How You Doin ~

I have not ventured into the blogosphere yet today. I wanted to keep my opinions on last night's CNN documentary "Black In America" unbiased as I wrote today's post.

The first half hour, a steady stream of a tear kept flowing out of my left eye. It was bothersome. I wanted to watch uninterrupted. But it kept flowing, even as I repeatedly wiped it away, mashing it into my skin. It did not blur my vision, or distract me really, but in the back of my mind I kept wondering: "Is there something in my eye?", "Am I still PMSing?", "Is this series affecting me?".

Maybe it was a combination of all three things. I did find the piece very engrossing. The Rand Family, who was a focal of the concentration, like many black families, was intricate and inspriring on many levels.

Soledad O'Brien was perky and journalistic as always. Hitting the hard questions and tapping into harsh realities.

Dr. Michael Eric Dyson featured with his jailed brother Everett Dyson, hit me the hardest. The racial disparities, even within one family, are all too typical. Favoring the lighter child over the darker, or when a new born enters the family, checking his/her ears to quickly determine the eventual shade, is a shaming but real aspect of our community ~ sad to say, it often predetermines the success that child will have...and sadly whether this American society will accept him or her.

Tonight I will be prepared with my kleenex. My Love for my black brothers has ALWAYS been a soft spot. Just the other day, I was at UPS mailing a package. When you enter you are head on with two registers, one on the left and one on the right. You have to choose quickly which way to go as it is a small store. In three to five steps you are there. On this particular day, there was a white man on my left and a brother on my right. They both immediately caught my eye to service me immediately. I had to choose. In that quick glimpse, I could feel the glaze of my brother to the right. His eyes quickly cast down, I guess after all day of everyone going to the left, he anticipated I would do so as well, so I didn't. I smiled brightly and exchanged our "black" hello..."HOWyoudoin?!" He smiled warmly, tall, straightening his back, almost blushing "howYoudoin?!" he replied. "GOOD good...", Obviously a college kid, he immediately began to get this and that and ring me up. He was animated and funny and I so wanted to give him a hug, but of course that is crazy...So I just smiled warmly, assuring him of my "love", and as I left he said "Have a great day now," and I turned and said, "Now, YOU do the same."

Be sure to catch CNN tonight ~ Black In America - The Black Man should be quite the experience.