Maya Angelou is okay in my book

[TemplarKormac]

As you all know, I like to write. And one of the inspirations for my interest is none other than Maya Angelou. My grandmother liked her stuff, I read her work at school. And I thought to myself... this is how I want to write. With wisdom and a bit of insight.

She had and indelible impact on humanity. A pioneer to say the least. To those saying she is a fraud, a racist, shame on you. Her body hasn't even been interred yet and you cannot resist the urge to denigrate her. You are most certainly okay in my book, Ms. Angelou.

And now that caged bird is free.

 

[Warrior102]

Who?

 

[TemplarKormac]

Who?

 

[GHook93]

As you all know, I like to write. And one of the inspirations for my interest is none other than Maya Angelou. My grandmother liked her stuff, I read her work at school. And I thought to myself... this is how I want to write. With wisdom and a bit of insight.

She had and indelible impact on humanity. A pioneer to say the least. To those saying she is a fraud, a racist, shame on you. Her body hasn't even been interred yet and you cannot resist the urge to denigrate her. She is most certainly okay in my book, Ms. Angelou.

And now that caged bird is free.

I know Why the Cage Bird Sings was a huge inspiration to me and I admired Maya Angelou's struggle and ability to over-come adversity. However, we should ignore the fact that she made very ignorant and racist comments, she backed the Soviets and Castro, she supported Louis Farrakhan, and she protested for a cop killer! You can still admire her book and her struggle, but that doesn't allow her a free pass on her racism!

 

[TemplarKormac]

I don't care what she said, or who she backed. It is wrong to attack someone before they are even buried in their final resting place.

 

[boedicca]

I have one very good memory of Maya. I recall reading that she would not allow anyone with bad energy in her abode. That is a Very Good Policy.

 

[Pennywise]

There hasn't been a decent American poet since Jack Kerouac; certainly not this one.

If she weren't a minority, she would have been ignored.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Yep, put a boot on the white mans neck.

 

[boedicca]

I'm rather indifferent to Maya. One can ignore her poetry.

But, the caterwauling public display that the Obamas will put on to attention-whore her death is going to be spammed through a long news cycle to divert attention from the cascasding REAL Obama scandals.

That's my prediction, anyhoo.

 

[TheOldSchool]

Yep, put a boot on the white mans neck.

If you install a water fountain in your house (well, you're mom's house) you can legally stop people you don't like from drinking from it.

Maybe that'll help you cope with the modern world. It can be an outlet for your frustrations.

 

[Peach]

I don't care what she said, or who she backed. It is wrong to attack someone before they are even buried in their final resting place.

The thousands of pages written about Faulkner's racism have not altered the impact of As I Lay Dying. Until all can accept the racism most of us in the US have, we are not truly equal.

 

[TheOldSchool]

Hi, you have received -1014 reputation points from Matthew.
Reputation was given for this post.

Comment:
Go jump off a cliff you piece of shit. I hope you do soon.

Regards,
Matthew

lol

 

[Stephanie]

she was ok, but she wasn't some American hero like some like to make her out to be

I'm just waiting for Obama to declare flying the flag at half staff for her

 

[sameech]

she was ok, but she wasn't some American hero like some like to make her out to be

I'm just waiting for Obama to declare flying the flag at half staff for her

I am sure that will be the case. I would be surprised if even one percent of the people praising her greatness as a poet today could have quoted you four lines from any of her works yesterday. She was a decent writer, but more a cultural personality than anything else. I am not sure anybody else would have the audacity to write 7 or 8 autobiographies, but still, she had a good run, and to the extent that people feel a personal sense of loss with her passing, I see no need to rub salt in their wound.

 

[Plasmaball]

she was ok, but she wasn't some American hero like some like to make her out to be

I'm just waiting for Obama to declare flying the flag at half staff for her

we should just flush you down the toilet.

 

[Statistikhengst]

she was ok, but she wasn't some American hero like some like to make her out to be

I'm just waiting for Obama to declare flying the flag at half staff for her

I don't believe that has ever been done for a US-American poet, ever.

Oh wait, you were trying to make a joke, but your borg-implants kept it from happening. It just made you look stupid.

Oh wait, the implants aren't at fault for that.

Got it.

Let's roll, Stephanie!! 30 million times over!!!

But, just to enlighten you (hey, I always take on the hard-luck cases...)

http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/RL30243.pdf

The section provides that the President shall order the flag flown at half-staff for
stipulated periods “upon the death of principal figures of the United States
Government and the Governor of a state, territory, or possession.” After the death
of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag may be flown at half-staff according
to Presidential instructions or in accordance with recognized custom not inconsistent
with law.

Also, in keeping with the OP:


http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/million-man-march-poem/

The night has been long,
The wound has been deep,
The pit has been dark,
And the walls have been steep.

Under a dead blue sky on a distant beach,
I was dragged by my braids just beyond your reach.
Your hands were tied, your mouth was bound,
You couldn't even call out my name.
You were helpless and so was I,
But unfortunately throughout history
You've worn a badge of shame.

I say, the night has been long,
The wound has been deep,
The pit has been dark
And the walls have been steep.

But today, voices of old spirit sound
Speak to us in words profound,
Across the years, across the centuries,
Across the oceans, and across the seas.
They say, draw near to one another,
Save your race.
You have been paid for in a distant place,
The old ones remind us that slavery's chains
Have paid for our freedom again and again.

The night has been long,
The pit has been deep,
The night has been dark,
And the walls have been steep.

The hells we have lived through and live through still,
Have sharpened our senses and toughened our will.
The night has been long.
This morning I look through your anguish
Right down to your soul.
I know that with each other we can make ourselves whole.
I look through the posture and past your disguise,
And see your love for family in your big brown eyes.

I say, clap hands and let's come together in this meeting ground,
I say, clap hands and let's deal with each other with love,
I say, clap hands and let us get from the low road of indifference,
Clap hands, let us come together and reveal our hearts,
Let us come together and revise our spirits,
Let us come together and cleanse our souls,
Clap hands, let's leave the preening
And stop impostering our own history.
Clap hands, call the spirits back from the ledge,
Clap hands, let us invite joy into our conversation,
Courtesy into our bedrooms,
Gentleness into our kitchen,
Care into our nursery.

The ancestors remind us, despite the history of pain
We are a going-on people who will rise again.

And still we rise.


Maya Angelou

 

[Ava]

As you all know, I like to write. And one of the inspirations for my interest is none other than Maya Angelou. My grandmother liked her stuff, I read her work at school. And I thought to myself... this is how I want to write. With wisdom and a bit of insight.

She had and indelible impact on humanity. A pioneer to say the least. To those saying she is a fraud, a racist, shame on you. Her body hasn't even been interred yet and you cannot resist the urge to denigrate her. She is most certainly okay in my book, Ms. Angelou.

And now that caged bird is free.

I've long been a fan of her inherent wisdom. She was a success.

Here are some of her most well-known quotes.

"If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love."

"The truth is, no one of us can be free until everybody is free."

"I'm a woman Phenomenally."

"Nothing can dim the light which shines from within."

"Nothing will work unless you do."

"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain."

"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." [my personal fave]

“Everything in the universe has a rhythm, everything dances."

"While one may encounter many defeats, one must not be defeated."

"My great hope is to laugh as much as I cry; to get my work done and try to love somebody and have the courage to accept the love in return."

 

[TemplarKormac]

And just so the conservatives doubt my resolve to the conservative cause, no I will never be a liberal, no, I still think Obama sucks. Just because I admire Maya Angelou and Nelson Mandela does not make me a liberal. I can have role models without changing my core beliefs. I have a little bit more evolved sensibilities at least...

 

[Nutz]

Yep, put a boot on the white mans neck.

Timmy!

How would you know, you fucking gimp, you are barely literate!

 

[Nutz]

Yep, put a boot on the white mans neck.

If you install a water fountain in your house (well, you're mom's house) you can legally stop people you don't like from drinking from it.

Maybe that'll help you cope with the modern world. It can be an outlet for your frustrations.

He would need a special water fountain. I don't even think mommy would foot the bill to cater to his dumb ass. He should try reading same Angelou...perhaps he could take stock of his bitterness issue and learn to accept he is a drain on society.