A Heavy Sigh For Covered Bridges I remember talk about covered bridges and how pretty they were but I never saw one and I wasn’t sure what they meant by a covered bridge. Covered with what? Snow? Yes, that would be beautiful except it seldom snowed back in Lincoln County. A bridge with a tarp over it? That didn’t sound pretty. The closest thing to a covered bridge to me back in Lincoln County in the 1950s was the Homer Legg Bridge crossing Clark Hill Lake into Columbia County. It had a lattic... Read Full Story

It is the subject du jour in some Montgomery circles: What is the definition of “good hair” if you are an African American? A new movie by comedian/writer Chris Rock has reopened this particular debate among Black women and, to a lesser extent, Black men. In my opinion, it would be wise for Whites not to dismiss this as a non-starter, and not just because the issue permeates hiring in the television industry and in journalism, in general. To begin: Born with curly, wild hair, I’ve been curiou... Read Full Story

What Are We To Do With Black Culture? Part 1:  The Destruction from Within “Grandad, you can’t serve this kind of food to people. It could cause — DEATH!” That’s what Huey said to his grandfather on an episode of “The Boondocks” called “The Itis”. For those not familiar with the term, or with the cartoon, the ‘itis” is the condition of sleepiness caused by eating the typical soul food dinner. After a meal at the Freeman househo... Read Full Story

The turkey pardoned by President Barack Obama on Wednesday grew up on a farm in Goldsboro, N.C., where it enjoyed a hand-fed diet of corn and soy beans but had to suffer a constant loop of Disney music. The turkey was one of 22 picked by Butterball farms for regal bird training, but one of only two eventually selected for the Thanksgiving mission, according to the Washington Post.  Had “Courage” been accidentally eaten before the pardon, back-up turkey “Carolina” was i... Read Full Story

Do you have trouble finding that unique or personal Christmas gift for a friend or family member? Does he or she “have everything”? Do crowded malls, traffic jams, long lines, and overspending leave you tired, frustrated, and lacking in holiday spirit? If so, my grandmother may have just the solution for you.  Although she died almost thirty years ago, Grandmother’s words inspired this message so appropriate for Christmas time. Usually around Thanksgiving my family asks me what I would like ... Read Full Story

It is impossible to imagine what Dr. Dobson and the entire Focus on the Family … uhh, family will have to say about this. First, there was all this business about the sanctity of marriage being assaulted by women wanting to hitch up with women and men with men. Hard on the heels of all that was the long term, meaningful relationship between a man in South Carolina and his favorite concubine horse. Certainly, all that was a load for the good doctor to process without even having to focus on wh... Read Full Story

Forty years ago I woke up in the mud at a Rolling Stones concert. It was in the wee hours of Sunday morning, Dec. 1, 1969, on the final day of the West Palm Beach Pop Festival. Rain had fallen for three days straight and temperatures dropped into the 40s, which is nut-numbing cold by Florida standards. The site was a dragstrip halfway out to Lake Okeechobee, and kids were burning old tires to keep warm, hoping that the thick black smoke wasn’t as toxic as it looked. The usual arsenal of south... Read Full Story

Harper Valley PTA accomplished several things when it hit the radio waves in 1968. The catchy tune made a star out of Jeannie C. Riley and was the first song simultaneously at the top of both the country and pop charts. It would take thirteen years and Dolly Parton to replicate that feat. The song also introduced the world to an unknown songwriter named Tom T. Hall. Maybe the royalties kept him from starving until he was able to create The Year That Clayton Delaney Died. If so it was worth it... Read Full Story

“Your money’s no good here, son,” he said, looking down at the folded twenty dollar bill that I’d just slipped him. “One of your cousins just tried the same thing — with a fifty! It didn’t work for him either.” “But…” “You guys know the rules. You gotta wait your turn just like everybody else.” “Listen, Tiger, if I take your money I gotta take the money from all of your cousins and they’ll all be expecting the same thing. You just gotta wait yo... Read Full Story

Andrew McCarthy from the National Review: The decision to bring Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other top al-Qaeda terrorists to New York City for a civilian trial is one of the most irresponsible ever made by a presidential administration. That it is motivated by politics could not be more obvious. That it spells unprecedented danger for our security will soon become obvious. I couldn’t disagree more. It’s shameful that Mr. McCarthy is so disingenuous in his argument.  Nothing s... Read Full Story