The Daily Dose/September 3, 2018
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy
In The News
The Rev. Jasper Williams, one of the eulogists at Aretha Franklin’s funeral, is in hot water, with the Internets getting its collective shorts in a knot over parts if his fiery, 50-minute eulogy. And, frankly, he is due for some derision because he was delivering a eulogy, not a policy speech, but no matter, a preacher will take his pulpit where he finds it.
Among his transgressions was saying black America had “lost its soul” and that “black lives don’t matter”. He even referred to black children growing up without fathers to be “abortion after birth”
Let me answer like this: No. Black lives do not matter, black lives will not matter, black lives ought not matter, black lives should not matter, black lives must not matter until black people start respecting black lives and stop killing ourselves, black lives can never matter.
Rev. Williams is right. Until black people start respecting black lives, and until whites start respecting lives other than their own, black lives won’t matter and America won’t matter. Part of this, of course, is America’s fault. Blacks still don’t get a square deal here, having to work twice has hard for gains whites accept as a matter of course. But Rev Williams point about black on black violence has merit, too.
Friends, we rise as a society and we fall as a society and as long as blacks are obliged to wonder if their lives matter they will continue to be second-class citizens and America will be a second rate country.
Today at the Site
The Diary of a Nobody: Sparrow has a couple of snotty walk-ins at the hotel and it is his pleasure to tell them he does not have a vacancy. Also, it is very slow at the retailer, tho that didn’t stop someone from stealing a pair of workboots and leaving his old boots in the box. – A subscription is required to read this feature.
The Thought for the Day: John Ferling as today’s Thought, talking about John Adams and how Adams thought the Revolution was about putting people in a position to get the most out of their lives. – This feature is free.
On This Date
In 1838 – Abolitionist Frederick Douglass escapes from slavery. Using papers provided by a free black seaman, and a sailor’s uniform provided by his future wife, who was free. Douglass, who was escaping from a Maryland plantation, took a train and a boat to eventually make it to New York City. After marrying his fiance, they settled in Massachusetts.
In 1985 – Reggie Jackson of the California Angels hits two home runs in a 14-8 loss to the Detroit Tigers, making Jackson the first major league player to hit at least 100 home runs with three different teams. He also did it with the Oakland A’s and the New York Yankees.
In 1966 – Sunshine Superman by Donovan is at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song would spend one week at #1 and was Donovan’s only #1 hit, though the follow-up, Mellow Yellow, went to #2. Future members of Led Zeppelin Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones also played on the song.
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Mark Antony committed suicide a few days before Cleopatra did.
Today’s Stumper
How many songs hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966? – Answer next time!
Shameless Plugs
Backstairs at the Monte Carlo: A Vegas Memoir!: Clock in with the graveyard crew at the Monte Carlo Security Department on the glamorous Las Vegas Strip. You’ll meet drunks, reprobates and scoundrels, and those are just the officers! The funniest Vegas memoir ever! Promise!
The Regular Guys: Meet Lenny and Larry, two comedians who team up more or less out of desperation and become the biggest in show business. As funny as you would expect from Gaylon, and poignant, too.
Click here to read previews of both!
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