MLK: Made in China

A few years ago when I learned about the Martin Luther King Jr. monument that was to be constructed in our nation’s capital, I got excited.

When I learned that the artist assigned to produce the sculpture of perhaps the most notable Negro in American history was a Negro himself, I got even more excited.

Not too long after hearing this news, I learned that the project leaders decided to go with another designer for the MLK monument. Not really a big deal because things often change on large initiatives, right?

The project leaders flipped the script and decided to bring on Chinese stoneworker, Lei Yixin. Making the changes even more controversial was decision to use Chinese granite for the memorial.

– Why not an American sculptor?
– Why not with American materials?
– Just why?

Yes, I was one of those people opposed to the statue after those changes. I wasn’t angry but I was very turned off.

Fast-forward to this summer when the MLK monument opened… I decided that I would not visit.

Fast-forward to this past weekend when I actually visited the monument… I broke down in a moment of DC tourist weakness.

The monument is HUGE. On grand scale. Attractive. And obviously missing the “Made in China” markings.

Even after being impressed by the size & style, I’m like meh… Then you add the fact that the monument is directly across from the Jefferson Memorial. Jefferson was not only a slave owner but a rapist of his female slaves. OK, let me calm down. I’m starting to get a racial tension headache up in here.

I wonder what MLK would think of his monument being constructed by people living under a communist regime that oppresses, jails and tortures citizens while restricting internet access… Wait, some of that happens in the US also.

Your thoughts?
Am I tripping?

BTW, the photo above was taken with my iPhone 4, which was “assembled in China.” I’m just saying.

When Voting and Racism Collide

Tags

Black History, elections, Racial Profiling, racist, voting

Meet John Barr; Ypsilanti Township, Mich racist.

I met John this past Tuesday (Nov 2) when I went to my polling location to vote.

Backstory:

Over the last few months, I had been debating how I would vote for Mich governor. I was or torn between voting for a republican whom I felt was competent and a needed change for the state or voting for the democratic option who reminded me of Rod Blagojevich that makes my skin crawl.

Tuesday: Day One

The day of the vote I kinda just said fuck it all. I can’t vote for any of these fools. Why does it always seem like we have to choose between two evils? With that said, I decided not to vote.

Yeah, I said I decided not to vote.

OK, so now, I’m leaving work headed home and I get near my polling place and did an about face and decided to vote.

I guess karma was on my side because the location was not super busy and I got a parking space right at the door.

As I’m getting out my car, I was approached by a man passing out literature for candidates that he was supporting. Then he took it a step further and said let’s get Virg Bernero (the democrat) in the governor’s office. I explained that there was no way that I was going to vote for him.

After I made my statement, his tone changed and he started acting like he was my real daddy or something breaking down how republicans are not for us, the greater good of Negro people, how he would be better for business blah blah blah!

Then he went on to tell me that he owns a liquor store and funeral home. I was like really? Then I asked if he laid to rest any of his alcoholic customers from his store. I was just being an asshole…

Minutes later, I’m in line to vote.

I hand over my ID and the person looks me up then she hands me my voter application to get my ballot.

I then move to the ballot line, which is where John Barr and I 1st made contact.

I approach John with my ID and voter application in hand and greeted him with a hello. He extends his hands to take my information and reciprocates my greeting.

As he was looking me up, he asked “how is your gangsta’ rap group going?” Taken aback, I said excuse me. He then repeated the question looking me dead in my eyes. I then asked John what made him think that I was in a gangsta’ rap group. He exclaimed “everyone with hair like that is a gangsta rapper!”

At this point, I shouted back “are you racially profiling me as I attempt to vote? Are you serious? Do you really mean to intimidate me at the voting poll in the year 2010?”

All I got back from my line of questioning was a dumb ass blank stare that only an imbecile could give.

I then demanded to see someone in charge!!!

Moments later, a very sweet woman approached me and I explained what happened. All the while she was in utter shock. At the end of my rant, she asked me to not leave so that she could process me personally as she dismissed John.

As she handed me a ballot, she requested that I not leave so that she could get me in touch with the township clerk.

So I now have my ballot and I’m in the booth PISSED off.

As I stated before, I was going to vote for the republican gubernatorial candidate but then I started having civil rights flashbacks and said fuck that, I can’t go that way.

After the ballot was completed, I handed it back to the sweet lady (she had be to in her 70s). She thanked me for my patience and told me that the township clerk; Karen Lovejoy Roe was waiting to see me at her nearby office.

As I was leaving, I spotted John pacing back and forth. I wanted to cuss him out but I kept it moving.

Now I’m at the clerk’s office and Karen walks right up to me, introduces herself and apologizes profusely as we walked to her office.

As we talked her office, I gave my accounting of events and she listened in disbelief. After I was done, she informed me that she spoke with John and he was like yeah, I said it. Then it went a step further by him telling her that I obviously wasn’t in management because people in management don’t look like me.

Really bitch? Are you serious?

I’m just done at this point….. I stayed composed although pissed off and was like so now what.
Karen informed me that she needed to call the state elections board to see what her next move should be and that she would be in touch to keep me posted.

She then explained that this has never happened before and assured me that John would never work for her again.

So as we wrap, she makes a pitch to recruit me as a poll worker and gives me two applications. She then stated that she always needs qualified poll workers who are computer savvy.

I took the applications but in the front, back and middle of my mind, I’m like are you serious. I was just assaulted/insulted and you’re trying to recruit me. Ummmm, no boo.

Wednesday – Next Day:

I get to my day job and tell a co-worker what jumped off and she was like you need to contact the NAACP with the quickness. Before she mentioned the antiquated group I was wondered what else I needed to do.

So now it’s 930am and I call my local office and I got no answer. I then call another nearby office and got no answer. I then call then the Detroit office and got no answer.

I kept called all three offices for the next 4 hours and got NO ANSWER, just a raggedy voicemail.

On my last try at the Detroit office, I finally got someone and explained my issue. The young man requested that I hold the line………. After holding briefly, I was transferred to a voicemail box. Great another roadblock. This time I decide to leave a message.

Thursday – Two Days Later:

I get a status update from Karen telling me that she is still waiting to hear back from the state about the issue and that she would get back with me ASAP. I appreciated her call.

And still no response from the NAACP

Friday – Three Days Later:

No follow up from Karen Lovejoy Roe at all. I’m disappointed. It has been 3 days…

Still no response from the NAACP and I again made repeated calls that all went unanswered.

At this point, I’m disappointed that I have not heard back from Karen but I’m pissed the fuck off over not hearing from the NAACP.

To deal with my pissed offness, I call the state bureau of elections my damn self. Wound up talking to some guy who told me that I could send in a complaint letter or send an email detailing my experience. He then stated that if I wanted a response back that I needed to indicate that in my correspondence.

Really? I have to tell you that I want a response back? No, really? Should you just fucking respond?

I hung up the phone frustrated and turned off.

Lastly, I posted this on the NAACP’s Facebook Page:

“I’ve been upset over the fact that I was racially profiled and intimidated at my polling location this past Tuesday by a poll worker. My frustration has been compounded after I called three local Detroit area NAACP offices whom all failed to return my call after leaving a message. Additionally, I have not been able to reach anyone in an office as the phones ring continually. This cannot be how you conduct business in 2010…”

I feel like I have no advocate, no attention etc. Just not cool!

Next election, I’m voting absentee.

For the record:

– Yeah, John did smile from me when I took the photo.
– I called the ACLU & Urban League & they were not into my issue.

Imaginary Racism in La-La Land

Racism, or “White Supremacy Ideology” as I like to refer to it as, is a syndrome that will never go away. Not in my lifetime at least… and I doubt very much in my son’s. It’s difficult enough combating the numerous legitimate cases of racism we face individually or as a community, whether blatant or systemic, that we don’t need to create “imaginary” incidents. These fantasy based events do nothing but provide more fodder for those in the dominant community to dismiss… or at least question the credibility… of the real consequences regarding white supremacy ideology. 

The Los Angeles chapter of the NAACP claims that a Hallmark graduation audio card, featuring cartoon characters Hoops and Yoyo is racist and advocates violence against Black women. Here’s the card:

Here’s the press conference by Jasmine Cannick and the NAACP: 

Are you freaking kidding me!? This is what the L.A. chapter of the NAACP is spending their time and energy on!? They’re no actual incidents of racism for them to combat, so they have to make this sh*t up!?

It’s for antics such as this one that long, looong ago, I stopped caring (or even commenting) about the activities of the NAACP. They have become a caricature, an embarrassingly bad caricature, of a civil rights organization. Lately they are known more for their back-stabbing and in-fighting for personal power, as well as ridiculous publicity stunts (which includes their so-called “Image Awards”), than being involved in anything relevant in regards empowering the African-American community. They’ve become cartoon characters like Hoops and Yoyo, but with less relevance, even less credibility and no entertainment value.  

I don’t usually agree with the views of Bob Parks of Project 21, but in this case he’s pretty much right on point:

Crying Wolf Over a “Racist” Cat and Rabbit

It is said that you can’t debate the insane. That must have been Hallmark’s strategy.

After three years on the market, the greeting card giant Hallmark quickly pulled a graduation card after half-baked claims were made by the Los Angeles chapter of the NAACP that the card is racist.

Starring the Hallmark-designed characters Hoops and Yoyo, the controversial card contains a small speaker from which the cartoon cat and rabbit exclaim: “This graduate is going to run the world, run the universe and run everything after that. Yeah, whatever that is. And you black holes? You’re so ominous.” A few seconds later, they add: “And you planets? Watch your back.”

Apart from the audio, the card reads: “You’re graduating? Well then, it’s time to let the world know what’s coming. But not only the world. NOOOO! We’re talking the entire Solar System.” It additionally boasts: “Watch out, Saturn, this grad is going to run rings around you.”

Despite all the astronomical references, the NAACP members insist Hoops and Yoyo are advocating violence against “black whores,” not “black holes.” That’s what they claim the card says.

The logic of Leon Jenkins, the president of the NAACP’s Los Angeles chapter, certainly seems airtight. In a video posted on YouTube by community activist Jasmyne Cannick, Jenkins points out that something that is “ominous” is evil. Something that is evil must have a “body” or “conscious thought.” That fits a black woman — not a collapsed star, he says. And then, he adds, there’s the card’s “watch your back” threat.

Q.E.D.

Pay no mind that the “watch your back” taunt is made toward planets and not to whatever one might think that one particular word is. But Jenkins has that covered. As he explains in the Cannick-posted video, “if reasonable people can listen to this and interpret it the way I did, you need to pull it.”

Reasonable, eh?

Whether or not reasonable people can debate the legitimacy of cartoon animals personifying celestial objects is debatable all by itself. Whether this is a sinister conspiracy to incite children’s anger against a specific race and gender through a throwaway greeting card is yet another.

Both are silly, and Jenkins and his pals don’t have an intellectual leg to stand on.

It might have also been to the group’s benefit if everyone was on the same page. In a local news segment, NAACP member Minnie Hartley claimed the card says “black whores” and insisted “the r is in there.” Cannick transcribes it on her video as “black hos.” Jenkins seems to hear both, as he alternates in interviews.

Has there been an unexplained, up to now, surge in assaults on African-American prostitutes by recent grade-school graduates over the past three years? That might lend some credibility to wild-eyed claims of corporate conspiracy.

But why should logic prevail? Hallmark couldn’t rush to pull the card fast enough. Before the activists even had their press conference, Hallmark called to announce the card was being pulled.

Drug stores chains such as CVS and Walgreens also called Leon Jenkins to apologize for having it in stock. Jenkins says he is going to have a sit-down with CVS to “look at how they can do some… things for the black community.”

Do some things?  It sounds like Jenkins might have tipped his hand.

Two things come to mind as a motivation for this greeting card controversy: a cry for attention or set-up for a shakedown.

For every inspired modern NAACP crusade such as their funeral for the “n-word,” there are many more complaints about too few black actors on television, Confederate flags or this greeting card. There’s a failure to realize that flailing for relevance demeans the NAACP’s successful and storied history.

If this is the more sinister of the two — that racism is being cried to solicit money or influence — it’s a much more serious and possibly criminal situation.

What’s worse, a racist rabbit or a corrupt civil rights group?  

Things White People Say

Tags

2008 Presidential elections, 2008 US Presidential election, African-Americans, Barack Obama, Black Issues, Drama, Hot Ass Mess, In The News, Racism

After reading Senator Harry Reid’s [“unintentional“] racist comment, I went into blank stare mode, then snapped out & went straight into no that mutha fucka didn’t mode. In case you’ve been under a rock, this fool said privately that he believed Barack Obama was well suited to a presidential run because he is a "light-skinned" African American "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one."

First, of all, it’s clear that there is a fear/dislike of the dark skinned Black. Reid’s statement & many echoed around news outlets, blogs etc have led me to believe that all of these incidences of unintentional racism go to the core of beliefs held by many white Americans.

I don’t know how many times today I’ve heard that Barack Obama would have not been our president had he been darker. Sounds like some Willie Lynch shit to me. Is a light Negro less dangerous & friendlier than a dark Negro?

Truth be told, if our ancestors were not raped and… No, I won’t go there, that’s another blog post.

Second, what the fuck is a “Negro dialect?” I’ve been searching for that meaning all weekend! And how does Reid know who has the ability to turn said dialect on & off? Is the ability to turn it on & off based on skin complexion?

Dictionary.com defines dialect as – a variety of a language that is distinguished from other varieties of the same language by features of phonology, grammar, and vocabulary, and by its use by a group of speakers who are set off from others geographically or socially.

Black Americans, just like any other group on this country are now homogeneous. And the last time I polled, my Negro friends, 94.254% of them sounded like my white friends. I’m just saying.

So now people, mainly republicans are calling on Reid to step down. I’m actually torn on this; not sure if he straight up needs to go or if he needs a verbal bitch slap from the top down; starting with the Black Messiah (Barack Obama) himself. Well, I guess that verbal bitch slap from the Black Messiah won’t be coming. He just feels that Reid used “inartful language.”

Lastly, I have an issue with the Congressional Black Caucus unequivocally backing Reid. Where’s the out rage in our “Black” leaders on Capital Hill?

Now: Do I dare broach the subject of a white man claiming that he’s blacker than a Black man? A nasty looking white man, who’s a disgrace to the state of IL, politics in general & possibly his race thinks that he’s blacker than a Black men; the man running this fucking nation? I think not!

Obama may be a lot of things, but one thing is, he is undeniably is the quintessential Black man in every fashion.

This fool Rod Blababitch Blagojevich said to Esquire magazine:

“I'm blacker than Barack Obama. I shined shoes. I grew up in a five-room apartment. My father had a little Laundromat in a black community not far from where he lived. I saw it all growing up.”

Since when does shining shoes give a white man a ghetto pass? Shit, I play golf but that doesn’t make me white, or wanted on the golf course. Actually, I don’t play golf; I just want to make a point.

Honestly, I can’t even be mad at Blagojevich for his dumb ass comment. It’s clear that he’s struggling to remain relevant & in the news. What better way to attempt that by saying something so over the top. Creating this controversy gave this fool another three minutes on his fading fifteen minutes of fame. I guess his upcoming appearance on “Celebrity Apprentice” wasn’t enough.

I’ll tell you; today, I suffered the biggest racial tension headache that I’ve experienced since Don Dumb Imus said with pride; “Them some nappy headed hoes.”

“Only a Special Prosecutor is Going to Bring Justice to the Justice Department” by Mychal Massie

Op-ed submission by Project 21

It’s time the Obama Administration came under the scrutiny of its first special prosecutor.

Michael Mukasey, predecessor of current Attorney General Eric Holder, correctly appointed a special prosecutor to investigate if politics guided hiring and firing decision in the Bush Justice Department. Holder should follow his lead, but he hasn’t.

That’s why Obama must get involved.

On Election Day 2008, three members of the New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense allegedly viciously sought to intimidate voters outside a Philadelphia polling place. Bartle Bull, a veteran civil rights lawyer and aide to the past presidential campaigns of Robert F. Kennedy and Jimmy Carter and was an election observer that day, said: 

It would qualify as the most blatant form of voter intimidation I have encountered in my life in political campaigns in many states, even going back to the work I did in Mississippi in the 1960’s.

 

It appears to be a violation of the Voting Rights Act.

 

Career lawyers at the Justice Department rightly prosecuted the men: Malik Zulu Shabazz, King Samir Shabazz and Jerry Jackson. A judge was about to render a default judgment against the men when high-ranking political staff at the Justice Department allegedly demanded a settlement.

 

As a result, which a department spokesman suggested was the “maximum penalty” available, Malik Zulu Shabazz and Jerry Jackson got off scot-free. King Samir Shabazz can’t carry a weapon near a polling place until after the 2012 presidential election.

 

Members of Congress are demanding answers from the Justice Department. They are being met with silence. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights was similarly rebuffed, and recently decided to issue subpoenas to Justice Department staff to get answers.

 

A post on the web site Main Justice later verified by The Washington Times reports that two of the career lawyers are being ordered by Justice Department superiors not to comply with the Commission’s subpoenas.
 
Representatives Lamar Smith and Frank Wolf, in a joint statement, said:  

After five months of unanswered questions, the American people can tell a cover-up when they see one.  If the Justice Department had any credible reason for dropping the charges, what do they have to hide by providing those answers to Congress?

 

The gauntlet has been thrown.

 

As a candidate, Obama said his Attorney General “will first and foremost defend and promote the rights and liberties enshrined in our Constitution” over “promot[ing] a political agenda.” That’s clearly not happening.

That’s why I recently, on behalf of the Project 21 black leadership network, sent a letter to Obama asking him to call for a special prosecutor. A fair and independent investigation of this apparent miscarriage of justice is necessary. It seems Eric Holder is incompetent, asleep at the wheel or engaging in a cover-up.

I am skeptical about how the letter will be received. After all, in just the past few weeks, Obama has engaged in a startling array of political feints betraying the transparency he previously promised:
 
*  As controversy rages over the professional conduct of climate scientists, Obama’s top science advisor – John Holdren – has testified before Congress about his disinterest in how bad data may be driving White House policy.
 
*  After liberals complained about Karl Rove citing it in the Bush Administration, the White House now says social secretary Desiree Rogers can use executive privilege to not testify about recent state dinner party-crashing.
 
*  Obama is hampering congressional efforts to investigate how Nidal Malik Hasan was able to murder 13 people at Fort Hood despite his well-known radical Muslim beliefs.
 
The Hasan example is similar to the Black Panther case. Obama wants Congress to wait for his own Hasan review. Similarly, the Justice Department’s Office of Professional Responsibility is allegedly looking into what happened there, but the only people getting the OPR report will be Holder and his deputy. There is no guarantee anyone else will see it.

That’s why something more is needed – a special prosecutor.

Mychal Massie is the chairman of the black leadership network Project 21.