A Heart is a House for Love
(final 3 minutes of scene i)
The Five Heartbeats (1991)

∞∞∞

“The life of a nation is secure only while
the nation is honest, truthful and virtuous.” – Confucius

∞∞∞

The Five Heartbeats (1991)

The House is a Home
by Kendall F. Person

When The Five Heartbeats (written by Robert Townsend & Keenan Ivory Wayans) hit the big screen, it caught everyone off guard. Even with the famous faces and the plot loosely following the rise and fall of Motown, by shadowing some of its most famous groups, headlined by the tragic, yet remarkable story of The Temptations, we were clueless  Perhaps, it was the combined comedic genius of Townsend & Ivory, that gave pre-show audiences the false expectation of laughter. But as it turned out – with the actual stage set at the closing of the first scene – it was a raw, emotional experience, and not until Dreamgirls, would there be such an entertaining and personal perspective about an era of music, that was a part of our homes.

And not since 1966, has a Midterm election, caused such a wave of mass hysteria and violence on home turf, against different sides of the same team.  We would have to go back to 1861, to find a higher level of discourse, that broke the house and nearly destroyed the home.

∞∞∞

Two weeks ago, I had a somewhat surprising political discussion with my younger brother. Surprising, not because I doubted he held an opinion or was not interested in national politics, but because his perspective was one I had not yet heard in such clear simplicity.

“They are in power now. And yes, if the upcoming elections do not balance it out, than power will evolve toward dominion, but as bad as it will be, it too shall pass, because if they put down the democrats, then mean requires they turn on one another. But who wants to go through all that.”

∞∞∞

“Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny,”
King wrote. “We can’t restore our civilization with somebody else’s babies.”

Trump that Bitch (Trump rally t-shirt standard) author of civilization quote, Muslim Ban enthusiast, one of 1500 children ‘lost’ are they endangered servants now? Make America White Again Tennessee political billboard approved by an actual candidate

It is both counterproductive and useless to believe, that nearly half the country has adopted a philosophy of mean, a disregard for truth, or still weighed down by sincere ignorance or hexed by Fox News.  Supporters of Trumpism come in all orders. From the alt-right, neo-nazis and White supremacist, to internationally recognized Black recording artists. From the backcountry of Appalachia to scientist on Ivy League campuses. and from the greedy to the dirt poor.

Donald Trump – star of The Apprentice, tabloid bad boy, and King of lies (birtherism) – was an icon of pop culture, long before he was President, transforming fans into constituents and now fanatics (take pipe bomb suspect Cesar Sayoc, for instance) and the GOP Congressmen, into ruthless hoods (U.S. Rep Duncan D. Hunter is under a 60 count indictment for living large on hundreds of thousands of dollars, stolen from Vets and donors, then blames his wife. Still 8 points ahead in the polls).

Voter suppression has reached new heights, with a host of conservative judges, backing limited voting. Texas, Florida, North Dakota, North Carolina, Nevada and with the Secretary of State – in charged of counting votes – the opponent in Georgia’s Governor’s race, blatant suppression  has quickly evolved into disrespectful denying of rights.

Take a percursy look at The New York Times: Trump Corruption: The Definitive List and you will note it goes on and on. But what The Neighborhood finds most troubling is what he is doing to our nation under the cover of darkness (see below):

Stripped of U.S. endangered species protection, Ban lifted on trophy hunting (only $49,000 per shot).

With an entire American political party captured so easily, his narcissism turns savage, as he takes dominion over wild kingdom, playing God would be the ultimate, as in his own words, Trump has never asked the man upstairs for forgiveness even though he claims to be a believer, and has publicly trampled over a mixed bag of relationships including all three wives.

But animals have no voice and without means to stage a march or raise money or send a representative to Congress, then he alone determines destiny for entire species:

Trump Administration lifts trophy hunting ban on the African elephant — the largest and most intelligent land-dwelling giants on earth – then strips them of their endangerment species protections.

Yet some will double down and others will still not vote, then scream the loudest if we are forced to say “Told you so.”  

The individual men, that made up The Five Heartbeats, gained their start and rapid rise to the top, were above par singers, and before Youtube, concerts set the stage, so their fresh choreography and tightness of style in the clothes they wore, carried near equal weight. But they were also in the right place, at the right for Motown seemed nearly destined for greatness. Then Dr. King was assassinated, and once again, the country was at war with color and it became clear, that passage of The Civil Rights Act, was a moral victory, but did not translate into rights.

But it was not the outsiders, nor the worldly influences that brought The Five Heartbeats down, but rather an implosion.  As each linked their star to a different vice or hope. it did not take long for the band of brothers to cut bait and run. But the surprising lesson from a surprising motion picture, was in its demonstration of how relationships – be they friendships or marriage or partners in a business or believers in democracy until it is tested – cannot support the weight of the self-indulgent, whose body has welcomed a no compromise, self-indulgent order.

The house that the heartbeats built, divided then fell. Eventually taking Motown, Detroit and extinguishing an era of homespun soul.

The House is ground central for legislation. It is your home too. VOTE

From its inception, the idea of the American dream was inclusive of all its people. Although, it took years and blood and perseverance and laws and the willingness to enforced them to get there, the 1965 Voting Rights Act, ultimately declared America home for all of its citizens, by empowering the grandchildren of former slaves, with the ability to choose their own leaders, utilizing the one undeniable attribute of a democracy: VOTING

this is… The Neighborhood

The San Diego Union Tribune: Hunter Indictment sheds light on ‘personal relationships’ for congressman, Sep 8, 2018
The Hill: Trump to consider elephant trophy imports on ‘case-by-case’ basis, Mar 5, 2018