Sad Day For Women’s Tennis World Number One Justine Henin Retires!!!

Well this is shocking news the world number one female tennis player Justine Henin has retired from Women’s Tennis! Justine Henin is a great champion and I am certain if she continued playing she would win more grand slams. Why didn’t Justine just say she’s going to take a break from the game? If Justine needs a break from Women’s Tennis then she should take a break. But why retire at the tender age of  twenty five? It makes absolutely no sense at all!

Justine managed to win seven grand slam singles titles but she never won Wimbledon.  Serena Williams is the only woman in her generation to have won all four grand slams. Justine has been close to winning Wimbledon but she always fades away in the semifinals and finals. Last year Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli shocked Justine Henin in the women’s semifinals 1-6 7-5 6-1.  I was shocked because Justine blasted Bartoli in Eastbourne right before Wimbledon on grass in straight sets. I seemed to me that sometimes Justine has a hard time dealing with pressure and she chokes. Justine is actually very fragile. Justine managed to reach the Wimbledon finals twice only to lose to Venus Williams and Amelie Mauresmo.

Justine claims she has been thinking about retiring for a while.  My goodness, I can’t believe this! Justine  said in a press conference today in Belgium she has lost her “motivation” to continue playing. Justine’s game was beautiful to watch she had so much variety in her game she could come to net, hit slice backhands or topspin backhands. Justine also moved very well on the court and had a decent serve. Justine also overcame a height disadvantage because she is only five foot five she is smaller then most of the women on the WTA tour. Despite Justine’s small size she had a huge serve and incredibly powerful groundstrokes.

I think the reason Justine is “retiring” is because she wasn’t able to duplicate the incredible success of 2007. Despite Henin’s variety the truth is if the power players are serving big and hitting the ball consistently Henin is at a distinct disadvantage. The taller women can bully Henin on the tennis court.

At the 2008 Australian Open Maria Sharapova destroyed Henin 6-4 6-0 in the quarterfinals. At the 2008 Miami Masters Serena Williams blasted Henin off the court 6-2 6-0. It is clear that when the power players such as Sharapova and Serena Williams can overpower Henin. Henin is low on confidence right now and that’s why she’s quitting because she is losing.

Last week Justine lost to Dinara Safina 5-7 6-3 6-1 in the third round of the German Open. It was a huge upset and since clay is Justine’s favorite surface I am sure she was disappointed. But quit? Why the sudden change of heart why can’t Justine wait until the end of the year? Where is Justine’s desire? If Justine is not injured she shouldn’t just quit and walk away from the game so prematurely.

The media make this big deal about how much of a “fighter” Justine Henin is but she appears to be very weak. Henin gives up too easily and now Justine is “retiring” because she is in a slump. Give me a break. The Williams Sisters, Monica Seles, Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, Roger Federer, Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras have all had slumps.

I remember in the mid 1990s Agassi ranking had dropped out of the top 100 on the ATP Tour because he was overweight and lacked focus. Andre didn’t give up he lost the weight trained very hard because he loved the game of tennis. Andre believed he still had the potential to be great and he was right. Andre went back to the challenger level which is below the pro level to build his confidence. Andre had the determination to fight through the rough times. Where is Justine Henin’s determination? I cannot believe this is such shocking news!

Now Justine Henin has “retired” from the game the French Open is wide open on the women’s side. I think the other top women of course will be sad to see Henin leave the game but they want to win the French Open. The opportunity is huge everyone wants to win the French Open and now the other women have their chance to win. Justine Henin was the most dominant clay court champion this decade.

Henin won the French Open four times in the past five years. I will admit I am not a Justine Henin fan I am a tennis fan. I think Justine brought a lot of flare to women’s tennis she was also the nemesis of the Williams Sisters their rivalry was exciting for the game. I think its sad because now the weaker competition is going to come through and win the big events.

I don’t get it? So Justine is going to retire just because she lost four matches this year? Where is the champion spirit? Where is the desire to win despite struggles? Everyone struggles in life because that’s life. At least Justine has a job that pays well. Playing professional tennis is a privilege Justine is blessed with incredible talent but obviously she doesn’t have the heart of a champion anymore.

You don’t see Roger Federer talking about retirement just because he lost six matches this year. Roger Federer is the most dominant player to ever play the game. Justine Henin was never dominant like Roger Federer and yet she’s just going to give up. Why now? The media are breathing down Roger’s throat saying he’s on the decline and picking on him. Roger has endured so much negativity but Roger firmly believes he will be back on top because he’s a fighter and he’s a winner. Roger is in a slump but he’s not giving up because he loves the game of tennis.

However, Roger isn’t giving up. I have seen Justine’s coach Carlos Rodriguez and he looks very frail and thin he looks sick. I could be wrong but I think Justine’s decision to “retire” has something to do with her coach. I think this is a bit premature on Justine’s part.

I just cannot believe Justine is going to “quit” right before her favorite grand slam the French Open. Justine is the three time defending women’s champion in Paris. I think this abrupt decision is bizarre and weird something is going on but she won’t say what it is. I don’t believe this is the last time we will see Justine Henin I honestly don’t. Justine loves tennis too much she should of just said she needed a “break” from the game or something but to say she’s going to “retire” is too extreme she is only twenty five years old.

Is Justine ill or sick? Where is the fight? Venus and Serena had to deal with the death of their sister Yetunde Price, multiple physical injures, the American tennis critics attacking them in the press and on television, and countless losses. Venus and Serena aren’t quitting because they are fighters they believe they can achieve more in tennis.Justine is number one and she’s just going to walk away from the game? I think this is sad on Justine’s part but it is even sadder that she obviously doesn’t believe in her abilities. All champions have “slumps” when they are not playing well it happens it is a part of sport. Justine has a tendency to give up though.

Does anyone remember the 2006 Australian Open women’s final? Justine was losing to Amelie Mauresmo 6-1 2-0 and she retired in the finals. The media bashed Justine because it appeared she just didn’t have the fighting spirit. Well its Justine’s decision but I don’t think she’s thought this through properly this is too impulsive to just quit immediately.

Will John McCain Choose Bobby Jindal Or Condoleezza Rice?

Can Parminder Nagra Become A Mainstream Hollywood Star?

I watched ER a few weeks ago only because I am a fan of the British actress Parminder Nagra. I wish Parminder would get bigger mainstream roles I think she deserves it. It is interesting “Bend It Like Beckham” was such a huge international hit yet Keira Knightley is a big star and Parminder is on ER.

The issue I have is why can’t Parminder have the same opportunities as Keira? Keira is a solid actress and she is very talented but so is Parminder. I would like to see Parminder get some leading lady roles soon.

One movie role Parminder should be the star of is the film “Tulia” about an Indian American lawyer Vanita Gupta. African American actress Halle Berry is the leading lady in the film. Last time I checked Berry is biracial she has European and African heritage she is not South Asian. Vanita Gupta a young South Asian lawyer successfully won the release of 46 African Americans in Tulia Texas on a drug bust.

Shouldn’t the casting of the leading lady be racially accurate? The attitude of Hollywood is South Asian women are “invisible” are “displaced” and not “palatable” for North American audiences. The only reason Halle Berry was chosen for the lead role is due to her celebrity.

The question remains is Halle Berry really a box office draw? “Perfect Stranger”, and “Things We Lost In A Fire” both bombed at the box office. Halle Berry has been most successful recently in ensemble films such as X MEN.

The ideology in Hollywood is African Americans and South Asians “look similar” due to skin tone. Hollywood thinks the public can’t tell the difference between African Americans and South Asians. Since Halle Berry is African American the belief is she can pull off a convincing performance as a South Asian American woman. But is this true? Is this fair to South Asian actresses languishing in secondary roles in Hollywood ? What about the concerns of South Asian people? Is this right to change the race of the leading lady just for profit and business?

Or is this going to be another “A Mighty Heart” all over again? I understand Hollywood wants star power for the movie but choosing Halle Berry for the lead role is deleterious, racist, and incredibly offensive. How many leading lady roles do South Asian actresses get in Hollywood? The answer is zero. Halle Berry should be ashamed of herself she clearly has a huge ego and zero class.

Halle Berry is such an arrogant, selfish, hypocritical, woman she is not South Asian yet she doesn’t mind taking a role meant for a South Asian actress. Halle Berry and her publicity team always market her as the “victim” the public is supposed to feel sorry for her. I am not falling for Halle Berry’s publicity game any longer . Halle knows how hard it is for women of colour to get the leading lady roles yet she doesn’t mind taking on a role that wasn’t meant for her. Halle complains in the media all the damn time about how hard she has it.

Yes, it must be so hard for Halle Berry after all she makes $14 million per movie, multi million dollar endorsements with Revlon & Versace. Halle also receives an incredible amount of mainstream attention compared to other actresses of colour. Halle is also the top actress of colour in Hollywood whenever Hollywood has a major role for a woman of colour Halle gets called first for the role.

I am very disappointed in Halle I believe Parminder should be the star of this movie “Tulia”. “Tulia” should be Parminder’s breakthrough performance she deserves this leading lady role. Parminder has the talent to pull of this very dramatic and intense role if Halle Berry had any class she will drop out of the film. Isn’t it time for another woman of colour to shine in a leading lady role besides Halle Berry?

Meanwhile, Parminder is on television she has a steady gig on ER. Parminder’s character Dr. Neela Rasgotra is the most complex character on the show. Dr. Rasgotra has dealt with the death of her husband, falling in love with a fellow co worker, and trying to maintain her career.

I was on an internet message board the other day and some bloggers actually said Parminder would never make it in Indian Cinema. I responded back saying what about Nandita Das? Nandita Das is a gorgeous woman and talented actress she also has a darker skin tone as well. Nandita has been very successful in both Indian and Western movies. The other bloggers responded back that Nandita Das is an exception to the rule. Is this true? According to the information I have read Parminder is considered “too dark” to be successful in Bollywood. But is this this true of just gossip?

It seems the issue of skin tone racism and beauty standards exist in many communities across the globe. It is well known in the African communities light skinned women are placed on a pedestal compared to darker skinned black women. I have learned in South Asian communities the “lighter skinned” female image is the image that is considered more palatable for Indian film audiences. In Bollywood films the leading male character can be a dark skinned Indian man but the leading lady tends to always have Eurocentric features and lighter skin. Other bloggers also suggested that Parminder is doing the right thing trying to succeed in Hollywood instead of Bollywood.

Novak Djokovic Wins Italian Open, Can He Become The New Number One?

The media have hyped Rafael Nadal for the past three years the truth is Rafael Nadal is only strong on the clay surface. Most of Nadal’s ATP Tour points are because he’s been so dominant on clay. The problem for Nadal now is Novak Djokovic has emerged and he’s solid on more then just one surface. Nadal has not reached the number one ranking because he’s not good on the faster surfaces. Yes Nadal reached the semifinals of the Australian Open this year but being a semifinalist isn’t good enough.

Roger Federer is in a slump he’s only won one minor event this year the Estoril Open in Portugal. The media have ignored the fact Rafael Nadal hasn’t been winning a lot this year either. Nadal managed to defend his clay court titles in Monte Carlo and Barcelona but he failed to deliver on the faster surfaces. Nadal has had some horrible results this year losing to Jo Wilfred Tsonga in the Australian Open semifinals when he was the clear favorite. Also at the Miami Masters Nadal was destroyed by Nikolay Davydenko in the final when he should of won. At the elite level of men’s tennis it is all about “winning” the major grand slams. Nadal also has failed to advance beyond the quarterfinals of the US OPEN.

Perhaps it was inevitable that Roger and Rafael could not maintain the awesome consistency they have achieved for the past three years? Tennis fans have been so accustomed to Roger and Rafael competing in the big finals but not this year. Finally, in the year 2008 it appears the world number one ranking is up for grabs. Since Djokovic just won the Italian Open he is only 310 points behind Rafael Nadal in the ATP tour rankings. If Novak wins the Hamburg Masters he will reach the number two ranking position.

The French Open is going to be very interesting this year. I still believe Rafael Nadal is the clear favorite to win the French Open because he is the three time defending men’s champion. However, Rafael also lost to fellow Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferraro in Rome in straight sets. Are there some cracks in Nadal’s self confidence on his favorite surface?

There seems to be a pattern this year when Nadal and Federer lose Djokovic is coming through and winning the big titles. Novak Djokovic just won the Italian Open today his first Masters Series title on clay and he also won the Indian Wells Masters and the Australian Open this year.

It is obvious Novak is on the rise. It appears to me that perhaps Rafael Nadal might reach the number one ranking but I don’t believe he will stay there very long. Novak Djokovic can play well on multiple surfaces he is competent on clay, grass, indoor and hardcourts. Since Novak has the consistency I think he is the man that will challenge Roger Federer and not Nadal in the future on the faster surfaces.

Nadal is a quandary how can such a big,strong, muscular, young man have such a weak serve? Nadal’s serve has to be one of the worst serves on the ATP Tour. The top women on the WTA tour have bigger and more powerful serves then Rafael Nadal. Nadal is wasting his talent the guy is so muscular and strong he needs a bigger serve. If Nadal was able to win some cheap free points he would take the pressure off of his body.

Rafael Nadal’s body appears to be breaking down at the tender age of twenty one he’s constantly injured because he utilizes too much energy on the court. Nadal isn’t compensating he’s wasting time by not being aggressive enough. Nadal’s defensive game works on clay but this style of play has hurt him on the faster surfaces. On the clay surface Nadal can get away with spinning in serves at 100 miles per hour but on the faster surfaces he is blasted off the court. Novak uses his size, his speed, and power to intimidate his opponents he hits the ball on the rise very flat and robs his opponents of time.

Yes, I know that Rafael has reached two Wimbledon finals but he’s also lost in the finals to Roger Federer. Nobody cares about the “finalist” all the public cares about are “champions” and “winners”. Novak Djokovic will become number one because he has some weapons Nadal lacks. Djokovic is slightly taller then Nadal he also has a superior serve, a better return of serve, and he volleys very well.

There is also another aspect to Novak I believe will propel him to the number one ranking he has a certain amount of arrogance. Novak has been involved in some trash talking with Roger Federer this year and he’s not afraid to speak about the fact he wants to become number one. Rafael Nadal always says “Roger is the greatest” and he is always complementary to Roger.

Maybe Rafael’s thought process is all wrong? Of course tennis players should be professional but you also have to believe in yourself and your talents as well. Some tennis fans don’t like Novak’s “arrogance” but maybe that’s part of the reason Novak is so successful because he honestly “believes” he can become number one.

I admit I think Djokovic’s parents are pretty classless at tennis matches acting so passionate and screaming at the top of their lungs. Novak’s mother also has made some disparaging comments about Roger that I found rather immature and petulant.

Perhaps, this is one of the reasons Rafael Nadal hasn’t reached the number one ranking yet he doesn’t have arrogance? Rafael Nadal is a very nice guy but maybe he’s a bit too friendly with Roger Federer. I think the world number one and number two players need to have a rivalry. I think Novak Djokovic is going to take over men’s tennis very shortly it seems. Yes, Rafael can beat Roger on clay but Roger beats Rafael on all the other surfaces. Novak Djokovic can become number one because he can beat Roger on hardcourts.

What Are Your Secret Musicial Tastes?

I know this will sound weird but do you listen to certain artists but are kind of embarrassed about telling friends about it? Sometimes I hear comments like “this artist is so lame” or “he or she’s just not interesting anymore”. Well I will start. It is kind of funny in some gay circles some gays consider k.d. lang’s music to be watered down “elevator music” but I don’t think so. No I don’t listen to k.d. lang just because she’s also gay I listen to her music because I love her voice.

Although I think it is fantastic that k.d. Lang is also Canadian so its kind of cool and patriotic to see another Canadian do so well in America and on the international scene. k.d. has also openly advocated for equal rights for homosexuals and other people too. My favorite k.d. lang CDs are her 1997 album “Drag” this CD is a bunch of smoky cabaret jazz ballads I love this CD!

Another CD that I love is “Invincible Summer” it was released in the year 2000! One of the amazing things about k.d. Lang is her ability to interpret songs and jump musical genres. k.d. used to be popular in the Country Music world until they discovered she was a lesbian and excommunicated her. After Nashville was so homophobic, k.d. Lang had the biggest success of her career with “Ingenue”. I have to check out k.d. Lang’s 2004 album “Hymns From Of The 49th Parallel” its k.d. Lang’s interpretation of the great Canadian song book.

I can also admit I was never a big Britney Spears fan when she emerged on the pop scene in the year 1999 at the age of seventeen. It was only recently when I started to watch “How I Met Your Mother” on CBS that I became kind of interested in Britney. I will admit I am really rooting for Britney and I hope she does get her life together. Well I started to listen to Britney’s 2003 album “In The Zone” and its actually pretty good. No Britney isn’t the best singer out there but she’s not the worst singer either I like her voice I think she can sing. My sister says Britney’s current CD “Blackout” is pretty good I think I will check it out.

I love Hall and Oates although they were popular before my time in the early 1980s. I remember I was at the drug store last year and I just had to purchase their Greatest Hits CD! All my favorite songs such as “kiss on the list”, “private eyes”, “Out of Touch”, “maneater” “I can’t go for that(no can do) “, are on the album. Hall and Oates are affectionately called “blue eyed Soul” music. Daryl Hall the lead singer in Hall and Oates is such an amazing singer his vocals are incredible. A lot of people say Justin Timberlake is a great white male soul singer but Daryl Hall has a much stronger voice with more range and soul.

I also think Robin Thicke is an amazing singer too. Last year I fell in love with the song “Lost without U” its such a sweet ballad. Some people say that Robin Thicke is an older version of Justin Timberlake but that’s not fair. The media have compared Timberlake to Thicke because they are both young white males singing R&B but I think Thicke’s music is much more mature sounding then Justin Timberlake’s music. Thicke also plays multiple instruments. Thicke sings deeply personal songs that touch the soul.

Robin Thicke has been in the music business for a very long time he also is a Grammy award winning producer and songwriter. Thicke has worked with top artists such as Usher and Mary J Blige. Thicke’s second album “The Evolution Of Robin Thicke” was a surprise success selling over 1 million copies in the United States. There is also a Canadian connection Robin’s is the son of the Canadian actor Alan Thicke from the 1980s sitcom “Growing Pains”.

Roger & Serena Lose In The Quarterfinals Of Rome & Berlin !!!

Yesterday was a rough day for me, Roger Federer and Serena Williams were defeated in the quarterfinals of the Italian and German Open tennis events. I am so shocked Roger and Serena lost! I am stunned! I just assumed that Roger and Serena would brush aside their opponents and advance to the semifinals. Roger lost to Radek Stefanek 7-6 7-6 at the Italian Open. Roger is still struggling to find his championship form Roger has now lost six matches this year. In the year 2007 Roger only lost nine matches for the entire year! I don’t think Roger is in decline I just believe he will return to glory because he’s too great a champion to stay in this slump for much longer.

I was very disappointed because Rafael Nadal lost to fellow Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferraro in the second round on Wednesday. Nadal rarely loses on clay I thought it would be a huge opportunity for Roger to finally win the Italian Open. I still have faith that Roger will turn his year around.Roger is playing well on clay but he’s such a great champion I am confident he will find his way back. The good news for Roger is since Rafael Nadal lost in the third round at the Italian Open he actually extends his lead as the world number one. Nadal lost a ton of points because he won Rome last year.

Dinara Safina defeated Serena in a tense three set match 2-6 6-1 7-6. Safina is a solid player ranked number 17 in the world on the WTA Tour. Safina also upset world number one Justine Henin 5-7 6-3 6-1 in the third round on Thursday. Safina has never produced such high quality wins I was shocked.

One of the things I love about Serena is she is so real! Serena lets tennis fans know about the tacky behavior on the WTA Tour. According to Serena’s blog entry from her website some of the WTA players had a celebration after her loss yesterday. Serena is a great champion and she should hold her head high. Yes, Serena lost yesterday but it is not the end of the world. I am so pleased Serena is playing a full schedule this year. Safina was lucky too beat Serena because she clearly was off yesterday making a ton of unforced errors. According to Serena the other WTA players had a celebration after she lost. Serena just needs to hold her head up high and forget about the haters on the WTA. Serena is a champion and she will bounce back like she always does.

Serena’s blog entry from WWW.SERENAWILLIAMS.COM

Serena Looks Ahead

Well Guys I Lost Today,

I played like garbage! It was a horrible display of unforced errors and simply girl gone MAD!!! (I was the girl gone mad)

Anyways my opponent did play her heart out, in a way I am glad I lost to her instead of in Rolland Garros. I really want to do good there, and this has been a wake up call for me. I can’t play bad and expect to do well; tomorrow I will be hitting the practice courts and training until my legs go out. I am not a fan of losing, so I have to find a way to stop this from happening.

It was funny when I lost I was in the locker room and I could hear the entire players lounge really loud like really happy and joyous. Like down goes the champ! Someone beat her!!! It was like a big hoopla…. I just smiled to myself thinking you just wait… just wait……

Serena

Is Angelina Jolie Too Cheap To Comb Zahara’s Hair?

My goodness, every single time I see Angelina Jolie’s daughter Zahara, I feel sorry for the child. Why does girlfriend’s hair have to look so whack? Zahara is a beautiful young girl, yet Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt obviously don’t care about Zahara’s hair. Why is Zahara’s hair always so messy? Jolie and Pitt are multi millionaires, they can find qualified black hair stylists in Los Angeles. Jolie and Pitt have the cash they can learn how to comb the girl’s hair properly!!!

Jolie and Pitt have no excuses they have the resources to provide proper hair care for Zahara. When I see the other children Jolie and Pitt have and their hair is always groomed and styled properly except Zahara. The question is why? Are Jolie and Pitt afraid to ask for help? Don’t Jolie and Pitt know Zahara’s hair is messy?

I don’t have a problem with people adopting children outside of their own race because every child deserves to be loved and taken care of. However, when people adopt a black child it is important for the parents to do their homework. The parents should research and learn about the culture of the black child and this includes proper hair care.

Let me be blunt, when I see Zahara with her frizzy hair  it  appears  Jolie and Pitt don’t care about their daughter. Maybe I am wrong, with my assessment, but please comb the girl’s hair!

Sylvia Plath & Anne Sexton Two Confessional Poets

Confessional poetry is autobiographical, and is based on the life experiences of the poet. Anne Sexton and Sylvia Plath deserve credit for revolutionizing the art of poetry writing during the mid twentieth century. I believe due to Sexton and Plath’s incredible poems, most of the poems published now tends to be “confessional poetry”.

My first book, “You Don’t Know Me”, is an example of confessional poetry. I was writing about my life experiences that were  painful, but it was so cathartic to express the pain through writing. I felt a lot better after I wrote about the depression, the suicide attempts, the unhappiness in my life.

When I look back at the dark poems in “You Don’t Know Me” they are like  photographs, snapshots, in time in my life when I needed to express the misery. I needed to experience the pain  in order to move on.

In Women’s Studies, the topic of female vulnerability is often discussed and I wonder if people like it when women are “vulnerable”?

Some art critics hate confessional poetry, because they consider confessional poetry to be a form of self loathing. Is confessional poetry art or harmful to the written word? Life isn’t perfect though life is messy, filled with ups and downs. Shouldn’t poetry reflect this fact that our lives can sometimes have moments of unhappiness and despair?

My viewpoint is, one of the reasons confessional poetry is so popular is because it is much easier to write than inspirational poetry. We all have life experiences and we can tap into these experiences and create poems. Some poetry critics believe confessional poetry is  pathetic for the poet to express his or her`s demons into the poems.  I strongly disagree that confessional poetry is not true art. I must confess, I love free verse and I don`t like traditional forms of poetry.

The quandary for Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton is, they are more “famous” for committing suicide than for  their poetry. The word “suicide” is often attached to them. The word “suicide” is such a loaded controversial term, because people have divergent views on this incendiary issue.

I honestly believe the pain and the grief was so unbearable for both Anne Sexton and Sylvia Plath that they believed suicide was their only option.  In the mid twentieth century, there weren’t a lot of therapies, anti depressants, or treatments available for people suffering from mental illness.

Does it matter that Anne Sexton and Sylvia Plath committed suicide? Should it matter to the reader? Should Plath and Sexton be known for the fact they both ended their lives prematurely? Does this fascinate the public and why?

Sylvia Plath committed suicide by sticking her head in an oven in 1963. Plath died at the tender age of thirty,  she was a mother of two young children. Plath had tremendous success with her poetry although she is best known for her autobiographical novel “The Bell Jar”.

According to a biography I read, Anne Sexton was fascinated by Sylvia Plath’s suicide. In fact, Anne Sexton  wrote a poem about her friend’s death. Sexton was also famous in the literary world during the 1960s and 1970s. Sexton won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry for her powerful collection of poetry “Live Or Die” in 1967.

Anne Sexton chose death she committed suicide at the age of forty five in 1974. Sexton locked herself in her garage started the engine of her car and committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning . Suicide, death, depression, unhappiness, are the ingredients of confessional poetry.

Sometimes I wonder if these themes in poetry are healthy for the reading audience? Should death, suicide, despair, and unhappiness be explored in art? Or should poetry be about more traditional themes like couplets & haiku’s ? Sometimes I wonder if poetry was a form of catharsis for Sexton and Plath because they both experienced so much grief in their lives?

My perspective is, perhaps the reason people are interested in Sexton and Plath’s poetry because some readers can see the veracity in their work. Maybe deep inside the minds of the readers they believe through the “poetry” are the answers to solve their questions about Sexton and Plath’s mental breakdowns?

Everyone loves drama it seems, and maybe people aren’t that interested in reading “inspirational poetry”. I honestly believe writing “uplifting poetry” is much harder than writing “confessional poetry”.

Despite Sexton and Plath tremendous success in the literary world they were both mothers during a time when America was in transition from post world war II to the capitalist world.  Does the public like to read poetry about death and self loathing because people want to “capture” the emotions of the poet?

I wonder if readers “pity” Sexton and Plath because they were unable to overcome their mental breakdowns? Do readers honestly respect both women due to their literary talents or are they “attracted” to the fact both committed suicide so young?

Zine Review: Kerosene Opinion Is Fuel

On Monday, I received my copy of a wonderful zine called “Kerosene”. Kerosene is a zine that was created through the blood, sweat, hard work, and tears of my fellow blogger Aulelia. The art work is beautiful and the words in Kerosene are passionate, vivid, powerful, and enlightening. Aulelia is a young black British woman of African hertiage. Aulelia was born in Tanzania, she attends the University of Bristol in England. Aulelia’s blog entries proves England is not all about tea, cookies, Wimbledon, and bad weather. Aulelia is the editor of Kerosene.

The written word is very powerful and important through words we are able to communicate, express ourselves, transmit messages and thoughts through language. Reading is knowledge and knowledge is power.

My article, “Shades of Blackface” was republished in the zine and a second piece “where are the gay black men on TV?” was also published.

It is very interesting to read about black people living in the United Kingdom. I admit I have my own misconceptions about the UK and Kerosene really shatters a lot of the myths I have about the UK. It is also insightful to read about the frustrations, the joy, the issues that black Caribbean and African people deal with in jolly old England.

Aulelia’s article, “The Ascent Of The Black Female Blogger” is an important article. The internet has provided black women with a voice since black women are displaced due to race in the feminist movement and gender in the black community. Aulelia is an African goddess she is so passionate about black issues and politics she has really opened my mind to new ideas. Aulelia runs a wonderful thought provoking blog called Charcoal Ink. You can find Charcoal Ink on my blog roll or go to http://www.charcoalink.wordpress.com and check out Aulelia’s blog.

Last summer, Aulelia asked me to submit two articles to the zine she said she liked my writing. It is really endearing that someone else from across the pond actually responds and likes my writing. It feels good to know that there is a connection through the written word. The zine is excellent and well written. A wonderful article I loved was written by a Thinashe Mushakavanhu a young Zimbabwe man. Thinashe lives in Carmarthen in Wales. Thinashe is very educated he has completed a Masters degree in Creative Writing and he’s working on his PhD in English. Thinashe ‘s piece “Notes From A Black Exile In Wales” discusses his frustrations with being one of the few Africans living in Wales. Thinashe discusses the feelings of anger about being treated as “the other” in Wales.

For example, Thinashe says people ask him about “what is the solution to your country?” Of course it is so offensive that people put Thinashe on the spot he’s just one person how is he supposed to stop the paranoid dictator Robert Mugabe? I found it so strange and bizarre that people have the audacity to put Thinashe on the spot like that it. It is just so rude and arrogant it reeks of the Occident’s attitude towards African politics. Thinashe’s piece focuses on identity politics and how he negotiates between the public and private spheres as a young African man living in Wales. Wales has a very small black population compared to other places in the United Kingdom.

Onyeka’s piece “Being A Lot Of Things At Once” is about the issues of identity and our views of blackness. What is “blackness”? What does the term really mean? Onyeka’s article investigates her personal views on the issue. Onyeka believes that the term “blackness” is too myopic and essentialist. Onyeka’s perspective is    there is multiplicity in the black community and people should not be forced to identity a “certain way” to fit into a certain paradigm.  Onyeka provides a few examples she has a white boyfriend she likes rock music, wearing Doc Martens, and she has two tattoos.

If you would like to purchase a copy of Kerosene feel free to contact Aulelia via her blog at http://www.charcoalink.wordpress.com

Sisters In The Struggle: Why Are Black Feminists Ignored?

The Occidental media have provided a platform for white heterosexual feminists such as Geraldine Ferraro and Gloria Steinem to pollute the media with their racist and misandrist views about Barack Obama. The quandary is black feminists views are being ignored by the mainstream and the black media. The truth is the media networks don’t want the public to know the views of black feminists. The Occident ignores black feminism as being “invisible” this is their method of “marginalizing” and “silencing” the views of black women.

Essence Magazine is the only mainstream black publication that has provided a social and political context into the views of black feminism during this presidential campaign. The only black feminist that has been granted press is Alice Walker. Once again black feminism is treated as an afterthought as though mainstream white feminism is the “only” feminism and that’s false. The black media should be providing black feminists with a platform especially right now. I think it is crucial that black feminist perspectives be given center stage.

The vast majority of the newsrooms in the Occident are still controlled by the mythical norm. Since race is a social construction the mythical norm has forced Barack Obama into a corner and demonized him for being a black man. The racist and misandrist anti black male articles flooding the media are not by “chance”. The articles are carefully planned in editorial meetings by racist editors, managing editors, editor in chiefs and reporters.

I am surprised that Alice Walker did not criticize her “friend” Gloria Steinem for her disgusting racist and sexist attitudes. Steinem’s January 2008 NY Times opinion piece was abhorrent. Walker did say that there is a racial divide in feminism though. bell hooks has been very vocal in her work about Gloria Steinem and I applaud bell hooks for speaking the truth. Steinem focuses on gender and acts as though race and class is not an issue.

However, I wonder why are established black feminist scholars such as bell hooks, Barbara Smith, Patricia Hill Collins and Dionne Brand are ignored? I think black feminism can provide some insight for the masses as to why some black women are supporting Obama over Hillary Clinton and it isn’t just about race. One of the tactics mainstream white heterosexual feminism attempts to play is to force black women to choose between their race and gender.

The mainstream has only focused on Hillary Clinton’s “gender” as a potential disadvantage yet the Occident doesn’t want black feminist thoughts or views to be explored. The reason is black feminism is the key that would smash the “hype” surrounding Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton is no feminist heroine she is a privileged white heterosexual woman that gained political power through the mythical norm, the marriage market, and white skin privilege.

After all, one of the prevailing myths is that the white heterosexual feminist movement speaks for all feminists and that’s a lie. In fact, one the biggest problems in feminism is the fact the mainstream white heterosexual feminists attempt to displace black feminists and feminists of colour. My sister told me Hillary Clinton is “not her sister”. I think a real opportunity is being lost when black feminism isn’t given center stage.

It is a powerful yet racist example of white heterosexual female skin privilege when white mainstream feminists refuse to acknowledge their social advantage. Another issue is the Occident ignores the fact Hillary Clinton has social, economic, and political advantages due to whiteness. The western media are so focused on Obama’s blackness yet chooses to ignore Clinton’s white skin privilege this is absolutely deleterious and perfidious.