Poverty Is Not an Accident

Poverty Is Not an Accident
Nelson Mandela

Tuesday, June 29, 2004

the ol' man is snorin'

You are reading http://livinginthehood.blogspot.com

Ah! Rain! Old Mugwart, my 20 year old cat, spent the night at my feet, head pressed against Porkchop's butt, snoring like a food processor. which he is, of course.

Cats' affection levels ebb and rise with the weather. They cuddle when it's cold or wet. They sleep in the yard when it's warm and dry.

I woke covered in cats, with Porky's nose in my arm pit.

What ever works, boy.

It's nice, being part of a pack, a pride, a litter...a murder? No, that's crows. I never had brothers or sisters. I was eighteen months old when my first cat brother shared my crib with me; he lived 'til he was thirteen. I still miss Woo.

I was confused when I woke: is it still dark? It says five thirty, so is it winter again?

Turned on the radio, stumbled for the coffee and toilet. Flopped my butt down with a hot cuppa.

Tom Trowbridge fell all over himself, trying to deliver his morning salutations, started over and said, "yes, it's early."

For years now, my radio has greeted me with Tom's and Bob Edward's voices. To me, radio sounds like them.

I suppose I should be more upset that the gatekeepers of my main source for info and culture are white guys. But I'm not. I like both of them.

When I hear Renee and...um, is it Steve?...on Morning Edition, part of my mind patiently waits for Bob Edwards to come back from vacation. Upstarts!

These new hosts are eminently forgettable.

I remind myself of Bob Edwards' fate, to keep me sane, to keep me from getting my hopes up, to keep me wary and conscious of who I'm excited to produce for. They're wealthy, complacent, spoiled, impressed by fads & ratings, self-protective and not-too-bright.

Oh, they sell pretty radio, for sure. And a lot of it is very moving, informative and creative.

But a piece on Asian seahorses is not a piece on the children of crack whores in the War Zone.

Actually, most of their stories about poor folk are of the uplifting sort. They convey a problematic message to their yuppy listeners: see? This person made it out. So, the vast number of the poor are just too lazy and apathetic to do the same!

They really don't know how incredibly difficult it is to buck the odds and scramble up. They REALLY don't know!

So, much of what I have to say probably won't be "up to their standards," when it comes to the economically exploited.

I haven't even begun to research HOW to produce for NPR, let alone begun persuing a story; but I already know this.

When was the last time YOU heard a poor person, broadcasting on NPR?

Thought so.

So, while I'm very flattered someone is even considering that I could produce for NPR--because I appreciate rich sound--I'm very wary. What appendage will I be expected to amputate, so I can fit my round peg in THEIR square hole? y'know?

I should repost this in my radio blog, huh? LOL

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