Carvell Wallace’s letter to his late mother following the murders in Charleston:
Today, they killed nine people in an AME church. And I’m glad you’re not here because you’d just be shaking your head and clucking low and quiet, calling on Jesus’ name. You’d be asking what the world was coming to. You’d call Aunt Shirley and Aunt Bev and the three of you would repeat the same things over and over. It’s a low-down dirty shame. Like we’re no better than dogs. What type of evil would possess a man.
I wouldn’t be a teenager anymore. But then I would be because you’re always a teenager around your mom. And I’d be annoyed with you. I’d want you to handle it differently. I’d want you to…I don’t know…do what I do. Write a thinkpiece or say some smart shit on Twitter. Lie alone and stare at the ceiling. Not call anyone. Not talk to anyone. Feel the weight in the pit of your stomach. Lock the door from the inside without even knowing it.
But you wouldn’t do that. You’d talk to whoever would listen. Even if it meant saying the same things over and over.
It’s a low down dirty shame.
Like we’re no better than dogs.
What type of evil would possess a man.
And then you’d be quiet for a long time. Staring into space. Chewing the inside of your lip. And finally you’d shake your head slowly. Heavily. And you’d probably say:
Some things never change.
You can donate to Emanuel AME Church here.
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The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian, In Ascending Order of Sexiness and Descending Order of Actual Martyring (I named my childhood cat after this saint; he really made an impression, though in my only somewhat terrifying Book of Saints I think the hottest male saint was probably St. Martin of Tours, wearing the ripped cloak he cut in half with his SWORD because a poor child needed it)
How to travel through time without drawing attention to yourself
Do you ever think about if Taraji P. Henson were your girlfriend? How about Gillian Anderson?
“One time she wore an eyepatch for a month. Didn’t tell anyone why. Classic Jen.”
Becca Rose wrote about family, dreams, life after trauma, and the nature of truth: I Did Not Set the World on Fire
This fun piece by Amanda Palleschi kinda made me wish I were sportsier.
AB Chao! Like many people in the comments, I remember her from Television Without Pity. Manjula Martin caught up with her about money and art and life and change: The Dough: AB Chao’s New Job is Being Herself
“The Beatles are a household name now, but before their rapid rise to fame, they were just a simple [preeminent bird swarm] from Liverpool, trying to make their way in the world. In the ’60s, many parents were concerned about their teenagers listening to [PRIMITIVE UNBEARABLE BIRD WAILING]. Now you can hear it in every mall across [recognized bird dominion].”
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I’ll be out all next week because my parents are visiting from The Middle of Nowhere, Oregon and we have not seen one another in like two years. It will be good, and I’m glad I will have some time off to spend with them, but I’ll miss you all like summer camp friends. Have a marvelous week, Toast!
