As you all know (well if you didn’t before you do now), I work part-time as a beauty artist.  (Yes, I’m a hustler.)  During a conversation last week with my manager, he told me about this song titled “Strange Fruit“, but he couldn’t remember who sang it.  He suggested (almost demanded :)) that I look it up on YouTube that same night.  And I’m glad I did.  The song, originally a poem written by Jewish teacher Abel Meeropol from the Bronx in 1936, was made famous by Billie Holiday.   If you haven’t heard it yet, listen here.

Right, pretty powerful-and horrific-and disturbing.  Just 71 years ago this song was recorded and the lynchings of Blacks in the South was an all too real horror that many of our family lived through. 

Why bring this up you ask?  Well, after the victory of extreme right wingists and candidates of the Tea Party, I started to get a little concerned.  I’m concerned because their goal is “to take America back”.  Back to where?  To the days of President Reagan, when the poor were taxed like nobody’s business and getting poorer and the rich got richer off the backs of others.  And if we keep playing around and allow these people to “take America back” they’re going to take it right back to the days of lynches and open racism. 

So keep thinking your vote doesn’t matter, continue to think you don’t have a voice, become complacent with the status quo and not growing and evolving and making this a better world for you and your family.  That’s exactly what they want.  For those of you that voted last week, thank you for allowing your voice to be heard.  Even if your candidate didn’t win, stay on the person’s ass who did win to ensure that they speak for YOU!  Hold your representative/councilmember/governor accountable for ANY thing that takes place in your city, town, or state.  Your voice matters-make sure it’s heard.  Until next time, I’m just a Southern girl…in the city.