Archive | October, 2007

Why Is the Black Establishment Afraid to Grasp History?

By on October 22, 2007 in Politics

This post is the continuation on a theme that I initiated as a comment on the Electronic Village, Saturday afternoon. I guess I’m headed in the direction of activist actionist lately so I’ll just flow with it because I’m really feeling something truly passionate these days about the way life can be if we’d only make it so.

I hear a lot lately from the usual Black talking heads about candidate electability that sounds like excuse making to me. The Civil Rights Generation is thinking in totally wrong headed fashion on the pending ’08 election. C’mon now. They marched and protested, and their friends were murdered and lynched. Why, then, after Shirley Chisholm’s ground breaking move for the White House in ’72 (she made a run after one term in Congress too…humm), how then, after Jesse Jackson’s “Run Jesse Run” pursuit in ’84 and again in the 1988 “Keep Hope Alive” campaign is the Black power elite not coming out with a blanket endorsement for Barak Obama? This is the moment they have fought for and lived for and now fear of success has gripped their pitiful hearts like a vice grip.

Well destiny has presented us with the candidate they fought and marched for in the Jim Crow era and now they all want to use the “electability” excuse. It’s now or never and I for one plan on holding our elders (social and political) accountable for their fear and innaction. Finally, Medgar Evers and Martin Luther King’s dreams can be fulfilled. From marching on the White House to occupying it by election. Right here, right now. Not later. This is the 21st damn century and January 2008 is the time to change the complexion of the seat of power. Alright, O.K. Maybe I need to put it musically the way the P-Funk family phrased it a few years ago…time to Paint the White House Black.

And hey, isn’t it the Civil Rights Generation who always spoke about representing the race, being loyal to the race and creating opportunity for the race? You remember this line from your old man or your old lady when you were a kid, right? “…one day you could be president little Black boy or Black girl…” But now in the 21st century, they want to get stuck on some crazy old slavish thinking instead of taking the millenial opportunity to actually make the most historic advance in American history. Bullshit. I will truly be disappointed in our parents generation if they don’t do their duty and create a new legacy for the country and a final substantive legacy for their generation.

Do I sound pissed? Yep, I am and I’m calling out all of alleged leaders for not actually leading. Some of them may have already committed and I just haven’t heard about it yet. To those I’ll apologize when I learn otherwise. Until then, I’m calling out Maxine Waters, Tavis Smiley, Al Sharpton, Kwame Kilpatrick, Andrew Young, everyone in the Congressional Black Caucus, Nancy Pelosi, Jimmy Carter, Ted Kennedy – yeah, white powerbrokers included – John Conyers and others too numerous to list. The old guard can finally make the greatest difference in American history and it would literally reverberate throughout the entire world. Forget the transformation of the American phsyche (yes, the United States does need a psychological enema). I’m talking about the whole damn planet.

Allow me to continue the call out rant though. I’m calling out Joe Reed of Alabama who is the chairman of the Alabama Democratic Caucus. That’s the Black wing of the Democratic party in my state who’s body just last week endorsed Hellary – no I didn’t spell that Devil spawn’s name wrong – over Barak. Joe purportedly didn’t endorse Jesse during his historic run either. He has done good work in the past but now he’s just a Black turncoat who has screwed with the destiny of our people in a major way for the second time in the last 25 years. What an idiot. What a damn impossible idiot.

The Black Governor of Massachusetts, Deval Patrick, just recently endorsed Barak Obabama. As I mentioned on Saturday, it’s about time somebody with pull who recognizes the historic confluence of these times has given Barak the nod. Governor Patrick joins Jesse Jackson in that repect by throwing some more public muscle behind the campaign. Unfortunately, way too many of those of the Civil Rights era who should be grabbing destiny by the horns don’t have the guts to do so. How can you not go for the obvious opportunity when it’s staring you right in the face?

Barak is the man Dr. King was looking forward in time to nearly forty years ago. In fact he and I are part of that integration generation that he preached and spoke about so many times. How dare King’s own generation disrespect his memory and quiver in their boots when the one person who can truly represent the entire nation for the first time in history falls right in their collective lap. Can they do what needs to be done when the time comes? They’re making me wonder at this point. Where’s the heart now that great courage is truly needed Civil Rights Generation?

Never mind nationwide noose hangings by the racist ignorami from sea to shining sea. We’re not naive. African Americans have always known that kind of backwards 19th century stupidity was always lurking just below the surface waiting for any excuse to break out. It happens every few years so no big shock about any of it. No, that crap isn’t even important because apparently we’re determined to tie ourselves into a life ending choke hold.

How do you respond to me and to the rest of us who have to live in the world you are slowly leaving Civil Rights Generation? Have I offended you? I hope so. Am I being disrespectful? Fine, because the rest of us will have to live in the wake of what you will or won’t do in the next few months. I hope I’ve pissed you off as much as some of your brethren have ticked me off recently. But after you’re done being mad, think and reconsider your position on things. Come back at me and let me know how you feel. I’m a man, I can take it. Can you? Again I say destiny is calling. What is your answer?

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I’m With Coz, Come On People!

By on October 20, 2007 in General Interest

I watched Meet the Press for the first time in a long time last Sunday morning because Bill Cosby and Alvin Poussaint were Tim Russerts’ guests. Coz has followed up his cathartic truth telling within the African American community with a new book, “Come on People: On the Path from Victims to Victors”. Unlike a lot of out-of-touch Black pundits and esoteric thinkers – you know who they are – who create excuses and point fingers towards others as the cause for Black social degredation Coz and Poussaint talk truth and actual solutions.

Like Bill says, and I paraphrase, Black families have always had to deal with racism in America but we always dealt with it responsibly, and correctively (as in self correction and discipline) and not self destructively as we’ve resorted to in recent generations. Thank you Bill and Alvin for continuing to confront and expose the excuses with the truth of ourselves and what it takes to check and correct ourselves because we are damn sure wrecking oursleves, if I may complete the hip-hop inspired thought of the state of things as they are.

I won’t repeat the content of the interview – just read the Sunday, Oct 14, 2007 transcript - because I’ve already commented on my support of Bill’s in-your-face method of getting to the nitty gritty with Black America. In fact I’ve already ranted more than I intended to but I will give a couple of personal insights that struck me and have stuck with me.

There were a couple of phrases that he and Dr. Poussaint put out there that resonated with me. They used terms like “love giver” as opposed to “care giver” in reference to people like foster parents who stayed on and hung in there with kids that society had given up on. Love is the strongest bulwark against any type of anti social behavior. Poussaint used another phrase that I wish I had thought of, father hunger. Heck, that described me perfectly as a kid raised by a divorcee. There are some things only a father can explain clearly to a son. There are some things a boy can only discuss and let off his chest with another man who understands because he’s been there.

It was a powerful interview, one that you shouldn’t have missed if you haven’t had a chance to see any of the town hall styled meeetings which have been conducted around the country in recent months with Coz and other nationally known African American leaders . If you’re a real “actionist” not only will you read the NBC transcript but you will buy the book, you will buy extra copies for friends and you’ll blog about it. Here’s a thought, buy ten copies and conduct a meme or some type of contest on your site. Then send each winner their personal copy as a prize. You’re a creative bunch so think of something and push this treasure that will actually bring some real thought, solutions and resolution to the issues that restrain us from progressing.

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Isaiah Washington Is Back on the Air!!!

By on October 4, 2007 in General Interest

Who remembers the Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman series from the 70′s? NBC has brought the Bionic Woman back and my man Isaiah Washington has a role. He’s some sort of mentor or something to Jamie Somers. He can also handle a pistol pretty well in his multiple super secret duties.

Those idiots at ABC are going to find out what a mistake it was to cut him loose from Grey’s Anatomy. I never watched it but I started paying attention when they gave him the short end of the stick with his disagreements with the other cast member. Well, Bionic Woman just went up a notch in my estimation simply with the addition of Washington and his character has only been introduced in this the second week of the season.

Isaiah’s reputation is that he’s supposedly a prima donna with an attitude. Hey, isn’t that the Hollywood way? Anyway, check out the Bionic Woman storyline on NBC’s web site. It’s a pretty good series and I think you’ll like it.

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Blogging While Brown Set for July 2008

By on October 2, 2007 in Blogging, General Interest

The name is a play on words. It’s derived from the phrase “driving while Black” which describes the sometimes apparently random pullovers of African American drivers by the police. Well the phrase has been dumped on it’s head and the connotation redefined in positive fashion.

Set your sights and savings accounts on Hotlanta for the middle of next year. Plans continue for the first really big gathering of Black bloggers and those who wish to be. Sign up for the conference call at the link and join in on the detailed planning. If you have a specialty then give a workshop. There’s plenty of other stuff to do as well.

Check out the wiki and sign up for the RSS feed too. More info is being posted now that the planning team has the date and host hotel set. Get the word out and pass the news on to your friends. Post a story with a link like I’m doing now. You know you want to meet Paula Mooney and Theo Johnson just like everybody else does. Well I have it on good authority that they might be there so you be there too and hang out and learn.

I’m going to give you guys a serious actionist tip too. Read “The World is Flat” by Thomas Friedman before the conference. I’ve read it and I got a chance to hear him speak at Auburn University’s lecture series this afternoon. One of his major theses is that we’re living in a historic time of flattenting forces. Guess what Black bloggers, you’re part of the historic epoch. We won’t realize our impact for another ten years but you won’t truly be a part of the impact if you’re not in Atlanta next July.

I love ya like virtual brothers and sisters. We’ll do an in-person group hug nine months from now.

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