Respect For LeBron

They burned his jersey. They shouted "f..." LeBron. They ranted on sites like www.IhateLeBronJames.com All, because Mr. James made a personal career decision? [As if those haters don't make career moves that benefit them? 😳 ] Now because of his return (and you better believe they had to have him to do what they did last night, bay-bay!) those same Cleveland fans are celebrating their first championship -- in any sport -- since the year of my birth,1963. Uhhh. Excuse you Cleveland haters but I do think you owe LeBron James one huge public apology. #TheyHATEDHim #HeGaveThemAChampionshipAnyway #RESPECTForLeBron! [Reprint from Janita Poe's Facebook Fan Page]

If Gay People Go To Hell That's Where I Want To Be

If gay people "go to hell" and all of the hard-core Christians, Muslims and others who believe gay people are sinners go to heaven then I believe hell is the better place. In fact -- when I arrive at Judgement Day -- I'd ask God to let me go there, too. Why? As a straight woman who, like Prez. O, has evolved and learned by observing gay friends/associates over the years, I honestly see more of them showing character in the face of hate (oooh, some of those fathers who've disowned their boys!) and true love towards their partners than many straight women who use men for money or straight men who truly believe it's O.K. to cheat on a wife because, hey, "a man will be a man." As for what people do in the bedroom: Tons of straight folks do everything gay people do and tons of gay folks are celibate and/or particular about what they will and will not do with someone they love as are straight folks, so I truly don't get all the drama and hate with gay sexuality but maybe that's just me. In closing. My inspiration for this post. Just a few minutes ago, a gay friend shared this loving note about his partner (also a friend). I hope any of you who still think gay people are sinners and need to be "fixed" read this. I also pray it may open your heart to loving all humans as your equal, created by God -- because he wanted them here on earth just like he wanted you here on earth-- something my Bible scholar mother, Gloria Reeves Poe (RIP), always taught me. Peace. ___________________ "11 things 1. This was the actual day that we said "I Do" for the first time. We have actually been throw 3 of them. Thanks Supreme Court! 2. I wrote my vows 3 months after meeting and held on to them until we actually said I do. 3. We talked for almost a year before actually meeting in person. Remember when yahoo chat was a "thing" 4. We are technically still on our 3rd date. We met at Burkharts for the first time with friends and I knew I wanted to take him out. I called and asked him to Fire of Brazil. A few days later I went to his place to hang out, I cooked dinner and we watched HGTV for 6 hours. That was Saturday. I moved in the following Wednesday. 5. I could not swim before we met, though I am from the beach we never did. He taught me to swim. He gave me a sideeye when I said "black folks don't swim. ". He then threw me in a pool. 6. We have moved 9 times, 4 of those cross-country moves. In every house there has always been a "kids" room ( just in case 😉) 7. I designed tattoos for him ( before him I was "ok" with tattoos) now I love a sleeve and will do something strange for some change for a hot tattoo. 8. We first tried to adopt a year after we got married. We have actually had over 5 failed attempts of surrogacy and adoption. 9. We almost moved to Alaska 10. When he is home we spend all our time together. This is because he travels so much when he is in town, we spend all our time together. 11. If I had to do it all over again, I would marry him over and over and over. But seriously, 3 is enough. I'm gay but that is just WAY too much party planning." [Reprint of post from personal page of Janita Poe]

You Don't "Like" Hillary?!

I really have minus zero time for FB but I have got to say this: I am sooooooo sick and tired of Hillary Haters -- not just in the Republican Party but the DNC. This woman has everything we need right now. As Prez O said last night, "Not me, not Bill, nobody" has been more prepared to lead this country than Hillary Rodham Clinton ---> Yale Law, former First Lady, former Secretary of State, recent New York State Senator. But, my frustration with these haters goes beyond that. It's the fact that so many turn into vile flaw hunters when certain trailblazing candidates (can you say Barack Obama?) seek to shatter a ceiling. So she messed up with Benghazi. You think she wanted that outcome? No. It was terrible. It happened. Just like the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Iran-Contra Affair happened. So you say she's not the most charming woman in the world, by your standards (I think she's fab, personally; was in her Chicago 1996 press corps and I found her magnetic but do you). Look, fam. If you spend 40 years on the public stage, you will fail at times. Humans fail. But, all things considered, Hillary Clinton has been amazing. Her husband eloquently shared her life story. She's been a dynamic legal advocate for children and poor blacks, whites and Mexicans since the 1960s. She has been a player in global negotiations for years. And she has outlined a stellar platform for the presidency on her webpage. Then there is her gender and what that could mean for this country -- and world -- if elected. Just as with Obama as a "first black," I have no shame in saying I want to see a smart, talented person as a "first woman" president, and Clinton is ready. What woman is going to come along any time soon with her background? Heck, she spent years in the White House, talking about domestic and world affairs before falling asleep with her husband, folks. You don't get any better experience than that! And let's not forget how she has paid her DUES for this position. She fought hard to become president eight years ago. She wanted it. But when she lost, she did what most humans don't begin to know how to do: She sucked it up. She even went and worked under her former opponent, because, as First Lady Michelle said, Hillary knew it was about more than her. Hillary Clinton has earned the right to be our next president. On so many levels. I'm not just casting a vote for her. I'm going to have Hillary Clinton's back over the next few months. She deserves it. [From Janita Poe's personal Facebook page, July 28, 2016].

Black America/White America

[Original post July 9, 2016, on personal page of Janita Poe]: BLACK AMERICA/WHITE AMERICA: In a few minutes, my Dad -- who turns 80 today --will wake up to "Happy 80th Birthday" from me. In the wake of our current domestic crisis, just days after the Fourth of July, I cannot help to think about how our country -- and the world -- has changed, so much, during his life on earth. When Dad was "Booker T." in Eustis and Sarasota, Fl., rural men hauled rifles on their trucks -- no one abused the guns -- and everyone respected the police. Snipers? Suicide Bombers (except for the Japanese Kamikazes)? Pretty much non-existent. At the same time, "colored people" lived an inferior life, by law. Mom and Dad's honeymoon: Spent on the side of the road because they were tired, and hotels did not accept Negroes. So here he is in 2016. Here we all are. And, I'm concluding that it comes down to this: Everyone in this country better figure out a way to get along or the lifestyles we take for granted -- trust me, it ain't "the life" in Rwanda, Northern Ireland or Cambodia and it's the death up in "The Middle East" -- will be snatched away by ISIS and friends while we're arguing. BLACK AMERICA: We need to pull our family units together so that we are not out in the streets, where some clueless, under/improperly-trained cop can kill us in the first place. Family units create generations with values and character who build strong communities, communities so strong you don't need to run to the white man's hood to enjoy "something nice." Family units create black men with pride and black women that men want to marry. You can't fix an ugly fester with a BandAid. We need foundational family change. Want good jobs, better lives, respect in society? Women ---> Stop bringing kids in the world before you have a solid job and a spouse to help raise the kids with you. Men---> Stop blaming black women for everything when so many of you are fathering children and leaving them behind. WHITE AMERICA: You need to stop running from the truth. You are living as first class citizens because your ancestors robbed land from the Native Americans. This is their land, not yours. Then you went to Africa and purchase POWs from rival tribes, brought them to The Americas and forced them into free labor. [How dare you dehumanized your equal, your brother in such a way!] But, no, that wasn't enough. Your people then went and created a society that -- by law, Jim Crow Law -- made you superior to the descendants of these slaves (down to one drop, you said). It's time for you to stop running. You owe Black America. You are benefiting, to this day, because of these profound wrongs. It's time have a conversation. Yes. My Dad has seen so much. He knows the good of this country and the bad. I'm signing off Facebook for a few days. It's all about Dad and his 80th. I do hope my U.S. American family hears me. Cause if you don't, it is my humble view that all of the blessings we do have here, will be going to hell. Peace. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009583951862