Category Archives: Current Events

Abortion Rates for Latinos are 2nd Highest in NYC

New York Catholic Archbishop Timothy Dolan at a a press conference in New York on Jan. 6, 2011. (AP Photo/Chiaroscuro Foundation, Diane Bondareff)

New York Catholic Archbishop Timothy Dolan at a a press conference in New York on Jan. 6, 2011. (AP Photo/Chiaroscuro Foundation, Diane Bondareff)

A recent study by the New York City Department of  Health  released statistics that 39% of pregnancies in the city end in abortion. 

According to the report, in 2009 there were 225, 667 pregnancies in the City. Of those, 126,774 resulted in live births and 87,273 resulted in abortions. An additional 11,620 were spontaneous terminations. With the Bronx having the highest abortion rates in the city. Almost half  (46%) of all pregnancies in the Bronx ended in abortion.

The report also highlighted that Blacks and Latinos have the highest numbers of abortions with Blacks accounting for 40,798 abortions and Latinos accounting for 28,364.

With these alarming abortion statistics it comes as no surprise that the Catholic Archdiocese would have an opinion as to how to reduce these numbers.

In a New York City press conference held on January 6th, Archbishop Timothy Dolan gathered with other religious leaders to bring “awareness” to the city’s high abortion rates.

The archbishop’s recommendation to lower these numbers can be summarized in the following statement, “I re-affirm Cardinal John O’Connor’s promise of a quarter-century ago that every woman facing a difficult pregnancy will be provided with free, confidential help of the highest quality from the Archdiocese of New York.”

While the archbishop is aware that women having abortions is unlikely to end he feels that it is important to inform people on these numbers and help women “understand” the conquences of their choices. “We are prepared to do everything in our power to help you and your unborn baby to make absolutely certain that you need never feel that you have no choice but an abortion,” said Archbishop Dolan.

Personally,  I would never have an abortion. This is my choice. It is made from my own personal moral and ethical beliefs but I am and always will be pro-choice. I can never tell another woman what may or may not be the right decision for them. We are each guided by individual circumstances and what may be right for me may not be right for another.

The decision to have an abortion is one that I know most women have a hard time dealing with once it is made. It is not something that you do, forget about, and then move on. That decision often haunts many women throughout their lives. So for the Archbishop to say that he wants to “help women understand the consequences of their choices” to me is demeaning, undermining, and demoralizing. How can a man help a woman understand what it feels like to terminate a life growing in her own body?

I am a Latina woman, which means I have 2 strikes against me. I am part of a group of people that have been traditionally marginalized, treated as second class citizens, and have had to fight for the very freedom that men, let me rephrase, white men have always had the privilege to enjoy. They make their own decisions of their own free will without having to justify their decisions nor have they ever had to fight for the right to simply be who they are.  So despite my personal or religious beliefs I will never advocate for anything that strips away the basic human rights of any individual.

Pro-lifers will argue that the fetus has the right to live but I’m not here to debate what is right or wrong. Valid arguments can be made for both sides. However, what I do know is that we can not allow our freedoms to be stripped away or we will find ourselves back were we where decades ago and that is in dirty back alley tenement buildings having abortions by unlicensed doctors.

Instead of trying to repeal Roe vs. Wade or guilting and shaming women into having babies that they may not want or be ready for invest more time educating and counseling these women about  how to prevent pregnancies. Make birth control pills more affordable. Emphasize the importance of using condoms not only to prevent pregnancy but to also protect from sexually transmitted infections. Educate young women who are becoming sexually active on how to communicate openly about sex with their parents, guardians, other adult family members or even guidance counselors.

According to the Wall Street Journal, these religious leaders also criticized public schools sex education programs that include condom distribution. I’m not surprised. This is part of the reason that these numbers may be so high. People think that if you don’t talk about, if you don’t educate or provide options then pregnancy won’t happen but they’re wrong.

Not talking about it doesn’t make the problem go away. You have to talk in order to understand what the driving forces behind these alarming rates are. The only way to decrease these numbers is by identifying the root cause. Once you identify the problem you can then begin to develop the best possible solutions. Until then Archbishop please STFU!

The complete Department of Health report can be found here: http://cbsnewyork.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/2009sum.pdf

Re-writing Huckleberry Finn: An injustice to a writer’s craft

 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is often considered Mark Twain’s greatest masterpiece and has long been regarded as one of the best books in American literature. It captured a very real time in American history that dealt with slavery, racism, and the relationship between whites and blacks in the United States.  

Combining his raw humor and startlingly mature material, Twain developed a novel that directly attacked many of the traditions the South held dear at the time of its publication.

Huck Finn is the main character in the novel and through his eyes, the reader sees and judges the South, its faults, and its redeeming qualities. 

I remember reading this in high school and while the material was sometimes offensive it was an honest representation of the social obstacles of Twain’s era. It allowed me to understand and empathize with life as an African American living in the South. Given that, why would anyone want to re-write such a great American classic?

A recent op-ed piece appeared in yesterday’s NY Daily News addressing how some educators and scholars want to replace the “N” word in the book with the word “slave”. In fact, Huck Finn is currently banned in several school libraries for its content and language. As if banning the book and replacing the “N” word will magically erase all of the social injustices that occurred at that time. Call me crazy but as I recall, slavery DID happen and black people WERE called the “N” word. Unfortunately, it is a part of our history.

As a writer and as I assume most writers do,  I often write about my experiences. I capture on paper (or on-line) the current issues affecting my community and society as a whole. Therefore, I find it offensive that a literary work that was written during a time of slavery is being criticized and banned for use of language that was part of the everyday vernacular of the day.

As Shelly Fishkin states in her op-ed piece ”Sanitizing the language which aided and abetted white America‘s denial of the humanity of black Americans from the nation’s founding doesn’t change that history…Facing that history in all its offensiveness is crucial to understanding it and transcending it, and literature is uniquely positioned to help us do that.”

If we begin to re-write books and change the language that was intended by the author we inevitably change the authenticity and integrity of the work .

What do you think? Should we be re-writing books just because the language used may be offensive to some?

To read the NY Daily News Op-Ed piece click on the link: http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2011/01/05/2011-01-05_take_the_nword_out_of_huck_finn_its_an_insult_to_mark_twain__and_to_american_his.html#ixzz1ADrUTPPZ

Ohio Congresswoman talks abortion with 6 yr olds

Today’s New York Daily News had a story that I found interesting.

Ohio congresswoman, Rep. Jean Schmidt, shocked teachers and students of a Cincinnati Catholic school when she began discussing abortion to an audience that ranged between first graders and eight graders. In a letter written to parents by the school Principal, Dan Teller says “Your children may come home with questions, especially if this is a topic that has not been broached in your home.”

What responsible parent is discussing abortion with first, second, even third graders? I’m just a bit confused as to how this topic was even allowed to continue once it was brought up. The Principal should have stopped it as soon as it started.

Schmidt apparently began discussing the abortion topic while speaking about the connection between moral issues and legislation. She used it as an example to make her point. In the letter to parents, Principal Teller explains “She defined abortion as the taking of a child’s life in the mother’s womb. She indicated that abortion involves the killing of a child before it is born.”

This is rather mature content to be discussing in the presence of 6 yr olds and I would assume for some, even a little scary.

Some 6 yr. olds have never even dealt with the issue of death so to say that abortion involves killing is irresponsible on the part of the Congresswoman as well as the school. I can understand talking about sex and consequences with an eighth grader but even so that should be a discussion that happens in the home and not at school.

I have 2 nieces, 7 and 5 yrs. old and this is not a topic that I would like be discussed with them while at school. I can almost bet that my sister and brother-in-law would agree.

Noting that Schmidt “was not invited to further any political agenda,” Teller apologized to parents “for any confusion or fear that this may elicit on the part of your child, and for the awkward position this may put you in of introducing a difficult issue at a time that may be premature for you.”

I don’t understand how a written apology is supposed to suffice in correcting this obviously irresponsible and negligent behavior. This just isn’t acceptable nor should it be. If my child was a member of that audience I would need more than just a written apology.

What are your thoughts? What if this happened to your child, how would you respond?

Teaching Tolerance: Why It’s Everyone’s Responsibility

I’ve been appalled by recent news of suicides among young people who have been bullied because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender or because others perceive them to be LGBT.  It is a tragedy that students are being bullied or harassed without mercy because of their sexual orientation or gender identity – or simply because of who their tormentors think they are. Sadly, most of this bullying is occurring in schools and my concern is why are the teachers and school administrators allowing this? Are they not paying attention to what is going on under their own roof? 

We’ve all experienced bullying to some extent. Whether directly or indirectly we all know when someone is being picked on, ostracized, or tormented. We’re not blind. So again, I ask why do those in positions of authority choose to ignore it and allow it to go on? School is supposed to be a safe haven for our children, a place where they can feel safe and protected. However, as witnessed by these recent events  this is not the case.

School has become a cess pool of intolerance only made worse by the teachers and authority figures that fail to take action and do something. Why are these behaviors being tolerated? Why isn’t tolerance for a person’s cultural, lifestyle, or gender differences being taught? Aren’t these things just as important to teach as Math, Science, and English?

In a world, where there are protests about where to build an Islamic place of worship is it not necessary to teach tolerance? I’m inlcined to think so. Now more than ever it is crucial to teach our youth about tolerance.

Tolerance is defined as “a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc., differ from one’s own.” In short, it means to live and let live. This is a simple and straight forward definition, so simple in fact that I’m sure even my 7 yr. old niece would be able to understand it. Nevertheless there are many who have been unable to comprehend this meaning.

The concept of tolerance is one that begins at home and one that should be taught by parents, family members and teachers alike. We all have a responsibility to teach tolerance even if our beliefs differ from that of another. Why is it our responsibility? Because we are all a part of the same humanity.
Regardless of race, color, religious belief, sexual orientation or any of the other things that make us different, unique and special we are first and foremost human beings. We all want to feel accepted and love and we all just want to live a good life. Yet there are some who feel that not everyone is entitled to such basic human rights.

As far back as 1776 when our Declaration of Independence was written, even our forefathers acknowledged these basic human needs by stating the following:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”

“All men are created equality”, pretty self-explanatory and yet some feel that they have more rights than others. Since the very days when these words were written, this country has been fighting bigotry and intolerance. For centuries people have not stopped seeking equality for the disenfranchised and marginalized citizens of this country. And although we have made strides for equal rights for blacks, and women, we still have a long way to go for Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual & Transgender Americans. For these minorities it is still an everyday battle. It is apparent that for them we must continue fighting against intolerance.

When I turn on the news or read a newspaper and in one month it is reported that 4 teens have committed suicide because of their sexual lifestyle, I am really bothered, upset, and angered by this. In September alone 4 boys—15-year old Billy Lucas in Indiana, 13-year olds Asher Brown in Texas, Seth Walsh in California, and 18 year old Tyler Clementi—took their own lives.

The first 3 committed suicide because they were being subjected to relentless anti-gay bullying in school. While Rutgers student, Tyler Clementi, took his life by jumping off the George Washington Bridge after video of a sexual encounter recorded by his roommate streamed on the internet for the entire world to see. These boys all must have felt that it would be easier to take their own lives rather than live through being tormented, outed and humiliated by their peers.

Tyler Clementi was a freshman at Rutgers University in New Jersey. A student there for a little more than a month, I’m sure this was not what he pictured his college life as being. No one ever thinks that their privacy will be violated in their own bedroom and yet it was. For his roommate, the prankster, I wonder what made him think that videotaping the sexual encounter and streaming it on the web was a good idea. What kind of values and morals where you raised with? Why someone would violate another’s privacy like this, I will never understand.

What may have started out as a simple college prank, obviously ended with life altering consequences for all parties involved, with Tyler Clementi paying the ultimate price, his life. As I contemplated about what I wanted to say on this topic I realized that somewhere along the line someone or a group of people failed all of these teens; not only the victims but the tormentors as well. These children were not taught about tolerance. Not one was taught that it is ok to be different, that not everyone is going to believe in the same things that you may believe in. And in the end, who are we to judge. The way one chooses to live THEIR life is THEIR choice. And in my opinion when it comes to sexual preference I do not believe it is a choice. I am of the belief that you are born who you are but I’ll save that for another time.

These victims for one reason or another found it difficult to accept who they were. If they had then they never would have resorted to taking their own lives. Suicide is an action of the weak; an action for those who rather not deal with reality because the reality is too hard. The parents, family, and other adults in their lives failed them. These children lacked the self-esteem to know that being different was ok even if others failed to realize that.

It’s difficult to be a teenager; straight or gay. The teasing at times can often be relentless, hurtful and can make kids feel like giving up. And to these kids I say that it eventually stops. It does get better. Life is so much more than those awkward teenage years when we’re all struggling to find our place in the world. Those who tease or bully others have deeper issues going on within them and to parents I say to you, be very involved in your children’s lives. Question them, talk to them, love them, and be there for them.

Sometimes it’s hard because of work and other family responsibilities but you have to make time for your kids. Get actively involved in their lives. Let them know that it’s ok to be different if they are. Teach them to love themselves as they are and teach them to accept those who are different. Teach them tolerance.

Teach them that tolerance means respecting and learning from others, valuing differences, bridging cultural gaps, rejecting unfair stereotypes, discovering common ground, and creating new bonds. Tolerance, in many ways, is the opposite of prejudice.

Tolerance does not mean that all behaviors have to be accepted.

Behaviors that disrespect or hurt others, like being mean or bullying, should not be tolerated. Tolerance is about accepting people for who they are — not about accepting bad behavior. Tolerance also means treating others the way you would like to be treated.

Like all attitudes, tolerance is often taught in subtle ways. Even before they can speak, children closely watch and imitate their parents. Kids of all ages develop their own values, in great part, by mirroring the values and attitudes of those they care about.

Parents’ attitudes about respecting others are often so much a part of them that they rarely even think about it. They teach those attitudes simply by being themselves and living their values. Parents, be great role models to your children.

Parents who demonstrate (or model) tolerance in their everyday lives send a powerful message. As a result, their children learn to appreciate differences too. This is why I say that we all have a responsibility in teaching tolerance. Children look to those in positions of authority or to those who they respect for clues as to how they should act, they emulate us. Therefore, it is our responsibility to teach them right from wrong. When we don’t then situations such as the ones I described in this article occur. Let’s not lose another life because of intolerance.

::God Bless America:: 9-11-01 We Will Never Forget

As the country remembers all those that we  lost on 9/11/01, I will never forget where I was, what I was doing, or how I felt on that day. The events of that day changed our nation as we knew it. I remember feeling anger and hatred towards the terrorists who waged war against us. It was because of their hatred for this country, that I love so much, that they decided to use innocent people as their weapons of choice. But today on the 9 yr anniversary of those attacks, we are stronger than we were then. They tested us & tried to kill our spirits but we rose above it, united as a country & decided that the foolish acts of a few weren’t going to kill the faith of many.
  

The first few days of the attack can be described as nothing less than pure chaos. Debris from the fallen towers engulfed New York’s Financial District and families full of fear, worry, and hope walked aimlessly in search for relatives. They posted flyers, carried pictures, and held nightlong vigils hoping against all hope that their loved ones would be pulled from all of the wreckage left behind from the fallen twin towers. I watched these images on TV and couldn’t help shed tears for my country and for all that was taken from us that day. I had never felt so afraid and unsafe and I vowed that I would never again get on an airplane. The terrorists had succeeded in their mission. They had shaken the United States and images of them laughing and celebrating haunted me for months. These were very evil people and never will I understand how such evil can exist in a person made of  flesh and bone.
 

It was a very sad day in American history that we all had to live thru. I remember back then it seemed so surreal and I couldn’t believe that a terrorist attack of that magnitude actually happened on our soil. It opened my eyes to how even the strongest nation in the world can be vulnerable to the hatred that exists in the hearts of a few. There are some that ask “why do we say never forget only once a year”? As an American, although I may only say it on this day it  does not mean that I don’t think about it often.   Most of us may not be as vocal about it on a daily basis but there are over 2000 families that say it everyday.
 
Those that lost loved ones have to live with the events of this day for the rest of their lives. Today, however, is a day that the nation as a whole remembers all those that were lost and all that our country truly stands for. We are a democracy of strong willed people who believe that freedom for all is a basic human right and there will always be some radical or fanatic that wants to challenge what we stand for. They can come at us with all that they’ve got but never will we ever give up without a fight. So today as I say we will never forget, may all those who plot and scheme against us know that  their cowardly actions  only aid in making us stronger.

I conclude by leaving you with a quote from one of our Presidents:
 
“The real differences around the world today are not between Jews and Arabs; Protestants and Catholics; Muslims, Croats, and Serbs. The real differences are between those who embrace peace and those who would destroy it; between those who look to the future and those who cling to the past; between those who open their arms and those who are determined to clench their fists.” ~William J. Clinton, 1997

Welcome to The Rape Capital of the World: The Victimization & Abuse of Women

While most of my posts are love and relationship driven, there are times when I come across a news article or some other current events issue that forces me to pay attention and speak up.

I recently came across an article in The New York Times that highlighted a present day epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that literally had me sick to my stomach. So much so that I felt a compelling need to share it with you all.

The NYT reported that last month nearly 200 women were gang-raped by a mob of Rwandan rebels during a weekend raid on a community of villages in eastern Congo.

The eastern Congo is known as the “rape capital of the world” where savage mobs use sexual violence to subdue the population and vie for control of the “conflict minerals” used to make cell phones and laptops around the world (think about these women every time you’re on your PC or cell phone).

Between 200 and 400 armed men began looting and raping women in the village of Ruvungi, which lies near a key mining center, in front of their families and in their homes. Most women were dragged in the forest and raped by two to six men at a time, later emerging from the forest naked. Men, as well as girls as young as 4 years old, have been the victims of rape in eastern Congo.

The Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, or F.D.L.R., was blamed for the attack. The F.D.L.R. is an ethnic Hutu rebel group that has been terrorizing the hills of eastern Congo for years, preying on villages in a quest for the natural resources beneath them. This is the same group that was responsible for the 1994 genocide in this region.

If you saw the movie Hotel Rwanda starring Don Cheadle, then you are familiar with the atrocities that these monsters are capable of performing. The movie brought to the forefront the violence that plagued the country and forced the world to address an issue that many tried to ignore.

An estimated 800,000 people were killed over the course of approximately 100 days. While the movie forced the world to pay attention to crimes against humanity, it did nothing to deter or prevent further violence. There is still a specific demographic that continue to fall victim to their abuse.

Women in this region are still viewed as second class citizens who have no rights and only exist to satisfy the sexual needs of a man.

In an article written by Anne Mawathe, Haunted by the Rape Dilemma in the Congo, she explains how a former government soldier who is serving 20 years in Goma Central Prison says he attacked the first woman he came across after sneaking away from his post:

“I asked her to help me. I had this urge to have sex. She didn’t want to have sex with me. But I forced her. I felt that if I didn’t have sex then I would get sick.”

“She left without crying but as she was leaving she said she would denounce me. I regret it now because I am in prison.”

This soldier is among the few to have been arrested because not many men ever serve prison sentences for these types of crimes. Many soldiers view women as men’s helpers. There is this attitude that it is a man’s right to have sex and there’s no way that a man cannot have sex.

 Many of the attitudes, beliefs and mistaken ideas about rape have been with us for centuries. Most men believe that, “women ask for it,” and “women secretly enjoy rape,”

The women who are raped are victimized again after being attacked because of the enormous cultural taboos involving sexual violence in the Congo.

“They’re excommunicated from their villages and their families,” Francisca Vigaud-Walsh of Catholic Relief Services, who is an expert in sexual violence in Congo, told AOL News. “They lose their entire support structure.”

Clementine, a Congolese mother of eight, details her experience in Anne Mawathe’s article.

”The rebel leader asked me two things: ‘Do you want us to be your husbands? Or do you want us to rape you?’”

“I chose to be raped.”

She explains: “I told myself, if I tell them that I want to be their wife, they will kill my husband. I didn’t want my children growing up saying the one that made our father die is our mother.”

But that sacrifice was not enough. Her husband left her for another woman.

“After they raped me, my husband hated me. He said I was dirty. I often ask myself: ‘Surely, I gave up my dignity for him, how come he can abandon me this way?’”

Jocelyn Kelly, a researcher with the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative’s Gender-Based Violence program, says the men that have survived these attacks on their families are extremely traumatized themselves:

“They say: ‘I can no longer look at my wife.’ And every time they see this woman, they see someone they were not able to protect. They feel like failures and the only way they can deal with it is to reject their wife and start over.”

Women in the Congo have borne the brunt of the violence and women like Yvonne, 37, who has also been raped, will never escape the past. She tells Ms. Mawathe that her husband was forced to watch while she was raped, repeatedly. As a result, her husband wants nothing to do with her.

Yvonne explains: “I am living with my husband in the same house but we are separated. He spends nights on his bed and I spend nights on my bed with the children.

“We cannot do the act of love. When I need him, I tell him, but he says ‘No. Never.’ ‘He tells me to go back to my husbands, the Interahamwe, every time we argue.”

She says she begs her husband to understand her situation but he refuses to.

Only other women understand her.

Clementine speaks for them all when she says:

“I cannot forgive these rapists because they destroyed my life. Sometimes I feel like I don’t have a desire to live on this Earth.”

This is a sad and heart wrenching story. It is unfathomable how these women are abused. Not only by their rapists but then again by their husbands as if they asked to be raped.
 
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton visited eastern Congo in 2009 to raise awareness about widespread rape in the region, calling it “evil in its basest form,” and the United States pledged $17 million to the Congolese government to fight sexual violence. However, it is going to take much more than that to put a stop to this epidemic.

I wrote about this because most of us in our every day lives take our freedom, health and well being for granted. When you think you have problems, just think about these women and be thankful that you are not them. Someone always has it worse than you do.

What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear.

Guru’s Family Issues Press Release

Guru Tribute

In the midst of the tragic death of one of hip-hop’s legends, Guru’s family issues a press release pretty much contradicting Solar’s account that Guru had come out of the coma when he was hospitalized back in February. According to Guru’s sister Patricia Elam he never regained consciousness. Ms. Elam sent the following to DJ Premier and would like it distributed to all media outlets…..

PRESS RELEASE

The Elam family wishes to thank the fans of our son/brother/father uncle/nephew/cousin Keith aka GURU for the outpouring of love, concern and support.

Our hearts are broken by the loss of someone we loved so much. GURU was devoted to his young son, who will most keenly feel his absence.

GURU suffered from multiple myeloma for over a year. Accrued complications from this illness led to respiratory failure and cardiac arrest. As a result, GURU was in a coma from mid February until his death and never regained consciousness. Early on the morning of April 19th, he became hypertensive due to low blood pressure. He again went into cardiac arrest and slipped away from us.

GURU died far too young but he was, and we are, proud of all his many legendary musical contributions.

The family is not aware of any foundations established by GURU. We know and understand that countless fans want to express their condolences and love and, to that end, we are planning a memorial event in the near future that will be all-inclusive. Please look for further details from the family as they become available.

from The Elam Family

***

If it is true that Guru never regained consciousness then it definitely puts into question the validity of the letter that Solar released on behalf of Guru. It is so sad that during a time when we should all be celebrating Guru’s life & Gang Starr’s contribution to the hip-hop game it is being overshadowed with petty he said/he said bull-sh*t. Whatever the truth is, hopefully it will come to light soon. And for me for as long as I live whenever I think of Guru or Gang Starr I will always think of DJ Premier. Who the f*ck is a “Solar” anyway!! Dude, go that way —> (Big Pun Voice).

In Memory Of Guru

July 17, 1966 – April 19, 2010

“Lemonade was a popular drink…”

 

Press release and Guru picture courtesy of http://livefromheadqcourterz.wordpress.com/2010/04/21/gurus-family-issues-press-release/

Tribute to Guru: Some of My Favorite Gang Starr Hits

“Just To Get A Rep”….this video was shot in my old hood, Williamsburg, Brooklyn and the dude tagging up FAME on the wall, his name was really Fame. He was from Clemente Projects. Related to Miguel & Shady. My Williamsburg people know who I’m talking about.

“Dwyck”- One of my all time favorite hip-hop collabos of all time!!! No question.

“Mass Appeal”

“Ex-girl to the Next Girl”- The original On to Tha Next One

MUSIC TUESDAY: HIP-HOP Loses Another Legend…RIP Guru

Legendary Hip Hop Duo Gang Starr

If you haven’t already heard then you either must be hiding under a rock or just aren’t a true hip-hop fan. Last night Guru, one-half of the legendary hip-hop duo, Gang Starr, succumbed to his battle with cancer. Back in February Guru was hospitalized and fell into a coma but he recovered from the coma and all was well or at least that’s what we all thought.

Guru, whose real name is Keith Elam, formed Gang Starr back in 1987 with DJ Premier and they went on to become one of the most influential hip-hop groups of all time. With hits like “Just to Get a Rep”, “Mass Appeal”, and “Step in the Arena” they were the definition of what real hip-hop was and is about and their contribution to the game will never be forgotten. They rapped about their realities, their struggles, and what NYC life was like back before the commercialization of the genre and the popularity of the internet made it easy for anyone to find success.

Gang Starr was one of those socially conscious groups that made you think while also bop your head and move your feet to the beat. Together they released 6 albums from 1989 to 2003, including the classics Step Into The Arena and Daily Operation. Guru later on ventured off and had a successful solo career with the release of his Jazzmatazz series.

During his solo career, Guru paired up with Solar who has been his musical partner for most of the last decade. Solar, however, has been the subject of much criticism and backlash lately. He had been disparaged during Guru’s most recent hospitalization in February by Guru’s family and members of the media because of reports that he was controlling and limiting access to Guru. Solar was also releasing odd statements on Guru’s behalf. All of which is questionable and rather shady in my opinion.

But to add fuel to the already blazing fire, a letter supposedly written by Guru before his passing has surfaced. In the letter Guru is basically praising Solar for all of his support and loyalty while criticizing and attacking his former musical partner, DJ Premier. I got a copy of the letter from nymag.com. I, along with many hip-hop fans question the validity of this letter but read it for yourself and let me know what you think. Do you think that a man in his death bed is really trying to criticize and bash someone who he had much success with? I don’t think so. I tend to think that when you’re ready to say your goodbye’s to the world that you would want to make me peace with everyone that was ever a part of your life but that’s just me. Let me know your thoughts.

***

I, Guru, am writing this letter to my fans, friends and loved ones around the world. I have had a long battle with cancer and have succumbed to the disease. I have suffered with this illness for over a year. I have exhausted all medical options.
I have a non-profit organization called Each One Counts dedicated to carrying on my charitable work on behalf of abused and disadvantaged children from around the world and also to educate and research a cure for this terrible disease that took my life. I write this with tears in my eyes, not of sorrow but of joy for what a wonderful life I have enjoyed and how many great people I have had the pleasure of meeting.

My loyal best friend, partner and brother, Solar, has been at my side through it all and has been made my health proxy by myself on all matters relating to myself. He has been with me by my side on my many hospital stays, operations, doctors visits and stayed with me at my home and cared for me when I could not care for myself. Solar and his family is my family and I love them dearly and I expect my family, friends, and fans to respect that, regardless to anybody’s feelings on the matter. It is my wish that counts. This being said I am survived by the love of my life, my sun KC, who I trust will be looked after by Solar and his family as their own. Any awards or tributes should be accepted, organized approved by Solar on behalf myself and my son until he is of age to except on his own.

I do not wish my ex-DJ to have anything to do with my name likeness, events tributes etc. connected in anyway to my situation including any use of my name or circumstance for any reason and I have instructed my lawyers to enforce this. I had nothing to do with him in life for over 7 years and want nothing to do with him in death. Solar has my life story and is well informed on my family situation, as well as the real reason for separating from my ex-DJ. As the sole founder of GangStarr, I am very proud of what GangStarr has meant to the music world and fans. I equally am proud of my Jazzmatazz series and as the father of Hip-Hop/Jazz. I am most proud of my leadership and pioneering efforts on Jazzmatazz 4 for reinvigorating the Hip-Hop/Jazz genre in a time when music quality has reached an all time low. Solar and I have toured in places that I have never been before with GangStarr or Jazzmatatazz and we gained a reputation for being the best on the planet at Hip-Hop/Jazz, as well as the biggest and most influential Hip-Hop/Jazz record with Jazzmatazz 4 of the decade to now.

The work I have done with Solar represents a legacy far beyond its time. And we as a team were not afraid to push the envelope. To me this is what true artists do! As men of honor we stood tall in the face of small mindedness, greed, and ignorance. As we fought for music and integrity at the cost of not earning millions and for this I will always be happy and proud, and would like to thank the million fans who have seen us perform over the years from all over the world. The work I have done with Solar represents a legacy far beyond its time and is my most creative and experimental to date. I hope that our music will receive the attention it deserves as it is some of the best work I have done and represents some of the best years of my life.

***

This letter just doesn’t sound authentic to me. If it is, then it’s my bad but if this is a ploy by Solar to get some sort of recognition or admiration then shame on him and grow the f*ck up. Let the man rest in peace. Guru you will be missed. R.I.P.

7 yr. old girl pimped out and gang-raped

Rowan Towers in Trenton, N.J., the site of a party where a 7-year-old girl was gang-raped after being 'sold' by her step-sister, 15.Schultz/AP- Rowan Towers in Trenton, N.J., the site of a party where a 7-year-old girl was gang-raped after being ‘sold’ by her step-sister, 15.

In a horrific story reported by The NY Daily News, a 7 year old New Jersey girl was apparently pimped out by her 15 year old sister at a party that took place in Trenton’s Rowan Towers.

According to reports, the 15 year old step-sister began selling herself to some of the young men at the party and then gave her 7 year old sister some of her earnings to let the young men “touch” her. What began as touching quickly turned into assault and rape of the young girl with the assailants threatening the youngster if she screamed or told anyone.  

Trenton Police Captain Joseph Juniak was left at a loss for words, “You don’t even know what to say”, he said. “It’s incomprehensible”.

The assault happened on Sunday and the girls’ parents were talking with the police about their missing children when the 7 yr old was brought home by 2 good Samaritans. The older sister evidently was still at the party.

Because of her age, the 15 yr. old girl’s name has not been released to the public but she has been charged with aggravated sexual assault, promoting prostitution, and other crimes.

It is stories like these that make me shake my head and ask “What is happening to our youth?” Why would a 15 year old think that this was acceptable behavior and why would young men engage in such activities with a 7yr old child? Was there not someone at the party sane enough to say “this is wrong”? And where was the adult supervision at this “party”? There are so many questions to be asked and not enough answers.

The actions of the youngsters makes me wonder if it’s a reflection of the children’s upbringing and parental role models or  is it a lack of parental figures, poor economic status, and all of the other issues that plague our inner city communities. This story is so disheartening but it also serves as a reminder that more attention has to be paid to inner city communities. If this is what kids are doing to keep themselves entertained or to make a quick dollar then the future of our youth is at risk. This is not acceptable behavior and for these children to think it is shows that there is something lacking in the home, in their schools, and in the community as a whole.

It’s no secret that sex permeates every inch of media from TV, to movies, to music, and every thing in between. Sex is often glorified and the internet has become the gateway drug to all things naughty. The popularity and success of the internet now makes it easier for children to gain access to x-rated material that they otherwise wouldn’t have access to. And while it is easy to shift blame as to who is responsible for these kids acting so horribly, the one thing that is certain, is that all parties involved will have their lives changed forever as a result of this atrocity.