The Moral Of This Blogger’s Story
bella | Feb 11, 2009 | Comments 61
I took some heat on my Chris Brown/Rihanna post, particularly from two commenters who took issue with my opinion about the issue. One regular reader that I like and respect quite a bit, accused me of being “one sided” and not neutral about cultural differences. Another reader went ahead and expressed disappointment in me as a journalist.
If asked, I’d call myself a professional writer. Although I’ve been employed as a journalist, I never went to J school, and I never aspired to spend my life breaking or reporting news. However, you’re reading Afrobella. I created this blog in 2006 as a space for self expression. So here’s some breaking news, bellas — everything you read on Afrobella is coming from my heart, my mind, and my soul whether it’s a product review, a post about popular culture, or a post about my life. You’re reading a blog, and I have an opinion. In fact, that’s generally what bloggers do.
It takes a lot to put yourself out here online every day. It takes real effort to research and write and make sure what I’m saying is exactly what I mean to say. A year or so ago, this little adventure in blogging might have led me to feel down about the process. But now, this experience actually led me to an old song by a man I’ve written lovingly about before — The Mighty Sparrow. In 1963 he recorded a song called The Old Man and the Donkey. Check it out below.
I love a song with a moral, and this has a good one. I’ll summarize the lyrics for those of you who can’t listen to it.
The song tells the story of an old man, a little boy, and a donkey, traveling across the countryside of Trinidad. Every village they go through, the villagers have a complaint about their method of transportation. Some think the old man shouldn’t be riding the donkey, he should let the little boy ride. When they switch places, the villagers in the next place they stop take issue with them, and say the little boy should be walking as the old man rides. Etcetera, etcetera. And the song ends with these lyrics, which have always held me in good stead.
“The moral of the story is plain to see. Please yourself, because you can’t please everybody.”
If you’re looking for impartial news, I encourage you to turn to the AP or Reuters. But please, don’t visit my blog and expect me not to share my own views on a subject, to be Switzerland or Sweden, or to only express views you can agree or identify with. 9 times out of 10 you might agree with me. And one time, you might not. And it’s completely up to you whether you keep reading or not. Personally, I hope you do, and I hope through rational discussion, careful reading, and critical thinking, together we can come to a place of mutual understanding and enlightenment. But I understand if it doesn’t go that way. I’m not going to let it hurt my feelings, and you shouldn’t let it hurt yours.
Either way, I wish all of you peace and positivity.
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No one is turning their head, however no one (unless they are members of either family or directly involved in both parties lives) is able to sit in judgment or even truly make statements of ‘well i think’ or ‘my feelings are’. none of us were even there, we don’t REALLY know what happened. the last time i even saw a “news” article about it the only words i kept seeing being repeated was alleged and may have been.
I think u cross the line and make it ur business when u personally are involved. meaning i personally know you and the entire situation or i am an eyewitness. like this article i read in the paper about this gentleman who saw a woman being stabbed by her husband in a domestic dispute on the street and the gentleman hit him over the head with a shovel and contacted the police. while that may seem a little vigilante style (violence begetting violence and all) that man did not just leave that woman there alone to fend for herself for fear of the physical repercussions he may have received.
If i see it or i know you then it is my business. but until you have the full details of a matter no it is not your business. At that time its a lot of accusations and insinuations. The authorities are really the final say and if it turns out as true then he should suffer the consequences to the fullest extent of the law. No ifs ands or buts. Just my thghts!
@Newly Nappy
I understand what your are saying and i agree we don’t know the details of the situation.
This is a sensitive subject and we are all humans. Everyone has cast judgment in his/her life. Especially, topics that “pull on our heart strings”. We just have to wait and see what happens.
you get so many comments its just inspiring.
I for one am bias. Part of the reason I like you so much and love reading your blog is that Caribbean connection. I may not be a born islander but I am a british born west indian caribbean jamaican. i have heard a few off key things in my time. I just like the way you bring your home town and your current together. its like a basket weave interwoven neatly to reveal the beautiful that you are.
just brush your shoulders off and keep doing you.
Well said Bella!
I haven’t read as much island hate towards Rihanna as I have read black women who are making EXCUSES for Chris Brown’s behavior. I know we all love the brothers, but we can’t make excuses for them when they are wrong!
I hope people will not let this opportunity go by without talking to the young people in their lives about domestic violence and behavior that is unacceptable. This is truly a trachable moment.
^^ teachable moment^^
Cosign@ some of Candy’s comments. Attitudes toward women in the black community sucks. I’ve been so disappointed by comments about Rihanna by black women in general. Where the heck is the sympathy for the abused?
But where I disagree with Candy is that I have heard a lot of negative comments toward people from the islands. It’s just sad and ignorant. As an AA woman I really want us all to be unified and have a more panafricanist view about black folks in the diaspora. I don’t understand the hostility and animosity people feel. I’d like some perspective on it.
@SacredAngel,…
You keep flapping your jaws in a lame attempt to promote your blog.
No one is listening to you because you don’t make any kinda sense. Do you understand that,
You have a blog which is averageing Sero comments. You even used your post here to try to generate comments to no avail.
It ;s not working try something else.
You keep saying what your expectation of Afrobella is.
Maybe you should examine your expectation of self.
You have proven here that you do not know the definitions of which you speak and you that you are trying to put some responsibility for your illumination and education on to Afrobella’s shoulders.
However instead of asking for it, you aretrying to bully her in to giving you what you want.
I said it in the island post.
You need some help. your dysfunctional background is seeping into your online posts. Seek counselling or guidance.
It really will help you.
Well said!
I especially liked the Sparrow throwback!
Take care, bella!
Well Said Bella!
I am a Sparrow fan as well!
Keep true to your Caribbean-ity ALWAYS!
xoxox,
Ms.Zindzi.
Thank you to the person who linked me to this post.
To soul whatever: My blog is for me. I discuss it with people who read it using reader. I’m not overly concerned with the number of comments I get. If you read my comment on this post you would have seen that I a) apologized for not taking Bella’s blog for what it truly was and b) didn’t link my blog in this post’s comments. It’s set up to automatically do so because I do read quite a few WordPress blogs.
Go do something productive. Not entirely sure what that might be for you but go find it.
bwaaah haa haaaa.
funny. u r still not making sense, and still trolling for commenters.
be off witth you.
go gain a few more IQ points from school