Saturday Open Thread

Posted on June 16, 2018 by rikyrah

Good Morning.
I hope that you are enjoying this weekend with family and friends.

I try and bring positive news on Saturdays.


Woman launches first Black-owned grocery store in Compton
ByTheGrio –
June 1, 2017

Kia Patterson is making history in Compton, California, and opening up the first Black-owned grocery store there.

Patterson is the owner/operator of “The Grocery Outlet,” and she hopes that her outlet will provide a way to bring organic food options to people at more affordable prices.

She is no stranger to the industry, either. For years, Patterson worked at Smart & Final, and then she decided that she wanted to pursue her own dreams and make her own grocery outlet.

If you’re in the area, stop by and support her at “The Grocery Outlet” at 2175 W. Rosecrans Ave Compton, Ca. 90220.


Inside the Lunch Rush at Bertha’s Kitchen, a Soul Food Institution
The Charleston restaurant has been passed down from mother to daughters, and their buzzing energy fills the room with love.
June 6, 2018
By Chase Quinn

There’s an empty chair in the center of the action at Bertha’s Kitchen, the Charleston soul food institution that’s been serving hot plates of collard greens, fried chicken, and lima beans since it opened in 1981. The chair, humble and threadbare black leather, was where matriarch Albertha Grant watched over and instructed her children as they prepared for the lunchtime rush. What began as a home-cooked operation on one stove in a motel became a neighborhood restaurant fueled by unconditional love (and plenty of fry oil), winning the James Beard Award for America’s Classic in 2017. Grant passed away in 2007, and now her children own the place. But Bertha’s spirit fills the bright blue dining room where her portrait hangs on the wall in a gilt frame. One steamy May afternoon, not even the clap of storm clouds could keep the faithful away. As trays of barbecued pig’s feet, oxtail, yams, and smothered pork chops passed us by, we stuck around for an afternoon.

“The first time I met the special friend in my life was at Bertha’s,” says Cynthia Sweeney, Charleston native, retired teacher (pictured far right). “We are both seniors and we weren’t looking for anybody in our lives. He had just gotten off from work. I saw him get out of his vehicle in a rush. Just playfully I said, ‘I see you trying to rush and get in front of me’ because I know the line gets long sometimes. He said, ‘Actually, I’m rushing so I can open the door for you.’ That was three years ago. We’ve been with each other ever since.”

……………………..

Whissette and LaTonta Wright are visiting from Charlotte and don’t have time to waste on mediocre food: “We were led to Bertha’s out of frustration. Every time we come [to Charleston], we always end up at some of the more touristy, froufrou kinds of places. We order the fried chicken, collard greens, butter beans, and rice, and it actually tastes like my grandmama made it. Everything is like it was when I was growing up. We can’t duplicate that kind of cooking now. We’re two generations removed from my grandmama, and this just tastes like home.”

And, for those who are overseas in England…man, I would sign up this…

THREAD
We have an entire year to go see the exhibit.

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73 Responses to Saturday Open Thread

  1. SouthernGirl2 says:
    June 16, 2018 at 10:21 pm

    Stephen Miller is a toxic racist cave beast. I hate him with the heat of ten thousand suns.

    Reply
  2. SouthernGirl2 says:
    June 16, 2018 at 10:18 pm

    This demon sob. May God’s wrath visit the evil ones who conspired to harm little innocent children.

    https://twitter.com/EdKrassen/status/1008123983156441088

    Reply
  3. Liza says:
    June 16, 2018 at 10:11 pm

    Misdemeanor assault? Why wasn’t the assailant charged with a felony?

    https://twitter.com/ShaunKing/status/1008177912548417542

    Reply
  6. rikyrah says:
    June 16, 2018 at 6:11 pm

    This THREAD😥😥😥😥

    https://twitter.com/dellcam/status/1007800088759021568

    Reply
    • eliihass says:
      June 16, 2018 at 7:22 pm

      This thread..

      This has been my biggest fear and concern for these kids.. This is what disturbs my spirit..

      The trauma..

      I can’t imagine how anyone can think this is ok..

      Reading the thread – and the responses to the original tweet by the Breitbart guy – I just lose it..

      Who are these evil people who call themselves ‘christians’ ..and justify their soullessness with bible quotes..?

      These same people who can’t seem to summon up any humanity, care or concern or empathy for helpless, traumatized innocent babies forcibly removed from their parents and family …are the very same folks full of ‘concern’ and pity and rallying for a grown, gold-digging, narcissistic Birther woman who greedily, lazily and gleefully chose to hook-up with a still-married, notoriously narcissistic adulterous con man, who she then shacked-up with for 5 whole years, before he agreed to marry her ..

      These same folks arguing against innocent babies who are right now being traumatized and psychologically broken in ways no child should ever be, are quick to excuse away and absolve and cast as ‘sympathetic’, a lying, callous woman who has been in New York for the past week on our tax dime, shopping and getting fitted for outfits for another preening junket – this time to England to be legitimized by the Queen..

      No demands for her to take a minute out of the taxpayer funded farce of a pseudo-queendom, complete with Airforce jet, black SUVs and taxpayer salaried Secret Service, to go shopping in New York, picking out yet another Hermès tote or 2, spa sessions, nips, tucks, and Botox top-ups ..and being tailored into a Louis Vuitton trunk-full of pricey clothes in time for another European taxpayer funded junket …to chime in or speak up …or better yet, intercede on behalf of these babies as a mother …and one who’s benefited immensely and continues to hide behind her own anchor child to get pity.. and to avoid taking responsibility for any of her glaringly nasty gold-digging actions..

      And for sure, there’s been nary a demand for her to chime in …from the same folks who claim to hate the black FLOTUS because somehow she’s to blame for the phantom killings by ‘drones’ her ‘murderous’ husband, in the Middle East … Same folks who are just fine with the quadrupled actual killings now happening under a treasonous buffoon ..who is even selling his admired despots boatloads of arms… in exchange for ‘loans’ to pay off his son in law’s family business ..and his..

      Reply
  13. Ametia says:
    June 16, 2018 at 1:52 pm

    White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard to Talk to White People About Racism
    April 9, 2015 by Dr. Robin DiAngelo

    Individualism: Whites are taught to see themselves as individuals, rather than as part of a racial group. Individualism enables us to deny that racism is structured into the fabric of society. This erases our history and hides the way in which wealth has accumulated over generations and benefits us, as a group, today. It also allows us to distance ourselves from the history and actions of our group. Thus we get very irate when we are “accused” of racism, because as individuals, we are “different” from other white people and expect to be seen as such; we find intolerable any suggestion that our behavior or perspectives are typical of our group as a whole.

    https://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/white-fragility-why-its-so-hard-to-talk-to-white-people-about-racism-twlm/

    Reply
  16. Ametia says:
    June 16, 2018 at 12:49 pm

    Love the post, Rik. Thanks for the GOOD NEWS. Can’t wait to explore this:

    Reply
  18. Ametia says:
    June 16, 2018 at 11:01 am

    The $1 settlement in the Starbucks case is some respectability BS and here’s why

    White people don’t deserve kindness when they harm us.

    Recently my Facebook feed has been filled with people posting articles about the two Black men who were victimized by a Starbucks manager and subsequently arrested by officers from the Philadelphia Police Department. Apparently, they recently settled with the city (which represents the police) for a symbolic $1 each and an agreement from the city to donate $200,000 to start an entrepreneurial development program in the Philadelphia public high schools. Allow me to share my thoughts on this development.

    In a nutshell… this is some bullshit!

    https://medium.com/@realtalkwocandallies/the-1-settlement-in-the-starbucks-case-is-some-respectability-bs-and-heres-why-9dc1f4e5afbb

    Reply
    • Liza says:
      June 16, 2018 at 1:31 pm

      I agree with this statement by the author, “White people don’t deserve kindness when they harm us.” But the two young men who were arrested at Starbucks may have cut a better deal than we know. They received an “undisclosed sum” from Starbucks plus college tuition. Since Starbucks is the deep pocket in this settlement, the men may have gotten enough to feel they could let the Philadelphia PD off the hook, so to speak, rather than engage in a lawsuit against the city. And if the city really does invest the 200K in real education for young entrepreneurs, it would be money put to good use.

      The college where they can take the online classes is Arizona State University in Phoenix which is not a bad school. That part of their deal is actually quite significant. It does seem that Starbucks went to some effort to structure a deal that would appeal to these men for the obvious reasons.

      I actually do think that these young men showed “amazing character, grace, and class” but they certainly didn’t walk away empty handed. They cut a deal for themselves with Starbucks and they tried to cut a deal for others like themselves with the City of Philadelphia.

      Men Arrested In Philadelphia Starbucks Reach Settlements
      May 3, 20181:06 AM ET
      …
      Robinson and Nelson agreed to a settlement with Starbucks for an undisclosed sum and an offer of free college tuition to complete bachelor’s degrees through an online program with Arizona State University that was created four years ago for Starbucks employees.

      In a separate deal, they got a symbolic $1 each from the City of Philadelphia as well as promise from officials to establish a $200,000 public high school program for young entrepreneurs.
      …
      https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/05/03/607973546/men-arrested-in-philadelphia-starbucks-reach-settlements

      Reply
  19. Ametia says:
    June 16, 2018 at 10:53 am

    Word of the Day : June 16, 2018

    Tantalize play
    verb TAN-tuh-lyze

    Definition: to tease or torment by or as if by presenting something desirable to the view but continually keeping it out of reach

    https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day/tantalize-2018-06-16?pronunciation&lang=en_us&dir=t&file=tantal03&utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=wotd&utm_content=pron

    Reply
  21. SouthernGirl2 says:
    June 16, 2018 at 9:29 am

    The Trump Administration has kidnapped immigrant kids and using them for ransom for a border wall. It’s crimes against humanity, gross human rights abuse.

    Reply
    • Ametia says:
      June 16, 2018 at 12:31 pm

      SMH Thanks for this thread. AMERICA, BOUGHT & PAID FOR BY RUSSIA!

      It does explain the fact that it’s unbelievable that the RUSSIAN invasion of our politics didn’t just happen overnight.

      Scratch the surface, and I’m sure Condi Rice is floating down their with them too.

      Looking forward to reading the entire series.

      Reply
  34. rikyrah says:
    June 16, 2018 at 7:35 am

    Just want folks to know, that the kids are on top of things. They are contacting the local voting jurisdictions, and asking them to provide staff. Most direct way to make sure that the voter registration applications are collected, right then and there.

    https://twitter.com/JaclynCorin/status/1007426602257534977

    Reply
    • Ametia says:
      June 16, 2018 at 10:35 am

      The White Fragility Script — A Five Act Experience

      When a Person of Colour (POC) or Indigenous Person shares their very real and very raw experience with racism, some White People tend to fall apart. Dr. Robin DiAngelo calls this white fragility which she defines as:

      a state in which even a minimum amount of racial stress becomes intolerable, triggering a range of defensive moves.”

      The defensive moves some White People perform follow the same set of behaviours…
      No matter who is expressing their lived experience with racism, White People will do what they can to make the racial stress go away.

      https://medium.com/@leesareneehall/the-white-fragility-script-a-five-act-experience-cea066c40b7c

      Reply
      • Ametia says:
        June 16, 2018 at 1:17 pm

        YEP, that don’t want NO part of hearing & feeling about white bigotry & racism. They immediately attach themselves to the WHITENESS, not the ACT of UGLINESS & HATE.

        Reply
  46. eliihass says:
    June 16, 2018 at 7:09 am

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fY3axmMpRo

    “…After being called out for a collection of racist social media posts echoing the sentiments of noted Twitter political pundit Roseanne Barr, a board member of Alabama’s second-largest school district passionately explained herself by citing Michelle Obama’s unpatriotic hate for America and kneeling NFL players’ insistence on disrespecting the troops.

    Local activist Carlos Chaverst came to the school board meeting after discovering the June 1 post and similar posts on Pike’s Facebook page, AL.com reports. Pike, a Republican who has been trying to make Jefferson County Schools great since 2016, openly admits that she supports Barr.

    Chaverst went on to show other racist-adjacent memes posted by Pike, including one of Michelle Obama refusing to salute the flag.

    After Chaverst’s impassioned plea, the Barr-like white woman who, thankfully, covered her elbows, which I assume resemble albino raisins, explained herself to her fellow board members:

    “I shared it, and I’m not sorry I did,” said Pike. “And I meant it because it shows hypocrisy in our country. Some people can get away with it and some people can’t. It was not racist.” Apparently unaware that first lady is neither an elected nor an appointed position, Pike went on to say that she sympathized with Barr because if Barr’s tweet was offensive, then others should be fired, too.

    “Another thing about Michelle Obama … I don’t care one way or the other,” Pike said about her posts, which seem to prove she cares one way (the racist way) but not the other. “I have a disabled veteran that’s a daughter and I have a son that’s a veteran. And for her not to salute the flag, if you’ll look at the picture, was offensive to me. Now, will I apologize for that? Never.”

    In an attempt to understand Pike’s point of view, The Root took Pike’s advice and used our incredible investigative skills to examine this claim. We found the picture using a secret tool that is apparently unavailable in Alabama called “Google.” Here is an unedited photograph taken as the national anthem played at the Quicken Loans Carrier Classic, the Veterans Day event where Obama refused to salute the American flag because she “hates” our troops:

    https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s–CaR-uHyk–/c_scale,f_auto,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/ptb08g8aiaobtqlkmkoh.jpg

    “I don’t appreciate you putting that I’m a racist on social media, and I don’t appreciate you sharing it,” Pike said. Yes, she actually reprimanded people for spreading derogatory information about her to explain why she shared derogatory images about people..

    But it is easy to understand why Pike shared the meme. After all, the information that disproves her narrative was only available on 4.5 million sites when we Googled it. Pike might not have seen the YouTube video showing Michelle Obama saluting the anthem at that game because Alabama’s internet is notoriously racist.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cKCLrE8FYQ

    https://www.theroot.com/school-board-member-blames-her-racist-facebook-posts-on-1826833759

    Reply
  51. rikyrah says:
    June 16, 2018 at 7:03 am

    Good Morning,Everyone 😄😄😄

    Reply
  52. eliihass says:
    June 16, 2018 at 6:59 am

    Good morning fam..

    Reply

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