TANYA TALKS™

I had this dream on Sunday, May 17, 2020 that I just pondered over for days. On Sunday, May 24,2020 I sat down and recorded the dream. One day after that recording on Monday, May 25, 2020 two major events occurred; both involved a person calling the police on a black man. One ended badly for the person, Amy Cooper, who made the call in Central Park, NYC and the other ended in a public lynching of the black man, George Floyd, by the police in Minneapolis, MN. This sparked nationwide, and now worldwide protests. My entire life shifted and our focus shifted from the highly contagious and deadly virus COVID-19 to something more insidious that has killed & terrorized untold numbers of African-Americans for centuries: racism, deep entrenched systemic racism. Everyone who saw that video, including the cop's wife who immediately filed for divorce, was sickened and angry. Yet again, we are exclaiming, as George Floyd did: I Can't Breathe. Monday, June 1, 2020 Donald Trump all but de...

Today, June 1, 2020, the President of the United States did the unthinkable. He in essence declared war on American citizens. After running scared to an underground bunker when protesters marched outside the White House on Pentecost Sunday May 31, 2020 which lead to the trending of these hashtags: #BunkerBoy #BunkerTrump #BunkerBitch, and #BunkerDon. Trump decided that he had to show strength and gave a speech that declared war. Excerpts from the speech:    That is why I am taking immediate presidential action to stop the violence and restore security and safety in America. I am mobilizing all available federal resources civilian and military to stop the rioting and looting to end the destruction and arson and to protect the rights of law abiding Americans, including your Second Amendment rights . Therefore, the following measures are going into effect immediately. First, we are ending the riots and lawlessness that has spread throughout our country. We will en...

In the midst of a highly contagious and deadly pandemic (COVID-19), American Citizens rise up to confront a much deadlier virus, a contagion so deadly that it threatens to destroy the very fabric of our republic, and that contagion is systemic/structured police brutality at the hands of those who have sworn to serve and protect. However, that protection seems to never be afforded to black and brown people in the United States of America. Dr. Martin Luther King, spoke eloquently in the 1960s that We Shall Overcome, and folk singer Joan Baez sings the anthem of the Civil Rights Movement to an audience in Europe. How apropos as we march in protest to the horrific murder of George Floyd, who died at the hand of an evil rogue police officer in Minneapolis, MN on Memorial Day May 25, 2020; this officer who took a knee on George Floyd's neck.  Governor Andrew Cuomo (NY), stands with the protesters, as they march all across this country and the world exclaiming: I Can't Breathe, No Jus...

Post Traumatic Stress Injury, collectively all of black and brown America has it. A 17 year old girl recorded the live death of George Floyd as a hate filled racist police officer took a knee on his neck in all his blue lives matter glory. That racist cop was fired and protestors want him and the other three cops in Minneapolis, MN charged and convicted of first degree murder. She is 17. A child. And if what she recorded traumatizes you as it does me, imagine what it’s done to her. Imagine what seeing their loved one killed in the street would do to #GeorgeFloyd ’s family. Did any of those officers consider that, even for a moment? https://t.co/EI7SmCY25i — Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) May 28, 2020 A Message to White America, The Majority You have the power to fix this problem, a problem of your ancestors creation and your perpetuation.  "We are really just battling one problem. America as a tale of two cities," says @ch...

There is a scene in the first Marvel Avengers movie where the Black Widow is talking with Loki. At the conclusion of the conversation, the Black Widow gets on the radio and says that Loki intends to rile up the Hulk. For decades white racists/supremacists have planned for the inevitable race war. They are the only ones planning for it. But, filled with blood lust they do everything they can to provoke us, rile us up. They insult, oppress, and kill us. They are so full of blood lust that they will burn the country to the ground to get their race war. Every mass shooting or police execution, we march and protest - crying out for change - nothing happens. So we weep, we kneel, we pray, we run for office, we educate ourselves and become lawyers and judges. We try to work within the system to improve and change the system. But if you keep poking the bear the bear will eventually strike back. #minneapolisriots I hear nothing but facts pic.twitter.com/ge2HtUZN0Q — JTP...

Memorial Day, a day started in the 1800s by African Americans to honor their fallen soldiers. It morphed into a national holiday as a day of respect for all fallen soldiers. Instead of being a day of respect, honor, solemnity, and family togetherness, this day started with an extreme act of violence when #CentralParkKaren called the police on a Black man who asked her to obey the law and put her dog back on leash. Thankfully Christian Cooper has his life and Amy Cooper (no relation) no longer has her dog, her job, nor her reputation.  George Floyd Sadly, things did not go that well for George Floyd in Minneapolis, who lost his life when a group of police officers decided to Take a Knee  on his neck and publicly lynch him. His crime, he allegedly forged a document, which is code for paying with a check while Black. Regardless if he did or did not commit a crime it was a non-violent offense and did not warrant a violent response from 4 armed police officers. Those co...

I had to run some errands this evening and stopped by Kroger's, the grocery store, on the way back home. I live in a suburb outside of Houston, Texas. As I left the store there were three workers, looked like teenagers, black, congregating by the door with no masks on. When I walked past they laughed. I don’t blame them for laughing, because as you can see I look quite funny. But, I stopped dead in my tracks and turned around, walked back over to them and said, "I have an aunt on a ventilator, she’s been on it for two weeks, my brother was in the hospital for two weeks, I have a cousin who was sick and another cousin who just died. So, I might look funny, but at least I am Fucking safe." I loaded up my car, just filled with anguish. I was so angry that they were by the door close to customers passing right by them, no masks, just congregating with no regard for their lives. When I stopped for the second light I just started crying. I was crying for my aun...

I have been reluctant to blog about this pandemic. WHO COVID-19 Dashboard Map Well, not initially. I had initially planned to do a series of blog posts about the pandemic and sprinkle them with my micro-blogging. I may still do that. But, today I feel reluctant to blog because I have loved ones battling this virus.  One is out of the hospital, one is in the hospital, one may go to the hospital, and another lost their battle at home.  I am a whole host of emotions right now. But, I wasn't really until a few hours ago - well that would be until the evening of April 7, 2020 - since it is now the wee hours of April 8, 2020 as I am writing this.  I am outraged - and really OUTRAGED over the hate and greed that consumes the United States of America. Because of the greed & hate so many Americans are losing their lives.  I could hear the wailing of families today and it immediately brought me to the wailing women & families in the  the...

Occasionally I will hear a song that moves me and I will tweet about it to share it with the world. Then that usually prompts another song, then another, and the next thing you know I have a thread of tweets about songs that moved my soul. Sometimes hours would past as I listen to great music, or watch the videos on YouTube and tweet about it. It definitely is a welcome break from the tyranny we are presently living under in the USA. And of course to some these are the greatest of times, cue the folks always waxing nostalgic about the 1920s and the 1950s a time when white supremacy reigned, the terrorist group KKK was at an all time high, jim crow laws reigned in the south and de facto segregation existed in the north. It was NOT the greatest of times for many millions of people. For them it was a time of intense oppression, terror, death, destruction, disease, and poverty. But the media and news agencies love to hail back to that time. So, for me it is quite welcoming to take...

A Voice Crying in the Desert  © 2010 Tanya Owens Complex, complicated, simple… The desert, barren, desolate, lifeless… Hope optimistically screams… Rationality targets focus to the good, the wholesome, the enriched… Heart beating, pounding, yearning… A Voice Crying in the Desert Isaiah 40:3 & John 1:23 I wrote this poem back in 2010. It is inspired by two passages of scripture one from the old testament written by the prophet Isaiah and one from the new testament written by the apostle John about the prophet John. Isaiah was prophesying comfort and deliverance for Israel who was at that time being oppressed by another nation. Fast forward to the prophet John, stating that he is the fulfillment of that scripture as he is that voice calling in the wilderness. The one who prepares the way for the Lord. There is another passage of scripture Jeremiah 20:9 "But if I say, 'I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,' his word is in my heart like...