Recently, a viral video of two teen girls has been making the rounds, and once again, it proves that people will say anything from the comfort of their own homes.

While their rant is your typical “why are black people so _______” jazz, what I’m more concerned about is how young people are taking to the web to air out their views without thinking about the long term effects it may have on their lives.

While I don’t know if these girls are actually racist (ignorant? certainly), they have already been ousted by their classmates and school, and I’m sure their future employers, lovers, and friends will have A LOT to say about their 15 minutes of YouTube fame.

Nothing on the web ever dies. And even if these girls regretted their words and took down their video, sites like World Star Hip Hop (and their local news affilate), make sure that their rant will live on forever.

So, what’s the moral of the story, kids?

If you have a little brother, sister, cousin, or child….please…keep them off the web spewing dumb ish that they will surely regret in the future.

And if you’re thinking about making your own, “I hate _____” video, don’t.

Cool?

Angelou encourages her younger self to experience the world, really take it all in, and remember that “no one can be more human than you.”

Hearing Angelou’s advice to her younger self, made me wonder what I’d tell a younger me. I think–above all else–I think I’d tell my younger self that you are stronger than you think you are and that it’s ok to be different and do what you want.

How about you? What would you tell your younger self?

The supermarket tabloid the National Enquirer recently published an image of Whitney Houston’s body lying in the gold casket, and promised readers to take them inside her private viewing.

While I think it’s extra grimy for the tabloid to publish such an image, especially when Houston’s family chose to keep that section of their service private, I wonder who leaked the photo in the first place?

I hope it wasn’t one of Whitney’s friends or family members, but in an era where publications pay big money for such a photo, I can’t put it past anyone.

Houston’s family is trying to capitalize on the singer’s death in order to ensure Bobbi Kristina is taken care of. According to reports, the family has agreed to license the footage from the service to ”help maximise the estate for the benefit of Bobbi Kristina.” Before her death, several outlets mentioned Houston’s money woes, and unlike other entertainers, Houston rarely wrote her own songs, which means her estate will not receive a big payday from her most famous songs.

Apparently, Houston’s ex-husband Bobby Brown might also be looking to cash-in on her death. Four years ago Brown shopped the idea of writing a tell-all book, but publishers weren’t interested because Houston’s popularity had wained. Now, things have changed.

The Huffington Post reports:

“Back in 2008, the interest in a book on Whitney Houston wasn’t that great,” a major publisher tells me. “Whitney had fallen off the radar back then … but now, following her tragic death, the market has changed. Now is the time for a book that details an honest look into the life of Whitney.”

But standing in Bobby’s way is the confidentiality agreement he signed when his divorce was finalized, plus the impact that a tell-all would have on his daughter, Bobbi Kristina.

“Bobby loves all his children,” his former attorney, Phaedra Parks told me days after Whitney died. “He would do anything to protect all his children.”

But friends of Whitney tell me they are not so sure.

“This is a man who left his ex-wife’s funeral because he didn’t like his seats and went to a paying gig that night,” a friend of the diva tells me. “He didn’t get on stage that night because he needed to sing his greatest hits or because Whitney would have wanted him to entertain his fans, he did it to get a paycheck — the same reason he now wants to write a tell-all book.”

I guess we’ll just have to wait and see who else tries to cash in on Whitney Houston’s legacy.

One guy (or gal), dubbed the “Xpo Terrorist,” isn’t happy about Perry’s success. S/he took their frustrations out on a billboard in Los Angeles for Perry’s upcoming film, Good Deeds, scrawling: “Stop letting him make movies.”

Photo via MediaBistro, Fish Bowl LA

While I may not be a fan of Perry’s work, limiting his ability to make films isn’t the answer either.

But what do you think? Have you ever taken your frustrations out on an advertisement? 

Protests are still waging in Virginia as the state legislature is still debating whether or not it will pass a controversial new abortion law that would require women to undergo a trans-vaginal ultrasound before undergoing the procedure.

While the Republican-led legislature argues they are aiming to lower the abortion rate by arming women with “the facts,” opponents of the bill say it is tantamount to state-sponsored sexual assault.

The divide stems from a provision in the bill that would require women to undergo a medically unnecessary trans-vaginal ultrasound before she is able to have an abortion within the first trimester (when over 90% of abortions take place).

Unlike other ultrasounds which are non-invasive, a trans-vaginal ultrasound involves a probe being inserted into a woman’s vagina. Democrats unsuccessfully attempted to amend the bill to require a woman’s consent to the invasive procedure before it is done, but the amendment was defeated by the Republican-controlled legislature.

Women’s groups are outraged over the requirement, and claim it violates Virginia’s object sexual penetration statute, which says that inserting an object into someone against their will, unless medically necessary, is a crime. Moreover, insurance companies are not likely to cover a medically unnecessary procedure, which would shift the cost of the trans-vaginal ultrasound to the women seeking an abortion.

Virginia’s Governor Robert McDonnell initially said that he’d sign the bill once it passed the legislature, but after over 1200 men and women engaged in a silent protest over the proposed law, he is now changing his tune. According to Gov. McDonnell’s office, he will now “review” the bill if it is passed.

This is just one of two controversial abortion laws proposed in Virginia. They are also considering a “personhood amendment” which would grant constitutional rights to embryos at conception, and effectively end access to abortion procedures in the state.

Virginia’s tough anti-abortion stance is just another in a long list of measures aiming to limit women’s access to reproductive rights. From defunding Planned Parenthood to the current debating surrounding access to birth control, it seems like many want to drag us back to the bad old days when women could not choose what to do with our bodies.

What do you think? Is Virginia’s proposed law akin to sexual assault? 

Photo via TheLocal.fr

Women’s groups across France are claiming a victory today. After expressing displeasure with the term “Mademoiselle” because it forces women to disclose their marital status, the country is ditching the term from its official documents.

Unlike in other countries (especially America and England) where women can choose between Mrs., Miss, or Ms., which allows them to either disclose their marital status or not, French women only had two options–Madame and Mademoiselle–and were required to identify as one or the other on official documents from tax forms to voter registration cards. Men, on the other hand, only had to pick one option–Monsieur–whether they were married or not.

According to the Prime Minister’s office, all women–regardless of marital status–will be called Madame from now on.

While many women’s groups are applauding the change because they say it no longer discriminates against women, others are not so happy about the decision. One woman on NPR remarked that using Mademoiselle made her feel young and that she’ll continue to use it in conversation.

What do you think? Should France ditch Mademoiselle from its official documents? 

Wendy Williams and Whitney Houston have a contentious history. Although Williams claimed to be one of Houston’s biggest fans, for years she took to her popular radio show and mercilessly gossiped about the fellow New Jersey native. Williams’ on-air rants all led up to a tense interview between the two ladies, in which Williams questioned Houston about her relationship with Bobby Brown, her drug abuse, and her parenting skills.

It was a train wreck, but many couldn’t stop listening.

After Houston died, a tearful Wendy Williams said she’ll no longer talk about the singer, but for Hubert, the damage was done.

Hubert recently penned a letter to Williams taking her to take for her treatment of celebs, and asking her to put her gossiping ways behind her.

Read Hubert’s open letter to Wendy Williams and let us know what you think. 

Dear Wendy,

This past weekend was a very difficult time for so many of us.

I watched the funeral service with the rest of the world, and cried time and time again with each story that was told. I felt like I knew more about this amazing woman than ever before. We all watched her as a little girl, center stage, singing like a bird, she was destined for superstardom. To watch her center stage full circle in death was a feeling no mother should ever have to feel. I applaud Ms. Warwick, the pastor, and all others who formed a police line of love and protection around her that was impenetrable only to those who really knew her. We, the public accepted their decision to keep it private, but they allowed us to witness her Home Going ceremony, I don’t know if I could have been so gracious. WE felt like we knew her and we knew nothing about her except what we read and hear from people like you and other media outlets. I listened to her interview with you and was compelled to say out loud. “Go on Whitney tell her like it is,” when you pried into her life back then. I had my son in the same year as Ms. Houston; we did Ebony Magazine that same year, she introducing her baby girl and me my son. I am trying to be dignified, but here goes.

The Internet has become somewhat like the 10 commandments, and this is why… whatever is posted or commented on… is forever written in stone. Neither I nor anybody can stop anyone from making up stories, reviews, lies etc, cutting and pasting whatever they decide to put together like a bad buffet breakfast.

I have had some horrible meals shoved down my throat on the web that I had no parts of.

I still have a bad taste in my mouth from a recent cut and paste meal from your beloved TMZ (THE MUDSLINGING ZONE). I believe you said once “If you heard it on TMZ then it must be true,” really Wendy?

The Internet is indeed the information highway, but it can also be “a Forum of Hate.”

Though I never knew Whitney Houston, I felt a profound sense of loss and sadness. On Sunday morning I took my dog for a walk in the park across the street and still could not shake the sadness I felt. I wondered if what I was feeling was perhaps related to losing my mother and brother this past year, but then I thought no, it was something else.

The funny thing is, this woman wasn’t being at all shady, as she was in her late 30′s and considerably older than my friend who had just turned 30. If anything she was complimenting my friend on being in good enough shape to shimmy into such a tiny dress and just tellin’ it like it is (or as she sees it) style-wise. But until then I’d never thought about the need to start dressing less revealingly at a certain age. I’ve never been a fan of short skirts but I do like low-cut tops…do you mean to tell me that I’m going to have to start covering these puppies up and maybe should already be doing so?

I think that images that we see in the media have skewed my thinking on this because most of the women we see dressed demurely are elderly or members of government. For example, Toni Braxton (pictured) is 45 years old, looks amazing, and is showing more leg than your average woman would ever dare — as she should, she’s an entertainer. But let’s say Toni had the same figure and was an administrative assistant. How revealing would too revealing be for your average woman and at what age does the need to cover up a little bit kick in?

Is there a need to start covering up as women get older? If so, when does it start?

Just in time for the release of Tyler Perry’s Good Deeds this Friday, which White has a role in, the actor spoke with Essence.com to clear the air by letting people know how he really feels.

Read some excerpts from the interview:

You’ve caught a lot of flack for your comments about how Black women, so we just have to ask, Brian White, do you hate Black women?

BRIAN WHITE: No, come on. I’m Black Carpenter [the tile of his book and youth development program]. I’m out making sure kids have a future. I did that interview on speakerphone and my mom was in my car with me. I said the majority of what we, as a community, celebrate in the media, isn’t worthy of our women. Not the ones that I know and love. I’ve been out on the road with the UNCF, NAACP, and National Urban League doing Black Carpenter or working with little girls and boys in schools. I’m about that, more so than anything else. I’m not trying to be famous; I’m trying to make a difference. That’s all I meant to say. I apologize for any confusion.

Speaking of substance, you were very critical of reality TV and said something like; ‘You can’t call it a stereotype if it’s the majority.’ What did you mean by that?

WHITE: I’ll use my role as Randy in the movie ‘I Can Do Bad All By Myself’. People get mad and say that’s a stereotype of Black men. I’m saying guys like Randy might be a stereotype but when I go to the club on Friday, I see 150 of them grabbing sisters by the wrist going, “Yo, come over here.” That’s not how gentlemen act. We support those images because they a little closer to truth than we care to admit. Let’s take a character like, Madea, who is based on Tyler Perry’s aunt. She’s like 6-feet-tall and probably has a gun in her purse right now. Tyler is holding up a mirror. In traveling across the South doing plays, I met a lot of Big Mommas, like Martin Lawrence’s character. Sure, we’re exaggerating a little bit, but there’s some reality in there. 

Your comments may have been taken the wrong way since you were also criticized for marrying a woman who wasn’t Black [ his wife Paula is Latina]. Do you constantly feel like you have to defend yourself?

WHITE: Yes, I do. I have five younger sisters. My sister Ashley has a Caucasian husband and my sister Erin has an African husband, from Liberia. My other baby sister is a sophomore, and she’s dated every race from all over the world. And that was why I popped off about my wife. Because that’s the biggest love of my life, acting is second. It made me uncomfortable to be challenged on who I love. I thought, ‘There are 31 flavors of ice cream at Baskin Robbins, can I like one?’ Does it mean that I don’t like the others? No. It’s just confusing because I try to be positive and I think I’m about something that’s valuable, and to be slighted for love, or whatever, it’s just frustrating especially in 2012. 

Brian White doesn’t owe anybody any kind of explanation for his life or his opinions, but I don’t think this response gets to the heart of the matter. He basically said “I have a mother and sisters and I work with kids and am a positive person” as if those attributes and having a negative attitude towards black women are mutually exclusive.

Most folks wanted to hear him say, no, I don’t think most black women behave like overly-aggressive reality show fight-starters, I meant something else…anything else. Instead he clarifies his comment by pointing out that people consider any negative portrayal a stereotype, including un-gentlemanly men, even if it has some truth in it, because most men are not gentlemen. Does that change his claim that the majority of black women are like Nene, especially considering she’s (technically) not a character? It seems to reiterate the idea while also speaking negatively about black men. Brian White doesn’t seem like a bad guy at all but I’m not sure that he needs to be the poster boy for discussing black stereotypes in media with this logic.

Read the rest of the interview at Essence.com.

What do you think of Brian White clearing the air?

“Take control now. Forget about the negative thoughts which others have told you – that you are too old or too young. Stop letting the thoughts of others rule your life; stop being weak and cowardly, blaming your lack of progress on those negative programs. If you begin now and become a do-er, you will have earned your right to remain here.” - Thomas D. Willhite

It’s easy to blame your lack of progress on your weaknesses. You tell yourself you haven’t dropped those pounds because you’re too tired to take care of yourself, or you’re still single because you’re unlovable, or perhaps you can’t pursue a new career because you don’t have enough experience. Forget that!

Negative thoughts (and people) always seem to creep in when you’re on your way to greatness. Push them aside and keep plowing ahead toward your goals.

Happy Wednesday!