For Whitney

My sister from another mother, you went to my grandfather’s church.  Today is your going home party and man it really hurts. To think you were just here, only a ‘moment in time’ ago, and now you’re gone to sing, your greatest ever solo.  You shared with millions ‘the greatest love of all’, so who else but you, would have to heed the call…

To a greater place, a different space, another dimension in time, the powerful sound of your voice will remain in the hearts and minds… of BILLIONS across the land! At this moment, I’m like ‘Oh Shit,’ I actually got to shake your hand… Now I’m crying because I know, there’ll never be another living soul, to do that – it’s so sad and it’s too bad, cause DAMN the WORLD REALLY LOOOVVED YOU, “My darling you… I Will Always LOVE You.”

It’s the morning of Whitney Houston’s funeral.  I just had a good cry and a big sigh for all the people of Newark that will crowd in the streets today – behind barricades – to celebrate the life of their sister in spirit.  Why?  Why should they have to do this?  Shortly after her passing, it was announced that there would be a service for fans and friends at the Prudential Center in downtown Newark, capacity 18,000 people.  That sounded like a GREAT PLAN to me, my wife Kim and I were going to go.  What happened with that?  Why didn’t Mayor Corey Booker proceed with that plan as opposed to the now potential shit storm that could ensue?  But it’s early, but is it?  I’m turning on the news right now, hold up… ok, no current reports of violence or chaos, just complaints… AND RIGHTFULLY SO, “Life isn’t fair” but this really sucks.  “Crack is whack” and this is a very funky situation, and not in a good way.  There’s simply no just reason why the people of Newark should be denied, at the very least, a glimpse of the funeral procession.  The city of Newark and the Prudential Insurance Company should have bit the bullet and allowed a simultaneous memorial to take place at the Prudential Center.  While I respect the decision of the Houston family and their right to privacy, I believe plans to accommodate fellow mourners, friends and fans on the streets of Newark should have been handled differently.  Services are scheduled to start at noon today, people have been camped out on the streets of Newark since Thursday.  RIP WHITNEY ELIZABETH HOUSTON – YOU DID YOUR JOB, MAY WE ALL DO AS WELL AS YOU!

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