Let the People See: The Story of Emmett Till Book Review

It is a sad and disgusting reality of American life that young men of color are often falsely accused of crimes simply due to their skin color. While this may appear to be a new phenomenon, it is an old and heartbreaking reality that Americans of color have been dealing with for many generations.

Emmett Till is not the first, nor has been the last young man of color to be targeted because of his skin color.

The new book, Let the People See: The Story of Emmett Till, by Elliott J. Gorn, tells the story of young Mr. Till’s brief life, the accusations that led to his murder and the societal tinderbox that his murder created. In the summer of 1955, Emmett Till was 14 years old. Born and raised in Chicago, he was spending summer vacation with his family in Mississippi. He was killed by two white men who believed that he had whistled at one of the men’s wives. The murder led to a trial that helped to spark the Civil Rights Movement. In addition to reviewing the information that was available to law enforcement over sixty years ago, the author also examines evidence that only came to the surface in 2005. Combining both new information and old, the question is, what can we, as modern Americans learn from our predecessors mistakes so that there are no more Emmett Tills in the future?

Reading this book made me angry and sad at the same time. It made me angry because a young life was taken for no reason other than being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It made me sad because this same sh*t is still happening 63 years later.  Written with intense details and very readable, this book I believe is a must read for all Americans. If we are to live in the just and free society that we claim to have, must face our demons and be willing to look our collective past in the face. This includes the murder of Emmett Till.

I absolutely recommend it.

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Another Rat Jumps From The Sinking Ship: James Mattis Resigns

One of the most important aspects of being a leader is knowing when to listen to your own intuition and when to listen to others.

In response to you know whose decision to remove US troops from Syria, General Jim “Mad Dog” Mattis announced his resignation as Secretary Of Defense.

In his resignation letter, he stated, the following:

“Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position,”

The rats are jumping the sinking ship. One by one, they are either quitting or being fired. Just another reason why you know who is ill qualified to lead this country.

Mary Poppins Returns Movie Review

The 1964 film, Mary Poppins is an unadulterated classic. Starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, the film (based on the books by P.L. Travers) has entertained multiple generations of fans.

The new film, Mary Poppins Returns, opened yesterday.

The sequel takes place in Depression era London. Jane and Michael Banks (Emily Mortimer and Ben Whishaw) are now grown. Jane is single and works in the labor movement. Michael followed in his late father’s footsteps and works for the same bank that his father did. But life is not all that they hoped it would be. Michael is a recent widower with three young children. After the death of his wife, his financial issues started to become a problem. Then Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) returns to their lives. With the help of Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda), Mary is more than a nanny to the newest generation of Banks children. Can Mary help them heal as a family and survive their troubles?

All I can say about this film is wow. It is fantastic. Emily Blunt’s performance as Mary Poppins is seamless and absolute perfection. While she pays homage to her predecessor, Blunt makes this character her own. For his part, Lin-Manuel Miranda is the perfect counterpart to Emily Blunt. His accent is also, well, a lot less questionable than Dick Van Dyke’s.

My favorite aspect of this film is that it appealed to both adults and children. It also has a message about resilience in the face of adversity and tragedy. There are also plenty of Easter eggs to please fans of the original film.

I absolutely recommend it.

Mary Poppins Returns is presently in theaters. 

Throwback Thursday-Pimp My Ride (2004-2007)

Home renovation shows are all the rage on television these days. But what about car renovation?

Pimp My Ride was part of the MTV schedule from 2004-2007. Hosted by Xzibit, the premise of Pimp My Ride is as follows: the subject of each episode needs a complete makeover of their ride. Rapper Xzibit shows at their home, examines their car and takes it the shop to start the renovation process. By the time the episode is over, the car has been renovated to its owner’s specifications.

Pimp My Ride is not the greatest show in the world. Nor is it the most intellectual. From my perspective, it can be defined as wish-fulfillment. If money was no object, how would you renovate your car?

Do I recommend it? Maybe.