Monthly Archives: February 2010

LET’S GET ALONG!

Posted on by Dr. Joan R Cartwright

LET’S GET ALONG!

By Joan Cartwright

The Rodney King statement, “Can’t we all just get along?”, can morph into “Let’s get along!” This statement is more definite . It’s not a question but a command to human beings to consider getting along with their fellow humans.

[February 3, 2010, Fort Lauderdale, FL] This morning, in a conversation with my father (90), I conceived this article. He told me that, when he was a child, let’s say 10, a boy ran into him with his bicycle, an action that left a memory within my father of the evidence that human beings could not get along with each other for various reasons. He indicated that it wasn’t just color, race or creed that put them in conflict with each other, but place of origin. He said the kids from the Bahamas, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas didn’t get along with each other. He still wonders why it is this way, even today, that people in the same country, city, territory cannot get along with their neighbors.

Karen L. Anderson, in her article “To The Keepers of the Hearth and Flame” from Life Compass for Women, says it is Esteem that dictates how a relationship will go. “Esteem is how we value ourselves and others,” Karen says. She lists six H’s of Communication:

  • Hunger: Until someone is hungry to know or learn, save your words.
  • Here: Concentrate on the present because most of us are too busy to visit the past or the future.
  • Honor: Maintain dignity for you and for your relationship partner.
  • Heart: Show empathy and compassion. Offer words and deeds that heal rather than harm.
  • Hope: Encouraging statements and goodwill gestures reflect possibilities for positive change.
  • Humor: Smile and laugh to break the tensions in life and keep a positive perspective.

Karen’s website is www.acts-ionsolutions.com

Scholar, Author, Full Philosophy Professor @ Howard By Leshell Hatley in Education, Philosophy, Scholarly Celebrations The preeminent African American intellectual of his generation, Alain Locke was a professor of philosophy and the leading promoter and interpreter of the artistic and cultural contributions of African Americans to American life. More than anyone else, he familiarized white Americans with the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s, while encouraging African American authors to set high artistic standards in their depiction of life. As a professor of philosophy, he expounded his theory of “cultural pluralism” that valued the uniqueness of different styles and values available within a democratic society. More than anyone else, he familiarized white Americans with the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s, while encouraging African American authors to set high artistic standards in their depiction of life. (Continue)


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[Ángel Franco/The New York Times] After a week of watching news coverage of the Haiti earthquake, Nadege Fleurimond, a Haitian-American event planner in New York, fired off an e-mail message to about three dozen friends and associates. Though she was moved by the outpouring of help from local Haitians, she was frustrated that the effort had not coalesced into something larger and more visible. “We succeed as individuals, not so much as a community,” said Nadege Fleurimond, a Haitian who immigrated to New York when she was 7 and graduated from Columbia University. (Continue)

Haitians in America: A Shifting Population “No major press conferences, no major vigils, no major anything with a statement,” she wrote. “Nothing being written about us besides the fact that we were sad and shocked.” The problem, she suggested, was that Haitians, for all their history and achievements in New York, had not emerged as a discernible entity, with prominent leaders, a united presence, a public face. The e-mail message provoked a spirited debate in Ms. Fleurimond’s circle. And as the initial shock of the earthquake begins to fade, the disaster has touched off similar discussions among Haitians all over New York.

Does this woman look at CNN? Every time I turn it on, there’s the relief effort in Haiti. Is it that she’s looking at what’s not happening, instead of what is happening?

There needs to be an open dialogue between Americans, African-Americans in particular, Haitians and Haitian-Americans about their relationship, especially in light of the recent disaster in Haiti and the influx of thousands of Haitians into the United States, the State of Florida, in particular.

Are you interested?

Join this network and let’s begin the dialogue until it spills out into the public forum:

WHAT AMERICA MEANS – www.americaisforusall.ning.com

[February 12, 2010] If they can get along, so can we!

A lion, a tiger, and a bear! The Jungle Book predators who have forged a lifelong friendship.

They make an unlikely trio, but Baloo the bear, Leo the lion, and Shere Khan the tiger have forged an unusually strong bond. Considering that they would be mortal enemies if they ever were to meet in the wild, it is stunning to see their unique and genuine friendship in these intimate pictures. Rescued eight years ago during a police drug raid in Atlanta, Georgia, the three friends were only cubs at the time at barely two months old. They had been kept as status symbol pets by the drug barons.

Delivered to the Noah’s Ark Animal Rescue Centre in Locust Grove, Georgia, the decision was made to keep the youngsters together, because of their budding rapport. ‘We could have separated them, but since they came as a kind of family, the zoo decided to keep them together,’ said Diane Smith, assistant director of Noah’s Ark.

‘To our knowledge, this is the only place where you’ll find this combination of animals together.’ Living with the zoo’s founders for the past eight years Shere Khan, Baloo, and Leo have now moved to a purpose-built habitat where the US public can witness first hand their touching relationships.

‘We didn’t have the money to move them at first,’ said Diane. ‘Now their habitat is sorted and they have been moved away from the children’s zoo areas where the public couldn’t really get a good look.

‘It is possible to see Baloo, who is a 1000lb bear, Shere Khan, a 350lb tiger and Leo, who is also 350lbs, messing around like brothers. ‘They are totally oblivious to the fact that in any other circumstance they would not be friends.’ Handled by Charles and Jama Hedgecoth, the zoo’s owners and founders, the three friendly giants appear to have no comprehension of their animal differences.

‘Baloo and Shere Khan are very close,’ says Diane. ‘That is because they rise early, and as Leo is a lion, he likes to spend most of the day sleeping.

‘It is wonderful and magical to see a giant American Black Bear put his arm around a Bengal and then to see the tiger nuzzle up to the bear like a domestic cat. ‘When Leo wakes up the three of them mess around for most of the day before they settle down to some food.’

Surprisingly for three apex predators with the power to kill with a single bite or swipe of their paw, they are very relaxed around each other.

‘They eat, sleep and play together,’ said Jama. ‘As they treat each other as siblings they will lie on top of each other for heat and simply for affection. ‘At the moment they are getting used to their new habitat.

‘Shere Khan is being quite reticent about the move, but Baloo, the bear, is very good at leading him on and making him feel comfortable and safe.’ Explaining that the three ‘brothers’ have always seemed to share a unique bond, Charles said: ‘Noah’s Ark is their home and they could not possibly be separated from each other. ‘You just have to remember who you’re dealing with when you are with them, though. ‘It’s when you forget that these fellows are wild animals that you get yourself in trouble.’

The trio’s new habitat had to be constructed carefully, in order to accommodate its occupants. Jama said: ‘The clubhouse had to be very sturdy for the guys, because they all sleep in it together.’ She added, ‘We had to include a creek, because the tiger, and the bear both like to be in water.’