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Gil Robertson (INTERVIEW)
Gil Robertson
The "Where Did Our Love Go?" Interview
with Kam Williams
Award-Winning Author Assesses the State of Black Relationships
Gil L. Robertson IV is one of America's foremost authorities on African-American pop culture. As a journalist, author, lecturer and media consultant, he is responsible for literary works and intellectual properties that provide platforms for social change and personal growth.
Robertson is the editor of the best-selling anthologies "Family Affair: What It Means to Be African-American Today," and "Not in My Family: AIDS in the African American Community," both nominated for NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Nonfiction. He is also the author of "Writing as a Tool of Empowerment," a resource guide for aspiring journalists, and he's a regular contributor to The African-American Almanac.
Gil's latest offering the anthology, "Where Did Our Love Go: Essays on Love & Relationships in the African-American Community," will be followed this fall by the release of his first children's book, "Great African-American Political Leaders." On television, Robertson has shared his expertise on topical issues for numerous shows that includes: CNN, HLN, MSNBC, E! Entertainment Television, National Public Radio and the Tavis Smiley Show.
And he is a popular lecturer who's speaks on issues that impact professional growth strategies and personal development. And he is a co-founder and President of the African American Film Critics Association, as well as the founder of the Robertson Treatment's Media Workshop, an annual journalism initiative presented at the Auburn Avenue Research Library in Atlanta, GA and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York, NY.
Robertson earned a B.A. degree in Political Science from Cal State Los Angeles. He is the founder and editor of the nationally syndicated Arts & Lifestyle column, the Robertson Treatment. Now in its 15th year, the column appears in 30 newspapers across the country boasting a readership in excess of 2 million. He is a professional member of the National Press Club, The National Association of Black Journalists, The National Academy of Recording Arts & Science, The National Academy of Television Arts and Science and The Motion Picture Academy. Here, Gil talks about his new book.
Kam Williams: Hi Gil, thanks for the interview.
Gil Robertson: Thank you, Kam for giving me the opportunity.
KW: What interested you in writing Where Did Our Love Go?
GR: I wanted to know what Black people thought of the circumstances around loving and sustainable relationships in our community. The black marriage gap is a huge problem in this country and it's no longer a secret that black-on-black relations, I won't even mention love, has reached a low point that is shocking and potentially crippling to the vitality of the African-American community at large. As with my earlier works, my goal with this book is to stimulate constructive dialogues around this subject so that it can be better understood and hopefully find some answers.
KW: Tell me a little about the book?
GR: Where Did Our Love Go provides a forum for African-Americans to share their voices, to give their perspective and feedback on the "love problem" that exists in our community. It is broken into three sections – "Single," "Married" and "Divorce" - to provide a balanced and diverse portrait of people's thoughts, depending on their life circumstances.
KW: What do you think is primarily to blame for the breakdown of the black family: poverty, the dropout rate, the incarceration rate, godlessness, unemployment, the misogyny in hip-hop?
GR: Mental health. African-Americans need a BIG mental health break. We have been through so much in this country and continue to go through debilitating challenges every day. It's no wonder we are where we are today in terms of social numbers. However, we still continue to rise. I truly believe in the possibility of greatness for all black people and through my work as a journalist and author I remain committed to passing along that message.
KW: Do you think the problem is past the point of no return, or is there reason for hope?
GR: There is always a reason for hope, which is why I organized this project. I think black people should stay the course and adapt different strategies for addressing our problems.
KW: What measures can be taken to turn it around?
GR: Truly learning to love ourselves and being open to change and different modes of conduct.
KW: What message do you think people will take away from the book?
GR: That true love is alive and just around the corner for everyone.
KW: Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would?
GR: None. I never second guess an interview.
KW: The Tasha Smith question: Are you ever afraid?
GR: Constantly. It keeps me on the right path.
KW: The Columbus Short question: Are you happy?
GR: Happy and blessed that I get to move forward in my ambitions each and every day.
KW: The Teri Emerson question: When was the last time you had a good laugh?
GR: Everyday. No kidding. [LOL]
KW: What is your guiltiest pleasure?
GR: Visiting the South Pacific.
KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read?
GR: "Wench: A Novel" by Dolen Perkins-Valdez.
KW: The music maven Heather Covington question: What was the last song you listened to?
GR: "How High the Moon" by Diane Reeves.
KW: What is your favorite dish to cook?
GR: A tie: fried catfish and cabbage, and fried chicken with mash potatoes.
KW: The Sanaa Lathan question: What excites you?
GR: Being around the people I love.
KW: The Uduak Oduok question: Who is your favorite clothes designer?
GR: Levi Strauss.
KW: The Melissa Harris-Perry question: How did your first, big heartbreak impact who you are as a person?
GR: No heartache – it's all a part of my journey.
KW: The Viola Davis question: Who do you really believe you are when you go home as opposed to the person you pretend to be on the red carpet?
GR: I am a person who works hard to move my vision forward.
KW: The Anthony Anderson question: If you could have a superpower, which one would you choose?
GR: The power to walk through time… in both directions.
KW: Dante Lee, author of "Black Business Secrets," asks: What was the best business decision you ever made, and what was the worst?
GR: My worst: Leaving Los Angeles. My best: Moving back to LA.
KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see?
GR: Someone who lives by the courage of his convictions.
KW: If you could have one wish instantly granted, what would that be for?
GR: To have more time with my mom who died in September of 2012.
KW: The Ling-Ju Yen question: What is your earliest childhood memory?
GR: Being loved by both of my parents.
KW: The Jamie Foxx question: If you only had 24 hours to live, what would you do? Would you do the bad stuff, you never got a chance to do, or would you do good stuff to make sure you make it into heaven?
GR: I would praise God for the privilege of the journey.
KW: The Pastor Alex Kendrick question: When do you feel the most content?
GR: At the beginning and end of each and every day.
KW: The Toure question: Who is the person who led you to become the person you are today?
GR: Both of my parents: Gil Robertson and Fannye Delmyra Robertson.
KW: The Judyth Piazza question: What key quality do you believe all successful people share?
GR: Never giving up, even when winning seems impossible.
KW: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps?
GR: Patience, belief and discipline.
KW: Thanks again for the time, Gil, and best of luck with the book.
GR: Thanks, Kam.
To order a copy of Where Did Our Love Go, visit:


text:
Big Hearts in the Smallest State: A Bike Camp Offers a Providential Pedal
It's a heartwarming sight, watching a new rider roll down the trail, a slow grin spreading across his or her face—experiencing that sweet mixture of freedom, independence and pride. It's an image that Donny Green, director of a youth bike camp in Rhode Island, has seen many times.
The Red Shed Bike Shop offers a literal bright spot in Olneyville, one of Providence's lower-income neighborhoods. The barn-red building, set within Riverside Park, is stocked full of children's bikes donated from local bike shops, individuals and police stations. All spring, Green and one or two other mechanics repair the bikes and get them in tip-top shape for the bike shop's summer camp, a project of the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council.
Every student who attends the camp and needs a bike will go home with one, plus a helmet and lock. And, while registration for the camp is typically $200 per week, about 75 percent of the campers participate on a scholarship (available through grant funding) that allows them to come for only $5.
"We want to get kids outside, so we take away the barriers, like not having a bike or a parent available to take them outside," says Green.
Over the course of the summer, up to 100 children, ranging in age from 8 to 13, are taught the basics of safe cycling and simple bike repair (such as how to fix a flat) with Green and two other youth counselors. Green calls it "demystifying the bike." It's a popular program; the Red Shed partners with the Providence Recreation Department to offer 40 of the camp's spots through the city's registration system, and those sell out within two hours of opening.
An essential component to the camp is the Fred Lippitt Woonasquatucket River Greenway, a paved rail-trail that begins just steps away from the Red Shed and continues northwest to neighboring Johnston along a river affectionately known as the "Woony." The corridor is lushly wooded, filled with wildflowers and dotted with occasional colorful paintings that share encouraging messages like 'Embrace Change,' 'Stay Healthy' and 'Lose Yourself in Nature.' The trail provides a convenient place for the kids to try out their new skills on rides of 5 miles or more and to learn about nature and environmental stewardship, which is worked into the curriculum, too.
don't miss:
05/04/17 by Anya Saretzky
"What is so great about this experience for the kids is that, even though they don't associate their neighborhood with wildlife, the bike path and its surrounding area show them that the world is full of creatures right outside their back door," says Green.
A few of the kids—Green estimates about 10-20 each year—have never ridden a bike at all. "Teaching them how to ride is the most trying, but also the most rewarding, part of the camp," he says. "Actually seeing that first step is amazing."

subset: commoncrawl


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I spoke to Richard Goldstone several times after his eponymous Report came out, and it was obvious that the personal slander and vilification from so many in his own community was wearing him down. He was certainly naive and did not expect the excreta storm that would head his way.
He had always been a person of integrity and his editorial in the Washington Post, allegedly "retracting" the Report named after him is saddening. If it had appeared the day before, one would almost suspect it of being an April Fool's parody.
Indeed, the wording of the editorial, while confused and evasive, was eloquently indicative of heavy pressure — not least since only two days before at a debate at Stanford University, he is reported as maintaining that "all the investigations showed that, thus far, the facts were as they were reported."
One cannot help wondering what happened in the next two days to change his mind. Did his daughter, ex IDF and self-confessed Israeli patriot, pull the family chains? It certainly betokens a personal tragedy, since it will detract from his reputation and integrity in the human rights and international law field, with no chance at all of earning the forgiveness of the rabid and vindictive Zionists who have been hounding him mercilessly for two years.
Indeed, reading the editorial reminded me of Comrade Rubashov in Arthur Koestler's "Darkness At Noon" — a true believer doing one last duty for the group he had lived with for so many years. It reads like a "confession" rung out from someone trying to free hostages near and dear to him by giving the kidnappers what they want while trying to hold on to one's own integrity and dignity. Sadly, of course, those who attacked his morals and probity before, will never, ever forgive him for telling the truth originally — and like Rubashov, he will be shown no mercy once his confession has served its purpose for the cause.
It suited the Lobby to highlight Goldstone, a Zionist and judge whose international reputation made it even more difficult than usual to bury the message especially among Jews. However, those other members are distinguished jurists in their own right who were commissioned by the United Nations Human Rights Council and whose report became the property of the UN General Assembly, neither of whom are likely to drop the report just because complicit Israeli ministers misinterpret Goldstone's editorial with the same liberty that they misinterpreted the original report — which after all simply asked the parties to conduct credible investigations.
The core "retraction" in the editorial is the sentence, "If I had known then what I know now, the Goldstone Report would have been a different document," which is about as retractable as a rubber band. It certainly does not substantiate Netanyahu's reaction "Everything we said was proved true," although it does raise suspicions that Avigdor Lieberman's attribution of the editorial to "diplomatic efforts on behalf of Israel," might conceal some heavy advocacy conveying difficult-to-refuse offers.
Goldstone is a lawyer, and this imprecisely flexibly wording of "different document," could mean almost anything. If he knew about the ferocity of the tribal scapegoating that was to follow? If he knew that the report was going to spur Israel into mounting a series of pseudo-independent investigations into events that they refused to look into earlier? It certainly is far from an unequivocal retraction of the original, which is not "his" to retract since it was, after all, the product of a team including three others, commissioned by the United Nations Human Rights Council.
His claim that Israeli investigations "also indicate that civilians were not intentionally targeted as a matter of policy," does not contradict his early report, which never suggested that. The My Lai massacre, for example, was no less a war crime because the Pentagon did not directly order it.
His most wrenching default is when he says "the most serious attack the Goldstone Report focused on was the killing of some 29 members of the al-Simouni family in their home. The shelling of the home was apparently (my italics) the consequence of an Israeli commander's erroneous interpretation of a drone image, and an Israeli officer is under investigation for having ordered the attack. While the length of this investigation is frustrating, it appears that an appropriate process is underway, and I am confident that if the officer is found to have been negligent, Israel will respond accordingly."
Looking at the abysmal track record of Israeli investigations — and bearing in mind that it was the original Goldstone Report that brought about the apology for an investigation he refers to here, Judge Goldstone really has to explain to his own conscience on what grounds he is "confident" of an appropriate response, let alone how the finding of "negligence" came about.
Throughout, he is upsettingly equivocal. "While I welcome Israel's investigations into allegations, I share the concerns reflected in the McGowan Davis report that few of Israel's inquiries have been concluded and believe that the proceedings should have been held in a public forum. Although the Israeli evidence that has emerged since publication of our report doesn't negate the tragic loss of civilian life, I regret that our fact-finding mission did not have such evidence explaining the circumstances in which we said civilians in Gaza were targeted, because it probably would have influenced our findings about intentionality and war crimes."
But then later he says "McGowan Davis has found that Israel has done this to a significant degree." How significant is "significant" if after two years, "few of Israel's inquiries have been concluded" and if the proceedings, conducted by the same military body that defends the military, are carried out in private?
In the face of that, his second thoughts about calling upon Hamas calling for its own inquiry are totally gratuitous. Surely he never expected them to. But they did let him and his colleagues in to investigate themselves, which Israel did not, and which, as he reiterates, refused to present evidence to his committee.
Even though it is unlikely that the UN bodies will drop the report, Goldstone's pseudo-retraction has provided the opportunity for Israeli "Hasbara" to trumpet its misinterpretations. It does a disservice to international justice and humanitarian law and tries to accord to Israeli leaders the impunity which he had spent his career fighting, in South Africa, Rwanda, the Balkans and Central America.
It is a tragedy that such a career should end this way, generating as much sorrow as anger. Sorrow for the damage it has done to the universality of justice, and anger at the unscrupulous manipulation of familial and tribal loyalties that likely brought it about.
For more by Ian Williams visit Deadline Pundit.


text: When I just finished installing ISPConfig(1-2 minutes), my email was sent to Yahoo successfully in Mail Box. When the time pass for about 1 hours, my email that sent laster will be in Bulk in Yahoo. Do anyone has any idea. Any change that ISPConfig made? I use Mandriva, Postfix with default value when install, Co-location server without own DNS. My ISP use PRT Record in DNS, which they claim that it is ok. thanks all.


text:
Celtics win another overtime thriller 110-105
Pierce had a terrible night shooting but still made an impact. Garnett made the play of the game with a steal from Noah with under a minute remaining. What the hell was that guy thinking? Rondo had an average game with 10 points and 11 assists but we are still so lucky we got him for the price we did 2 years ago. If we had waited a year he would've been signed for at least 30 million more. Danny Ainge is awesome at life.
This Bulls team is pretty decent and with Boozer back could be the 4th team to contend for the Eastern Conference title. Derrick Rose is the real deal and Luol Deng hit some huge shots for them down the stretch finishing with 20 points. Joakim Noah is really ugly but pretty damn good at the game of basketball. 26 and 12 is solid.
Marquis Daniels had a solid showing with 13 points and Big Baby continued to make his case for 6th man of the year with 15 points and 18 charges( or it seemed like it). Great win by the Celtics. I feel really good about this team.


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You shall not post this on anywhere for public use
You shall not sell this for public use
Do not replicate and forward without permission
Do not claim this as yours
Do Not Translate it into your languange and claim ownership
At the Battle Dome, the fifth set of tournament is now down to its four semi-finalists, Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald and the Dome Ace Tucker. With Dusclops and Ruru knocked out, the semi-final battle between Emerald and Ruby ensues as Sceptile and Mimi engage in a close up combat. The audience roars with excitement with each move the Pokemon make, and the announcer comments that it is an incredibly heated fight.
Standing on the side of the stage, Sapphire marvels at the great battling skills both trainers are demonstrating, and is grateful that Ruby, who often hides his abilities previously, is giving his best in the challenge as well. The girl then feels a hand on her shoulder, and turns around to find Tucker smiling at her. The Dome Ace remarks that they should waste no time and begin their own semi-final match in the adjacent stadium, and Sapphire promptly nods in agreement.
Hopping on stage in a crouched position, Sapphire sends out her Aggron, Ronono, while Tucker calls forward his signature Pokemon Salamence. Half of the stadium's giant TV screens switch from broadcasting Emerald and Ruby's battle to that between Tucker and Sapphire, and the two order their Pokemon to charge forward, commencing yet another fierce combat.
Back on Emerald and Ruby's side, Emerald is frustrated that Ruby's Milotic seems much harder to defeat than he expected. Although Sceptile has already paralyzed it with a Body Slam, followed by a series of Leaf Blade which most scored direct hits, they seem to do minimal damage, and his foe stands strong. The boy rationalizes that he must change his strategy, and decides to switch to physical attacks instead.
With that, Emerald orders a Focus Punch from Sceptile, and the green lizard rams its fist hard onto the body of Mimi. However, the strike also fails to deal the amount of damage Emerald anticipated, and the boy frowns in annoyance.
On the other hand, Ruby remains calm and cheerful, and picks up his microphone to give his introductory speech of Mimi. He states that while Mimi has shown itself to be a tough Pokemon since the time it was a Feebas, its new ability upon evolution into a Milotic, Marvel Scale, further raised its endurance.
Hearing that, Emerald bolts with a start, and quickly checks on his PokeNavi. Indeed, Marvel Scale is a unique ability to Milotic that raises its defense when it is inflicted with a status condition, making it an even better defensive Pokemon than it already is. However, Emerald decides that he will not change his battle strategy, and orders Sceptile to keep charging forward and attack.
High up on his flying saucer, Scott notices that Emerald seems to be losing his usual poise. It isn't hard to understand though, since trainers only use 2 out of 3 Pokemon at the Battle Dome, and now that both Ruby and Emerald have had one Pokemon knocked out, this current combat will determine who could proceed to the final match.
While Sceptile continues to deliver a series of focus punches and Leaf Blade, Mimi simply wiggles out of the way or fends off the blows, never attempting a single attack itself. Ruby glides along gracefully with Mimi, and the nonchalant expression on his face soon ticks off Emerald. Emerald demands to know what makes Ruby so confident, and Ruby simply grins that he has faith in Mimi.
Ruby's answer causes Emerald to retch and clutches his own throat in agony, and the boy hollers that the one thing he hates most is when someone tries to bluff about the nonsense theories of trainer-Pokemon trust. Ruby giggles that such words are indeed sappy, but they are certainly not bad things either, especially in the case of Mimi.
He recalls how he thought he would never see Mimi again when it ran off, and now that they are finally reunited, words alone can't express how thankful he is. The boy snuggles his face into Mimi's lovingly, and says he believes that those who are meant to be companions, regardless of how many times they are separated, will eventually find themselves back together again.
Emerald spasms weakly on the floor with a deformed face after hearing Ruby's words, and begs him to stop before he dies from the mental torture. Scott watches the two young trainers with a confused look from above, and wonders what in the world in going on with them.
However, Ruby still has more to say. Gesturing towards Emerald and Sceptile, he comments that they appear to be very good companions as well, and muses that they must be brought together by fate. This statement pushes Emerald over the edge, and the young boy grits his teeth in fury. He demands to know if Ruby really thinks such stupid theories will bring him good luck in a battle, and orders Sceptile to make the final blow. Commanding Sceptile to swoop in right under Mimi, Emerald has it deliver an upward Leaf Blade to knock it out.
However, in that split second before Sceptile's strike makes contact, Ruby's eyes narrow, and Emerald gasps with shock as Mimi lets out a powerful Blizzard, freezing Sceptile on the spot. Putting on a serious expression, Scott comments that Emerald's tactics is a clever one. However, it also caused Sceptile to pose itself at the most vulnerable position, and thus easily fell victim to the foe's attack. Now that it has been inflicted with the frozen status, breaking out from it will not be an easy task.
Emerald calls out desperately to Sceptile, but the green lizard's body is completely held immobile by the ice. Sceptile strains his eyes to squint over at Emerald, who is looking at it with a helpless look, and remembers what Ruby just said about those who are meant to be companions will eventually end up together again no matter how many times they are separated. Suddenly, the forgotten memories of its own past begin flooding back in its mind...
When it was still a Treecko, it used to be one of the study Pokemon of Prof. Birch. With both of its old companions, Torchic and Mudkip, gone off on journeys alongside young trainers who have selected them, it has longed to experience the same.
Alas, the day it awaited came. On this one stormy day, Prof. Birch took it out to meet a young boy who would become its trainer and the third Hoenn Pokedex Holder. The professor showed it the boy's photo and registry on the Pokedex, and Treecko learnt that his name is Emerald. According to Prof. Oak, the renowned Pokemon professor from Pallet Town in Kanto, Emerald is a slightly eccentric young man, but nevertheless, he shall become Treecko's destined partner.
Unfortunately, before Emerald showed up at the meeting place, a powerful flood washed in to carry Treecko away together with Prof. Birch's backpack. Yet, with a twist of fate, it was saved by another young boy named Wally near the southern city of Pacifidlog , and was nursed to full health by the boy's Roselia. Later, it rendered help to Wally at the Sky Pillar during his quest to reach the top floor, and battled various wild Pokemon, eventually accumulating enough experience to evolve into a Grovyle.
When Wally finally learnt that his mission at the Sky Pillar was to awaken the Rayquaza, it was Grovyle's Bullet Seed that broke the sky titan's ozone cloud to bring it out of slumber. However, Rayquaza's rampage following its awakening not only destroyed the top floors of the Sky Pillar, but also knocked Grovyle off the building and into the stormy seas.
Some time later, Grovyle got washed ashore an island, and evolved into a Sceptile upon regaining consciousness. Yet, as soon as it adapted to its new body, it got ambushed by the armoured man Guile Hideout. The armoured man deemed Sceptile a useful Pokemon to ward off the pesky press people at the Battle Frontier, who would pose as obstacles in his quest to get Jirachi.
And thus, Sceptile was smuggled into the Battle Factory as a rental Pokemon, and caused major havoc when Guile Hideout provoked it with a poison sting in the middle of Emerald's battle with Noland. Incidentally, Emerald has the skills to tell a Pokemon's birthplace, and possesses gimmicks to calm rampaging Pokemon with the soil from their hometown.
For Sceptile, Emerald recognized it as a Littleroot Town inhabitant, and quickly soothed its aggressiveness with his soil gun. The boy also knew that Sceptile wasn't one of the rental Pokemon, and therefore stole it away from the Factory, keeping it as a temporary team member...
Having fully regained its memories which were lost due to the series of shocking events, Sceptile puts on a determined look, and surprises everyone by breaking free from the ice, and charging towards Mimi to deliver its deadly Leaf Blade. The unexpected strike knocks Mimi's HP down to 0, and the announcer declares Emerald the winner of the match.
Scott has a hard time believing in what he just witnessed, and Emerald happily runs up to compliment Sceptile. Ruby walks over to the two with a gentle smile, and states that his guess was correct after all, that Sceptile is indeed the very same Treecko Emerald was supposed to receive from Prof. Birch. He isn't sure whether all of this is just a coincidence, but at least he is grateful that the grass starter has found its originally planned trainer.
Ruby then pats Sceptile on the face, and says now that it has regained its memories, it should remember their encounter at Sapphire's secret base in the woods of Route 101. As soon as Ruby mentions it, Sceptile has a quick flashback of the day, and clearly remembers what Ruby said about Mudkip being superior to the 'green one'. The derogative term greatly ticked off the grass Pokemon at that time, and Sceptile now sees the perfect chance to seek revenge. Without warning, it rams its fist into Ruby and sends him flying across the room. It then begins chasing him around, while Ruby has no idea at all what he has done.
Emerald couldn't care less about the drama between Ruby and Sceptile, and soon sees Sapphire returning from the adjacent stadium with a depressed look. The girl sulks that she has been completely overpowered, and admits that the Frontier Brains are truly powerful trainers. Emerald realizes that it means the finalists of the tournament have been determined, and knows he will soon be up for the final match.
While the announcer calls for a 5 minute break before the battle between Emerald and Dome Ace Tucker, the armoured man Guile Hideout stands ominously near one of the broadcast speakers with an evil twinkle in his eye...Thanks To Coronis For Writing this for us
322: VS Sceptile
Volume 28