Page 5 - Florida Sentinel 9-17-21

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Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing
he other day when I
told a close female friend that I was ready to come home and settle down with a good woman, she laughed... Hysterically.
She said that she found my statement humorous be- cause every man she has ever known has made similar statements while they, too, were incarcerated. And, ac- cording to her, every one of them forgot those monoga- mous leaning proclamations the minute they stepped foot on free soil.
While I didn't doubt that what she was saying was true, I had to remind her that people have the ability to change. And, over the years, not only have I come to re-
gret my youthful gallivanting, but I've also developed a strong appreciation for beauty composed of realness.
That appreciation for the natural, even more than my maturation, is one of the main reasons why I believe it would be easy for me to stick to the script. My distaste for fakeness in a world where a majority of females feel in- clined to hide behind false exteriors would only force my once wandering eyes to be- come tamed and focused.
The truth is, extra-long eye-lashes, colored wigs, heavy layers of make-up, super inflated bottoms and ballooned breasts don't do anything for me. This isn't to knock women who feel like
those things enhance their appearance. I just prefer to wake up in the morning with a woman whose packaging is the same as it was before she went to sleep and one who doesn't have to make regular appointments for cosmetic tune-ups every 6 months.
I mean there's nothing wrong with costume parties. But, I would like to know that it's actually Cheryl Under- wood under the Beyonce mask... Not that there's any- thing wrong with Cheryl Underwood, of course.
Is what I'm saying a little judgmental? I don't think so. My taste for authenticity is simply a personal preference. And, in an era when plastic surgery and social media scam artists make it hard to figure out who is who or what is what, dealing with the fa- miliar, slightly flawed and stretch-marked, in the long run, could make all the dif- ference...
Reality On Ice is © by the Florida Sentinel Bul- letin Publishing Com- pany. You can email Mr. Barr at: cbscribe2@- gmail.com.
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C. Blythe Andrews 1901-1977 (1945)
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Doing The Right Thing!
e extend our congratulations and appreciation to
President Joe Biden for implementing vaccine mandates and protocols to reduce the number of COVID- 19 cases and deaths in America. After a second wave of COVID-19 deaths, President Biden required federal em- ployees, federal contractors, and healthcare workers at facilities that receive federal funding to show proof of vaccination with no testing option.
This act alone could save millions of COVID-19 cases and hundreds of thousands of deaths. After giving Amer- ican citizens a year or more to get vaccinated and watch- ing nearly a million citizens die, President Biden took control of the situation and imposed a no-nonsense man- date.
Many vaccinated Americans were growing weary of doing the right thing --- wearing masks and getting vac- cinated --- while still having to contend with “non-think- ing” Americans who refused to wear masks or get vaccinated.
Indeed, no one has the personal right to exhibit be- havior that makes other people sick. For, those who thought the vaccine was developed too quickly, a little re- search will tell them about the new biotechnology used to produce the vaccine within a shorter period of time.
Moreover, the vaccine joins a long list of vaccines re- quired to enroll children in childcare centers and schools – polio, measles, mumps, smallpox, tetanus, hepatitis A, B, and C, diphtheria, whooping cough, influenza (three doses), rotavirus, HPV, chickenpox, rubella and meningococcal (3 kinds).
Even smokers are restricted from smoking around children and non-smokers. Therefore, protecting chil- dren and adults from newly emerging bacteria and viruses will become a normal pattern as time passes.
Some health officials believe President Biden did not issue mandates as tough as he could have done. We agree. A mask mandate should have been in force a year ago, and all employees who work in face-to-face cus- tomer service should have been required to do so.
As more of us begin to wear masks and get vaccinated, we pray the Coronavirus will become controlled and fewer COVID-19 cases and deaths will take place. We will pray for the enlightenment and wisdom of those of us who have not yet decided to do the right thing.
City Of Tampa Expands Operational Hours For Lee Davis Community
Center COVID-19 Vaccination Site
In an effort to effectively serve more residents and in- crease local vaccination rates, the City of Tampa has expanded the operational hours of the Lee Davis Com- munity Center COVID-19 Vaccination site. Starting Monday, September 13, 2021, the site will be open Monday - Friday from7a.mto7p.m.
The Lee Davis Commu- nity Center site offers free
Pfizer and Moderna vaccines (first or second dose avail- able). All individuals age 18+ can receive either vaccine and are asked to bring an ID.
In addition, minors age 12 years old and older can re- ceive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. A parent or legal guardian must be present at the time of the vaccination.
According to the CDC, 65 percent of Floridians have re- ceived at least one dose of the
COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccina- tion significantly decreases the probability of serious ill- ness or hospitalization from COVID-19.
Residents are encouraged to get vaccinated to protect themselves, their loved ones, and the greater Tampa com- munity.
Find more information and more vaccination site options at tampa.gov/ COVID19.
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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2021 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY PAGE 5-A