“If You Want To Make The World A Better Place…..
Posted by Michelle Moquin on June 26th, 2009
…take a look at yourself and make the change.”
Didn’t Michael Jackson say it best?
I love this song…this video. Michael Jackson’s performance of “Man in the Mirror” live at the 1988 Grammy Awards with a Gospel Choir, is one of the most inspiring songs to hear and watch. Michael is magical. I can’t help but be moved to tears. His words are words that speak to me today…words whose meaning is even stronger than they were, when he first blessed us with this amazing and beautiful song. His words have meaning and a message that we all need to listen to, for his words are modern and meaningful….especially now.
Michael.…”You are one of the greatest musicians and entertainers of all time. Your work is genius. You as a person, your music and your moves, move me like no other. I will miss your aliveness, your passion, and your childlike nature that allowed your talent to shine. I will miss you. You are gone but your spirit lives on….”
*************
Readers: I have read all of your comments and I do want to respond. I have some time this morning but I really just want to end it here. I encourage all of you to listen to Michael’s song. If his words don’t inspire you to make the change, I don’t know what will. Michael’s words have been my mantra for the past 24 hours….I can’t seem to get them out of my mind….and I think that’s a good thing.
Peace & Love: “Live it, Give it!”
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: Your Bad Ass Bitch Editor
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June 26th, 2009 at 8:38 am
Travel in Style: Secrets to Getting the Best Time-Share Deals
Bill Rogers
Time-shares, as a form of vacation property, are more popular than ever. Today, approximately four million people own time-shares around the world. More and more, brand-name companies like Disney, Marriott and Ritz-Carlton are selling their own versions, sometimes called “fractional ownership” or “vacation clubs.”
If you love to travel, time-shares can be a great option. But it’s important to educate yourself about what owning a time-share involves and to be sure you know what you want to get out of owning one.
TIME-SHARE BASICS
A time-share is the right to use a particular property on a recurring basis. The typical time-share has a dozen or so owners, each of whom owns a week or more of specific time (such as the first week of August) at a property everyone is responsible for jointly.
Almost always, the owners pay a property management company to tend lawns, remove garbage and attend to other needs to minimize hassles. Plus, time-share developments often include amenities, such as swimming pools, golf courses and tennis courts.
Time-shares are cheaper than buying a property outright, and they eliminate many of the maintenance headaches. Another significant appeal is the flexibility time-shares offer — they give you the option of renting your time out or trading it for time at other time-shares. And if you no longer want the share, you can resell it.
BUYING TIPS
My number-one tip for making a smart time-share purchase is never buy retail! The price on a new property being sold by a developer is typically nearly 50% higher than an individual owner will charge to resell you his share.
An annual week at a beachfront Hawaii resort from a major hotel chain will cost at least $40,000. A share at the same property being resold by a prior owner will usually fetch half of that. For instance, a one-bedroom suite at Marriott Ocean Club on Maui with one-week high-season use recently was listed “for sale by owner” in the Timeshare Users Group classifieds for $19,000 (tug2net), half of what a comparable room in a new expansion at the property sold for in the past year. Other tips…
• Buy it only if you’ll use it. Buy a time-share for enjoyment, not investment. Time-shares have a bad reputation because unscrupulous salespeople push them as investments. The real estate boom also had many people believing that they would make significant profits. The truth is, you are very unlikely to ever make money on a time-share. Think of it as you would a car — you are not going to end up selling your car at a profit — you buy it to use it.
With that in mind, ask yourself whether buying a time-share will really be better for you than staying in a hotel. Renting a hotel room involves much less commitment, but means sacrificing the additional square footage, location and benefits of familiarity a time-share often provides.
• Keep maintenance fees in mind. The purchase price of a time-share is only part of what you pay. Every share has maintenance fees owners have to pay whether they use the property or not. Fees generally run $400 to $800 a year for every share week, depending on what amenities are included. At the high end, fees usually include use of the property’s golf course or some similar perk.
• Pick your location carefully. Only buy in a location where you want to spend time every year — whether you use it or not, you’re paying for it. If you think you may want to rent your share to others occasionally, then owning time during the high season in a popular destination is important to maximize your chances of finding a taker. A share in Florida is certainly going to have a better chance of getting rented if it’s for January than for July.
In Florida and the Caribbean, the most popular time-share areas, list your rental as far in advance as possible, since there’s a lot of competition from owners who are renting, plus unsold inventory from developers who are also trying to rent. Anything less than 45 days out and you’ll be forced to rent it at a bargain-basement price.
EXCHANGE ESSENTIALS
One major advantage of owning time-shares is being able to exchange a week in your share for a week in someone else’s. Keep these points in mind…
• You can trade shares only for ones of similar quality. No one will trade a week at his five-star property for a week at your discount club, no matter what your location.
• Get recommendations. To make sure that the person trading with you isn’t overstating the quality of his property and its amenities, find recommendations from other time-share owners who have used the resort you’re considering. The Time-share Users Group has extensive reviews of most every resort, while other Web sites, such as TripAdvisor (tripadvisor.com), are also good for finding traveler reviews of properties.
• Join an exchange service. Make sure that your time-share resort is a member of one of two time-share exchange services — RCI (800-338-7777, rci.com, annual membership $89) or Interval International (888-784-3447, intervalworld.com, annual membership $84). Between them, they cover 98% of the time-share market. Both are fine companies and either will provide a plethora of choices. Exchanges are made directly through RCI or Interval International and not with the other owners. Trades are made from weeks that other owners have deposited with the exchange companies, and you will pay an exchange fee to the company for each trade (that’s in addition to the membership fee).
Before agreeing to swap: If you are not using RCI or Interval International, call the property and confirm independently with the management that the person has the right to exchange the share for the time you’re considering. If there are amenities that are important to you, like a golf course or gym access, confirm their availability, too.
Retirement interviewed Bill Rogers, Orange Park, Florida, who founded the Timeshare Users Group Web site in 1993 after being disappointed with an exchange he made with his Hilton Head, South Carolina, time-share, tug2net. The site has many free areas for time-share novices and experts alike, with additional areas available for a $15 annual fee.
June 26th, 2009 at 8:43 am
Hafa adai Michael Jackson we loved you here on Guam tool
Anna
June 26th, 2009 at 8:49 am
Never a fan of the man/boy (different taste) I always reserve my judgement, GOD is the final judge, I agree, he did have a world of fans and so many loved his music. I just think is sad to die so young and not to have known how to enjoy all that he was given, his talent, his beauty, his big family/ friends, his wealth etc. To begin with, life is so short and precious, we need to learn to make the most of it. He did seem like an adorable little child in those early pictures, why didn’t he loved himself as God made him?
June 26th, 2009 at 8:51 am
Thank you so much for your words today. I have been staying away from the media. I do not want to hear what “they” say about Michael.
Your tribute has allowed me to cry and face my loss since I heard the news. I was denying my attachment to Michael because I was angry with the media, angry with his doctors, angry with those who surrounded him over the past decade or so. Just so angry. But now I can remember him with love and affection and finally cry.
Thank you.
June 26th, 2009 at 8:51 am
Thank you for your article. Most of us are simply heartbroken and still in shock. Yet, perhaps, none of us ever really pictured Michael growing to be an ‘old man’. The loss is so great. For me as someone in my early 50′s, June 25, 2009 will be a day I remember that a part of my childhood died losing 2 icons (Michael and Farrah) that I grew up with. I have always believed in Michael’s innocence because it was always so obvious that he surrounded himself with children because he never had a childhood and children’s innocence is what inspired him. He will forever be remembered, having inspired generations of people.
June 26th, 2009 at 8:52 am
Michael’s life had some tragic aspects that should be a lesson to us all. I believe society’s condemnation of Michael’s eccentricities and friendships with boys was overly harsh. His own need to reinvent himself and his reliance on pain medications was indicative of his life-long struggle with self esteem.
The doctor’s who enabled his prescription drug addiction should be indicted if it is found that an overdose led to his death. Bad prescription drug reactions lead to almost 100,000 deaths every year in this country. Perhaps this will draw some attention to this epidemic.
June 26th, 2009 at 8:53 am
Beautiful compassionate and brave tribute.
June 26th, 2009 at 8:54 am
This kind and loving tribute has brought me to tears. My memories of Michael are different but I feel especially compelling right now as I work through my own losses which are put in perspective by you yet again.
I love you – thank you.
June 26th, 2009 at 8:54 am
Wonderful tribute. Thank you
June 26th, 2009 at 8:56 am
Last night I sat transfixed for hours in front of my TV, and listened as so many tried to speak with heart and respect toward the legend that Michael was, and is. Suzanne DePasse and Donna Summer were the two that stood out. Suzanne spoke of the Joy she felt, watching him perform, and insisting to her new boss Berry Gordy that he absolutely had to see this talent. Her memories seemed fresh and real, as if they happened yesterday. Donna Summer spoke of his perfectionism, and how anyone that was influenced by him, (or if more fortunate, happened to work with Michael) that immediately “you wanted to up your game.” Donna’s concern had always been that in some ways, “Michael was a sitting duck…” waiting for others to take advantage.
When he was creating his art, and standing on the stage, that was the only image any of us “knew” The magic, the talent, the energy, the drive. The rest of Michael’s heart and brain, will always be between Michael and a select few.
June 26th, 2009 at 8:58 am
I hope Michael finds the peace in his next life he wasn’t able to find in this one.
June 26th, 2009 at 9:00 am
I never believed the media stories about Michael, as it just didn’t make sense (though I admittedly never knew him personally). If you look at his life and his music, it is obvious that he was a man filled wtih love and compassion for all. Truly wanting to make the world a better place.
He will be sorely missed.
June 26th, 2009 at 9:01 am
I am conflicted right now but I fear my overwhelming sensation is reflecting on the sadness and pain Michael Jackson lived most of his life. He gave so much joy to so many with his musicality and I keep asking myself – what did he get in return? Clearly, my question surpasses the material realm because that does not substantiate the soul or feeling of inner worth. An abusive and imbalanced childhood leading to grave mis-perceptions and the sense of never belonging, never trusting while always facing the harsh glare of a world very unkind to perceived “abnormalities”… the most famous man on the face of this earth was also, the loneliest… yes, his music will live on perhaps forever, but I just can’t shake the feeling of the sadness Michael lived inside his head. The Law of Giving and Receiving states that which is given is equally metered out in return – His gift to us all was an inner joy when listening to his music – what did he get in return? I’m just trying to come to grips with the life of a man who left us with so much but yet, left with so little…
June 26th, 2009 at 9:02 am
beautiful!
I’m watching “Bad” on video right now – his confidence as a performer hid his inner demons.
I have forgotten about his sadness and have chosen to focus on the love he gave to so many (with as you say – not much in return)
His legacy will live on like Elvis, Marilyn, and all those other super stars that died way too young.
June 26th, 2009 at 9:05 am
Michelle:
You speak with grace, spiritual insight, love and a balanced perspective. Thanks for this and everything you do to make the world a better place.
Life ain’t so bad at all
When you’re living off the wall.
June 26th, 2009 at 9:35 am
Hi Mischa, I love today’s tribute to Michael, excellent lyrics – and he did his part to make this world a better place. I went way back for my tribute, the ABC video – the day the world fell in love with little Michael : ) so young, so talented, so sad…I know the mother of his children, I hope the media won’t tear her apart, she and his kids don’t need/want that kind of attention, I hope they’ll observe the families request for privacy.
Anonymous and proud of it (btw, that’s a name/identifier) – I get your point, carry on, if I have something to say re: anonymous comments I say it, I just won’t address a #, and that’s my choice also. Also, if you don’t enjoy the ZL repartee over at my site, you are free not to read it. I asked today, the ‘are my rules for commenting too rigid’ bc I am curious since I impose no such boundaries on anyone. Intersetinly enough, I receive a flurry of private e-mail’s when the repartee does engage my audience (usually about relationships) so I’m thinking you may have a bone to pick with me that no one else does, no matter, I don’t write for any one person, I just write…
Also, to assume that Mischa would be so smug about you anonymouses is, well, assumptive on your part, no? how do you know what her reaction would be???
RE: the gay exchange with several anonymouses, I have many gay males friends who tell me the 10%/40% factors are about right and Lesbian friends who tell me even higher. I’m not sure, does one need to label people who may have had a OTO (one time only) with a same sex partner (or several with many pertners even)? I’m asking…
Caio, Zen Lill
June 26th, 2009 at 9:59 am
Zen Lill
I didn’t mean to offend you. I was saying the repartee was not as aggressive as my taste run. However, it would seem to me that the people who prefer to answer one on one via email are more timid about sharing their views than those who would place them on a blog site anonymously.
At least on the blog someone besides the blog master can comment on their comment. But each to her/his on comfort level I say.
June 26th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Dearest anonymous (and proud of it), you are sweet, you did not offend me, thank you for addressing the possibility though. I suppose I could examine my own need to defend myself sometimes, eh? It’s kind of a futile endeavor…
I agree re: my commenters privacy, I have used their stance within their comments anonymously to make another point in my repartee on ocassion.
I hear you re: agressiveness of Mischa’s topics as oppossed to my choices, I play with softer subjects (my real life is edgy enough right now, that’ll change…eventually) I’ve been told I’m strong yet very subtle on numerous ocassions in life, it seems that plays out in my blog entries as well, I don’t think it’s a bad or good thing, it just is…
- ZL
June 26th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
GUAM MOURNS THE KING OF POP
BY NICHOLAS LANE • PACIFIC DAILY NEWS • JUNE 27, 2009
The world lost an iconic legend after the sudden death of pop superstar Michael Jackson yesterday. News of his death spread quickly across the globe.
Jackson, 50, died after suffering cardiac arrest. Local Dr. Thomas Shieh, who considers himself a fan , reacted to the singer’s death yesterday. He became a fan of Jackson around the time of the release of Jackson’s legendary “Thriller” album.
“I was shocked actually,” says Shieh on when he learned of Jackson’s death. “When the news said he had a cardiac arrest, I thought that couldn’t be right.”
Shieh’s favorite songs from the late artist are “Billie Jean” and “Save the World.” He says the whole world will be remembering Jackson’s music because that’s what touched everybody’s hearts.
Mary Mafnas, a mother of two from Mongmong, was a fan of the Jackson 5 when she was younger. As she grew, so did her taste in music, but she always liked Jackson best when he was part of the group.
“Especially, if it’s someone you appreciated or enjoyed like with the Jackson 5, it’s just sad,” says Mafnas of the King of Pop’s death.
“It makes me wonder about his family because I don’t think he was a very happy person. I think he put on a facade in good faith, but I don’t think he was very happy. To me, that’s what’s sad.”
James Muna attended George Washington High School in the 1980s and owned an original “Thriller”-style jacket. Muna was a breakdancer at the time and he says one of the highlights of his dance style was the moonwalk, made famous by Jackson. Muna heard about Jackson’s death through a coworker yesterday morning.
“It’s pretty sad and tragic,” Muna says. “I’m almost certain whether people liked his music or not, he influenced people in some way.”
Sinajana Vice Mayor Robert Hofmann used to impersonate Jackson during his teen years, when Jackson was “at the top of his game”, as he describes it. He says he fit the physical profile, and the dancing was easy for him to learn and pick up. He says he was also most influenced by the “Thriller” album, and performed at pep rallies and schools. Though he is saddened by the artist’s passing, he can’t help but fondly reminisce his younger years.
“I was teasing people that I would be out for bereavement for seven days,” Hofmann says.
“I think he’s a giant in the industry and a legend in his own rank. I’m saddened because the world lost a fantastic entertainer.”
June 26th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Hafa adai
I’m still a big Michael fan. He was a victim of racism in so many ways and the bigots are still after slandering him whenever they can.
Chamorros need to resist allowing the white boy to put us against other OTWs. We need to wise up. This is a world big enough for everyone. Look in the mirror and change.
_____________________________________
GUAM – In an apparent attempt to get to the bottom of what’s causing a number of Northern Marianas residents to complain about an alleged federal immigration harassment trend on Guam, CNMI Governor Benigno Fitial has gone too far in his assessment by publicly suspecting an old feud between Guam Chamorros and CNMI Chamorros as the cause.
As news surfaced that citizens of the Freely Associated States may also have suffered mistreatment by federal immigration officials at the Guam Airport, Fitial told today’s Saipan Tribune:
__________________________________________
Peter
“We suspect it’s more of Saipan-Guam people but I don’t know what it is between Guam and other [Pacific] nations. We have this feud between the Chamorros of Guam and Chamorros of the CNMI. That’s what we suspect. I hope we’re wrong,” Fitial said.
And we hope Fitial and his supporters are wrong, too. It would be an unfortunate circumstance indeed if a federal official of Guam-Chamorro descent were to abuse his or her power by singling out and harassing CNMI Chamorros and CNMI residents because of their ethnicity and Northern Marianas affiliation. But at this early pre-investigation stage of the alleged harassment, it is damaging for leaders from the CNMI or Guam to jump to conclusions and take an us-against-them stance before any conclusions have been reached.
If he honestly “suspected” no other motive than a decades-old “Chamorro feud”, it would have been more acceptable if he had expressed his hunch with a desire to heal old wounds.
Guam Governor Felix Camacho has expressed such a desire many times throughout his administration. It is a desire rooted as much in the clear benefits of economic cooperation as it is in a hankering for a unified Chamorro identity. Ultimately it is a recognition that together we are stronger.
John Dela Rosa contributed to this analysis.
Read the Saipan Tribune story, “‘FAS citizens also mistreated at Gaum airport’”, June 26, 2009.
June 26th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Hafa Adai and Aloha to those of you in the Pacific. If you want to learn about your near futures, you can read my comment on yesterdays blog. It is #51(the last comment). This information can help with your anxieties about North Korea. They came straight from Carr’s mouth to my ears.
Believe what you want or find out your futures now.
HOWIE
June 26th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Howie
You have made a grave mistake telling the world you are a source of information that is highly classified. If the events you described happens as you have claimed they would, do you think that the world government spies that monitor many web sites will actually believe that you got this information from a “god?”
Those governments including your own will be all over you and any communication devices you may be using. What you did was stupid if you actually have access to that type of information.
It is known that the US has lined up its allies and other countries that are within the range of collateral damage of a retaliatory strike by the U.S. to make known that the US will defend its sovereign integrity most aggressively.
China, Russia, and South Korea are on board with this provided the US doesn’t provoke the North Koreans by boarding their cargo vessel, the Kang Nam in open waters.
China and Russia has insisted that an attempt be made to search the Kang Nam when it docks at Myanmar’s Thilawa port in about 20 days.
The US has assured Singapore that it will protect it from any retaliatory action by North Korea should it refuse to refuel the Kang Nam.
Your insertion of facts that could be true could upset the balance of agreements made between those nations. That could make you guilty of treason.
I would suggest that in the future you refrain from bragging about information that could cause panic and interfere with your government’s ability to protect it citizens.
Anonz
June 26th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
My Fantasies are just that. I live a life of pain and suffering and lack of mobility because of my injuries and illnesses. I get on my computer and I can dream about Aliens and anything I choose. That is what blogs are for. You can be as important or remake yourself to be anything you want. You can vent about what concerns you and get things off your chest.
I do not personally know anyone on this blog. I stumbled onto it and found it interesting – talking about anything in the World and I can give my opinions and feel good afterward. I hope I haven’t hurt anyone except for Racists like George with my comments.
I am amazed that I am taken seriously sometimes with the crap I throw out there.
Chill out. You people can’t possibly believe anything you read anywhere, especially on a blog.
Just wanted to let you know before I start World War III with my Fantasies. I barely leave my house and this is entertainment for me. If you like I can sell you a nice slightly used bridge in Manhattan.
HOWIE
June 26th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
I love Michael and I love you too Howie. You are the man.
Maria
June 26th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
This is still good.
cClick here: I’m Voting Republican
June 26th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
oops; I’m Voting Republican
http://www.ImVotingRepublican.com
I’m Voting Republican is a satirical look at the likely outcome of another four years of Republican government. The not-so-subtle message behind the film is the importance of a united bloc of citizens willing to take the time and effort to vote Democrat in order to improve America’s domestic and foreign policy.
June 26th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
Happiness Boosters
Joe Vitale, PhD
Hypnotic Marketing, Inc.
Most people say they want to be happier, but how can they get there when they’re focused on what’s wrong instead of what’s right? Here’s terrific advice from Joe Vitale, PhD, president of Hypnotic Marketing, Inc. (www.mrfire.com), and author of Life’s Missing Instruction Manual (Wiley)…
Don’t listen to negative self-talk. You can’t stop your thoughts, but you don’t have to listen to them. When a troubling thought intrudes, remind yourself that “it’s just a thought, and I can let it go.” You may need to enlist a friend or coworker to keep an ear open for negative comments. Ask him/her to ask you, “Do you really believe that?”
Focus on the positive. There is no rule that says you must be depressed when life hits a rough stretch. Being unhappy won’t help fix your problems, but it will make your life less pleasant while you endure them.
Don’t look to blame. Blaming others won’t improve your life. Rather than ask, “Whose fault is this?” ask, “What can I do to make the best of this situation?”
Change your ways. Your “nature” is just the role you’re currently playing. If you don’t like being considered argumentative, for example, pick another role. To change your nature, change the way you act. The new behavior might feel phony at first, but keep at it and it can become your nature.
June 26th, 2009 at 8:51 pm
This also bears remembering now that we have an apology from the House.
++++++++++++++++++++++
Florida apologizes for role in slavery
TALLAHASSEE — More than 140 years after a former Florida governor described Africans as “a wild barbarian to be tamed and civilized,” the Legislature on Wednesday apologized for the state’s role in sanctioning slavery.
The House and Senate approved a resolution expressing “profound regret for the involuntary servitude of Africans, and calling for reconciliation among all Floridians.”
There was no discussion before the unanimous voice votes, but the reading of the resolution — which described how slaves’ ears were nailed to posts during whippings — brought some lawmakers, including Tampa Sen. Arthenia Joyner, to tears.
“It was painful,” said Joyner, a Democrat and black caucus member. “I tried to imagine myself under those circumstances. I mean, I know how incensed I got in the ’60s just knowing I couldn’t get into a movie!”
Gov. Charlie Crist, affectionately dubbed “Florida’s first black governor” by some black lawmakers, visited the Senate chamber to watch the vote.
In the House, Speaker Marco Rubio, R-West Miami, took the unusual step of ordering all members to their seats. And in a rare appearance, Senate President Ken Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie, sat at Rubio’s side.
“This was as sincere and as meaningful an apology as could be given,” Pruitt said. “It was important for the words to stand on their own.”
The resolution did not address reparations. Crist appeared to be open to such efforts if slave descendancy could be established. “Certainly, it’s something you’d like to be able to do,” he said.
But one black lawmaker, Sen. Al Lawson, said reparations are unlikely because they are controversial and they would cost the state so much. “But I appreciate the governor’s comment,” said Lawson, D-Tallahassee.
As news of the vote spread Thursday, public reaction on the St. Petersburg Times’ Web site, tampabay.com, varied. Some readers accused lawmakers of “wasting” time and questioned why an apology was needed when all slave owners were dead. Others said it wasn’t enough; reparations are in order. Some commended lawmakers, saying they hoped it would help heal society’s racial strife.
With Wednesday’s vote, Florida joins five other states — Alabama, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and New Jersey — that have apologized for slavery.
62,000 slaves
Florida’s apology was initiated by Sen. Tony Hill, a longtime Democratic lawmaker and head of the black caucus, who worked with Pruitt for months on the matter.
A union organizer from Jacksonville, Hill said he was inspired in part by the 2006 film Amazing Grace, which is based on the life of William Wilberforce, who fought to end the slave trade in the British Empire.
Just before the Civil War, in 1860, there were nearly 62,000 slaves in Florida, 44 percent of the state population, and their subjugation was embedded in the culture.
In a letter in 1861, former territorial governor Richard Keith Call described “persons of African descent” as “an animal, in the form of a man, possessing the greatest physical power & without one principle of his nature, one faculty of mind or feeling of heart, without spirit or pride of character, to enable him to regard slavery as a degradation.”
By the time of Call’s letter, slaves had been in Florida for three centuries, starting in the late 1500s, when the Spanish used them to build forts. The British imported slaves to Florida between 1763 and 1783, and the coastline was a popular dock for ships carrying slaves intended for other states.
But the practice grew significantly when Florida became a U.S. territory in the early 1800s. Plantation owners from Virginia, the Carolinas and other Southern states moved their operations — and their slaves — to Florida’s cheaper land, primarily in the Panhandle.
Wednesday, Old Capitol curator John Phelps recounted some of that history for senators, reading from historic documents, including Call’s letter.
He told senators about slave codes and laws from the 1820s that spelled out slave punishments, including having their ears nailed to posts while they stood for an hour and received “lashes on his or her bare back.”
More apologies?
Legalized slavery ended in Florida after the Civil War with the approval of the 1868 state Constitution, but not until Wednesday did the state apologize.
“I don’t care about an apology for slavery maybe offending some people,” Lawson said after the Senate vote. “It helps people to know where we’ve been and where we need to go.”
Still, some lawmakers worry the apology could open a flood of apologies to other groups, from women who previously couldn’t vote to Indians whose land was taken.
“I understand the zeal and the commitment of the president (Pruitt),” said Sen. Jim King, R-Jacksonville, who attended a segregated high school in St. Petersburg. “But the case could be made for a whole bunch of other things. What about the Indians or the Japanese in WWII who we put in internment camps?”
Times staff writer Steve Bousquet contributed to this report. Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler can be reached at svansickler@sptimes.com or (850) 224-7263.??The resolution
WHEREAS, African slavery was sanctioned and enforced through laws enacted by Florida’s first Territorial Legislative Council in 1822, and
WHEREAS, the Council and its successors did, over four decades, construct a legal framework that perpetuated African slavery in one of its most brutal and dehumanizing forms, and
WHEREAS, this legal framework included such lawful punishments as the following: “That any negro or other slave duly convicted of robbery & or burglary shall suffer death or have his or her ears nailed to posts and there stand for one hour and receive 30 lashes on his or her bare back at the discretion of the court,” and
WHEREAS, in 1827, free Africans were denied the right to vote and in later years were, by law, so repressed, restricted, and harassed that by 1850 most had been driven from Florida, and
WHEREAS, African slavery was entrenched within the plantation culture of Middle Florida to such a degree that by the year 1860, 73 percent of the total population of Leon County were slaves, and
WHEREAS, there were early political leaders in Florida who advocated a vigorous defense of slavery, and
WHEREAS, the Florida Legislature has identified grave injustices inflicted upon African slaves and freemen by the state, and
WHEREAS, even though the laws permitting such injustices have been repealed, it is important that the Legislature express profound regret for the shameful chapter in this state’s history and, in so doing, promote healing and reconciliation among all
Floridians, NOW, THEREFORE,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida, the House of Representatives Concurring:
That the Legislature expresses its profound regret for Florida’s role in sanctioning and perpetuating involuntary servitude upon generations of African slaves.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature calls for healing and reconciliation among all residents of the state.
June 27th, 2009 at 6:06 am
GoodBye Michael
June 27th, 2009 at 6:07 am
that doctor will be charged with something. He should not have given that much D. to Michael
June 27th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
I’ve been waiting for you to post. What’s up? has the late night parties finally caught up with you?