Why Fiction Matters: Atlanta Children & Sheba

Today at 10:15 am Atty Paul Howard, DA for Fulton County along with the FBA announced that DNA evidence now proves that Wayne Williams is the Atlanta Child Murder's Serial Killer. They used the DNA fibers from his dog, Sheba to prove this twenty-five-year old case. All 5 hairs found on 5 different victims contain the same DNA sequence matches that match Sheba. However, there is still much speculation as to the validity of this new evidence and whether evidence tampering had taken place..

I was a little girl when the Atlanta Child Murders took place, so I don't remember much. But I do remember a time when my Mom was too scared to let my brother and I play outside. Bringing this case up reminds me of such a scary time. I wonder what will it take to bring closure to this tragedy?

A great book that explores this time is Tayari Jones' Leaving Atlanta.

Who's the Biggest Payne?

Whether you watch Tyler Perry's House of Payne on TBS(airs everyWednesday at 9pm) or not there is a debate going on about his casting choice of Cassie Davis as the matriarch, Ella.

In his 6/19/07 email message to his fans, to writes:

One person asked why does the mama have to be a "FAT BLACK WOMAN" and said that I am perpetuating stereotypes by putting these overweight people on the show, as if there are no fat black women in America that are mothers. My mother and aunts are fat black women. And it upsets me to think that people, especially Black people, would say that I'm doing a disservice to America by putting them on T.V.

I sincerely think that TP doesn't understand how black women have been historically systemically degraded and how this effort has affected the black woman psyche even today. But in his defence, TP shouldn't be singled out for his portayal of black women. Hollywood and societal pressure also play a role in this(Big Momma, Norbit, Soul Food.)

When I look at Cassie Davis' performance on the show I think she is very sweet and her weight is a non-issue. No one puns her or debases her for her wieght. In fact she seems to be the most beloved member of the family. While CJ's thin wife, Janine is a crack addict and a big pain in the Payne Family.

So who's the bigger pain for this show?

My opinion: I like Cassie. I think the show needs better writers, better directors , and the female cast should have more to say than an occasional punch line. And...if TP wants to give his naysayers a more balance view of women, have one of his male charaters fall for a hard-to-get, gorgeous, and intelligent phat girl lke me:)

Your thoughts...