THE STOP WATCH IS AT 15 SECONDS

"15 Seconds Before The Wake-up Call" This is when (some) Black folk are just waking up to learn that they've missed the opportunities presented to them because they were sleeping for 7yrs. Others are going to sleep until the last second and then the few left over will wake-up 15 seconds after that and will be LATE altogether.

At this point, any criticism of the President and First Lady is moot. Their job is done. The two have done everything that they can and were allowed to do, with and without the support of the (Black) people. The psychological reality is that America will soon go back to its traditional Social, Economic, Racial, Spiritual and Judicial business of the Pre-Obama era and Post-Black influence within the White House, the result will shock the National senses. A near decade of Hope to soon become a new decade of crust in waking eyes asking the question, "What did I miss?" The last time this type of national cultural/psychological energy occurred was in the 10 year transition from the Civil Rights era of the late 60's early 70's to 1982 (the post-Carter to Regan years). Alfonzo Rachel is only capitalizing on the building fear/disconnect of an Obama-less World and like others, the social commentary rants will become the new trend as we count down the last seconds of President Obama's term. Picking and collecting gripes for these people has more to do with self-criticism and a lack of accomplishment of not doing during the Obama's Presidency than Barak Obama himself. Life and History coming full circle, these type of videos/criticisms are exactly like the videos/criticisms that were thrown at both the President and First Lady when Obama first announced he was going to run for POTUS. Taking a page from a previous article published (DON'T PUT WORDS IN MICHELLE'S MOUTH - Feb. 20, 2008) this is just more of the same posturing for relevance as we move into a Post-Obama World where careers were made and broken because of it.

Alfonzo Rachel, like many others have made a living, or an Internet liking, for condemning Black folk on their lack of action within the politics of America, lack of influence, progress, the limited fundamental shifts needed to bring the "Hope" and "Change" proposed by President Obama. The easy and more sensational aspect of his and many others (i.e Byron Allen) career is based upon "pointing fingers", inflated theories of the extreme attitudes of the Boule and Niggaism. Using common script

and language of modern media to expound on the insignificant, Alfonzo Rachel doesn't touch on the very basics of why Black folk have and will miss the mark come the "zero count". At no real point did African-Americans collectively move beyond the pulling of the "voting lever" and moved beyond the first lesson of Voting 101, which was to hold those voted for ACCOUNTABLE after the vote. Nowhere and no one among the many Pundits, Social and Civil leadership or even the handful of Black Super Rich made the charge simple and clear that voting was the easy part, what was needed next was in chapter two of the book of VOTING 101. Those that did the homework had and are passing (i.e. Womens Rights, Gay Rights, Immigrant Rights, Tea Party Rights, Senior Citizen Rights, Gun Rights, Animal Rights). Those that thought they were moving beyond this point, were just researching on why they weren't and thus avoided the true test altogether; being Active.

Michelle Obama and her Commencement Address was very insignificant to the overall Big Picture. This is the real truth Alfonzo was using in distracting his many YouTube followers from. It is not about Michelle Obama. It never was. Its about Alfonzo Rachel's lack of real and authentic contributions to Black America since 2008 and his report card results come 2016. Funny. He actually quoted an African-American Elder scholar about this very same thing. The only problem was, instead of using it against Michelle Obama, the words were actually meant for him.

WHEN BLACK MOTHERS NEED TO LET GO OF THEIR BOYS TO BECOME MEN

Before I get in, can we take a moment to observe the mother, what she represented, the language, the dress, the attitude? OK ... now for my POV:

I love Mom and I know she meant well but her MALE CHILD'S purpose was to protect his future and as such, his MOTHER. This is what MEN do. This is what Black folk have done since chained and bound for our Trans-Atlantic kidnapping from Africa. There isn't a time or generation Black Men and Black Boys have not had to step up and represent Civil and Human Disobedience to survive in The Americas. At no time in American History has the country freely extended Human Rights to Black folk. It hasn't freely done so to Hispanics, Native Americans and Indigenous Peoples, Women or to its own White folk for what matters. That being said, I can't honestly say I know all the details and background of this mother's intent but I do know it was personal, counterproductive and selfish to her cause of; "let some other kid get hurt and die and not mine" and all the while those others are taking the hit for her not seeing the Big Picture. The MAN in her child that needed to grow, evolved and experience what needs to be done is/was being crushed. THIS IS WHY SINGLE WOMEN NEED A STRONG MALE ROLE MODEL FOR THEIR SONS. JUST FOR MOMENTS LIKE THIS.

Imagine in India, South Africa, Mexico, Syria, Libya, Russia, Pakistan, China, Korea, Palestine, Vietnam, Columbia, Argentina, Poland, Romania, Latvia, Estonia, Ireland, Egypt, Burma, the Congo, Ivory Coast, Haiti and I can probably list 50 more countries had mothers telling their children ... their male sons, to stay indoors, to STOP throwing rocks at an oppressive force that uses military tools to oppress them, kill them and their families and keep them in fear? To coddled and sheltered their BOYS ... their YOUNG MEN? The attitude of "NOT MINE" doesn't work when you are fighting for justice. This is the "sheeple" way of looking at life. She has in essence tamed and neutered her child into submission maintaining that only Martin Luther King Jr. is the way and light for social justice is the only way for pushing the agenda of human rights forward.

What needed to be done was she should have been by her son's side guiding him in a way (or out of the way) that had equal impact. If she didn't know how, then a person equal to the

challenge should have been by her side or had that person guide him. Be it mentor, pastor, boyfriend or MISSING FATHER. And just like people have issues with public shaming on the Internet, I have issue with the public castration of Black Boys to Men because we are too scared to "Do the Right Thing". You all do remember that movie right? No one left the theater saying how you would have told your child not to react and get involved then. You actually applauded the actions because it was real enough to connect to. If that was true then, when did it become fantasy today? Same actions, same scenario just absent the stereo.

This mother was wrong in her methods because at the end of the day, if her child had his neck broken by the Baltimore police and got off without accountability, she'd want more than a few kids throwing rocks at their oppressors. She'd take all and every attempt to Right what was/is wrong with the System. She coddled him into submission and this his Manhood took a backseat to a mother's misguided notion that what was going on was too ignorant, dangerous and un-Manly for him to experience. A warrior to the cause taken out by an unfriendly fire, a Mother from the inside. So now I have to ask, who was more dangerous, the Baltimore police for murdering a Black Man and getting away with it or a Millennial Mother not connected to the history to how she was able to achieve her relaxed two toned hair, hoop earrings, gold necklaces and watch, makeup, nails, high heel shoes, club dressed with a Love and HipHop attitude? Her agenda was to keep her Boy a Baby and let others do the heavy lifting while her stay at home and wait for the benefits to continue to rain down as those in the 1950's, 60's 70's and still into the 2000's are doing. Her excuse was that she didn't want her child to be another Freddy Gray ..... truth be told, he already is. I get it, she is a MOTHER but like all

things that matter and affect boys, you have to allow them to be Men, make mistakes and let them go.I used the word coddling for this Mother's actions defined as a disease. Yes, respecting one's mother means coddling, in my opinion, if a mother actions keep a Boy from becoming MALE or keeps the Boy so closed off to the World that he becomes stymied by its reality and easy prey for manipulation and easy marginalized as an adult male. This situation required a MALE point of view which would have allowed this boy to make a balanced and focused decision (i.e. a Male and Female perspective). Granted there are Men who feel the same way the Mother did or does and may have told this boy not to get "involved" but the only difference is that the Male would have represented "differently". This wasn't about safety for her child, it was about NOT letting her child make an adult decision to do what he felt was the RIGHT THING."I went because in the past, a lot of my friends have been beaten, killed, abandoned, hurt by the police—so I went down there just to fight for what I stand for ..." - Michael Singleton, the Young Man who was beaten by his mother participating in Civil Disobedience in Baltimore Md.

"We should applaud our young Black (boys) for having bravery their parents' have not." - Craig Schley

MY OPINION

ART AND PROTEST Images of Peace Struggle and Human Rights Exhibit 2013

Don’t Steal My Art

I stand before you grounding myself

Planting myself in this spot.

Not like a seed in Mother Earth

Not like a man’s seed in the womb of a Nubian Goddess

I am standing here before you.

Physically speaking.

Man.

Physically speaking.

I am not the person who shouldered a nation.

Not one whom has picked up arms against the White Devil Establishment.

I didn’t bring with me tools from the Motherland

Or awoke with nightmares of being chained with my African brother’s songs keeping me alive.

Or having the spirit endowment of a continent that is in fear of castration.

Nope.

I’m just a Black Man, born in Harlem, to a teen-aged mother

Who’s father was too caught up in irresponsibility and fucking other Ho’s to stick around.

So why am I up here before you?

I’m here to inundate whomever listens with

words of metaphysical expletives,

then have those words bounce back many times

thus giving me a semblance of a room full of self gratification

and maybe,

just maybe I’ll get it through to a third party.
Become bought.

Finally understand the voices of  Black Poetry.

I mean, I saw the pyramids of Egypt and they didn’t call to me.

I felt the sands of my African ancestors between my toes

…. and by the way, it did more to burn my corns than emotions of traditions lost.

I saw the chains that were used to bring my ancestors to the shores of America.

Ivory Coast to Plymouth Rock.

And I wasn’t mad.

I was more informed if anything else.

Milk and honey that fed mankind,

Rice and beans the food of a nation.

Goya … Oh Boya and 2 for $2.99.
I had food for thought and on my table.

What I guess I’m saying is that I know where I came from.
I know where I am.

And with the resource of mind, body, and spirit, I know I’ll be all right in the future.

I am not lost.

So I ask,
where is my Black poetry?

Where is my hate.

Where is my poor.

I know my History first hand.

I haven’t been whipped, stripped, dipped, raped, castrated, or fucked over.
I don't sing the Blues
and Rap in Rage.
My soul music sooths
and my Jazz music grooves,

so where is my Black poetry?

I can’t see a Celestial Gate held open by a King of Kemet

Or the ancient embodiment of an Isis something or another.

I don’t see African blood washing to the shores of an evil nation,

Or the bludgeoning of a young mind by a legion of devils who fear my penis when I walk into a room.

I never felt it, never saw it, never really cared about it like that.
My conversations with GOD is loving.
My kisses with my Mother loving
and I have my father's eyes.

So where is my Black Poetry?

I am a Black Man

That I know.

I know I can’t escape that shit.

Call me African-American,

call me Nubian,

call me Hemetic,

call me a Warrior,

call me a person of color,

call me a Son of Shabazz,

call me a Son of a Bitch.

But if you have an issue with any of that, I have a Ph.D. in Psychology
so you can call me direct too.

I’m paid by the hour and I round up for the extra minutes.

First initial visit is free
cause I know how you all like the free shit.

Ignorance aside,

I am Black.

Darker than most, privilege even less.

I know I lost 10 cool points from birth

And you know what?

I’m not pissed off cause I always liked being the underdog.

The underestimated.

In me, in you, in her, in him, in us.

Minus 10 cool point for everyone.

We all live in a minus 10 cool points of society.

We are a family of Underdogs.

Minus 10 out of a scale of 1 to 10.

And speaking of Dogs, I’d like to tell you that I cheated before.

I cheated several times.

And did that shit come back on me like a wave of Bad Karma.

You damn right.

Put my Black Ass in the hospital.

So now that I suffered,
I felt that pain.

Where is my Black poetry?

I live alone.

Up in Harlem.

And since then,

I’m still waiting for it to come back.

By the way of time I’ll reach an over ripe, lineal age of half over the hill

Eating cat food,

piss poor health care,

Clintonized ……

and living in a building full of White folk.

Yeah, that’s when Harlem will be back.

I can’t wait.

Along with that last living Black poet.

I missed the Million-Man March

But I sucker punched a cop at the Million Youth March.

I got back 1 cool point for that.

Now I keep thinking “They got my ass on video.”

Like that show on American’s Most Criminal or something.

Yeah, then I’ll get snatched up and serve 40 years for a crime I tried to lie about and said I didn’t commit.
And still I won't get it.

So somebody tell me,

Where is my Black poetry?

 Cause I ain’t got that much time.

Work is the sole property of Shazza Nakim and is published with written permission by the artist.

 (c) Copyright 2013

FOR MY COUCH POTATO OWS CRITICS, SCHOOL TIME

As a person involved with OWS, most of the opinions of its demise, its lack of organization and especially people's opinions of its lack of focus is bogus. Much of the disparaging is due to the innate and limited attention span of the American people and their inability to get their fat-asses off the couch and do something. Yes, I took it there because I needed to shock you just enough to have those potato chip crumbs fall out of your mouth. So sit up, turn off Housewives of one of the 50 States and wipe the chicken and pizza grease off our lips, fire up the laptop or Ipad and let's get to work, the LESSON THUS BEGINS.


OWS is not a traditional movement and it embraces its "non-traditional" methodologies. Even if you were somewhat knowledgeable about civil disobedience or movements, this is an important point to know. Much of it is a combination and collection of effective and successful civil disobedient practices globally. The very nature of how we use communication, media, social media and word of mouth is uniquely different and specific to the moment. Just think, in war, do leadership use the same strategies over and over again or do they use a combination of what worked in the past and newer, innovative and more advance plans and methods? Most likely the latter is applied. So why would a modern day movement not apply the same practices? But then again, you wouldn't think as such because in Actions movies and Forensic TV, the goals to solutions are formula motivated and usually comprise of 43 minutes and 18 commercials plugged straight to your World consciousness. Yes, I know, I have a lot of deprogramming to work with.


This is what frustrates the typical masses whom are use to being spoon feed their information or wanting someone to explain it in 32 characters or less. Part of what OWS does is to make the individual make a concerted effort and  to subtly make people do the work themselves by simply asking, "What is the one thing that you feel is most important for getting this country back on course?" Then we show them just how simple the solution is by pointing them to Washington DC and Washington to Wall Street. It's a simple straight line. Not complex or subversive, the evidence is practically in your face. The facts of the deed, done in blatant arrogance. No matter what people's basic concerns are, it all goes back to Washington DC and Wall Street's direct connection to each other and the unaccountability of their actions.



I know it's taking a lot longer than taking one of those Matrix pills to "Free your mind" but this isn't Science Fiction, it's life. The top 1% in America  is a population in the millions and the 99% is a population in the billions. Their crimes, the stealing, the misappropriating, the legal gerrymandering of financial access and almost barring people's Right to basic economic means to prosperity is in the Trillions. Contrary to popular belief, not one OWS participant or member wants a "handout" or special treatment, the focus is to MAKE Congress repeal the laws that guaranteed through guile and political subterfuge the gluttony of their greed at the expense of the stability of the entire American economy and the World.


Trying to force a Modern Movement to adopt Old Standards doesn't work but at the same time, and uniquely so, the modern standard allows for past methods to work thus the movement allows for all peoples with a variety of issues and concerns to be part of the whole. OWS is THE PEOPLES MOVEMENT.

People like to have "opinions" about OWS. Some might even go to look at the groups as if its social entertainment, or the zoo or to say, "I was there and I spoke to a participant, I even took pictures" but the truth of the matter is, unless you are truly doing your part, looking, condemning, dismissing and writing about OWS faults and missteps is moot when the successes far outweigh what few minor goals it didn't meet. 

Few people have even commented on how OWS has exposed members of Congress by name for their offshore and lobby connections and their insider trading based upon the laws they help pass, how Congress has moved legislation to limit OWS activities on peace gatherings and information distribution, how plans to have the military be employed as a policing (Militia) unit for OWS activities, the assigning of undercover agents to find and exploit OWS leadership, threatening public figures if they are even in association with OWS or giving assistance, OWS having moved the pace of investigations towards solving the secret banking  of Trillions of dollar deals in Washington, the Federal Reserve and abroad, OWS occupying people's homes to prevent them from being foreclosed upon, amassing large numbers of litigation suits for constitutional violations during non-violent rallies and protests, bringing back to the forefront Human Right violation of past Civil Rights activist from the 60's, 70's, 80's that were fighting for the same issues as OWS today and many more. To force OWS to pick and choose a handful of agendas and keep to it isn't the point and it WON'T HAPPEN. The very fact that Congress to local law enforcement are violently threatening the silence of people whom are simply telling the America people the truth about its government should outrage you. The evidence that Corporations, many whom would trade your family's future for an all expense paid trip to the Cayman Islands in order to deposit its profits in tax free and asset hidden offshore accounts, should make you want to storm all Capitals. But, in its place, Americans watch as young people get beat with clubs, knocked off their feet while standing with signs or sprayed in the face with chemicals for the Right to have something as simple as a "job". There is a disconnect for sure.


Only ONE AGENDA is needed; the fundamental addressing of economic inequity in America the 99% that are marginalize out of it.  It's simple. Adding anything else would complicate it and that is pretty much what media is doing. Even when you ask the question, "Why not protest in Washington DC?" The answer is, the power and decisions aren't made in DC, as it stands, they are made on Wall Street. This is the capital of our Nation and has been for the past 30 to 40 years. Once you understand this basic fact, the movement becomes less complicated and the agenda and the issues, crystal clear. All other issues, the 5 that lazy ill-informed people want OWS to choose so they can have peace of mind and an easier ability to dismantle the movement or the open agendas that effect everyone and is tied to Wall Street's influence, its all the same movement. Not to mention, the public OWS Movement is only 3 months old, and in that 3 months it has become a global movement and branched off into several extend groups working on larger and more specific agendas (i.e. MoveYourMoneyProject.org).

Its easy to point fingers and pontificate Shoulda Woulda Couldas but what you don't know about OWS is only because many are either skimming for the details or they are just looking at the pictures of the whole story. THUS THE LESSON IS ONGOING.

SEAN BELL: A DAY OF CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE 5/07/08

I was originally going to detail my experience in participating in a day of Civil Disobedience for Sean Bell but I decided to let the pictures speak for themselves. The media channels covered the Protest with only Black Faces making sure to edit out the fact that a significant number of Whites both young and old participated. They also did not mention the LARGE number of NYPD that surrounded and patroled all demonstrators, helicopters and riot officers. They even had desk jockies get off their butts to stand around as guards with Undercover Officers in the March (like we wouldn't know, especially since we took rollcalls and had signup sheets prior to setting up). Here I show their support for the Sean Bell Case as they walked the walked and talked the talk for Justice. If a picture can have a thousand words, a few need not be wasted with typing. I hope you enjoy the Photos.









1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ..... 48, 49, 50 BULLETS !!!

GRANDMOTHERS, MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS

MEDIA, CROWD CONTROL, DETECTIVES, UNDERCOVER















FIRST TIME YOUNG ACTIVIST
















ON THE MOVE ACROSS EAST 60TH STREET
















CAPTAIN DIVIDING THE GROUPS PROTESTING
















ALL PEOPLE, BLACK, WHITE, YOUNG, OLD TOGETHER FOR THE CAUSE

















ALL TRAFFIC COMES TO A STOP

A CHAIN ACROSS THE QUEENSBORO BRIDGE

I SEE YOU, YOU SEE ME (YOU ARE ON RECORD FOR OUR FILES)

WE COME IN PEACE, WE COME IN PRAYER WE COME IN JUSTICE FOR SEAN BELL

MOVE OR BE ARRESTED (OR SHOT) WHICH EVER COMES FIRST

WHO ARE WE? WE ARE SEAN BELL !!!













LEGAL TEAM REPRESENTATIVE TAKING NAMES FOR BAIL OUTS

IN THE WAGON AND REPRESENTING FOR JUSTICE

ACTIVIST FROM THE 1960'S STILL ACTIVE AND BEING ARRESTED

THE LOCKDOWN

THE HOUSE NEGRO AND THE CHICA FROM HELL --She kept instigating me to confront her.

MARCHERS GOING TO JAIL -- BLACK, BROWN AND WHITE

JUSTICE NOW !!!

WE ARE SEAN BELL!!!

NYPD INFILTRATOR -- THE SPY

THE END OF THE MARCH ...... FOR NOW

THE POWER OF THE FEW OR THE ONE

I am an avid movie watcher. I like the art as much as I like a good song. It bugs people that here I am knee deep in to the Arts; written, performance, graphic, underground expressive and then on a turn will sit and watch PBS, The Discovery Channel, The History Channel and then talk about the intricacies of calculating the probability of Cosmic Strings in the Universe and Nuclear Clusters being attracted to Dark Matter in space. As an unpredictable Nerd, I can see how I could clear a room in one of my typical Schizophrenic Gemini Sybil Brain Farts but then again, I always made good company in my head anyway. It takes a unique mind and a lot of patience to understand and be around me much less, keep up in a conversation. So it is safe to say that when watching movies, I get the chance to rest my brain and just go with the flow. (even though while doing that I am dissecting the parts from beginning to end just to make sure all the elements of a good movie were in place. I can’t help it, I took a few film classes back in the day). This one film came to mind recently and I had this burning desire to Blog about it because as much as it is fantasy, its message reaches at the very foundation of human existence.

Recently there was a Lord of the Rings Marathon, which I watched. Anyone who has seen one of the three movies (Trilogy) knows that these films are not in the tradition of your 90-minute cinema. Besides the whole “epic” thing, what stands out through out the whole film is that there is a HUGE problem that is affecting everyone in the movie; EVIL, and that one thing that can prevent EVIL from winning, is by destroying a single ring. Thus the title, "Lord of the Rings". Well I won’t bore you with all the details but for the most part, what stood out is that throughout the Trilogy there was a Fellowship, a handful of “Warriors” who committed to help one individual, Frodo, to destroy the Ring of Power and defeat the raise of EVIL from conquering Man. A pretty simple premise don't you think?

As a teacher, the whole creating of the Hero and Adventure motif would be the obvious to concentrate on but I like the concept of the selected; the Fellowship, or as I would like to refer to as The Critical Mass needed to get the job Done.

Critical Mass, a theory taught in Sociology, Management and Political Science is a product of “group dynamics” and or “sociodynamics”. Critical Mass defined as the sociodynamic term describing the existence of sufficient or a minimum amount of people creating a momentum in a social system, which by its actions becomes a self-sustaining movement. Much of what Barak Obama's Campaign represents is an example of this.

I watched as this practices was exercised very early in life from my family’s involvement in the community and watching people gather and protest in the streets. It wouldn’t be until I became an adult that I truly understood its impact on a grander scale. Often in discussion groups and in my days at a teacher I would explain that the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950’s and 60’s was just that, an exercise in pockets of critical mass movements. Not all Black Americans were actively participating. In some cases, many were too afraid to take action and others were just too critical to be involved period. Regardless of the reason why people did not participate, a small number of bodies were only needed to begin “a movement” which was enough to shift a nation’s attention into the right direction.

When it comes to activism, those people NEW to the practice always make the mistake in thinking that one need hundreds of thousands of people to impact change when the reality is you only need ONE. In the film, “Lord of the Rings”, the character Frodo was told that there only needs to be One person who could save them all and if HE did not bear the burden, no one will. I mean, just think, you wake up in the morning and someone tells you that your Single Sacrifice MUST and WILL save the World? Kinda Jesus Like Don’t You Think?

So why my need to Blog about saving the World? It’s not about the saving of the World but how the pressures of being a single person doing positive things can be adversely affected by a Critical Mass of people. It is just as important to understand that just as a few people or ONE can do extraordinary things, the net opposite can break it down as well. Take the recent events with Tavis Smiley for example.

Pull back from THE BANQUET TABLE of the people because I know you are hungry, we really need to see the full bounty that is on display. The big picture is this, Tavis Smiley is a Doer in a World where people fit in three categories; those that Do, those that Don’t and those that Complain. He also is a good man with GOOD INTENTIONS. Now I have made note that people with good intentions do need to be watched, critiqued and held accountable when their intentions fall on the side of personal gain, abuse and or “evil” but in the case of Tavis Smiley, the Brother’s intentions are as transparent as a Glass of Arctic Water in Spring. The beauty of his Good intentions is that he is willing to be the ONE that will ask the questions that Black folk either do not think about or are afraid to ask due to this Nation’s unique political climate.

As a journalist and social analyst, Tavis Smiley has to ask the questions that will make people think, laugh, cry, become retrospective, introspective, create a pro-active consciousness and even make a person uncomfortable with accountability. His, like all good journalists, actions allow for TRUTH in character. In politics that is paramount. In American politics it is not only a must, at its core, character will be the glue that will determine the very nature of the US Super Power Status in the World. As a journalist, Tavis MUST walk as straight a line of non-bias practice as humanly possible for fear of being prejudiced towards the subject matter, showing favor and or doing an Oprah (catering to a specific audience or demographic). As a Black Man who has a non-negotiable COMMITMENT to Black People as well as having a proven commitment to the HISTORICAL EDUCATION OF AFRICAN PEOPLE IN DIASPORA AND THE AMERICAS, prior to the Obama phenomenon, Tavis Smiley was, without question, a dynamic individual. So as a fan, a political analyst, supporter, and a writer, I see Tavis Smiley as being one in a few who is truly dedicated to what he does and not loosing his way along the way within his own community YET when his own people turn on him for doing what he has been praised for doing for years, one has to wonder, "What if Frodo had kept that ring"?

No, serious I asked, What if Tavis did not do his job property and allowed certain People a pass on answering REAL questions or just fell in line with Corporately Run Journalism and read from the same TOP 10 Questions List of safe political questions and ignored the other questions, 11 through 50?

Fast-forward a few months in to the primaries and now we have a major violation committed by Tavis Smiley. Tavis’ crime against Humanity is he dared to do his job and asked or wanted to ask Political Questions 11 through 50 to Barak Obama. This, in our unique state of Politics is Taboo for Black folk in mass support of Obama. The temperament for doing this is somewhat a betrayal to RACE and looking even deeper, the Democratic Party, the Economy, the War, Immigration, Africa, Legal Issues, Prison Systems, Corporate Profiting, Labor, Universal Health Care, Education, Selling-Out to Hillary Clinton, Religion, Women, The Drug Trade, Gun Control, Trade and Exports, Political Fundraising, Terrorism and a whole host of American ills. What amazed me is that in the Black Community’s public ridicule of Tavis Smiley's attempt to ask or even criticize All the candidates (All meaning Obama would also be included in his critique) the very questions that each candidate had and has not answered to this very day. These are also the same unanswered questions that are frustrating the whole of America, Tavis included. So if one cannot ask the source, then asking around the source to get to the center is a necessary and professional process at getting to information and or the truth. When Tavis did this, he crossed into Taboo territory once again. So what happens when this occur? Black People complained and those complaints took on a movement to silence that “anti-Obama” hypocrite.

“I personally am SICK of Tavis Smiley, he claims to love Black people and I certainly think the (un-appointed) black spokesperson should be compensated for his work but he was beginning to pontificate his opinions as if his and only his opinion counted. I started to turn TJMS off when Tavis had his commentaries; he was preachy and full of self-importance. I say GOOD RIDDANCE Tavis.” – Dililia from Blog: BlackMenInAmerica

A movement developed in the form of phone calls, e-mails and Blog attacks on the very person that in Public and Private stated and displayed he has more LOVE for Obama than the Hate directed towards him personally. One day, Tavis Smiley is a product of the very best that the Black Community has to offer into the next where he had become the most Stuck-up, Arrogant, Self-Centered Opportunist to wear the mantle and badge of Sellout. Tavis’ Annual State of the Black Union once hailed as a positive event for Black representation and focusing of Black America towards a National Mission and Agenda, now is the Tavis Smiley Soapbox for Personal Grandeur. So the Tipping Point (also know as Critical Mass) of the movement was to limit Tavis Smiley’s exposure and speech.

“Tavis got hammered not because Obama supporters are crazed cultists operating in zombie mode, but because he insisted on trying to pull Obama's black card for trivial reasons, and TJMS listeners and many others called him on his crap.” – Political Session from Blog: Black Agenda Report 4. 16-22, 2008

"Barack Obama's campaign must come first. Hate mail is reprehensible, but Smiley's ego started most of it. If he really cares about the future for all races instead of his puffing ego, he'd shut up. Maybe he'd better go see Bill Clinton. Two blowhards in a state of denial." -- NoMugwump from the Blog: The Trail 2/16/2008

Although many people (knowingly or not) who participated in this addictive protest on Tavis’s journalistic style, now cheer in his radical bid to go into a self censoring from commercial radio where he spoke the most about the State of Black Liberal Politics. This Critical Mass of self-styled activist, feeling vindicated that Tavis Smiley has decided to leave Tom Joyner’s Nationally Syndicated Radio Talk Show. Actually what they did was become successful in maintaining the current status quo for keeping the REAL ISSUES off the table for any discussion from Black Americans as well as the Whole of America thus placing them deeper in limbo, possibly never to be asked of by Barak Obama, Hillary Clinton or John McCain. It is no accident that Tavis Smiley prefers PBS to Commercial media outlets where the pressures of Commercial Advertising Dollars cannot interfere with his honest reporting.

I wrote not too long before the New York Democratic primaries in relation to the Cultural Group Think Mentality towards each other and how there was a vicious line draw between Black Clinton and Obama supporters:

“Some people are Liberal-Conservatives (Hillary Clinton) and some are Democratic Socialist (Barak Obama). The differences are slight but it is in that difference which is enough to be divisive and pit one Democratic ideology against the other. This is what we see now between Obama and Clinton supporters, the differences are that slight enough to split a Party in half and the national vote. The truth is, Blacks on a whole are voting on Racial Lines and it makes me crazy that NO ONE WANTS TO OWN UP TO IT. There has yet to be a dialogue that brings to question IF Black folk voted for Obama because he is Black? Just the same, people are slowly allowing for the reality that Women are voting on Gender Lines and are truthfully saying as much.” -- Shazza Nakim from the Blog: Mirror On America 2/29/2008

Tavis, the professional that he is was bold enough to have this Dialogue with Black America but as the Critical Mass dictated, it was a conversation that was not going to happen. Either now or later, if ever. One could argue that the conversation was trivial in comparrison to the importance of what is at stake. True enough, but what about the other questions not asked; Political Questions 12 through 50? From the very beginning Tavis Smiley have stood by his principles, his responsibility and dedication as a journalist to get at the REAL ISSUES. In his defense, he has often had to distinguishing himself from Celebrity or Entertainer and the Tabloid Reporter from that of the serious Journalist. In parting from the Tom Joyner Show, Tavis was noted as saying the following, "My job is to ask the critical question, to raise these issues and keep these guys focused. There are some people who are disappointed that I'm not jumping up and down saying, 'Vote for Barack Obama.' That's not my role as a journalist. That's not what I do.


And there lies the difference between a Tavis Smiley and an Oprah Whinfrey, Steve Harvey, Tom Joyner or a Whoopie Goldberg on MX Radio. Tavis is a Journalist with a stated Journalistic Ethic and an established and clear line that cannot (should not) be crossed and an Oprah and Whoopie which are more Media Personalities than Journalist hosts shows dedicated to demographics and specific audiences. For either Oprah or Whoopie (whom have Publicly endorsed candidates), to ask bias questions, the reactions would be slight or non-existent. For Tavis, his credibility as a legitimate, non-bias and honest journalist would always be called into question. Once that happens, he might as well do Access Hollywood or go back to BET.

For now, Tavis Smiley is taking an active break and waiting for the fever to burn itself off. Once the Body that is the Black Community cools, Tavis will returrn to ask the one question he has asked from the start, "What if Obama doesn't get the Democratic nod for President or even looses the election? What now? Where does all the energy and inspiration go for Black America and the Greater Nation?" I have an idea that this is a Contingency Plan Tavis is not hoping for but as a journalist, is preparing for.