Black Panther Pride!

The first time I saw Black Panther, my eyes stretched wide like paper plates and my heart pounded within my chest to the intricate African beats in the movie. I thought to myself, “What took so long?” I have been craving to see such black beauty on the silver screen my entire life. To see black images portrayed as powerful figures: kings and queens, technologically advanced maintainers of a utopian civilization, and superheroes, made my insides flutter. It portrayed an image that I had known in my heart from my conception despite media images of degenerate, unintelligent, criminal, oversexed, violent, buffoonish, second class characters. Black Panther showed that there was more to black people than slavery and victims of colonization; hut dwelling and primitive people who do not have the mental capacity for technological advancement. The movie showed equally powerful men and women working together for a greater good.

Black Panther displayed complex characters that grappled with the social struggles of black people throughout the world. It displayed a King who wished to protect his own by keeping all Wakanda’s technology hidden from the world, and it showed his antithesis (Killmonger) who wished to take that technology and deal the same evil hand to the oppressors that they have dealt to people of color for centuries. They are two sides of the same coin. With help from the ancestors, good prevailed over misguided anger. The character’s complexities have spawned debates everywhere which is a sign of a phenomenal movie. Not only did the movie shatter notions about black movies not being able to make large amounts of money with its near billion-dollar earnings, it highlighted the talent and excellence of black director Ryan Coogler and incredible black actors and actresses like Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, and Danai Gurira.

Although a fiction created in the mind of comic book creator Stan Lee, Black Panther showed what many historians know as truth about African people. The black African kingdoms from Egypt to Mali from Ethiopia to Timbuktu have always been mighty, advanced, and great. Sadly, many African Americans and the world in general because of racial brainwashing, know very little of the home of our ancestors; therefore, Wakanda tugs at the internal whisperings of ancestors unknown and long forgotten. Wakanda whispers of a home so familiar but never seen. It was like Deja vu.

Now that we have been given a glimpse of what we were and what we can be, it is time to become.  

Want to know more about Violette L. Meier? Visit VioletteMeier.com 

What I believe about God, religion, etc.

Some ask what I believe when it comes to religion. This is what I believe. I am a follower of the teachings of Yeshua a.k.a. Jesus Christ (not that white dude with blue eyes and a mullet). I am not a traditional Christian. I do not believe infinite God can be trapped within a book; although I believe with my whole heart that The Bible is an inspired collection of writings. I do not believe that the modern format of Christianity has very much to do with God or His messiah, but there are beautiful churches out there seeking the face of God. I believe that God is God alone. Jesus is the son of God and NEVER claimed to be God godself and it's idoltry to call Jesus God. The Holy Spirt is an aspect of God that dwells with us and in us. I believe that God has spoken to every group on this earth and ALL people have access to God, and religion is an expression of our desire to understand what is holy, supernatural, moral, and unknown. Because we are human, our ideas can become perverse, controlling, manipulating, and sometimes violent. This does not diminish the greatest of God but highlights the pettiness of people. My life experiences have shown me that things are not always as it seems. I have encountered paranormal things that could not be easily explained; so, life can be complicated indeed. I do not believe in reincarnation, witchcraft, a pantheon of gods, vibrarions, auras, the zodiac, or numerology, but I am open to listening to and understanding the belief systems of others. Christianity is the only major religion that has ever resonated with me so I respect but do not subscribe to the teachings of Islam, Hinduism, or Buddhism. I respect spiritual systems of my anscestors and understand what whites have demonized are not evil arts at all but alluded their understanding so they deemed it devilish not divine.  I've also accepted that my beliefs expand, change, and deepen over time. I am a work in progress and I trust God will reveal more and more each day.

This is what I believe. What do you beleive?

Want to read more about Violette? Visit VioletteMeier.com

A Swan Song for 2016

This year was hard for everyone.  Even for the rich and famous. Hollywood stars and famous musicians took a major hit with so many deaths. We lost my all-time favorite Prince. I could have laid down and died myself when I got that news! We also lost David Bowie, Bill Nunn, George Michael, Maurice White, Vanity, Phife Dawg, Gene Wilder, Tommy Ford, Leonard Cohen, Gwen Ifill, Ron Glass, Alan Thicke, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Carrie Fisher and her mother Debbie Reynolds, and many other talented artists.  We even lost Miss Cleo!

            2016 has been a whacky year. Donald Trump, the most unlikely candidate in the universe, won President of the United States. England left the European Union. The government suffered a number of internet hacks. Hate reigned supreme with blatant racist demonstrations, terrorist attacks, police killings, religious persecution, and hate crimes like the night club bombing in Orlando, Fl. America argued about transgender bathrooms, police brutality, #blacklivesmatter, #bluelivesmatter, #alllivesmatter, Hilary Clinton, and Colin Kaepernick. Wells Fargo got pinched for fraud and forest fires stole the homes of many.

            2016 felt an episode of The Twilight Zone. Strange can’t even describe the happenings of this year. I pray that 2017 will be so much better. My hope is that it will be a year of good news, peace, prosperity, hope, tolerance, love, understanding, community, respect, equality, reconciliation, and a grand celebration of life for all the children of God.

May the New Year be a wonderful one for you. I wish you good things; great things! Be blessed. Happy New Year!

Want to know more about Violette? Visit www.violettemeier.com.

You may have low self-esteem if...

Low self-esteem is a crippling condition that many men and women suffer from. They feel that they are not worthy of being respected, loved, or appreciated. Somewhere in their lives, they were told that they were not good enough, attractive enough, smart enough, wealthy enough, or talented enough. Unfortunately, many who suffer from low self-esteem do not realize that they are suffering from the disorder. 

Today, with help from a few Facebook friends, I will help you self-diagnose.  If you deal with one or more of the following, you may have low self-esteem.

1.    You always have something negative to say about other people.

2.    You're on social media in your underwear.

3.    You are never happy about the success of others. You’re jealous hearted.

4.    You're always the other woman or man.

5.    Your confidence comes from purchases.

6.    You allow the media to define who you are, form your opinions, and tell you how to feel about yourself. You model your life after reality TV stars or news statistics.

7.    You refer to yourself as bitch, nigga, ho, fag, or any other derogatory term.

8.    You are a racist, sexist, or any other –ist that simply hate others because they are different than you.

9.    Every time you break up with someone you become suicidal or self-destructive i.e. binge drinking, sleeping around, fighting, excess spending, etc.

10. You don't feel beautiful just the way you are.  You always NEED things to make you feel better (fake breasts, fake butts, fake muscles, weave/wigs, eye lashes, color contacts, extreme makeup, skin bleaching cream, skin tanners, material items, social clubs, people's approval, etc.).

Please understand that I am not saying that people who use some of these things have low self-esteem, but people who NEED these things to feel good about themselves may be in trouble.

11. You think your sexuality/sensuality is the greatest asset you have.

12. You’re self-worth is determined by how many people you can sleep with.

13. You think other people's ideas or feelings are more important than your own.

14. You are still folding to peer pressure over the age of 25!

15. You post pictures on social media of houses, cars, and the like that do not belong to you, but you insinuate that they do.

16. You assume people are lying when they give you a compliment.

17. You constantly compare yourself to others.

18. You take pride in being rude, disrespectful, ratchet, vulgar, mean, immoral, or uncouth.

19. You stay in relationships that are very bad for you because you feel that no one else will want you.

20. You are never faithful to anyone or anything.

21. You need drugs or alcohol to get through the day.

22. You are always desperately chasing others even when it is obvious that they are not interested in you.

23. You take no pride in your appearance.

24. Most of your clothes are extremely sexually provocative or worn for shock value.

25. You always believe the worst about yourself despite that you are a unique and wonderfully made individual who deserves to be happy.

If some of the items on the list ring true for you, I hope that you take time to self-reflect and work on becoming a healthier and happier person. If you need help, seek it. We all are imperfect people so don’t beat yourself up.  When we know better, we can do better. Remember to love hard and live free!

Want to know more about Violette? Visit www.violettemeier.com

TV and Me!

There is so much going on in the world.  Politics are nerve wrecking.  Social issues are getting more and more evident (which is a great thing).  Money is hard to come by.  Relationships are always hard.  Despite all of these things, I have found the best way to wind down. TV!

Is it me or is TV so much better than movies now?  TV writing has gotten so good over the past decade.  I turn on my DVR and don’t know where to start first; not to mention my Netflix and Hulu watch list.  I sit hypnotized as the scene flash before my eyes as I laugh, cry, cringe, at my favorite character.  I dream that one day one of my books will inspire a TV show.  When my day is over, I can’t wait to climb into bed with my remote control in my hand and flip through my options.  It’s my way of escaping horrid news stories, my kids asking me a million questions, social media, and…

Ok, I’m not being serious.  TV rocks, but watching too much TV makes my brain ache.  I think TV is one of America’s biggest problems.  We take advice from, form our opinions, and model our lives after fictional people whose main purpose is to sell us something.  People, let’s go back to the old days where we had deep conversations, made love at night, read books to our kids, and just danced to our favorite song.  We gotta turn off the boob tube before our intellect becomes nonexistent.  It’s fine to binge watch, I’m so guilty of it, but we must live our lives and stop worrying about the lives of entertainers we don’t know.  I promised myself that I will turn the TV off by 11pm every week night no matter what.  It seems late, but it’s not considering that I don’t have complete free time until 9pm and that my DVR is full!  It’s going to take me forever to catch up on my shows, but I figure I will be too busy enjoying my life to worry about it.  Plus the hubby and I will have time to make-out to Marvin Gaye before our midnight sleep time.  Let’s get it on!

Enjoy your life.  You only have one life to live.  

Remember to love hard and live free!

Want to know more about Violette?  Go to www.violettemeier.com

Questions for America

Photo Credit

Our world seems to be crumbling around us.  Murder! Murder! Murder everywhere! Reading the news is worse than horror fiction.  It’s over half a century since the Civil Rights Movement and people are still hung up on how much melanin a person possesses.  Science has proven that all humans are the same and that the notion of race is fiction, so what’s the problem America?!?  Why do we keep being caught up in the same vicious cycle?  Do we enjoy being stuck on stupid?

When will the violence end?  When will America try to fix the hate that festers beneath its surface?  When will we acknowledge that racial injustice is just as strong and as vicious as ever; that economic disparities are grossly disproportionate; that prisons are modern day slave quarters; that the penal system is unjust; that systematic oppression is a malign cycle that destroys lives before they are born; that negative stereotypes hurt us all?  When will people of color stop complaining and begging for basic human liberties and take action by tightening our purse strings, building up the community, and lobbying for political power?  When will we all realize that the only color that truly matters in America is green, and that most of the green is in the pockets of 10% of the population?

My heart mourns for the sickening amount of black and brown lives that were mowed down in the streets by the guns of malicious bullies who shamefully call themselves police officers.  My heart weeps for innocent police officers, who risk their lives every day to protect and serve us all, whose lives were cut short by the demented whims of madmen.  My heart shatters for the continued race baiting, perverse reporting, and insane stereotyping of the media that fans the fire of American insecurities.  My heart bleeds for those who are so hopeless that they think that their poverty will never change, their political power is none existent, their oppression is perpetual, and their fate is sealed.  When will we see that we are all tied to one another?

Why can’t America get over itself?  When will we value lives over money?  When will we stop clinging to ridiculous false ideals of white superiority and black inferiority?  When will our schools reflect a true history of all the people who built this country instead of the fallacious history whites?  When will we force out politicians who do not care for the people of this country, but their own personal and financial agendas?  When will the media stop perpetuating false paradigms and take responsibility for mass brainwashing that aids in the destruction of this nation?  When will we stop judging people by their religious beliefs, gender, sexuality, or culture?  When will we stop making enemies of people who have different opinions, thoughts, and preferences?  When will we realize that all of us are suffering; all of us are struggling, all of us are fighting to live good lives?  Why can’t we judge each other by character and action instead of stereotypes and hearsay?  When will we realize that for every action there is a reaction?  When will we learn that extremism is dangerous in any form?  When will we understand that any philosophy or belief system that teaches hate, division, race superiority, sexism, oppression, genocide, or mandatory homogeneous thought is perverse?  When will we stop verbally repeating the essence of hypocrisy called the American Dream and make it a reality? When will we make a valiant attempt to band together and make this country a better place for our children?  When?  When? When?

Can we (America) begin to try today?  Can we (America) promise do our parts to value and uplift each other, support and advocate for each other, stamp out injustice in any form, work to sympathize and empathize with each other, and treat each other how we want to be treated?  Can we (America) promise to self-reflect so that we can make sure that we are not a part of the problem, but a part of the solution?  Can we (America) work towards mutual understanding and respect?  Will we ever truly be one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all?  Will we try? 

God help us!  We need You more than ever.

Want to know more about Violette?  Check her out at www.violettemeier.com

Goodnight Sweet Prince

Seven days ago the greatest musical artist who has ever walked this earth, at least in my eyes, left this world.  Prince Rogers Nelson baffled the world with his sudden passing on April 21, 2016.  It was a bittersweet day for me because his death date is my youngest daughter’s birthday.  That was the only thing that brought me joy on such a dark and gloomy day.  My mind could not wrap around his passing.

When I heard the news, my heart stopped.  It was impossible.  His royal badness dead?  There would be no more Camille, Jamie Starr, Joey Coco, Christopher, Alexander Nevermind, or 

No!  No!  No!  

Secretly, I thought he would live to be 150 years old or maybe he was an immortal.  Prince was surreal, magical, and titillating.  He embodied pure unadulterated sexual power, musical genius, iconic style, cheeky wit, perpetual controversy, and unprecedented talent.  No one could give you the side eye like Prince.  No man in the world could be prettier than you and still make your heart swoon.  It was a blessing to share a lifetime with such an influential person.  He was the king of rock, pop, funk, and soul.  His music and I had the greatest romance that's ever been sold.  Prince was all that and three bags of chips!  

Needless to say, my heart was shredded into a pulp of crimson tears.  Never will there be another like him.  He was my muse, a master lyricist, my artistic inspiration, a true sexy MF who could make you work up a black sweat.  The doves are crying and the world is going crazy as his death circulates in the morning papers.  He was pure gold worth more than diamonds and pearls.  Who else could make you get off then sing about the Christ?  Although he could never take the place of your man, he was insatiable and positively scandalous.  My pillow was soft and wet with tears because death was the thief in his temple.  Damn you for dying and leaving the world in such a void!  I guess I just gotta let it go.  My emotions have gone around the world in a day mourning the beautiful one.  I hope he entered heaven wearing pink cashmere. Prince, I truly adore you. Nothing compares to you.  Be at peace playing your tambourine in God's sanctuary. I know that you are laughing in the purple rain.

In his honor, I promise to strive to be a prolific a writer as he was a musician.  My soul weeps for him, but my heart knows that he has transcended to a better place in space and time.  He made it to the after-world of never ending happiness where the sun is shining day and night. 

Shine bright sweet Prince.  Someday I will meet you in the light.

If you would like to know more about Violette, visit www.violettemeier.com.

Why Trump Can’t be Trumped (at the moment...)!

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/nbc-donald-trump-2015-6

It amazes people how a loud mouth, racist, sexist, ridiculously obnoxious, wild haired animal like Donald Trump can be the front runner for the Republican Party for the 2016 presidential race.  It is horrifying to think of Trump as the president.  It ignites internal fears that a new demagogue can come into power and usher in a new dark age.  The faces of Stalin, Idi Amin, Ho Chi Minh, and other vicious leaders come to mind with thoughts of Donald Trump as president.  With his threats to shoot Muslims with bullets dipped in pigs blood to him saying Hispanics are thieves and rapists; to his past racial profiling within his housing units to his blatant disrespect of women; to his desire to build a wall to keep out Mexicans to his refusal to denounce the KKK to him saying that he can murder someone in the middle of the street and still have supporters.   It is frightening to know that his momentum is only growing.  The crowds are enamored by his fearless banter, his degrading but hilarious jokes, and his effortless dismantling of his opponents.

Sadly, I understand his appeal and I blame the age of political correctness for his rise.  For the last decade or so, American media has been bullying the public into being a part of the status quo.  Any form of free thought has been shamed if it does not match what the media is promoting at the moment.  Free speech has become a joke!  If anyone says what they really feel, they will surely be ridiculed for it, fired from their job for it, or treated like a leper.  The media engine is the prime culprit for trapping the masses in an angry silence.  People are forced to go along with the crowd in fear of being labeled a trouble maker, a hatemonger, a homophobe, a racist, a sexist, a communist, a fascist, a child abuser, a religious zealot, and an anti-American!  The bearded red neck from Duck Dynasty said that homosexuality is a sin and he was labeled homophobic!  Beyonce made a song saying that she loves being black and now she’s a racist.  A dad on the news tried to spank his bad behind child and he’s now accused of being a child abuser although the child wasn’t hit at all!  President Obama has been called a communist, a socialist, a fascist, a Muslim (as if that’s a dirty word) and everything else under the sun because he wants economic and social equality.  Black Lives Matter gets bad press for bringing awareness to police violence against black men.  People are constantly saying why not all lives matter as if all lives are unjustly profiled like black lives. Get your life!  All of these examples are products of the media twisting and turning things to shape the minds of the masses. The very thing that is supposed to unbiasedly promote free speech has been the very thing that has taken it away.

So here comes Donald trump, a shameless, unapologetic, loud mouth fool who says whatever comes into his head.  He is a brilliant and slightly likable business man who understands marketing and how to get ratings.  He isn’t afraid to say what the most crudely unintelligent think.  Trump isn’t afraid to prey upon our prejudices, our fears, and our perpetual disappointment with the government.  People love him because he says what he wants without giving half a damn about what others think!  He is truly free with his speech and the American public looks upon him in awe like a verbal messiah here to save the world from political correctness.  Haters and lovers of Trump linger on his every word.  Watching him is better than watching Love and Hip Hop or The Real Housewives.  It's amazing what he allows to flow from his “o” shaped mouth.  But, like all reality TV, hopefully we will quickly become bored of his brazen foolery and get back to true reality.  Although he is entertaining, we must understand that his words are dangerous, hurtful, and damaging.  He’s stirring up hate, biases, and political unrest.  Our system has been at its lowest and we are striving to get it to the highest.  Electing Trump could reverse all the progress that has been made.  It’s time to pull the curtain on him and really try to make America better.  At this point, I won't argue about Bernie or Hilary, I just know it can't be Trump or anyone in the Republican party for that matter!  Please vote!  Our lives may depend on it.

Love hard and live free!

Want to know more about Violette? Visist www.violettemeier.com

Get In Formation

Photo: Beyonce/YouTube

Queen Bey has officially made me proud.  I was ecstatic to hear Beyoncé’s new cultural pride song Formation.  After all, it is the duty of artist and poets to reflect the times in which they are living.  America is busting at the seams with racial tension, outrage against police brutality, the poisoning of the poor in Flint, Michigan, and the angst after careless words are murmured after the Republican and Democrat debates.

Beyoncé took a stand.  She voiced that black lives do indeed matter.  Her husband seconded that notion as Tidal and Roc Nation plans to donate 1.5 million dollars to the Black Lives Matter movement.  Of course the haters tried to fruitlessly protest against the Formation Super Bowl performance.  According to Vox, only three people showed up. Can you say crickets!  Beyoncé’s personal declaration of her hot sauce carrying, Red Lobster eating, big nose loving, Blue Ivy afro rocking, beautiful black pride made closet bigots a little upset!  SNL released a hilarious skit titled The Day Beyoncé Turned Black.  It showed white people losing their minds all over America.   Her video was riddled with images of a water flooded New Orleans, police pointing guns at a black child as stop shooting us appears in blood red, the black church praising God, and Beyoncé and her beautiful backup dancers sporting ethnic hairstyles.  After all this, Beyoncé declares that she is a dreamer who works hard for everything that she has, and tells her listeners that the best revenge is success.

When did it become a crime to love yourself and your culture?  Why does loving me mean I have to hate you?  I guess people forget that under all the glitz and glamour that Beyoncé is a black woman who loves herself and cares about her people.  This does not make her a racist, a race baiter or un-American.  It makes her an intelligent human being who is concerned about social justice and cultural genocide.  In these perilous times, to remain silent when you hold so much influence, is simply nihilistic and contributing to the problem. 

I thank you Mrs. Carter for speaking your truth and using your platform to inform the masses. Yes indeed you do slay!  I applaud you and happily get into formation!

Learn more about Violette at www.violettemeier.com. 

Sources:

Beyonce's Formation Video

SNL Skit

http://www.eonline.com/news/737526/tidal-donating-1-5-million-from-charity-concert-to-black-lives-matter

http://www.vox.com/2016/2/16/11023252/beyonce-protest-formation-nfl

Ode to the Goblin King!

Today David Bowie took his last breath after an almost two year long battle with cancer.  Fans across the world lament this musical genius; my husband one of them.  But, for me, I will not remember Bowie for his music, although he was a pure artist and the epitome of original creativity.  I will remember the beautiful yet frightening Goblin King he played in the movie Labyrinth. 

As a child, I remember the first time I saw Bowie prance across the TV screen fondling his crystal ball and singing Dance Magic Dance.  I was enthralled by his giant, glittery hair and his wayward eye lined eyes.  His tight pants made me giggle, and I admired the way he reigned over his obedient goblins with flippant authority.

In my twelve year old eyes, he was simply fantastic!  He made my young heart pitter-patter and yarn to be swept away into his grungy kingdom.   I remember telling my mother that I liked him so much because he looked so good and behaved so badly.  My mother said that she hated that I ever said that.  Her fear was that I would grow up and fall in love with a notorious bad boy.  Never fear mom, my love affair with Bowie began and ended there; but upon reading about his death this morning, I could not help but to be saddened by his departure.  He was the first man I didn’t look at with innocent eyes.  I guess you can say he took my mental virginity.  Now he is gone. The world has lost a true character and a remarkable artist.

All I can do is bid you ado my Goblin King, save me a dance on the other side! 

To learn more about Violette, visit www.violettemeier.com.