Ew, chile honey, I was in this kitchen fixin’ up a pot o’ greens. (Yes, I do cook!) And I was havin’ a time findin’ the right combination of spices to make ‘em sing. See, I wasn’t in my own place. I been travelin’, so I had to make do, so I was bein’ creative. Now, don’t get me wrong though, I’m a southern woman, so I was still gonna be puttin’ my foot all up in it no…
(Uh, if that statement just confused you, it just means the greens was good, ok? I wouldn’t actually stick my feet in no collards. That’s nasty, baby.)
Anyway…
I was goin’ on with it. I had the TV news on in the background and was half listenin, half hummin’, half…then it hit me.
There wasn’t a bit o’ vinegar in the place to put in the greens!!
I panicked. What was I gonna do? All they had was some kind of watered down fancy pants oil and balsamic flavored somethin’ or other. (Somebody need to explain low fat seasonings to me. I get the low fat food part, but why would you make your seasoning’s bland too? I mean, your food gone already taste stale from bein’ half fake. Is a dash o’ anything that bad for ya?! My goodness! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Okra done scared us all so bad with her dietin’ and health watch themed shows, we gone be chewin’ on her magazine for sustenance soon. You watch, that’s gone be the next new diet craze, eatin’ an O mag, ’cause that thing ain’t flyin’ off the shelves like it usta.)
Anyway…
It was lookin’ grim, but I was determined to stay perky and fun. So, since the fancy pants seasonin’ was all they had, I was gonna make the best damn high falutin’ greens these folks had ever tasted. Heck, this would be good for me. I’d been tryin’ to open my mind up to new thangs lately anyway.
Like, I watched a whole hour of somethin’ called “The Fringe” the other night, and even though it was creepy and I’ll never watch it again, I was very glad I expanded my horizons and did. (Otherwise I’d a missed out on thinkin’ of freshenin’ up my Ipod with “Thriller”, chile. Damn MJ was good ‘fore he chopped off his nose!)
Back to the poor seasonings…
So, I dabbed a little in..no change. Tried a bit more…nothing. I kept at it ’til it started to show a bit o’ somethin’. I could see this was gonna take some careful measurin’. And..
I can hear you now. “Good Lawd, Caramel, what in the wotld is you goin’ on about?!!! Is there a point comin’?”
Yes…
See, I’ve watched the news and saw fire in CA, blizzards in the mid-west, a tsumani in Asia, the Pres. El dealin’ with his transition, GM goin’ down the stock market gettin’ worse, and on and on until I was shakin’. But then the most remarkable thing happened…
I saw pictures and videos of thousands of fearless people marchin’ in protest to their rights bein’ takin away. And while all of the many things goin’ on in the world concern me greatly, the protests floored me. Not just because of the fact that Prop 8 is Beelzebub incarnate, but because the LGBT community finally got pissed enough to shamelessly inform the establishment that they ain’t gonna shut up ’til they get their rights! It made me proud to have lived to see it. To see some of my bros and sistas comin’ out and fightin’ for freedom. In fact, I was so pepped up, I mistakenly brought it up around mixed company (meaning “for” and “against”) at the dinner table and all hell broke loose.
What a hullabaloo!
Suddenly, they was all talkin’ all over each other and yellin’ like I was servin’ moonshine and we was on our second jar. (I’m still down south workin’ on my little movie, hence the reference.) But still, a “war”, southern dinner party style, is usually a bit of verbal badinage chased with some scotch and a barn burner when you get home. (What I would have preferred.) But this was a table bangin’, china rattlin’, all out rout! (My Yankee friends would’ve been proud.) Suffice it to say, my little affair was headed towards a bad review. But before I could distract them all by wavin’ a hanky, screamin’, then fallin’ faint to the floor without a hair going out of place, this fab queen (or what some folks down here like to call a “sugah britches”, which irks me), who I’d invited on a whim at the last minute, commented on my greens.
And the whole table fell silent.
“What in the hell did you put in these greens, Caramel? I mean, besides your sweet foot?”
What a sexy and intelligent fellow, I thought to myself. I instantly decided he would be a guest of honor at all of my future fetes.
Why did this simple statement bring the Prop 8 war to a stand-still? Because, with that spicy lilt in his voice, he had reminded folk that they was at somebody elses’ house, eatin’ somebody elses’ food, and not a soul had bothered to find out what somebody elses’, i.e the hostess’ (uh, me) ’s views was on the subject, and then sway accordingly until they got home and could blow they stack in private.
In short, he reminded us we were southern, chile, and needed to get a grip! (Ay me, he was dreamy!) From then on the party was a huge success.
And so…
In honor of my exotic new friend, Mr. Magnolia B, I dedicate this to all of you out there who been tryin’ to have a decent evenin’ affair since forever, but have been thwarted by all of the politics, the natural disasters the prejudice, and the generally wackily mannered times we now find ourselves in. Whew! God bless us ev’ry one.
_____________________________
WHY FOLKS IS MAD
by Caramel Jones
Folks is mad at a word: MARRIAGE.
And there’s no stopping the grief.
One side swears they’re the truth,
while the other is stunned, in disbelief.
It’s very easy to discount things that you don’t understand.
Or quote a scripture to draw support from the divine Master’s hand.
But If you scan through each Commandment,
you’ll find no proof of bigotry.
The only thing he ever wanted, was for you to…
“Do unto others as you would do unto me.”
I’m sure we could pick through other ways,
to justify this moral haze,
But luckily it’s not up to you or me.
This civil truth can only be promised legally.
So, for those of you tempted to steal someone’s rights.
Eager to change a historic document in a hate blinding haste.
Just remember that your right to express your opinion,
resides in the very same place.
And do be careful as you pledge your allegiance,
to a group that’s based on exclusion,
instead of finding agreement.
The club you’re a part of today,
could just as easily change their mood or policy,
and without just cause, send you on your way.
Still, sweet angels, (you know who you are) don’t you worry, don’t you cede.
Your day is coming, just believe.
But until then, take comfort in this important thing.
See, America is a democracy,
This place is led by a President,
not a King.
_______________________
On June 12, 2007, Mildred Loving issued a rare public statement prepared for delivery on the 40th anniversary of the Loving v. Virginia decision of the US Supreme Court, which commented on same-sex marriage.[9] The concluding paragraphs of her statement read as follows:
| “ | Surrounded as I am now by wonderful children and grandchildren, not a day goes by that I don’t think of Richard and our love, our right to marry, and how much it meant to me to have that freedom to marry the person precious to me, even if others thought he was the “wrong kind of person” for me to marry. I believe all Americans, no matter their race, no matter their sex, no matter their sexual orientation, should have that same freedom to marry. Government has no business imposing some people’s religious beliefs over others. Especially if it denies people’s civil rights.I am still not a political person, but I am proud that Richard’s and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That’s what Loving, and loving, are all about. |
_______________________________
Know this: Same sex marriage will be legal in our lifetime.
Get over it haters!!!!
(Now look at that, I finally found the vinegar.)
Remember…
The Revolution Will Be Caramelized.
Peace, y’all.
1 Comment
November 20, 2008 at 4:59 pm
that is a very good poem indeed …
please come and do the interview on my blog?