There’s been a lot going on lately, and I haven’t truly been able to set aside the time to talk about it. But, since I have a few moments of peace and quiet, I think I’m gonna do just that.
- The big news in the state is the most recent election of Doug Jones (D) over Roy Moore (R) to take the Alabama Senate seat vacated by Jefferson Beauregard Sessions (R) when he became the nation’s Attorney General. I’m sure everyone has already seen the graphic depicting the racial turnout, but just in case you haven’t, here it is:
Every Democrat in the nation should go thank an Alabama Black woman because Black women – and to a lesser extent Black men – put Mr. Jones in office. Even though we only make up about 26% of the state’s population, we came out in droves and supported Mr. Jones. He won 51-49 over a misogynistic bigot who “allegedly” went for teenage girls when he was in his early 30s. Please note I have to say “allegedly” so I won’t get sued for my debt.Mr. Moore has refused to concede, so we’ll still have to play this saga out for a bit longer, and then we get to see how long it takes for the Senate to swear him in.
- Moving to my little corner in the world of sports, the University of Alabama at Birmingham welcomed its football team back, and the Blazers ran though the season with a school record eight wins and is going to their second ever bowl game in the Bahamas Bowl. Anyone who knows me knows I am a staunch UAB fan, and I was in attendance at that first game back. It did my heart proud to see the Blazers play again, and the fact they did so well would’ve brought tears to my eyes if I weren’t an android devoid of human emotion.
- Going to a bigger realm in the world of sports, the NFL has seen declining ratings this year. Some of that can be attributed to viewer fatigue, as there are games on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, and even some Saturdays. Some of that can be attributed to the injuries to big stars except for Tom Brady. But, a lot of people stopped watching the NFL because of the players using their platforms to protest inequality during the National Anthem. Instead of reading and learning what the protests are truly about, the masses say they’re “disrespecting the flag” or “disrespecting the nation;” neither of which are true.
I haven’t willingly watched an NFL game since the Super Bowl last season, and I probably will only watch the Super Bowl this season, and it’s mostly because this is a brutal game where careers can end at the drop of a hat. I’m also no longer watching because the League has repeatedly turned a blind eye to the domestic violence the players commit, and when they do notice it, the penalties are never consistent (see Brown, Josh and Hardy, Greg). And, because the League owners are deliberately blackballing Colin Kaepernick because he dared to start a dialogue about police brutality and inequality.
- Moving on to entertainment, Disney is a behemoth. The House of Mouse has essentially had a number one movie ever month, and the release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi will pretty much cement that. On top of that Disney is looking to purchase the movie and television rights to the expansive 20th Century Fox library, including the X-Men and Fantastic Four. There is a great chance both properties will find themselves in the Marvel Cinematic Universe within a few years, and I am so excited for that.
Make mine Marvel.
- I’ve been acting with a community theater troupe the past few months, and it feels good to get back in the swing of things. For the uninitiated, I was a Theatre Arts minor at Alabama State, participating in productions of Jesus Christ Superstar and Madea. Both were about 23 years ago, and I thought I’d be rusty getting back into it. But, when asked to join the cast of To Kill a Mockingbird, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to get on stage again. Playing the part of Tom Robinson was an eye-opening experience, although it was a bit rough. We recently closed on A Christmas Story, and that was a horse of a different color. I got to play Red Ryder, Santa Claus, the Christmas tree salesman, the delivery man who delivered the lamp, Pierre Andre, and a nosy neighbor. That’s a lot of parts, but I did it well and had a ball. That’s all anyone can ask for, right?
I have no idea what the future will bring, but with Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War on the horizon, it’ll be an entertaining ride.
See you in 2018.