R.I.P. Dorothy Height and Guru

Today was a weird one. I spent all day listening to NPR and staining the deck. First, I was trying to think of a funny way to tell the Kal Penn mugging story--like he got jacked for his weed coming out of Barry's White House.

But then I got all bummed out over Dorothy Height's death. The woman was 98. So, it wasn't much of a surprise. But I've always enjoyed the few interviews I've heard her give. And, of course, she's a homegirl--another star in the Black Pittsburgh constellation. They just don't make many like Dorothy Height.

But, what's really got me is Guru's death. I had no clue the brotha was sick. I mean, damn, I'll admit to hating on Jazzmatazz II, but the man was only 43. And Gang Starr ...

Well, clearly, I have no words for this. So, a video's in order.



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The Dumbest Shit I Done Heard Today

This morning, I was informed by NPR's Morning Edition that actor, Kal Penn, has left the TV series, House, to go work for Obama's White House. It's no Jimmy Stewart or Ted Williams flying combat missions or Pat Tillman losing his life in Afghanistan, but I had to give Penn his propers for giving up the dough for public service. Penn gave the station a pretty cool interview talking about how he'd volunteered for the Obama campaign last year and how he's always been interesting in politics. Apparently, one of his grandfathers worked and jailed with Gandhi during India's independence movement. That was when I heard [this blog post's title].

The NPR reporter then said something to the effect that "Gandhi inspired Martin Luther King, Jr., who in turn inspired President Obama. With Penn's working in the Obama White House, the circle is complete."

My wife and I were aghast. I turned to her, and said, "Now, that's got to be [this blog post's title]."

But now that I've had a full day to digest the comparison, I'm starting to think that maybe that NPR reporter wasn't as crazy as I thought she was. Just look at the record:




Crowning Achievements

Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi's non-violent, nationalist movement leads India to independence from the British Crown in 1947, inspiring millions to this day to work for peace and social change.







Martin Luther King, Jr.

King helps to spearhead a non-violent civil rights movement that leads to groundbreaking US legislation, furthering the cause for racial equality in America, inspiring millions to this day to work for peace and social change.







Barack Obama

Obama runs an unprecedented presidential campaign and becomes the first African-American President of the United States, inspiring millions to ... well, that's for history to decide.







Kal Penn

Penn co-stars in cult classic, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, inspiring the renascence of the "stoner film," a sequel, Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, and CBS to hire Neil Patrick Harris (nee Doogie Howser) as a co-star in the comedy series, How I Met Your Mother.


See, I definitely owe NPR an apology.

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