So Uh, Why Now Barbara Walters?

In pretty much every case infidelity is a bad thing. And like the old folks used to stay, "whatever happens in the dark, eventually comes out in the light." I guess that's the case with former Sen. Edward Brooke, as Barbara Walters let the cat out of the bag that they were getting it on thirty years ago.

When I heard this, the first thought that came to my mind was "well, at least Mr. Brooke ain't around to have his reputation and family destroyed by this revelation."

I was wrong. Edward Brooke is still very much alive and living with his second wife in Florida.

Now, usually I don't even bother with who's sleeping with who, but something about this bothered me. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I found a post that hit the nail on the head. It's from over at Sojourner's Place, and you really should go read the whole thing, but here's an excerpt.

It will never cease to amaze me just how much white folks take their white privilege for granted; and Barbara Waters's "come clean" announcement on Oprah is just one more example of this. It seems Walters wanted to come clean about an affair she had with Senator Edward Brooke of Massachusetts over 30 years ago. And she does so, without any regard to the impact this revelation would have on Brooke's, or his family.

... The Associated Press article breaking this story, makes no mention of whether there were attempts to contact Brookes before writing or going on Oprah and telling all of hers and his business. One can only assume that since this is not mentioned, that she nor her publicist thought that detail important. Further, the article does not speak to any mention from Walters what part this affair may have played on Brooke's first marriage which, ended in divorce.

Definitely an interesting point of view, and it does sum things up. Brooke for his part kept it simple by declining to comment when asked by the AP.

"I have had a lifetime policy and practice of not discussing my personal and private life, or the personal and private lives of others, with the notable exception of what I wrote in my recently published autobiography, `Bridging the Divide: My Life,'" he told The Associated Press in a phone interview from Miami.

The end result is that his reputation will definitely take a negative hit, and there's no telling how this will impact his family and legacy. Or as my wife says, he's getting what he deserves.

In the meantime, Barbara Walters celebrity will only increase. After all she defied the odds by going Black and coming back. That'll sell some books all by itself, regardless of the Oprah factor. I'm glad Mr. Brooke managed to at least get a plug in for his book too.

Black Marriage Day

Ladies,

I know the this article from yesterday's Chronicle is rather long and you probably don't want to spend your time reading this on a Sunday afternoon. But, this is good.

The questions Richmond activist Adia Blackmon posed to a group of 13 girls were basic. How many wanted to be mothers? Blackmon, charged with mentoring the girls, counted 13 arms in the air. How many wanted to be wives? Their response shed light on a community that leads the nation in levels of single-parent homes.

"Only one hand went up," said Blackmon, who was floored by the response from black girls as young as 11. "They said they wanted the fathers to be involved and wouldn't mind them coming around," she said. "But they did not want to be married to them."

Blackmon will join churches and community groups in some 200 cities nationwide taking a moment on Sunday to celebrate — and they hope, encourage — lasting unions as part of Black Marriage Day.

If you can't read the whole thing, at least jump down to the bottom and read the part about them wanting to teach young girls how to handle a "crush". Hmmm.

Because, grown folks know that "crushes" are just that. They totally CRUSH you but you get over it. So. If we know that (which we do), why wouldn't we want to tell our little girls to keep their legs closed longer? Imagine if we could convince our little girls that they do not have to "drop it like its hot" to get and keep the kind of man we know that they need to keep them and their children from ending up on welfare for generations.

Now imagine what our communities would look like if we taught our little girls that those little horny 13-year-boys most likely WILL NOT end up being their husbands. Statistics show that there's a 60% chance that he'll either end up on drugs, end up in prison, end up dead, or end up dating your best friend's husband by the time that he's 25 years old. Maybe with HIV/AIDS. Right?

So. Why wouldn't we grown folks just break down and start telling our little girls to keep their legs closed at least long enough for them

(1) to find a job that pays at least $20 hr.,

(2) go to college and maintain a grade point average that lets you know that she's serious and not just looking for new men (if she's worn all the men around the neighborhood out already), or

(3) make sure that that little boy marries them. (After he finishes that class at the community college and gets that certificate.)

Imagine.

Well. Anyway, I know that it's the weekend. But....imagine what our communities would look like with a "Daddy" in every house (With a job!).

I'm excited.