Wonderful Women Of The World
Posted by Michelle Moquin on May 21st, 2012
Good morning
I’ve blogged about Trayvon Martin’s case and his murderer George Zimmerman. And we’ve discussed the “just us” justice with this case…or really the injustice with this case. But what I haven’t blogged about is Martin’s courageous mother Sybrina Fulton, who has from day one demanded justice for her son.
In the midst of Fulton’s pain and sorrow for the loss of her son Trayvon, Fulton, has continued to be a force to be reckoned with. Her fight has grown into a national fight for her son and for others who have and who might fall victim to racial profiling. She been called “the mother of the new civil rights movement” and “this generation’s Rosa Parks.”
Even though it is not Saturday, any day is a day to recognize a Wonderful Woman of The World. And today I want to give that title to Sybrina Fulton. I support you completely.
Trayvon Martin’s mother gets an ovation at Balto. church
Sybrina Fulton addresses the congregation at the Empowerment Temple
Sybrina Fulton greets Baltimore’s Empowerment Temple on Sunday (Amy Davis/Baltimore Sun / May 20, 2012)
As Trayvon Martin‘s mother stood at the altar of Baltimore’s Empowerment Temple on Sunday, the Rev. Jamal-Harrison Bryant asked for anyone whose child had also been the victim of “senseless violence” to come forward.
At least a dozen women and men assembled at Sybrina Fulton’s feet before she stepped down to grab one of them. She squeezed the woman, patted her back and whispered in her ear. Then Fulton moved down the line, tightly embracing each mother, grandmother and father, each of them too familiar with loss, until she’d touched them all.
Congregants erupted into deafening applause and brushed away tears.
“If it was your child you would not want it swept under the rug,” Bryant said, his voice booming through the sound system. “Cheer for them like their child’s memory will not be in vain.”
Earlier Fulton told the congregation that she was visiting the mega-church to see some of the thousands who have stood with her family to demand justice for her son, who was fatally shot in Florida this winter. Thousands nationwide have rallied to the cause.
Few supporters have been more forceful — or more present — than the church’s pastor, Bryant, who has been at Fulton’s side since shortly after Martin’s death.
Martin, 17, died on Feb. 26 after he was shot by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer in Sanford, Fla. Though not initially charged with a crime, Zimmerman now faces a second-degree murder charge. He says he acted in self defense.
Bryant, a former NAACP youth director, says he was the first out-of-town leader to get to Florida to support the family. He learned of the situation only because a former NAACP colleague called him to ask for help mobilizing a protest.
The pastor says he bonded quickly with Fulton and Martin’s father, Tracy Martin.
“They were amazed that someone from Baltimore thought that much of them to come,” Bryant said. “I had no idea it would come to the national stage.”
Fulton, who brought her mother, aunt and sister with her to Baltimore, praised Bryant extravagantly, as did her attorney, Ben Crump, who also spoke at the church.
“At the beginning, Pastor Bryant was there to help support this family … telling them that God [doesn't] make mistakes and there will be justice,” Crump said.
Before she went out to meet the congregation, Fulton told reporters that this trip and others she’s made recently aren’t just for her son but for all young people who might be the victims of racial profiling.
“I’m not just working for Trayvon,” she said. “I’m working on behalf of other kids, their futures, and I’m fighting for them.”
Parishioners were eager to see Fulton, whom they’ve spent so much time thinking about and campaigning for in recent months. Bryant has made the Trayvon Martin case a frequent part of his sermons, encouraging parishioners to wear hoodies one Sunday in honor of the garment Martin was wearing when he died.
Before services started, Lora Mayo stood over her great-nephew Khori Gray as a friend tried to attach a recalcitrant clip-on tie to the 7-year-old’s collar.
“I’m interested in how she copes,” Mayo said of Fulton. Speaking of Khori, she said, “A part of me would be gone if I were to lose him.”
Fulton took the dais to a standing ovation. Bryant called her “the mother of the new civil rights movement” and “this generation’s Rosa Parks.”
“It’s so easy for me to cry right now, but I can’t because I have work to do,” she told the congregation. “I was forced into this position, but I believe God is using me.”
Fulton, wearing a gray cocktail suit with sparkling buttons, said the support of people like the Empowerment Temple’s parishioners has helped keep her going. She said she cries every day but prays, too.
“My heart is filled right now,” she told the congregation, which gave her a standing ovation. “Just to see you all, just to see Baltimore and to know your pastor stands beside me.”
Later in his sermon, Bryant addressed recent news reports that an autopsy revealed Martin had traces of marijuana in his system when he died. Bryant wondered why police would test Martin for drugs. And he wondered why the finding was important.
“There may have been traces of marijuana in his system,” Bryant said of Martin, “but there is no question that George Zimmerman had hate running through his.”
*******
Readers: I have been trying to post the video but to no avail. Click here or on the title if you want to see it. Anything to say…blog me.
Ruth: Bravo. Love the post.
Christine: Thank you.
Anna of Guam: Congrats to Miss Jeneva Bosko. She is a beauty. I HOPE you are well. Hafa adai.
Peter: Thank you. Hafa adai.
PEACE OUT
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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May 21st, 2012 at 10:24 am
Actually what we are really dealing with in the “let’s not be monogamous department are men who want to fuck around and be excused.
Yes, Zen Lill, women do it to but not nearly to the extent men do. This is predominately a man’s pastime. So how should we go about resolving the angst of male primal urges?
How about we treat the monogamy issue like obesity – another instance where our genetic predispositions (drive to eat high fat/sugar content foods) has conflicted with modern society (food is available 24/7 and we no longer have to expend real energy to get it).
We know that the drive to overeat is innate, and something that people must combat everyday, “when every cell in their body is craving”… burgers. Chocolate. Something fried.
But, we know that these urges are harmful in the long run – the burden on our bodies, our lives, and society (via the healthcare system).
So what do we do? Try and find a pill to fix it!
Why don’t we try and come up with a pill that will reduce a man’s sexual urges?
Throw a couple million dollars at Pfizer, have them come up with something, and guys can start taking it whenever the shine wears off with the wife and kids situation.
Then we can “reserve emotional fidelity” and finally get men and women on the same page!
Plus, with a drive-reducing pharmaceutical, we wouldn’t have to worry about all the pesky potential problems of open relations: unplanned pregnancy, children growing up without a father in the household, STD’s, expensive and emotional divorces when things go wrong, crazy ex lovers, abandoned wives and mothers…the list goes on and on (sex tends to be just as boring in the end).
May 21st, 2012 at 10:32 am
Eat Your Way to Hottie Status
You may have heard that eating nutritious foods can make your skin look healthier—but a new Scottish study shows certain foods can make your skin not just rosier, but also more sexually appealing to others!
To find out which foods can make your skin glow and how much you should eat, I did some investigating…
THE SEX APPEAL DIET—FOR MEN AND WOMEN
To start out with some basic, unaltered skin, researchers gathered a group of 35 male and female college students who hadn’t used makeup or self-tanning agents or been exposed to intensive UV rays for at least six weeks.
Researchers gave subjects questionnaires to measure how many servings of fruits and vegetables they were consuming daily at the study’s start and then tracked any natural changes in their produce-eating habits that occurred over six weeks.
In other words, subjects weren’t told to eat any more or any fewer fruits and veggies, said lead researcher Ross Whitehead, MSc, BSc, a PhD candidate in the school of psychology at University of St. Andrews in Scotland.
Researchers studied changes only in fruit and vegetable consumption—not overall diets—because these foods are most likely to affect skin color in a perceptible way, said Whitehead.
They also measured something called the “spectral reflectance changes” of the participants’ skin using different wavelengths of light.
Basically, through that test, they were able to confirm that any changes in the look of the skin were happening due to the absorption of nutrients in fruits and veggies and not due to sun exposure.
Researchers had suspected that subjects would have to increase their consumption of fruits and veggies by a certain amount in order for others to notice a change in the color of their skin (more red and yellow hues) and find them more attractive.
What they discovered is that without being guided, some subjects naturally increased their consumption of fruits and veggies during the study…some naturally decreased their consumption…and others ate the same amount as always.
Findings:
Those who naturally increased their consumption of fruits or veggies by at least three servings a day had a noticeable increase in pigmentation…
those who didn’t change their produce consumption by three or more servings a day didn’t look noticeably different…and those who decreased their produce consumption became noticeably paler.
A second study asked a different set of undergrads to rate whether or not people who had more color in their faces due to eating more fruits and veggies looked healthier and more attractive.
Researchers used a computer to manipulate photos of people so they could show what a face would look like if the person had increased his or her consumption of fruits and vegetables by three portions a day.
(They didn’t use photos of people from the first study—they used different people whose expressions were blank, so smiling wouldn’t affect the results.)
Photos simulating the higher intake of fruits and veggies were rated as healthier-looking and more attractive.
THE SECRET INGREDIENTS
Carotenoids, such as carotene and lycopene, are organic pigments that occur naturally in plants, and they are the magicians behind the skin transformation, said Whitehead.
These compounds can be found in many bright red, yellow and orange fruits and vegetables (such as carrots, mangoes, apricots, sweet potatoes, papaya, bell peppers and tomatoes), and they’re also found in many dark green vegetables (such as kale, collard greens and spinach).
One limitation in the study worth noting is that only Caucasians were studied, so Whitehead isn’t sure whether the same effects hold true among people of color.
Whitehead said that it’s important to eat a balanced diet, including a little fat, along with your fruits and veggies for the best chance of receiving the skin color benefits.
“It’s key to have at least a little fat in your daily diet, since carotenoids and other vitamins and minerals are transported in the blood exclusively in fatty proteins,” he said.
Any type of fat will do, he explained, though unsaturated is better for you. How much fat depends on your personal caloric intake, said Whitehead, and you don’t have to eat the fat simultaneously with the fruit or vegetable, but you can.
For example, try drizzling a teaspoon of olive oil over broccoli spears or smearing a teaspoon of peanut butter onto slices of an apple. Yum!
Source: Ross Whitehead, MSc, BSc, doctoral candidate, School of Psychology, University of St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland, whose research was published in March online in PLoS ONE.
May 21st, 2012 at 10:35 am
Question: Who on earth would benefit by paying people to post here in support of George Zimmerman?
Answer: the NRA.
May 21st, 2012 at 10:37 am
On one hand, supporters say Zimmerman did stop the pursuit at the behest of dispatch and was returning to his vehicle.
When distances between Zimmerman’s vehicle and the crime scene say otherwise indicating a continuing chase, supporters then claim ambiguity of the dispatcher’s words.
It cannot be both. If people wish to believe that Zimmerman stopped the chase because of what the dispatcher advised, then Zimmerman would know exactly what the dispatcher was conveying.
In my opinion Zimmerman knew (his “OK” indicates his understanding) but chose to ignore.
In the call, I counted the seconds between the door ajar alarms and Zimmerman’s “OK”. Only about 16 seconds? I believe the crime scene is more than 16 seconds away,
May 21st, 2012 at 10:39 am
The Defense only has their client who is being caught is lies.
We now know from the girlfriend that Zimmerman did in fact confront trayvon and that he never returned to his car.
Zimmerman profiled, followed and attacked a kid doing nothing
May 21st, 2012 at 10:45 am
I have a hard time fathoming a Black person, unless he is very young and unlearned of realities of being Black in America, sympathizing with George Zimmerman.
This is a grown man who claims to have been frightened and provoked a teen. A teen mind you who was being pursued simply because he was black and therefore looked suspicious.
Having had my life threatened by whites numerous times for merely being Black, the most recent time being last year IN THE PARKING LOT of MY PLACE of employment and consequently where I have a parking spot with my name on it, I can’t but have sympathy for Travyon.
May 21st, 2012 at 10:46 am
For the first few moments of this case, I too, had sympathy for trayvon…and because he was so young, as a mother I still have a tiny bit.
I am ENRAGED by his parents. He’d be alive if he’d been raised right, by black or white standards of decency.
May 21st, 2012 at 10:53 am
You people are completely ignoring Z’s Black background, his BLACK neighbors and friends, the FACT that he wasn’t at all sure about TM’s race when he made the initial call to police dispatch. Because it suits your HATE and suits your purpose.
May 21st, 2012 at 10:55 am
Patti, If your concept of being “raised right” is defined by a teenage boy of perfection and never prone to trouble, and doesn’t defend himself out of perceived danger, then we live in entirely two different worlds and a healthy dialogue between you and I is inconceivable.
The way I see it, had Trayvon been white, Zimmerman would have proceeded to his alleged trip to the grocery store with his firearm.
Please explain to how that figures into your dumb ass white logic so that you arrive at if he had been raised decent.
Or do you really mean if he had been white?
May 21st, 2012 at 10:57 am
Brad, Zimmerman’s background is irrelevant. His background doesn’t alter his perception of Black males.
Having a distant Black relative is laughable. I have distance white relatives and society has never given me a pass for such.
I hate no one but I’m also not unaware of the mistreatment of Blacks that still persists in this country as I’ve been the victim of such one too many times. And that is the reality that white boys like you want to pretend doesn’t exist.
May 21st, 2012 at 10:58 am
Zimmerman is not African American.
Zimmerman has never lived the life of an African American and the hardship that accompanies it.
Zimmerman is multiracial like many Americans, but he is not regarded as Black and lives on the benefits of white privilege righted by his father.
May 21st, 2012 at 10:59 am
When White People Rage, Pillage and Loot: I’m sure they’ll get pass for this. What is it called? White privilege?
NATO protesters bloodied in clashes with police:
http://www.suntimes.com/12654223-761/riot-gear-cops-rain-down-blows-on-protesters.html
May 21st, 2012 at 11:01 am
I’m white and I believe Trayvon had a right to be where he was and was not committing a crime when Zimmerman pursued and provoked him.
May 21st, 2012 at 11:05 am
Michelle that “Health Info” article was just another example of white america using the tax dollars of all americans for white bullshit.
Here they are testing to find out what foods will make whitey less pale so she/he will be appealing to other whites. But they hate OTWs because they are not white. Go figure.
I like the fact that you are so uncensored that you allow every kind of expression. This is one that serves to show that whites are as narcissistic as ever.
Which means that Zimmerman will walk.
Alycedale
May 21st, 2012 at 3:51 pm
Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a great weekend!
First, I want to start by extending my condolences to the family of Tom Fuentes, former chairman of the Orange County, Calif. GOP and board member of Eagle Publishing (our parent company). Tom passed away after a long battle with cancer this past weekend and will sorely be missed. Many conservatives idolized Tom and paid tribute to him this past weekend on Human Events. Make sure to read the moving tribute. Rest in peace, Tom.
Some stories we are working on — Please take a look at the analysis from Robert Maginnis on the G8 Summit and what it means for austerity in the Eurozone. Lots of challenges facing Greece and Spain. What will Merkel do with a new president in France next door? Should be very interesting in the next few weeks and months.
The former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich has penned an exclusive piece for our print publication this week that we are sharing online. It is below. It outlines what Newt believes should be the GOP platform in Tampa. Extremely well written and thought out piece from the former presidential candidate.
And finally, take a look at Audrey’s print story that speaks to the age-old debate in the environment community: when does the countless red tape in gov’t go too far? Well, I think you can safely say this is one of those instances.
That and a lot more, only at HumanEvents.com.
-Adam
May 21st, 2012 at 4:00 pm
New Addictive Video Games May Tear You and Your Spouse Apart
Video games have come a long way since Pacman, Donkey Kong and Super Mario. Those were innocent, 2D games where the goal was to get your smiley character from, say, level one to level 10 to “win.”
But newer “Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games” (MMORPGs) are much more intense. In these often dark worlds, you fight off enemies to complete a quest.
You don’t just play against yourself or a person sitting next to you—you play against thousands of players all over the world—either through a computer, a game console such as PlayStation 3 or a phone.
These aren’t games with a definite finish line—they are mazes that never end and there is a giant universe of competitors, so you can easily get sucked into playing them for hours per day.
These games aren’t always just minor hobbies. Like a drug or an alcoholic drink, these MMORPGs can be addictive—and a new study shows that they can wreak extreme havoc on your most intimate relationship, causing even more damage than you might think.
HOW GAMING CAN DRIVE YOU APART
The study, which was done by researchers at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, found that among 329 married couples who were, on average, in their 30s, video game playing had either a very positive or a very negative effect on their relationships—depending on whether one or both spouses played.
The results: In couples in which only one spouse played, about 73% reported that gaming had either a “very negative,” “negative” or “slightly negative” effect on their marital relationship.
They were also nearly twice as likely to report that gaming leads to quarreling compared with couples in which both spouses played.
On the other hand, in couples in which both spouses played, about 76% reported that gaming had either a “very positive,” “positive,” or “slightly positive” effect on their marital relationship.
It could be true, of course, that when spouses fight a lot about other issues, one of them runs to play a game to avoid the conflict.
But these findings suggest that the gaming itself could be the source of the conflict.
To learn more about the results, I called Neil Lundberg, PhD, one of the study’s lead authors and associate professor of recreation management and youth leadership at Brigham Young.
YOU’RE IN THE ROOM BUT MENTALLY GONE
So why might gaming negatively affect couples in which only one spouse plays?
Gaming can disconnect one spouse from his family and encourage him to neglect household responsibilities, Dr. Lundberg said. “About 82% of game play time happens from 6 pm to 11 pm, when people usually are off work and at home.
So when one spouse is physically present but fully engrossed in the game, the other spouse may feel neglected,” he added.
What’s worse: Even when gamers were not actually playing the game, they were still thinking about the game.
Gamers may not feel the need for as much interpersonal connection as their partners—because they get their “intimacy fix” by cooperating and competing with other online players, Dr. Lundberg explained.
Meanwhile, even though this study was about gamers, it somehow seemed like the modern-day version of golf widows, football widows and the age old marital challenge of keeping spouses connected while individuals pursue their own interests.
Dr. Lundberg’s advice can be adapted to all of these situations—figure out ways to stay connected while creating relationship rules that allow each partner to pursue his or her passion as well.
GET ON THE SAME TEAM
How can you help your marriage and still get to play your game?
Game with your spouse. But both partners have to truly be interested in the game. If one partner is bored but plays to please his or her spouse, resentment will grow. Consider picking a game together so that you will both enjoy it.
Go to bed at the same time. Talking about the day, snuggling or reading side-by-side rejuvenates a marriage.
One couple in the study established the rule that even if the husband was going to get up a short while later to play a game, he would go to bed when his wife did.
Create clear expectations.
Instead of “I will play for a little bit,” ask your gaming spouse to say, “I will play for one hour.”
Try marital counseling if all else fails.
And whether you game, quilt or bicycle ride, be sure to share the experience with your partner by at least telling him or her all about it.
May 22nd, 2012 at 6:21 am
Claire, I believe the military had a solution yeeaarrsss ago: salt Peter (hmm, cool name : )
I cannot argue who does what or thinks of it first, you are likely correct since we are all biologically wired differently, though I do know a handful of women who seem to be (key word: seem) having a rather open door policy.
I don’t hate males for having lots of testosterone, just know who you’re dealing with…alpha males tend to be sought after and they are the ones with the abundance of testosterone and not only do they want to spread it around but most women are asking for their attention (unconsciously they are who we find more attractive, studies have been done on this subject, with strong analysis) even when they know that particular male is taken, they don’t often care much about their fellow females pair bonding solidarity with said man (until they get dumped unceremoniously), and that requires a very strong male psyche to turn it all down, they are not usually built that way. Strong physically does not mean strong in all ways.
I’m neither supporting not knocking any of it down, instincts and biology, as well as subconscious behavior run the show. Perhaps if the monogamy programming for women and men were flipped from birth an amazing transformation would take place in terms of who is wired for what, though that hot element of testosterone might fall away, boo…
I just prefer knowing what type I’m dealing with and act accordingly and no, I will not say what accordingly is for me personally, you’ll have to guess : D
Luv, Zen Lill
PS Alycedale, I think you’re correct, Zimmerman will walk at the end of the day. The very much white JUST-us system being what it is….
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