Hero, Icon, Father - Nelson Mandela

Back in high school I was fortunate enough to have a modern history teacher named Ms. Beckham who opened my eyes to apartheid in South Africa.  I will always be grateful to that white woman who was so passionate about the struggles of millions of black men, women and children.

She taught us about the sacrifice of Nelson Mandela as he fought to free native South Africans from the brutally racist apartheid regime. With tears in my eyes I typed a letter to the editor of The Plain Dealer denouncing the horrible living conditions and slave like existence of millions who were practically enslaved in their own country.  What a thrill it was for me when The Plain Dealer published my letter.  That letter inspired me to become the author I am today.

Nelson Mandela was a freedom fighter equal to none.  He gave up a life of privilege and prestige to fight the greatest battle of his life against institutional racism that forced millions to live a life of poverty and despair.  He was imprisoned for 27 terrible, long years but he never gave up hope or his dignity.

Upon his release from prison he rebuilt South Africa with love and reconciliation.  Many wanted to murder and abuse the whites and give them a taste of what it felt like to be treated as subhuman based on skin color but Mandela was determined to unite the country and not further divide it.

When he was elected President of South Africa I was elated, happy, overjoyed and downright giddy.  When he embarked on his world-wide tour I took my niece with me to Detroit to see the man who had dismantled one of the most oppressive governments in history.

Detroit was scrubbed fresh and looked polished back then.  The entire city was festive and our collaborated heartbeat was felt all over this nation.  Nelson Mandela took the stage to thunderous applause.  We couldn't keep our seats.  We danced and celebrated with our beloved brother who not only survived but thrived and inspired us all to do the same.

His words rang out as he told his story of tragedy and triumph over a system that at the time I believed would never change.  But change it did and Nelson Mandela was the catalyst that made it all possible.

So rest in peace Tata (father).  Rest with the angels.  Rest knowing that your impact on the world will never be forgotten.

I Was In Love with Paul Walker

And no, I never met him.  But the thing is I felt like I knew him.  In fact, I based my character Adonis after the cool, sexy, totally handsome essence that is Paul Walker.  He will always live on in my mind.  He is one of the finest men that I have ever seen--on screen and off.

In Love, Laughter and Lies I wanted Tia to have a meaningful fling with a blond beach boy and Paul Walker immediately came into view.  He was the epitome of my vanilla dream man.  Tall, blonde, easy-going, laid-back and wealthy.  He inspired me in ways I don't have the words to express.

It was love at first sight for me when he lit up the screen in The Fast and The Furious.  If I ever got jungle fever I wanted it to be with Paul.  I downloaded screen savers of his image.  I spent hours on the Internet looking at his photos.  I learned that he starred in Pampers commercials as a baby and that he was a teenage heart throb.

I loved the way he walked, talked and looked.  It was something about the way he moved that intrigued me.  What I wouldn't do to be able to wrap my fingers around his golden locks.  So what, if he was years younger?  That never stopped my imagination from imagining what it would be like to lie in his muscular arms.

I wondered what he smelled like.  What his favorite food was.  His favorite color or song. Did he like to watch TV?  Go to concerts? And of course, what would it be like to look into those gorgeous blue eyes?

Paul had soul.  Blue-eyed soul.  He touched my soul.  I've never been a groupie before but I would gladly have been his if I were ever anywhere he was.

Rarely have I cried when a celebrity passed.  But when my 19 year old daughter called me with the news I burst out crying.  Hoping it was in Internet prank I rushed her off the phone so that I could go to the Net for verification of the horrible news.  It was true.

I was so twisted I didn't even stop to think how my boyfriend felt watching me cry for a man I never met.  Even my 22 year old son offered his condolences to mom.

It wasn't just Paul's good looks and acting chops.  He was beloved by millions.  All that knew him said that he was a terrific guy.  In my heart I know its true.

The editors of dictionaries world-wide should have a photo of Paul Walker by their definition of classically handsome.

Rest well you beautiful soul.  You will be forever missed and forever loved.

Eve Got A Bum Rap in the Garden of Eden

I don't know about you but I've always felt that Eve got a bum rap when it comes to that apple in the Garden of Eden so long ago.

Sin didn't enter the world through Eve (woman) although she did bite the forbidden fruit.

Sin entered the world through Adam (man) because unlike Eve he was not deceived.  He knew it was wrong to take that bite but he took it anyway and of course later blamed Eve.

Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man...

Romans 5:15 ...God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!

How blessed we are that GOD rectified the situation through His Son Jesus Christ.

Unlike what's been taught to women for centuries, Adam (one man) was the conduit for sin.  Eve was duped by the devil.  Although if you listen to many men of faith it was all Eve's fault even though the scriptures say otherwise.

Religion like most everything else is a male dominated institution. I'm okay with that.  I'd just like to see Eve vindicated of the bum rap she received and women have had to live with throughout history.

Today's Truth by Violet Renee: Halloween 2013 - Fun For All

Today's Truth by Violet Renee: Halloween 2013 - Fun For All: We are Americans and we are resilient.  Halloween 2013 proved that to me.  As the world fell apart as it does every day during the news &q...

Halloween 2013 - Fun For All

We are Americans and we are resilient.  Halloween 2013 proved that to me.  As the world fell apart as it does every day during the news "never ending" hour I went out on a gloomy, windy, wet night and my inner child was extremely grateful.  At the Thistledown Racino in Cleveland, OH I witnessed grown folks all dressed up in Halloween costumes and having the best of times.  Bills?  What Bills.  Problem at work?  Who cares.

For a moment no one was worried about government officials who don't give a damn about the people they were elected to represent. You know the ones.  They always vote for war, to cut food stamps and health care for children and working families.

Once again we proved that we don't buckle under pressure.  We know that we are free and they can't take that away from us. No one is going to crush our spirit although our pockets may be lighter.

We know how to laugh it off, play it off and get it off.  From children to old heads we delighted in ourselves as we dressed up in crazy costumes to match our outlandish antics and it felt good to feel like a kid again.

Marveling at the grand prize winners pictured above, I couldn't help but think that our standard of living may be reduced but our invincible, creative, free and unapologetic American soul remains as strong as our faith in an unseen GOD.

Where else are you going to find jamming Halloween parties in nursing homes and little tikes who can barely walk screaming, "Trick or Treat."  We stand strong in our ability to openly express ourselves.

So a grand time was had by all as kids and those who still want to be, donned their favorite get ups and went out into the night to celebrate who we are.

Today's Truth : Is Acting Like a Lady a Thing of the Past?

Today's Truth : Is Acting Like a Lady a Thing of the Past?: Sometimes I feel like John the Baptist crying out in the wilderness; lamenting about many women and their lack of self-respect.  My questi...

Is Acting Like a Lady a Thing of the Past?

Sometimes I feel like John the Baptist crying out in the wilderness; lamenting about many women and their lack of self-respect.  My question?  Is acting like a lady a thing of the past?

For too many women all it takes is a text for sex message and they are doing the do without so much as a first date to the movies or a walk in the park. These women are making it real hard for those of us who know the truth.  Men value women that act like ladies and not dogs in heat.

Women are not men and we shouldn't be acting like we are. In civilized society women have always set a higher standard for intimacy in relationships. But something strange happened on the way to the future.  Women are not valuing themselves and therefore are letting men determine our value which is reduced to our body parts i.e. fat ass and big tits.

We are so much more than that and we need to conduct ourselves as the prizes that we are.  Grinding your ass up against every dude in the club is not dancing.  Pretending you're on a stripper pole at the club is not attractive.  Having multiple "baby daddies" is not cute even if you are.

Who's gonna put a ring on it if you're so easy to bed that the guy doesn't even have to buy you a happy meal to pull your panties down?

Whatever happened to saying "no" to men?  As in, "No, you can't move in with me when you don't even have a job."  "No, I won't have sex with you and you don't know my last name." "No, you can't drive my car and not put gas in it."  "No, I will not let you use and abuse me and quickly dump me for Mz. New Booty."

I don't know where our backbone went but until we find it men will continue to be comfortable not putting forth ANY effort to date us and win our affection.  They'll just continue to ride free on your easy booty.