#ChavisCarter:TragedyInMyHomeState

Hey everybody!! Let me start off by saying that I hope that you enjoyed my last video. Make sure that you leave me a comment and give me some feedback.

Chavis Carter

Have you ever heard a snippet of a news story and said to yourself “Well, that was a sad incident.”  but then you keep going with your day.  Well, not too long ago that happened to me.  I first heard about Chavis Carter about a week ago.  When I first heard the story of a handcuffed man shooting himself in the back of a police car it made me raise an eyebrow.   Then I eventually forgot about the story.  While having a conversation with a friend about the bizarre mishap it made me want to do more reading on the story.

The long short of it is that Chavis Carter and two other passengers were pulled over in Jonesboro, AR for driving suspiciously.  During the first search, marijuana and small plastic bags were found on Carter. Carter was put in the back of the police car.  Carter was not handcuffed at this point.  The other passengers were questioned and let go.  The police searched the car and found other drug paraphernalia in the car.  The police did a second body search and then put Carter in the police car this time handcuffed. 

Even though the policemen were about a car’s  length from the car, they do not know when the fatal shot was fired.  One of the policemen smelled smoke and noticed that Carter was slumped over and bloodied.

For me there are a lot of unanswered questions. First, how is that you are a car's length away and you could not hear a gun go off?  A gun shot is is not the quietest sound, yet it wasn't until one of the cops smelled smoke that made the cop go to the car.  Second, another part of this story is that the cops' cars were parked trunk to trunk so none of this was caught on the dashboard cameras.  As many times as I have seen two or more cops pulled over on the side of the street I have never seen police cars parked this way.  The whole point of these cameras is to protect the cop from being accused of something criminal but none of this is on camera.  Lastly, the mother of Chavis said that he was left handed but the shot on the right side of his head.  This would have been difficult for him to do if his left hand is his dominate hand.

Without all these other facts, the main question is how can someone shoot themselves handcuffed?  The Jonesboro Police Department has made a reenactment video showing how this is possible.  The police chief admits that this is bizzare but also says that the average person might think this is impossible.  Even with this video, I still can't understand why this young man would shoot himself over weed possession. 

This case leaves us with more questions than answers.  I will be following this story and will provide updates as this story unfolds. 

Through EBONY Eyes Ep 2 Meek Mill and Aretha Franklin

Hey everybody!! If you have not watched it yet below is my views on a couple of medium size controversies including Meek Mill's song "Amen" and Kathy Lee Gifford come the Queen of Soul Feel free to leave a comment and give me some feedback.  Check out the video below:

#BlackWomenLoveHair

My quick weave!!

Hey everyone!! I hope this post finds you in a cool spot (especially if you live in the south)  considering how crazy hot it has been.  As much as I love summer (the swimming, BBQs, and just overall being outdoors)  I cannot say that my hair will say the same about the hot season.  Considering the fact that I have frizzy hair and sweat profusely in my head, I am constantly trying to figure out what to do with my thick hair.  So I have decided to try to put in my own quick weave.  As I was doing my hair it made me think of all the cool (and sometimes crazy) things black women can do with their hair.

The Natural: I am always hearing about someone taking the BIG CHOP.  For any Caucasian, Asian, or Latina women that might read my blog, this is when a black woman cuts all the straight hair off to the curl or natural part of the hair.  Women who are tired of getting the creamy crack (relaxer) take this route.  This style has actually caused a lot of debate in the black women community.  Those who choose to take the clippers to their head might berate us who choose to continue to use the creamy crack because of how much damage it causes the scalp.  I agree the natural might be whole lot healthier but for the time being I like my hair straight and will continue to take the risk.  Regardless of my stance on the natural, I think this hair style can be very pretty.  I love to see women with different braid styles with it or just wear picked out. 

Such a pretty natural look

The Weave: This is actually a style I am working right now (the quick weave).  Black women have gotten the weave down to a science.  There is the sew-in, quick weave, clip-ins, microbraids, twists, lacefronts, and many other styles.  The thing about the weave is that it can go one of two ways: very nice or very bad.  I believe that if you are not a performer of some sort then leave the lacefronts alone.  I also believe that you should not go to every one's kitchen to get your hair done.  I can understand not wanting to pay hundreds of dollars to get a weave but still use caution when picking a kitchen beautician.  Even though black women get teased a lot for wearing weaves I believe that if done correctly it can actually be healthy for the hair.  I like not constantly putting heat on my hair.

Tyra always has a pretty weave

This is a no no

The Famous Body Wrap: This is the first grown lady style every black woman learns as young teen.  It is very simple actually.  After getting a relaxer, the stylist will with put rollers in the hair or straighten it and then you literally wrap the hair around your head to keep the look sleek.  This style is very easy to keep up and also easy to sleep on.  I rock this style on a regular. 

Rihanna use to rock the body wrap before she became a red head

I love how creative we can get with our hair.  I also love how we can switch up our styles on a daily.  Monday we can have hair to our hips and Wednesday we can have short curly style.  Whatever the style, it all inspires me. 

#BETAWARDS2012

If you missed the BET Awards 2012 this past Sunday because you thought it was going to be ratchet, you actually missed a good show (Honestly, I do not blame you for your assumptions).  But this year the BET Awards redeemed themselves 100 fold! Like any award show, there were highs and lows but there were more highs than lows.  Kanye gave us freestyle, Chaka Khan showed us that you can still rock it at 60, Mindless Behavior dissed a legend, and even Mr. Al Sharpton gave us some freestyle (“This election is not about Obama, it’s about yo mama.” Lol, I guess). 

To start this review off, I am going to start with my fav performance: Melanie Fiona.  If you follow me on Twitter my last few tweets have been about how amazing Melanie Fiona is.  Everyone describes Melanie Fiona as the most underrated artist and last night Melanie showed everyone why to underrate her is a BIG mistake.  She killed on her performance.  She sang “Wrong Side of a Love Song” and it left me speechless.  She sang the song like the person that it was about was sitting on the first row.  Sidenote: I stan for any artist that can just stand in front of a mic and slay.  Melanie, girl, you have a fan for life.  And if you have not picked it up yet, get Melanie Fiona’s second album The MF Life. You will not be disappointed.

Another part of the show that I really enjoyed was Kevin Hart’s funny spoof of the Real Housewives series, The Real Husbands of Hollywood.  I freakin’ love Kevin Hart and the spoofs shows why.  This year he had Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Anderson, Fabolous, and Faizon Love in his miniseries and it was just as funny as last year.  My fav part was when Samuel L. Jackson called Soul Plane a “slave” movie.  Seriously, I was cracking up through each spoof.

Depending on your choice of sense of humor depends on if your think this was a low point.  When Mindless Behavior and Mike Epps were presenting the Best R&B category, Mindless Behavior said that Mike Epps singing was as bad as Lauryn Hill’s tax accountant.  After the comment a gasp could be heard from the audience.  Beyonce won the award and did a shoutout to Lauryn Hill in her acceptance speech.  Rumor has it that Beyonce vented backstage about how disrespectful the joke was but not quite sure how true it is.  Honestly, award shows always take jabs at celebrities.  I cannot say that I think this is the most disrespectful comment I have ever heard on an award show (Russel Brand and Ricky Gervais have said a lot worse about celebrities). 

I cannot end this post without talking about the Whitney Houston tribute.  BET Awards get an A+ for that tribute.  I was not looking forward to hearing another artist sing “I Will Always Love You”.  I understand that it was the main song that Whitney is known for but she had a slew of  other unforgettable hits.  Monica did a beautiful job.  And Brandy…wow, I am proud of you.  Brandy helped us remember that Whitney was not just a ballad singer.  Ms. Cissy Houston gave an emotional tribute to her baby girl that almost had me in tears.  And then Chaka Khan came out singing “I Am Every Woman” to show us how the legends do it. 

I could probably write 2 or 3 more paragraphs on this awards show but I am going to end it here.  If you missed it, I am pretty sure that BET is going to rerun it like 200 times before next year’s show.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @EbonyMarieRe

#ImInspiredBy...

This past weekend I finally finished my vision board.  Mind you, I bought the poster board and supplies for this project back in January.  The original idea was to make a vision board for 2012 but since we are almost half way through this year, I made a vision board of the things I want to do by the end of the year and other things that inspire me.

While going through Ebony and Glamour magazines to find pictures to cut out, I found a picture of Maya Angelou and I immediately cut it out.  She had to go on my vision board.  The summer of 2008 included an exlusive summer reading list of Maya Angelou books.  Her autobiography impressed me.  The life she led was amazing and she is also why I have started writing again.  Now I know that my writing will probably never amount to what she has done but she inspires me to find a way to put some of my deepest feelings into words in a way that most people can relate to.  I am not sure if it will happen before the end of 2012 but I hope to meet and ask her advice for someone that is serious about writing and pick her brain about how she feels about the present state of women. 

Something else I am inspired by is fashion.  I cannot tell you what was on this past spring's fashion runway but I do love fashion.  Basically because this is the utmost way to show off your personality.  This is a way to introduce yourself to someone before ever opening your mouth.  And I cannot get enought of bright colors, belts, big earrings, and wedges.  I have seriously enjoyed putting together outfits that express who I am.  I like to think I am upbeat, unique, and out going.  I want my wardrobe to say the same thing. 

Last but most certainly not least, I am inspired by my spirituality.  Some of you may know that I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses.  This past April 15, 2012 I was baptized and it will not be a day that I will forget.  It was the day that disowned myself and said that I would live my life for Jehovah God.  It is not always easy but it is most certainly worth it.  My spiritual beliefs have inspired the rest of my life including who I date (1 Corthians 7:39), how I spend my money (Matthew 6:19-21), and who I choose as close associates (1Corthians 15:33).  I am greatful to have Jehovah guiding my life. 

If you have not, create a vision board.  It is relaxing and it reminds you about things that maybe you have forgotten about yourself

If you have not already follow me on Twitter @EbonyMarieRe

My vision board!!!

#ChrisBrownShowingOutAGAIN

Just in case you have not heard about the latest beef Chris Brown is involved in, let me give you the tea.  He has gotten himself into a brawl with Meek Mill and Drake, supposedly over a champagne bottle being sent to Drake’s table at a night club.  I cannot give specific details because there have been so many conflicting stories.  But at the end of the champagne bottle tossing, Chris Brown has a chunk of meat from his chin missing, a girl who was visiting our country has been hit with a bottle, and one of Chris’ body guards was laid up in a hospital bed bleeding everywhere.  Drake has made a statement claiming he was not involved in the beef. 

Regardless of what the true story is, I am really tired of these celebrities showing their behind.  There are people who do not know how they are going to pay their rent this month.  There are people who do not know where their next meal is going to come from; there are people who are jobless and unemployment is about to come to an end.  Then you got Chris Brown and Meek Mill throwing champagne bottles, probably the equivalent of my bi-weekly paycheck.  I have never understood why rich people are the pettiest people.  If I was a millionaire I would be somewhere chilling on a beach, not attacking people in the club with broken glass.  But I guess the old saying is true: Money cannot buy class.

And to the girl that got cut with a bottle here is some advice to you: Get you a good lawyer and get paid.  If Chris Brown and Meek Mil got money to throw around the club in shears of glass, they got money to pay you for your pain and suffering.  If it was me they would for not only pay for the stitches but the hairdo that got messed up, the outfit that was ruin because of champagne and blood, the embarrassment, my plane ticket back home to my country, and whatever else I could think of.  When I was done suing Chris Brown, he would have to rename his album Fame to Famine. 

Now do not get me wrong, I am a huge fan of Chris Brown.  I do believe that he is one of the talented performers of our generation, but every time you turn around he is in the middle of some beef.  Just a couple of weeks ago, him and Brian McKnight were going at it on Twitter.  The day Chris Brown learns that he does not have to respond to every negative thing that is thrown his way is the day his life will become a lot less stressful.  And by the way, where is his publicist, his spiritual advisor, his momma?! Like for real, I need someone to intercede quickly before Chris Brown ultimately ruins his career. 

Okay guys and gals, that is all the tea I got for you for right now.  If you haven’t already follow me on twitter, @EbonyMarieRe.

#DontBullySherriShepherd

I want to start this post off by saying I apologize about being away for so long.  And I want to thank you if you watched the first episode of Through EBONY Eyes on YouTube.  Because of technical difficulties we have not been able to put up another episode but will be posting another episode hopefully soon. 

With that said, on to the main point of this post.  Sherri Shepherd, co-host on The View, was bullied on Twitter.  After someone tweeted Ms. Sherri that she should be dragged in a back alley and raped, she tweeted that she would be pressing charges against this person.  She then talked about online bullying and taking a stand.  Even though some have expressed on Twitter that she is blowing it out of proportion, I support Ms. Sherri Shepherd for standing up against online bullying.

Bullying has certainly been taken to another level since bullies (cowards) have taken their antics to the web.  Growing up in the 90’s and early 2000’s, bullying took place at school on the playground.  Even though this was not right, at least the child was able to go home and escape it.  Now with Facebook and Twitter, children and teens continue to be bully long after the last school bell has rung.  We now frequently hear stories in the news about bullied victims committing suicide or victims taking vengeance into their own hand which at time results in homicie.  Some states have even taken steps to change the laws concerning on-line bullying.  But regardless of the laws, we must take a stand against online bullying and this is what Sherri Shepherd doing.

There is a saying that goes “You don’t believe fat meat is greasy.”  Well, Sherri is showing the grease.  By taking a stand and getting the law involved she is making an example out of this person that you cannot just tweet people whatever and not suffer consequences.  When it comes to posting statuses and tweets, people always think of freedom of speech.  But freedom of speech does not include making threats or repeatedly attacking any one person. 

If this person is charged I think it will make people think twice before threatening someone online.  In order to show that online bullying is a problem, we cannot just keep ignoring it.  Sherri, I salute you for taking this step.

Remember to follow me on Twitter, @EbonyMarieRe