Everyday Thanksgiving

Even though I clutch my blanket and growl when the
alarm ring's each morning,
Thank you, Lord, that I can hear
There are those who are deaf.

Even though I keep my eyes closed tightly against
the morning lights, as long as possible.
Thank you, Lord, that I can see.
There are those who are blind.

Even though I huddle in ray bed and put off the physical
effort of rising,
Thank you, lord, that I have the strength to rise.
There are many who are bedfast.

Even though the first hour of my day is hectic;
When socks are lost, toast is burned, and tempers are short,
Thank you, Lord, for my family.
There are many who are lonely.

Even though our breakfast table never looks like the pictures
in the magazines, and the menu is sometimes unbalanced,
Thank you, Lord, for the food we have,
There are many who are hungry.

Even though the routine of my job is often monotonous,
Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to work,
There are many who have no work.

Even though I grumble and bemoan my fate from day to day,
and wish my modest circumstances were not quite so modest
Thank you, Lord, for the gift of life.

Today is the day family and friends gather for Thanksgiving Dinner. For me, today is not about celebrating the pilgrims and Native Americans breaking bread together, we know what eventually happened to the Native Americans. Today, like everyday, I give thanks for all of God's blessings bestowed upon me. I give thanks for family and friends near and far and on Earth and in Heaven. I give thanks to all of the men, women and children who have sacrificed to make this world a better place. Amen.

Today is the first day of the week long celebration of Kwanzaa. It is a Pan-African holiday based on seven principles with seven main symbols that is celebrated for seven days starting December 26. A candle representing each principle is lit daily starting with the black candle in the center which represents umoja [OO-MO-JAH], unity.

Nguzo Saba [IN-GOO-ZO SAH-BAH] - The Seven Principles

Kwanzaa was created to introduce and reinforce seven basic values of African culture which contribute to building and reinforcing family, community and culture among African American people as well as Africans throughout the world African community. These values are called the Nguzo Saba which in Swahili means the Seven Principles. Developed in 1966, by Dr. Maulana Karenga, the Nguzo Saba stand at the heart of the origin and meaning of Kwanzaa, for it is these values which are not only the building blocks for community but also serve to reinforce and enhance them.

Umoja [OO-MO-JAH] (Unity) - To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, race.
 
Kujichagulia [KOO-JEE-CHA-GOO-LEE-YAH] (Self-Determination) - To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves instead of being defined, named, created for and spoken for by others.
 
Ujima [OO-JEE-MAH] (Collective Work & Responsibility) - To build and maintain our community together and make our sisters' and brothers' problems our problems and solve them together.
 
Ujamaa [OO-JAH-MAH] (Cooperative Economics) - To build and maintain our own stores and other businesses and to profit from them together.
 
Nia [NEE-YAH] (Purpose) - To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
 
Kuumba [KOO-OOM-BAH] (Creativity) - To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
 
Imani [EE-MAH-NEE] (Faith) - To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

The Seven Symbols of Kwanzaa
 
Kwanzaa has seven basic symbols and two supplemental ones. Each represents values and concepts reflective of African culture and contributive to community building and reinforcement. The basic symbols in Swahili and then in English are:

Mazao [MAH-ZAH-O](The Crops)
These are symbolic of African harvest celebrations and of the rewards of productive and collective labor.

Mkeka [EM-KAY-KAH](The Mat)
This is symbolic of our tradition and history and therefore, the foundation on which we build.

Kinara [KEE-NAH-RAH] (The Candle Holder)
This is symbolic of our roots, our parent people -- continental Africans.

Muhindi [MOO-HEEN-DEE] (The Corn)
This is symbolic of our children and our future which they embody.



Mishumaa Saba [MEE-SHOO-MAH-AH SAH-BAH] (The Seven Candles)
These are symbolic of the Nguzo Saba, the Seven Principles, the matrix and minimum set of values which African people are urged to live by in order to rescue and reconstruct their lives in their own image and according to their own needs.



Kikombe cha Umoja [KEE-KOHM-BAY CHAH OO-MO-JAH] (The Unity Cup)
This is symbolic of the foundational principle and practice of unity which makes all else possible.



Zawadi [ZAH-WAH-DEE] (The Gifts)
These are symbolic of the labor and love of parents and the commitments made and kept by the children. 



The two supplemental symbols are:



Bendera (The Flag)
The colors of the Kwanzaa flag are the colors of the Organization Us, black, red and green; black for the people, red for their struggle, and green for the future and hope that comes from their struggle. It is based on the colors given by the Hon. Marcus Garvey as national colors for African people throughout the world.


Nguzo Saba Poster (Poster of The Seven Principles)

Kwanzaa is not anti-Christmas neither is it the black Christmas or the black Hanukkah. Kwanzaa is a non-religious and non-political holiday. It can be celebrated with family and friends of different religious practices and beliefs. Kwanzaa is celebrated for one week of the year but practiced all year-long.

The current sociological and political atmosphere in the United States makes adopting a Kwanzaa lifestyle a matter of survival for black people. Advocating for black communities, supporting black businesses and supporting black schools is imperative as more and more safety net programs are cut as well as quality public education opportunities. 

It’s sinful, shameful and un-American how our Republican-controlled government is trying to force the Graham-Cassidy health care repeal bill on the American people. Without proper vetting and analysis, the Senate will soon vote on this bill. Do they know what they are voting on or are they just toeing the Party line?

Graham-Cassidy is described as more egregious than any of the other previous attempts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) also known as Obamacare. Graham-Cassidy removes protections for people with pre-existing health conditions; ends protections against lifetime and annual limits on insurance coverage; eliminates tax credits that help working people afford health coverage; and takes away health insurance for 32 million Americans.

Congress could just tweak ACA but no they are hell-bent on destroying the legacy of President Barack Obama because he is black. Donald Trump campaigned on repealing Obamacare on the first day he was in Office. The first day. Obviously that didn’t happen. Reasonable voters knew that was a lie. Republicans continue to lie, this time, about the Graham-Cassidy Bill. 

Call (202) 224-3121. Ask the operator to connect you with your senator. Ask your senator to VOTE NO on Graham-Cassidy. Time is of the essence. This is important. Our lives depend on it.

“We don’t use the tools and technology that we have today, to effect change the way we can, and to do it in short order.” - Ermina Hill

This Hallmark Father's Day card for single mothers has been around at least since 2011.

I don’t know if you are aware of the tremendous controversy surrounding the Father’s Day card sold through the Mahogany line of cards by Hallmark. Well, there was coverage by Roland Martin, the Huffington Post, Dr. Boyce Watkins and others. I confess that I read the headlines…agreed with spotlighting the dysfunction the card promoted but didn’t follow in detail. 

Well, little did I know, my sorority sister and friend, Ermina Hill, out of the Atlanta area, took her dissatisfaction beyond just venting on social media and organized a protest. If more people took this kind of action, just think of how great our communities would be. 

Please take the time to watch this interview and realize the power we have as individuals to mobilize others and effect needed change. Also note that Roland Martin's coverage of this issue goes back to June 2011 so the success of Ermina's leadership in this protest is all the more laudable.

Congratulations to Ermina Hill and everyone who participated in the action against Hallmark. Thank you to Dr. Watkins for the interview and the shout out to Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Thank you to Hallmark for finally pulling that Father's Day card for single mothers from the Mahogany line.

Now, if we could get television networks to pull those ratchet reality shows...

I confess I enjoy receiving correspondence from the Obama campaign whether it's online or via snail mail. I particularly like this insert of the First Family. How cute are those girls? I am so in for 2012! LOL

South Carolina First Lady Jenny Sanford is not standing by her man; at least not publicly. While a weirdly sad Gov. Mark Sanford confessed and apologized for his indiscretions with a woman from Brazil, his wife Jenny was nowhere to be seen. Thank God.

It's about time betrayed wives showed some intestinal fortitude and did not subject themselves to the humiliation of public display during their husband's mea culpa. That's not to say they shouldn't try to work with their spouse to salvage the marriage but there is really little to be gained by the woman's public subjugation and humiliation.

By all accounts, Jenny Sanford is an intelligent woman. For whatever reason, she wants to reconcile with her husband Mark although he went to see his mistress in spite of his wife's request he not do so.

Gov. Sanford's disappearance, reappearance, confession, and apology tour have already received way too much media coverage. The governor has to deal with his wife, children, and the voters of South Carolina to resolve this matter. Speaking of the voters, Gov. Sanford also admitted to using taxpayer funds to finance his trip to see his mistress. Can this situation possibly get any worse for him? Yes, it can but he's not budging --- yet.

Gov. Sanford has resumed his duties as the leader of his state and by his actions doesn't plan to resign. This story continues as the calls for his resignation increase.

Oh yeah, does anyone wonder who sent the governor's personal e-mails to the media? I certainly do.

I just watched a moving tribute to Marie Olbermann, mother of MSNBC's Keith Olbermann on his show Countdown with Keith Olbermann. Sadly, Mrs. Olbermann passed away.

She was quite a lady and well-known for her love of major league baseball. I have not been a Keith Olbermann fan long enough to know of her getting beaned by Chuck Knoblauch and the subsequent celebrity to follow. She seemed to be quite feisty and a lot of fun to be with.

My prayers are with Keith Olbermann, his dad and the rest of Marie Olbermann's family, friends and loved ones. Ashe'.

Read Keith Olbermann's tribute to his mom here.

It has been reported that First Lady Michelle Obama will use Pottery Barn furnishings to decorate daughters Malia and Sasha’s bedrooms. Why this is such news is beyond me but I’m an fan of HGTV so I’ll go with it for a little while.

Mrs. Obama’s fashions and White House decorating choices are obviously interesting to some folks but far too much emphasis is being placed on matters that are not politically significant.

It’s obvious that the President and the rest of the First Family are changing Presidential culture. He is trying to live outside the bubble more than in and he’s demonstrating frugality by virtue of his decision to keep that ugly Oval Office rug when most presidents have replaced it in the past.

The world was abuzz when Michelle Obama wore J. Crew and Barack Obama uses a BlackBerry and chews Nicorette gum. Now Pottery Barn will be in the spotlight.

Surely, Mrs. Obama and her designer will select beautiful furnishings for the girls. Now, let’s get back to important news.

© 2009, Vanessa: Unplugged!, www.vanessabyers.net

Vote for this blog for Best Political Blog and for Best Blog Design in the 2009 Bloggers Choice Awards.

First Lady Michelle Obama is not happy that the Ty Toy Company has produced dolls named after her daughters without the permission or consultation of the parents. The Ty Company makes Beanie Babies.

The dolls, "Marvelous Malia" and "Sweet Sasha" are not named after the first daughters according to a Ty Company spokesperson. Yeah, right. They also don't look like the girls either.

To my knowledge, First Lady Obama has made no public comment about the incessant merchandising of her husband but immediately addressed this Beanie Baby issue. It's unfortunate that the toy company produced the dolls but then to lie about it; not a good thing.

Regardless of Mrs. Obama's statement, the dolls will likely sell well. Put a picture of the Obamas on anything and it sells. So, here we have another installment of the Obama Stimulus Package. Watch the dollars roll in.

© 2009, Vanessa: Unplugged!, www.vanessabyers.net

Vote for this blog for Best Political Blog and for Best Blog Design in the 2009 Bloggers Choice Awards.