Friday, July 31, 2009

How "evil" will they be?


I guess you all know by now that three hikers have gone missing in a part of the "axis of evil", also known as Iran. My first reaction to this story was: why would a bunch of hikers want to go backpacking in Northern Iraq and on the border with Iran in the first place? But then, I realized, that they could be young white people. And you know how you all are. I swear you all go looking for shit. Honestly, I don't know the race of those poor hikers, but I am going to bet you here and now that they ain't black. Hell no! Black folks don't go looking for adventure by hiking in groves of pistachio trees in the most dangerous place on earth. Just being black in A-merry-ca is adventure enough. (Ask Skip :)) So that kind of "be all you can be" shit just doesn't happen. Going on a ski trip (where 90% of us don't even go near a lift) or on a big ass roller coaster at "Great Adventure " is as wild as it gets for us.

But I don't want to make light of this. This is serious business and we have been down this road before. Besides, that damn Ahmadinejad could try to turn his O ness into Jimmy Carter by playing this for all it's worth. For them (the Iranians) this could be a major coup. This is just the kind of distraction they need after all the internal turmoil in their own country.

They will declare that these A-merry-cans were spies and that they are holding them for their own national security. Meanwhile, the US military is going all out to try and find these missing hikers....wait, did I just write missing? Can we stop saying that? "Missing Americans"? Missing is when you are lost in the woods or some shit. Missing is when no one knows where you are. We know exactly where our friends with the National Geographic jones are. They are in Iran.

Hell they communicated with their friend and said they were surrounded by a bunch of Iranians for crying out loud. So I wouldn't exactly say they are missing. Although, being held somewhere near Ahmed Awaa, ain't like being held in Tijuana if you get my drift.

Anyway, here is hoping that this ends well for those poor kids and that they will find themselves safely home without World War III breaking out. We need that kind of resolution for their families and for A-merry-ca. My pronouncement might seem premature, but lord knows we don't need another Ronald Reagan emerging out of this.




Thursday, July 30, 2009

Happy hour in A-merry-ca.


It was right out of central casting. (Except for the white butler) Two white guys; two black guys; black and white on each side; the beer placed just right. Isn't race relations wonderful when you plan it right? It was happy hour at the White House. Just a bunch of guys shooting the breeze and working out their differences: "So Jim, are you a saaax fan? Yes Mr. President, I am. Well you guys better do something with Dice-K or you are going to be in trouble. Well I am a Phillies fan myself. We don't have a team in Delaware. I know Joe, I was talking to Jim. Do you like baseball Skip? Is that the one where they score touchdowns? .....Let me stop and leave Skip alone. But he pissed me off when he dissed my Red Stripe and went with some A-merry-can brew. He knows damn good and well that he prefers Red Stripe. How can he have an honest discussion about race when he isn't even honest about the damn beer he drinks?


Now you guys are going to say that this is just the old cynical field being field. But what, exactly, was that on the White House back lawn this evening? Am I the only one saw the the whole thing as some surreal manifestation of the superficial nature of race relations in A-merry-ca? The staging, the forced camaraderie, and --I am sure--- the perfunctory nature of the discussion. Isn't that how we interact with each other on a daily basis? It was perfect.


Politically it might work for his O ness. Most A-merry-cans in the majority population are quite comfortable with racial lip service. They shy away from uncomfortable truths and hope they never have to encounter it in their lifetime like officer Jim had to. They are fine with a co-worker, an acquaintance, the mailman, or a child's teacher, for instance; but real engagement and meaningful social interaction is a no no.


Black folks are in their cocoons (no pun intended) as well. Many live in segregated urban sectors and never have meaningful inter action with people in the majority population. Oh there are the cops, the school teachers, and the occasional civil servant. But none of them have a white person that they can call a friend. Someone that they can tell how frustrated they really feel living in A-merry-ca with the ugly stain of racism, and not having to let some race expert (Rev. Inc.) do it for them.


"I am confident that has happened here tonight, and I am hopeful that all of us are able to draw this positive lesson from this episode."


Sorry O man, it will take a little more than happy hour on the lawn. This little "beerfest" tonight isn't going to cut it. This was about two men and politics as usual. And the only thing I learned was that Harvard professors can't even be loyal to their damn beer.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Barack Obama doesn't care about white people.

*
O my O man, who knew? And here I thought your were just another smooth talking politician who knew how to navigate between black and white worlds. A unifier; a consensus builder. You were never one of those black racist; you are someone who preaches love not hate. But apparently, the white Kanye West, Glen Beck, doesn't think so. ["Gorge Bush doesn't care about black people". (I know Kanye, but he is gone now.)] Seems Beck called you out on FOX NEWS and said you were a racist. Yep, he did it. He said you had issues with white people. You know what that means O man? It means that you hated your mama, and that just might mean that you have some serious issues not only with white people, but with women as well.


But seriously, for those of you who are surprised at Mr. Beck's remarks, you must not have been reading this blog for the past year. I tried to tell you about FOX and their agenda, and you all kept telling me that I am focusing on the wrong thing. That FOX NEWS is just being FOX NEWS and I should move on and leave them alone. Well, maybe now that they are ratcheting up the race baiting on your boy, you will see where I am coming from. Beck and company are not stupid. They know the people that they are trying to attract in this country. By telling them Obama is a racist he is telling them that it's cool for them to be racists as well. Hey, he hates you, so why not hate him? It's kind of simple when you break it down isn't it?

Now I know I know, Beck is an entertainer, and so is Kanye. But the difference is, Kanye West is a rapper and musician, Glen Beck is a political commentator, who reaches millions of his fellow A-merry-cans every day on his radio program and every night on his television show. Kanye West spoke out of anger and disgust from the heart about one of the greatest tragedies in A-merry-ca's history. What is Beck's motivation? Because his O ness rightfully called some racist cop stupid? I heard a lady on MSNBC tonight and she made a good point: Beck will always get corporate sponsors who want his show to do well, because this type of rhetoric divides the races and plays right into their (the corporations) hands. God forbid poor black and white people ever get together in this country, it would shake up the entire apple cart. Talk about crabs in a barrel. Poor people in this country are in one big fucking crab barrel.


Beck is trying to reach those poor white people in the barrel and believe me, he doesn't want them to crawl out. Sadly, it's working, I am sure most of you have heard by now about the racist cop in Boston. No, not Jim Crow, [thanks Rippa] the one on the Boston P.D. who was caught sending racist messages about Skip gates via e-mail. The one who I am sure listens to Glen Beck and others like him every day, and who believes that the race war is coming.


It's funny how racism works isn't it? I get accused of being a racist and racism chaser all the time. It's bullshit, but I will wear that badge, because I am passionate about this shit, and I am cynical when it comes to matters of race. His O ness, on the other hand, is trying to be a race neutral icon, and yet, white folks won't let him. They throw the racist label at him like Pedro Martinez fastball and hope it hits him right between the eyes. He dodges and ducks, and tries everything to appease them, (Beer anyone?) but they keep throwing. Why? Because race neutral icons might actually make it cool to do away with ignorance for one minute, that's why.


Anyway, while the Glen Becks of the world does his thing. The field Negroes of the world will do theirs. Unlike the house Negroes who want to make nice with him and his ilk, we will be over here calling him and everyone like him on his bullshit. And we will call the house Negroes on it, too. They might want to be around people who despise everything about their black asses, but us field Negroes will pass and continue to make them uncomfortable. You can call it crabs in a barrel if you want to, but it's far from it. Some of you crabs can haul your black asses right out of the barrel, I guarantee you that the rest of us won't even care. Besides, you will only be going to another bigger whiter barrel with a lot more crabs.



*Pic courtesy of ArtMaggot.


Tuesday, July 28, 2009

I want to be a good Negro!

*

"Monday, July 27, 2009 Black Female Officer Kelly King defends Sgt Crowley.I came across this video on Booker Rising. This video definitely makes Obama and Gates look very petty in their regards to invoking race into Mr. Gate's arrest. The black female officer is Kelly King of the Cambridge Police Department. I was shocked that CNN actually interviewed her. She sounded very impassioned in her support of Sgt. Crowley. Obama want to talk on about a "teachable moment", the ultimate teachable moment for people like Henry Gates, Barack Obama and others is at the 58 second mark in the video. When I see people like Gates and Obama, I see them as a representation of everything that is wrong in America regarding race relations. Kelly King represents what is right about race relations in our country. I'm not just saying this, because she said she wasn't voting for Obama again. I had to laugh at that one myself."


~posted by conservative brother at 11:28 PM~

I am not in a good mood. The house Negroes are winning. Pretty soon massa will have to build a brand new wing on that bitch to accommodate all of them. See it's like this: Here in A-merry-ca
good Negroes get to set the dialogue when it comes to race and race relations, because good Negroes never rock the boat or upset the status quo. Good Negroes always make us feel comfortable about ourselves and our beautiful country built on racial harmony. Lately, good Negroes are all the rage. Kelly King and Leon Lashley are good Negroes. They can always be counted on to dismiss the field Negroes and their racism chasing habits. Good Negroes don't worry about racism because their white friends and bosses are sooooo good to them. A good Negro will always have a job and a place in the house here in A-merry-ca. To white folks, good Negroes are like pets, and we all know how white folks feel about their pets. Good Negroes feed into all the stereotypes so that white folks don't have to worry about offending them. For instance, if you are white and you have a good Negro over to your house, do you want to be constantly worrying what Negroes eat? Or do you want to be able to say: Honey, we are having some Negroes over, do we have enough Kool-Aid and friend chicken?......let me stop.... *trying to type and get serious, trying to type and get serious*


So I am watching Tina Brown (Editor of the "Daily Beast") this morning and she was talking about her article which dissed his O ness for getting off his health care message and falling victim to ---as she said on "Morning Joe"--- this "distraction". See, for people like Tina Brown, race is just a "distraction." That's what good Negroes do for white folks, they make race a "distraction". For some of us Negroes, it's a little more than that. It's something we live with every fucking day. Even if we are considered the successful ones, or the ones who have "made" it. (Just ask Skippy Gates and his 56% white ass. I bet he is not a good Negro anymore.) Distraction? Hey, I want universal health care as much as the next bleeding heart liberal. But guess what? If every A-merry-can is guaranteed health care but poor and minority people are still treated differently when they go to have it administered, we will be right back at square one. So yes, I would say the problem of race in A-merry-ca is more than just a little "distraction."


Anyway, I don't want to spoil the party. Tomorrow it's beer for the boyz at the White House, and his O ness will throw back some brews with the liar, Jim Crow, (Thanks Rippa) and the good doctor. (Boy I would love to be a fly on the White House wall) I wonder if his O ness will tell the men that some republiklans in congress are trying to pass a bill to force him to apologize to his new beer buddy? Yes, you read right, they are trying to move a bill through the house to force O bama to apologize because they think he abused his presidential power. See, that's what happens when the man thinks you are no longer being a good Negro. He tries to force your ass to be a good Negro by passing laws and shit. Poor Obama, deep in his heart he knows that the SOB is a liar, (I bet Michelle won't be there. I don't think Michelle is a good Negro, do you?) but what can he do? He already promised to have ole Jim over to pound back some brews. He can't back out now. He told the entire country for crying out loud.


After it's over they will all go to the White House lawn, have a quick press conference, and there will be plenty I love you mans to go around.


I have to learn to be a good Negro. I wonder if there is a good Negro school somewhere?



*pic courtesy of "chubby afro.com".

Monday, July 27, 2009

It will have to be more than a "moment".


Sorry A-merry-ca, I am not learning from your so called racial "teachable moment". Well, I take that back. I am learning, but I am guessing it's not what you wanted me to learn

Now I said I wouldn't comment on this story until more tapes came out revealing what actually happened on Ware street in Cambridge. And, low and behold, tapes from the 911 calls during the incident were released today. Those tapes, my friends, were telling. ("Teachable moment" my ass! )


"I just saw it from a distance, and this older woman was worried, thinking somebodies breaking in someones house and they've been barging in,..... She interrupted me, and that's when I noticed. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't have noticed it at all, to be honest with you. So I was just calling because she was a concerned neighbor, I guess."


See field, and you were killing that poor woman. Calling her Mrs. Kravitz and all types of names for being a nosey racist. Just admit you were wrong. Not so fast. First of all, I still think she is a nosey ass racist, and I still think she is full of shit. Let's make one thing clear: The reason she felt a need to call 911 in the firt place is because she saw TWO BLACK MEN TRYING TO PUSH THEIR WAY INTO A HOUSE. PERIOD! "In the call, Lucia Whalen reports seeing 'two larger men, one looked kind of Hispanic, but I'm not really sure, and the other one entered, and I didn't see what he looked like at all."' Soooo let me see now, you first said you saw two men but you didn't see what one of them looked like? Hmmmmm, so what Ms. Whalen is saying is that when she saw the men she could not really describe them. Fine. But could she describe their race? I submit to you that she could and it's why she made the call in the first place. Which is why, in spite of her attorney's promulgations to the contrary, Ms. Whalen still needs a "teachable moment" in my book. Yet her attorney is screaming bloody murder because people continue to characterize her client as a racist; when, according to her, she never made mention of the suspect's race in the 911 call. Yes, but she made the call, and what do you think triggered the call in the first place? She said one of the men looked "kind of Hispanic". Oh gee, thank god she didn't say he was black......"kind of Hispanic". I will leave that one to hang out there a little.


Anywhooo, here is the quote from CNN that has my racialist antennas just buzzing at the tips:


"Attorney Wendy Murphy, who represents Whalen, also categorically rejected part of the police report that said Whalen talked with Sgt. James Crowley, the arresting officer, at the scene.


"Let me be clear: She never had a conversation with Sgt. Crowley at the scene,' Murphy told CNN by phone. 'And she never said to any police officer or to anybody 'two black men.' She never used the word 'black.' Period.'


She added, 'I'm not sure what the police explanation will be. Frankly, I don't care. Her only goal is to make it clear she never described them as black. She never saw their race. ... All she reported was behavior, not skin color.'


Hmmmm, never spoke to an officer at the scene contrary to police reports. And there sure doesn't seem like there should have be a sense of urgency when the officer's responded to this call. Maybe that's why officer Jim Crow (thanks Rippa) went in alone. Which kind of shoots down his account of things doesn't it?


"In the police report, filed by Crowley, he says he spoke with Whalen outside the home before he approached Gates' house. 'She went on to tell me that she observed what appeared to be two black males with backpacks on the porch of Ware Street,' the report says. 'She told me that her suspicions were aroused when she observed one of the men wedging his shoulder into the door as if he was trying to force entry.'"


As my people from down South like to say: "Somebody's milk ain't clean"


I wonder how many people in the MSM will try to get to the bottom of who is lying here? I am guessing a big fat zero. Why? Because we have all moved on, that's why. The "teachable moment" has passed, and it's recess time.


Now who has the beers?

Sunday, July 26, 2009

The cover up.


Some of you may or may not of heard of the allegations of rape against Pittsburgh Steeler quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger. (Big Ben)The woman claims, in a civil suit, that Big Ben raped her some time last year, and that her employer, Harrah's of Lake Tahoe, covered it up because Big Ben is friends with the company's president.

Of course Roethlisberger has vehemently denied the charges and he has vowed to defend his name and his honor.


Now here is the thing: I love sports, and I pretty much have ESPN on one of the televisions in my house 24/7. But I didn't hear about this story on ESPN. In fact, I am pretty sure no one has ever heard this story on ESPN, because they have never carried the story. Not one mention of the alleged rape charges against the quarterback of the Super Bowl championship team.


So, you have to ask yourself, why is that? When Kobe Bryant allegedly raped that young lady in Colorado it was wall to wall coverage until his accuser failed to follow through, and the charges were dropped. So why no mention of the alleged rape and civil suit forthcoming against Big Ben? Oh ohh, here comes field with the racial angle. Nope, there won't be a racial angle to this one. (Although, do you think that if this was "5" and not Big Ben we wouldn't be talking about it at water coolers from California to Maine? Not to mention the 24 hour cable channels who would be giving us constant McNabb chatter) This is about the press and the way that news and information is controlled in this country. They decide what becomes a big story and what doesn't. And the folks in Bristol are doing their best to make sure that this does not become a big story.


Why? Well it depends on which story you believe . Apparently Big Ben is really close to the folks over at ESPN, and he even has a reality show in the works with ABC which owns; you guessed it; ESPN.


Now this story might or might not be true. The woman could be making the whole thing up. But even if she did, an allegation has been made. Shouldn't it be reported and we, the public, decide how valid we think the story is? Hey, the story is out there, a lawsuit has been filed. Since when is it a news organizations job to decide the validity of a story and not run with it because they want to protect some jock who they happen to like?


Hey, all I am saying is that if this was Pac Man Jones or Michael Vick.....oh, sorry, I promised that I wouldn't play the race card tonight. *putting them down and going off to bed*


Saturday, July 25, 2009

DIALOGUE.


I am over Skip Gates and his Cambridge beat down. I am going to take his advice and move on.

(That is, of course, until I hear the tapes that the Cambridge Solicitor's office is holding. Then we might have to revisit this bad boy.)

Still, given the tone of this debate, and the state of race relations in our beloved country, I find myself wanting to contribute to the dialogue and debate in a less emotional and passionate manner. I want to approach this race issue like an academic (kind of like Skip probably does) and try to understand the position of the folks in the majority population (as well as the black ones who side with them) who do not share my views.

Now living on the East Coast among a large cross section of non WASP whites, I hear this a lot: "I did not own slaves, I wish blacks in this country would just move on and stop playing the victim role. So they were slaves. The Irish were slaves, too, but you don't hear us bitching about it and making excuses." Or, "blacks are always playing the race card. Hell I am an Italian guy from South Philly, who likes to wear nice clothes and drive a nice car, and cops are always stopping me in my nice car, thinking I am a mobster or something." Or, "look at the Jews, they suffered, but look how much they have achieved. That is because they understand the value of a good education." Or, "before blacks start blaming whitey for everything, they should check their own neighborhoods. Blacks are killing other blacks in much greater numbers than whitey ever could." How am I doing?

And then there are the conservative blacks and right wing intellectuals. The folks who feel that the country white A-merry-cans built is under attack, and that the black victim card and the black animus for white institutions and white authority has been way over played. I will give you a little of that straight from the elephant's mouth. This is Elizabeth Wright, tearing down Debra Dickerson's book, The End Of Blackness: (Ironically, a book that is pretty much telling black folks to let go of the baggage of the past and move on)


"From the promotion of this book and from the first few pages of its Introduction, a reader comes to Debra Dickerson's The End of Blackness, expecting something other than an extensive catalogue of the sins and moral failings of whites. The author does get around to the book's supposed premise, which is a call to blacks to free themselves from obsession with past grievances and take responsibility for the choices and decisions they make, but not before she engages in a considerable amount of verbiage aimed at whites and their past crimes and present incivilities.


We first get, of course, a tour of the old horror stories of bigotry -- Emmett Till's murder, the duplicitous Tuskegee "experiment," Rosa Parks' humiliation, and so on. Then come the generalizations about whites, along with some peculiar contradictions. Whites refuse to accept the "full dimensions" of their wicked past. Whites subsist only on their "windfall of skin privilege," an implication that individual whites have achieved little through their own efforts. Whites believe so much in "their own infallibility," that when blacks fail to fit certain stereotypes, whites have to "build their own Frankensteins to fear and loathe." And this is why elderly white ladies clutch their purses at the sight of a black man, and why whites "tremble" when finding themselves in all-black settings.
She talks authoritatively about "white supremacy," which, apparently, like the term "racism," has been defined downward. In Dickerson's world, just about any behavior on the part of a white, that lacks at least some deference to the sensibilities of blacks, can get him slapped with the "white supremacist" label.


She saves her most accusative tone for white men, who are depicted as unreasonable belligerents, who stubbornly continue to resist sharing their piece of the pie with blacks -- an indication, somehow, of "masculinity" problems. She quotes a writer, referencing sports, with whom she agrees, who claims that black men have taken over the "symbols of manliness." To this, Dickerson observes that as long as black masculinity was kept "under lock and key," the "myth of white superiority" could prevail. "Why can't Walter Mitty identify with Walter Payton?" she asks.


As usual, this interplay between groups is not described in terms of the universal contest for power that exists wherever groups interact, but instead is interpreted as further proof of unique white malevolence. Why it would be normal behavior for any group of men, who have been dominant in their society, to allow themselves voluntarily to be displaced, is never a subject for discussion by such arbiters of castration politics.


Her depictions of the unyielding, recalcitrant white, who struts around like a know-it-all, egotistical peacock, had me wondering if she is paying attention to what's really happening in this society, or if her antenna is picking up signals from a distant era. Where are these preening whites, who are "insulated by privilege" from the problems of blacks and "simply choose not to know?" Is there really anywhere in this society where one can escape the relentless telling and retelling of the story of slavery, Jim Crow, lynchings, and colored water fountains? Set upon with the type of charges made by people like Dickerson, and eager to comply with the rules of the race game, most whites strive to keep their heads below the radar, so as not to be slammed with the potentially ruinous accusation of "racist" -- the ultimate smear of smears. "




Now the tragedy of Ms. Wright's critique is that she approaches the subject of race in A-merry-ca like people in the majority would. (Oh, did I mention that Ms. Wright is black? Yes, and girlfriend might have some issues. But I digress. I am trying to be nice tonight.) Trying to judge the black experience and the complexities of the black race as if it all just started 10 years ago. That is impossible. It has to be judged in the context of the entire history of black people in this country. It has to take into effect that history's effect on our psyche, our families, our work ethic, and our mental state. This did not happen over night. Many of the experiences black people are going through today is a direct result of that history. ---And yes, the institutions that made this country---- Ms. Wright seems to be arguing that white men should not be ashamed of this country's history and should not be ashamed for wanting to hold on to power. Fine. But if that's the case, her position is not logically consistent, because to hold on to power one has to do things that would hurt those who are seeking to get some of it.

But let me go back to the start of my post and my non WASP white friends: I have said this before, and believe me I am getting tired of saying it. But it goes to the heart of this debate. Whether you are Irish, Polish,Italian, Jewish, German, and....whatever. You can walk into a room filled with similar people and no one would know it. Why? Because you look just like they do. If you are black, on the other hand, (even if you look like Skippy Gates) you can't hide. Your blackness comes before you. Before you say a word the color of your skin says it for you. And everyone in that group assumes whatever about you based on a life time of prejudices and experiences. That doesn't happen to the folks in the majority population, it just doesn't. That is why when people in the majority population give you the my ancestors came to this country argument you have to just laugh it off. Because their ancestors had the privilege of white skin. Something that they could not have survived without or could have imagined living without. Remember that old Chris Rock joke? About the white guy not trading places with him, and he is rich? "Sorry Chris, I think I will stick this white thing out." Yeah it was kind of like that in A-merry-ca.


Wright ends her article by talking about a man I have met and admire, Kenny Gamble. You know the conservative speech by now: How he pulled himself up by his "bootstraps," and blah blah blah. (As if every black man and woman in these divided states who happens to be alive as I write this damn post didn't pull him or herself up by their bootstrap. Nigger please! ) What she failed to mention is the many obstacles Gamble faced along the way because he is black. Now that he has persevered and reached the pinnacle of financial independence, he is to somehow be thankful for something special A-merry-ca gave him? What about the thousands like him who failed because A-merry-ca wasn't so giving because of how they looked or where they came from? Here is a news flash for you Elizabeth: If it wasn't for his music Kenny Gamble wouldn't have had the financial resources to buy up all that land in South Philly. So let's not go making his story one of those "all you have to do is work hard" one just yet.
Wright wants to know if there is anywhere in society we can go without hearing about "Jim Crow, lynchings, and colored water fountains". (She can't be serious.) She suggests that Dickerson must be picking up signals from a "distant era". But Ms. Wright would be well served to listen again. I would suggest that it is her antennas that's picking up those signals. And sadly, I think she wants to go back there.


Anyway, this post was kind of long, so I apologize. But I think it's appropriate, because it's been a long week.
My white friends, I am waiting to hear from you.







Friday, July 24, 2009

I bet some of his best friends are black.


Okay white A-merry-ca, you can relax now. Black Barry is back to being race neutral Barry again. Move along folks, there is nothing left to see here. Just an "over reaction", another "teachable moment" here in A-merry-ca.

It must be nice; put the uppity Nigger in check, and get a call from the President. The book deal and FOX News gig can't be far behind.


'"I unfortunately gave an impression that I was maligning the Cambridge Police Department or Sgt. Crowley specifically,'.... 'I could have calibrated those words differently, and I told this to Sgt. Crowley.' Watch Obama describe talk »

He reiterated his assertion that he believes police overreacted, but said Gates 'probably overreacted as well.

'"My sense is you have got two good people in a circumstance in which neither of them were able to resolve the incident in the way that it should have been resolved,' he said."

"TWO good people"? Really? "Gates probably overreacted as well"? Really? Is that what happens when you are dragged off of your own porch in handcuffs (after a trip half way around the world) for demanding to know what police officers are doing in your house and having an attitude about it? Wow! O man, please tell me you are not throwing another one of your friends under the bus. (Although, this Negro, Gates, could probably use some tire marks over his mug. More on him in a minute)

Now I don't know what is in Officer Crowley's heart. He could be the secret Grand Wizard of the Boston chapter of the KKK, or he could be married to a black woman. Personally, I don't give a fuck. What I do know is that neither do the other people in A-merry-ca and his fellow officers who are jumping to his defense and declaring that he is not a racist. Fellow officers- including the black one who was hugging him like he was some long lost frat brother or some shit.- (If there is a bigger house Negro in A-merry-ca today than Leon Lashley I would like to meet him, or her ) who held a big ass press conference today to admonish the president of these divided states for even questioning the integrity of one of their finest.


"I was a little surprised and disappointed that the president, who didn't have all of the facts by his own admission, then weighed in on the events of that night and made a comment that really offended not just officers in the Cambridge Police Department but officers around the country,"

Of course the 24 hour cable news shows are all over this latest little racial dust up. They are having multiple orgasms over the fact that his O ness had to do a mea culpa to that white police officer who was "just doing his job". But as I said: I don't know what's in the guy's heart and in a lot of ways this is not even about him. This is about the woman who called the damn cops in the first place, after seeing an old ass black man and his driver fiddling with a door in the MIDDLE OF THE DAY! And yeah I heard some of you saying that she was being a good neighbor and that is what you would want your neighbors to do blah blah blah. Well that's all bullshit! Because I guarantee you that if Gates and his driver was white, this incident would not have happened. It's that damn simple! No 911 call. No cops. No ugly incident in the house. Why? Because nosey white neighbor, "Mrs. Kravitz", doesn't call the cops. She would just have assumed that the white man trying to push the front door open belonged there. End of story.


Now that fact that I am just 44% Negro, Skippy Gates, wanted to send her flowers and didn't hold her accountable, says as much about his self delusional ass as it does about anything else. I guess having over 50% white genes didn't prevent his black ass from getting hauled off to jail. Let's just call it the education of Dr. Henry Gates.


Still, maybe some good will come out of this, and he will devote some of his obvious intellect and talents to chasing the big R. I am tired folks. You can stop sending me the e-mails with the stories now. (That one was today from DH) From now on you can send them to Dr. Gates. I am sure he will pay attention this time.










Thursday, July 23, 2009

Black Barry, and Racialgate(s)


I knew it couldn't last, I knew that at some point the president of these divided states would have to let his guard down. It happened last night in front of a stunned white nation. Did you see that? Obama is taking sides with that black man. He is against the police. How could that be? He is the president of all the people. And to think, I voted for this guy. Don't worry white A-merry-ca, he will be back to being your president soon. It's just that he is a little pissed right now . He still can't believe that you would arrest one of his "talented tenth" buddies from Haaawvaaard.


Hey, at the end of the day, you can never run from yourself and your experiences. You can only put on an act and play pretend for so long. Maybe it's because his numbers are tanking and he figures that these folks are going to turn on him anyway. Maybe he figures that it's time to throw the people who will stay with him no matter what a bone. Whatever the reason, Barry Obama became black Barry last night.


"Now, I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played in that,"... "But I think it's fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry; number two, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home; and, number three, what I think we know separate and apart from this incident is that there's a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately. That's just a fact."


Whaaaat? Is that the post racial president waxing poetic about race? I guess old racism got away from the secret service and is chasing the president's ass now. Boy I tell you, my man racism is a trip. He just won't quit.


Still, white folks are digging in this time: There was no racism here, and how dare president Obama imply that there was. If there was racism in A-merry-ca could he be where he is occupying the people's house? Officer Crowley is leading the charge, and he will be dammed if he apologizes to that uppity Negro. Rush says that the white man is "under assault" for crying out loud!


"'There are not many certainties in life, but it is for certain that Sgt. Crowley will not be apologizing,' Sgt. James Crowley told NewsCenter 5."


Nice. My man refers to himself in the third person now. But honestly, if I were Crowley, I wouldn't apologize, either. Hell if he admits that he made a bone headed arrest of an old black man, he might lose his gig teaching racial profiling to law enforcement recruits......wait, did I just write that? Crowley TEACHES CLASSES ON RACIAL PROFILING? Okay, I am going to have to wipe down my computer keys because of all the irony that's dripping on them. I mean come on now, isn't this guy teaching classes on racial profiling kind of like O.J. teaching classes on spousal abuse? I am just saying.


Oh well, at least for a moment there the black president was black again. Of course we knew it wouldn't last. This was a very unusual incident where racism went after a friend of the most powerful man on earth. I am sure my man will be more careful next time. It will be some old man in Louisiana, or any black person in the country of Texas.


Poor Bernard Monroe, if he had only gone to Harvard.




Wednesday, July 22, 2009

I wonder if Dr. Gates spoke up for her?


What a difference a day makes. I felt so much better today.

Anywhooo, I just caught a little of Soledad O'Brien's Black Folks in A-merry-ca Part 2, and she had some of the usual "black community experts" who brought along some influential people in their lives. Ironically, for Tom Joyner, it was Dr. Henry Louis Gates, a man who has been in the news more than Michael Jackson lately. (Hell, even his O ness talked about the Cambridge beat down at his press conference. Although I don't think white folks will like what he said much. Read the comments after the article I linked.) Sorry people, but the good Doctor disappointed me again. When Soledad asked him about his neighbor who thought she saw a spook sitting by the door and called 911, he damn near apologized for his neighbor. Hell, he even offered to send her flowers.... Dr. Gates, you are a smart man with many letters and honors, but I.... rrriiinnnggg... wait, my phone is ringing....sorry for that folks, it was the Drop Squad, and they wanted to know if I knew Dr. Gate's Cambridge address. Let me stop. (Lord I hope my friends over at The Root don't get mad at me, but they should know me by now. There goes another blogroll. )


But seriously, I got a very deep e-mail from a writer and blogger who I am starting to respect more and more called Eco.Soul. Intellectual. Fam. wrote an interesting piece about the Harvard culture and a young sister who was thrown to the wolves by some of our cousins who inhabit it.


"Several months ago, a burgeoning female scholar by the name of Chanequa Campbell, who hails from Brooklyn, NY, was kicked out of her campus dormitory and not allowed to graduate for her association to a murder suspect. More specifically, she was the friend of the suspect’s girlfriend. The confusing part of this case is that while Campbell was banned and not allowed to graduate, the suspect’s girlfriend, Brittany Smith did graduate and stayed on campus.


Campbell, who says she is from a poor family and was not part of the black elite student circle, has pointed out that it is because of her socio-economic status that she was treated in such a way, and without the support of black Harvard students or faculty. The silence of black Harvard in the case of Campbell drastically contrasting the racket made in support of Gates illuminates the serious class issues that have caused serious boiling points in the African-American community.


Gates is an established historian known most recently for his documentary, “African American Lives,” a series connects noted African-Americans back to their complex lineages such as Oprah Winfrey, Tina Turner, and Morgan Freeman. He is at the zenith of his career. He has achieved what many scholars dream.


On the other hand, Chanequa Campbell was at the beginning of her academic journey. She too has been praised for her academic success, but since her dismissal her whole life trajectory is questionable. At a time when Campbell needed the utmost guidance and support from black Harvard faculty and staff, she was quietly disregarded, suggesting that her less-than-desirable background would possibly mar the reputation of blacks on campus.


Though many do not like to acknowledge the classism in African-American communities, it is prevalent throughout the group. It is a hideous historical social construct that is determined by more than wealth, but also skin color, hair texture, education level, and sadly how distant is one’s slave lineage.


Ironically, Gates, who in his African-American heritage series repeatedly points out the “white ” blood in him to the point that he smiles in delight when a DNA scientist tells him that he has more white blood than black, is nothing but black when the police come. Yet he is “too” black to be rallied and insulated by the black and white Harvard community. Yet Campbell, with her Brooklyn roots, who is a darker, young woman with blatant West African features, is too black, even for black Harvard.


Like in the days of DuBois, who was proud of his European ancestry (Dutch and French) and his Massachusetts roots from a community of free people of color who were educated and reasonably prosperous, his pedigree, which also included his physical characteristics, were perfect for the black elite of that time. DuBois’ elitist ideology was so heavy a belief that he campaigned for blacks to support his vision of the “Talented Tenth” or a group of black intelligentsia that would further the black race and lead the rest of the group. This idea was heavily contested by other thinkers and black activists of the time, but the idea and practice of an insulated, crème de la crème, black circle still remains.


It is not surprising that Gates’ (or should I say gatekeeper) name has been saved, and in some eyes, has been elevated, while someone like Campbell, who could’ve been the next Gates or Oprah, or perhaps furthered his work, is now forgotten.




It's amazing what a cup of hot chocolate and a good nights sleep can do.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Henry, make that two angry black men.


If you have children please don't let them read this post. There might be a curse word or two--or three--.

I am in a seriously bad mood today, and it started early. First, while driving to my plantation in Mrs. Field's fancy Scandinavian sedan, I noticed the check engine light. Great! I was driving so of course I am stuck with bringing it to the dealer. Mrs. Field should seriously consider buying A-merry-can. It's people like Mrs. Field why a great A-merry-can city (Detroit) is dying.

Then, of course, all I kept hearing on the radio was bad news about everything from Afghanistan to the O man's health care reform plans. Young soldiers are dying in Afghanistan like they did in Iraq and the shit is going to get worse before it gets better. Health care reform is going down because here in A-merry-ca we are too selfish to give a fuck about the lesser among us. So A-merry-cans are against health care reform 50-42. That's no surprise. Everyone of those people against it already have a health care plan, and they think that their taxes are going to have to pay for someone else being able to get access to affordable health care. God forbid that here in A-merry-ca our tax dollars could actually go to help someone else. I mean that would be too much like Socialism.

On my little walk into the office I saw the bum who I usually hook up every morning (I keep saying I am going to get his social security number so that I can claim him on my taxes) on a cell phone. Now I ask you, just what the hell is a bum doing on a fucking cell phone? As usual, he had his little can out, but I told his ass to have whoever he was calling send him the damn money. I bet his ass has access to proper health care, and what's sad is that I am sure he doesn't even take advantage of it. Maybe I should be blaming the bums for A-merry-ca's attitude about health care reform.

Of course, coming home from a long day of slaving on the plantation didn't make my day go any better. I was just watching Hardball with Chris Matthews, and he had a republiklan congressman who is co-sponsoring a bill to have future presidential candidates prove that they are citizens by showing their birth certificates. When Matthews pressed him to tell if he thinks that the 44th elected president of these divided states is an A-merry-can citizen, the guy refused to commit. Imagine that for a minute: A congressman refusing to declare that his legitimately elected president is a citizen. They are calling it the "Birther Movement" or some shit like that. But I have two words for these people: Get. Lives.

And finally, the shit that just totally sent me over the edge tonight is this: Henry Louis Gates, Jr. caved. Yes, that educated Negro, caved.

"'The city of Cambridge issued a statement saying the arrest 'was regrettable and unfortunate,' and police and Gates agreed that dropping the charge was a just resolution.
'This incident should not be viewed as one that demeans the character and reputation of professor Gates or the character of the Cambridge Police Department,' the statement said."

Huh? "Police and Gates agreed that dropping the charges was a just resolution"? A "just resolution" for who? A racist ass cop and his house Negro enabler, who I saw (fittingly) standing on the porch? Here is the thing: Henry Louis Gates shouldn't agree to shit with the Cambridge police department. If they want to drop the charges, fine. (Like what the fuck else were they going to do?) But once again there won't be real consequences for the ignorant actions of a knuckle dragging Ustase wannabe. Yeah yeah I know, he is saying he is angry ,and he is going to write about it, talk about it, and blah blah blah. And Jessie is saying what Jessie usually says: blah blah blah and more blah blah blah.. But at the end of the day what's really going to happen? I will tell you what: Not a damn thing!
Now I am going to have some hot chocolate, maybe that will put me in a better mood.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Officer look at that black man breaking into that nice house.


As most of you might or might not know, I have given up on chasing racism. ---There is just too much of it in the age of Obama--- But, unfortunately for me, the son of a bitch won't leave me alone.


The following post comes compliments of "The Root" online magazine:


"On July 16th, 2009, Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., 58, the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor of Harvard University, was headed from Logan airport to his home [in] Cambridge after spending a week in China, where he was filming his new PBS documentary entitled “Faces of America”. Professor Gates was driven to his home by a driver for a local car company. Professor Gates attempted to enter his front door, but the door was damaged. Professor Gates then entered his rear door with his key, turned off his alarm, and again attempted to open the front door. With the help of his driver they were able to force the front door open, and then the driver carried Professor Gates’s luggage into his home.


Professor Gates immediately called the Harvard Real Estate office to report the damage to his door and requested that it be repaired immediately. As he was talking to the Harvard Real Estate office on his portable phone in his house, he observed a uniformed officer on his front porch. When Professor Gates opened the door, the officer immediately asked him to step outside. Professor Gates remained inside his home and asked the officer why he was there. The officer indicated that he was responding to a 911 call about a breaking and entering in progress at this address. Professor Gates informed the officer that he lived there and was a faculty member at Harvard University. The officer then asked Professor Gates whether he could prove that he lived there and taught at Harvard. Professor Gates said that he could, and turned to walk into his kitchen, where he had left his wallet. The officer followed him. Professor Gates handed both his Harvard University identification and his valid Massachusetts driver’s license to the officer. Both include Professor Gates’s photograph, and the license includes his address.



Professor Gates then asked the police officer if he would give him his name and his badge number. He made this request several times. The officer did not produce any identification nor did he respond to Professor Gates’s request for this information. After an additional request by Professor Gates for the officer’s name and badge number, the officer then turned and left the kitchen of Professor Gates’s home without ever acknowledging who he was or if there were charges against Professor Gates. As Professor Gates followed the officer to his own front door, he was astonished to see several police officers gathered on his front porch. Professor Gates asked the officer’s colleagues for his name and badge number. As Professor Gates stepped onto his front porch, the officer who had been inside and who had examined his identification, said to him, “Thank you for accommodating my earlier request,” and then placed Professor Gates under arrest. He was handcuffed on his own front porch."


This is a joke right? You folks over at The Root are just making this shit up to get a little free publicity. The cops and everybody was in on it, right?............


Okay, I am going back to my regular scheduled life now. Racism, you are way too much for me.


Wait, I have some more. Please excuse the field people, but I just can't write about this in a lucid manner right about now. Instead, I will refer you to an excellent post from a fellow blogger, who gives the story a fair and balanced (Hey where have I heard that before?) perspective.
Thank you for your patience while I recuperate from the ass kicking that racism has been giving me lately.


Sunday, July 19, 2009

The Killing Of "Ms. Kim".



There was a killing in Philly yesterday (So field, what else is new?) but this one was a little different. Killings are so common around here that they are usually just worth a line or two on my Killadelphia Murder Count. (See sidebar.) Still, this one had some elements to it that made me want to say a few things.

Ms. Kim (as she was affectionately called by neighbors) was a store owner in the East Mt. Airy/Germantown part of town. This is a fairly solid part of town, made up of primarily working class black folks. They have their share of crime, but nothing like West, North, or Southwest Philly. From all accounts, Ms. Kim was loved and well respected in the neighborhood. She ran the store with her husband and she was always known to let her customers slide if they owed money for their purchases.


Yesterday Ms. Kim lost her life, because she chose to confront one of her customers who had allegedly stolen a bag of potato chips. (Or a mop, depending on who you believe.) Ms. Kim, confronted the alleged thief outside of her store; the women struggled; and when it was over, the shopkeeper was dead. Again, depending on whose account you believe, the killer took a gun out of her pants and shot the shop keeper four times from point blank range in the face. After shooting Ms. Kim the woman allegedly calmly walked to the pay phone and called the police.

People in the community are devastated, and they all want to know how someone could have taken the life of "poor Ms. Kim."

So let's talk for a minute: Apparently the shooter had some mental issues, and everyone in the community knew it. When the woman tried to steal the mop (or the potato chips) should Ms. Kim have confronted her, or should she have called the police? And, what is it, exactly, that is preventing our people from starting or own businesses in certain neighborhoods? Is it because we don't have the financial backing or resources? Is it because we would rather work for someone else? Or is it because the risks are too great and we don't want to end up like Ms. Kim?

And finally, if this woman had mental issues, just how the hell did she get her hands on a handgun? (You don't have to answer that one, I already know) The shooting of Ms. Kim in East Mt. Airy yesterday will make the news for the obvious reason: A cold blooded murder perpetrated by someone of the fairer sex in the middle of the day. But the issues surrounding Ms. Kim's murder are troubling as well. Some of them are uncomfortable, so they will never be spoken out loud. Some of them we will talk about, but not until another tragedy that is so great and so unspeakable merits a pause at the water cooler.








Saturday, July 18, 2009

LAWN JOCKEY ALERT!


"Mary, mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow? With silver bells and".........What? Black Lawn Jockeys?


Oh Noooooo.


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No thanks. I will pass on the lawn jockey. (I already have one on my sidebar) Although $40 does sound like a bargain. :)


Thanks for the e-mail Dena.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Philly's finest?


Folks, if you happen to notice that I have been putting on a little weight lately, it's because I am not getting as much exercise as I used to. You see I used to get my exercise by chasing racism all over the place, but lately I haven't been doing any chasing at all. That's because racism has not even been running. In fact, racism has been right in my face and daring me to do something about it. Sometimes it has been subtle and harder to detect, and sometimes, not so much. I think racism took offense to the whole "post racial" A-merry-ca thing.


Right here in my hometown, the people who are supposed to protect me have been infected with the the big "R" bug. Who knew that the boyz in blue saw things in black and white? I thought the men behind those badges were totally color blind. (That was meant to be a joke)

Poor Philly, we have really been in the news for all the wrong reasons lately. First the swimming pool fiasco, and now this. Pretty soon people are going to say that we are a racist city........*pause; pause; and type* the Boston/Birmingham of the 21st century. That's not good.


And another thing that's not good is that people who are supposed to be putting their lives on the line for each other (not to mention us) can't really trust each other because of the alleged atmosphere of racism in the department. (Oh field, stop it, the Police Chief is black for crying out loud, what else do you people want? ) Honestly, I don't care what color the police chief is. Black, white,green, yellow, red, or whatever. He should not tolerate the alleged incidents of racism that we heard about in his department.


It shouldn't have gotten to this point, but now that it has, let's hope that Philly's finest get to the bottom of this, and fast.


"Sgt. Shaun Butts, a veteran who attended a news conference announcing the lawsuit, said postings often allege that black officers who get promoted must have cheated on their exams."It's always quoted as 'We're all blue,'" Butts said. "But then it makes you think, 'Are we really all blue?'"



You tell me Shaun, you tell me.




Thursday, July 16, 2009

"No Excuses"


I just caught his O ness doing his thing at the NAACP gathering in New York, (I wonder how many more of those will be coming here in A-merry-ca? Happy 100th B-Day NAACP. Now if you could just become relevant again. Digression alert!)and I must say that I was impressed. Yeah it was Cosbyish in its tone, but a lot of what he said needed to be said. We needed to hear it from the President. I am glad he didn't go in there trying to talk policy and democratic talking points. That would have been be too much like preaching to the choir. Black folks don't want to hear politics and Washington inside baseball, they want their president to speak to them about issues that are personal to their community. On that front I thought he delivered. The "Amen Corner" was in full effect, so you know he was reaching them.


“There is no stronger weapon against inequality and no better path to opportunity than an education that can unlock a child’s God-given potential,”


Education education education. A black leader cannot stress that enough for me. That is now the number one civil rights issue as far as I am concerned. But around the issue of education are many other complex issues as well. Issues such as failing schools, crime, broken families, a failing justice system, and policies from Washington that makes it harder for certain communities to gain access to funding. His O ness didn't bite his tongue when he admonished black parents to do right by their children and make sure that they are being educated in the right way. He stressed that we must give them every chance to succeed, and that there must be "no excuses."


Of course, it's easy for those of us who were fortunate enough to be given the right opportunities and who were blessed to be raised in a black version of Mayberry R.F.D. to talk. I grew up in a family of four and three of them had PhD's. For me, there was no doubt that I was going to further my education, and I had parents and a sister who set great examples for me. I can't even begin to imagine how tough it must be for a single mother of three, for instance, to try and raise her children in inner city_____________[fill in the blank with any city you want.] It has to be tough. Your kid's father is dead, in jail, or just a dead-beat, and you are holding it down all by your lonesome. A million speeches by his O ness won't make it easier for that single mother struggling in the hood to cope with her circumstances. But policies from Washington that raises that minimum wage and allows her to afford proper health care will. Still, she has to try. That's why that speech was so important. She has to realize that one of her children could one day be the person behind that podium with the presidential seal giving that speech. Those single parents and community activists are our new MLK's. They are on the front lines of the civil rights struggle now. It's up to them; not the leaders we elect, or the folks who hold themselves up as our leaders, (see Rev. inc.) to take the lead in inspiring these kids out here.


Tomorrow morning I will be speaking to some kids at an elementary school in North Philadelphia. I think I will start by asking them if they heard the president's speech tonight. I know only a couple of hands will go up, and then I will ask the rest of the kids why they missed it. The various reasons they give me will be a great jumping off point for the rest of my discussion. A discussion, to me, that will be all too familiar.


BTW, I couldn't sign off tonight without hollering at my man racism, again. Looks like he isn't even running from me anymore. In fact, I think the SOB is starting to chase me. :)


"ATLANTA — Former U.S. Sen. Zell Miller criticized President Barack Obama's recent travels overseas, telling a group of mostly Republican lawmakers Thursday that the White House Chief of Staff needs to put "Gorilla Glue" on Obama's chair to keep him in the Oval Office.
"Our globe-trotting president needs to stop and take a break and quit gallivanting around..."



Oh Zell, shut up, you are just trying to get attention. And racism, you are way too slow, you will never catch me, not after that speech by his O ness. I am inspired!








Wednesday, July 15, 2009

"I am very troubled that you would repeatedly over a decade or more make statements" like the one in 2001..



Living in A-merry-ca sometimes makes me wonder if I am not playing a character in one of those crazy Mel Brooks movies.


Is that Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama) sitting across from, and sitting in judgement of, Sonia Sotomayor, while she tries to become the first Hispanic member of the supremes? (Cardozo doesn't count, he was Portuguese.) Please say it ain't so. Talk about the theater of the absurd.


Here is a man who openly despises anything [or anyone] having to do with civil rights; was cool with the KKK until he found out that some of them smoked pot, and called a black subordinate "boy" on quite a few occasions, while telling him to watch how he addressed white folks. And this man is sitting in judgment of Sotomayor and implying that she is a racist? Wow! Now that takes big ones. Only a republican could pull that off.

The irony of this entire episode is so thick that you could cut it with a knife. Sessions, himself, was shot down for a federal bench because of his little race problem, and now, like a bad horror movie, the GOP has brought him back. This time to be their face of these confirmation hearings. Nice.

This cannot sit well with my black friends in the republiklan party (Oh yes, I am on them again) and some of them have not been shy about making their feelings known about it. I can't say that I blame them. I would be pissed off as well. You would think my fiends (that's a typo but I am leaving it. It fits) from the party of Lincoln (oh, and let's not forget MLK) would be smarter than this. Alienating an entire voting block (Hispanics) by having your racist front man beat up on one of their own might be good red meat (no pun intended) to throw to your base, but it's dumb politics.


Of course, some on the right don't see it that way. They see it as a vindication of sorts: Mr. Sessions comes to Washington, the very place that sent him packing back to Alabama over 20 years ago. To them, he has come full circle, and now he is leading the charge against the evil liberal appointee to the highest court in the land. It's exactly this type of thinking that has caused folks like Byron York (the clown whose article I linked) and the rest of the people on the right to be banished to the political wilderness. A place where they could find themselves dwelling for years to come. Here is the thing: Old white men aren't getting any younger, and they will all eventually die. It is time that they (The GOP) adjust to the political landscape, or I am afraid that the party of Lincoln (and King*rolling eyes*) will die right along with them.


I am sorry, but while looking at that picture of old Jeff, I see a man who as a kid watched some strange fruit hanging from trees down in Southern Alabama while his daddy and granddaddy drank moonshine. Oh field, stop it! The man flat out denied that he was a racist at his own confirmation hearing. “I am not a racist” Now tell me, if the man was a racist for crying out loud, would he have said that? Ahhh yes. In fact, that is exactly why he would say it. Here is the thing: if you have to declare that you are not a racist, there is a pretty good chance that you just might be one. Ok wise guy, consider this:


"A few years ago, when Sessions appeared on “Meet the Press” to discuss confirmations, he found himself staring at an old image of Kennedy speaking in 1986. “Mr. Sessions is a throwback to a shameful era which I know both black and white Americans thought was in our past,” Kennedy said. It wasn’t something Sessions enjoyed reliving.
'That was the most unkind thing that has ever been said about me,' Sessions says. 'it was exceedingly painful to hear someone of that prominence make that statement, and it was hurtful because it wasn’t true.”'




I know Jeff, It wasn't true about you. But keep probing. I bet we can make it stick to that Hispanic woman.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

What? No watermelon?


"Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele told a group of young Republicans that he would reach out to black voters by offering them fried chicken and potato salad. Asked by a blogger how he would reach out to "diverse populations," Steele said: "My plan is to say 'Y'all come,' because a lot of you are already here." After someone in the audience said, 'I'll bring the collard greens,' Steele added, 'I got the fried chicken and potato salad."'


Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Boy Mike you are one funny guy; a really funny guy. Ha ha ha ha ha.

Just when I was going to leave republicans (particularly the young and black ones) alone, along comes Hip hop Mike to remind me why I can't.

Mike Mike Mike, when will you learn? First of all, I do happen to love me some fried chicken and potato salad, and I like collard greens, too. In fact, I am guessing that 90% of the black folks in A-merry-ca will step over their dead mama to get to a well fried and seasoned piece of chicken. But Mike, that is not the kind of shit you go sharing with a bunch of young republicans for a few laughs. It's just not. Mike, they were laughing at you, not with you. To republicans, you are nothing but their walking talking minstrel show, someone to remind them of why they try to exclude blacks in the first place. You are, in essence, a joke. Quit now to preserve what little dignity you have left and stop embarrassing your family and your race. His O ness dissing you at that correspondents dinner should have given you a hint. It was written to be a joke, but I am quite sure that his O ness was dead serious, and he was speaking for the rest of us black folks to your dumb ass.

Mike, here is the thing: do you think Howard Dean would go to a black church and make a joke about something unique to white culture? Like, for instance, serial killers? (Oh I kid I kid, lighten up.) No Mike, he would not! If you want to attract blacks to the republiklan party, you do not make fun of our eating habits in front of a bunch of white folks. Especially when the shit is true. If you can cook a mean fried chicken; then go to your kitchen, fry up a batch of that shit, and sit down and type out some invitations to the field and friends. If your fried chicken and potato salad can come even close to Mother Fields; then, and only then, will we even consider sitting down to listen to your pitch to join your damn party. If your shit is nasty,--- as I suspect it will be--- we will tell you to take that crap to a republican potluck and lose the field's number.
H/T To field hand, Red Devil, for leaving a comment under the previous post to remind me of this story.


Monday, July 13, 2009

A message to Jim Robinson.


I have a desk full of work to get done, so tonight I am not going to write a long post about some of the shit that's on my mind. I am going to write a short one. I want to focus on some individuals (one in particular) who, in my humble opinion, should be loaded up in military planes and dropped in the middle of the ocean. Well, maybe not in the middle, that might be going a bit far. Maybe just a mile off shore.

I am talking, of course, about the crowd over at the Free Republic and their great leader, Jim Robinson. This miserable wheel chair bound lusus (nothing against people in wheel chairs, just this one) has lived a life mired in misery, while seeking the company of similar souls.


They spew their racist venom on a web site that hides itself under the cloak of political legitimacy, and is given cover to do their dastardly deeds by a so called main stream political party with similar views.

Here is the thing, Jim: It's fine to have a site where you allow the free flow of thoughts and ideas, no matter who it might offend (hell I do it here), but what you should know is that it is never cool to go after an ELEVEN year old child and allow the most vile things to be said about her on your site. You have two sons,---I know that they are grown ass men now--- how would you like it if when they were Malia's age some deranged blogger who had issues with you posted mean spirited and vile things for millions of people to read about them? I am guessing that it wouldn't be cool with you. Well, what you are allowing on your site isn't cool either, and it's beneath even you. (And that takes some doing, because you are as low as it gets)

Still, I am going to post a link with the Free Republic rebuttal of the original newspaper article, because, unlike you, I am a fair guy.




Jim, I read the original article and I read the rebuttal, and it doesn't change my mind about your site or the cretins who congregate over there. Unfortunately, this is because you have a track record, and all I have to do is follow the droppings.



Sunday, July 12, 2009

Deja Vu!


I seriously considered blogging about our boy Dick Cheney and his latest facinus-oris. But then I thought about it, and I realized that what we learned from Leon Panetta about the evil one running his own secret government within a government, is not a surprise to those of us who view the man as evil incarnate here on earth. It's just not. So let's move along folks, there is nothing left to see here with this guy.


Now, what I do want to blog about, is yet another case of rethuglicans behaving badly when it comes to matters of race. (I know I know, it's too easy, but it's out there folks, and your friendly neighborhood field Negro just wants to keep you up on things.) This comes compliments of my man Oliver Willis who posted about the story over at his blog.


"It’s good to see that the next generation of Republicans have elected a leader with the same traditional values the party has supported for so long. The states rights crowd that fled the Democratic party after LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act later found a home in the formerly racially progressive GOP and never looked back, despite the facts and the morality.
Audra Shay, 38, has won the post of chairman of the Young Republicans — despite accusations that she endorsed racism on Facebook.



Shay’s candidacy, supported by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, hit a snag in recent weeks when she responded to a comment made by a friend on Facebook saying “need to take this country back from all of these mad coons” with “You tell em Eric! lol.”

But more controversial comments from Shay were found by the Daily Beast. After an effigy of Sarah Palin was hung, she said “What no ‘Obama in a noose? … I am wondering if the guys with the Palin noose would care if we had a bunch of homosexuals in a noose.” She’s also written that President Obama “attacks white people” and posted a video claiming Obama believes he has to help African-Americans over whites to “ensure his own salvation.”
Onward, regional pro-racist right wing party, onward.
(Also, why is a 38 year old leading the Young Republicans?)"


"Also, why is a 38 year old leading the Young Republicans?" Now that's a good question Oliver. But I have a better one: What kind of a party leader is dumb enough to endorse racist views on her Facebook page? But hey, as long as she doesn't do anything like this, right?


Saturday, July 11, 2009

Mr. Lucas, I hope you get to Trenton.


I am going to let you all in on a little secret: I get lots of e-mails on a daily basis from people who read the blog. Some of it rather hateful, but most of it very positive and encouraging.

There are nights (such as tonight) when I feel too lazy to create an entire post, and I just feel like doing the cut and paste thing. The beauty of having a blog such as this is that I can always go to my e-mail and find a story. And, invariably, the story always involves our good friend, racism.

I can't even say that I am a "racism chaser" anymore, because the son of a bitch isn't even running from me these days.

Anyway, my man Berry Sanders (big h/t) sent me the following story from a site called Hip Hop Republican. (??????) Hey, isn't that like saying shy hooker? But I digress.

Anyhoooo, I am going to give it to you just like it was posted on their site.

"This is getting kinda nuts folks….
NJ GOP Assembly Candidate: “If You Want To Act Like Niggers, Go Back To Paulsboro”
http://tiny.cc/sjDgk

HHR Blog - “Yeah, I said that,” a police officer says Lucas told him. “It’s my freedom of speech. I can say what I want while I’m on my property.”

Newly-elected Gloucester County GOP Chairman Bill Fey and Assembly Majority Leader Alex DeCroce (R-Parsippany) have called on Lucas to drop out of the race amidst other allegations of racially insensitive remarks. Don’t expect Lucas to leave the race anytime soon. "


I swear being a black man in the GOP these days must be so hard.

Mr. Lucas, this is A-merry-ca, you can say anything you want, sir. And you don't always have to be on your own property to say it.
For the sake of democracy I hope you don't drop out of the race, especially when there are so many people in your party who echo your sentiments.


Friday, July 10, 2009

"I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing...."


This has been a bad couple of weeks for the "kumbaya" set here in A-merry-ca. Black mob violence on whites in Ohio; Jim Crow revisited in Pistolvania; black and white men behaving badly while their spouses suffer. And,to top it off, a President, who happens to be black, being accused by his political enemies of lusting after an under aged girl. Not to mention a black... scratch that. An A-merry-can icon, who even in death, prompts uncomfortable discussions about race and its effect on our psyche.


Wow! It makes you wonder when we are going to end up like the folks over in the Xinjiang province of China. Still, I was going to put it all behind me and just enjoy this wonderful life that I have been blessed with. Hey life is too short, I tell myself, to stress the things I can't control. Things such as the people who will be forever ignorant and content with their cluelessness. It's Friday, I tell myself, and tomorrow I won't even think about all the nastiness of these past couple of weeks.


Well, that was until I read this story. Sadly, the story got me thinking about the ugliness of our racial history all over again. I mean the story from the link is ugly enough. --What type of human being robs graves for profit?--- But just reading the name, Emmett Till, made my mind race to places that I didn't want it to go on this beautiful Friday evening in paradise. And the more I think about it is the more amazed I am that I didn't think about it before.


I mean isn't that what this whole Barack Obama getting his peep on is about? Isn't that what this swimming pool incident is about? Isn't this what Steve McNnair and the other men behaving badly is about? (Maybe not the racial aspect, but certainly the sexual one.) I think, that in a sad way, it's fitting that Till's casket was rusting away in an old shed; yet it was amazingly in tact after all these years. In many ways the kind of racism that caused Emmett Till to die such a horrific death is rusting away, too. But unfortunately, like that casket, there are still aspects of it that is very much with us.

Yep, the last thing I needed to see tonight was a story about Emmett Till. Because that just pretty much makes it a lock that tomorrow I will be chasing racism all over again.