BLACK EVERYDAY

Proper Gander

2011-10-12T07:56:00.000-07:00

Still Relevant

Looking back to the days of animated posters, propaganda has evolved in time with every media. Misinformation has also grown, but at least reputations are harder to escape. A highlight and lowlight from some recent political ads.

Rick Perry

Janice Hahn

Occupy Police State

2011-10-01T13:25:00.001-07:00

Acting Your Color

2011-09-26T12:25:00.000-07:00

$.75 is less than 3/5 of $2. Just Saying.

There was a time and place when "Stop acting your color" was a popular admonishment. It was an act of discipline specific for one behaving embarrassingly that could also negatively depict their race, in a way their race has already been stereotyped. Someone should tell the republican students holding the Pay-by-Race Bake Sale at Berkley to stop acting their color.
Some conservative students at Berkeley are holding the race-based bake sale in response to pending California bill SB 185, which would allow the 2 public institutions of higher learning (University of California and California State University) to legally consider race, gender, ethnicity, and national origin along with other relevant factors when considering admissions, as long as that consideration doesn't violate the 14th Amendment. These hippies want to increase diversity in the public institutions. Increase diversity?! That's the most racist thing ever.

Yahoo Censors Emails

2011-09-20T11:51:00.000-07:00

Amid protest revolving around the execution of Troy Davis and the organized occupation of Wall St, it has been confirmed Yahoo censors messages, seemingly along partisan lines.

Ten, Nine, Eleven

2011-09-11T10:38:00.000-07:00

9/11/2001- I was getting ready for work, a retail store in the mall. The TV was on in the background, when the first breaking news of a plane crashing into the World Trade Center broadcasted. I remember watching the live footage as the second plane hit the second tower. I stopped getting ready for work. America was under attack. Looking back, I expected bombs to start dropping at any moment. We were at war. We, all of America. We were all Americans. For the first noticeable time in my life, it felt everyone within these borders was on the same side.

Not long after, I remember the announcement of Operation Iraqi Freedom. I had been glued to CNN since that day in September. I thought I missed something, a briefing or segment, explaining why we were going to Iraq, when they previously said Osama Bin Laden was responsible and that he was in Afghanistan. Yet I followed, as then President Bush told us Osama wasn't the real threat, or much of a concern at all. I wanted to join the fight every since the day of the attacks, but confusion held me at bay. Instead, I watched the action unfold on screen. After days of seeing troops landing and nights shots of bomb-lit skies, I watched the troops and Iraqi citizens storm Sadaam Hussein's palace, toppling his statue with rope and celebrating. After a few weeks, it appeared we had won. No more yellow cake uranium threats, America was safe once again. President Bush stood on a battleship behind a banner that read "Mission Accomplished", confirming the successful completion of the mission in Iraq. I kept watching. Everyday for a while, the war coverage continued. Soon, it dissolved back into reality shows and the like. The juxtaposition was sickening. It didn't take long before networks realized war coverage was a downer, and soon it stopped almost entirely. I remember the early conspiracies, of seized video tapes and missing Pentagon footage. I remember learning about what a commission was, and people asking why the president apparently didn't want an investigation. I remember the 2004 presidential election. The controversy of the 2000 elections was my introduction to politics, so I expected an electric national climate as the people resolidified a shaky democracy via participation. I remember the "terror alert" being set to the color of "always". The war raged on, so the overall sentiment of "consistency in a time of war" rode Bush into another term. I remember the second inauguration of Bush: the first being famous for it's historical opposition, and the second being famous for it's historic suppression of opposition. I remember people confided in cages, or protest zones, and being actually arrested for wearing anti-Bush t-shirts near the president as the first time Patriot Act concerns became more than hyperbole. I remember being worried people would find out about my true positions, opposing the war and the president, and I would be punished for them. I remember people saying "it's been 7/8/9 years: Iraq is another Vietnam." I remember the focus going from Osama, to Al Quaeda, to Muslim Extremists, to Muslims. I remember not finding WMD's, but I don't remember the other reasons we went to Iraq, or why we stayed. I remember Amy Goodman being preemptively arrested before she could cover the Republican National Convention. The news coverage plays in my head like a scene from V for Vendetta. I remember my decision to stop talking out of fear of the Patriot Act, thinking any number of key words would trigger a storm of agents to descend upon me. I remember thinking they were detaining dissenters indefinitely, and they were always watching and listening. I remember the election of Barack Obama in 2009, and thinking that "we took the country back". I remember the Tea Party forming that same year with the stated goal of "taking our country back".

Ten years after the fact, I remember 9/11 and everything that has happened since. We were all Americans that day, but now we have descended into tribal differences. Ten years after an attack unified the nation, we are on the verge or in the midst of civil war. Racial tension is at an all time high, as well as tension between political and religious factions. 9/11 happened to us all, but we all personalized it differently. The attackers believed they were fighting a holy war, so some Americans now believe we are at war with Muslims. Some Americans are at war with both the 9/11 attackers and the new administration that took over in 2008. Ten years after the attack, let us remember how we were all once on the same side. Nobody cared who called themselves liberal or conservative on that day. The race of first responders was hardly noticeable when they were all covered in ash. Nobody was criticized for their admission of faith at that time, or questioned for their lack thereof. On this tenth anniversary, let us remember the moment when we were all American for a day, and reflect on what we want America to remember ten years from now. Rest in Peace to every fallen soldier and civilian lost. Let us all remember when we said "We Will Never Forget", and expand that remembrance to what happened before 9/11 and since.

The Help: The Horror

2011-08-12T00:40:00.000-07:00

"No Boss, I don' have a life outside of your on screen needs."

Do yourself a favor, don't go see the The Help, Dreamworks' 1960s movie based on the bestselling book with the same title. The movie is pegged as the story of three women who dare to challenge societal norms by addressing the treatment of domestic workers, aka maids, bka mammies. The synopsis lies. This is story of one woman, protagonist Snookie, who dares to address the treatment of domestic workers. After returning home to Jackson, MS, Snookie becomes passionate about the secret lives of domestics and, needing content to write about, begins a quest to tell the maid's story. The idea of letting a black person tell their side of the story is just as revolutionary now as depicted in this film.

Accountability in the UK

2011-07-21T13:24:00.000-07:00

In the midst of day to day chatter and a 24hr news cycle, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart offers a rare overview of the entire US political ~~circus~~ system.

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Accountability in the U.K - David Cameron Kills it

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In a break from the daily debating of detail, the political comedian compares the UK Parliament's handling of the News of the World hacking scandal versus the typical partisan punditry often seen on the floor of the US House and Senate. The hacking scandal remains widely uncovered by stateside media outlets, most notably sister outlets also owned by Rupert Murdoch, the owner of former News of the World. All eyes will be on the US's handling of the scandal, as the FBI investigates accusations the hacking included victims of the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks.

Focus: National v Local

2011-07-06T13:13:00.000-07:00

Should your political focus be more local or national? 1SunRisen and your's truly discuss this and more in a public political conversation.

J: #AskObama why most of his questioners don't question local officials first.
1SunRisen: About drones and JP Morgan stock? To what avail?
J: It's more effective to control local politics than start from the top.
1SunRisen: yeah, I'm not talking local. The people's money isn't being blown locally. Feel me? when you follow the money trail, and the crony cahoots going down, my local rep doesn't play in. I agree with you tho, bro. It gets no more local (& grassroot) than the youngest minds in the community. Local indeed.
J: I'm not talking alderman Joe, I mean state reps etc. The $ trail goes thru them, they go to the POTUS.

Read More->

Credibility Cards

2011-07-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

It's my word versus yours. He said/she said. Hear say. When it comes to trial by media, the "who" matters more than the "what". Take rape for example. Ex-IMF director Dominique Strauss-Kahn had been brought up on charges for allegedly chasing a maid down a hotel hallway, then sexually assaulting her. Quite a strong, and specific, accusation. The case has been thrown out by US prosecutors, citing the accuser lacks credibility. Not a lack of evidence, a lack of credibility. The accusation may be true, but the source, the accuser, lacks credibility. What exactly is this "credibility", and where can I get some?

Alice Walker: "It takes people on the outside."

2011-06-29T10:11:00.000-07:00

6/27/11

My name is Alice walker and I am with the US boat to Gaza. I’m very happy to be a part of our delegation, which is very soulful , making wonderful sounds, and thank you very much. I am going to Gaza because my government has failed. It has failed us. It has failed to understand or to care about the Gazan people, but worse than that, our government is ignorant of our own history in the United States. [“Damn!” heard in background]

Game Boys

2011-06-27T13:14:00.000-07:00

California's attempt to ban the sale of violent games to children has been struck down by the Supreme Court in a 7-2 ruling. The state argued it had a legal obligation to protect children from graphic images when the industry fails to do so. The court denied that argument, saying the law overreached by denying parents who think the games are a harmless hobby their First Amendment right to make that choice. Is it possible they were both right?
Is Grand Theft Auto VII really bad for little Billy? Evidence says yes. From Mario and his brother to whoever is killing prostitutes in the latest GTA, violence is rewarded virtually across the board in video games, from gold coins to stacks of cash. Give Baby Albert a treat every time he punches you, and the learned behavior that follows shouldn't be too surprising. It is almost common knowledge that conditioning affects behavior, and children emulate what they see. The problem is, the ban comes a few generations too late. This generation of parents has grown up in an electronic environment-- the age if internet, television, and video games. We grew up on some of the very violent imagery in question, so there is little public debate or discourse about violence anymore. If the state argument is that such legislation is logical and good for society overall, the state should recognize that doing what's "good for you" hardly motivates individuals, let alone society as a whole. Granted it took legislation to pry the trans fats from our cold, fat hands, but popular opinion wasn't far behind. The "No Trans Fat" movement, stopping something we learned was bad for us individually and collectively, only happened because our fatty foods could keep their fatty taste by other means. It wasn't that overweight America decided to go on a nationwide diet, but more about what America didn't do-- throw a fat riot over our right to snack ["Give me Fritos, or give me death!"]. It was a lack of reaction, not action that allowed a positive change to happen. By re-branding instead of banning, we get "No Trans Fat" labels that make us feel better about things like Baconnaise. Instead of pushing legislation, California should have lobbied the FCC. It was the labeling of trans fats that made the label "No Trans Fats" valuable. Instead of legislation against the undesirable action, California should have funneled the money spent on failed legislation towards more accurate labeling of video game content. Video games are still a relatively new industry, with a rating system far less refined than film and TV. Just like any technology, video games can be used for good or bad, able like any new or old technology, to teach more than just violence. Considering 80% of games rated "E for Everyone" contain violence, taxpayer money would have been better used making the "No Violence" label as valuable as "No Trans Fats". We all know that smoking is a proven killer, but no legislation is pending against it. Instead, lawmakers forcibly educate the public and let popular opinion sway over time. It is your right as an American to blow smoke rings in your kid's face while he or she plays "5 Minutes to Kill Yourself". That sounds like something our Supreme Court would support.

Infidel's Infidelity: 8 Other Reasons I Won't Cheat

2011-06-03T12:35:00.000-07:00

I don't usually do this: write response posts, or use "I" so frequently, but here...I...go.
I..was tweeting along one day when I came across a link titled "8 Reasons Why I Won't Cheat On My Wife". Brilliant. Positive, short, and good juxtaposition against the headline news of VP candidate John Edwards' indictment over his infidelity spending. The list, however, disappointed. Logic driven in all my decisions, I just couldn't relate to pure morality-based reasons. Or perhaps I am just less of a man. Still, as a fellow member of team faithful, I offer 8 Other Reasons I Won't Cheat. It ends there because I am not married, but the rule applies to any form of monogamous relationship. The current model is "girlfriend/boyfriend", so these are practiced, not hypothetical rules.

A Case of the Mondays

2011-05-16T14:36:00.000-07:00

Empirical Evidence That Brittany Make Me So Horny

After a long weekend, BED returns in full force, recapping the critical events of modern history. In racial news, Psychology Today released and immediately redacted a study proving the "unattractiveness" of black women based on the latest polls, inciting negative responses from readers and non-readers, the latter wondering why some people "always have to make everything about race." Psychology Today removed the story to avoid further bad press, replacing it with the study "Why Are Christian Women Rated Less Hellbound than Muslim Women?" Psychology Today refused to apologize to offended readers, instead releasing a follow up on the benefits of anger and demanding a thank you.
Not to be overshadowed by science,Rush Limbaugh also made race headlines, with his new venture into the blackface genre of entertainment.Limbaugh's character, "Bo Snerdley", translates regular English words for the "brothers and sisters in the hood" who might otherwise have trouble understanding. Limbaugh avoided the obvious racist stigma with the legal loophole of using an actual black man's face for the bit. Racism experts explain the subtleties by pointing out that it wasn't the actual minstrel show's negative portrayals, but the makeup that made it racist. Critics, namely this one, scoffed at the attempt at fine art as "Uncle Tomfoolery." Producers are looking to explore the loophole further by recording a black voice saying the word "nigger" to be played as a wacky sound effect.
In Politics, Donald Trump has pulled out of the 2012 presidential race. All five of his supporters consider nominating his hair separately as a more viable candidate.
Meanwhile, local elections are in full swing. By full swing, we mean there is absolutely no buzz about local elections. Democracy reportedly rolls over in it's grave.
Breaking in Religion: new Vatican policies against intolerance have been expanded, specifically to the sexual abuse policies. Critics, or heathens as they are called, complain the new guidelines fall short of outright banning sexual abuse, instead only requiring abuse to be "reported". Vatican officials responded with "What abuse?", which coincidentally was floated as a potential title of the new guidelines.
Also in the world of news not-of-this-world, after restoring honor to Washington DC, Glenn Beck announced plans to restore courage to Jerusalem. Based on the latest scientific polls, Glenn Beck is both the prophesied messiah and the the front runner in the 2012 presidential race, praise Glenn.

Commercialism

2011-02-09T16:21:00.000-08:00

Two days later, most people outside of Pittsburgh or Green Bay don't even remember the Super Bowl. They remember the commercials, though.

Black representation in the media.... need I say more? The darker the berry, the more evil the juice, according to TV. While the wave of uproar surrounding Pepsi's "Love Hurts" spot ripples through cyberspace (then eventually through "mainstream" media), the unsaid speaks volumes. One would think if commercials are the battlefront for the modern day Civil Rights struggle that racism must be on it's last leg. But I digress...
I laughed at "Love Hurts". I knew immediately a percentage of black women across the country were not amused, and I understood why. When accused of "having an attitude", the only response is to either smile or affirm. Negative accusations don't usually warrant smiles.

Donald Duck Discovers Glenn Beck

2010-10-03T10:06:00.000-07:00

What happens when a fictional animated character encounters Donald Duck? Voila!

via RebelliousPixels

Teapproved Comics

2010-09-27T11:32:00.000-07:00

View Originals

...Ask Questions Later

2010-07-21T07:41:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: I have great respect for Roland S. Martin, both the man and his works.

Fuck Roland S. Martin.

I once was lost, but now I'm found. Was blind, but now I see. - from "Amazing Grace"

Record Shirley Sherrod singing it, let Fox News edit it, and Roland S. Martin will defend it as evidence of Sherrod's lack of direction and vision.
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Santi Crow

2010-05-28T09:19:00.000-07:00

I regret to inform you that if you agree with Arizona's recent education and immigration laws, you are a racist.
I realize how faux pas the accusation is-- nearly as much as casual use of the term faux pas --but someone needed to officially say it. Apparently you were unaware.
A self-aware racist doesn't need to debate whether or not recent Arizona legislation is racist, because if you even have to ask, you're not ready. As clearly stated in "In Defense of Arizona's Education Law", written by Forbes.com contributor Melik Kaylan:

It is certainly true that the Arizona law both by intent and effect will target Mexican kids...

Laws written that benefit minorities are called Affirmative Action, and are almost uniformly opposed by neocons. Yet this law, targeting a specific race of citizen, is praised by the same groups. As written in the bill, the intention is to ban teachings that "advocate ethnic solidarity instead of treating pupils like individuals." I hope there are no Jewish schools in Arizona.
Or would this not apply to a Jewish school?
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Returning to our Roots: Whites-Only Basketball

2010-03-30T09:48:00.000-07:00

Some videos need no commentary. "A league where players are judged not by the content of their skills, but by the content of their skin color." Only in post-racial America are the fundamentals of basketball considered "where a black man doesn't mouth off to a white man."

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Snowball

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Freedom of Speech, but Money Talks

2010-03-02T03:10:00.000-08:00

Aside from being caricatured as a gun waving Uncle Yosemite Sam, there are other reasons American politics are watched closely all across the world. Specifically, the world is interested in the decision makers. While pundits debate if the health of American citizens is worth the cost, the Supreme Court of the United States is protecting the rights of corporations. In a landmark decision, corporate campaign contributions have become synonymous with the freedom of speech.

Cap & Aid

2010-02-28T03:01:00.000-08:00

The citizens of America need to hold their leaders responsible- their corporate leaders.
We decided to name our system of elected leaders- also know as a republic -"Democracy", and based the monetary system around what ends up a capitalistic model. In that sense, why do you return to a communist or socialist model when it comes to aid? If the Government is too corrupt or incapable of handling vital industries*, or such would be a dreadful state of oppression/Russia, why do we look at the Government when it is time to for aid?

Six Minutes: Doomsday Fresh, You're On

2010-02-26T06:48:00.000-08:00

In the year 1945, the Manhattan Project had been completed, along with the first nuclear bomb. Scientist, realizing the scope of what they had done, also created the Doomsday Clock- a symbol of our proximity to self destruction via nuclear annihilation. I suspect as Hydrogen bombs start trending, so will mini, digital doomsday clocks. In fact, there may already be an app for that.

Only adjusted eighteen times since inception, scientist have moved it back in time- counter clockwise. Six minutes to midnight, they say.
Yet the clock is symbolic- based more on subjective observation of political events than calculations and formulas. The closest it has been to midnight is two minutes- during the cold war when both the US and Russia stepped up testing of thermonuclear devices. The furthest was seventeen- in the early nineties after the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. At the risk of sounding like a Fox news evangelist, science has failed us.

Black Mystery Month

2010-02-04T16:32:00.000-08:00

In 1926, historian Carter G. Woodson started Black History Week, which evolved into Black History Month- in title. Though many celebrate the month, few celebrate the history.
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"I almost forgot he wasn't white."

2010-01-28T12:03:00.000-08:00

President Obama never mentioned race during his State of the Union address, but race was once again the hot topic on the lips of this union's citizens following his speech. Chris Matthews, host of MSNBC's Hardball, attempted to compliment Obama's unilateral leadership appeal by stating "I almost forgot he was black for an hour."

The problem is, Obama is black. Matthews' statement only mirrors the white supremacist mentality that has become America's legacy. That legacy is highlighted in the question: "What does it mean to remember he is black?"
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2010-01-17T23:30:00.000-08:00

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.
But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free.
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America Needs Dialogue on Dialogue

2010-01-11T09:12:00.000-08:00

America does not need a dialogue on race.
In it's short history, America has done nothing but talk about race. Yesterday in the airport, two men, a white South African and a black Nigerian, are overheard discussing their views on America- views decided, naturally, by how one regards the 'American blacks'. Racist readers will be happy to know there are at least two less immigrants threatening to 'take yer jobs'.
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Church & Hate

2009-11-17T10:54:00.000-08:00

The Catholic Church has given Washington D.C. an ultimatum. The letter, sent by the Archdiocese, is a threat to stop helping the 1/3rd of Washington D.C.'s homeless currently receiving social services if they pass same-sex marriage legislation. Morally questionable or not, this move is good for us all.

The line separating church and state is long overdue for redrawing. The Vatican, which operates as it's own independent nation, should not be writing US policy- at least not without Americans referring to the Pope as Supreme Leader or Ayatollah. In this Democracy, citizen elected leaders are meant to create the policy.

Partisan Rape

2009-10-15T06:00:00.001-07:00

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A clause protecting government contractors if employees rape each other has met strong partisan opposition in the senate. Republicans admittedly voted against the "Anti-Rape Bill" to protect Halliburton. No need to check the polarity of your moral compass, when your stance is against rape victims, you may need to rethink your position. Unfortunately this vote was not spotlighted on any major news outlet, offline or on.

Sell TD Jakes' House, Feed South Dallas

2009-10-12T07:28:00.000-07:00

Sarah Silverman proposes selling the Vatican to feed the world. Maybe selling one of the many black churches in your neighborhood can feed the city? Chances are there is another one in walking distance.

War Over Peace Prize

2009-10-10T12:48:00.000-07:00

President Obama deserves the Nobel Peace Prize.
If you want to promote Peace, you have to place yourself in the center of conflict. Whether each side throws words, punches, or bullets- you have to become the target. For the dissenters who ask "What has he done", that is your answer.

One of the oldest, most historical conflicts is the ancient fight between Israel and Palestine. This conflict is not just of principles and conversations- people are dying amid even conversations of this struggle. We cohabitate with war as if it were the most natural state, so nobody is breaking their neck to solve this problem. Only the victims are screaming. Now everyone is talking about Obama, and Obama is talking about something unheard of in politics- Peace. Critics scoff he has only given speeches, yet words are the only thing that will end this conflict. No US legislation, military action, or UN sanction will bring peace to Jerusalem, or to Israelites and Palestinians worldwide. In the era where every president has their war, Obama is opting to try and end the holy one.

Circumstances could not be more inclement as well. The market for peace is scarce these days. An American president won the Nobel Prize, and Americans are disturbed. Peace is disturbing. Peace forces the realization that there is opposition, and ask "What are you going to do about it?" Americans elected him, but Americans also pejoratively yelled "He's a Muslim!" The American president reached out to the Muslim world before the American public did. This unpopular, but right. This is leadership.

Israel and Palestine, Christian and Muslim, pro-choice and pro-life, gay and straight- one man has dedicated himself to resolving these conflicts and more. Most people say resolving these problems is a fantasy. They say the idea of a perfect world is cliche.

You may be incapable of imagining a world without these wars, but Obama isn't. The leader of the free world is acting like he has nothing to lose. Mr. America wants world peace. If he were anywhere other than the world stage, he would be receiving a crown and roses to thunderous applause.

WATCH: Rachael Maddow breaks down Obama Peace efforts

The First Will Become Dash

2009-08-27T06:58:00.001-07:00

Africa Matters.
We know because an African-American Leader (Jesse Jackson) and mainstream news source (Huffingtonpost) said so. When it comes to issues associated with blacks, you need both for authentication.
It shouldn't be news that Africa has a wealth of natural resources, of which China has deeply invested in. As the tide of Great Britain colonies abated, Chinese businessmen swooped in to capitalize on the industrial gap. Good timing, partially reflected by their booming economy.
Though China has already heavily invested in Africa , building roads, bridges, dams, and even hotels, the implication is that America should be benefiting from these natural resources.
Why?
America is too multi-cultural to maintain it's previous sense of entitlement. We're talking about Africa's resources, yet the tone is "China can't have them all, we want some too."
So China and America should split the resources of Africa, not the other 47 countries who inhabit the continent?
Please, forgive my heresy. I forget sometimes that the universe revolves around America.
The fact of the matter is, had it been Mars China was siphoning resources from, America still would have a sense of entitlement over every rock. The difference here is that America is inhabited by Martians. Aliens. African-Americans, they call us. If I was racing for space rocks, I'd sure like to have Martians on my side.
Centuries ago, America traveled to that strange planet of Africa. They deemed it's inhabitants savages (like today), and took human laborers as it's only resource. 400yrs of free labor, and we build USA Inc, the richest nation in the world.
Yet our biggest competitor has one-upped us. China is using the source of our start up wealth as a source of residual income, and America wants in.
Meanwhile, African-Americans, American Africans, Blacks, Negroes- the dark skinned descendants of the original employees -have come upon a golden opportunity.
For years the only African resource in America was the people it brought. Even now those people still live in a landless hiatus- Estranged from Africa, yet still not fully accepted in America: African-Americans. You could say we've spent more time as the dash than either or.
Which is exactly what America needs right now, a dash. A connection between Africa, and America. America is not entitled to African resources, of which China has a firm grip on anyway. Blacks in America can't all be CEObama. We should create a new position, embracing the link with both countries. African-American. The title is already there, now to create positional benefits.
African-Americans. Your Americanism bleeds from your pours to the nostrils of every foreigner. Yet in America, your "exotic" look has resulted in the same tumultuous relationship as any imperial colony versus native citizens. Black Americans live in this balance, with Africa on one extreme and America the other. Instead of pushing through your Americanism to embrace African cultures, or denouncing African roots as interpreted by American patriotism, embrace both. That position is exactly what you and America need right now, a link between Africa and America. Who better than it's estranged children and step-children, itching to return to the motherland they've never seen? Only instead of dark-skinned Americans occasionally wandering for a glimpse of lost origins, African-Americans can return as ambassadors between the mother land and what will be the newly dubbed "our land". For once, the plethora of American interests are aligned on one issue: desire for Africa. Some claim to love her, others just want to tap that... resource. Both require a relationship.
African-Americans looking for their place need to settle down where they are, on the dash between. That dash on paper should be a bridge in real life. All African-Americans interested in Africa should unite and create such an institution. With an education on African languages and cultures, it would be the bridge and gate keeper between Africa and America. The only bridge running deeper inland than the coast, connecting knowledge, commerce, and culture. Let African love unite Americans and African-Americans, and all will benefit. In the age of green being the new black, black is the new green.

"She Got That Good Hair"

2009-08-23T20:14:00.000-07:00

The other day, Tyra Banks had a familiar yet always interesting topic on her talk show. With her hair in cornrows and a mostly black panel ready to give their insight and opinions, they all discussed what good hair actually means. Tyra, being the righteous sista that she is, tried to school the young black women on the beauty of natural hair. Ironic, since Tyra dons light, straight or wavy hair 99% percent of the time. Oh, but for this particular show she has cornrows? Whatever.

As a woman of mixed heritage, I've gotten the "good hair" label from black women all throughout my life. And it means absolutely nothing to me. I don't blush and say thank you, I usually stare at them with a look that says, "Have you not learned anything from Malcolm X?" I realize that the hair style one chooses to sport is not necessarily an indicator of our racial intelligence, but the fact that so many black women (and young girls) still subscribe to the myth of "good hair vs. bad hair" is alarming. Even Chris Rock, inspired by concerns from his daughter, filmed a documentary about the issue.

Let's be clear....THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS GOOD HAIR, LADIES! If you relax your hair because it's easier to manage and whatnot, fine. But if you relax your hair because you want that "good hair" and believe your natural, kinky hair is ugly, then you're still trapped in a slave mentality.

See, the term "good hair" was created back in the slavery era, when the slaves who had mixed blood (usually from the white slave owner) were given special treatment. Their "wavy" or "straight" hair was usually a sign of this special status. Slaves who had natural, kinky hair desired the hair they could get from white people, thinking it would grant them prestige and privileges. Now in 2009, there are still many black women out there afraid of going natural for fear of what others may think of their "nappy" hair. And black girls as young as 3 are believing that Mylie Cyrus' weave is ideal while the Angela Davis 'fro is the epitome of ugly.

It's a shame, really. Too many black women just don't know how beautiful they are. Whether straightened or rocking locs, we must remember that our hair does not define our beauty, nor does society. Only we, and we alone, can change our perception of beauty.

The Fall of Glenn

2009-08-18T07:22:00.000-07:00

It has been a good run, but Glenn Beck's celebrity career is over.

As sponsor after sponsor has pulled away from him amidst public outcry over recent comments that Obama is a racist with a "deep seeded hatred for white people", his fellow right wingers have began to distance themselves as well. Traditionally, when a prominent representative of the Republican base (black Republicans, such as Colin Powell, are important but outside of the base demographic) is attacked, fellow party members rally in their defense. Glenn, however, stretched that privilege a little too far when he directly pitted Obama against the entire white race- something GOPers constantly infer, but never officially say. Fox and friends cannot retain the image of journalistic integrity- 'fair and balanced' they call it -and be so directly linked to racism accusations. The video montage of them accusing people of "playing the race card" John Stewart would create would be historically epic.

In lieu of the normal collective defense by the GOP, they have previously ignored and now are distancing themselves from Glenn, even going as far as preemptively minimizing his career, as poorly written by conservative columnist Kathy Shaidle. In her response to large sponsors abandoning Glenn (Wal-Mart, CVS, Best Buy), she wrote:

"They're just humoring boy cotters until they turn their attention to a new trendy cause."

The implication being his career is the old trending cause.

In fact, the entire article professes the death of Glenn Becks career more systematically than this post.

It begins by announcing the reason his career is over: sponsors have been "bullied" from his program in rapid succession- 5 one week, 20 the next. She politely list them by name, pointing out the most recent are large companies. Then she eloquently explains how "left wing busybodies" who "typically avoid shopping at Wal-Mart" have teamed up with their opposites, the Wal-Mart shoppers who are apparently "much more likely to be Glenn Beck fans. Period."

Shaidle makes the point my natural "leftwing incoherence" could never: enemies and supporters of Wal-Mart don't like this guy, and this is business. Wal-Mart didn't get big off of white only dollars, so they're not going to isolate 2/3 of their demographic.

As she points out, they have already shifted funds away from Glenn to other shows on Fox News. Of course, your tiny liberal brain probably doesn't realize that ad revenue plays a large role in the TV industry. Shows get cancelled for less. Wal-Mart isn't acting in the best interest of it's stockholders, it's "humoring the boy cotters until they turn their attention to a new trend."

Because of his financial toxicity, Glenn Beck is about to be out of the only job he is suited for. His credibility is burning so brightly, Kathy Shaidle's got caught in it's gravity. His career failure is like a supernova that, ironically, resulted in a black hole of failure: even it's coverage fails, by insisting leftist don't "get" it's irony, even though it was attempting sarcasm, not irony. Humor, insult, AND irony identification fail. Triple fail score.

The true irony is that in failure, Glenn Beck becomes what he previously failed to convince the USA he represented, a normal guy.

That, and the fact that the post defending his career as still alive provided both content and picture for this post.

3 Classic American Recipes

2009-07-31T08:28:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 False Alarm
1 Harvard Professor
1 Cop
2oz Anger

For Bullied Nerd: Marinate Cop and Anger over lifetime. Splash with False Alarm and Harvard Professor. Serve Fresh.

For Intelligent Insults: Mix Anger and Harvard Professor until slightly lumpy. Add False Alarm. When boiling, lower heat, add Cop. Let mix stew for best results.

For Beerfest: Use Black Harvard Professor/ White Cop. Heat 1oz Anger and Harvard Professor. Add Cop. Watch carefully, as it can easily boil over. After arrest, add 1oz anger and mix well. Let blend cool for three days. Serves 4, or 300 million Americans unwilling to actually deal with race issues.

1.

An Evening in Paris

2009-07-21T06:56:00.000-07:00

Home of America's last official public lynching, Paris, TX brand Justice strikes again. After Brandon McClelland was run over and dragged to death, prosecutors dropped all charges after a truck driver came forward and said he "might have run him over".
This coming from the same prosecutors and judges [Chuck "Supervillian" Superville] who tried and convicted 14yr old Shaquanda Cotton as an adult for pushing a hall monitor.
With so many racially charged public issues, this is long overdue.

BOTTOM FIVE WAYS TO RESPOND TO RACIST NEWS
5. Question the Racism
Even after all the Rodney Kings, Sean Bells, and Sotomayors, racism must be proven beyond the shadow of a doubt before it is considered a plausible cause. Why? Don't be 'that guy'.

4. Blame the Victim
Your first sentence should never start with "He [victim] probably..." HE is the victim. His scars/lack of life should be enough evidence to justify investigation of wrongdoing.

3. Ignorantly Repeat Sound Bytes
Someone else may have read the entire story or, even worse, know the facts!

2. Beat the War Drum
Your first response should not be "See, THIS is what I'm talking about! F%#$ [insert racial slur here]" Before we hit the streets with Molotov cocktails, lets talk about THIS. Action, not reaction.

1. Call Al Sharpton
Eyes will roll. Let the Al Show begin.

1.

Wise White Men

2009-07-13T08:49:00.000-07:00

The confirmation hearing of Judge Sotomayor has a racist elephant in the room. The root of her opposition lies in these key three words: Wise, Latina, and Woman.

If the supreme court was made up of ALL Latina women, what would her opposition be?

By opposing this nomination over Sotomayor's public claims being both latino and a woman affect her decisions, you admit being a white male affects your decisions. It is effecting this decision.
You don't need to claim that publicly for us to know it, nor does the public hold it against you. Just let the root of opposition be more statement than allusion.
"I oppose Sotomayor because she is a Latino Woman, and I represent White Males."

WATCH Pat Buchanan calls for more racial opposition.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Affirmative Action is wrong, but he wants the law changed to protect his race from discrimination?

Sotomayor is inevitable: as the Latino population has grown, so will the number of Latino elected officials... and, unfortunately, the temperature of racial politics.

1.

Dear Mr. President

2009-07-02T06:38:00.001-07:00

Dear President Obama,
Although we don't understand it as well as you, most of us laymen recognize the fine line you must walk being the leader of such a multi-colored nation. Although I complain about you by name at times, please note that I am happy you have brought back at least a sense of humanity to the presidency- an aura that doesn't proudly proclaim 'the bottom line' to be only financial gain. If we claim any sort of compassion or empathy individually, our elected leaders should reflect such as well.
That being said, what is the significance of having a black president if the governments treatment of black Americans will remain unchanged? You have said time and time again that as you work to improve conditions for everybody, naturally those communities harder hit, such as the black communities, will see the benefits as well. How can you acknowledge the inequalities in the black communities, but only respond with a promise to return to the norm? Are blacks to be expected to always lead in unemployment, drop out, arrest, and incarceration rates?
You have ruffled quite a few feathers already going after such a huge problem as the health care system. I must congratulate you for this, and condemn opponents of change. Some may delight in the prospect of 1 out of every 5 dollars being spent on health care- sounds like a beautiful profit margin- but as human beings, we should not accept profit over saving lives, period. America will pay for the inflation of health care cost with the dollars of the rich or the lives of the poor.
The very same way you brought this debate to life, why can't you ask similarly difficult questions regarding the black community? Questions like, why do blacks have the highest arrest and incarceration rate? Why are blacks the most likely to be uneducated? Why are blacks the most likely to be poor? I am tired of these being unquestioned realities. Black skin does not make you mentally inferior, nor criminally inclined. If the blanket policies continue, the message will be clear that the government either has no interest in the advancement of colored people, or sees no benefit from the improvement of their conditions.
Also, how many of the Bush policies will you adopt? I was under the impression "change" meant a change in policies. Do not feel pressured to be like any other president- you are not any other president. You do not need to cater to any tradition, or pander to any crowd beyond that of the public will. People were previously afraid to even include words like "President" in conversations , for fear they would be recorded, arrested, and held indefinitely without charge. Is that the type of nation we call free? The era of supreme court election decisions and warrantless wiretappings needs to end, and the era of REAL transparency needs to begin.
Once again, I am glad that you are president and believe you are doing a very good job. However, in order to improve conditions better than before when things are already bad, you will need to be nothing less than extraordinary.

With Sincerity and Peace,

J Robinson
Advocate for a peaceful and fearless society

P.S
My regards to the wife and family.

Farrakhan on MJ in Life

2009-06-29T15:09:00.000-07:00

Clifsoulo

Envoke E-voting Rights

2009-06-22T08:11:00.000-07:00

How To Trust Electronic Voting
NY Times
Electronic voting machines that do not produce a paper record of every vote cast cannot be trusted. In 2008, more than one-third of the states, including New Jersey and Texas, did not require all votes to be recorded on paper.
[full story]

Electronic voting machines have replaced traditional paper machines quietly across America, but very few people understand or even think about the machines until they are in the booth at decision time. During the 2000 and 2004 elections, widespread stories of machine errors and hack-ability ran simultaneously with election coverage. Contact your council members and Representatives NOW and demand they protect the sanctity of the voting process and this so-called Democracy.

Never Too Late to Emancipate

2009-06-19T11:22:00.000-07:00

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19^th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation - which had become official January 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance.

For more information, visit Juneteenth.com
I love Juneteenth
The bitter sweetness of today speaks unintelligible volumes about the black people in America. Across the nation, reactions to Juneteenth vary from anti-celebratory to jubilee- with plenty of apathy between. Some consider Juneteenth an embarrassment- citing January 1st as the real day of emancipation. After all, who's fault is it they didn't get the news on time?
Others celebrate privately, but most allow July 4th to monopolize freedom celebrations.
But what should be celebrated today, if anything? When I think about the creation of the holiday, perspective blooms.
What is January 1st to those who were still enslaved January 2nd? Or should they have waited until the next month to join the freedom celebrations they previously watched from bondage?
Celebrate Juneteenth. Celebrate the freedom you have but didn't know. Celebrate the difference between emancipation, and the Emancipation Proclamation. Celebrate with the promise that next time, you won't have to be told 'you are free'.
I proclaim Juneteenth a day of putting freedom into practice. Perhaps in two years the world will join me.

Quick Thoughts: Transparency

2009-06-16T22:07:00.000-07:00

Transparency? More like Opaque
By Amber
Obama is a great leader and I'm glad he's in the White House. But he is also a politician. I think sometimes we expect too much from him. If what he's doing (or not doing) isn't detrimental to the American people then.....who cares. He's barely into his first term! Hit me up in about two years and I'll give a real report card.

Riding Them Until Wheels Fall Off
By J
I still support Obama fully, but he has presumed leadership to a government I will criticize until perfection or my lungs go out on me. In a short time, I believe Obama has done more for the US than in the past eight years, but if he doesn't correct the mistakes of his predecessor, he takes the responsibility for them.

Govt Still Unclear on Transparency

2009-06-16T09:07:00.000-07:00

Obama blocks list of White House visitors.
Despite President Barack Obama's pledge to introduce a new era of transparency to Washington, and despite two rulings by a federal judge that the records are public, the Secret Service has denied msnbc.com's request for the names of all White House visitors from Jan. 20 to the present.
Click here to read the full story.

The President and Vice Presidential oaths both claim to defend THE CONSTITUTION against all enemies both foreign and domestic. BlackEveryday calls for the immediate release of all public records, and the repeal of the Patriot Act, which also supersedes The Constitution in the name of national security. Protecting the Consitution IS national security.

In Obama's defense, "Transparency" was only promised via an analog signal.

BlackEveryday Joins ACLU, Farrakhan:Nobody Cares

2009-06-12T08:18:00.000-07:00

Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan is in Grand Rapids this morning to show his support for Benton Harbor minister Edward Pinkney, who was sent to prison for warning that a judge could be tortured by God. Pinkney's appeal is being heard in Grand Rapids today at the state Court of Appeals. Pinkney's lawyers say his free-speech rights were trampled in Berrien County. He is being supported by the American Civil Liberties Union.
In 2007, Pinkney was convicted of paying people to vote in a Benton Harbor election. Months later, he wrote an article in a Chicago newspaper saying the judge could be punished by God with curses, fever and extreme burning unless he changed his ways. Last summer, another Berrien County judge sent Pinkney to prison for three to 10 years, saying the threat violated the minister's probation.
[Click here to continue reading the full story.]

BlackEveryday throws it's powerful interweb influence behind the ACLU and NOI Leader Louis Farrakhan, creating a coalition that has Federal judges buzzing about a potentially epic class action lawsuit. *
- Was this a case of abuse of power via retaliation?
- If labeling people sinners and condemning them to God's wrath constitutes a threat, will all
religious institutes face future legal action?

*The words "lawsuit" and "buzz" in the same sentence are a self-serving subliminal incantation. [twice]

Party Fault Grows, Headliner Smuggles "Told U So"

2009-05-25T21:24:00.000-07:00

As predicted, the GOP continues to divide as additional politicians (Cheney, Rove) provide heat and the media spreads the flames. Yahoo News headlined Powell's rebuttal to the Limbaugh/Cheney debate as "the debate over the GOP's future"- the first* major news outlet to make the reference. Mark your calendars and place your Vegas bets for the following June events:

-Ambitious conservatives attacking Powell/others to prove conservative values: +64%*

-Carl Rove's strategic proximity just outside the spotlight: +81%*

-Democrat Corruption: +40%*

-Chuck Norris election victories: +1*

-White House use of the term ''transparency": -123%*

-Gay Politician Accusations: +30%*

*Approved by the Stat-o-matic 2000, recommended by 9/10 Impulsive Statistics professors and media professionals worldwide.

A Nation of Pause

2009-05-14T07:01:00.001-07:00

President Obama seeks to block the court ordered release of prisoner abuse photos to protect America's reputation. Democrats and Republicans, previously on opposite sides of the issue, have joined forces in criticizing the president as either buckling under political pressure or being a flip flopper(apparently gangsters don't wear flip flops).

I, however, commend the president on his courage in keeping longstanding traditions, despite heavy opposition. Protecting the nation is rarely such a paradox. From broken peace treaties, to Tuskegee experiments, and now torture- American politics has been filled with acts of such enormity, even the president himself has a hard time circumventing the legal system. You can defend proponents of slavery or the merits of Hiroshima, but to associate any illegality or immorality of these acts with our great nation is the equivalent of PR treason. Aside from answering red phones and shaking international hands, the president's main duty is to be the spokesman for USA Incorporated- keeping the brand name clean and protecting it from falling victim to it's number one product- the legal system. America is a nation of laws. To publicize these pictures is to provide evidence of conduct we deemed inhumane and illegal. Obama has two choices- provide evidence that the government, our government, committed illegal acts and follow through with the legal process(which ends with president appointed judges)- OR - plead the fifth.

It reminds me of the one time when I took pictures of myself smoking crack and cheating on my taxes. To see those pictures, click... oh wait. Never mind...

Cheney: It's Right, but Wasn't Me

2009-05-13T07:50:00.000-07:00

President Cheney, who has been seen in a series of television interview recently, has given passed the torture-buck to former President George W. With rumors of war crime indictments still floating around congress like ghost at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the former vice president has already began building a defense. When asked if he had any regrets about authorization of any interrogation threats, he said plainly "No", but when asked if the president knew "everything he knew", Cheney responds defensively with "He basically authorized it."(min 3:20)

If you laud torture as "necessary", and elevate yourself to a Jack Bauer-esque hero, why the sudden poetic allusion, or "Blame Deferred", if you will?

As Democratic nit-pickers pick up on the armor chink, we look forward to both the former president's media tour, and the temporary revival of the Bush impersonations.

In other Dick news, Liz Cheney says Obama sides with terrorist by releasing photos of what her father's administration authorized, sparking a new children's book- "Everybody poops AND tortures: just don't show either"

Cheney Splits Party, Disses Mother of Powell

2009-05-11T08:07:00.000-07:00

Former Vice President Dick Cheney has made a move history will note as "the split of the Republican Party." After Colin Powell suggested his party disassociate themselves from divisive public figures such as conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh, Cheney took the defense of Limbaugh, suggesting Powell was a sort of party traitor for his endorsement of Barack Obama:
The former vice president noted that Powell endorsed then-Sen. Barack Obama in last year's presidential race. "I assume that that's some indication of his loyalty and his interests," Cheney said.
The implication is by endorsing Obama, Powell's loyalty and interests are not aligned with the Republican Party. By logic, he implies the Republican Party's loyalty is not in endorsing Obama, a statement Limbaugh made more boldly January 16th, 2009.
Limbaugh is a conservative radio talk show host (think white, plus Oprah, plus radio), yet has the republican party at odds over their elected leader Michael Steele. Steel also suggested the party reform their image by separating from Limbaugh's image, but has received extreme resistance from Limbaugh's audience, now including Cheney.
The significance is now that Cheney, a once legitimate politician, has taken sides with Limbaugh, less important ones like Rick Perry will scream and shout until all high level party members are forced to choose a side as well.
First the opinion of an extremist, then the opinion of a politician, to the founding principles of THE NEW REPUBLICAN PARTY...
Cheney was also later overheard saying, "Powell's mama is such a democrat, she puts the authenticity of this joke to a vote."

This Post is Perfect For Black People, and White People!

2009-04-29T07:59:00.001-07:00

The question has been tossed around if this was "racist" or "just what we needed". How it came between those two extremes is beyond me, but the video speaks for itself.

Mercenaries in the Hood- Not in Theatres yet

2009-04-21T22:29:00.000-07:00

Oakland, California is the latest city to authorize the use of mercenaries as neighborhood police. What they don't report is that the neighborhoods will, naturally, all be predominantly Black or Mexican populated. They will make no reference as to the outstanding percentage of these races imprisoned compared to their white counterparts. Families will be referred to only by their neighborhood crime statistics, because these are criminals, not family members. The news won't connect how police are already allowed to shoot an unarmed suspect 50 times(Sean Bell) with how private soldiers are allowed to rape 14yr old girls under the "casualty of war" defense(Blackwater). It will be taboo to compare how you would react if your local cops were replaced with private soldiers, because then you may think about how different some people are treated by police than others. And who wants to think about that? Not everybody will say "black people commit more crimes", but everyone knows they are more likely go to jail. Such things are not party topics. They will have their time to be discussed, just not in the news. Perhaps one day you will experience what it is like to have mercenaries as cops. Then will be a good time to bring up race in relation to this story, when both questions and answers will be plentiful.

Texas Secession Session

2009-04-16T08:37:00.000-07:00

I agree that taxes have been out of control for a long time. Income tax alone is around 25% of one's income and is unapportioned. However, as soon as I heard of the national mock tea parties planned, I knew Texas would have it's own unique spin. "Sponsored by the Republican Party of Texas" is a warning sign for people like me- minority leftist. These rallies may be very integrated across the nation, but the group that want to secede from the US and elect Chuck Norris as it's president has generally proven hostile toward my kind. As expected, outrage against an oppressive tax system is being channeled to power the gears of a slowing ultra conservative machine. The deep south conservatives are upset that they no longer have their own types in control of the nation. With an independent Texas nation, the chances of a democratic majority on any level will return to the post-Clinton lows of the good 'ol days. I am not a Democrat, but I have experienced enough of the Bush years to not want a permanent reenactment in my state. The Republican Party in Texas has created policies oppressive to minorities and the poor, shown extreme favoritism toward the rich, endorsed a for-profit war well after the stated reasons proved false, and absolutely stonewalled and demonized anyone who was not in their small demographic of "true Americans"- white, Christian, and small town, as described by Sarah Palin. The last time Texas seceded, it was in leading the charge against the US for their anti slavery laws. The problem is that the Texas republican party leaders haven't changed their views very much since then- you'll likely find more Confederate flags down here than in the Carolina's.

It's time for independent republicans to step up. If those less extreme conservatives do not level the heads leading the Republican Party, then the 'us vs them' mentality will soon have them on the wrong end of the "OMG, Is that a real" shotgun barrel. Dick Cheney, you may be happy to see a fire building in the eyes of your followers, but you cannot keep your daughter out of their range forever. As they call for more action against their opponents, other things they oppose will feel the heat. Things such as homosexuality and non-Christianity will become not just staple platform issues, but lines of separation between the 'us' and 'them'.

Conservatives championed the very legislative exclusion they complain of now. It is their failure to accept the opposition as equals that has been their previous downfall, and leading them astray again. If logical thinking, willing to accept the existence of hippies in the world republicans don't direct the fervor building in their camp, black Southerners need to flee, because the confederate flag waving Taliban is a comin'.

Obama's EU Tour Still Under Investigation

2009-04-11T07:26:00.000-07:00

President Obama's recent European Tour (12 cities, each one sold out, rocked them all) has been criticized for every shake, step, or courtesy in or out of place. Amid photos of bows/bends and molestation of queens, it was this quiet photo that stood apart. Of all the so-called breaches of protocol, this one spoke volumes. A black royal cop and President Obama shook hands in passing, as he entered the halls of British royalty. The significance lies in the demonstration of brotherhood. Without preamble, they recognized and acknowledged the perspective and hope virtually universal among people of color. That officer may have never given a second thought to his color in relation to his position, but when a black man came through those gates as President of the United States, he recognized the level of authority being held that was previously unavailable to any black.

Around the world, people of color in any position of authority will look towards a level above and eventually see a white line. Every black corporal has their white Sergeant, black principal has their white superintendent, black secretary of state to their white president. Throughout the history of racial slavery, white supremacy and bigotry have had their institutions breached as humanity evolves, slowly but surely. By shaking his hand, Obama recognized that cop had stood at that post day after day as another black worker in a white institution until he, as the first black president, broke the color line. When Jackie Robinson made it into the Major League, there was pride among blacks as if "we can play professional baseball now." As they shook hands, they were seeing it- a black man can reach the highest elected post. Despite the social stigma associated with celebrating President Obama's race, it happens. The sooner people accept the taciturn brotherhood affiliated with race, the sooner we can expand it to a human sense of brotherhood. Kudos to these to men, for bucking expectations and relating to one another.

N-words vs F-words

2009-04-08T07:29:00.000-07:00

Black people are homophobic.

Of all the issues I have vastly more controversial views on, being pro gay marriage is the one I find most polarizing among my dark-skinned peers. They accept my religious ambiguity, my liberalism, and my unconventional and unclassifiable political views, but mention homosexuality and there is no room for compromise. Either you are anti gay marriage, or you are gay. Chew on this darkies: just as being called "black" doesn't insult, neither will "gay", for only in the eyes of the insulter are the terms negative.

If you oppose gay marriage, listen to my case. I personally am a fan of a well proportioned woman's behind- with a little extra as bonus (gluteous maximus). Believe it or not, there are people who actually prefer what is called in layman's terms a pancake butt (gluteous flatimous). Just as the preference to pancake butt over the traditional onion booty is mind boggling, I do not understand the attraction to men (for men OR women). However, if you want to marry a pancake butt, it is a matter of personal preference and the law should not intervene based on my beliefs.
I cannot support legal action against a group just because of the Christian/morality argument. Even the most fervent of Christians should ask if US law should be based on Christian law. If so, then why even allow Muslims or anyone else inside the country? Why refer to the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution instead of The Ten Commandments and Deuteronomy? If you oppose gay marriage, does that mean you support homosexual promiscuity? Banning gay marriage won't curb homosexuality, it just deters men from doing what they already struggle with- settling down.

The root of this argument in the black community is still based on gay vs straight. Gay marriage as an issue should not be decided upon who's gay vs who's straight, but that's the de facto division.

The question isn't do you support homosexuality or not, but should gay people be allowed to marry? Why not? "Because they are going to hell" may be a valid argument in the courts of heaven, but good luck with that legal argument in the courts of earth. If you oppose gay marriage because you oppose gay activity, should the law oppose interracial and all black marriage, as it has shown a legal distaste for people of color in general?

2009-04-03T08:56:00.000-07:00

Almost 41 years to the day, Life reveals incredible and shocking photos taken at the Lorraine Motel April 4th, 1968- documenting the scene of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's assassination. No explanation as to why they were not released before. I suppose why the were withheld is a valid question, but I wonder why he was killed? What did they imagine would happen if he continued? What would have been different if Dr. King lived?

For Sale/Lease: Black Power

2009-03-24T12:24:00.000-07:00

My first encounter with BlackPower.com was disturbing. On the front page is a story titled "How John Stewart Went Bad " by Black Power Staff. But the story is written by Tucker Carlson, of CNBC. Does CNBC own BlackPower.com, or are they just renting it as a platform to rebuttal John Stewart's attacks?
Unless the entire staff hates John Stewart and is under the impression this opinion is shared by all black people, Blackpower.com should not have allowed that story to run, let alone be the main entry on the front page.
Black Power is not for sale, but you can have the domain name.

Some Words for Jamaica

2009-03-22T22:42:00.001-07:00

When black nations around the world are setting the standard for struggling, I look positively toward Jamaica as an example of strength and hope. They have some problems, like us all, but still carry a sense of universal Jamaican Pride- or black pride, or brotherhood, even humanity -that is globally envied, and shamelessly exploited.
I understand there seems to be at least one unnecessary line of division there. A certain segment who embrace or sometimes advocate for the use/legalization of marijuana, and another class who not only disagree for commonly stated reasons, but seem to look down upon such culture as a shameful part of their history.
I can tell you as a sensitive resident that the winds are changing in the US. Pot heads here and pejoratively Rastafari there may be the poster children for marijuana culture, but you cannot simply model policies based on politics. Especially Western and American politics. Not because they are so bad, but because if they beat you to the legalization finish line, your tourism-based economy will suffer with the trend. As more countries who model their policies off of America's lead change their attitudes toward marijuana, especially mass producer Mexico, you will be too late to jump on the bandwagon. Once you realize your mistake, the Jamaican Legalization Act (you're welcome) will be mocked for the failure it will become. Listen to your instinct, and those relatives you modern day... just listen to your citizens. Legalize marijuana in Jamaica. As it becomes legal in more and more places, your economy will lose vital footing on an already rocky terrain. I say this as a brother.

R-Word: coRRuption

2009-03-21T23:34:00.000-07:00

President Obama may be taking heat for his casually offensive reference to the Special Olympics, but more disturbing was his humorous reference to a campaign promise being obviously worthless (min 23:10 on Hulu). "Ha ha. You all know all politicians just talk shit."

Oh ha ha. It's funny because it's true.

2009-03-18T12:56:00.000-07:00

Some numbers I have run across today:

.01 - Amount of gold (g) it takes to buy a loaf of bread in Zimbabwe

173, 000, 000, 000 - Tax dollars given to AIG, current as of this post

.097 - Percent of those tax dollars given as bonus' to AIG employees

21, 000, 000, 000 - Estimated amount in dollars "missing" from Iraq

28 - Number of pages removed from next months UN anti racism conference declaration draft after the US and EU complained of calls for slavery reparations and defamation of religion

19 - Actual age of Denzel Whitaker, who I predict will be the next Denzel Washington

12 - Average age people think Denzel Whitaker is when they see his picture.

Cheney Speaks: Two More Weeks of Winter

2009-02-04T07:34:00.000-08:00

Former vice president Dick Cheney refuses to fade into the abyss like normal ousted leaders do. This should come as no surprise, as the former vice president also refuses to follow other traditional rules, such as only coming out at night to feed, being burned by sun exposure, and putting the country you are running first, instead of party loyalty. When recently asked about President Obama's closure of the infamous Guantanamo Bay torture factory, he gave the expected answer. Only, without as many white house aides to curb his old-man-rants, he started off about liberals and exposed a little more about his character the public should question:

“When we get people who are more concerned about reading the rights to an Al Qaeda terrorist than they are with protecting the United States against people who are absolutely committed to do anything they can to kill Americans, then I worry,” Cheney said.
Protecting the country’s security is “a tough, mean, dirty, nasty business,” he said. “These are evil people. And we’re not going to win this fight by turning the other cheek.” (Read full article)

Interesting choice of words, Dick. I understand that 24 is a riveting show, and we all want to be Jack Bauer, but he's the badass exception to the cause, not the policymaker. If the second in command doesn't believe in following the rules of what we consider humane treatment of a criminal, why do we have such rules? That's one of the ways we classify nations as "civilized" or not.

And I find it very interesting you choose to invoke a bible reference ("turn the other cheek") as your reference for these people who make you "worry". I'm pretty sure the guy who came up with that catchphrase is (allegedly) pretty prominent in the GOP.

But chances are no other members of the GOP will read this anyway, which is unfortunate, because they're probably watching Faux News instead.

Dear Rich Black People...

2009-01-04T07:35:00.000-08:00

Dear real rich black people, the time has come for you to join forces.
I'm not talking to you middle class, or upper middle class people- congrats on your success, but I'll call you when Jet is in trouble. (The magazine industry is in trouble as a whole, so don't hold your breath on that Jet bailout.) I'm talking to the Oprahs and the Sean Carters. I'm even talking to the Bob Johnsons who promise not to sell us out to the man [this time]. With your powers combined, you can save Morris Brown College from a fiery doom. Why you? Because whoever's paying for it is in charge, and we need someone we can trust. Sigh, yes, you too Bob. Every now and then, someone in the fam may have their lights or phone off for a while, but you know times are hard when the water gets cut off. That's the cheapest bill!
With the loss of Morris Brown, our new found symbolic hope will be adulterated with real regress. Morris Brown needs sound funding that attracts righteous investors, to regain accreditation, and to keep educating american blacks. By giving back you can start a cycle that may lead to self reliance- graduates can pledge to a systematic giving back program, and with a few other income sources Morris Brown can operate autonomously.
So Master P, let me hear you say uuhhh-huh to saving Morris Brown.

Sincerely,
JKR - American African, and those who agree.

"Kwanzaa is fake", says atheist post-jesus-birthday partiers

2008-12-26T07:21:00.000-08:00

"Bush issues Kwanzaa statement" on a USAToday.com blog caught my eye. Anything Bush had to say to Black people directly would be entertaining at least. The statement was not delivered in front of anyone- obviously way too many big words for him- but it was a generic acknowledgment anyway. The only benefit of such uselessly rare public touches of race is watching the Jerry Springer civil war that erupts in the comments section after. The beauty of of online anonymity is revealed in this ugliness. This is america raw. People launch such blatant and malicious attacks on the races that you begin to wonder if everyone is racist, or if this is just where they all meet. And Jews, although rarely a part of the original story, get dragged in just as fast as the blacks and whites. But these comments seemed particularly offensive today. Normally the arguments stick near the "white oppressors" side or the "stupid nigger/jew" area, but I was bothered by a common third view in these comments. A black person wrote a lengthy comment about the stupid jews, the evil crackers, the governments Kwanzaa, etc. A white person ignored the first few parts and chose to focus on the third. Something about "tired of appeasing minorities" and how this made up holiday is an example.
The idea of these two very different people coming to an agreement seems like a good thing, but not always. Let me defend Kwanzaa officially for once: What other day of the year do black people in america actually think or act in remembrance of where they came from? Black history and the month begin with the slaves being brought to america, but we know the story begins before then. In Africa, bitches. And that's what Kwanzaa is about. Officially on board.

What's the significance?

2008-11-05T12:55:00.000-08:00

Walking downtown today, I searched my surroundings gleefully. The dusty pavement, familiar workers, faceless uniforms of the business crowd, and even the wind failed to share my glow of a new day. They looked, in fact, the same as yesterday and the one before. I asked myself what I was looking for, and it was change that was visibly lacking. Change, after all, is what this election was about. It's what Obama's platform was based on.
So, what has changed?
What is the significance of his election to me?
Perspective, is the short answer. We are all individuals, but black people in America generally share a sense of isolation common among all minorities (beyond race)- a sense that you are not only different, but your differences set you apart in some way from the majority. Hillary Clinton felt it when she stepped on to a male-dominated stage attempting to win the presidency. Many feel it everyday.
But yesterday's election changed things. The majority of the people decided they also shared the same outlook as me. The significance can't be seen on any party platform or candidate issue, the significance is in the unspoken statements. Like the statement that our history, a history riddled with racism and oppression of non-whites, are a thing of the past. The statements of black inferiority and of "real Americans" being "small-town"(and implied white) has shifted from the popular to the minority opinion. The elephant in the room during the entire campaign was "can white people really vote for a black candidate for president?"
Yes, yes they can.
The majority, and it feels good to say it, made a clear statement to the new minority yesterday: that they can move beyond racial politics in their lives onto a new, more inclusive America. I never thought I'd see the day.
I still carry the common burden of being a black man in a predominately white America- an outsider still in at least that sense. But yesterday, the majority of American's said "he's black, so what?"
Thanks for that.

No Rent, No Vote?

2008-09-11T12:25:00.001-07:00

Republicans in Michigan have stepped up their election stealing efforts with a major move, utilizing the most common economic problem in America: home foreclosures. Macomb County Michigan's Republican Party leader is using a list of foreclosed homes to block voters. The plan is simple: voters show up on election day, are challenged if their address matches one on the list, and voters are discouraged because of red tape or long lines. Needless to say, these list will be used only in traditionally democratic areas. If you have registered to vote, they can't legally stop you. The goal is to just put as many obstacles as possible in the way of opposition voters.
Their stated goal is to ensure "proper electoral procedures were followed." A home in foreclosure only means the repossession process has started. Many homes in foreclosure are rescued by loans or other means, and the process itself can take months or longer, and any list won't be in real time, so homes saved from foreclosure I'm sure won't be miraculously edited off the list just before election day. Even celebrities have had their homes in foreclosure recently, including Michael Jackson, Evander Holyfield, Aretha Franklin, and Ed McMahon. This is a direct attack on voters who already face heavy opposition. These are the same areas who were systematically shortened on voting machines, and had people waiting 10+ hours to vote. Don't wait until election day or another stolen election before you spread the word and DO SOMETHING about this. Click here to find your senator and write, but don't expect too much if they belong to the guilty party. Republicans and Democrats alike both need to stop this type of misconduct by standing up to it on all levels. Unless, of course, you agree not paying rent is just cause to lose constitutional rights.

The Current State of Democracy

2008-09-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

In St. Paul, Minnesota, law enforcement agents raided homes and arrested major organizers in anticipation of their protest of the Republican National Convention. There were no arrest warrants, and they were not charged. They were held on probable cause of conspiracy to commit riot, conspiracy to commit property damage, and conspiracy to commit civil disorder, conveniently just before they were to implement the protest they had been leading.

- Is it a free country when protest leaders are arrested preemptively for attempting to exercising their right to both assemble and disagree?
- These were planned, peaceful protest. Why were the civilians under surveillance and arrested before the protest even took place?
- Around 800 protesters were arrested during the convention, yet officers admit "only a handful of protesters were violent." (watch officials respond to protesters at a press conference) Can other citizens expect to be arrested when they protest?
- Are YOU willing to defend your 1st amendment rights, or let acquiescence continue to rule?

Reporters Arrested for Reporting

2008-09-03T13:06:00.000-07:00

On September 1st, Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! was arrested in Minnesota for reporting on the protest at the Republican National Convention. (Click here to read the story)

How extreme do circumstances need to be before people begin to act? Arresting citizens without charges or due process violates the 5th amendment, but that's exactly what the Patriot Act does. Arresting people for protesting or reporting on protesting violates the 1st amendment, but its been happening routinely since 2001. Dissent is being met with state sponsored force. Those who see can't wait until they are the targets of this force to see its folly, and those who agree with the current administration's policies won't forever, and will be too late when the do find themselves on the opposing side. If Americans don't act soon to revive real democracy, we will all be the Facist we preach against, if it's not too late already.

CNN's Roland Joins "Hate Jesse" Bandwagon

2008-07-10T13:53:00.000-07:00

This story repulses me. I'm all about truth telling and pointing out elephants in rooms, but to take the criticism about Obama (whom I wholeheartedly support) and use it to demonize Rev. Jackson is an ethical and fundamental mistake. I've supported Obama since before he decided to run, but have many criticisms about things he does and says. Jacksons mistake was making the statements public, but I talk much trash about my candidates follies and weakness' when the Clinton supporters aren't looming around. Maybe Jesse is more in touch with black Americans than Roland, because attacking Jesse Jackson is something many of my white friends and associates enjoy, while their black counterparts condemn. Roland forgets that if his opinion didn't agree with CNN's largely white audience, it wouldn't even have been on the front page...

Obama calls on black fathers, but who answers?

2008-06-16T08:44:00.001-07:00

Obama's Father's Day calling for black fathers to step up their game and "take responsibility" for their duties was a surprisingly direct approach on an issue stereotypically race-related. And it's refreshing when a candidate finally stops avoiding the ever-present elephant in the press room.

But the call was for black fathers, and no amount of CNN coverage will accurately reflect the (arguable) intentions of the speech.

If the call was to absentee black fathers, what is their response?

I'm certain the Anderson Coopers will have various interesting observations to share, campaign analysis' to measure, and testimonies to systematically filter- but the call was to a very specific demographic that I don't believe many mainstream journalist will fall into, regardless of how many "experts" they bring in to testify on the speeches effects. What I want to know is how the black fathers he addressed feel? I'm black male without children, I can only conjure up agreement after the initial embarrassment. Yes, there are many unspoken factors as to why the situation is the way it is(including the fact that in the twenties, families had to prove they had no males living in a household to receive welfare, thus encouraging separation among the poorest families), but regardless of the "whys", the situation is what it is- a harsh reality. Like myself, black males are growing up without fathers so often, it has become an old stigma.

My question remains: How, if at all, are black fathers responding to this?

Wait all you want, the answer won't be in this blog, and is just as unlikely to be on CNN as Fox News. If you want to know, ask a black man. If he is a father to his children, it won't apply to him. But if he is not, what is his response? Outrage? Embarrassment? Remorse? Apathy? As long as there is a dialogue, I would call Obama's call a resounding success, because "where are our black fathers" is a question I had stopped asking long ago.

What Was That, Lou?

2008-04-02T13:45:00.000-07:00

I only know one adverb beginning sentence that starts with Cotton, and that's "Cotton-picking nigger." What were you about to call her, Lou?

Since the Don Imus fiasco, professional public personalities have seemingly strengthened their resolve to push the envelope in the attempt to be "cutting edge". Rush Limbaugh's "Barack, the Magic Negro" song aired before the Imus' fifteen minutes was even up.

Not to be outdone when it comes to pulling out star power to measure size, Lou Dobbs seems to be following suit as well. Its only a matter of time before the ballsiest of our white news anchors decides to go the Full Monty, and says the n-word on air, then dares to be challenged.

Public racism up to the FCC to regulate, and trying to curb it without trampling one's first amendment rights is too tight a rope for me to walk, but a pubic service announcement for all those walking the fence in this endless n-word discussion: If you know the word is offensive, why advocate for its use at all?

MLK Wiretaps Raise Quesions

2008-04-01T12:55:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the Freedom of Information Act(FOIA), countless FBI records recently reveal the agencies unhealthy obsession with tracking every move of civil rights champion Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A few questions that come to mind after reading the story:

Why was his surveillance constant and seemingly unrestricted?
The stated reason for the initial surveillance were "to prove he was influenced by communist": what sort of influences does our free nation consider threatening nowadays that would warrant a citizen to be monitored, and does it violate any first amendment rights?
Since the surveillance gathered only embarrassing personal details, why were the records kept and publicized, since they didn't relate to any criminal activity?

Why did the FBI send him threatening and harassing letters? Is this standard practice for them?

Speaking on behalf of King's character, had the FBI had that level on surveillance on me(gulp!), they would have found much worse than a couple of sex incidents and a few off color jokes. Their attacks on his character have only elevated him in my eyes, knowing him at his worst is similar to me on a weekday.

Truth Hurts

2008-02-22T13:34:00.000-08:00

If black people voted more consistently, we could have this type of representation on the issues.

Honorable to Mention?

2008-02-20T10:43:00.000-08:00

With the resignation of one of the most prominent thorns in the American government's side, Fidel Castro, comes a slew of follow up stories: some reeducating the forgetful masses, others analyzing the regime change, and most subtly justifying our aggression against him to the newer generations.
But the cover story on CNN.com was a slap in the face of diplomacy and counter-productive to our country's international relations. The story, which highlights with smug pride the many failed US attempts at assassinating Castro, not only accentuates the incompetence of the CIA, but damages our already dismal international reputation.
It doesn't take an expert on international law to see the moral flaw in having "assassinate and replace" public policy for dealing with foreign leaders who don't comply with our wishes.
I agree the Bay of Pigs and other assassination files (limiting security risk) should be unclassified, but I wear them as a scarlet letter, not flaunt them as a badge of courage as the popular media stance seems to do. Just this week, Bush pleaded with Kenyans and other African nations to cease all violence, and uses the rhetoric of "spreading diplomacy" with the entire world as justification for our actions. But unpopular wars and assassination attempts undermine that message faster than building a card castle on quicksand. The U.S's international reputation is damaged enough without the media poking at old scabs.
And how happy will the average taxpayer be to know his tax dollars are going towards ridiculous assassination attempts that sound like they were dreamed up by a croup of third grade boys with vivid imaginations. Mini submarines delivering explosive seashells that are trained in attracting attention; hair removing chemicals target at beards; itching powder in wet suits; exploding cigars- I wish this was an episode of Luney Tunes, but these our our tax dollars at work. Doing something wrong, but at least very poorly.
As an American, I am embarrassed.
But perhaps CNN and other media outlets aren't at fault. After all, they do only report what happens, sadly.

2008-01-18T15:04:00.001-08:00

For the record, I am a fan of Angie Stone's beauty and music.
That being said, I think its symbolic to see such an icon of black female empowerment, a real sister's-sister, make the transition from natural to processed hair.

Yes, I know the majority will say that it's only a hairstyle.

Some may even criticize this as a gossip column.

But officially ordained or not, Angie Stone- with her pro-black ballads, beautiful brown skin, voluptuous full features, and natural hair- was on recognition a physical symbol of the beauty of black women in America- with all their natural features. I wouldn't go as far as to call her newly processed hair a setback, but I would consider it a minor shame that we have one less public figure to look at as an example of our natural beauty.

But hey, maybe next month, when the new growth is too prominent to ignore, we'll have that perfect fro again...

Trample One's Rights to Protect Another's?

2008-01-09T10:52:00.000-08:00

The facts are as follows according to CBS News: Joe Horn of Pasadena, TX saw a neighbors house being robbed. He called 911, but they took too long to respond, so he went out his house with his shotgun and shot the two alleged thieves before they could escape. (To see the transcript of the 911 call, click here)
Texas gun laws have changed since September 1st, so I'll leave the judgment of his actions to the courts. It's a shame the crowd in this video didn't see things that way. It's one thing to advocate for gun rights or home defense, but the mob mentality seems incapable of being swayed to anything less than the most offensive and primitive of motives. No one held signs that said "Support the 'castle doctrine' bill" or anything similar (and hopefully more clever). Instead, we were treated to an angry group of (all white, notably) people yelling "USA" and holding signs that said "Go Home".
Not to be facetious, but why would you chant "USA" to support any cause related to this? Was the dubbed "black-supremacist" group the New Black Panther Party chanting some other country's initials? And proclaiming USA at a group of black people while holding signs that say "Go Home" may send a different message than you(hopefully) intended. I find it ironic that a group claiming to support one American's right to bare arms would impede on another American's right to assemble, while assembling in a less than peaceful way themselves.

And how many young faces did you count in the crowd?

This is my country, they say.
Moments like this, however, surely don't make me feel that way. It is unfathomable to think things would have turned out the same way if skin colors were reversed at any time. Had a black man shot two white men for robbing his neighbors house, I get the feeling the legal ambiguities would disappear a lot faster, since he clearly wasn't at home or wasn't being robbed himself. If he was white, and a crowd of his supporters were accosted in the streets by a mob of angry black people, how does history teach us the police would respond? How would the media respond? We have a lot of work do to in the country regarding race relations. The people who advocate for peace(myself included) remain silent too often, while the most destructive and divisive of racist are training their children to carry on the tradition, the same way they were taught. This year, let's finally stop sitting by idle, and start to take action. All it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing. Do something.

Bob Johnson Strikes Again?

2007-10-02T11:23:00.000-07:00

Bob Johnson, founder and original CEO of Black Entertainment Television(BET), said he expects to close soon on a $125 million private-equity buyout fund he started with the infamous Carlyle Group.
As a casual observer and concerned citizen, this troubles me.
I have been a longtime critic of BET for its misogyny, materialistic and general morally damaging messages, and negative stereotypes it perpetuates, but still acknowledged the significance of black ownership of a station. I had always assumed that the negative caricatures seen on most stations and in most movies would disappear if the network was black owned since a black person would frown upon the poor representation his people received, but that proved false with BET. The same violent, "angry black man" character seen every night on the evening news had become a glorified role model for black youth, and although not bearing the entire blame, BET played the catalyst for this to happen, being the only "black station". Some blamed Capitalism; others, the people. No matter the cause, all that was proven was that the bottom line carries far more weight the petty scruples of the minority of a minority. Bob Johnson further emphasized this by selling BET to Viacom in 2001, once again turning control of a major influence to black people back into the hands of white men. Nice going, Bob.
It is the above series of events that worries me about recent actions. The Carlyle Group, who own around four percent of America's wealth, and are famous for such high profile associates as George Bush Sr and the Bin Laden Family, are becoming equally infamous for questionable practices and conflicts of interest. The thought of this seemingly invincible mega corporation and Bob Johnson is unsettling, especially since their stated interest is acquiring small to medium sized businesses. I don't mean to insult Mr. Johnson since I have no insight to his intentions, but teaming up with the Carlyle Group for this buyout fund sounds like bad news for black people.
To the average man, Johnson's expertise is in business, but to the businessman, his expertise is in black people. His network, like his banks and other business, target minorities- something his financial success shows him to be good at. Now he is partaking in his biggest venture yet, combining with the Carlyle Group to buyout smaller businesses. To many small business owners,the idea of a larger corporation buying them out sounds great, but I see only negative side effects from this. I assume Johnson will follow his previous patterns and target minorities, who are in this particular case, minority owned businesses. I see this investment being as successful as his others, which means steadily, black owned businesses will become white owned businesses. Its said in business that he only color that matters is green. But in America, business ownership translates into circulated income, or lack thereof, for a poverty stricken people. Black people are earning lots in wages, but almost none of it is spent on black businesses, and the cycle of poverty continues. Less black business means less black wealth. Johnson sees the potential profit, but I only see a great disservice to Black America. Support your community first, and all the neighborhood benefits. Its a principle America has preached for years, regarding American made products and outsourcing. Yes, in business green is the only color that matters, but Life is more than business transactions, so green isn't all I see.

Jena Six Rally

2007-09-19T15:50:00.000-07:00

Rally in Jena, LA 9/20/07

Read about Shaquanda Cotton here and here.

Remember the Alamo, but Forget Iraq

2007-09-11T15:23:00.000-07:00

As reported on CNN.com, President Bush will announce his intentions to withdraw roughly 30,000 troops from Iraq as soon as the end of September of this year. He is doing so following recommendations from top commander Gen. David Petraeus, citing the surge had met its goals of reducing sectarian killings by 50% nationwide, and by 80% in Baghdad.
Word?
At a time when the presidents approval rating sits steadily below one in three, and war support is at an all time low, the last thing people need is another editorial bashing Bush, or another anti-war report, but the time to recognize mistakes made has come. Even the most avid war supporter cannot deny the illogic of recent events. Its simple: You cannot say one direction is correct, and then turn around and say the opposite direction is also correct. After all, it was only nine months ago when Bush admitted he had made mistakes, and announced his plan to send 20,000 more troops to Iraq to remedy those mistakes. Now he claims the same thing: mistakes have been made in Iraq, and a withdrawal of 30,000 troops is the remedy.
I have questions that need to be asked aloud- not to the powers that be, but to the true power in a democracy, the People. Is it possible that the stated reasons for invasion were never the administrations true goals? After the U.N and the U.S searched and found no WMDs, we were told there were other reasons why we were there, like fighting general evil in the world, and protecting precious oil fields from "the terrorist"(because apparently Iraq couldn't protect their number one natural resource without us). How is our presence in Iraq good for this country, especially since we have already toppled and rebuilt the government to our liking? Is it possible that we could find a better way to spend $200million a day(perhaps on health care, social security, national debt, American poverty, or even [gulp] reparations for slavery)? Is it possible we have become the very terrorist we vowed to destroy?
I pose these not to my local representative, nor as an open cry that will never reach the ears of higher ups, but to the common man and woman, who strangely can go days, if not weeks, without even a thought that their country is at war. Remember the war? The current war, that is draining this country dry, from the root to the fruit? The only time people even see it in the news is when its something gruesome or involving a child, and even then pictures of gore suffice the curiosity. I ask these questions to the average Joe then add: why have you stopped asking questions, when we have never received any answers?

Rest In Peace, Lady Hogan

2007-08-21T11:06:00.000-07:00

Previously, this post simply stated "Advocate for those infected by HIV". I shamed myself and dishonored Lady with that glib interpretation of a life well lived.

I never had the chance to meet Lady Hogan personally, but was moved to near tears from the news of her death. That alone should signify the powerful impact her life left on this world. After all, I never met Malcolm, Garvey, Dr. King, nor Assatta, but their lives were so prominent, so passionate, that the ripple they created is just as potent today as it was to those standing next to them then, and their absence is still felt just as brutally fresh as if it happened yesterday. Lady Hogan can now join them as martyrs who changed the world for the better.
I have no desire to force empathy by means of personal stories. I only wish for the slightest understanding of who she was. She lived, and lived hard. Her joys and pains were as grand as they come, but only proved her extraordinary humanity. Lady lived and died serving others, despite her burdens, which would overwhelm even the kindest soul. Even during her last moments, when Death was at the door and Heaven calling her name, she spent her final breaths delegating help to those in need. Her selflessness was unmatched, and she was a credit to our kind. Through her efforts, countless lives will be saved. And though many may never know her name, and her worth never truly recognized, I see her heart. She was a saint, and deserves the highest honor. Rest in peace, Lady Hogan. You will be missed.

The Question Unasked By Racist

2007-08-03T13:53:00.000-07:00

Mid workday, I have reached an epiphany. BlackEveryday is not a haven for personal drama, nor journal or diary, but self exploration is something we all, hopefully, deal with. Far too few, in my opinion, ask the question "Why am I the way I am?" How did you grow to feel the way you feel, act the way you act? Jimmy Baldwin, who is in my opinion the greatest author to ever live, said "I am what time, circumstance, history, have made of me, certainly, but I am also, much more than that. So are we all."
My epiphany, as I call it, is actually just one of many answers to the above question. The journey of self discovery is a lifelong process, but recently I have been wondering why I strayed so far from what seemed to be the set path before me. Why I vary so steeply than many of my peers raised in such similar circumstances. I asked myself the question so few racist do: Why I feel the way I do about your skin, if it varies from mine. Like a portrait of a long tunnel, the answer has narrowed through the years until I have pinpointed it to a single event, or rather, a single person. Her name was Mrs. Hudgins, and she was my third grade teacher at Mitchell Boulevard Elementary School, and I loved her.
She was not unique in any obvious sense of the word, nor was my love for her, but her significance lies in the effect she had on my life. An effect that lay unrecognized until today. For although it was a predominately black school, she was white. I had had white teachers before, but none impacted and inspired me to adoration as she did.
Long story short, because of my romancing of her character or our relationship, I have been unable to accept the notion of inherent white evil. What does that matter? A great deal indeed! Black progress in America has been hindered because of a lack of unity on what should be a simple matter: who is the enemy? Our enemy is the fundamental racism that caused legislation to be drafted just to deliver us some humanity in the law's eyes. Our enemy is the many racist institutions including the legal and criminal justice system. Our enemy is the white superiority mentality that still plagues our nations leaders and the political process. Our enemy, however, is not the white man. Malcolm discovered this during his Hajj to Islam, and left the NOI because of it to practice the true religion of Islam, yet many of us today still are fighting the wrong enemy.
Because of my relationship with that woman, and select white people since then, I knew and know that all white people aren't evil, and sought to find the true source of our problems. That relationship protected me from becoming what I vowed to destroy: a racist. And hate breeds only more hate. Like Malcolm, my goal is black unity and progress. I am Pro-Black, not Anti-White, and now I know why.
So, ask yourself the question so few racist do: Why do I feel the way I do about your skin? If the answer is simply tradition, rhetoric, or you don't know, then those shallow convictions will not stand, and one less racist in the world has to be a good thing.

Obama Drama

2007-07-26T18:34:00.000-07:00

I admit to being extremely jaded when it comes to the American political process, but I have yet to be impressed by Mr. Obama. Reading a story about Obama calling out blacks in South Carolina, I could help but smile. One paragraph reads:

...Clinton enjoys strong support in the black community and is married to former President Clinton, who is wildly popular among black voters. Obama's advisers say their biggest challenge is introducing him to voters who certainly know who Clinton is, but may not know much about Obama or even that he is black.

It's hard enough running for president as a Democrat; a black democrat at that; running against a Clinton who is "wildly popular among black voters"(which, I'm sure, is why so many white people hate him), but how much harder is it when your biggest challenge is letting people know you're black? I think I have unraveled the Obama mystery: his appeal to blacks and some whites, his real challenges, how he could actually win, and would it matter.

First, his appeal. Many black people will give him a pass just because of his skin. Skin, however, still ain't enough to win the black vote. The reason many black people love him is because he represents a unique opportunity to have something in the presidency we have never had before: understanding. How many men do you know that can truly relate to the pains of childbirth? Probably very few. Not from a lack of empathy, but from the simple fact that we don't have anything to compare it to(and no, childbirth is not equal to getting kicked in the groin). That's how many whites relate to racism. It is marginalized, ignored, and scoffed at as a past issue. Barack brings the hope to many blacks that we finally could have a president who understands and cares about the state of Black America.
Of course, many won't vote for him because there is nothing black people hate worse than- how should I put this- and Uncle Tom. An Oreo. A house n****. One who is black, but pretends not to be. Barack is walking a tight rope: being pro-black is hand in hand with "militant", "racist", or "anti-white" to many whites, and he cant alienate his white supporters by throwing up a fist and saying Black Power. And many white people like Obama for his charisma, anti-Iraq vote, and that big brain he has. Plus, he has an appealing smile. Who doesn't love that?
The question is, can he win? I say, yes, but boy it's gonna be a tough one.
Bush's failure as a leader has left the presidency wide open, but Kerry learned that the "At least I'm not Bush" campaign strategy isn't enough to win, especially since everybody and their mama are running for president, and none of them are Bush. His main obstacle isn't fighting Mrs. Clinton for the black vote, but fighting the hardcore, right wing extremist, who are always united in their ignorance. Oh, don't get me wrong: I claim neither Left nor Right, I just notice that I disagree more often and on more issues with people who claim to be Conservatives. The problem is that being the first black candidate, a Democrat, a leftist, non Christian, and Black(yes, it counts as two strikes), Obama will unite Conservatives, Ultra-Conservatives, Reagan Republicans, and Racist(ha, redundancy!) more than any other candidate before because they see him as a direct challenge to their fundamental beliefs. To them, his election will mean the White House will be painted black, fried chicken will be mandatory at every meal, baseball will make way for basketball as the nations favorite past time, and apple pie will simply disappear.
So, blacks are waiting to validate his Black Card, the white opposition(not all whites: just those listed above) are united in their hate for him and his "unamericanism", and the indifferent are rendered useless due to the flood of candidates to choose from. Yes, it's a long road to the White House for Mr. Obama, but I still say thanks to W's grand mishaps, hippies and slackers will come outta the wood works and give him an actual fighting chance. Of course, I don't think it'll make a lick of a difference once he is in office and just another slave to the lobbyers who pull the strings of all presidents, so this is all moot point.
I guess that's why he called his book "The Audacity of Hope".
Still, the slightest possibility of black sympathy in the White House is exciting, so maybe I will vote for ol' boy, Obama. Besides, they'll just disenfranchise my vote anyway.

Neighborhood Watch in Effect

2007-07-13T15:32:00.000-07:00

To me, the tragedy and beauty of this is in it's simplicity.
Out of all laws, creeds, government forces, and policies; logic always prevails. Men of the community see a common threat, and from instinct, collectively defend their homes. They don't wait until someone tells them what to do. They don't complain about the government not handling "that death squad problem". They don't form a committee to discuss the issue of death squads and how its negatively effects on the neighborhood. They don't call the police and report that "death squads are in the process of killing my peers, please respond promptly". They do what comes natural, what they are socially responsible to do, and what all men are supposed to- defend their homes.
My first thought was of the duties of men, but immediately turned to the founding of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense; its origins being so similar. I'm too young for personal nostalgia, but the principles and passion are definitely lacking nowadays. Although romanticized, I miss the fundamental ideals of the time. That adversity caused a unity among all black people at the time, so the BPP was just a manifestation of nearly the entire people's sentiments. But my feelings while watching these men defend their community weren't of a pleasant passing, but were instead more dreading the loss of those principles applied. I felt the lack of that spirit of togetherness those men had. I saw the overcast of complacency that shadows the people today. If the people in 1966 raged and paced with the ferocity of a newly captured lion, then the people of 2007 lazily lag along the day, droopy eyed, with the docility of an overweight house cat having never been outside.
My wish, or goal- whichever is more obtainable- is for the eyes of my people to be open again, and the wrongs of this life we live are to be opposed by the masses, and not just a discontented few.
My heart goes out to those forced to live in such constant hostility, and my respect goes to the men defending their homes. I can only hope that my people will respond the same way to our oppressors. I know I will.

The Funeral Again

2007-07-10T14:43:00.000-07:00

To the modern attention span, speak of Don Imus is ancient history, but the N-Word is still hot topic for many who still converse. And rightfully so; for even those who refuse to participate in the discussions would do a double-take if the word was used "out of place"(to be debated/defined). Nobody publicly takes the stance "Keep Nigga/er Alive". For those who live under rocks, and this is their first foray out into the open, the movement is to permanently end the use of the N-word. The opposition is, obviously, the racist, but more-so the millions of blacks in America who have semi-accepted the word as a term of endearment. Semi because if a white person said it, it returns to taboo. I, too, before Imus was a household name amongst blacks, vowed to ban it from my vocabulary, but due to many falls off the wagon, have redefined that "vow to ban" into an "attempt to cut down". I'm trying, alright people, so get off my back.
So why keep beating what to some is a dead horse? I'll tell you why: Because some question still await valid responses. Why is it OK for black people to use it but not white people? The obvious argument is that when a black person uses it, its not racist, but when a white person does, blah blah blah. Point noted. But realistically, if you advocate its use anytime, you have to accept it being used by everyone. I agree with Paul Mooney that the black man in America is the most imitated man in history, bar none. People just wanna be down, so if you claim "nigga" to have gone from hate term to everyday slang, you have to accept its use to bleed into everyday speech by everyone just like every other trend does. For God's sake, the word "Bling" is in the dictionary! And that is the rally cry that allows me to revisit my personal struggle with it. I don't want that word to be mainstream. I don't want Webster to define it other than for historical text. I don't want my white friends to ever use it nonchalantly, whether I'm there or not. I don't want to hear the valley kids on Laguna Beach or any MTV show using it, but if thing continue down the path they are going, it's only a matter of time before it happens. Asking a black person if its offensive for a white person to say it is absolutely rhetorical, so why can't those same people see it's the actual word, and not it's source that's offensive? From Detroit to Texas, people are holding mock funerals to drive the point of burying the word, but its not publicity stunts of a minority that will get it done, it has to be the collective will of the people in order to truly bury it. I have decided to do all I can to end it's usage. The question is, has Black America had enough to divorce from the term, or is the relationship so strong that it truly is "til death do us part"? Only time will tell.

"A Gun on One hip, a Nightstick on the Other"

2007-06-28T11:11:00.000-07:00

This interview is being reprinted without permission from NewsWeek magazine, June 18th 2007.

The sheriff behind "Bloody Sunday" is dead. John Lewis recalls his old foe, and a day that changed America forever.
On march 7, 1965, some 600 men and women, black and white, headed east out of Selma, Ala., walking U.S. Highway 80 toward Montgomery in search of justice. Their efforts to register black voters three weeks earlier had been thwarted by Selma police. Six blocks into their march, as they walked across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the civil rights champions found themselves facing state troopers and members of the Dallas County Sheriff's Department. With the news media watching, Sheriff James Clark ordered his men to attack the peaceful demonstrators, who were beaten, tear gassed and trampled. The shocking assault, known as "Bloody Sunday", proved a turing point in the civil rights struggle.
Rep. John Lewis of Georgia was beaten that day; he still bears the scars. NEWSWEEK's Alexandra Gekas spoke with him about Sheriff Clark, who died June 4.
GEKAS: What was your first reaction when you heard that Sheriff Clark had died?LEWIS: I was sorry and sad to hear that Sheriff Jim Clark had passed away. I remember meeting him on several occasions, going back to the mid-1960s- being arrested by him and pushed around by him, so I can never forget that. The movement was like a play, it was like a drama, and we all had a role to play. And Sheriff Clark had a role, too. I don't know if history tracked us down, but we did our best to do what was right and fair. But I tell you, he was a mean man. I've heard he had an intimidating presence. What did he look like? He wore a gun on one hip, and he wore a nightstick on the other. He had a button that said NEVER in response to our song "We Shall Overcome", and he carried a cattle prod, which he used often.
What kind of interactioins did you have with Sheriff Clark? I remember being arrested by him in January 1965 when I was leading a froup of black men and women to the courthouse to get a copy of the so-called literacy test to try to pass so they could vote. He said to me, "John Lewis, you are an outsider and the lowest form of humanity." And you could see he was shaking with rage. ANd I looked at him and I said, "Imay be an agitator, but I'm not an outsider- I live 90 miles away. And I'm going to stay here until these people are allowed to register to vote." On another occasion there was a woman named Annie Cooper, a black woman who was standing in line trying to register. And he grabbed her, and she raised her arm with her purse to try to ward off the blow, and he knocked her down on the pavement and put his foot in her chest. When you walked on that bridge in Selma, did you have any idea what might happen? I thought we would be arrested and taken to jail. I had no idea, and I don't think any of us had any idea, that we would be beaten, that we would be trampled by horses, that there would be tear gas. I had a backpack with me. It had two books in it because I wanted to have something to read in jail. I had an apple and an orange because I wanted something to eat. And I had a toothbrush and toothpaste. Even today, when I see the video and the stills and see myself being knocked down, it is still so unbelievable and so unreal that anything like that could happen in America. When was the last time you saw Sheriff Clark? The last time was in Selma during the spring of 1965. After the Voting Rights Act was passed and more black people got registered, there was an election in 1966. A coalition of black and white voters defeated him and he sort of left town. I think in Selma, there a tremendous amount of fear. Certainly the blacks were afraid him, but I think a lot of local whites were afraid of Sheriff Clark, too. Did he ever apologize for his actions, or express any remorse? No, he never did. I know there were press people that tried to interview him in a little town near where he died, and he never, ever showed any sense of remorse. HE even told one reporter that he didn't beat John Lewis, that he never his anyone, that some of us were beaten because we were trying to date some of the local people's wives and girlfriends. He was never able to see the light; he was just never able to come around. What would you have said to him if you had met again before he died? I would have said, "Sheriff, good to see you, but tell me, why did you do what you did? Why did you beat so many people, harass and abuse the rights of so many people?" We had a right to march and we had a right to go down to the courthouse, and he guarded it like it was his home. To some extent it was the brutality of people like Sheriff Clark that brought the country around on civil rights. I think we have to give a lot of credit to Clark and other people who beat us because Americans were able to see the contrast. They saw unbelievable, brave, courageous people believing in a dream and participating in nonviolence being brutalized. And it ws the contrast that I think did change America and hasten the day of the Voting Rights Act in 1965. How has America changed since those days? We live in a different coiuntry, a much better country. To me it's unbelievable that you have tow of the major contenders for the president as an African-American and a woman. That would have been unheard of in 1965. I think what happened in Selma and on the bridge opened up the political process for all of our citizens to get in.

Spin, Baby, Spin

2007-06-18T12:55:00.000-07:00

On CNN.com, it was reported that an airstrike on al Qaeda killed seven children. My heart goes out to the parents and relatives of those children. The interesting thing to me, however, was in the way the story was reported. I am recently increasingly aware of journalist manipulation- the skillful way they interpret and communicate the facts as to influence the readers opinion, instead of allowing it to form naturally- also known as putting their spin on it. It's subtle. Almost invisible to the untrained reader. It comes across with ease and little effort and manipulates the masses- similar to the way a small rudder controls a large boat. Look at the story and see what I mean.

"Credible intelligence named the compound, which contained a mosque and a madrassa, as a suspected safehouse for al Qaeda fighters," the statement said. "Coalition forces confirmed the presence of nefarious activity occurring at the site before getting approval to conduct an airstrike on the location."

Nefarious- extremely wicked or villainous.
What activities took place? Were they wicked, or illegal? And wicked like planning attacks, or smoking weed? I guess we have to assume they were planning attacks, and not just people who didn't like Americans and had a gun in their presence. But I could just be naive. Lets read on.
The military said that residents later confirmed that al Qaeda fighters had been present in the compound in Paktika province's Zarghun Shahr district all day Sunday.
All day Sunday, huh? Didn't you say it was a mosque? Lets assume it still a safehouse, and not just them going to church. But I digress...
"This is another example of al Qaeda using the protective status of a mosque, as well as innocent civilians, to shield themselves," Maj. Belcher said. "We are saddened by the innocent lives that were lost as a result of militants' cowardice."
Whoa, did you see that? It happened so fast that most people miss it. They shifted the responsibility of the death of seven children from the people who ordered and executed the strike to the "militants" and their cowardice. So in one swift motion, the blood of seven children lies on the heads of al Queda cowards. Smooth. Damn that al Queda! War support just went up one point.
Look, I understand that in every war there will be some civilian casualties, but there is another war constantly being fought right alongside Iraq. Its the psychological war being waged against the American public by the powers that be. War is hard enough without the people supporting you, so instead of just stating the facts, ALL mainstream media does as they are told, and manipulates what is told and how its told minimize the natural reaction of human empathy. Instead of saying "US bombs mosque, Seven children die", they say "Al Queda uses children as human shields", drumming up support for an increasingly unpopular war. Obviously, I would like nothing more than to end this pointless war, but even the supporters should stop and think about the reality of the situation: War is Hell. The logic of our current leaders doesn't add up to me. We gotta go to war for peace? In the words of Sho Nuff, the Shogun of Harlem- "Nigga, please!"

Concentration Camps Back In Action

2007-06-07T15:48:00.000-07:00

A recent report by World Net Daily outlined the details of a little known contract and directive signed by President Bush, granting him "an unprecedented amount of authority" in the event of a national emergency. It also highlights the KBR contract, whose purpose is to build detention centers. The centers official purpose is "...to support the Army Corp of Engineers in case we experienced a sudden mass immigration and we had to respond quickly.... We would need immediate detention facilities in the form of temporary housing that would enable us to determine if the large numbers of illegal immigrants were political or economically motivated, or if they were criminals or terrorists."
Politically or economically motivated? Criminals, or terrorist? Hold that thought for a moment.

The directive signed May 9th grants emergency powers to the Executive Office in the event of a "catastrophic emergency"- defined as "any incident, regardless of location, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy or government functions." That sounds like more than a "mass immigration crisis".

Now lets do some math.

Take the new directive, which allows emergency powers to be granted for any disruption(including protest) deemed large enough.
Plus the Real ID Act set to take place in May of 2008.
Add the detention centers (concentration camps), whose stated purpose is to determine its captors motives, be it political or whatever, and detain criminals(1 in 2 black men will spend some time in prison in their life).
And last but not least, our beloved Patriot Act, which expanded the definition of "enemy combatant" to anyone anti-current administration including U.S citizens, and allows such people to be detained indefinitely without being charged or any sort of due process or rights.
Add them all together and you get some bullshit.
You mean to tell me that anyone who has already been flagged because of their discontent with the government or presidency can be picked up at anytime and detained indefinitely without charges, and now they have gone as far as to build concentration camps for mass detention? When did America become Nazi Germany? All it takes is for people to say something, and not condone or participate in these things for them and their government to realize that the power lies with the people. All it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing. Wake up, America, before it's too late.

New Discrimination

2007-05-24T17:17:00.001-07:00

I call it "new" discrimination, but it's really not new. Picture two kids: One is into Mos Def, watches 106 and Park everyday, dreams of starting a record label, and rocks Air Force 1's with a white tee. The other is into System of A Down, watches The Office obsessively, plans on starting a news website, and is mostly known for flip-flops and jeans.
Both of these kids are black.
The latter daily falls victim to what I dubbed "the new discrimination". I have both witnessed and practiced it myself. This new discrimination is the act of having a negative perception of one's own race because of not fitting certain stereotypes. Loosely, it means hating on somebody for not being "black enough", be it in speech, clothing, or habits.
I was greatly offended once when a white coworker told me I wasn't really black. Why did he say that? Is it my love for soccer, varied taste in music, or speech? How about the fact that I vote, have a job, don't get welfare, or read? Do those things make me less black? I almost punched him dead in his mouth when he said that.
But what happens when black people do the same thing to each other? Have you ever looked down on someone for doing things you consider faux pas- like using "faux pas" instead of "questionable" or "suspect"?
For example, I almost cut off a friend of mine when I found out she owned Jerry Senfield's stand up DVD, but had never even seen a Chris Rock special. (Read it again, and yes, she's black)
In my head, I was like "what the $#@*?", but had to take a step back. How many times have I been ridiculed for similar reasons, be it accent, Star Wars obsession, or whatever. It's like I'm too black for most, but not black enough to others. It's ironic- the very stereotypes we hate to be forced upon us, we apply to each other.
I've taken a step back to re-examine my reactions. From now on, if a black person wants to listen to country music, vote Republican, or watch Laguna Beach, they can do it without fear of judgment from me.
I would advise the same for all my brothers and sisters. Before you look down on someone for doing things you consider "white", think twice. Ask yourself- "If a white person said this to me, would I punch them in the mouth?" Besides, we all could stand to expand our horizons a little, and System of a Down be jamming. Love.

Remembering Malcolm

2007-05-19T17:26:00.000-07:00

Because of his non-conformist ways, aggressive defensive stance, and confrontation of the corrupt system oppressing his people, Malcolm X's birthday is not recognized by the US Government, but a leader doesn't need government confirmation. Malcolm X was a true warrior for the advancement 0f black people in America. He faced the oppressors head on, and was in my opinion the spearhead of any so called progress we have made. His powerful message still resonates as clearly as before through the voices and actions of modern day freedom fighters who's lives have been greatly influenced by his words. He was a real man, who gave his life for his people. Happy birthday, brother Malcolm. Your legacy will last forever.

Ode to Yolanda King

2007-05-18T13:43:00.000-07:00

To many, she was simply the daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King. To others, she was a powerful actress who only took roles that spread her and her fathers message of equality. And still, to some she was a strong motivator and playwright. But to me, she was a real woman, who loved to laugh, spoke nothing but real talk, and breathed the movement. She was a queen, who lived up to the name King. Rest in peace, Sister Yolanda Denise King.

2007-05-07T11:46:00.000-07:00

Is the Barack the Magic Negro song racist? To many blacks, the answer is a resounding Yes, but I think was it racist isn't even the real issue. Rush Limbaugh has bosses just like everyone else. I, being the conspiracy brother myself, think that rush was put up to this by enemies of Barack to undermine his white supporters. They didn't attack his character, or his policies, or his history. They attacked his race- one of the most divisive issues in America. My theory is this: If they can stir up the racial tentions that most politicians try to steer clear of, then they can paint Mr. Obama as something many whites don't want anything to do with: a pro-black extremist. Race is such a sensitive and polarizing issue that even the most liberal, non-racist, tree hugging hippie can become defensive when faced with a pro-black conversation. Pro-black is quite often mistaken for anti-white, so by forcing Obama to defend these racial attacks, he plans to make him seem obsessed with his race, and that will isolate his supporters more than anything else. If the issue is diverted from his character and his policies to only race, people who share his views will instead not support him, or vote for the other guy. Very clever strategy, you fat, greasy, money hungry, evil sons of a building block. Almost genius- evil genius. You can fool some people sometimes, but you can't fool all the people all the time. Black people, don't be distracted by bigots being themselves. White people, don't disqualify Obama because his enemies duped you. Either way, bush will be out next year, so we all win.

"But You Guys Say It All The Time"

2007-04-11T11:57:00.000-07:00

Fall out from the Don Imus comments is dominating news sites, chat rooms, and water coolers all across America. Many, however, fail to grasp the seriousness of the situation and the larger issues at hand. TV Personality Al Roker(formerly known as "Big Al") came out publicly saying "It's time for Imus to go." Reading his readers comments, as well as many on the radio and tv, the general sentiment from white people seems to be "What's the big deal? You guys say it all the time".
And it's true.
The "nappy head", "ho", the "n-word", "you people"- all red flags that some racist comments are about to go down. The question is, why is it ok for Black people to use these terms, but not anyone else?
The answer is, it's not OK.
We as a people need to stop tolerating and participating in the self-derogatory vernacular that has become considered normal, especially in the entertainment industry. Yes, it is hypocritical to despise a white person who calls you "nigger", if you say it to other people all the time. (No, there is no difference between "nigger" and "nigga"- same definition, just different accent.) We cannot disrespect and degrade each other daily, then express outrage when others do the same. We have to change our ways, and treat each other the way we want to be treated. (It's not called the "golden rule" for nothing)

But a message to all those who say "you guys say it, so why can't we?":
When someone does wrong, pointing out the victim's imperfections does not justify anything. And a black person degrading a black person is definitely wrong, but rarely racist- and racism is the reason so many people were upset. And if you don't understand why racism upsets people, then why are you even reading this, you sociopath? (not that you care, but I was kidding)

Black Hos and Jiggaboos

2007-04-09T16:57:00.000-07:00

With such a prime example of racism, it was difficult to settle on an angle.

It's not surprising to me that an old white man would speak such blatantly racist remarks.

I'm not surprising that any white man would have such a European sense of beauty, as to call a predominately black basketball team full of some really good looking girls "rough looking".

I'm not surprised that his co-commentator received no attention, even though he was just as guilty in his agreement with, and even assisting the comments made.

It's unsurprising that he has apologized for the comments, citing his "deep regret and embarrassment", but failed to acknowledge the wrong in thinking such hateful thoughts. (Just like Michael Richards)

What is surprising, is the obvious bigotry in the repercussions.

Not long ago, Lamar Thomas was fired from his sports analyst job for comments he made. A fight broke out between UA, his alumni, and rivals FIU, and he made "inappropriate comments" like "That's what I'm talking about!", and " You don't come into our house talking noise like that!"

He was fired just one day after the comments were made because they say his comments "condoned violence", but ol Don Imus insults an entire race of women by calling them "nappy headed ho's" and "jiggaboos", and it takes five days for any action to occur. If it wasn't on YouTube that Friday and responded to with such outrage, I wonder if any action would have been taken at all. And what action was taken? The show will be suspended for two weeks, starting April sixteenth. Oh, the bigotry, how it burns. Both Don Imus and Sid Rosenberg should be fired and blacklisted from the entire media industry. Anything less proves the tolerance of racism in amongst white media personalities. The only means of contacting the network is by email, so if you are equally outraged, send an email to viewerservices@msnbc.com. This has got to stop.

Are You Here for the Job, or to Rob Me?

2007-04-06T10:17:00.000-07:00

One man wore a bright, royal blue zoot suit, including the matching blue shirt, bright blue striped tie, and blindingly blue vest. It had a long silver chain as a tie stay, and a matching long chain for the wallet(Imagine that scene from Malcolm X where he's strolling down the street looking fly). To top it off, he had a pair of blue snake skin shoes with silver tips and spurs to match, that jingled every time he moved. I just know he had an equally pimpish had with a long blue feather at home that he used all his willpower not to wear.
Another man wore the world's dingiest tall tee, some extra baggy gray sweats, and what used to be white Nike's.
Unless your applying for food stamps or going for Pimp of the Year, neither of these are appropriate for an interview. Especially a job interview.
I was appalled at some of the outfits worn to a mass hiring event I attended recently. I almost thought I was in the wrong place. Since when are holey jeans OK for an interview? Apparently, these people know something I don't about the interview process. They must know that the more derelict you look, the more sympathy they have, and are more likely to hire you. Is that what people think when they go for a job?
Well, that's not the case, people.
Consider this a public service announcement. Some positive criticism, brought to you out of love. All of my people who are interviewing for jobs and don't know how to dress: Dress like someone who wants a job.
Club attire is not work attire. Don't dress like you already have the job and just got off work. Don't dress like a pimp, no matter how good you think you look. It doesn't matter that its Sean John, sneakers and sweats are not OK. They may be expensive, but jeans are only appropriate if the job you are going for is "Professional Cowboy" or "Rapper".
Shave. Dress Conservative and simple. Turn OFF the cell phone.
Don't kill your chances before the interview even begins. Love.

Has the NAACP Gone Hollywood?

2007-04-05T13:05:00.000-07:00

When people seek justice, do they still call the NAACP?
Some say yes. They see the NAACP as the same pillar in the community and cornerstone to the civil rights movement they were forty years ago. They cite statistics, like the NAACP having two thousand active chapters, to prove their point of effectiveness.
I disagree.
Not to be a non conformist- A house divided against itself cannot stand.
I speak from a ground zero point of view. I see what the NAACP is doing, the battles it chooses to fight and the issues it chooses to stand against, and feel like they have strayed from the original path.
"The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination. "
But when people are in trouble, can they really call the NAACP? When Creole Cotton called them on behalf of her wrongfully imprisoned daughter, all she got was doubt. The main people who should have supported her took the side of the bigots. The inactivity of the NAACP on local issues is becoming well known amongst the very people they claim to help. How can they claim to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination if they shun the common people, and only take high profile cases and issues? Racism is no longer practiced with burning crosses and publicized lynchings, but in discretion by policy and practices- like apartheid. If all you do is take on the high profile, blatantly obvious cases, then you are attacking the tip of the iceberg, and ignoring the looming glacier just below the surface.
I say this out of love. It is not my desire to cast doubt of the effectiveness of the NAACP, or for people to feel like they couldn't call them if they had an issue. I only wish for the organization to take a step back, and rediscover their roots. Otherwise, who are you really representing if not me, a man of color?

Old News

2007-04-03T19:56:00.000-07:00

When does a story cross the line from being news worthy, to beating a dead horse? When does one's fifteen minutes officially end? Depends on who you talk to. For some, mention of the war is conversation suicide. They are numb to the daily death tolls, helicopter crashes, and suicide bombings. Those people, however, have the convenience of being distant from the reality of the subject. Ask an Iraqi. They don't get tired of hearing about the war. They never bore of death tolls, or suicide bombing stats, because there is a chance that a loved one was killed today, and a chance that they could be kidnapped, tortured, and killed tomorrow. So for them, war talk is nothing to be forgotten, because for them, your conversation suicide is their way of life.
That's why so many stories have been written about Shaquanda Cotton.
For me, and many like me, life in these United States is a war zone. There is an unspoken battle being fought everyday. Baby Cotton is just a catalyst to a movement: a spark to a flame: a battle in a war; a symbol to a revolution- representing the injustices performed against people of color every single day. Some outsiders understandably doubt the seriousness of the situation. Even some within the corrupt system fail to recognize the trap they are in, and the atrocious acts against their own. Perhaps years of bondage has instilled a sense of complacency, like one serving a long jail sentence accepting his fate, or a lion in a cage, forgetting his roots and the taste of freedom. I, however, will never mistake this Matrix for Reality. We are kings, born of queens, with royalty in our veins, and I am poised to forcefully claim my throne. My people lay wasted in bondage, but not for long. Let this be a call to all who understand me, and a warning to the peoples and systems of oppression- The time has come to arise.
Shaquanda Cotton is free. One down,- one hundred and forty nine million, nine hundred ninety nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety nine to go.

Breaking News: Shaquanda Cotton to be Freed

2007-03-31T09:10:00.000-07:00

Shaquanda Cotton will be freed! Click here for the full story.

Two Justice Systems

2007-03-29T13:51:00.000-07:00

Some people don't believe or understand in the saying "there are two justice systems in America". Some feel that whenever such claims are made, they point to rare extremes, and even those are never as transparently racist as they seem. To others, however, racial injustice is a daily truth. The victims live with its effects everyday, whether it be sitting in a jail cell for seventeen years(See: Tyrone Brown), or dealing with such effects for the rest of their lives. Just yesterday in South Carolina, two female teachers were arrested for allegedly having sex with six of their male students, ranging from eleven to fifteen years in age. It is a tragedy when such crimes are committed against any youth, but many see another case of the two systems at work. Imagine the same scenario- two teachers and six students- with the racial roles reversed. Many are upset in their seemingly easy treatment, but what concerns me the most is what they will be charged with. Pamela Rogers, a white teacher, was plead guilty to having sex with a thirteen year old student, and then violating her probation by sending nude videos of herself to the same boy. She was charged with four counts of sexual battery by an authority figure, then later, two counts of solicitation of sexual exploitation of a minor. It took a while, but I finally found a similar case involving a black female teacher. Marcia Amsterdam had sex with a thirteen year old student, but was charged with second degree rape, second degree sex abuse, and endangering the welfare of a child. Similar crimes- Teacher and thirteen year old- but very different convictions.

The only difference I can see is that Marcia Amsterdam is black.

But there are tons of other, seemingly clearer, instances of racial injustice( see: Just Plain Injustice for some examples). These cases are but the tip of the iceberg. The point is, that we need to bring an end to race fueled inconsistencies in the justice system once and for all. But progress can begin until more people acknowledge there is a problem. A big problem.

Last week, it was Tyrone Brown. Tuesday, it was Shaquanda Cotton. Yesterday, it was two teachers in South Carolina. I'm not going to stop until racial and judicial inequality are just bad memories, because I want my children to have a better tomorrow.

Free Baby Cotton - Protest in Paris

2007-03-28T09:51:00.000-07:00

Paris, TX, yesterday, unwillingly hosted a historical event in what some are calling the birth of the new civil rights movement. The people of Paris, Dallas, and the surrounding cities all joined forces and bore the rain in front of the courthouse in Paris, TX to protest the wrongful imprisonment of fourteen year old Shaquanda Cotton, and take a stand for racial injustice everywhere. Initial tensions were high after organizers received many threatening calls from Paris citizens and KKK members warning people "...to stay out of our town" and to "leave our Coloreds alone", but the protest remained peaceful as intended and in high spirits, despite the rain and heavy police presence. Many protesters were upset by what they called an excessive police showing, but more so by the many watching from the courthouse windows, filming and what appeared to be snickering at the events. The overall mood of the rally was powerful and empowering, but more important was the feeling of unity and unrest that followed. After the rally was over, nothing felt like business as usual . All chatter and talk was about future plans and next moves, which is crucial to any group who seeks real results. Was this the birth of a movement, or just a day of speeches? It all depends on the actions of those who attended. Will they ride the euphoria for a day and then regain their complacency, or spread the message? Only time will tell. All I can say is that, from the feeling of being there, this was more than just a spark to start a flame: it was a lit stick of dynamite and a can of gasoline in what is already an explosive situation. End racial injustice. One law for all. Free Baby Cotton now.

Highlights from the rally

Thoughts: Chocolate Craving?

2007-03-27T14:10:00.000-07:00

Waiting in line at the deli a few days ago, I couldn't help but to notice a middle-aged white man staring at me from a few feet away. Staring with a look of interest. In fact, he looked to be a little too interested and in turn made me uncomfortable.

"Hey, how you doin'?" he said with a grin.

I ignored him.

Maybe it's just me, but as a black woman, I've always felt strangely uncomfortable when white men try to flirt or approach me. Not that I'm fine with black men cat calling, but it's always a different kind of creepiness when white men do it. Why is this?

Author bell hooks believes it's because of America's long time devaluation of black womanhood. In her book, Ain't I A Woman, hooks discusses how white America has perpetuated the stereotype of black women as whores and sexual savages for centuries. She argues this myth was created to keep inter-racial relationships at bay. At the same time however, this negative image of black women has intrigued white men who are curious as to whether this myth has any truth to it. In an excerpt from her book, hook writes:

"In large cities their [white men] lust for black female sex objects led to
the formation of numerous houses of prostitution which supplied black bodies
to meet the growing demand of white men. The myth perpetuated by whites that
black women were the possessors of a heightened sexuality encouraged white
male rapists and sexual exploiters."

Now, I've been called names like "Sweet Cocoa" and "Hot Chocolate" before by white men and always felt a bit uneasy about it. hooks' theory just may be the reason why. Thoughts?

Update: Shaquanda Cotton

2007-03-26T13:23:00.000-07:00

William Blair Jr once said that "If ever there is a just cause, [black people] will stick together." It was a powerful statement of hope against a constant barrage of pessimism, but may be proving to be true after all. When the local radio station 97.9 The Beat got a hold of Shaquanda Cotton's story and reported it, the streets took action. Tomorrow morning at eleven AM, a peaceful protest will take place in front of city hall in Paris, TX. The address is 119 N Main St, Paris, TX 75460. Click here to get directions. Any one who is able to attend, please do so. Your participation is the only action that will take place. CNN is not going to report the story. We can't wait until 20/20 does a story and it reaches the sympathetic ear of an influential white person. If the story of Emmit Till had not been told repeatedly by everyone who heard it, how many more similar murders would have been committed without fear of consequence? We need to send a message to the justice system: the message that these double standards will not be tolerated. If you cannot be in Paris tomorrow morning, you still can support the cause. You can help by contacting Texas governor Rick Perry's website, sending Shaquanda notes of support, and spreading the word. Only together can we change a corrupt justice system, and save not only one little girl, but all future generations.

Free Shaquanda Cotton: Leave Shaquanda Notes of Love!

2007-03-26T12:53:00.000-07:00

Free Shaquanda Cotton: Leave Shaquanda Notes of Love!

Just Plain Injustice

2007-03-23T08:05:00.000-07:00

Just last week, Tyrone Brown was released from prison. Click here for the full story. Basically, he was seventeen years old when sentenced to LIFE in prison for having marijuana in his system while on parole. His original crime was robbing a man for two dollars. After the story ran on 20/20, people were aware of the case and were outraged at the seemingly race fueled injustice. But the biggest outrage to me, was that he had to stay in prison for seventeen years before the public got wind of his case and did something about it. I followed the story since I first heard about it, and since then, I vowed that any lack of communication would end when things like this reached my ears. Well, this morning I was made aware of another outrageous injustice in-where else- the prison capital of the world: my home state of Texas. The facts of the case are simple: A fourteen year old girl pushes a hall monitor, who is not seriously injured at all, and is sentenced to seven years in prison, down in historically racist Paris, Texas. Both parts of that were equally outrageous. Seven years?! Prison?! Since when do we send fourteen-year-olds to grown folks prison? We don't- unless of course the fourteen year old is a minority. Duke Lacrosse players in college get accused of rape, and all I hear is "these are some good boys", but a fourteen year old black kid wrestling with his six year old sibling accidentally body slams and kills him, and he gets tried as an adult, and sentenced to LIFE in prison. Some people refuse to believe that there are two separate justice systems in America, but then again, some people think racism doesn't exist either, so I'm not surprised. As a black man, how am I supposed to have any faith in a justice system that shows such extreme double standards? Shaquanda Cotton, your cry has been heard. Blacks are 12.8 percent of America's population, but 49 percent of the prisons population. Are blacks genetically predisposed to become criminals, or is it something else? And who holds judges accountable for their decisions? That is, who makes sure justice is being administered properly? When Tyrone Brown was sentenced to life for a joint, and the same judge let Alex Wood plead guilty to murder, then violate his probation four times on much more serious charges without ever spending one day in jail, who will be the one to blow the whistle and say "something is not right here"? "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." You don't have to be black to be in an uproar over this particular injustice(but if you are black, you should be especially outraged), but in the name of Justice, you can not allow this to go unanswered. Free Shaquanda Cotton now.

Image issues

2007-03-22T02:34:00.000-07:00

Image issues still plague blacks

When you think of beauty, who comes to mind? Think of five people who you think are considered beautiful by everyone. Got 'em? Now, how many of those people are black?

We have come a long way in recent decades, appreciating the physical attributes associated with our race. However, the "traditional" standard of American beauty, which many minorities feel caters to features known to white people, still is forcing many blacks to second guess themselves when looking in the mirror. Does this all seem familiar? Well it should. White standards of beauty, generational insecurity, self hatred- these terms are not new. By now, black people are well aware of the image oppression faced daily by their peers. With the increase in dreadlocks being worn, and progressive comedians like Monique promoting more curves, I thought we as a people were moving away from the old ways and truly embracing our qualities. Imagine my surprise to read about the increase in minorities getting plastic surgery. The true shocker was the type of surgeries being performed. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the most common operations are nose reshapings, liposuction, and breast reductions. A question for those getting their noses reshaped- exactly what shape nose are you going for? The increase in plastic surgeries and the type of surgeries being done is a clear indication that we still have a long way to go when it comes to loving our bodies. I can plea and plea for my folks to embrace their full lips, wide noses, nappy roots, curvy hips, and big butts, but it may be too late for many who define beauty as a thin nose, light skin, and straight hair. My hope is that these in inherent insecurities die with this generations youth, but that will never happen as long as they get their definition of beauty from watching MTV's Laguna Beach. Image issues? Wake up people! The sixties called- they want their issues back. If you insist on taking notes from page ninteteen sixty in the history books, write this down- Black is Beautiful. Leave the surgeries alone.