Encounter Night, Sept 16th in Jax - plus, a ruined Rolling Stones song

PSA: On September 16, Journey Church (5941 Richard St, 32216) will be hosting a Transitions Global 'Encounter Night', regarding human trafficking.

"This evening will give you a chance to learn about the issue and how to be involved in making a difference. You'll be given action items throughout the night, so you just don't leave with a broken heart. 
You will be given tools to make an impact. 
You will be given options as easy as clicking a mouse...or going to the other side of the world."

If you're in Jacksonville, this is for you. It's not just about stroking a check, smiling and saying "good luck with that..." Everyone has gifts. There's a way to use yours. Don't be a slug.

In other news:

Its funny, the stuff that catches my attention now. I almost got upset the other day, listening to Lady Marmalade, thinking at the end Patti sings "Free your Lady Marmalade", but the words are actually "Creole...", not "Free your..." So it's not a trafficking song, though I still can't think of any girl that would grow up singing that thinking "Wow, they're so empowered! I hope I can grow up to be a prostitute some day!" But I digress...

So I'm listening to another song, and this time, after thinking about it, I look up the lyrics to The Rolling Stones "Brown Sugar". Now I know, as a man with three daughters, I should probably have abandoned the Stones after their misogynistic masterpiece "Under My Thumb", but where else can you listen to marimbas in such a kicking song? You would have to wait until Oingo Boingo put out "Grey Matter"... but I digress.

So, for the first time, I actually catch the lyrics to Brown Sugar. It opens up like this:

Gold coast slave ship bound for cotton fields,
Sold in a market down in New Orleans.
Scarred old slaver know he's doin alright.
Hear him whip the women just around midnight.
Ah brown sugar, how come you taste so good
Brown sugar, just like a young girl should...

And it kinda goes downhill from there.


New eyes. New ears. If ignorance is bliss, then awareness must really suck, and I'm feeling some proof of that. But I would rather not stick my head back in the sand.

Maybe I'll see some of you locals Friday night? Maybe...