o week: day two

those who attended the legends lunch received these as gifts.

let us return to "jay." for those of you with short memories and/or who didn't read yesterday's extremely long post, "jay" had this to say about an old entry:

It's so sad that you all can't see that Oprah is a true humanitarian. Do you really think Oprah Winfrey would wear conflict diamonds on national television? Steadman [sic] is rich many times over, without Oprah's money, and can afford to buy the best, NONconflict diamonds on the market. Rich people don't have to take the shorts that poor people do. Too bad your energy is not focussed on, I don't know, ending the war in Iraq? Just a thought.

wow. since you all had to endure the torture of yesterday's post, i'm going to attempt to address jay very briefly.

it's so sad that you all can't see that oprah is a true humanitarian.
please see yesterday's post concerning my ideas on humanitarianism, true or untrue.

do you really think Oprah Winfrey would wear conflict diamonds on national television?
i think about this just about as much as oprah walks into the jewelry store and asks, "are these conflict diamonds?" put another way, i don't think "conflict" is one of the 4 c's oprah uses when choosing a diamond. i mean, it's not like her viewers say, "i wonder if that bling in her ears is from sierra leone." in fact, i think if the mutilation of young children in african countries like sierra leone and liberia was that high on oprah's "to fix through my true humanitarian endeavors" list, there would have been a show about it. you know, video of her hugging and kissing nappy-headed african kids with no arms and shit. (can you hug someone if you have no arms?) i ain't saying she wears conflict diamonds (though i admit i suggested that in my prior post)...but your whole "she'd never wear that on national tv" argument, like, totally doesn't move me.

Steadman [sic] is rich many times over, without Oprah's money, and can afford to buy the best, NONconflict diamonds on the market.
first of all, stedman is fucking gay, okay? mrs. reynolds wasn't the first. second, let me take the time to address the thinking which has helped mr. graham "become rich many times over." the following is a quote from mr. graham's website:

None of us are defined by our circumstances, nor are we defined by how other people perceive us. It is up to each one of us to define ourselves, and that is a life's work.

Each of us has the ability to lead a dynamic life by pursuing our unique goals and dreams. There are no limits to what you can do.

sounds like a true humanitarian to me. and before you try to jump on that last statement, lemme just say: i know it's oprah's true humanitarinism that's in question, but i think there's something to be said about the company you keep. that's why i don't keep no comp'ny.

Rich people don't have to take the shorts that poor people do.
if i may quote my west indian bros. and sisters: idiat dem him. (did i get that right?)

Too bad your energy is not focussed on, I don't know, ending the war in Iraq?
nigga, you funny. i like how you defend, and even praise the buying power of rich people, and then question why i don't make an effort to end a war fought by black and brown poor people who undoubtedly have to take "the shorts" if they wanna bling, or, i dunno, not be poor all of their lives. i tell you one thing, though. as soon as the iraqis are "liberated," oprah can start her true humanitarian efforts there. next thing you know, there's a letter to the editor from a subscriber who was kind enough to take a picture of the natives holding a copy of o magazine that serves a skool book. of course, instead of makeup they have on burkha's because, you know, "muslims will be muslims."

further, the fact that folks like you are anti the war in iraq really scares me. i'm thinking of moving to a neutral position, in fact.

and if i may paraphrase my homegyrl, rrrrachel, "why doesn't oprah focus on ending the war in iraq?"

Just a thought.
don't do that anymore. thinking, that is. same thing as not thinking for you. so don't waste your energy.