Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
NAACP CHAPTER SUSPENDED FIGHTING FOR MUMIA ABU JAMALS LIFE
SUNDIATA SADIQ
May 27, 2008
As the former president of the Ossining NAACP for 8 yrs and now vice president under chapter suspension I felt compelled to write this letter after being received in Paris, France by common by dignitaries attending the unveiling of a new street called Rue Mumia Abu Jamal. Naming a street for Mumia Ab-Jamal who they believe is innocent. I was also with Harry Belafonte when he made the video that was played saluting the people of France for this historic event and stating he believed in Mumia’s innocents.
For a little bit of background for the readers let me say. Our chapter is located in a racist town called Ossining New York the home of Sing Sing prison. From the late 1800’s New York State has executed 695 people 9 of them women. Sing Sing prison has executed 615 of that total. Some innocent. The Ossining NAACP started a youth program in the prison whereby youth could actually dialogue with inmates who would have been executed if the death penalty had not been outlawed in the mid 60s in New York State. My I say the last execution was that of an African American male. Our of that program came Steven Hawkins a well known former NAACP Legal Defense Fund Lawyer, Death Penalty lawyer and former lawyer for Mumia Abu-Jamal. So it was a natural thing for our chapter so support Mumia and submit the result ion over many blockades that were set up
After demonstrating at the NAACP national convention, in 2004 in Philadelphia Pa. along with members of the International Concerned Families and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal and other organizations A resolution was passed by the national organization supporting a new and fair trial for Mumia and called upon all its units nationally and internationally to support that call.
The only thing that has happened is that the Ossining chapter of NAACP, the chapter that brought the original resolution was suspended on bogus charges that stem from the resolution and demonstrations at the national convention(NY times Sunday 7/17/ 2005) According to the Amsterdam News article by Hope Clive 2/9/05 When she called Julian Bond he said knew nothing about the suspension by Hazel N. Dukes president of the New York Conference of branches. We never got a hearing or chance to explain our side of the story.
The case of Mumia Abu Jamal has now been put on a fast track and the Fraternal Order of Police and their Uncle Toms and Tomasina's have gone on a campaign to kill Mumia. We wrote to Julian Bond asking for a meeting with the national leadership. The response we got back from Dennis Hayes the general counsel of NAACP was they were too busy ,but would meet soon with Governor Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania about the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal.
While in France a French government official invited us to sit in on an action session that Dennis Hayes and other NAACP officials were attending. The French were trying to find out how to handle the uprisings in the Afrikan community. We could not because of prior commitments. Anyway the NAACP delegates had no answer because they are out of the loop just as they are in America.
We wanted to tell the NAACP leadership that Governor Ed Rendell has always been a rabidly pro-death penalty person. When he was DA and Mayor of Philadelphia Rendell’s offices oversaw and validated the frame-up of Mumia. Rendell in his campaign for Governor vowed to sign the papers to execute Mumia if he were elected. Rendell was the DA during the first attack on MOVEs house in 1978.
He worked with Rizzo and the Philadelphia police to destroy the MOVE house before it could be thoroughly examined for evidence to negate the lies about MOVE.
The NAACP chose to sit down with this devil before sitting down with Pam and Ramona Afrika Dr. Suzanne Ross and Sundiata Sadiq.
We hope the new CEO Ben Jealous will re-instate the 69yr old Ossining Chapter, and put an end to this foolishness and class collaborationist policy of the Association.
The Ossining NAACP is still functioning. Not officially but still we rise The brutality against our children in this town by the police has escalated. We are still on call. We will still stand with Mumia and all our Political prisoners after this suspension is dealt with.
Sundiata Sadiq
NYC Coalition to Free Mumia Abu Jamal
Life member and Former president Ossining Chapter NAACP (in suspension)
May 27, 2008
As the former president of the Ossining NAACP for 8 yrs and now vice president under chapter suspension I felt compelled to write this letter after being received in Paris, France by common by dignitaries attending the unveiling of a new street called Rue Mumia Abu Jamal. Naming a street for Mumia Ab-Jamal who they believe is innocent. I was also with Harry Belafonte when he made the video that was played saluting the people of France for this historic event and stating he believed in Mumia’s innocents.
For a little bit of background for the readers let me say. Our chapter is located in a racist town called Ossining New York the home of Sing Sing prison. From the late 1800’s New York State has executed 695 people 9 of them women. Sing Sing prison has executed 615 of that total. Some innocent. The Ossining NAACP started a youth program in the prison whereby youth could actually dialogue with inmates who would have been executed if the death penalty had not been outlawed in the mid 60s in New York State. My I say the last execution was that of an African American male. Our of that program came Steven Hawkins a well known former NAACP Legal Defense Fund Lawyer, Death Penalty lawyer and former lawyer for Mumia Abu-Jamal. So it was a natural thing for our chapter so support Mumia and submit the result ion over many blockades that were set upAfter demonstrating at the NAACP national convention, in 2004 in Philadelphia Pa. along with members of the International Concerned Families and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal and other organizations A resolution was passed by the national organization supporting a new and fair trial for Mumia and called upon all its units nationally and internationally to support that call.
The only thing that has happened is that the Ossining chapter of NAACP, the chapter that brought the original resolution was suspended on bogus charges that stem from the resolution and demonstrations at the national convention(NY times Sunday 7/17/ 2005) According to the Amsterdam News article by Hope Clive 2/9/05 When she called Julian Bond he said knew nothing about the suspension by Hazel N. Dukes president of the New York Conference of branches. We never got a hearing or chance to explain our side of the story.
The case of Mumia Abu Jamal has now been put on a fast track and the Fraternal Order of Police and their Uncle Toms and Tomasina's have gone on a campaign to kill Mumia. We wrote to Julian Bond asking for a meeting with the national leadership. The response we got back from Dennis Hayes the general counsel of NAACP was they were too busy ,but would meet soon with Governor Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania about the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal.While in France a French government official invited us to sit in on an action session that Dennis Hayes and other NAACP officials were attending. The French were trying to find out how to handle the uprisings in the Afrikan community. We could not because of prior commitments. Anyway the NAACP delegates had no answer because they are out of the loop just as they are in America.
We wanted to tell the NAACP leadership that Governor Ed Rendell has always been a rabidly pro-death penalty person. When he was DA and Mayor of Philadelphia Rendell’s offices oversaw and validated the frame-up of Mumia. Rendell in his campaign for Governor vowed to sign the papers to execute Mumia if he were elected. Rendell was the DA during the first attack on MOVEs house in 1978.
He worked with Rizzo and the Philadelphia police to destroy the MOVE house before it could be thoroughly examined for evidence to negate the lies about MOVE.
The NAACP chose to sit down with this devil before sitting down with Pam and Ramona Afrika Dr. Suzanne Ross and Sundiata Sadiq.
We hope the new CEO Ben Jealous will re-instate the 69yr old Ossining Chapter, and put an end to this foolishness and class collaborationist policy of the Association.
The Ossining NAACP is still functioning. Not officially but still we rise The brutality against our children in this town by the police has escalated. We are still on call. We will still stand with Mumia and all our Political prisoners after this suspension is dealt with.
Sundiata Sadiq
NYC Coalition to Free Mumia Abu Jamal
Life member and Former president Ossining Chapter NAACP (in suspension)
Mumia Abu Jamal: Failure of Black Leadership
SUNDIATA SADIQ
10 Madison ave
Ossining NY 10562
DEAR EDITOR
,
Critical Moment for Mumia Abu Jamal and Black Leadership is Silent
On March 29, 2008, hundreds of Black, white, and Latino folk gathered at the Adam Clayton Powell Office Building on 125th Street in Harlem to protest the Third Circuit Court of Appeals decision denying Mumia Abu-Jamal a new trial, or even a hearing detailing his trumped-up murder conviction of Police Officer Daniel Faulkner in Philadelphia 26 years ago. Congressman Charles Rangel, senior member of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), has his office there.
The Adam Clayton Powell Office Building was chosen after numerous calls were made on the Congressional Black Caucus to reaffirm their 1995 and 1999 support for Mumia. At this crucial time, Mumia needs that support once again.
The executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus, Dr. Joe Leonard, directed us to stop calling because the Black Caucus has a procedure to follow. He said he would relay these issues to the proper individuals, and they would get back to us. The chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus is Carolyn Kilpatrick; given the attitude Leonard displayed, she probably never even received our request to meet with her. Regardless, no one ever contacted us. She must now hear from all of Mumia Abu-Jamal’s supporters.
Ten months ago, when we contacted the executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus, Dr. Joe Leonard, his response was a familiar one. We were given the same runaround over two years ago by the national NAACP’s Dennis Hayes, their national legal counsel and now interim CEO. He wrote us saying the NAACP was too busy to meet with us but instead would meet with Governor Ed Rendell to discuss Mumia’s case. That struck us as odd since Rendell promised to sign the death warrant for Mumia as soon as it came across his desk. This was his campaign promise when he ran for governor. When Tookie Williams was facing execution at the hands of the California authorities, the NAACP visited him in jail and even offered him a job with the national organization. We applaud that move even though it was not part of their national call, as Mumia was and is. Some of us feel that this was a move by the NAACP to drum up membership and donations since there were no serious demonstrations by the organization or a national call to stop the execution. We also wonder why they have not offered a similar offer to Mumia at a time when such pressure could make a difference. Funny, the NAACP could turn out 10,000 folk in South Carolina to demonstrate about the Confederate flag flying over the South Carolina capitol building, but not one demo to stop the execution of Tookie. The NAACP also turned out thousands in Detroit to bury the word “nigger,” but not one demo to support Mumia.
Maybe we should have buried some of our Black leadership with the n-word.
Mumia Abu-Jamal has strong support among the rank and file of working-class people and also such notables as former mayor of New York City David Dinkins. He is a lawyer and after studiously reviewing the case of Mumia declared his support for Mumia’s freedom. Support also came from other notables in the Afrikan community such as Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Dick Gregory, Danny Glover, and many others in that same vein.
At the national convention of the NAACP in Philadelphia in 2004, after great pressure from Mumia supporters outside and inside the convention hall, the NAACP passed a resolution urging all chapters of the NAACP at home and abroad to study the case of Mumia and demand a new and fair trial for our brother. What transpired after the 2004 convention was that the only chapter in America (the Ossining NAACP) that brought the resolution to the national convention was suspended by Hazel Dukes, president of the New York State NAACP chapter. Dukes was earlier convicted of stealing money from a dying friend who had entrusted Duke to handle her estate. Strangely enough, after the controversy of her conviction subsided, Dukes was re-elected in 1999 to her former post. Her re-election has long since been thought of by many members to have been rigged.
In 2005, after we made the NAACP nervous at the national convention in Washington, DC, with our demonstration and speaking to the membership, Hilary Shelton, lobbyist for the national NAACP, promised to meet with us. During a visit to his office in Washington, DC, Shelton told us that he would get us an audience with at least a couple of brothers or sisters in the CBC who would listen to what we have to say. Shelton “played us” like his namesake, who “came under fire” during a landing in Bosnia, because we never got a hearing.
We have seen our legislators and lawmakers become frightened by the attacks of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) lobbyist in Washington, DC, whose only purpose is to see that Mumia and other Black people are executed. Congressman Chaka Fattah from Pennsylvania, a Mumia supporter, fell victim to the FOP as did John Street, former mayor of Philadelphia.
If it were not for the working people of these United States and the world, Mumia would be dead by now. Those Black leaders in office that pretend to advocate for justice when we fall in the hands of the injustice system have failed to step up to the plate. The rank and file people must step up the struggle for Mumia’s freedom. We must expose these Black leaders for their cowardice and hypocrisy.
Mumia has spoken about this subject, and they want him silenced. His national radio comments never talk about his case but about the oppressed around America. His comments have been diametrically opposed to some Black leaders’ positions. One such contradiction is in New York and cities where our people are suffering. In New York, we are facing the loss of Harlem to avaricious developers and the Columbia University plan to gentrify what we call our beloved Mecca (Harlem) for Afrikan folk around the world. When we look at who is leading this land grab, we find Hazel Dukes and certain NAACP chapters in support of this ethnic cleansing of Harlem under the guise of redevelopment. When we pull back the covers, we see Congressman Charles Rangel and David Dinkins, along with various clergy, supporting this process that threatens “the village of Harlem as we know it.”
The 2004 resolution in Philadelphia by the NAACP was a move to silence the Mumia movement because they merely meant to throw us a few bones. They had no intention of dealing with the Mumia issue in any meaningful way. This was evident in Dukes’s statement shortly thereafter that the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal was not a priority of the NAACP. The Black leadership took a chapter right out of the counterintelligence program (COINTELPRO), whose predecessor (COM-FIL) carried out infiltration of suspected Communist organizations and individuals. One such person was radical Black leader W. E. B. Du Bois, one of the founders of the NAACP who created the Crisis magazine. He exposed the lynching of hundreds of Black men and women around America. Finally, the NAACP succumbed to the federal government’s demands and kicked W. E. B. Du Bois to the curb.
In spite of the courts that violate their own decisions and our rights every day, these same Black leaders have not stood up as the NAACP and Congressional Black Caucus and said, hell no, we ain’t lettin’ this brother Mumia go down like this!
Even after Judge Ambro of the Philadelphia Third Circuit Court of Appeals in his dissent on a 2-1 decision said that the decision not to hear Mumia’s appeal around “Batson” was part of a double standard not to hear Mumia out. Ambro’s minority opinion states further that every other “Batson appeal” that was reasonable before that court was granted. Mumia has been the only exception. Mumia’s' appeal went beyond reasonable.
The prosecutor Lynn Abrahams has stated her intent to execute Mumia. Surprisingly, even after this outrageous decision by the appellate court, we have not heard a “mumblin” word from the NAACP, Black elected officials, or the Congressional Black Caucus.
Brothers and sisters, it is time for us to act.
First, let us start holding Black leadership accountable. Call and write these folk as soon as possible and tell them this decision is too outrageous for their organizations or individual political affiliations to stand by in silence while this lynching of an innocent man is playing out before the world.
Rep. Charles Rangel, 212 862 4490
Dennis Hayes, Interim CEO and President, NAACP (National), 410 580 5777
Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick, Chair of Congressional Black Caucus, 202 225 2261
Richard Macintyre, Communication and Media, NAACP, 410 580 5787
Dr. Joe Leonard, CBC Executive Director, 202 226 9776
National Caucus of Black Legislators, 202 624 5457
Or e-mail congressionalblackcaucus@mail.house.gov.
Sundiata Sadiq 914 941 6046
New York Coalition to Free Mumia Abu Jamal
Former President-Ossining NAACP (In Suspension)
10 Madison ave
Ossining NY 10562
DEAR EDITOR
,
Critical Moment for Mumia Abu Jamal and Black Leadership is Silent
On March 29, 2008, hundreds of Black, white, and Latino folk gathered at the Adam Clayton Powell Office Building on 125th Street in Harlem to protest the Third Circuit Court of Appeals decision denying Mumia Abu-Jamal a new trial, or even a hearing detailing his trumped-up murder conviction of Police Officer Daniel Faulkner in Philadelphia 26 years ago. Congressman Charles Rangel, senior member of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), has his office there.
The Adam Clayton Powell Office Building was chosen after numerous calls were made on the Congressional Black Caucus to reaffirm their 1995 and 1999 support for Mumia. At this crucial time, Mumia needs that support once again.
The executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus, Dr. Joe Leonard, directed us to stop calling because the Black Caucus has a procedure to follow. He said he would relay these issues to the proper individuals, and they would get back to us. The chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus is Carolyn Kilpatrick; given the attitude Leonard displayed, she probably never even received our request to meet with her. Regardless, no one ever contacted us. She must now hear from all of Mumia Abu-Jamal’s supporters.
Ten months ago, when we contacted the executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus, Dr. Joe Leonard, his response was a familiar one. We were given the same runaround over two years ago by the national NAACP’s Dennis Hayes, their national legal counsel and now interim CEO. He wrote us saying the NAACP was too busy to meet with us but instead would meet with Governor Ed Rendell to discuss Mumia’s case. That struck us as odd since Rendell promised to sign the death warrant for Mumia as soon as it came across his desk. This was his campaign promise when he ran for governor. When Tookie Williams was facing execution at the hands of the California authorities, the NAACP visited him in jail and even offered him a job with the national organization. We applaud that move even though it was not part of their national call, as Mumia was and is. Some of us feel that this was a move by the NAACP to drum up membership and donations since there were no serious demonstrations by the organization or a national call to stop the execution. We also wonder why they have not offered a similar offer to Mumia at a time when such pressure could make a difference. Funny, the NAACP could turn out 10,000 folk in South Carolina to demonstrate about the Confederate flag flying over the South Carolina capitol building, but not one demo to stop the execution of Tookie. The NAACP also turned out thousands in Detroit to bury the word “nigger,” but not one demo to support Mumia.
Maybe we should have buried some of our Black leadership with the n-word.
Mumia Abu-Jamal has strong support among the rank and file of working-class people and also such notables as former mayor of New York City David Dinkins. He is a lawyer and after studiously reviewing the case of Mumia declared his support for Mumia’s freedom. Support also came from other notables in the Afrikan community such as Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Dick Gregory, Danny Glover, and many others in that same vein.
At the national convention of the NAACP in Philadelphia in 2004, after great pressure from Mumia supporters outside and inside the convention hall, the NAACP passed a resolution urging all chapters of the NAACP at home and abroad to study the case of Mumia and demand a new and fair trial for our brother. What transpired after the 2004 convention was that the only chapter in America (the Ossining NAACP) that brought the resolution to the national convention was suspended by Hazel Dukes, president of the New York State NAACP chapter. Dukes was earlier convicted of stealing money from a dying friend who had entrusted Duke to handle her estate. Strangely enough, after the controversy of her conviction subsided, Dukes was re-elected in 1999 to her former post. Her re-election has long since been thought of by many members to have been rigged.
In 2005, after we made the NAACP nervous at the national convention in Washington, DC, with our demonstration and speaking to the membership, Hilary Shelton, lobbyist for the national NAACP, promised to meet with us. During a visit to his office in Washington, DC, Shelton told us that he would get us an audience with at least a couple of brothers or sisters in the CBC who would listen to what we have to say. Shelton “played us” like his namesake, who “came under fire” during a landing in Bosnia, because we never got a hearing.
We have seen our legislators and lawmakers become frightened by the attacks of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) lobbyist in Washington, DC, whose only purpose is to see that Mumia and other Black people are executed. Congressman Chaka Fattah from Pennsylvania, a Mumia supporter, fell victim to the FOP as did John Street, former mayor of Philadelphia.
If it were not for the working people of these United States and the world, Mumia would be dead by now. Those Black leaders in office that pretend to advocate for justice when we fall in the hands of the injustice system have failed to step up to the plate. The rank and file people must step up the struggle for Mumia’s freedom. We must expose these Black leaders for their cowardice and hypocrisy.
Mumia has spoken about this subject, and they want him silenced. His national radio comments never talk about his case but about the oppressed around America. His comments have been diametrically opposed to some Black leaders’ positions. One such contradiction is in New York and cities where our people are suffering. In New York, we are facing the loss of Harlem to avaricious developers and the Columbia University plan to gentrify what we call our beloved Mecca (Harlem) for Afrikan folk around the world. When we look at who is leading this land grab, we find Hazel Dukes and certain NAACP chapters in support of this ethnic cleansing of Harlem under the guise of redevelopment. When we pull back the covers, we see Congressman Charles Rangel and David Dinkins, along with various clergy, supporting this process that threatens “the village of Harlem as we know it.”
The 2004 resolution in Philadelphia by the NAACP was a move to silence the Mumia movement because they merely meant to throw us a few bones. They had no intention of dealing with the Mumia issue in any meaningful way. This was evident in Dukes’s statement shortly thereafter that the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal was not a priority of the NAACP. The Black leadership took a chapter right out of the counterintelligence program (COINTELPRO), whose predecessor (COM-FIL) carried out infiltration of suspected Communist organizations and individuals. One such person was radical Black leader W. E. B. Du Bois, one of the founders of the NAACP who created the Crisis magazine. He exposed the lynching of hundreds of Black men and women around America. Finally, the NAACP succumbed to the federal government’s demands and kicked W. E. B. Du Bois to the curb.
In spite of the courts that violate their own decisions and our rights every day, these same Black leaders have not stood up as the NAACP and Congressional Black Caucus and said, hell no, we ain’t lettin’ this brother Mumia go down like this!
Even after Judge Ambro of the Philadelphia Third Circuit Court of Appeals in his dissent on a 2-1 decision said that the decision not to hear Mumia’s appeal around “Batson” was part of a double standard not to hear Mumia out. Ambro’s minority opinion states further that every other “Batson appeal” that was reasonable before that court was granted. Mumia has been the only exception. Mumia’s' appeal went beyond reasonable.
The prosecutor Lynn Abrahams has stated her intent to execute Mumia. Surprisingly, even after this outrageous decision by the appellate court, we have not heard a “mumblin” word from the NAACP, Black elected officials, or the Congressional Black Caucus.
Brothers and sisters, it is time for us to act.
First, let us start holding Black leadership accountable. Call and write these folk as soon as possible and tell them this decision is too outrageous for their organizations or individual political affiliations to stand by in silence while this lynching of an innocent man is playing out before the world.
Rep. Charles Rangel, 212 862 4490
Dennis Hayes, Interim CEO and President, NAACP (National), 410 580 5777
Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick, Chair of Congressional Black Caucus, 202 225 2261
Richard Macintyre, Communication and Media, NAACP, 410 580 5787
Dr. Joe Leonard, CBC Executive Director, 202 226 9776
National Caucus of Black Legislators, 202 624 5457
Or e-mail congressionalblackcaucus@mail.house.gov.
Sundiata Sadiq 914 941 6046
New York Coalition to Free Mumia Abu Jamal
Former President-Ossining NAACP (In Suspension)
Sunday, May 25, 2008
BLACK MAGIC--Sonny Stitt - Lover Man
Some of the greatest minds I’ve ever known held court while sitting on empty milk crates in the parking lot of ghetto liquor stores. At their feet I embraced the love of knowledge, and through their tutelage defined self-worth in my own terms.
These were the “Eulipians”—writers, poets, musicians, hustlers, and uncommon drunks—shade-tree philosophers, who contemplated the fungus between the toes of society. And without apology, these visionaries danced with reckless abandon, unfettered by formal inhibition, through the presumptuous speculation of the ages.
While these obscure intellectuals stood well outside the mainstream of academy, I watched with astonished delight as they and their students sang, scat, and scribed the thrust of their philosophy into the mainstream of human knowledge. And as one such student, I fully embrace and promote their creed, that knowledge is free, and thus, will transcend attempts to be contained through barriers of caste and privilege, leaving man's innate thirst for knowledge, free to someday overwhelm his lust for stupidity.
Meet Sonny. He wasn't all that big on bling, but he damn sure knew how to keep it real.
Eric L. Wattree
Black Magic--Miles Davis and John Coltrane--SO WHAT - LIVE
MILES
We knew him as Miles,
the Black Prince of style,
his nature fit jazz to a tee.
Laid back and cool,
a low threshold for fools,
he set the tone
of what a jazzman
should be.
Short on words,
and unperturbed, about
what the people thought;
frozen in time, drenched
in the sublime,
of the passion
his sweet horn
had wrought.
Solemn to the bone,
distant and torn,
even Trane could
scarcely get in;
I can still hear the tone
of that genius who mourned,
that precious note
that he couldn't
quite bend.
Eric L.Wattree
Friday, May 23, 2008
Black Men, Black Leaders and Black Scholars: Being Strong, Black and Educated
by Dr. Boyce Watkins
www.BoyceWatkins.com
www.YourBlackWorld.com
I got a phone call today. I get a lot of calls from “observers” (translation: supporters and haterologists), and I appreciate every single one of them. However, being as busy as I am, I usually don’t have time to call anyone back. I call my mama back and if my daughter would call me, she would be at the top of my list. I also call my grandmother. That’s enough to fill the free time at airports or on the way to the office.
If I call you back, I am returning the call because I either love you or respect you. I don’t return calls just because I think the caller is a “big shot”. In this business, everyone is into networking and butt kissing so they can meet this important person or that one. I’ve always felt that life is too short for that crap. For example, my homeboy Marc Lamont Hill at Temple University (one of the top black scholars in America), Al “The Inspiration” Duncan (an amazing public speaker and youth advocate) in Atlanta and Bill Thomason (a top black money manager) are brothers I always call back immediately because I respect their integrity. It’s really that simple for me.
On this day, I had some free time. I was driving to the office and I had a message from a woman named Karen. Karen’s family is full of Syracuse alumni. Honestly, most calls and emails I get from Syracuse alumni are not all that favorable. While I get cheers from the black and latino alums, the reality is that Syracuse has not had a strong historical black and latino presence. This is doubly true on the faculty, where a tenured professor of color is incredibly rare.
But I respect everyone, and I decided to use my free time to call Karen back. I was a little nervous, since I really wanted to talk to my grandmother. The risk was that I would miss a great conversation with grandma just so another alum could yell at me for being an outspoken black man.
But Karen was worth the investment because she was super duper cool. It also turned out that Karen is the daughter of the greatest alumnus in Syracuse University history, the great Jim Brown.
Jim was not amazing for what he did on the field. Yes, he had super human strength and was such an outstanding athlete that they changed the rules to find ways to stop him. But that doesn’t impress me, for black men have always possessed amazing athletic ability. Jim’s intellect impressed me far more than his athletic ability, for he is every bit as intelligent as he was athletic. But truth be told, while his intellect impressed the heck out of me, it didn’t impress the HELL out of me. Don’t get me wrong, he was a smart brother, but there are a lot of smart black male athletes, in spite of what the media tells you.
What impressed the HELL out of me was Jim Brown’s COURAGE. That is what left his mark on the university, and that is what will leave his mark on the world. While he may not be perfect, his strength inspires me as a black man to focus and overcome all that lies around me.
I have a Trinity of strength when it come to my black male “adopted fathers”. In this trinity, there is Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali and Jim Brown. I adopted these men many years ago when I saw my intelligent, highly educated, rich, famous African American predecessors selling out in droves. It seemed that the only black men rising to prominent positions in American society were the ones who most readily allowed themselves to be fully emasculated. Sure, these men might speak big behind closed doors, but out in public, there was a degree of weakness, cowardice and commitment to self-preservation that made me shudder. These were the men who would tell me that speaking out in favor of the poor would get me into trouble. They would tell me to leave behind the brothers in prison and the kids in the educational system because it might jeopardize my chance to drive a Jaguar one day. While I listen to such men respectfully, I found myself having a midlife crisis at the age of 25, wondering if there was a way to have a more meaningful existence.
I miss the days when athletes used their platforms for something other than another McDonald’s endorsement. It is most sad and ironic that the athletes with the most wealth and greatest power also happen to be the least educated and the least willing to become educated. Individuals such as Michael Jordan become about as politically-neutral as a can of spinach, all so he can turn his $200 million dollar fortune into a $300 million dollar fortune. I have always been of the opinion that black prosperity and social activism can go hand in hand. We can all continue Dr. King’s work, whether it is on the streets or in the board room. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.
I connected with Malcolm just because he was Malcolm. Malcolm X was clearly the greatest leader in American history. I connected with Muhammad Ali because he is from Louisville, my hometown, and also my second cousin. He taught me that a black man does not have to hold his head down in shame and weakness when the cameras turn on. I connected with Jim Brown because his spirit lives on my campus, Syracuse University. Jim created the path for me to do what I do today, and it was his ability to endure the firestorms of Syracuse controversy that remind me to stay focused in my endeavors.
The great shame of our generation is that someone convinced us that our existence is about one person. It is important for all of us to remember that we are part of something greater, and the greatest gift you can give to future generations is to clear a path for someone else to run through. Malcolm gave his life, Muhammad gave the prime of his boxing career, and Jim risked his life so that my generation could walk through doors that had been previously closed. I plan to march through that door with dignity and open another door for those behind me.
That is what scholars and intellectual leaders are supposed to do.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University and author of “What if George Bush were a Black Man?” For more information, please visit www.BoyceWatkins.com.
www.BoyceWatkins.com
www.YourBlackWorld.com
I got a phone call today. I get a lot of calls from “observers” (translation: supporters and haterologists), and I appreciate every single one of them. However, being as busy as I am, I usually don’t have time to call anyone back. I call my mama back and if my daughter would call me, she would be at the top of my list. I also call my grandmother. That’s enough to fill the free time at airports or on the way to the office.
If I call you back, I am returning the call because I either love you or respect you. I don’t return calls just because I think the caller is a “big shot”. In this business, everyone is into networking and butt kissing so they can meet this important person or that one. I’ve always felt that life is too short for that crap. For example, my homeboy Marc Lamont Hill at Temple University (one of the top black scholars in America), Al “The Inspiration” Duncan (an amazing public speaker and youth advocate) in Atlanta and Bill Thomason (a top black money manager) are brothers I always call back immediately because I respect their integrity. It’s really that simple for me.
On this day, I had some free time. I was driving to the office and I had a message from a woman named Karen. Karen’s family is full of Syracuse alumni. Honestly, most calls and emails I get from Syracuse alumni are not all that favorable. While I get cheers from the black and latino alums, the reality is that Syracuse has not had a strong historical black and latino presence. This is doubly true on the faculty, where a tenured professor of color is incredibly rare.
But I respect everyone, and I decided to use my free time to call Karen back. I was a little nervous, since I really wanted to talk to my grandmother. The risk was that I would miss a great conversation with grandma just so another alum could yell at me for being an outspoken black man.
But Karen was worth the investment because she was super duper cool. It also turned out that Karen is the daughter of the greatest alumnus in Syracuse University history, the great Jim Brown.
Jim was not amazing for what he did on the field. Yes, he had super human strength and was such an outstanding athlete that they changed the rules to find ways to stop him. But that doesn’t impress me, for black men have always possessed amazing athletic ability. Jim’s intellect impressed me far more than his athletic ability, for he is every bit as intelligent as he was athletic. But truth be told, while his intellect impressed the heck out of me, it didn’t impress the HELL out of me. Don’t get me wrong, he was a smart brother, but there are a lot of smart black male athletes, in spite of what the media tells you.
What impressed the HELL out of me was Jim Brown’s COURAGE. That is what left his mark on the university, and that is what will leave his mark on the world. While he may not be perfect, his strength inspires me as a black man to focus and overcome all that lies around me.
I have a Trinity of strength when it come to my black male “adopted fathers”. In this trinity, there is Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali and Jim Brown. I adopted these men many years ago when I saw my intelligent, highly educated, rich, famous African American predecessors selling out in droves. It seemed that the only black men rising to prominent positions in American society were the ones who most readily allowed themselves to be fully emasculated. Sure, these men might speak big behind closed doors, but out in public, there was a degree of weakness, cowardice and commitment to self-preservation that made me shudder. These were the men who would tell me that speaking out in favor of the poor would get me into trouble. They would tell me to leave behind the brothers in prison and the kids in the educational system because it might jeopardize my chance to drive a Jaguar one day. While I listen to such men respectfully, I found myself having a midlife crisis at the age of 25, wondering if there was a way to have a more meaningful existence.
I miss the days when athletes used their platforms for something other than another McDonald’s endorsement. It is most sad and ironic that the athletes with the most wealth and greatest power also happen to be the least educated and the least willing to become educated. Individuals such as Michael Jordan become about as politically-neutral as a can of spinach, all so he can turn his $200 million dollar fortune into a $300 million dollar fortune. I have always been of the opinion that black prosperity and social activism can go hand in hand. We can all continue Dr. King’s work, whether it is on the streets or in the board room. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.
I connected with Malcolm just because he was Malcolm. Malcolm X was clearly the greatest leader in American history. I connected with Muhammad Ali because he is from Louisville, my hometown, and also my second cousin. He taught me that a black man does not have to hold his head down in shame and weakness when the cameras turn on. I connected with Jim Brown because his spirit lives on my campus, Syracuse University. Jim created the path for me to do what I do today, and it was his ability to endure the firestorms of Syracuse controversy that remind me to stay focused in my endeavors.
The great shame of our generation is that someone convinced us that our existence is about one person. It is important for all of us to remember that we are part of something greater, and the greatest gift you can give to future generations is to clear a path for someone else to run through. Malcolm gave his life, Muhammad gave the prime of his boxing career, and Jim risked his life so that my generation could walk through doors that had been previously closed. I plan to march through that door with dignity and open another door for those behind me.
That is what scholars and intellectual leaders are supposed to do.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University and author of “What if George Bush were a Black Man?” For more information, please visit www.BoyceWatkins.com.
Friday, May 16, 2008
A Black Conservative Who Truly Loves Black People
By John Eidson
Their living conditions could only be described as tragic. Of the seven adults who shared the badly dilapidated rental unit in a rundown area of southwest Atlanta, not one held a job. They eked out a dead-end existence for themselves and the two children who lived with them by pooling government benefits, including an $852 monthly Section 8 housing subsidy. When I described their heartbreaking living conditions to a liberal friend, she replied in all seriousness, “That’s what you conservatives want, isn’t it?”
My brother in law is also a liberal. Last August, I forwarded to him an email I received earlier in the year about the interracial double murders that had just occurred in Knoxville. Using Wikipedia, he found that the press had since backed off initial reports that the white victims had been horribly mutilated by the black defendants. Without checking to see if I was aware that the reports had changed (I wasn’t), and apparently convinced I was a willing participant in a sick attempt to promote racial animosity, he sent a terse reply that I should “stay off the neo-Klan blogs”.
Here is where I stand on race and poverty:
* For the last twenty years, I worked as an executive recruiter in the graphic arts industry. When I saw that managerial positions at most printing plants were filled almost exclusively by whites, I actively sought minority candidates to present to my clients. Some of the highly qualified individuals I found jobs for were the first African-Americans to ever hold positions of responsibility at their new employers.
* A few years ago, I risked my personal safety to chase down a robber who stole the purse of an elderly black woman in a crime-ridden area of downtown Atlanta. When I returned the purse to its tearful owner, she told me it contained her just-cashed Social Security check, all the money she had to her name. It never entered my mind to not help her because she was black and poor.
* I do not have an iota of hostility towards black people, poor people, or anyone else. Although I was not enlightened enough at the time to take part in the civil rights movement, I recognized long ago that Martin Luther King, Jr. is one of our country’s greatest heroes. In short, I have nothing but best wishes for a people subjected to the terrible injustices of slavery and segregation, just as I do for all people who have yet to lift themselves from poverty.
The absurd insinuations about me from a friend of forty years and a man I have been related to for an equal time were not intended as personal attacks. They were merely a profound reflection of the twisted way two people I have known for decades have been indoctrinated to view conservatives: when it comes to race and poverty, conservatives are downright evil, even when they are long-time friends or close relatives.
My friend and my brother-in-law are not alone. For the last four decades, the Democratic Party has conducted a campaign to stereotype conservatives as mean-spirited racists who couldn’t care less about the suffering of others. Legions of rank-and-file liberals have been brainwashed into believing that their political opposites are morally-defective bigots who have a sadistic desire to starve children, kick old people out of nursing homes and disenfranchise minorities of their hard-won rights. Such charges are patently false.
Bumper stickers that express open contempt for the charitable instincts of conservatives are common in many blue-state areas of the country: “Better A Bleeding Heart Than No Heart At All”, “The Moral High Ground Is Built With Compassion”, The Road To Hell Is Paved With Republicans, “Republicans Are People, Too – Mean, Greedy, Selfish People”.
Given the realities of charitable giving by party affiliation – as a group, conservatives are demonstrably more generous than liberals -- it’s beyond ironic that so many liberals cast their ballots with an unfounded air of moral superiority. The right is routinely portrayed as greedy and uncaring, yet liberals do exactly the same as conservatives when it comes to personal charity: give a small fraction of what they have to the poor, while selfishly hoarding the lion’s share for themselves.
Neither liberals nor conservatives give until it hurts, but not because no one cares about human suffering. People of all political stripes have simply observed that continually giving money to people whose hands are always up does little to help them turn their lives around. That makes it hard to understand why anyone would support giving them an endless stream of government money.
Over the last four decades, the burden of caring for the poor has been politically shifted from the private sector to government. In doing so, we have created a weakened society where millions of citizens who ought to be working instead rely on public assistance. By giving the poor benefits they have not earned, the federal government has become a giant enabler that doles out just enough to extinguish the willingness of many recipients to make it on their own. As Bill Cosby accurately observed, welfare kills the human spirit.
Liberals are due full credit for being the first to recognize that something should be done about poverty. No conservative can argue that the war on poverty initiated by LBJ and a Democratic Congress was not well-intended. But, after forty years of massive welfare programs, the number of destitute citizens in the world’s greatest country remains appallingly high, particularly in urban areas. Our misguided compassion has contributed to the virtual disintegration of the black family, with generations of innocent children born into lives of hopelessness.
The tragic plight of the nine African-Americans in the Section 8 duplex is all the evidence I need that on-going welfare is a cruel hoax to inflict on anyone but the severely disabled. Burgeoning welfare programs may attract votes, but they also cause grievous harm to millions of the very people they are intended to help. Open-border advocates claim that illegal immigrants do the work Americans won’t do. Many of the unemployed poor don’t do such work because welfare provides a far less strenuous alternative.
The way out of poverty is self-reliance, a lifestyle that welfare does little to encourage. From food stamps and Section 8 housing to WIC payments and Medicaid, government programs for the poor discourage work, reward idleness and make it easy for children to be thoughtlessly born into desperate conditions. Some of the chronically poor are where they are due to circumstances beyond their control. Many more have simply forfeited the chance to succeed in the greatest land of opportunity on earth, thanks in no small part to the initiative-destroying assistance of an enabling government.
No, we cannot declare cold turkey on the welfare-addicted, but we should do far more to actively encourage them in the other direction, not for our benefit, but for theirs. For too long, our national answer has effectively been to consign them to a dead-end existence while the rest of us live in comfort as far from the projects as we can get. In the process, we are robbing them of the only thing of value they have -- the chance for a better life.
Their living conditions could only be described as tragic. Of the seven adults who shared the badly dilapidated rental unit in a rundown area of southwest Atlanta, not one held a job. They eked out a dead-end existence for themselves and the two children who lived with them by pooling government benefits, including an $852 monthly Section 8 housing subsidy. When I described their heartbreaking living conditions to a liberal friend, she replied in all seriousness, “That’s what you conservatives want, isn’t it?”
My brother in law is also a liberal. Last August, I forwarded to him an email I received earlier in the year about the interracial double murders that had just occurred in Knoxville. Using Wikipedia, he found that the press had since backed off initial reports that the white victims had been horribly mutilated by the black defendants. Without checking to see if I was aware that the reports had changed (I wasn’t), and apparently convinced I was a willing participant in a sick attempt to promote racial animosity, he sent a terse reply that I should “stay off the neo-Klan blogs”.
Here is where I stand on race and poverty:
* For the last twenty years, I worked as an executive recruiter in the graphic arts industry. When I saw that managerial positions at most printing plants were filled almost exclusively by whites, I actively sought minority candidates to present to my clients. Some of the highly qualified individuals I found jobs for were the first African-Americans to ever hold positions of responsibility at their new employers.
* A few years ago, I risked my personal safety to chase down a robber who stole the purse of an elderly black woman in a crime-ridden area of downtown Atlanta. When I returned the purse to its tearful owner, she told me it contained her just-cashed Social Security check, all the money she had to her name. It never entered my mind to not help her because she was black and poor.
* I do not have an iota of hostility towards black people, poor people, or anyone else. Although I was not enlightened enough at the time to take part in the civil rights movement, I recognized long ago that Martin Luther King, Jr. is one of our country’s greatest heroes. In short, I have nothing but best wishes for a people subjected to the terrible injustices of slavery and segregation, just as I do for all people who have yet to lift themselves from poverty.
The absurd insinuations about me from a friend of forty years and a man I have been related to for an equal time were not intended as personal attacks. They were merely a profound reflection of the twisted way two people I have known for decades have been indoctrinated to view conservatives: when it comes to race and poverty, conservatives are downright evil, even when they are long-time friends or close relatives.
My friend and my brother-in-law are not alone. For the last four decades, the Democratic Party has conducted a campaign to stereotype conservatives as mean-spirited racists who couldn’t care less about the suffering of others. Legions of rank-and-file liberals have been brainwashed into believing that their political opposites are morally-defective bigots who have a sadistic desire to starve children, kick old people out of nursing homes and disenfranchise minorities of their hard-won rights. Such charges are patently false.
Bumper stickers that express open contempt for the charitable instincts of conservatives are common in many blue-state areas of the country: “Better A Bleeding Heart Than No Heart At All”, “The Moral High Ground Is Built With Compassion”, The Road To Hell Is Paved With Republicans, “Republicans Are People, Too – Mean, Greedy, Selfish People”.
Given the realities of charitable giving by party affiliation – as a group, conservatives are demonstrably more generous than liberals -- it’s beyond ironic that so many liberals cast their ballots with an unfounded air of moral superiority. The right is routinely portrayed as greedy and uncaring, yet liberals do exactly the same as conservatives when it comes to personal charity: give a small fraction of what they have to the poor, while selfishly hoarding the lion’s share for themselves.
Neither liberals nor conservatives give until it hurts, but not because no one cares about human suffering. People of all political stripes have simply observed that continually giving money to people whose hands are always up does little to help them turn their lives around. That makes it hard to understand why anyone would support giving them an endless stream of government money.
Over the last four decades, the burden of caring for the poor has been politically shifted from the private sector to government. In doing so, we have created a weakened society where millions of citizens who ought to be working instead rely on public assistance. By giving the poor benefits they have not earned, the federal government has become a giant enabler that doles out just enough to extinguish the willingness of many recipients to make it on their own. As Bill Cosby accurately observed, welfare kills the human spirit.
Liberals are due full credit for being the first to recognize that something should be done about poverty. No conservative can argue that the war on poverty initiated by LBJ and a Democratic Congress was not well-intended. But, after forty years of massive welfare programs, the number of destitute citizens in the world’s greatest country remains appallingly high, particularly in urban areas. Our misguided compassion has contributed to the virtual disintegration of the black family, with generations of innocent children born into lives of hopelessness.
The tragic plight of the nine African-Americans in the Section 8 duplex is all the evidence I need that on-going welfare is a cruel hoax to inflict on anyone but the severely disabled. Burgeoning welfare programs may attract votes, but they also cause grievous harm to millions of the very people they are intended to help. Open-border advocates claim that illegal immigrants do the work Americans won’t do. Many of the unemployed poor don’t do such work because welfare provides a far less strenuous alternative.
The way out of poverty is self-reliance, a lifestyle that welfare does little to encourage. From food stamps and Section 8 housing to WIC payments and Medicaid, government programs for the poor discourage work, reward idleness and make it easy for children to be thoughtlessly born into desperate conditions. Some of the chronically poor are where they are due to circumstances beyond their control. Many more have simply forfeited the chance to succeed in the greatest land of opportunity on earth, thanks in no small part to the initiative-destroying assistance of an enabling government.
No, we cannot declare cold turkey on the welfare-addicted, but we should do far more to actively encourage them in the other direction, not for our benefit, but for theirs. For too long, our national answer has effectively been to consign them to a dead-end existence while the rest of us live in comfort as far from the projects as we can get. In the process, we are robbing them of the only thing of value they have -- the chance for a better life.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Black Police Officers Charge NYPD with Institutionalized Racism
Statement from the National Black Police Association
Senator Eric Adams, Attorney Norman Siegel., 100 Blacks and Law Enforcement, National Latino Officers of America, Grand Council of Guardians, and the National Black Police Association. Have called on Commissioner Kelly for swift punishment of the two undercover police officers whos actions was disrespectful towards Three –Star NYPD Chief Douglas Zieglar.
Chief Zieglar in his briefing to Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, said that the two cops, who are white, had no legitimate reason to approach his SUV with guns drawn. Even after he gave them his NYPD ID the two didn’t believe that he was who he said he was.
The Sean Bell verdict has given Law Enforcement a legal alibi that a Black man can be unarmed, shot , killed, and still be a legal threat just by the color of his skin. As Black Law Enforcement Professionals we now have to be extra cautious when we react to situations when we are off duty or as plain clothes officials less we fall into the same situation as out brother Detective Ridley or Sean Bell. It’s unfortunate that the only time we are truly recognized as law enforcement is when we don the blue uniform. Until perceptions of Black males are changed in the institutional thinking of policing, the Back Law Enforcement community and the Black community at large in New York will remain at a disadvantage.
Senator Eric Adams, Attorney Norman Siegel., 100 Blacks and Law Enforcement, National Latino Officers of America, Grand Council of Guardians, and the National Black Police Association. Have called on Commissioner Kelly for swift punishment of the two undercover police officers whos actions was disrespectful towards Three –Star NYPD Chief Douglas Zieglar.
Chief Zieglar in his briefing to Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, said that the two cops, who are white, had no legitimate reason to approach his SUV with guns drawn. Even after he gave them his NYPD ID the two didn’t believe that he was who he said he was.
The Sean Bell verdict has given Law Enforcement a legal alibi that a Black man can be unarmed, shot , killed, and still be a legal threat just by the color of his skin. As Black Law Enforcement Professionals we now have to be extra cautious when we react to situations when we are off duty or as plain clothes officials less we fall into the same situation as out brother Detective Ridley or Sean Bell. It’s unfortunate that the only time we are truly recognized as law enforcement is when we don the blue uniform. Until perceptions of Black males are changed in the institutional thinking of policing, the Back Law Enforcement community and the Black community at large in New York will remain at a disadvantage.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
National Black Police Association Statement on the Sean Bell Shooting
© April 26, 2008. All rights reserved to NBPA
By Christopher C. Cooper
Chicago, IL
cooper@sxu.edu
The acquittals of the three New York City Policeman who killed unarmed Sean Bell further damages the psyche and perception of the justice system by people of color. There was blatant disregard by Judge Cooperman, the Bell trial's presiding judge, of the compelling evidence of recklessness. His verdict represents the highest level of judicial abuse. Sadly, his verdict is consistent with outrageous, decision-making by judges throughout America when people-of-color are victims. On the Civil side, it is the power of judges to prevent people of-color, victimized by the police, from ever getting their civil lawsuits against police before a jury. Judges nix a jury by routinely dismissing cases via what is called Summary Judgment. It is a judge deciding that allegations of a black man or woman are Not credible enough to go to a jury.
On the criminal side, police officers can opt out of having a jury, they choose a judge instead. These bench trials as they are called, have long represented the way in which police officers who have killed and maimed without legal justification have avoided criminal convictions and prison. The shooting death of an elderly, wheel chair bound grandmother, Eleanor Bumpers, by a New York City Policeman and the officer's acquittal before a New York judge is among the most shocking examples of judicial abuse. The verdict in the Bell case joins a litany of cases from all over the United States that shows one set of judicial decision making for whites and another for people-of –color. One only consider the past and ongoing abuse by the many members of the judiciary in Chicago by their not addressing torture of black men by the infamous Chicago Police Officer John Burge and his criminal gang.
It does not matter that two of the officers who killed Sean Bell are black. The larger issue is that police officers of any color, in jurisdictions throughout the United States are given a blank check to abuse people of color. Prosecutors routinely look the other way and if they prosecute, they throw the fight (a real possibility of what happened in the Bell case). Most judges shirk their duty to be fair and impartial, especially when they dismiss cases by people of color against the police via Summary Judgment; having, inappropriately used their (judges) personal perceptions to decide that there is not an issue of genuine, material fact.
The National Black Police Association (NBPA), compromised of police officers, has every right to Monday morning quarterback any police situation. It is the knowledge of police practices of the association's members that enables The National Black Police Association to speak credibly and directly about the verdict in the Bell case. Any seasoned big city police officer is able to see the recklessness of the officers who killed Bell. We (members of the NBPA) know that the firing of more than fifty bullets on a crowded New York City Street at Sean Bell endangered bystanders and a whole host of people who live in the densely populated section of Jamaica, Queens.
Big City cops (many of whom are NBPA members) need to know a whole lot about fire discipline. This is a phenomenon of knowing your target and sight alignment of target to the weapon. As important, when justified to shoot, our sound judgment enables us to dispense with shooting our guns because to do so would be Recklessness (a crime) because of a large volume of people and structures. Unfortunately, the New York City Police Department, like most of the country's big city police departments is plagued by ranks of men lacking in adequate weapon's use training. Training that they could have obtained in the military. The end result, Big City Police Departments are depositories for men whose cowardice causes them to avoid military service and in the place of military service they become paid bullies in many of the nation's police departments. No wonder we see these men inappropriately wearing dark sunglasses and dressed like a commando in front of our local church or cruising our neighborhoods. Problematic is that America's black neighborhoods to many young men in police ranks are places of adventure for playing out their action fantasies. One would think that pre-employment psychological examinations would weed out the battery of cowardice men who flock to police departments seeking employment.
The lack of knowledge of police work by Judge Cooperman coupled with prosecutors who knew nothing about police work enabled the acquittal verdict of the officers who killed Sean Bell.
There cannot be a successful prosecution of police officers for use of deadly force incidents as long as there is continuance of the pervasive ignorance in judicial and prosecutorial ranks of the dynamics of police culture and police practices. We live in a society in which there is a nonsensical and inaccurate perception of police work by most laypeople. By example, non-scientific, baseless notion that all (verses some) police officers live a life of danger and have a job that no one else wants, perpetuates and encourages police violence against civilians. Strangely many laypeople fail to realize that many police officers do payrol1, shuttle politicians and inventory property, etc.
Provided that lay people possess a false perception of police officers constantly dodging bullets, then people in Chicago, by example, will say little to nothing about the recent, in progress, inappropriate militarization attempts of Chicago Police Department. Nor will most lay people, including Judge Cooperman and prosecutors ever have the courage or knowledge to criticize wrongful police behavior.
Since "911" in particular, police officers have been placed on pedestal that they don't deserve. In this sort of environment, to convict a police officer of harming a civilian is said to be unpatriotic. The NBPA holds that realism should replace euphoria and fiction. Hence, police officers should be required not only to use fire discipline and judgment on Park Avenue, but as well on the urban streets of Jamaica, Queens or Englewood in Chicago.
The crime of Recklessness is so easy to identify and prove. Judge Cooperman's verdict emboldens the justification that black people have to distrust judges. Who can people-of-color turn to--to stop abuse by prosecutors and judges? The Sean Bell verdict shows people-of-color that a stop to the misery of judicial abuse in the United States will not stop anytime soon.
By Christopher C. Cooper
By Christopher C. Cooper
Chicago, IL
cooper@sxu.edu
The acquittals of the three New York City Policeman who killed unarmed Sean Bell further damages the psyche and perception of the justice system by people of color. There was blatant disregard by Judge Cooperman, the Bell trial's presiding judge, of the compelling evidence of recklessness. His verdict represents the highest level of judicial abuse. Sadly, his verdict is consistent with outrageous, decision-making by judges throughout America when people-of-color are victims. On the Civil side, it is the power of judges to prevent people of-color, victimized by the police, from ever getting their civil lawsuits against police before a jury. Judges nix a jury by routinely dismissing cases via what is called Summary Judgment. It is a judge deciding that allegations of a black man or woman are Not credible enough to go to a jury.
On the criminal side, police officers can opt out of having a jury, they choose a judge instead. These bench trials as they are called, have long represented the way in which police officers who have killed and maimed without legal justification have avoided criminal convictions and prison. The shooting death of an elderly, wheel chair bound grandmother, Eleanor Bumpers, by a New York City Policeman and the officer's acquittal before a New York judge is among the most shocking examples of judicial abuse. The verdict in the Bell case joins a litany of cases from all over the United States that shows one set of judicial decision making for whites and another for people-of –color. One only consider the past and ongoing abuse by the many members of the judiciary in Chicago by their not addressing torture of black men by the infamous Chicago Police Officer John Burge and his criminal gang.
It does not matter that two of the officers who killed Sean Bell are black. The larger issue is that police officers of any color, in jurisdictions throughout the United States are given a blank check to abuse people of color. Prosecutors routinely look the other way and if they prosecute, they throw the fight (a real possibility of what happened in the Bell case). Most judges shirk their duty to be fair and impartial, especially when they dismiss cases by people of color against the police via Summary Judgment; having, inappropriately used their (judges) personal perceptions to decide that there is not an issue of genuine, material fact.
The National Black Police Association (NBPA), compromised of police officers, has every right to Monday morning quarterback any police situation. It is the knowledge of police practices of the association's members that enables The National Black Police Association to speak credibly and directly about the verdict in the Bell case. Any seasoned big city police officer is able to see the recklessness of the officers who killed Bell. We (members of the NBPA) know that the firing of more than fifty bullets on a crowded New York City Street at Sean Bell endangered bystanders and a whole host of people who live in the densely populated section of Jamaica, Queens.
Big City cops (many of whom are NBPA members) need to know a whole lot about fire discipline. This is a phenomenon of knowing your target and sight alignment of target to the weapon. As important, when justified to shoot, our sound judgment enables us to dispense with shooting our guns because to do so would be Recklessness (a crime) because of a large volume of people and structures. Unfortunately, the New York City Police Department, like most of the country's big city police departments is plagued by ranks of men lacking in adequate weapon's use training. Training that they could have obtained in the military. The end result, Big City Police Departments are depositories for men whose cowardice causes them to avoid military service and in the place of military service they become paid bullies in many of the nation's police departments. No wonder we see these men inappropriately wearing dark sunglasses and dressed like a commando in front of our local church or cruising our neighborhoods. Problematic is that America's black neighborhoods to many young men in police ranks are places of adventure for playing out their action fantasies. One would think that pre-employment psychological examinations would weed out the battery of cowardice men who flock to police departments seeking employment.
The lack of knowledge of police work by Judge Cooperman coupled with prosecutors who knew nothing about police work enabled the acquittal verdict of the officers who killed Sean Bell.
There cannot be a successful prosecution of police officers for use of deadly force incidents as long as there is continuance of the pervasive ignorance in judicial and prosecutorial ranks of the dynamics of police culture and police practices. We live in a society in which there is a nonsensical and inaccurate perception of police work by most laypeople. By example, non-scientific, baseless notion that all (verses some) police officers live a life of danger and have a job that no one else wants, perpetuates and encourages police violence against civilians. Strangely many laypeople fail to realize that many police officers do payrol1, shuttle politicians and inventory property, etc.
Provided that lay people possess a false perception of police officers constantly dodging bullets, then people in Chicago, by example, will say little to nothing about the recent, in progress, inappropriate militarization attempts of Chicago Police Department. Nor will most lay people, including Judge Cooperman and prosecutors ever have the courage or knowledge to criticize wrongful police behavior.
Since "911" in particular, police officers have been placed on pedestal that they don't deserve. In this sort of environment, to convict a police officer of harming a civilian is said to be unpatriotic. The NBPA holds that realism should replace euphoria and fiction. Hence, police officers should be required not only to use fire discipline and judgment on Park Avenue, but as well on the urban streets of Jamaica, Queens or Englewood in Chicago.
The crime of Recklessness is so easy to identify and prove. Judge Cooperman's verdict emboldens the justification that black people have to distrust judges. Who can people-of-color turn to--to stop abuse by prosecutors and judges? The Sean Bell verdict shows people-of-color that a stop to the misery of judicial abuse in the United States will not stop anytime soon.
By Christopher C. Cooper
National Black Police Association Statement on the Sean Bell Shooting
© April 26, 2008. All rights reserved to NBPA
By Christopher C. Cooper
Chicago, IL
cooper@sxu.edu
The acquittals of the three New York City Policeman who killed unarmed Sean Bell further damages the psyche and perception of the justice system by people of color. There was blatant disregard by Judge Cooperman, the Bell trial's presiding judge, of the compelling evidence of recklessness. His verdict represents the highest level of judicial abuse. Sadly, his verdict is consistent with outrageous, decision-making by judges throughout America when people-of-color are victims. On the Civil side, it is the power of judges to prevent people of-color, victimized by the police, from ever getting their civil lawsuits against police before a jury. Judges nix a jury by routinely dismissing cases via what is called Summary Judgment. It is a judge deciding that allegations of a black man or woman are Not credible enough to go to a jury.
On the criminal side, police officers can opt out of having a jury, they choose a judge instead. These bench trials as they are called, have long represented the way in which police officers who have killed and maimed without legal justification have avoided criminal convictions and prison. The shooting death of an elderly, wheel chair bound grandmother, Eleanor Bumpers, by a New York City Policeman and the officer's acquittal before a New York judge is among the most shocking examples of judicial abuse. The verdict in the Bell case joins a litany of cases from all over the United States that shows one set of judicial decision making for whites and another for people-of –color. One only consider the past and ongoing abuse by the many members of the judiciary in Chicago by their not addressing torture of black men by the infamous Chicago Police Officer John Burge and his criminal gang.
It does not matter that two of the officers who killed Sean Bell are black. The larger issue is that police officers of any color, in jurisdictions throughout the United States are given a blank check to abuse people of color. Prosecutors routinely look the other way and if they prosecute, they throw the fight (a real possibility of what happened in the Bell case). Most judges shirk their duty to be fair and impartial, especially when they dismiss cases by people of color against the police via Summary Judgment; having, inappropriately used their (judges) personal perceptions to decide that there is not an issue of genuine, material fact.
The National Black Police Association (NBPA), compromised of police officers, has every right to Monday morning quarterback any police situation. It is the knowledge of police practices of the association's members that enables The National Black Police Association to speak credibly and directly about the verdict in the Bell case. Any seasoned big city police officer is able to see the recklessness of the officers who killed Bell. We (members of the NBPA) know that the firing of more than fifty bullets on a crowded New York City Street at Sean Bell endangered bystanders and a whole host of people who live in the densely populated section of Jamaica, Queens.
Big City cops (many of whom are NBPA members) need to know a whole lot about fire discipline. This is a phenomenon of knowing your target and sight alignment of target to the weapon. As important, when justified to shoot, our sound judgment enables us to dispense with shooting our guns because to do so would be Recklessness (a crime) because of a large volume of people and structures. Unfortunately, the New York City Police Department, like most of the country's big city police departments is plagued by ranks of men lacking in adequate weapon's use training. Training that they could have obtained in the military. The end result, Big City Police Departments are depositories for men whose cowardice causes them to avoid military service and in the place of military service they become paid bullies in many of the nation's police departments. No wonder we see these men inappropriately wearing dark sunglasses and dressed like a commando in front of our local church or cruising our neighborhoods. Problematic is that America's black neighborhoods to many young men in police ranks are places of adventure for playing out their action fantasies. One would think that pre-employment psychological examinations would weed out the battery of cowardice men who flock to police departments seeking employment.
The lack of knowledge of police work by Judge Cooperman coupled with prosecutors who knew nothing about police work enabled the acquittal verdict of the officers who killed Sean Bell.
There cannot be a successful prosecution of police officers for use of deadly force incidents as long as there is continuance of the pervasive ignorance in judicial and prosecutorial ranks of the dynamics of police culture and police practices. We live in a society in which there is a nonsensical and inaccurate perception of police work by most laypeople. By example, non-scientific, baseless notion that all (verses some) police officers live a life of danger and have a job that no one else wants, perpetuates and encourages police violence against civilians. Strangely many laypeople fail to realize that many police officers do payrol1, shuttle politicians and inventory property, etc.
Provided that lay people possess a false perception of police officers constantly dodging bullets, then people in Chicago, by example, will say little to nothing about the recent, in progress, inappropriate militarization attempts of Chicago Police Department. Nor will most lay people, including Judge Cooperman and prosecutors ever have the courage or knowledge to criticize wrongful police behavior.
Since "911" in particular, police officers have been placed on pedestal that they don't deserve. In this sort of environment, to convict a police officer of harming a civilian is said to be unpatriotic. The NBPA holds that realism should replace euphoria and fiction. Hence, police officers should be required not only to use fire discipline and judgment on Park Avenue, but as well on the urban streets of Jamaica, Queens or Englewood in Chicago.
The crime of Recklessness is so easy to identify and prove. Judge Cooperman's verdict emboldens the justification that black people have to distrust judges. Who can people-of-color turn to--to stop abuse by prosecutors and judges? The Sean Bell verdict shows people-of-color that a stop to the misery of judicial abuse in the United States will not stop anytime soon.
By Christopher C. Cooper
By Christopher C. Cooper
Chicago, IL
cooper@sxu.edu
The acquittals of the three New York City Policeman who killed unarmed Sean Bell further damages the psyche and perception of the justice system by people of color. There was blatant disregard by Judge Cooperman, the Bell trial's presiding judge, of the compelling evidence of recklessness. His verdict represents the highest level of judicial abuse. Sadly, his verdict is consistent with outrageous, decision-making by judges throughout America when people-of-color are victims. On the Civil side, it is the power of judges to prevent people of-color, victimized by the police, from ever getting their civil lawsuits against police before a jury. Judges nix a jury by routinely dismissing cases via what is called Summary Judgment. It is a judge deciding that allegations of a black man or woman are Not credible enough to go to a jury.
On the criminal side, police officers can opt out of having a jury, they choose a judge instead. These bench trials as they are called, have long represented the way in which police officers who have killed and maimed without legal justification have avoided criminal convictions and prison. The shooting death of an elderly, wheel chair bound grandmother, Eleanor Bumpers, by a New York City Policeman and the officer's acquittal before a New York judge is among the most shocking examples of judicial abuse. The verdict in the Bell case joins a litany of cases from all over the United States that shows one set of judicial decision making for whites and another for people-of –color. One only consider the past and ongoing abuse by the many members of the judiciary in Chicago by their not addressing torture of black men by the infamous Chicago Police Officer John Burge and his criminal gang.
It does not matter that two of the officers who killed Sean Bell are black. The larger issue is that police officers of any color, in jurisdictions throughout the United States are given a blank check to abuse people of color. Prosecutors routinely look the other way and if they prosecute, they throw the fight (a real possibility of what happened in the Bell case). Most judges shirk their duty to be fair and impartial, especially when they dismiss cases by people of color against the police via Summary Judgment; having, inappropriately used their (judges) personal perceptions to decide that there is not an issue of genuine, material fact.
The National Black Police Association (NBPA), compromised of police officers, has every right to Monday morning quarterback any police situation. It is the knowledge of police practices of the association's members that enables The National Black Police Association to speak credibly and directly about the verdict in the Bell case. Any seasoned big city police officer is able to see the recklessness of the officers who killed Bell. We (members of the NBPA) know that the firing of more than fifty bullets on a crowded New York City Street at Sean Bell endangered bystanders and a whole host of people who live in the densely populated section of Jamaica, Queens.
Big City cops (many of whom are NBPA members) need to know a whole lot about fire discipline. This is a phenomenon of knowing your target and sight alignment of target to the weapon. As important, when justified to shoot, our sound judgment enables us to dispense with shooting our guns because to do so would be Recklessness (a crime) because of a large volume of people and structures. Unfortunately, the New York City Police Department, like most of the country's big city police departments is plagued by ranks of men lacking in adequate weapon's use training. Training that they could have obtained in the military. The end result, Big City Police Departments are depositories for men whose cowardice causes them to avoid military service and in the place of military service they become paid bullies in many of the nation's police departments. No wonder we see these men inappropriately wearing dark sunglasses and dressed like a commando in front of our local church or cruising our neighborhoods. Problematic is that America's black neighborhoods to many young men in police ranks are places of adventure for playing out their action fantasies. One would think that pre-employment psychological examinations would weed out the battery of cowardice men who flock to police departments seeking employment.
The lack of knowledge of police work by Judge Cooperman coupled with prosecutors who knew nothing about police work enabled the acquittal verdict of the officers who killed Sean Bell.
There cannot be a successful prosecution of police officers for use of deadly force incidents as long as there is continuance of the pervasive ignorance in judicial and prosecutorial ranks of the dynamics of police culture and police practices. We live in a society in which there is a nonsensical and inaccurate perception of police work by most laypeople. By example, non-scientific, baseless notion that all (verses some) police officers live a life of danger and have a job that no one else wants, perpetuates and encourages police violence against civilians. Strangely many laypeople fail to realize that many police officers do payrol1, shuttle politicians and inventory property, etc.
Provided that lay people possess a false perception of police officers constantly dodging bullets, then people in Chicago, by example, will say little to nothing about the recent, in progress, inappropriate militarization attempts of Chicago Police Department. Nor will most lay people, including Judge Cooperman and prosecutors ever have the courage or knowledge to criticize wrongful police behavior.
Since "911" in particular, police officers have been placed on pedestal that they don't deserve. In this sort of environment, to convict a police officer of harming a civilian is said to be unpatriotic. The NBPA holds that realism should replace euphoria and fiction. Hence, police officers should be required not only to use fire discipline and judgment on Park Avenue, but as well on the urban streets of Jamaica, Queens or Englewood in Chicago.
The crime of Recklessness is so easy to identify and prove. Judge Cooperman's verdict emboldens the justification that black people have to distrust judges. Who can people-of-color turn to--to stop abuse by prosecutors and judges? The Sean Bell verdict shows people-of-color that a stop to the misery of judicial abuse in the United States will not stop anytime soon.
By Christopher C. Cooper
Monday, April 14, 2008
Friday, April 11, 2008
Tavis Smiley Leaving The Tom Joyner Morning Show?
by Dr. Boyce Watkins
www.BoyceWatkins.com
Tavis Smiley just left the Tom Joyner Morning Show. If I said I was surprised, I’d be lying. The truth is that I wondered why Tavis’ days were not numbered from the jump, because his strong commentary wasn’t quite a fit for the style of The Tom Joyner Morning Show. Black people don’t mind black people being controversial, as long as the controversy only makes white people mad.
The Tom Joyner Morning Show is about being popular. That is what keeps the sponsorship money coming in, and that’s what keeps people bopping their heads to Kool & the Gang and going on your Fantastic Voyage cruise every year. Tom Joyner and Tavis worked together to make black people laugh, cry and think; the show was always fun.
But then Barack Obama showed up and Tavis Smiley suddenly appeared to be a hater.
I don’t know if Tavis Smiley is an official Barack Obama hater, I am not so quick to issue Advanced Playerhaterology Certification. But he certainly sounded like a guy with a grudge. Seeing one strong and popular brother turn his vocal gun onto another powerful brother just made black people sick. Tom Joyner doesn’t make money when black people get sick.
What is most disturbing is that reading between the lines led many African-Americans to feel that Tavis Smiley’s love for Hillary Clinton, in conjunction with his disdain for Senator Obama, was a function of Ms. Daisy having paid off the help to get some extra support. This is not to imply that Hillary paid Tavis, but there was certainly quite a bit of asymmetry in the way Tavis dealt with Hillary vs. Barack.
Having the backing of Black America is one thing. But being too boastful about it and assuming that you control the minds of millions of people is a dangerous game. Tavis sounded no different from a man grabbing his girlfriend by the arm and telling another male suitor, “This is my woman….I own all of thisssssssss…..”
No woman would want to hear those words coming out of her man’s mouth, and neither does Black America. The public ass whooping that our readers put on Tavis after the Obama situation would have put the Michael Vick trial to shame. I honestly felt sorry for Tavis.
I don’t hate Tavis, I actually respect him. But all indicators say that he hates me. That’s why I am no good at this social commentary game: you give one small critique and people think you hate their guts. Either way, I am going to keep telling the truth, since that’s one thing I do well.
VIDEO: TAVIS SMILEY LEAVES THE TOM JOYNER MORNING SHOW
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Reparations Means Rising Above Pettiness
Okay, this is crazy! Check it out, then read this and see what you think.
I consider myself someone who pays attention to racial issues and hopes to defend the Black community from unnecessary attack. But, this is ridiculous. That quote doesn't even seem remotely offensive. This is why we should support Reparations.
Reparations calls us to be above pettiness, and refrain from superfluous issues that have no bearing on forward progress. There are so many more important issues dividing our Country than this.
That comment was trivial. If they're swinging from the trees - regardless of race - they are acting like monkeys. And, yes there is a history of Black people being referred to as monkeys.
Reparations calls for teachable moments. That could be solved with this question: "so, what do you mean by that?" And then, it's as simple as taking the time to explain (and receive) why those comments could be offensive.
We have to come together! Get Your Reparations!
reparationsblog.com
I consider myself someone who pays attention to racial issues and hopes to defend the Black community from unnecessary attack. But, this is ridiculous. That quote doesn't even seem remotely offensive. This is why we should support Reparations.
Reparations calls us to be above pettiness, and refrain from superfluous issues that have no bearing on forward progress. There are so many more important issues dividing our Country than this.
That comment was trivial. If they're swinging from the trees - regardless of race - they are acting like monkeys. And, yes there is a history of Black people being referred to as monkeys.
Reparations calls for teachable moments. That could be solved with this question: "so, what do you mean by that?" And then, it's as simple as taking the time to explain (and receive) why those comments could be offensive.
We have to come together! Get Your Reparations!
reparationsblog.com
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Reparations and the Legacy of Dr. King
Reparations means truly honoring Dr. King's legacy. It does not mean heading to Memphis to hold hands and sing "We Shall Overcome." It is not about being at the site of his assassination and walking his last steps. It is not even about talking solely about the man.
Dr. King understood that the movement was more important than any one person. And, the movement is still more important than any one person.
When we remember Jesus Christ, it is not enough to simply go to the site of His Crucifixion and return home. It is more important to carry forth the message of love and redemption, right? And, who would not be compelled to say how much of a more dedicated and Christian life they will live while standing on that Holy Ground? Yet, who - once returning home - actually follows through?
We can all live good lives when everyone is looking!
So, as we remember Dr. King it is important to set foot on hollowed ground. But, it is more important to carry forth the message and to pass forward the mission. And, the message is not only for Black people. The message is not only for Memphis. The message is also for Indiana, and for the Nation. Indeed the message is for the world.
Reparations means truly honoring Dr. King's legacy. Days like this should be days of "remembering action." What is the point of remembering the struggles and sacrifice if we do not bring to bear the present applications?
What would be the point of remembering Christ's Crucifixion if we were not compelled to serve others? Should we use His Crucifixion as an opportunity to carry His message to others? In that same vain we should use King's assassination as an opportunity for us to carry his message to others.
So, let us talk about why Dr. King was killed. Let us engage in dialogue about the issues that still plague us. Let us give ourselves to the noble cause of perfecting this Country.
Come and Get Your Reparations!
Dr. King understood that the movement was more important than any one person. And, the movement is still more important than any one person.
When we remember Jesus Christ, it is not enough to simply go to the site of His Crucifixion and return home. It is more important to carry forth the message of love and redemption, right? And, who would not be compelled to say how much of a more dedicated and Christian life they will live while standing on that Holy Ground? Yet, who - once returning home - actually follows through?
We can all live good lives when everyone is looking!
So, as we remember Dr. King it is important to set foot on hollowed ground. But, it is more important to carry forth the message and to pass forward the mission. And, the message is not only for Black people. The message is not only for Memphis. The message is also for Indiana, and for the Nation. Indeed the message is for the world.
Reparations means truly honoring Dr. King's legacy. Days like this should be days of "remembering action." What is the point of remembering the struggles and sacrifice if we do not bring to bear the present applications?
What would be the point of remembering Christ's Crucifixion if we were not compelled to serve others? Should we use His Crucifixion as an opportunity to carry His message to others? In that same vain we should use King's assassination as an opportunity for us to carry his message to others.
So, let us talk about why Dr. King was killed. Let us engage in dialogue about the issues that still plague us. Let us give ourselves to the noble cause of perfecting this Country.
Come and Get Your Reparations!
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
SOMEBODY TELL MSM AND HILLARY…”GOD DON’T LIKE UGLY”
It says lot when ordinary people with extraordinarily different faiths, races, backgrounds and no hidden agenda can come together and speak the TRUTH despite mainstream media’s caustically allergic reaction to Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama’s friend, mentor and retired Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright. These courageous folks wrote an open letter http://chuckcurrie.blogs.com/chuck_currie/2008/03/diverse-group-o.html to Sen. Hillary Clinton on March 25, 2008 that you will never hear discussed on MSM. Also, Sen. Clinton’s former Pastor Dean J. Snyder wrote another supporting Rev. Wright on March 19, 2008 http://www.foundryumc.org/pdfs/Statement%20concerning%20Rev.%20Jeremiah%20Wright.pdf
Check out this video clip of recent defunct Christian Conservative Republican Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee defending Sen. Barack Obama and his retired Rev. Jeremiah Wright against too obviously MSM haters. Funny thing though Mike Huckabee referred to Rev. Wright as “Louis Wright.” Huckabee was an active Baptist preacher for over 12 years before he dived into politics. Also, he flat out refused to let any of his previous sermons be released to the MSM while he was on the campaign trail.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNwMPNxwHmQ
Furthermore, Rev. Wright and other prominent religious leaders were invited to the White House by the Clintons to pray for Pres. Clinton because he had recently sinned by lying to America and cheating on Hillary in the White House with Miss Monica Lewinsky. Rev. Wright’s personal invitation to the White House can be viewed @ http://truthabouttrinity.blogspot.com/
Sen. Clinton conveniently kept quiet about Rev. Wright. She was even more vague on Sen. Obama’s speech…“A More Perfect Union”… http://www.myeyewitnessnews.com/political/story.aspx?content_id=626f1248-1562-44fa-b483-9df9ee77b63e Hillary now speaks out against Rev. Wright and goes into full “GERALINE FERRARO LET ME GO” mode because she is catching more than HELL for lying about her role in Bosnia, not releasing her tax returns, supporting NAFTA and her continuous steadfast refusal to release the Clinton Presidential Library and Foundation donor list. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/breaking/s_558930.html
Count on MSM (CNN, FOX, ABC, NBC, CBS and MSNBC) anti-Rev. Wright vigilantism bias to focus solely on increasing their corporate profits at ALL (AMERICA LOVES LIARS) costs. These rabid anti-religion demigods…oh I mean highly ethical and never ever racially divisive major television networks will CONTINUE to air only racially inflammatory sound bites of Rev. Wright’s sermons. They remind me of the nobodies who became somebody during the O.J. Simpson murder trial. Ask yourself did you know Nancy Grace, Marcia Clark, Mark Fuhrman, Philip Vannatter or Christopher Darden before 1994? These people all owe a huge debt of gratitude to Mr. Simpson’s horrific ordeal because they are enjoying the good life because of their racial polarizing commando style of journalism that is still going on today. This is not the TWILIGHT ZONE…no one controls your TV but you. Do thorough research before you VOTE and don’t forget to PRAY. Thank you Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright for being a “good and faithful servant” and inspiring all Americans (SAVED or NOT) to have the discussion on RACE IN AMERICA.
MORE FOOD FOR THOUGHT....
http://www.abc-usa.org/news/2008/20080324a.htm
Check out this video clip of recent defunct Christian Conservative Republican Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee defending Sen. Barack Obama and his retired Rev. Jeremiah Wright against too obviously MSM haters. Funny thing though Mike Huckabee referred to Rev. Wright as “Louis Wright.” Huckabee was an active Baptist preacher for over 12 years before he dived into politics. Also, he flat out refused to let any of his previous sermons be released to the MSM while he was on the campaign trail.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNwMPNxwHmQ
Furthermore, Rev. Wright and other prominent religious leaders were invited to the White House by the Clintons to pray for Pres. Clinton because he had recently sinned by lying to America and cheating on Hillary in the White House with Miss Monica Lewinsky. Rev. Wright’s personal invitation to the White House can be viewed @ http://truthabouttrinity.blogspot.com/
Sen. Clinton conveniently kept quiet about Rev. Wright. She was even more vague on Sen. Obama’s speech…“A More Perfect Union”… http://www.myeyewitnessnews.com/political/story.aspx?content_id=626f1248-1562-44fa-b483-9df9ee77b63e Hillary now speaks out against Rev. Wright and goes into full “GERALINE FERRARO LET ME GO” mode because she is catching more than HELL for lying about her role in Bosnia, not releasing her tax returns, supporting NAFTA and her continuous steadfast refusal to release the Clinton Presidential Library and Foundation donor list. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/breaking/s_558930.html
Count on MSM (CNN, FOX, ABC, NBC, CBS and MSNBC) anti-Rev. Wright vigilantism bias to focus solely on increasing their corporate profits at ALL (AMERICA LOVES LIARS) costs. These rabid anti-religion demigods…oh I mean highly ethical and never ever racially divisive major television networks will CONTINUE to air only racially inflammatory sound bites of Rev. Wright’s sermons. They remind me of the nobodies who became somebody during the O.J. Simpson murder trial. Ask yourself did you know Nancy Grace, Marcia Clark, Mark Fuhrman, Philip Vannatter or Christopher Darden before 1994? These people all owe a huge debt of gratitude to Mr. Simpson’s horrific ordeal because they are enjoying the good life because of their racial polarizing commando style of journalism that is still going on today. This is not the TWILIGHT ZONE…no one controls your TV but you. Do thorough research before you VOTE and don’t forget to PRAY. Thank you Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright for being a “good and faithful servant” and inspiring all Americans (SAVED or NOT) to have the discussion on RACE IN AMERICA.
MORE FOOD FOR THOUGHT....
http://www.abc-usa.org/news/2008/20080324a.htm
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Geraldine Ferraro's Still Hatin' After All These Years
On July 19, 1984 in San Francisco, CA at the Democratic National Convention Geraldine Ferraro had this to say as she became the first woman ever to run and accept the Democratic Vice President Nomination:“My name is Geraldine Ferraro. I stand before you to proclaim tonight: America is the land where dreams can come true for all of us. As I stand before the American people and think of the honor this great convention has bestowed upon me, I recall the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who made America stronger by making America more free. He said, "Occasionally in life there are moments which cannot be completely explained by words. Their meaning can only be articulated by the inaudible language of the heart."
Towards the close of that same speech she had this to say:
“A wise man once said, "Every one of us is given the gift of life, and what a strange gift it is. If it is preserved jealously and selfishly, it impoverishes and saddens. But if it is spent for others, it enriches and beautifies." My fellow Americans: We can debate policies and programs, but in the end what separates the two parties in this election campaign is whether we use the gift of life for others or only ourselves.”
When you read her words of hope and promise it makes one wonder was she every truly sincere back in the day and if so what happened to make her say, think and believe that Sen. Barack Obama is some how lucky to be Black? In case you missed her take on Obama being “lucky” here it is:
“I think what America feels about a woman becoming president takes a very secondary place to Obama's campaign - to a kind of campaign that it would be hard for anyone to run against," she said. "For one thing, you have the press, which has been uniquely hard on her. It's been a very sexist media. Some just don't like her. The others have gotten caught up in the Obama campaign. If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position," she continued. "And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept."
Some of you are thinking perhaps she deserves a pass after all she was just probably trying to throw a “Hail Mary” for her friend Sen. Hillary Clinton in a man’s world. Hold that thought because she had this to say about Rev. Jesse Jackson when he was running for president:
"if Jesse Jackson were not black, he wouldn't be in the race."
Obviously and with all do respect our sister from another mother has some issues when it comes to Black men running for President. Hillary Rodham Clinton has yet to "renounce and/or reject" her 72 year old supporter Geraldine Ferraro's racist remarks. White women have held elected offices in American politics since the early 1900's. Jeannette Rankin was the first woman to be elected to the United States House of Representatives and the she was the first female member of Congress. How soon Mrs. Ferraro and Mrs. Clinton forget that it was Frederick Douglass (a Black man) that fearlessly participated in the first feminist convention at Seneca Falls, NY in July of 1848 where he was greatly accredited for assisting in the passage of the motion to support female suffrage. Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't MS. GERALDINE a U.S. Representative for Queens, NEW YORK and and her wannabe (NY) transplant sister chick HILLARY a Senator currently representin' NEW YORK?? Don't hate on the BLACK MAN LADIES - just congratulate and get in the "I'M NEXT FOR PRESIDENT LINE." There's plenty of room for the both of you. However, watch out for the STRAIGHT TALK EXPRESS and CARL ROVE. I hear they won't be nothin' nice when it comes to Mrs. Clinton, her husband and/or child.
A student from Huston-Tilloston University http://www.htu.edu/ in Austin, TX wanted to remind us all of a few things:
A BLACK MAN
Why is it that a Black Man can create a tiny piece called a filament(electric light - Lewis Latimer) that allows people to see in the darkbut can't be seen fit to lead a country to the true light?
Why is it that a Black Man can create an instrument (clock - Benjamin Banneker) that all people use to tell time but people don't think it is time for him to run a country?
Why is it that a Black Man can design a place for the high authorities to meet in & a place for the President to live in (The Capital & theWhite House Phillip Reid (a slave) & Pierre L'Enfant) but not good enough to lead these meetings or live in himself?
Why is it that a Black Man was brilliant enough to do the first open heart surgery (Dr. Daniel Hale Williams) and show the world how to get and preserve plasma (Dr. Charles Drew) but not good enough to put a program in place where everyone can afford this surgery?
Why is it that a Black Man was creative enough to design an instrument(traffic light - Garrett Morgan) to bring multiple people (traffic) to a halt but not seen creative enough to design a plan to bring all this unnecessary and worthless fighting between countries to an end?
Why is it that a Black Man could create the soles (shoes - Jan Matzeliger)that people walk on everyday but not seen good enough to fill the shoes of a bad president? Why is it that a Black Man was smart enough & brave enough to teach himself (Frederick Douglas & Thomas Fuller - both slaves) and others how to read, write and/or calculate math but not seen (as) smart enough and bold enough to calculate a platform to be president to a country that sure needs another first by us?
So you see my Brothers and Sisters what I am saying is let us not forget our past, which led us to our present and can definitely be the backbone to our future. We were good enough, smart enough, creative enough, and bold enough then, so lets all give Obama the chance to show that we are still these things and more. We all are as strong as our weakest link, so don't be that weak link that denies our people that chance to show we still can OVERCOME & BE THE FIRST.
By the way Mrs. Ferraro you are insincere but you are sincerely wrong about Barack, Jesse or any of us being lucky...we're BLESSED.
SOURCES:
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/gferraroacceptanceaddress.html
http://www.dailybreeze.com/lifeandculture/ci_8489268
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0308/A_Ferraro_flashback.html
Saturday, March 8, 2008
HILLARY CLINTON DOESN'T DESERVE THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION
BENEATH THE SPIN * ERIC L. WATTREE
HILLARY CLINTON DOESN'T DESERVE THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION
Blank statement: 
Hillary Clinton does not deserve the Democratic Nomination for president--in fact, based on what these primaries have revealed of her character, she doesn't even deserve her seat in the senate. While Hillary has long since switched to the Democrat Party, recent weeks have clearly demonstrated that her Republican inclination towards cutthroat politics, shallow character and deceit remains firmly in tact. Compelling evidence of that is the CBS News report indicating that Hillary said, both she and Senator John McCain offer the experience to respond to a crisis, while Barack Obama only offers rhetoric. Specifically, the report quoted her as saying, "He's [John McCain's] never been the president, but he will put forth his lifetime of experience. I will put forth my lifetime of experience. Senator Obama will put forth a speech he made in 2002." That is the most mean-spirited and irresponsible remark that one Democrat can make about another prior to a national election. With that statement she has essentially--no, in fact-- endorsed Republican, John McCain over Barack Obama if she fails to get the Democratic nomination.
That statement, along with her subsequent behavior clearly demonstrates that Hillary Clinton has embarked upon a scorched Earth campaign against both Barack Obama and the Democratic Party as a whole, and it is also now clear that her every move is designed to hold the very viability of the Democratic Party hostage against nominating anyone but herself.
Further evidence of that is in spite of her claim during the last debate that she is "so honored to be here with Senator Obama" and that she represents change, throughout the run up to the Texas/Ohio primaries she has engaged in the Karl Rovian politics of mudslinging ("to see what will stick"), the politics of fear, and an attempt to ridicule Senator Obama's strengths, even though she certainly realizes that if Obama is the nominee her attacks will make it more difficult for him to be elected in November. In fact, that is her plan–to sling so much mud on Obama that he won't be able to mount a viable campaign against the Republican nominee.
In my article, Will the Reall Hillary Please Stand Up?, I pointed out that "Even Bill Clinton has acknowledged that if Hillary doesn't get a win in Texas, she won't get the presidential nomination. So in the next two weeks her character, and the kind of experience she brings to the table will be on display. If she's truly committed to change, and what's in the best interest of the United States, we'll see a lady engaged in a valiant, yet, clean fight for the nomination. But if the "experience" she so often speaks of is of the old-style, me-first, America-be-damned kind of politics of the past, we're going to see a lot of lying, desperate mudslinging, and win-at-any-cost kind of tactics."
I also pointed out in that same article that "Hillary is right in one respect, however–experience can be impressive, as we saw in the Texas debate--and she certainly has it. But Hillary has the wrong kind of experience--she's experienced in the old ways of voter manipulation. During the debate we saw a chameleon at work--first we saw the cordial Hillary, but she felt she needed to set herself apart; then she became presidential Hillary, but Obama easily matched her sober, no nonsense veneer; then she went into attack dog Hillary, only to quickly change tactics after being booed; towards the end, she finally settled on Saint Hillary, to confer love upon her opponent. It took her the entire debate, but being the "experienced" politician that she is, she finally stumbled on just the right tone of manipulation. I have a feeling we're going to see a lot more of that in the future, so I just wanted to give you a playbook so you can keep up with which Hillary is on display."
No, I'm not clairvoyant, it's just that Hillary is so self-serving that she's predictable. You see, Hillary is so far behind Obama in the number of delegates necessary to secure the nomination that she'd have to win all of the remaining primaries by over 20 points just to catch up. In short, she can no longer win it--the only way she can get it is to steal it. So she's calculated that the only way that she can become the nominee is through hook, crook, and deceit. So she's calculated that she must threaten to destroy the Democratic Party's chances of winning the November election in order to secure her community property rights--the office of the presidency. That's right, she sees it as her entitlement.
So, even though all of the democratic candidates agreed beforehand not to campaign, or seat, the delegates in Florida and Michigan due to the states' violation of a prohibition against holding their primaries before February 5, now Hillary is demanding that the 366 delegates be seated, and with good reason. In spite of the fact that all of the democratic candidates, including Hillary, agreed that those delegates wouldn't be counted, when all of the other candidates took their names off the ballot, Hillary allow her name to remain on, and since she was the only Democratic name on the ballot, technically, she won the primary. Now that she's hopelessly behind Obama in delegates, she wants to change the rules of the game and count those delegates.
A fight over this issue would tear the Democratic Party apart and allow a republican victory in November. Hillary knows that, and she also knows that Obama is the people's choice for the Democratic nomination, but instead of taking the high road and simply bowing out gracefully, she's holding the Democratic Party hostage as she slings mud at Obama, so that later she can convince the superdelegates (the party bigwigs) that Obama is so muddied that he wouldn't be a viable candidate--never mind the fact she's the one who's throwing the mud.
So the real Hillary has finally stood up, and what do we find--vindictiveness, deceit, and self-service. Some would call that hardball politics. I call it a flaw in her character, that should preclude her from the Democratic nomination.
Eric L. Wattree
wattree.blogspot.com
Friday, March 7, 2008
The Luciferication Of Hillary – NAFTA-Gate
Rules for Radicals opens with a quote about Lucifer, written by Hillary Rodham Clinton’s mentor Saul Alinsky and subject of her sealed (since 1992) 75 page suppressed college thesis entitled "There is Only the Fight ... An Analysis of the Alinsky Model"…
“Lest we forget at least an over-the-shoulder acknowledgment to the very first radical: from all our legends, mythology, and history (and who is to know where mythology leaves off and history begins -- or which is which), the first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom -- Lucifer.”
By the way Hillary's thesis received an "A".
According author Barbara Olson in her explosive book “Hell To Pay: The Unfolding Story Of Hillary Rodham Clinton” she wrote that Alinsky defined "obtaining power" as a key tactic of organizing his "mass jujitsu." His formula for attack: "Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it and polarize it."
Sen. Clinton blatantly lied and manipulated the voters of Vermont, Rhode Island, Ohio, and Texas by perpetrating NAFTA-Gate. She additionally sullied our friend and North American ally Canada in the process. Please watch these “must see” videos that you won’t see anywhere on MSM clear Sen. Barack Obama unconditionally and lay blame solely on Hillary Rodham Clinton and her advisors. The trick on the enemy is to always make you believe there is no enemy…JUST POLITICS…
Videos:
More Food For Thought….
John 10:10… “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
John 10:10… “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
“There can be no such thing as a successful traitor, for if one succeeds, he becomes a founding father.” - Saul Alinsky
Thanks Brandon Whitney @ http://www.homelandcolors.blogspot.com/ for the video too.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Black People Should Speak Up
By: Nathaniel Gadsden
Founder & Director
Nathaniel Gadsden’s Writers Wordshop
1416 Cumberland Streets
Harrisburg, Pa. 17103
pgadsden@aol.com
www.nathanielgadsden.com
(717)233-7611
Recently, the cities of Harrisburg and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have been rocked with a string of senseless shooting deaths. Almost all of the victims were young African Americans, and the killers were also young African Americans. Unfortunately, this is not shocking news to most people living in Harrisburg, the United States, or the planet earth. The sad reality is, African Americans are killing one another, in what I call, a Self-imposed Holocaust and we don’t know what to do about it. We have marched, held town meetings, supported tougher sentencing guidelines, called on God and cried. Every step we take forward against the Holocaust it appears that we lose a step. We are a resilient people, strong and vibrant at our best, but even the strongest foundation can begin to crack, over time, if the steady drip of destruction is not repaired.
I want to propose something to all writers, spoken word artist and performers/actors of the African American Community. Let’s refocus our energy, time, and talent toward the total destruction of the African Holocaust in America, Africa, and anywhere it prevails. Let’s put aside our fixation on relationships, personal stardom, and intellectual showmanship and gather together under one God directed path of the complete and total destruction of the African Holocaust. We will only write, speak, create product and energy that eliminates self-murder in our communities. We will not adopt the language of the “fool” and pretend that it is something special, you know, “a black thing.”
We will not allow our “voices”, public celebrities, or private citizens to fill the air with gossip, put-downs, and fowl language. Even Tom Joyner, Jay Anthony Brown and the other celebrity voices will be held to this standard or we will simply stop listening. Our performers, such as Eddie Murphy, Monique, Jay Anthony Brown and others, will take responsibility for their craft, or we will stop supporting them. And we take this stand not to destroy our voices and creative genius, but to say no to the misuse of our God-giftedness any longer, no matter who the artist is.
We must take this stand, because we know that the creative community has major influence over the minds of our community. Much of the negative energy and negative life choices that are being made in Harrisburg and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, can be found in most towns and cities where our people reside. The common thread that connects us is too often the movies, television programs, plays, radio shows, magazines, and sporting events. What is said through these outlets carries an enormous amount of influence in African American communities, including Harrisburg and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As a Writer/Creative person I must do all that I can to ensure that the images and messages I give life to do not ultimately take a life from the community I love. Will you join me?
I would like to hear from you. Let’s start a movement of creative artist dedicated to saving the lives of our people. I can be reached at (717)233-7611 or email: pgadsden@aol.com. My Web page is: nathanielgadsden.com
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Fuss Over Nothing: Most State of the Black Union Attendees Don't Mind Obama Not Being There
by Gregory Moore, YourBlackWorld.com
For weeks the Black American consciousness has been inundated with a story that Tavis Smiley is upset with Sen. Barak Obama for not being a last Saturday's State of Black America Union town hall that was held in New Orleans, Louisiana. The rheotoric had gotten so bad that Smiley had said he was getting death threats and that his family in Indianapolis were being harassed by some ill-thought comments he made. Yet for all of the hubbub that may have been going on, it seems that many who attended the event felt that Obama's absence was really no big deal.
"He has a galvanizing effect," Robert Bailey of Shreveport told the New Orleans Times Picayune. "This is a movement, it's not just about a presidential election."
The story became a major player in media circles for nearly two weeks because Smiley, who is a media personality on both the Tom Joyner Morning Show and on Tavis Talks, his PBS show. Smiley has been putting the SOBU forum on for nearly a decade and usually it has been without much controversy. Until now. Black commentators, bloggers and readers in general had expressed their opinion about his comments and about whether Obama had made the right decision or not.
Faye Anderson, a blogger for AOL's Black Voices, wrote in her latest blog entry about Smiley's situation: " I was motivated to watch the talkfest by the hundreds of thoughtful comments in response to my earlier post. The Black Voices community has convinced me that Barack Obama made the right decision to stay on the campaign trail. And that Smiley should "get over himself" and "shut the hell up."
Many African Americans are feeling the same way about this story now since it has now played out. Many feel that Smiley, who many believe to be a Black leader in his own right, stepped over the line in his assessment of Obama's decision and that he tried to become bigger than the campaign instead of requeasing to the notion that maybe the SOBU isn't the place for a presidential candidate to be.
"Personally, I don't think it's much of an issue," said Victor Reed. "I'm standing behind him 100 percent."
"It's better for his campaign to be in Texas," said Tiffany Washington.
The Obama campaign has been fighting many political insurgents since last February, when the Illinois Senator decided to throw his name into the presidential hat. Last year Obama got criticism from both Smiley and Dr. Cornel West for not attending the SOBU in Hampton, Virginia. West has since back tracked and is now a staunch supporter of the senator.
Smiley, however, has not changed his stance even up to the forum's start time.
In a response to both readers and his critics, Smiley wrote on the BAW website, " First, I want to thank Senator Obama for his letter, although I regret his decision. I said on Tuesday and I reiterate today, that I believe that this is a critical miscalculation and a missed opportunity."
Smiley went on in length about how long he has known Sen. Obama and that he truly is inspired by both him and his wife's work. Yet many African American readers, bloggers and commentators are holding Smiley to a standard that is usually reserved for someone on the political front.
Roland S. Martin, a CNN contributor and talk show host on Chicago's WVON, wrote at Essence's website " As an aside, when I asked my radio listeners on WVON in Chicago if Obama should skip the event, we got 29 calls in two hours, and only two said he should go. And this is a crowd that is normally in agreement with Smiley."
Smiley's SOBU event normally gets great coverage and becomes a boon for Black America but this year because of the ruckus that went before this year's event on whether Sen. Obama should have attended it or not. The bad publicity that Smiley and this event received was well deserved for the most part but it should have also served as a wake up for anyone who thinks that a status quo in how to deal with Black politicians is still the same.
Even though he did get a small bit of backlash from readers/listeners about his Obama comments, Smiley is catching a lot more from bloggers and commentators on his choice of corporate sponsors.
Writes Black Voices' Anderson, " Smiley should be held accountable for organizing a conference on "recasting our future" whose "title sponsor," Wells Fargo, is a key player in the subprime mortgage meltdown. Prof. Michael Eric Dyson noted that the subprime crisis has led to the 'greatest bleeding off of wealth in the history of this nation.'"
What many Black media experts are saying both publicly and privately is that Smiley is doing more to fatten his pocket rather than to really be a catalyst for the Black community.
Let's not mistake success for gluttony. It is harder to stay on top than to reach the top but what is even more difficult is to realize what may be of importance.
For Tavis, he needs to realize that if he is going to have a career in journalism, he needs to understand the ramifications of speaking the mind. True journalists, even opinion writers, know where the boundaries are at any given moment. Media personalities like Tavis don't have a clue.
And that is the very reason why many Black Americans have reached out and let him know of his error.
Learn the lesson Tavis. Don't just try to be a Black voice in the community; learn to accept the responsibility that comes with becoming a 21st century griot to the community.
If you don't, you will continue to catch the wrath of the very people you are trying to "tell the story" with.
Gregory Moore is the Managing Editor/webmaster for the San Antonio Informer (www.sainformer.net), a thrice-weekly online newspaper covering the African American community in San Antonio, Texas. He is also a frequent contributor for many national media outlets including ESPN, Fox Sports Radio and others.
Fuss over nothing as many attendees really didn't care that Obama didn't make the SOBU summit
by Gregory Moore, YourBlackWorld.com
For weeks the Black American consciousness has been inundated with a story that Tavis Smiley is upset with Sen. Barak Obama for not being a last Saturday's State of Black America Union town hall that was held in New Orleans, Louisiana. The rheotoric had gotten so bad that Smiley had said he was getting death threats and that his family in Indianapolis were being harassed by some ill-thought comments he made. Yet for all of the hubbub that may have been going on, it seems that many who attended the event felt that Obama's absence was really no big deal.
"He has a galvanizing effect," Robert Bailey of Shreveport told the New Orleans Times Picayune. "This is a movement, it's not just about a presidential election."
The story became a major player in media circles for nearly two weeks because Smiley, who is a media personality on both the Tom Joyner Morning Show and on Tavis Talks, his PBS show. Smiley has been putting the SOBU forum on for nearly a decade and usually it has been without much controversy. Until now. Black commentators, bloggers and readers in general had expressed their opinion about his comments and about whether Obama had made the right decision or not.
Faye Anderson, a blogger for AOL's Black Voices, wrote in her latest blog entry about Smiley's situation: " I was motivated to watch the talkfest by the hundreds of thoughtful comments in response to my earlier post. The Black Voices community has convinced me that Barack Obama made the right decision to stay on the campaign trail. And that Smiley should "get over himself" and "shut the hell up."
Many African Americans are feeling the same way about this story now since it has now played out. Many feel that Smiley, who many believe to be a Black leader in his own right, stepped over the line in his assessment of Obama's decision and that he tried to become bigger than the campaign instead of requeasing to the notion that maybe the SOBU isn't the place for a presidential candidate to be.
"Personally, I don't think it's much of an issue," said Victor Reed. "I'm standing behind him 100 percent."
"It's better for his campaign to be in Texas," said Tiffany Washington.
The Obama campaign has been fighting many political insurgents since last February, when the Illinois Senator decided to throw his name into the presidential hat. Last year Obama got criticism from both Smiley and Dr. Cornel West for not attending the SOBU in Hampton, Virginia. West has since back tracked and is now a staunch supporter of the senator.
Smiley, however, has not changed his stance even up to the forum's start time.
In a response to both readers and his critics, Smiley wrote on the BAW website, " First, I want to thank Senator Obama for his letter, although I regret his decision. I said on Tuesday and I reiterate today, that I believe that this is a critical miscalculation and a missed opportunity."
Smiley went on in length about how long he has known Sen. Obama and that he truly is inspired by both him and his wife's work. Yet many African American readers, bloggers and commentators are holding Smiley to a standard that is usually reserved for someone on the political front.
Roland S. Martin, a CNN contributor and talk show host on Chicago's WVON, wrote at Essence's website " As an aside, when I asked my radio listeners on WVON in Chicago if Obama should skip the event, we got 29 calls in two hours, and only two said he should go. And this is a crowd that is normally in agreement with Smiley."
Smiley's SOBU event normally gets great coverage and becomes a boon for Black America but this year because of the ruckus that went before this year's event on whether Sen. Obama should have attended it or not. The bad publicity that Smiley and this event received was well deserved for the most part but it should have also served as a wake up for anyone who thinks that a status quo in how to deal with Black politicians is still the same.
Even though he did get a small bit of backlash from readers/listeners about his Obama comments, Smiley is catching a lot more from bloggers and commentators on his choice of corporate sponsors.
Writes Black Voices' Anderson, " Smiley should be held accountable for organizing a conference on "recasting our future" whose "title sponsor," Wells Fargo, is a key player in the subprime mortgage meltdown. Prof. Michael Eric Dyson noted that the subprime crisis has led to the 'greatest bleeding off of wealth in the history of this nation.'"
What many Black media experts are saying both publicly and privately is that Smiley is doing more to fatten his pocket rather than to really be a catalyst for the Black community.
Let's not mistake success for gluttony. It is harder to stay on top than to reach the top but what is even more difficult is to realize what may be of importance.
For Tavis, he needs to realize that if he is going to have a career in journalism, he needs to understand the ramifications of speaking the mind. True journalists, even opinion writers, know where the boundaries are at any given moment. Media personalities like Tavis don't have a clue.
And that is the very reason why many Black Americans have reached out and let him know of his error.
Learn the lesson Tavis. Don't just try to be a Black voice in the community; learn to accept the responsibility that comes with becoming a 21st century griot to the community.
If you don't, you will continue to catch the wrath of the very people you are trying to "tell the story" with.
Gregory Moore is the Managing Editor/webmaster for the San Antonio Informer (www.sainformer.net), a thrice-weekly online newspaper covering the African American community in San Antonio, Texas. He is also a frequent contributor for many national media outlets including ESPN, Fox Sports Radio and others.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
YourBlackWorld Reader Comments on Tavis Smiley
The rift that Tavis Smiley is attempting to create with Sen. Barack Obama could be interpreted as a lame attempt to draw attention to Smiley's conference and his (now) flagging book sales. The conference hasn't received any wide press coverage in years and Tavis' best selling "Covenant" book is a coffee table accessory without the implementation for which it calls.
Thus, Tavis ostensibly wants to coerce Obama to attend his conference, extract a pledge to adopt Tavis' covenant agenda for Black America and to find the means for its implementation, if elected.
Either way Obama would lose and Tavis would 'win' in this scenario. If compliant, Obama would be portrayed as pandering to a special interest group, or, denigrated by Tavis for failing to promise sufficient means for covenant implementation. Regardless, Tavis gets the publicity.
If this is picked up as a national media "story", Tavis will appear before a much wider audience than PBS or CSPAN as CNN and MSNBC banner his book and talk show title under his name during the interview. I gave the Brother more credit. Ostensibly, he has his eye on the wrong prize.
Sen. Obama's letter of response to Smiley is well crafted and bounced the ball directly back in Tavis' court by offering Michelle Obama as a substitute conference presenter, to which Tavis apparently declined. The question begs to be asked; would Tavis Smiley have refused Bill Clinton as a substitute speaker for Hillary? ....I don't think so.
Yet a dynamic, poised, articulate, assertive, accomplished, culturally grounded, highly intelligent, well educated Black woman who is engaged professionally as a community organizer was deemed unworthy to appear on the dais of an annual conference that has no apparent goals and objectives for action items? Oh, PLEASE...TRY to explain, Mr. Smiley, why your refusal of Atty. Michelle Obama's inclusion should not be perceived as a misogynistic, autocratic, plutocratic embodiment of slavery's psychological chains and images that restrict your vision?
We are not a monolith and you, sir, do not speak for all African Americans. Barack Obama has taken the higher moral-political ground and is keeping his eye on the ultimate prize where he will be positioned to facilitate substantive change to impact millions of lives. He is enthralled in a major battle to that end. Obama has given us no pause as not being worthy of achieving both. An INTRARACIAL conflict should NOT be his concern at this juncture when we have witnessed the blind ambition, sense of white entitlement, wrath, ire, vitriole and racist cunning of the Clintons as contenders. There was an implied "or else" in your tone of setting a deadline for Sen.. Obama to respond. Surely, you were not insinuating an endorsement of the Clintons should Obama not comply with your request for his appearance?
Your tactics have appeared petty and lacking the gravitas that we have come to admire in Tavis Smiley as a leading journalist - commentator. Resume your place with Juan Williams, Dwayne Wickham, Susan Taylor, Clarence Paige, George Curry, Sam Yette et al. Don't resort to muckraking politics or grabbing quick headlines. It doesn't become you or enhance your stellar reputation. There will be ample means after the election to hold Barack accountable. They are called the Fourth Estate and the ballot.
Genevieve Myers Stewart
Louisiana
Thus, Tavis ostensibly wants to coerce Obama to attend his conference, extract a pledge to adopt Tavis' covenant agenda for Black America and to find the means for its implementation, if elected.
Either way Obama would lose and Tavis would 'win' in this scenario. If compliant, Obama would be portrayed as pandering to a special interest group, or, denigrated by Tavis for failing to promise sufficient means for covenant implementation. Regardless, Tavis gets the publicity.
If this is picked up as a national media "story", Tavis will appear before a much wider audience than PBS or CSPAN as CNN and MSNBC banner his book and talk show title under his name during the interview. I gave the Brother more credit. Ostensibly, he has his eye on the wrong prize.
Sen. Obama's letter of response to Smiley is well crafted and bounced the ball directly back in Tavis' court by offering Michelle Obama as a substitute conference presenter, to which Tavis apparently declined. The question begs to be asked; would Tavis Smiley have refused Bill Clinton as a substitute speaker for Hillary? ....I don't think so.
Yet a dynamic, poised, articulate, assertive, accomplished, culturally grounded, highly intelligent, well educated Black woman who is engaged professionally as a community organizer was deemed unworthy to appear on the dais of an annual conference that has no apparent goals and objectives for action items? Oh, PLEASE...TRY to explain, Mr. Smiley, why your refusal of Atty. Michelle Obama's inclusion should not be perceived as a misogynistic, autocratic, plutocratic embodiment of slavery's psychological chains and images that restrict your vision?
We are not a monolith and you, sir, do not speak for all African Americans. Barack Obama has taken the higher moral-political ground and is keeping his eye on the ultimate prize where he will be positioned to facilitate substantive change to impact millions of lives. He is enthralled in a major battle to that end. Obama has given us no pause as not being worthy of achieving both. An INTRARACIAL conflict should NOT be his concern at this juncture when we have witnessed the blind ambition, sense of white entitlement, wrath, ire, vitriole and racist cunning of the Clintons as contenders. There was an implied "or else" in your tone of setting a deadline for Sen.. Obama to respond. Surely, you were not insinuating an endorsement of the Clintons should Obama not comply with your request for his appearance?
Your tactics have appeared petty and lacking the gravitas that we have come to admire in Tavis Smiley as a leading journalist - commentator. Resume your place with Juan Williams, Dwayne Wickham, Susan Taylor, Clarence Paige, George Curry, Sam Yette et al. Don't resort to muckraking politics or grabbing quick headlines. It doesn't become you or enhance your stellar reputation. There will be ample means after the election to hold Barack accountable. They are called the Fourth Estate and the ballot.
Genevieve Myers Stewart
Louisiana
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL GEAR 101
A young and upcoming brotha residing in Ohio http://www.myspace.com/van20 designed these one of a kind blow your mind kicks. Please visit his MYSPACE PAGE and show him some mad love and request he desisgn a pair for you. Could you imagine Barack Obama wearing these shoes at the next face off with the Clintons or Sen. McCain?? I feel like dunking just thinking about it. Sen. Obama is a serious basketball player too. Be sure to let the Nike Corporation http://www.nike.com/index.jhtml#l=nikehome&re=US&co=US&la=EN know you want them to start making these BILLary BEware YES WE CAN OBAMA AIR FORCE ONES NOW!! Do tell everybody and they MAMA you ain't sorry for rockin' these for OBAMA! Man I love these shoes!
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