‘Southern Charm’

A ‘Treal Perspective’

I come to all of those within Life’s Struggle with the nth amount of love & due respect. Within the following article my words & observations are not meant to offend, but to merely share my perspective on ‘Southern Charm’ a new reality series on television. It is my goal to ‘flip the script’ on Hollywood’s version of ‘Southern Charm’ & some of the images & portraits which have been produced over the last 300 yrs.

The reality series Southern Charm has brought a great deal of controversy to the Low Country in South Carolina. From an economical perspective ‘it can only be beneficial to businesses, from the citizenry perspective concern is raised as to how it will represent & portray the ‘treal’ charm of southerners in the Low Country & SC. My definition of Southern Charm will most certainly clash with the glitz & glamor of Hollywood’s definition & image.

The series follows families & members of the Low Country elite or ‘upper crust’ within our society. Their daily lives & extravagant lifestyles. What you will not see is what is below the ‘crust’, the tapioca that is used to stop the filling from running. Some of the individuals have built ‘social economic chests’ upon the shoulders of the impoverished & common citizenry. They should not be compared to self-made moguls such as Gates or Buffet since they are generational economic beneficiaries. One thing is certain, the plantation mentality that many contend with here in South Carolina will come to the screen weekly.

‘Southern Charm’ is the epitome of the haves & have not’s. You will not see a resident of less economic resources or position ‘breaking into a museum after the bars close with their mate because they’re feeling their oats on ‘Cloud 9’ & not be the slave of the judiciary realms. You will see the portraits of large houses, high end clothing & in your face pompous lifestyles, not the visions of 64% of our children who attend public schools living in poverty. SC is ranked 2^nd in the Nation for hunger. Since 2009, 300 children have died who had ties to the Dept of Social Services. You will not see that we rank #1 in the Nation for domestic violence & heinous crimes against women of all economical classes. You will not see those who struggle every day on sub-standard wages to maintain a menial existence with dreams of living.

I too fell in love with ‘Southern Charm’ as a young teen. I didn’t fall in love though with the Hollywood & media images of an elite few, but the victims of those portraits. The majority of those who live in the South have ‘charm’ deeply rooted in their characters & lifestyles, the ‘spirit stick’ which gives them strength & courage. They do not live in gilded cages of grandeur or flaunt their self-worth in character, it all boils down to their perception of the essence of life itself.

The true ‘charms’ of Southern living…those who are in the ‘middle class’ & ‘poverty who would not only give you the shirt off their back, but their last slice of bread & red cent. Those who are tired after working a full day & still greet you as you pass with a smile & a kind word. Individuals who have clean scrubbed bare wooden floors & tidy yards that did the work themselves & helped their misfortunate neighbor to do the same. They ask you about your health, if you need anything & bless you for your presence. They do not want to be acknowledged by fanfare or media items…after all, ‘that’s just what people do’…the right thing.

‘Southern Charm’ for the majority is not measured by a fat wallet & bank account; it is a deeply rooted ‘human right’ & spirit of those who have struggled for centuries, their prideful legacy. Their pride, respect & love are earned not purchased! Many are disheartened within their struggle, yet their ‘charm’ floats to the top & becomes an enchanting element for those who visit from a metropolis where isolation & seclusion exist in their daily lives. It would be wishful thinking I reckon if the ‘spirit sticks’ of ‘Charms’ could be collected on those visits & implemented elsewhere. Random acts of kindness are a ‘personal charm’ also. I only hope that the viewing public of the reality series ‘Southern Charm’ will not let the images of the ‘treal charms’ be suppressed & oppressed. That they do not limit their visits & experiences here to the images of the reality show…the real South is so much deeper & beautiful.

I thank you all for your patience, loyalty & presence within my existence. I leave you as I came with the nth amount of respect & love.

Lady Gray

Comment: “I have no desire to watch Fat Cats & their Kittens dining at 5 Star Restaurants stuffing their faces & lapping their cream when so many in our Nation are currently struggling with soaring food prices. Enough of ‘Reality & Crime’ Shows already…My bad, perhaps the well-to-do are struggling to put food on their tables as well & the ‘Southern Charm’ series is a way for them to maintain their present lifestyles. Rosie The Talking Mule

What happens to SC politicians with a blemished record & tainted character? The citizenry sends them to DC where square pegs can fit into round holes! The head chieftain of the Southern Charm clam who previously stepped down from his State Office position due to a cocaine conviction once again would like to join the political ranks as a Senator from SC. You’re absolutely correct in your observation Thomas that ‘reality isn’t reality TV’…Single at 51 with a newborn baby girl from a young woman more than half his age he has aspirations to represent the fine ‘forgiving’ citizens of SC in DC. If he can meet the requirements of a Senatorial campaign & is duly elected he will join the other tarnished soul in DC from SC..Sanford!! Mr. Revenel you could become a media pioneer by actually keeping it 100 with your audience & the citizens of SC. You should not be focusing on a select few when your desire is to represent the whole. Keep it 100 Thomas…

Lady Gray

            

'Blueprints' & Traditions...The Rise of a Nation

I come to all of those within Life’s Struggle with the nth amount of due respect & love for Life. For over a decade now I have been addressing blue prints, concepts, strength in numbers along with collective knowledge & growth. Change is not always easily embraced due to Fears which we harbor as humans, we often become too comfortable within our prisons & seeing the stumbling blocks which deter our daily progress & growth. We either have to physically hold or observe the product of change before we are willing to take a leap into unchartered waters to break the chains which hold us in bondage.

‘Take the knowledge of today & apply it to the ‘wisdom & growth’ of yesterday….I have always been fascinated with periods in American History where progress & unprecedented growth have taken place. The blueprints, concepts & foundation of society during these times which contributed to these spurts. It was during these periods that colorful & powerful portraits were painted of the United States.

In order to find solutions to some of the struggles we face in modern times, we must look into yesterday & the survival of those who have come before us. ‘The more things change, the more they stay the same’. In a society where we look for rapid satisfaction & momentary gratification the benefits of ‘time’ elude our thought process. Outside of a catastrophic event of nature or health, we must realize that we have not come to this point in life overnight. For the majority of humans our journey is as old as time itself.

The U.S. is often referred to as the ‘melting pot of the World’, yet many countries, nations & continents throughout the course of the World’s History have seen an integration of peoples, knowledge & growth. In the past we have been known for being more receptive during certain periods within chapters of our history to such integration & migration. Due to these chapters of ‘receptive integration & migration’ our Nation was able to rise to the level of a ‘power house’ with ‘strength in numbers & collective knowledge & wisdom’.

‘Teach one, pull one up’….How did those who came before us survive without a ‘safety net’…welfare, food stamps, housing & education opportunities? Life’s Struggles to exist have increased for many individuals & families today as the monetary & economic gap widen. Out of our dark time, if we look into the past we will see a ray of light. I have found an example of that light which can bring a spurt of growth once more for those who dream of living.

I recently purchased a movie which chronicles members of a family who migrated to the US with a ‘blueprint’ & perseverance in their hearts.  The epitome of just one blueprint which contributed to the foundation of a Nation. The name of the movie is ‘Avalon’ & I highly recommend it to all of those within the struggle. Their blueprint of ideologies, concepts & traditions is not only profound, but successful. Not everything is rosy however when individual family members begin to deter from the original agendas.

Over the last decade families & their members often find themselves once again living under the same roof. In a majority of these cases, it has strengthened their bond & foundation. In some instances you may find several generations under one roof beneficial to their existence & survival. College students, newlyweds & those recently divorced coming back to the nest to roost. In some cases it is beneficial for the more mature adults & elderly members of the family, enabling them to maintain & retain their own residence. ‘The family that plays together, stays together’ is very fitting for those within poverty & who struggle today.

The ideology of having more than one generation in the nest, is as old as mankind. The survival & legacy of the family was created by the co-operation & contribution of all its members. Individuals were able to contribute to the survival of all while stacking funds for their own pursuits. Those coming into adulthood & of marriage age were encouraged to save for their future education, house, possible family & business. Often businesses were not the sole ownership of one, but of several with a dream who pooled their resources. Family members were brought into the business for employment. What amazed me about the family in Avalon was while the ‘generations’ lived under one roof they were still concerned & able to make donations to neighborhood & community charities. They concerned themselves with the ‘strengthening’ of the family, by ‘bringing one over & pulling them up’.

With the deviation of a ‘blueprint’s’ original intention, whether it is the erection of a building, the legacy of a family or the strengthening of a community, you will see the weaknesses of endangerment & deterioration. You might consider adding another project on to the blueprint, but when you keep deleting portions of the original intent, purpose & goal, you will be hard pressed to leave anything standing at the end of your journey.

For my older followers & readers, ‘Avalon’ will bring back fond memories of those whom have walked before us. A time when the daily struggles meant pride, family, hope & a better future. The antics of the children & the fear of change in the elderly over technological advances will bring a smile to your lips. A time when children encouraged & clamored around their elders to hear of their journey & experiences. Everyone had a role, purpose & reason which kept the foundation strong. The respect, appreciation & wonder given to a Nation by individuals who were given the opportunity to pursue their dreams. Before we can change the future & pursue solutions to the issues we face today, I feel that we must look into yesterday to see just how far we’ve come so we know how far yet we have to travel.

I truly hope that you will search for & view the movie Avalon…stick with it & pay attention to the family’s foundation & their original blueprint & traditions. Wisdom & change cannot be attained if the knowledge we possess is not implemented with commitment & perseverance. I would like to thank you for your presence & patience as I share my words with you. All of the family members in this movie are real, they did exist & so did their blueprint. This blueprint was followed by many who fled oppression & suppression in their motherland, who chose the path for a better tomorrow & a chance to follow their dreams.

I leave you as I came with the nth amount of due respect & love for life….Lady Gray

'Seasoned Men'

I come to those within Life’s Struggle with the nth amount of due respect & love for life. I would like to wish everyone health & progress for this New Year. As the New Year progresses, it is my desire to share more life with you, more so than I have in the past. Not just with my views on the political front, but on the home front as well. No matter where I go or whom I speak with, the consensus seems to be that society & our home front is in a state of regression & deterioration. It seems to weigh heavily on the minds & hearts of those who are now over the age of 45.

I was recently invited to join a discussion with a small group of males consisting of several veterans & several ex-felons. I was astonished to hear the topics they discussed which consisted of the increase in violence & crimes here in the Low Country along with certain endangered elements which lead to the growth in an individual’s character. More astonishing was the concern & fear expressed by these grown seasoned men & the sorrow often heard within their voices.

A 68 yr old Black Vietnam Veteran was difficult to listen to as he expressed his emotions on life today. He insisted that there was no difference between War & life on the streets today. Someone is always trying to justify death & the taking of life with excuses. He experiences more memories now of his actions in Nam than he did for so many years after his return from soldiering. He calls the daily departures from his home now, ‘social re-con’…it’s more dangerous today than when he was in the jungles & rice paddies. “I had someone above me justifying my actions & death…but at least I knew my enemies & who I was fighting. Today, people pop off on a moment’s notice for no reason or purpose…they’re in your family, a friend, a neighbor or stranger…they’re all tough & packing over little shit. You can brush by them on a bus or store, look at them side-ways & right away they want to make you a notch in their belt.” His favorite quote today is from Forest Gump..”Stupid is as stupid does.”

All of the men were known in their neighborhood’s & on their blocks for their reputations & character. They all felt it was difficult today to live their life out, hard pressed by younger males to take their pasts off the back burners. They had no desire to live in yesterday, but to live their life out in their ‘new skin’ today. They often faced chagrin & resentment on their street & block because they had no desire to be ‘Big Bad Leroy Brown’. A week does not go by when they are not challenged by another man usually younger. Often they walk away knowing the ‘excuse’ isn’t worth it only to leave under a hail storm of derogatory names, swallowing their pride.

A 47 yr old who spent 21 yrs in prison for murder..no weapon outside of his own 2 hands was involved & to this day claims it was self-defense…he’s challenged to fight several times a week & now prefers to stay more at home. He says he has been forced to fight & even when the individuals win, they keep coming back…walking away for me hasn’t always been an option. The day of the discussion he hadn’t left his home for 12 days. He fears for his children & family members whom have been threatened when he has walked away. “I did my time…I just want to be left alone & stay out of the mix & pettiness.’ What amazed me about all of these seasoned men was their knowledge & wisdom. We all came to the conclusion that there is ‘no growth or progress in life if the knowledge we all possess is not implemented’. Knowledge was meant to be shared. If those who walked before us were the sole owners of knowledge, the capacity for us to excel or survive would be more than a struggle.

A 45 yr old city worker, a veteran of Desert Storm is challenged monthly & often resented on his street for his job. He claims he doesn’t mind providing assistance to his family or neighbors when he can, but if he can’t its WWIII. When the younger males on his street ask him for monetary funds which he knows he’ll never see, he asks them to do things around his house or yard. He says because he doesn’t just give them money, things have a tendency to get damaged or broke. He’s offered to help his own family members get jobs & they refuse to work, why should he give them money to buy things he & his own children do not possess? They would rather ‘hustle’ than work for a master as he does…but they come to him time & time again to bail them out of jail. They treat him like dirt because he works for the city & will not succumb to their life style’s & habits.

I was astonished to find out that several of these ‘seasoned men’ were afraid of their own grandchildren. They knew that some of them carried weapons, had made their residences ‘blood theft proof’.  One of the men his voice cracked when he spoke of his own children. My children all graduated from school, 2 from college, none of them were ever in trouble with the law. That’s not the case now, they have issues themselves & do not care what their children do. They all started to change in the 90’s…my wife doesn’t like any of them coming to the house now if I’m not there. We’ve been threatened by them…have had to call the police. One of my daughters doesn’t even speak to us anymore after we called the police on her son who punched my wife in the face.

The topic switched to the absence today of pride, purpose & reason in life for individuals. How men today & the youth would not do anything or give assistance if they were not going to see monetary gain. One of the men, his mother was involved in the bus boycott in Montgomery. When he was sharing some of their great-grandmothers experiences the younger individuals hailed it as worthless & stupid because she didn’t receive any money for her involvement & suffered for her efforts. I saw what my mother went through, I was proud to be her son. I had more pride in myself & family than a peacock…but today, they don’t have pride. Look at how everyone dresses, how they talk, the music tells it all. Their pride is in their pocket, usually wrapped around someone else’s green backs. They all unanimously agreed that more than anything today, the education system lacks pride for that too is wrapped around ‘green backs’. All you have to do is look at college sports today…all of the tournaments & bowls.

They then switched to the ‘judicial realms & justice’…claimed it had been broken for too many decades to amend now. Too many individuals were getting ‘ripe’ off of the broken system. Change would begin when people took the bull by the horns & changed themselves. They felt too much emphasis today was being placed on religious morals. One of the seasoned Vets said ‘you can’t get right with God until you get right with yourself & at the moment it seemed as if people were content in going to hell in a hand basket. They didn’t approve of the racial disparities within the penal realms…but they said too many men were falling into the ‘wish book’ of the judicial system. One of the men described inmates as ‘volunteer indentured servants’ which surprised me.

These types of discussions by mature individuals is nothing new…it’s been done since the creation of mankind. It was done throughout the Roaring 20’s with the bootleg & flapper generation. It was done throughout the 50’s with the introduction of Rock n’ Roll & Hot Rods. It was done throughout the 60’s with drugs, flower children & protests. Yet, it seems that every generation seems more lost & degenerative than the one before. Even violence & crime seems to have reached new levels today…leaving no doubt in my mind that even Capone would have a hard time remaining a Boss or Top Dog. It also seems the more we develop as humans the more Neanderthal our actions & characters become.

I found the discussion with these men to be enlightening with a great deal of food for thought. At the conclusion we were all elated that we had grown up in our childhood & young adulthood when we did, where we did, none of us had the desire to turn back the hands of time. We all had fears for our generations to come & the issues they would face. Life would go on & chapters out of the history book would surely be repeated, but we felt certain with any luck the darkest chapters wouldn’t be repeated in our lifetime…we all had pride, a reason & purpose & we knew what they were.

I leave you as I came with the nth amount of respect & love for life…

Lady Gray

‘BREAK THE CHAINS’

“If you’re not going to be part of the solution, you’re going to continue to be a slave to the problem.”

I come to everyone/everywhere with the nth amount of due respect & love for life. I wish to discuss a few issues within this article which are often acknowledged, but redirected through social ‘conformity’ & ‘mental conditioning’. Issues within life which have existed in some dimensions since the beginning of time, creating ‘chains’ & ‘yokes’ which enslave & deter the advancement of man.

My name is Rosemarie & I am known as Lady Gray. I was born in the late 50’s in the Mid-west & presently reside in the State of South Carolina in a region known as ‘The Low Country’. A coastal area steeped deeply in history, roots, traditions, southern charm & environmental beauty. As an outsider visiting or relocating for the first time, you could easily conceive that the populaces who reside here live a very peaceful, euphoric existence. Just like the cover of a book can be deceiving of its content, so can the scenery of The Low Country which could be found in a portrait of the Garden of Eden. South Carolina ranks 5^th in the Nation for crime & No.1 in the Nation for domestic violence & heinous crimes against women.

I live in Charleston, SC which has become infamous within the timeline of America for its contributions to slavery & the start of our own Civil War. Its picturesque & ‘genteel’ lifestyle was often coveted by ‘trail blazers’ & opportunists. Depending on your resources for information, the city ports were responsible for anywhere from 40%-60% of the slaves in America who were auctioned off in their markets. Due to its climate & environment an agriculture hub was carved out of the wilderness for rice, cotton, tobacco & produce. From those cash crops came the construction of large plantations & a new elite aristocrat society often envied by other capitalists to the North for the portraits of ‘Southern Charm’ & ‘Easy Living’.

Today when the majority of the citizenry in America fear the Nation is slipping into a two tiered economical society, the South has embraced the portrait of ‘the haves & have not’s for centuries. Some residents rooted for generations have implemented the ‘Old South Plantation Mentality’ as a family tradition, a prisoner of their own ‘mental conditioning’. Sometimes I refer to them as ‘Antebellum Rednecks’ a class in society which can no longer maintain an image or lifestyle without riding upon the shoulders of the impoverished. This portrait has once again become envied by opportunists & corporations for economic advancement in an industrial age which has been struggling. Due to South Carolina’s economy, taxes, avenues of transportation, a lack of union members, wages & it’s a Right to Work State we are seeing the State experience growth as large corporations relocate to capitalize on economic opportunities rarely seen elsewhere. One of the contributing factors to this portrait is the sub-standard education often seen in our Elementary & High Schools in the State…although head way is being made to amend the problem, traditions are hard to break & change is not always easily embraced.

 The portraits of a two tiered economic caste contribute to the present statistics owned by South Carolina. “Pressure kills, stress kills & time kills everyone, for time has found no man worthy of its wait.” The division in the State between the Haves & Have Not’s is quite apparent to an observant eye.  The State overall has an unemployment rate higher than the National avg. with some inland counties experiencing rates of 20%+, thus decreasing the quality of life leading to one of the contributing factors for the increase in domestic violence. Social programs which have burdened many State & Federal budgets are the ‘hangnails’ which fuel the survival of many. The chaos, rhetoric & indecisions by our DC politicians have only compounded & added fuel to the issues which keep those struggling to survive hanging on by a thread. Individuals can only store so much stress & pressure before they explode, causing harm & damage to those closest to them. I have a great deal of sympathy & empathy for those with children who struggle for housing, food, clothing & essentials from day to day, paycheck to paycheck & waiting lists for the implementation of social programs & projects.

I know for a fact that domestic violence often goes un-reported, I shudder at the thought of real ‘hard’ statistics. I see the abuse when I go out on the faces & arms of girls & women. I fear for the teenage girls who experience their first date abuse the most, domestic abuses which become ‘family traditions’. I experienced the ‘family tradition’ mentality recently first hand on public transportation. A mother & daughter…the daughter had a bruise on her jaw & they were going shopping. I overheard the mother tell her daughter, “That happens sometimes; you have to live for the good times.” The region has acknowledged the problem by using mobile digital signs like the ones used in road construction flashing the message, ‘There is no excuse for abuse’ along with a phone number. All one needs to do is turn on the news to realize that domestic violence can lead to murder & disabling physical conditions & is no longer just targeted with a wife or significant other, but can include children & other family members.

Like poverty, domestic violence does not discriminate by race, creed or economic status. Recently a white banker was arrested along with several white cohorts for plotting the murder of his ex-wife. Some women only take abuse so long before their own pressure & stress explodes, a black woman who had a newborn infant & 5 other children at home stabbed her boyfriend to death. Abductions & whole families being obliterated are scenarios now in the depth & level of domestic violence being experienced. I also acknowledge the fact that domestic violence against men is also on the increase. The ‘chains & yokes’ of domestic violence can burden generations & are clear indicators of crumbling morals, human rights & a troubled society. There are many contributing factors which lead to domestic violence & enslave individuals from the realms of poverty, board rooms, to the elite. The links of the chain must be removed by addressing the issue, whittling down all of the factors until it can be resolved & squashed just as the chains of slavery were removed so long ago. As a society we cannot break the chains alone, abusers must also have the will & desire to embrace change & weaken the links.

Street crimes & violence is also on the rise. Over the last 6 mos rarely a week passes where another teen or individual has not met his fate. When I moved here 3 yrs ago, I had hopes for South Carolina, I noticed the streets here were not as organized as in many states or cities, that analysis is dimming. Jobs & opportunities which can sustain an individual’s existence who is struggling to begin with are akin to a ‘crap shoot’ or ‘lottery drawing’. I know individuals who work 2-3 part-time jobs, usually in fast food just to pay the rent. Those who exist with dreams of living will do what they have to, to survive. I often wonder how many of them know that they are ‘pawns’ & fuel the ‘Plantation Mentality’, masters of their own enslavement? 

The ‘street games’ & ‘paper chase’ are becoming more dangerous every month, stacking ‘slaves’ & claiming victims for prisons & graveyards. The problem is inmates who have been released from prison with drug/related charges. While they’re down in prison they become more ‘educated’ to the ‘way of the life’ & ‘organization’. When they come home & find their opportunities for survival even fewer than before, they take the loose reins to share their knowledge with corner puppies, rebels, renegades & neutrals. I must admit they seem to co-operate with one another better than our politicians in congress on the big hill.

I have two requests for small groups, crews, sets & individuals who choose this darker ‘paper chase’ in life. This lifestyle does not only lead to monetary gains & addictions, but prisons & graveyards, so I want to prepare you for the future. Before you continue on your journey in ‘the life’, let’s address the fate of ‘death’ first. I would like you to write your own eulogy, a short bio of your life & how you want to be remembered & leave it in a place where your family & loved ones you leave behind can easily find it when your journey ends. I also want to address your fate of ‘incarceration’ by having you create a ‘timeline’. That’s what inmates in State & Federal Prisons do who are entrenched in steel & concrete with heavy tags, branding irons & time. They create a ‘timeline’ of loved ones & associates who will die while they’re down & those who should still be alive when they get out. Then they put down all of the holidays, family reunions, children’s birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, weddings & the births of grandchildren they will miss. Let’s not forget the funerals of parents, loved ones & associates that you will not be able to say good-bye to.

I want you to look at your ‘eulogy’ & ask yourself if that is the legacy you want to leave behind. I’ve been told by inmates the hardest pill to swallow is the individuals on your ‘timeline’ who should be there when time releases you and their life is cut short also. The ‘games’ will not disappear because you have, ‘the games don’t change, just the pawns & the cover of the playbook’!

Every individual has ‘chains & yokes’, it’s our choice how heavy we want them to be, what we want them to represent & how long our strength will allow us to carry them. It’s up to each one of US to ‘break the chains’, to unharness the yoke  which deters our growth & advancement in life, the quality of life we wish to live & that which we desire to leave standing when we come to the end of our journey.

I thank you for your time & patience…for allowing me to share some of my thoughts & existence. I leave you as I came with the nth amount of due respect & love for life.

Lady Gray

Life's True Royal Couple...

My perspective on Life's True Royal Couple.....

I come to all of those within the Human Race with the nth amount of due respect & love for life. It’s in the air, the smell of changing tides & times. Life’s royalty & first family are far too busy to sit on their thrones & twiddle their thumbs; they’re more than mere figure heads. They cannot concern themselves or clutter their existence with the chaos & search for supremacy among their residents & denizens. Their calendar is overcrowded, their land holdings massive, their responsibilities burdensome & yet, they seem to carry out their duties tirelessly & with a bottomless pit of passion & fervor.

Who am I speaking of? Do you really need to ask? Why of course the oldest, grandest, most spectacular & stupendous couple in the Universe…Father Time & Mother Nature!! It takes them a whole year to traverse the breadth of their kingdom…an endless journey with no recognition in the Guinness Book of World Records. Many try to thwart their tasks & advance…failing to acknowledge that some powers are simply unattainable by man. This fact seems to add amusement & mirth to the private trysts of the royal couple.

As the year progresses & the seasons come & go, I am reminded of their presence & power. Regardless if you live within a plush valley, waving plain, rocky terrain or a shifting desert, their royal appearances touch all within. It seems that only humans allow ‘color’ to divide their numbers & rule their existence for Mother Nature lives a very colorful life indeed. She accompanies the passage of time on their journey with a pallet of many colors. I enjoy the down to earth artistry she displays on her ‘autumn stroll’. Fiery reds, browns, gold & orange with the scent of musk, all a product of her labor & homage to life. She seems to find strength & pride from her task of redecorating…never allowing herself to tire of her position or purpose in life. The majority of her residents & denizens seem to enjoy the fruits of her labor giving her the much needed energy to continue her journey.

Father Time seems to have an abundance of ‘unconditional love’ for his ‘life’ partner. He tolerates her artistry & mood swings, even created a day when they could celebrate privately their reign & accomplishments…the day is Feb. 29^th, mankind knows it as ‘leap year’. He would never think of abandoning or divorcing his life partner, due to her spontaneity & intriguing character he has nothing but love, respect & loyalty for his mate. He never tires of the ‘wrapping on the package’ for her image has never embraced a point of stagnation.

Like any ‘union’ in life, the royal couple has seen their share of struggles, trials & tribulations…but unlike the majority of ‘unions’ at this point in time, they fail to put a ‘monetary value’ on their self-worth in character & existence. They’ve learned to go ‘with the flow’, ‘roll with the punches’, ‘take it on the chin’, see their chalices as ‘half full, instead of half empty’. They do not see themselves as the most powerful or richest couple in the Universe, but are humble with their apologies for receiving numerous free gifts from life itself.

The royal couple has been vigilant within their kingdom in regards to educating their residents & denizens. They shudder at the thought of residing for any length of time in their own castle which was gifted to them by life itself. They have no desire to isolate or be out of touch with the beings in their kingdom, to appear as ‘unapproachable’. They have not found the need to embrace materialism on a monetary level to feel like royalty or appear regal. Their union to many seems ancient & passé, but every day of their existence they have perceived it as the first day…new, fresh & challenging. They’re not worldly travelers, but royal universal hobos.

For now, the royal couple has no plans to retire or relinquish their titles or purpose in life. As long as they have the will, desire & strength to continue their never ending journey, they will do so gratefully. Perhaps if Father Time finds a man or woman worthy of his wait or Mother Nature’s heart bursts from overwhelming appreciation for her talents…they will depart gracefully into the sunset.

I leave you as I came with the nth amount of love & respect for life itself,

Lady Gray

My Thoughts on Syria....

My Thoughts on Syria….

I come to my friends, new & old with the nth amount of due respect & love for life. I would like to share with you my thoughts & views on Syria. My intentions are not to offend anyone, but to provoke thought & discussion…both negative & positive.

I would like to share my thoughts on the Middle East & the recent catastrophic events which have occurred in Syria. The reason why the US has always failed in the Middle East & some Asian countries is due to the fact that we embrace the concept, ‘do as I say & not as I do’. Many times when we get involved in countries where there are internal struggles, our sense of democracy is not their definition of Freedom. We cannot force peoples or Nations that have had the same foundation for their govt for thousands of years to change & expect everything to be hunky dory. Just as here at home, change is hard to embrace, how more so for Nations who have deeper beliefs, morals & different views of righteous & equal life? I do not feel that it is our right or obligation to spread our concepts of democracy, just as I feel it is not the right or obligation of countries to spread & force communism or totalitarian govts upon others. However, I do feel that we have a moral duty & obligation as humans to protect the human rights of individuals…we should be our brother’s keeper to some extent when it comes to their very existence.

I am not for troops on the ground in Syria, but I also feel that we have a moral obligation in regards to protecting the Syrian people in regards to the use of chemical & biological warfare. As I stated last week after the event took place in Syria, I am not as concerned about the fact that they used chemical weapons as I am about where they attained such weaponry. In the past, both Iraq & Iran have used such warfare on the Kurds & we did not intervene. Nor have we intervened in several countries in Africa & Asia where genocide has been widely practiced. I remember being younger & wondering why as a power house in the World, we allowed such atrocities to occur while we ignored the practice by warring tribes, chieftains & rebels. I believe in a World today where technology, fire power & man’s immoral greed & magnanimous egos exist, that it is more important than ever, to protect our fellow man & the chain of life.

In the 21st Century, man should seek some form or decorum of peace & tolerance worldwide. I do not believe that any such goals will ever be attained when we continually bolster the military & defense of other Nations. Every single Nation where we have helped to fund their military, we have seen a deeper involvement & internal struggle further down the road. In some cases, we have fought our own weapons at a later date, have shed the blood of our fellow Americans & have depleted our own economy & quality of life in doing so. I further believe that certain allies who we have been aligned with over many decades, their radical statements along with actions, have not only hurt our foreign affairs, but at times have endangered the advancements we have made in the region. I am speaking in particular of Israel.

Just as we draw a line in the sand in regards to our intervention into the affairs of a foreign govt & military, we must also learn to draw the same thin red line in regards to any military actions or sanctions we embark upon. Nor should other countries & nations expect of us any longer to carry the full economic burden of ‘policing the World’.

I also do not feel that we can continue to economically fund the infrastructure of other Nations, when our own infrastructure & economic foundation is in question. As members of the human race & a leading power, we do have obligations to the welfare & health of our fellow man. We should focus more on the vital elements of survival abroad, food, health, water, environment & trade.

There are going to be times when we will have to come to the aid of nations, countries & people in a military role, but I do not feel that those decisions should come easy or be forced upon us by the military industrial complex. In this respect, I favor the President & how he has handled our foreign military involvement & missions. He does not seem to be swayed by the War Hawks or industrial Iron Horses who benefit financially from our military, but weighs in heavily by putting ‘human value’ into the equation of his decisions.

My present concerns with using missile strikes or military drones stems from the possible destruction of chemical & biological weapons in Syria, along with the deaths of innocent Syrians. It is not below the mentality of Assad to use his citizens as ‘human shields’ now that it has been made known & public that we will use missile strikes on his targeted military installations…thus adding to our portrait of being a member of the Evil Axis abroad. I can only hope that certain rebel elements within the country can aid the innocent citizenry in their safety prior to our attack & action. I had hopes that members of the Arab League would play a larger role in the present events & disposition of Syria with Assad’s use of Chemical & biological weapons…realizing that such weapons in the region could have a detrimental impact on their own security & the safety of their citizenry.

I’ve never considered anyone the victor in a war or mass rebellion…it would be different if we could throw the opposing parties & enemies in an arena & let them have a go at it there. Too many times the loss of innocence far outweighs the casualties of the actual combatants. The destruction of the infrastructure often hinders the reconstruction of the country for decades to come. I find this one fault within man’s character to wage war & compete with violence, death & destruction sad & somewhat morbid in nature.

I also find it disappointing that in the last 2 yrs, the U.N & Arab League has not found it necessary to take a more active role in what has transpired in Syria. With hundreds of thousands of refugees streaming into nearby countries already burdened with their own economics & survival, I would have thought that more restrictions & heavier sanctions would have been levied against Syria. A rebellion that has already claimed the lives of tens of thousands & injured tens of thousands more, when all is said & done, it will take several generations in the process of Syria’s reconstruction.

I know one thing; I will accept my menial life over that of the burdens that heavily weigh on the mind & heart of my President. I can only keep the citizens of Syria, their women & children, the innocent males in my thoughts & hope that in the very near future, the death & destruction which presently surrounds them will come to an end. That as a people they will find their inner strength to reach beyond the wounds, pain & sorrow of the last 2 yrs, to come together in a positive & constructive manner to rebuild their lives & country. All life is precious, as individuals we play a very vital role in the total scope & portrait of life. I do not condone war & violence, death & destruction, suppression & oppression, the distribution of fear in our daily existence, the self-anointed few on self-serving agendas that prey upon the majority…I can only hope that one day man will rise from his sleep & get life right.

To the Syrian people & the surrounding countries harboring refugees, know that you are deeply embedded in my thoughts.

Lady Gray

The Verdict....

For too many decades, Americans have ignored the injustices within our judiciary & penal realms when it comes to adults & the New Jim Crow. We will no longer tolerate those same injustices visiting our youth or the mentality it generates. In all good conscience we cannot allow it to continue. The verdict in the murder of Trayvon Martin has taken the pot of injustice off the back burner & added salt to the wounds of those who have fallen prey to a broken justice system.

I have to question the character of the jurors…  man sits in front of them & openly admits that he has killed one of our youth. Unlike the jurors I was not concerned about whose voice was heard on the tape screaming for his life. There were too many other factors that raised the small hairs on my neck. ‘These people always get away!’ Which people Mr. Z-nut? There was only Trayvon, a lone Black teenager. Anyone who is active in Neighborhood Watch knows what ‘watch’ means. When you called 911 an officer answered your call. You were informed that officers were being dispatched & you were directed to wait for those officers to arrive. However, you disobeyed that directive, after all those officers may not have carried out the momentary agenda you had embraced at that time…they may have told him to go on his way. He was not out after curfew, it was not late at night. You had every intention of invading Trayvon’s personal space & comfort zone.

You followed Trayvon & exited your vehicle. Every day across this Nation women & children know all too well the fear that visits a person when they are followed, especially at night…when few people are in the vicinity. The ego of a judge & jury, a wanna-be cop confronted Trayvon. Your reputation of being a rough shod over young Black youth preceded you & when you approached Trayvon in a threatening manner, he reacted like any individual who had become prey. You shot him recognizing that you were losing control of not only the struggle, but your mission. After all, the law in Fla would protect you.

For over a year, your actions of that night have embedded ‘fear’ into the minds & hearts of youth & parents across this Nation. The verdict which was handed down has empowered your ego & those of your ilk who wield their own interpretation of justice. Now, despite the fact that you’ve had mental health issues in the past & trouble with anger management, cases that were buried due to the position your parents have held in the past. It is difficult for me to comprehend why the State of Fla would return your weapon in good conscience back to you. You Mr. Z-nut should be the image on posters for mental health background checks concerning new provisions for gun control. Personally, I do not want to live in a community where you reside or the State.

The only justice that has so far been dealt out of this travesty of injustice, is that your aspirations of a police officer anywhere in the US no longer exists for you to wield your power & sic justice. Threats of death & harm have fallen not only on the victim’s family, but the predator. Now you fear for your life…yet, nobody has entered your personal space or comfort zone to confront you for your actions. Individuals have a tendency to shy away from an animal when they know that it is rabid in fear that the same incubated disease will visit their person. Mr. Z-nut…the greatest thing you have to fear, is fear itself…the shadows & monsters of your own creation…the blood & nightmare that you’ll never be able to wash from your hands & sleep.

I hope that Trayvon’s murder will not be for naught…that justice & new stipulations for the Stand Your Ground Law will continue to be pursued.  I am grateful for the protests & their peaceful demeanor around our Nation. The greatest changes within our Nation have always come from a peaceful movement. There is still hope that a further justice process on the Federal level will proceed in the matter of Trayvon’s murder.  Changes undoubtedly will occur, not because your self-serving agenda was carried out…but because one of our youth was taken from us too soon in such an evil, insane, animalistic way before he could reach all that he aspired to be. Trayvon did not have an arrest record…but you did Mr. Z-nut. Always remember that what goes around comes around….usually tenfold..

Lady Gray