Nik Nicholson's Blog, page 22

I will not be returning to Ferguson

Nik Nicholson:

I appreciated the honesty of this journalist.

Originally posted on Ryan L. Schuessler:

I had been on the ground helping Al Jazeera America** cover the protests and unrest in Ferguson, Mo., since this all started last week. After what I saw last night, I will not be returning. The behavior and number of journalists there is so appalling, that I cannot in good conscience continue to be a part of the spectacle.

**A clarification edit: I am not a full-time employee of any Al Jazeera branch or network. I am a freelance journalist who contributes to several media platforms.

Things I’ve seen:

-Cameramen yelling at residents in public meetings for standing in way of their cameras

-Cameramen yelling at community leaders for stepping away from podium microphones to better talk to residents

-TV crews making small talk and laughing at the spot where Mike Brown was killed, as residents prayed, mourned

-A TV crew of a to-be-left-unnamed major cable network taking pieces out of a Ferguson…

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Another thing I’m sick of: blaming fat women for our lack of clothing options

Originally posted on Tutus And Tiny Hats:

Give me the

pretties

, pleeeeease.

While I’m on a roll of ranting about things that piss me off, here’s another one: the recent trend of blaming the lack of plus size clothing options on the supposed buying habits of plus size customers. This piece in TIME, and this one on Fashionista are two examples, and they make me so viscerally angry that it’s hard to respond articulately–but I’ll try.

“[R]eal change for plus-size fashion will come when customers make more conscious purchasing decisions,” claims the TIME piece. Hahahahaha, no. Real change will come when companies realize that fat women are people and start making clothes in our size. It’s kind of ridiculous to insist that fat women’s shopping choices must be the issue, when our whole problem is that we don’t have enough options to choose from in the first place.

In the Fashionista article, a blogger named…

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Research: An Accidental Introduction to Native American History

Researching, I arrived at a list of American wars. There were so many tribe wars.  The majority of these wars I’ve never heard of.  I am so overwhelmed by this information I had to share.  Especially this, America fought seven tribes during the Civil War. I don’t even know which army fought those wars, considering how strained resources were by the Civil War. Over all, it’s crazy how history changes based on who is telling the story.

I consider all the movies I’ve seen set in the 1800’s, depicting Native Americans as hostile and aggressive. So, I’m thinking, it must not be common knowledge that America was initiating wars almost yearly with different tribes from 1813 to about 1891 to take their land and force them in confined spaces.  America didn’t call Native Americans to battle fields, they attacked their tribes. Native American women, children and elderly were killed in those wars.

I’m probably saying something you already know, but I needed write it down somewhere, so I could process.  I’ve never considered the way Native Americans were portrayed in movies.  In school and college, the few mentions of the atrocities committed against them dismissed the actual genocide and century of terror that occurred.  I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone challenge the false depictions of them as bloodthirsty savages. While Native Americans were actually being forced to defend themselves against bloodthirsty savage armies better armed. Of course there were going to be confrontations and conflicts anytime Native Americans saw wagons passing through their tribal area.

Also, I’m wondering if all Americans were aware these wars were happening during the time.  I’m wondering if the government also painted Native Americans as the aggressors during the time.  Every movie I’ve seen portrayed white people as being afraid to travel.  I wonder if painting Native Americans as the aggressor and hostile wasn’t apart of dehumanizing them so people would NOT question America’s use of force.  Then again, slavery was legal so I guess I can’t speak to the conscience of America.  It may have been a well known fact that Native American land was being confiscated violently, since one race believed they were entitled to rape, buy and sell and work people without pay.  When I consider it all, I’m almost sure America was  completely at peace with taking whatever they deemed necessary and praying to Jesus to give them strength before initiating war.

Daughter of Zion is a Meditation

I love writing. I love the work of weaving a story and getting lost in another world. I also love research and feel it arms me with tons of opportunities to be in the moment I’m writing about.

I made plans. I said, “I will finish a poetry book this year,” but I haven’t finished it.  In fact, after finishing the first draft I scrapped it and started over.  I’m practicing writing poetry from where I’m at now.  I am always learning and growing. I want my poetry to be a reflection of who I am, not who I’ve been.  This is not to say, that some day all of my poetry won’t be available, but for my first book of poetry I want it to make the moment I’m in now tangible.  Knowing, by the time it is in readers hands I’ll already be more of me.

I also wanted to have Daughter of Zion published and out by September 2014.  This isn’t going to happen. I haven’t even finished the first draft.  I’ve been reading and researching for months, but this is the first time I’ve committed to just working on it again. I’ve even started to revisit chapters.  I’m 70,000 words in. I pray over my work. I won’t release it until I feel it’s ready in my spirit.

Last time, I let go a little too soon.  I’d been working on Descendants of Hagar, for three years.  It had more than ten edits, completed by eight readers and editors.  I reviewed, decided on and made all the editing changes.  I read through the manuscript so much I didn’t even like the book once I was done.  Patience, still something I’m practicing and believe me I get a lot of practice in the publishing world.  Reading alone takes so much time, but that’s another discussion.  In any case, I let the book go because I was tired of reading it.

It wasn’t until Descendants of Hagar was published and in book form that I fell in love with it, again.  I want to release Daughter of Zion with love and receive it back with even more.  So I’m present, writing, reading, researching, living, loving and not abandoning my life to explore Linny’s.  Well, maybe a  little bit.  Writing is a meditation, so I’m focused and breathing through it.

Please forgive me, everyone waiting for the book to drop this month. I don’t know when it’s going to be done, but I’m working on it.

Love Love Love

Robin Williams dead at 63

Nik Nicholson:

All I know is Robin Williams was one hell of an actor. #RIP

Originally posted on Inside Movies:

[ew_image url="http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/i/2014/08/..." credit="Dave Hogan/Getty Images" align="left"]

Oscar winner and comedian Robin Williams died this morning at 63. While his publicist wouldn’t confirm that his death was a suicide, a rep did issue this statement. “Robin Williams passed away this morning. He has been battling severe depression of late. This is a tragic and sudden loss. The family respectfully asks for their privacy as they grieve during this very difficult time.”

Williams, who won an Oscar for his supporting role in Good Will Hunting, will reprise his role as Theodore Roosevelt in the third installment of Night at the Museum this December. He had recently signed on to reprise his beloved role as Mrs. Doubtfire in a sequel to be directed by Chris Columbus, and was last seen opposite Annette Bening in the indie film The Face of Love. His sitcom The Crazy Ones premiered on CBS last fall, but was…

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Every opportunity given to speak is not an invitation to be heard

Meditation Reminder 1

The quieter you become, the more you hear.

Let Your Spirit Lead You

butterflies

art

introduced us

you dug my poetry

i loved your smile

how it disappeared

and you followed

spirit

emerged

leading listeners

through thresholds

of other lives

to ancestors

as you drummed

we discussed

energy

source

how we are

slaves

to its force

writer

poet

singer

drummer

dancer.

somehow i came

to beg you

identify

as just one

you answered

what religion is god

activist

owner

hustler

strong character

cultivated by struggle

insisting

everything fair

isn’t equal

willing to die

for your people

conflicted

between

their wants and needs

greed

you concede

capitalist

sweet talk them

into buying

anti-consumerism

hypocrisy

lean, brown, tall

muscular build

sharp jawline

you were masculine

before

even in a dress

now in acceptance

you are something else

joining hands

interlacing fingers

my palm

kisses yours

as i

mentally speak affirmations

to get anchored

in my own greatness

that i do not worship you

or feel honored

to have your attention.

that i am present

not worrying

about your intentions

or contemplating

how

to make you stay.

butterflies

art

introduced us

you dug my poetry

i loved your smile

how it disappeared

and you followed

spirit

emerged

leading listeners

through thresholds

of other lives

to ancestors

as you drummed

we discussed

energy

source

how we are

slaves

to its force

writer

poet

singer

drummer

dancer.

somehow i came

to beg you

identify

as just one

you answered

what religion is god

activist

owner

hustler

cultivated

by struggle

insisting

everything fair

isn’t equal

willing to die

for your people

conflicted

between

their wants and needs

greed

you concede

capitalist

sweet talk them

into buying

anti-consumerism

hypocrisy

lean, brown, tall

muscular build

sharp jawline

you were masculine

before

even in a dress

now in acceptance

you are something else

joining hands

interlacing fingers

my palm

kisses yours

as i

mentally speak affirmations

to get anchored

in my own greatness

that i do not worship you

or feel honored

to have your attention.

that i am present

not worrying

about your intentions

or contemplating

how

to make you stay.