Morrison's book and A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines. And I Know Why A Caged Bird Sings... but let me get back in form.

Instead of Oprah reaching out to included another book by William Faulkner (his 4th), I think she would be the greatest black woman that has ever walked this earth if her next three books were by Gil Scott Heron, The Last Poets and Paul Mooney.

Hey, if a lying white dude can get on Oprah's list, why can't she give the drummer some. If Gil Scott Heron, who has his masters degree from John Hopkins University, can go to jail for killing a mocking bird, surely we can throw him a bone by checking out his 2010 I'm New Here, and all of his earlier works. Besides, we all could use a little history lesson, couldn't we?

Err'body knows about Juneteenth and Martin Luther Kings Birthday. What about the American poet and author Gil Scott Heron? Okay, maybe he didn't kill a mockingbird or Harper Lee(the author of To Kill A Mockingbird), but why is her book considered an American Classic? Is it because her book spoke about the mistreatment of colored folk? Is it because another white man tried to save another po negro. I know the name of another book that's considered an American classic. That was a good one. You know, the one with Nigger this and Nigger that. I think the main character's name was NIgger Jim. As a young student, I was required to read that mess. I bet we all know the name of that book!

I don't know why the caged bird sings but every closed eye ain't sleep. My eyes have seen the glory...

This post was inspired by my friend Maxine Beneba Clark http://slamup.blogspot.com/ and her collection of poetry... Gil Scott Heron Is On Parole, and Thumper's love of those big fat books.

[Chrishayden]

Dear Carey:

We have talked about this before.

Oprah's audience doesn't know who Gil Scott Heron is, and if they knew, they'd turn on her like mad dogs if she tried to push him to them.

We might not like what Oprah is doing but she knows just what she is.

If she put on what we liked she would starve to death.

[careycarey]

Chris, you're right, but you know I love me some Oprah. And, as I've said before, I think she's the greatest black woman that has graced our space. So, this really wasn't about Oprah. It was about some negros that praise the sh*t out of white folks, and have no problem tearing down black folks. It was also a history lesson for those that love to assimilate white people. I just wanted them to add some blackness to their coffee that's been watered down with too much cream.

[Cynique]

What would we do if we didn't have Carey to take Blacks to task for not measuring up to his skewed standards???

First he mopes about white liars being given air time on Oprah's show. Then, he expresses his great admiration for Oprah. Then, wrapping himself in a holier-than-thou cloak, he proceeds to explain how the purpose of his song of praise for "Over-the-hill Gil" was: "a history lesson for those that love to assimilate white people. I just wanted them to add some blackness to their coffee that's been watered down with too much cream."

In reading Carey's "lesson", we'll overlook how "assimilate" should be "emulate", and ignore the impossibility of coffee being "watered" down with "cream". Instead, let's focus on how Carey's smug explanation actually turns out to be a great description of his cherished Oprah "I-love-me-some-white-folks" Winfrey! Is this a glaring contradiction, or what? How inconsistent can you get??? (I hate all dem negros 'cept Miz "O"!)

Egads, how can I not harass this wanna-be-know-it-all? I owe it to the critical thinkers of the world!

[careycarey]

Egads, you must have wiped the old crust out of your eyes to find me down here, Cynique.

"What would we do if we didn't have Carey to take Blacks to task for not measuring up to his skewed standards???"

You'd be lost with nothing to do.

[Cynique]

Well, carey, just because you don't have the mental facility to easily access the different forums on this board, doesn't mean that I don't. And should you ever get over yourself and stfu, instead of being lost I would instead be satisfied that there was one less task on my "to-do" list.

[careycarey]

"and stfu"

Cynique, is that the best you can do? You're starting to disappoint me.

But in the end, use me to do the thangs you do, because I sho'em using you.

[Cynique]

You don't rate a better response,carey. I waste enough time on you as it is.

And I'm hip that you are using not only me, but other posters on this board. Almost everything you write is a re-cycling of somebody else's view or phrase or big word. You're a cheap imitation.