Hateful Words

I went to photograph a gig that I have at The Courtyard Theater in Plano, Texas for their Texas Music Series yesterday. Radney Foster was on the calendar and is a favorite of mine but I had not seen him live until about 3 weeks ago at Love and War In Texas located in Plano, Texas I took my daughter along on a job to photograph his performance to the later and was so moved by this song he recently wrote that it about made me lose my composure while working. That is not an easy task. I do not know if it was because he wrote it after his 11 year old daughter went to him after hearing a hateful word or because I have an 11 year old daughter that I wish I could make deaf to those kinds of words that seem to resonate in and through humanity and so many times try to annihilate those who someone might disagree with. It so deeply cuts my heart on a normal day, but after standing in the foyer of the theater, and listening to Radney explain the night his daughter came to him with one of these words...it has haunted my soul for hours.  I have a lot of kids by any standards foreign or domestic, and I have often tried to analyze why I chose to have a large family. At 46 now, I think at the deepest part of who I am are these words of hate that I heard so many times loud and whispered throughout my life and I just wanted to grow some better humans.  I am in the process of accomplishing this and can only wonder what hurt will cross their paths in love for others.What I have learned is that some people hurt because they hurt on the inside. Kids learn from watching their broken adults hurt and bleed on others only to be heard. I've learned that a hug is good medicine and a prolonged hug is mystical. Looking into someone's eyes with a genuine smile makes a day go better or opens up a black box that should have never been kept but can be empty in minutes. I am a fan of people in love or in friendship or in an intensely honest relationship. When I photograph an event, my focus seems to be catching the good stuff. We need more. We need better words. We need to know that no matter what color you are, or where you are from, or what darkness has your life in captivity that the words needed are                                                            

YOU ARE AWESOME!                       I'm here for you

          I Understand        You Are Beautiful
I Care               I Love you           You Rock!
You are not alone        Let me help you
Amazing           So Smart!       You can do it!
         Gorgeous       I believe in you


 Children have such an innocence about them unless they were born into pain. It is the world around them that takes away the ability to see clearly. My Grace, who is almost 12, has the beautiful in her to love those in need. I would like to say that I have done something right but the truth is that she has taught me on several occasions what love looks like when it is done with a genuine heart. She is only one of 12 children that God has blessed me with and I bet  that is a direct reflection on the love I needed to learn after surviving my childhood. Seems evil goes after the purest of beings in our world...children. So we as the adults in charge, need to watch the way children play. We need to watch over those entrusted to us as guardians in a learning state of mind. We all come from diverse places and blood lines and cultures...but we cannot deny we are all human. Lets start there.

Photo found on sandycturk.blogspot.com















Not In My House
(Radney Foster/Allen Shamblin)

I’m a son of the south who heard that word too much
growing up.
Something down in my soul knew that was a stove
you shouldn’t touch
All that hate, all that shame, all that anger, all that pain
Redneck racist, hip hop rapper or some kid using it just for laughter

Not in my house, not from my mouth,
I’m gonna sing for the souls who get kicked around
Words aren’t a weapon just to cut you down
Not In my house

There’s a guy on the street with a sign that says
“God hates fags” and that’s so wrong
And it crushes my soul to see evil burn so strong
Stones and sticks, politics, the devil holds your coat while you get in your licks
Why do we think so small when God’s so big

Not in my house, not from my mouth,
I’m gonna sing for the souls that get kicked around
Words shouldn’t be a weapon just to cut you down
Not In my house

Tonight I own this stage
And me and this six string machine
are gonna kill some hate
‘Cause you don’t talk to my friends that way
You don’t talk to my brother that way
And you damn sure don’t talk to my daughter that way

Not in my house, not from my mouth,
Not on my watch, not when I’m around
Words aren’t a weapon just to cut a woman down
Not in my house, not from my mouth
I’m gonna sing for the souls that get kicked around
Words shouldn’t ve a weapon just to cut you down
Not In my house

©2014 Alamo Lounge Music (ASCAP), All rights administered by Kobalt Songs Music Publishing/Built On Rock Music (ASCAP) (admin. by Clear Box Rights)

Radney Foster – electric guitar, vocals