Hey Whoopi, thanks for the reprimand. It was sorely needed. I think in a written forum people loosen the boundaries of respect a little too often and name calling begins. Were we all face to face name calling wouldn’t happen because, otherwise, fist fighting would erupt :^) As for the race card: I have no time or patience for any individual wishing to contradict MY Black life experience in America with rhetoric about looking for pity or a handout or any other treatment. I grew up a biracial child in the 60’s and 70’s when “Negroes” first became “Black”. My white mother’s parents were dead when she married, but my black father’s family DISOWNED him for marrying white. In many states of the US their marriage wasn’t legal and my father could have been lynched. I was beaten by white kids at school and black kids in my neighborhood. There were white men who wanted to date me because I was “exotic” (translation: white-skinned enough to allow them to forget that they were fulfilling a fantasy of having sex with a Black woman) and Black men who wouldn’t date me because I looked too much like a white girl (and I’d never “really” had the “sista” experience which might qualify me as a Nubian Queen). I had a co-worker once ask, upon overhearing about my biracial status, “Why would you choose to live as a Black person since you had the choice?” Through this, and much more, “I” only wanted to eat food, become educated, work, fall in love, become a mother, and pursue my own happiness. You know, my Constitutional Rights as they were finally granted me. As for speculation on any “beef” you might have with Elizabeth Hasselback? She is a woman with HER OWN American experience and an intelligent mind who has POLITICAL opinions that differ from mine, and many other Americans. But guess what? They MATCH the opinions of many others, too. People may seem to be in a battle when discussing differing opinions of a subject, but intelligence, civility and respect always keep control of the situation. And the fact that she tears up every now and again only shows that she is emotionally involved in her opinion on the subject at hand. It’s the viewing audience…you know, the folks that THINK they “know” you ladies as people rather than entertainers…who decide they are seeing a poor helpless Elizabeth being picked on by mean old Whoopi. I’ve GOT my grip on these subjects, that’s all I know!

I’m with you, Prudence. This further illustrates that there is a difference between Republican VALUES and the Republican view of everyone else’s. This twist on the unwed pregnancy of a 17 year-old girl hopefully will telecast to voting Americans that the Republican party is going to sell out on anything and everything it ever criticized IF IT HAPPENS TO ONE OF THEM. Americans, regardless of political party affiliation, need to remember (or realize) that a Republican has completly disregarded the Constitution numerous times in order to accomplish his personal “values”. That blatant disregard of the “American way” alone ought to put the scare into Americans. Now the party is taking pride in the fact that a mother (forget a potential Vice President) opting out of abortion instead of opting in to the sexual education of her children is a good value. How can I trust her to pay close attention to what’s going on in my country if she wasn’t aware that HER OWN CHILD had become sexually active and she didn’t take the time and care (like I did) to educate that child on the mature and responsible behavior associated with this new step. So much for social responsiblity, in my opinion. I’m also disgusted that John McCain was able to make his acceptance speech sound as if HE were the “maverick” of CHANGE to loud cheers. Copycat! Do we like copycats?

I’m poor as hell and cannot afford to use my paycheck on anything outside of the essentials (food, clothing and shelter). I “pamper” myself with a daily yoga routine called “Sun Salutations”, making outrageous recipes for meals with my meager ingredients and reading wonderful books that the federal library system graciously allows me to borrow from for free. Ahhh, what a life!

Whoopi, Sarah Palin is a dangerous woman as regards OUR dismissal of her, only. I caught the rebroadcast of “Real Time with Bill Maher” and Michel Martin of NPR’s “Tell Me More” pointed out that Sarah Palin’s appeal is spread wide enough in those communities where paradigms are the tradition. She will rally the people who believe that America has always been virtuous and true and should remain so. People whose catch phrases sound something like “you made your bed now you lie in it” or “pull yourself up by your own bootstraps”. People who consider forfeiture a sin and can apply it to war. People who find participation in beauty pageants to be as socially enriching as community service. Hopefully, the numbers that Sarah Palin draws will be palin’ in comparison to the masses she will send towards Barack Obama. Her acceptance speech last night was typical cheerleader/most popular girl-esque: use snippy little cat calls like “after my opponent parts the waters”. And what of the tactic of never referring to a him by name and instead calling him “opponent”? These are the offensive moves the GOP will use to counterpunch the facts with which Barack Obama knocked them out during HIS acceptance speech? Barack Obama just smiles…and raises $10 million thanks to hers.

Speak the truth, Helen Mirren! Many of us (of a certain era) have dabbled in cocaine and repented for similar reasons. Many have also had the life circumstances that made stealing inviting. As for “damaging” comments about rape? Please! We ALL wanted to know what that Washington girl thought was gonna happen when she went up to Mike Tyson’s hotel room at 2am in a party dress! It “shouldn’t” be that way, but I try not to get too much “should” all over myself.

Well, Bella, I like YOUR suggestions in addition to the articles (and in greater proportion). I hold out hope that my daughter will meet a man living by such a credo as this. As for me…I’m done.

Oh, Dr. Klein, you silly man. Marriage has ALWAYS worked for MEN. Relegating a woman’s goals and aspirations to second place “for the good of the family”. Convincing women that a husband is a necessary requirement for personal betterment in this society and implementing the various systems to make it so. Selling the “happily ever after” tale which traps women into servitude and emotional, financial, psychological and physical neglect or abuse. Today’s women have “inflated expectations” because of the historically lopsided benefits marriage has provided men! To quote Ruby Dee when she recounted a conversation between Ossie Davis and herself during the early years of their marriage, “Why does it take you AND me to run YOUR life?” Finally, women have learned that men are “necessary” for only one thing. Fortunately for you guys it’s the only marital task YOU’RE interest in performing with full participation and glee.

Sure, I’d love to live to 100. The longer I live the more opportunities I have to exact my revenge on my only child. Ahhh, to witness her changing MY diapers! And feeding, can’t wait to give her the same hard time. Then there’s the government system…maybe I can recoup some of my taxes by becoming a burden to the state.

Annually by the doctor. Monthly on my own. In between, if I’m lonely for a feel :^)

Designed to be a support of and boon to blue collar workers, when “unions” first started they were. “Unions” have grown into major corporations where the upper echelon employees prosper as the wage earning employees bleed. Dues alone can ruin a family budget these days. Let’s not talk about a strike.

While I have been in the vicinity of famous people a few times (Sen. Patrick Moynihan on a plane, journalist Les Payne on the LIRR, Hee-Haw host Buck Owens) I’ve actually had the pleasure of meeting singer Melba Moore. She was the guest vocalist at a wedding I attended on a yacht. While waiting to use the lavatory we had a short conversation about our children and our homes. She graciously signed her photo for me and smiled with recognition as she saw me disembark at the end of the night. What a lady.

Thank you, Sheila Nevins, for giving me a point to think about which has broadened my view from yesterday. As a registered Republican, originally I felt insulted by the party for seeming to throw any woman my way as a paltry temptaion to vote for John McCain. The choice of Sarah Palin as the Republican VP candidate offers an opportunity to women which should not be ridiculed. The sooner ALL Americans come to realize that all American WOMEN are as diverse of opinion and cause as all American MEN, the sooner we can move on to governing our country in a manner which serves all of its citizens.

Our children don’t truly want the attention of “oohs and aahs”, but they will take them over the lack of involvement which is typical of the modern parent. The attention that our teens need (and want) is to more than the child’s recreation schedule. Modern parents need to come to terms with the REQUIREMENTS of the job. One requirement is to have the uncomfortable conversations about growing up, and to have them when they are NEEDED instead of when they are too late (translation: when the child ASKS about the subject). Your children no longer seek your permission to behave in an adult manner. Your job as parent has expanded to preparing younger and younger children to more and more adult responsibility in their behaviors, like it our not. When my daughter was 4 we saw the movie “Look Who’s Talking”, the opening scene of which shows sperm swimming towards it’s target. When she asked what it was I told her “it’s called sperm”. When she asked what THAT was I told her “It’s the stuff that makes a baby from Daddy to Mommy.” She didn’t ask anything further and I didn’t elaborate. My response satisfied her curiosity in an age appropriate manner. When she asked again, years later, I explained that S.E.X. was more about making babies than showing love and I asked her to tell me when she thought she was ready to start having sex so that I could take her to a doctor and get her protected so she wouldn’t have a baby before she wanted one. She didn’t bring it up for another 8 years and she honored my request. To this day I am proud to know that it was ME who fulfilled the job of teaching my child to be sexually responsible to herself and society. When she makes me a grandmother it will be because she chose to\he responsibility, not because she was looking for my attention.

John McCain’s running mate decision was formulated when Hillary Clinton conceded her Primary fight to Barack Obama; when McCain saw and heard how angry and disappointed US women were about Hillary’s loss. So he’s chosen a 44 year old woman to (hopefully) make his appeal trump heavy? The comparison is far paler than the man’s complexion. After the beating that Barack Obama gave John McCain last night he could have presented a money tree as his running mate and LOST interest in his campaign. My only hope, from the standpoint of women’s unity, is that Sarah Palin can later bolster her political career from this sham. As a registered Republican, I’m insulted that John McCain thinks so little of my political opinion.