Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali  R.I.P.

 

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

THE FATE OF BLACK LOYALTY

This election has created a major rift within the Black Community. The affects aren’t quite evident as of yet but it is there. Look at it as the BIG PULL BACK of a tsunami wave. That one wave that rolls back about one or two miles then rises up fifty feet to then crash and destroy everything in its way. I wrote an observation of a Harlem altercation over one BLACK man’s support of Hillary Clinton over Barak Obama (I'm Gonna Kick Your Hillary Lovin Ass). The scene was centered upon members of the community physically beating up a man who worked for the Hillary Clinton campaign based in Harlem. I will admit, based upon the tensions in the air, the history of the community, the legacy of activism plus the fact that many people felt betrayed by Bill Clinton’s presence in the community and the economic incentive he brought in relation to the continued political and financial down turn of Black and Brown people in Harlem, any reminder of the OLD GUARD would be seen as being a JUDAS to one’s race. It did not matter if the man was exercising his right to choose or even work for a candidate of his choice; he was in enemy territory and as a result, paid the price.

It’s been a few weeks since then and I really didn’t concentrate on that event until now. Since we are entering into the last round of Preliminary votes to determine who the Democratic Presidential candidate will be, words and actions for or against one candidate over the other is quickly becoming more than just a debate of words but THREATS to more than just the livelihood of people, particularly Black People and Black Community Supporters.

I have stated on many occasions, not only is the United States venturing into new territory of Political participation, so are Black people in America. The ability to effect this type of Political change has not been seen since the days of American Reconstruction, an era no one Black person alive has experienced but was the foundation for Black Intellectualism which sprung wells of purpose and direction for generations. Black people did not just talk about politics; they SPOKE to it in ways that was NEW and exciting, the inaugural seeds for inclusion in modern America growing into Black communities or at least the potential of it.

The drawback of this inclusion of political vigor was that many were not necessarily searching for all the required information and or only accepting information from bias sources. Taking this part of past history and applying it today. the price for accepting bad political advice diminishes any person voting and the process limits where one can find the complete information needed for future consideration. Granted, Black people are still behind the starting line and slowly inching toward the “Merge Here” lanes of the Information Highway, they are, however, are quickly moving to get into the flow with the help of Black youth and those few that have taken advantage of technology and willing to get the information out to an information starved community. As a whole, like all things involving Class and Black America; those opportunities are slightly below the National average. Just the nature of knowing HOW the political machine works is below average enough, almost POOR. So while this campaign continues to CHANGE and TRANSFORM a Nation, America is on the other side of the ethnic line while others are looking to Black People to catch up with their numbers at the same time they are looking for their active VOICES. Not saying that WHITE America and other ethnic groups are better as a whole, but it is statistically true that other groups, by their numbers, positioned themselves in AMERICA as practicing their political participation more efficient and more effective for their community needs with better results. This meaning, ethnic groups POLITICALLY know when to be heterogeneous in living the American Dream and homogeneous then voting as a BLOCK for a desired goal for Self and Community. The closest Black Folk have come to this phenomenon was the 1960’s and even then, Blacks were not monolithic enough to move forward as a block to effect complete CHANGE. So when Michelle Obama says that, "for the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country because it feels like hope is making a comeback", her words reflect not only her political history but her social reality in relation to her History as a Black person living in America. The Civil Rights Movement transformed an OLD America but it did not evolve enough to move with a continuing advancing America. To question this as a non-White experience and you know that the naiveté of it is rooted in one’s lack of knowledge of Black struggles. To question it as a White American, you sense that the question comes from a rejecting and or resisting the importance of Black "struggle". So that there is no mistake or clarity issue for those reading this with a Conservative or Republican slant, I define “struggle” as, a means by which Black people pushed for equality and fairness Politically, Economically, Legally, Socially and Ancestrally to be on par with those Groups that have benefited from constraining Blacks as a whole from evolving in America as human beings with full citizenship. This would include individuals, groups, businesses, religions and countries.

I define “struggle” this way because too often I have been asked by WHITES and challenged by Conservative BLACKS that Black people in America should be Proud to be in America. If not for the “sins” of America, Black people as a whole would still be in Africa and not part of the Greatest Country in the World. To which I quickly remind them BOTH, “So who holds PRIDE for all those hundreds of thousands of Africans thrown overboard during the Trans-Atlantic Middle Passage? What you seem to be arguing is much like kidnapping 300 people in America and sending them all by plane to Europe and half way over the Atlantic Ocean the plane explodes or crashes. When asked my reaction, I respond that they all should be happy they had “experienced” what it was to fly on an air plane.”

This type of response would be in total IGNORANCE, total ARROGANCE and ultimately a total DISCONNECT with people’s lives and history, their family and their potential. Especially since the practice of African slavery extends beyond 500 years with America constituting the worst of its practice. The nature and existence of America is in the writing off people's existence as insignificant no matter who they are. This is why I use the word, ”struggle” because it takes work to CHANGE the perception of people who do not SEE, even when the limitation of vision comes from within one’s Race.

So as Black folk continue to “struggle” through this election, we are finding not all are familiar with the terms and terminology that comes with a complete understanding of elections and government. Blacks that are new to the process (be it a young generation with a lack of history to base sound judgment upon or an older generation plagued with apathy and betrayal) all are not astute in the thought process just to prepare, judge, question and finally decide on issues and or candidates. I basically refer to this as missing the prerequisite VOTING 101’s course. Distressingly so, this is also an American phenomenon (excluding the foreign born and naturalized citizens for most often they come from countries where voting is not a Right and once in America their responsibility to voting is exercised as strongly as their Faith).


As an educator, the lack of the basic understandings of the American political structure is not due to any malignant force or hidden agenda group (or maybe so); it has more to do with the direction the American educational system had evolved into. The moment ETHICS, GEOGRAPHY, PHONICS and CIVICS were removed from the core curriculum of schools, the need to know “the what and the who” of the REPUBLIC became moot. Couple this with age and complacency and you have several generations of Government Illiterates pulling leavers for unfamiliar names with unfamiliar agendas come election time. With Black folk leaving the line, thus leaving all other Americans behind a BIG 8Ball to move from behind. Although History is fundamental for understanding American’s past, it is Civics and Ethics, which makes clear it’s present.

There are many reasons why it is important to question everything about voting and our candidates. Politicians have for years come to Black communities with promises of contributions and economic incentives only to fall short of many. Elections have placed political pawns that depend upon the PORK from Top Government to skim while giving the gristle to the reserved few. Black communities have seen career Politicians live out several generations of stagnation only to leave in shame and scandal. Many of these Politicians enter with a genuine interest in Civic Duty and grow into self-satisfied Political Royalty throwing crumbs to a hungry community. Wrap it all in the traditional clothe of Spirituality and you have bonifided stereotypical Leader of Blacks as oppose to the Self-Proclaimed Black Leaders for an extended lease on a community. And yet, this can only happen when a community has a HANDS OFF approach to their voting and voting knowledge.

For years you had Politicians in New Jersey’s largest city of Newark plunder and deprive the citizens of improvements and social gains. In a period of over four decades, the city had two mayors, Kenneth Gibson and Sharp James, each holding on to that title without CHANGE or challenge. The mantra for each was that of Change and Hope and Renaissance but it was all code for VOTE FOR ME BECAUSE I LOOK LIKE YOU. And Black folk did. This, for years, was the standard TOP DOWN way of doing Politics and a sure way to guarantee the success of the DREAM KILLING MACHINE and deter any “Excitement of the New”. No one could challenge the establishment because no one KNEW how or even if they could. No one knew the rules. No one knew what the mayoral title and responsibilities entailed. In not knowing, no one questioned how a Mayor of the largest city of the State can simultaneously hold a seat on the NJ State Legislature or questioned if it was a conflict of interest for the City of Newark. So when a community doesn’t know the basics, the VOTING 101’s, voting and politics, government becomes a perpetual machine that is self sustaining and hostile to its citizens. Long story short, a gentleman OUTSIDER, by the name of Cory Booker who no one knew, arrived with EXCITEMENT AND A MESSAGES OF HOPE AND CHANGE. No one initially trusted or wanted to take a chance on the unknown, untested Politician. Who was this Man who wasn’t even a Newark native? Words where exchanged and the politics got ugly but after his second attempt, Booker eventually replaced Sharpe James as the Mayor of Newark (who is at the time of this posting is under indictment for several charges of impropriety).

Booker, a schooled Politician with a DOWN TOP style of governing, is now working to undo almost 40 years of political abuse. Part of that undoing is bringing People to the table and making sure they understand the inner workings of the Government, the very basics of how a City works. The task is great and the issues deeply rooted as well as his criticisms on the time and speed of his results but it had to be done and can only be done with the help of the people.

The moral of the story; knowledge of the political system, no matter how basic, is a community’s saving grace. Unfettered “passion” can do more harm than logic because even in the absence of logic, COMMON SENSE should kick in and rule. But in the rare cases of the absence of logic and common sense, PASSION can be a "wicked bed fellah" if the people serving up the EMOTION, also controls the OCEAN. It was passion that kept the previous mayors in office, it was trust, which grew into Hope, and then CHANGE to move the city forward; SLOWLY, to get this one in the driver's seat.

What Black folk currently lack with this new found Political energy is "Sophistication". I say this meaning that when you compare the Latino vote (which is near 15% of the Nation’s population, surpassing the 13% that make up Black Americans), there are inherent differences, which should be acknowledged, but the major social and economic concerns are shared with Black Americans. The diversity within the Latin communities speaks volumes and yet when it comes down to voting, as a collective, their vote always comes with DEMANDS, even from their own Latin Officials. Demands that regardless of the region of the Americans they come from; the Caribbean, Mexico, Latin America, South America, the boughs of New York, the barrios of LA, the end result is “all Latinos” move that much closer in closing the Brown “struggle”. How does this affect Black folk? Well, it depends.

There is no doubt many of the social achievements of Blacks have benefited many other People of Color. Many of those benefits have opened the door for whole groups to move quickly to the front for social and economic gains. The only difference when it comes to voting is that Black folk traditionally VOTE for the Rights for “ALL” and other groups vote for benefits of the “Group”. While Black folks are politicking for fair and affordable housing, education, equal opportunity in employment, other group’s vote for the zoning for specific businesses within their ethnic communities, language inclusion, Green Card and VISA extensions, Grants dedicated for specific cultural reparations that will collectively aid in the growth of their community. It doesn’t matter that Blacks win fair housing because the result will benefit all communities (Asian, Black, Latin, White) but those groups politicking for economic gains win for their communities WITH the additional benefits of fair housing. Blacks fall short with their GAINS and often see the small gains of other ethnic communities as SELECTIVE TREATMENT and not their POLITICAL SAVVY. Again, like the Latin vote, no politician will get it without a solid DEMAND by them. To Black folk, this may appear unfair and showing favor, especially when all groups benefit with their demands and in the end, it shows how much Black folk are slow at catching up in their Voting 101’s.

This political practice from other ethnic groups (LATINS, ASIANS, EASTERN EUROPEANS) has clearly defined their “Sophistication” to the politician and Political Party Groups. Politicians know going in that they are not loyal to any one Party. Bi-partisan is a fantasy for what is real to non-Black folk is WHO IS IN THE MAJORITY. It is in their lack of LOYALTY which lies their political POWER. Black Americans aren’t there yet. In the 1960, Malcolm X prior to his assassination preached to Black people in Harlem that as a collective, the Negro should change his political affiliation to Independent. This would allow the Negro to be courted by both Republican and Democrat. This would also place the Negro in a position of bargaining and thus economic positioning within his own community to own property, expand business and self-determination from under White domination. Almost 50 years later, the idea maybe slightly different, but Black people are on the precipice of getting it.


Continue to THE FATE OF BLACK LOYALTY pt.2

YOU THOUGHT I WAS STUPID RIGHT ?

For years I have had to deal with two trains of thought when working and living in a majority White world. I usually get, “He must think he’s better than us” or “This guy IS better than us.” I know this may sound arrogant and racist to post but, this has been my experience for years since I was a child. From grade school to college and into the private corporate world, I have had to endure incidents where I’ve had my intelligence (different than ideas or actions) challenged in PUBLIC. Those challenges, from my point of view, were all direct attacks to my person and my PLACE within the infrastructure that is America. As in any attack, my response was always for INTELLECTUAL BLOOD. Take no prisoners. I wanted you wounded to the point that you feared even opening your mouth around me. Mind you, I knew that doing this meant career suicide, (especially if you did this in Public with an audience of co-workers) but it was necessary for everyone to know that the next time, YOU BETTER THINK as well as RECOGNIZE.

There was a time when I was a child, I was very self-conscious about what I knew. The fact that I was a straight A student and well read and traveled. The fact that my parents made sure that education and a World View was as important as my Spirit and Love, Respect and Life would make me a strong Black Man. In my adult life I know that I am an information-holic and I don’t want to go to Rehab. (I say No! No! No!) I love learning. Anything that is new and informative I gravitate to and I like talking about it. I am not the overly loquacious type, meaning I don’t talk and talk without consciously acknowledging that whomever I am speaking to has tuned out, but I can hold my own in conversations in many situations. I know how to research and I don’t like being in a situation where I don’t KNOW. Call it a competition thing from childhood or my parents constant drilling of sending me to my room until I found the answer before coming out. And when I did I would be asked, how did I feel knowing that you are that much more smarter then yesterday?

In working environments, I often become the go-to guy for information. When there are changes and in policy I recall the old policies as well as the new ones, I know the technology in my area as well as others, I compare and improve based on the information I gather and examine the changes even more, I am proactive (which is not well liked in any working environment) and I can go on with other examples but the point I want to make is this, I have been approached by many WHITE folk and would be put on the spot about what I know or what they think I don’t know. In their PERSONAL attack, I make sure I totally CRUSHED THEIR EXPECTATIONS OF ME. Even more so, knowing the intent of their questioning, I make sure that when I am done answering, that the next time they try it, ether with me or any other Black or Brown person, they THINK TWICE. what brought up these feeling was seeing this Vid on YouTube and I was so IN TO THE BROTHER'S RESPONSES.

The interviewer was trying to dominate and change the course of the answers, trying to up and twist the answers, which was a sure sign of his intimidation and disrespect of the Black man's intelligence. This is a common strategy of the insecure and Political Pundits looking to discredit CREDIBLE people. Once these people find out that their abilities to make fun or light of a person’s credibility and their knowledge, they immediately try to become “friends” because they know their actions have been found out by a more Superior Mind. It’s a coward’s tactic, and I see it too often to allow it to brush up against me and those Black folk around me who can not defend themselves against it.

People such as Malcolm X, Eldridge Cleaver, Al Sharpton, Louis Farrakhan, Harry Belafonte, Cornell West, Amiri Baraka, Julian Bond just to name a few have on many occasions have been subject to this type of questioning with the interviewer ALWAYS going home limping and frustrated at being a victim of Honest and Truth reflected back at them. This is one of the reasons why media is VERY selective as to WHAT TYPE of Black people they choose to speak to and or interview. As recent at Montel Williams' dismissal from FOX TV for articulating WELL his views on the troops killed in battle in Iraq instead of talking about the death of Heath Ledger. He got the NEGRO BE BOOTED TO THE CURB for that one because He, Montel, can not possibly have a voice or even a conscious thought to articulate a sentence in the language America seared upon Black tongues or even have the capacity of logic to argue the TRUTH.

I wish I was standing next to this kid when he was being asked those questions. I know that before the Reporter turned his cameras away I would have yelled, ‘Now don’t you look stupid, you just thought he was some Monkey Shuffling, Mindless Negro without an once of education or individual conscious to VOTE his mind. You need to be smacked for your ignorance!” and I would have too. No one wants to be made a fool of and when WHITES in ignorance or in full conscious do it, THEY wake up the beast that over 400 years of Slavery in the Americas have brought, especially when you are questioning BLACKS FOLKS reasons for voting for a another BLACK MAN. To be honest, to even ask BLACK people why they are voting for a BLACK MAN FOR PRESIDENT should be in itself, an insult on so many levels.

I think the role of a Barak Obama in his bid to become President is that Whites are slowly realizing that BLACK PEOPLE are intelligent and talent, we are intellectuals and creators, pioneers and engineers and are existence is more than what America and the World assumes. But like my life experiences have shown is that once you challenge those at the TOP, the ones that are their by privileged and not merit, often find that the fight to maintain influence can be harsh and vicious unless you are prepared to join and be like MIKE.

Mitt and Rudy, A Waste of Public Air Space

OK I did it. I watched another Presidential debate. I have watched pretty much all of them thus far both, Democratic and Republican debates. My friends keep asking me why do I do this? Outside of my sarcastic response, “I do it to experience what the slaves of Egypt felt like when building the pyramids”, I mostly do it because I enjoy the whole political process. The nuances, the feigned emotions, the re-direct of the truth and the lies its all the best drama and blueprint for damning one’s soul to the devil. Most of all, I like examining the psychology of each candidate as they struggle forward into a position of global criticism. My cruel indoctrination into politics I remember like yesterday when I was a child and my parents forced me to watch Nixon’s debate. Years later my head hurt trying to comprehend how a Hollywood actor became President of the United States. I scratched my head in confusion when I kept seeing familiar faces in crowds when Bush Sr. was campaigning and when a hillbilly boy from the mid-west had Black people swooning and swaying for political liberation, I watched intently to see it all unfold.

In 1999, I recall watching G.W. Bush Jr., the Decider Extraordinaire, make comments that he would go to war with Iraq and this was when he was campaigning. I heard how his actions would keep America safe as well as make things right when Sadam Hussein tried to attack his “Daddy”, aka President G. W. Bush Sr. Very few people recall this dialogue or even refer to it anymore, although it was a platform for his campaign for President. I listened intently and watched his body language, the nuances, the feigned emotions, the re-direct of the truth and the lies. I studied his whole psychology and by 2000 I knew he would be President of the United States, twice. The timing was right, the people were in place and like all things, NO ONE PAID ATTENTION. Regardless of 9/11, I honestly believe George W Bush Jr. would have been re-elected to the post he and his circle worked for and we’d still be in the same situation with war and economic upheaval. The only difference is that the World Trade Center would still be standing.

So now where are we? Well without blowing up my computer up breaking this all down I will concentrate on two candidates from the Republican side of the debate, Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney.

In the most recent debate that was sponsored by CNN and YouTube in Florida (11/28/2007), there was a question related to Black on Black Crime. Let me bring you up to date just in case you missed it:

OH ROMNEY, YOU THE FOOL

Before I even go for blood with their answers lets just say this, when you answer a question like this, his “prep team” should have been smart enough to tell Mitt Romney to answer any and all questions related to Black Crime in the following manner, “I don’t recognize Black on Black Crime, but I do recognize Crime no matter what the ethnic and racial background is. No one wants to be a victim of “Crime” so I think the question you asked isn’t what I will do about Black on Black Crime but what will I do to stop the symptoms of Crime in Black Communities and all Communities?” Then Mitt Romney can answer in the tradition of “misdirect” and cultural alliterative grandstanding.
 
For the record, Hillary, Obama and John Edwards know how to do this and they do it well. So what happened here with Mitt Romney? Both he and his staff have a serious disconnect not with Blacks or even Black on Blacks, Mitt’s disconnect is with the "Origins of Crime"; or at least the crime we see that effect to poor and near poor. I mean, if you can answer questions on the origins of crime in America, you then can begin the dialogue on economics, social reform, legal equality, ethical and moral protective rights and more so, the big picture which is “the why and how we are creating chaos around the world”. 

“OH NO THAT MOFO DIDN’T!!!

Deflection of a question could have also worked but you have to come from a place of experience and expertise when you do it. Mitt Romney thought he had that when he answered that Black on Black Crime's origin come from the lack of the traditional Family. My jaw dropped when he tried that.

“Listen Mitt, I can call you Mitt since your answer seemed a bit in my living room eating my food personal, you crossed the line. Black people live in a Village for the most part. Believe it or not, we do work to make up the lack of role models in our communities with churches, volunteers, after school programs, community based programs, grandparents, aunts and uncles, written and oral histories, park activities and more."

"The large majority of BLACK PEOPLE do very well working with youth and maintaining order within communities (when government and outside private exploiters do not interfere). Statistically the numbers of people involved in Black on Black crime make up a small percentage of the overall Black population. You through a statistic that one of your research cronies dropped in your lap after glancing through Bill Cosby’s book, “Black People, Come On” would make you credible. WRONG, you came off like a JACK."
 
"What your dim-witted prep-team forgot to include from that same book was that there are other role models that are missing besides a FATHER like wealthy Blacks who left the community, WHITES who invest with destructive products and activities that distracts and entice the lowest common denominator within the community, fast food industries, lack of community services and the elitist that commandeer them for control and power over the poor, substandard education and the lack resources and then there are outside influences as well govern by back office deals from local government to DC that benefit Corporate America."
 
"Oh yeah Mitt, Black people do not own or control the plantations where drugs are grown and collected, processed and transported, no Blacks own gun manufacturing companies like Smith and West or move Military Style weapons across the nation and around the world, we don’t sit on Corporate Boards in the numbers proportional to the nations’ population, nor are we in areas that Blacks can counter-act those ills that afflict Black Communities."
 
"So Mitt, if the very best you can do is, FIND MY FATHER AND MAKE HIM MARRY MY MOTHER?, if that is your answer to BLACK ON BLACK CRIME, be prepared to write off 13% of the nation with that answer.”
 

Everybody, let me tell you, Bill Cosby’s message was for the Black Man and Black Woman to invest and or take back their own communities. There were no extra seats for WHITES to jump on and ride that ride. Nowhere in Cosby’s book (and let me remind you of the title again, BLACK PEOPLE, COME ON) did it propose that Black on Black crime is solely due to single parenting. And yes Mr. Romney, you just blamed BLACK MOTHERS FOR THE REASON WHY THERE IS BLACK ON BLACK CRIME. Those same Black Mothers that in the days of YORE were your Mammies and Maids raising your children and most likely you as well. “Man Mitt, you fucked up, stutter and all.”

IT WAS A RACE BAITING QUESTION

On the real, I didn’t think that that question was appropriate for the debate since before Black people can ask that question, one would have to have had done the work to clean it up collectively (which I personally feel we haven’t quite done yet) but there is White on White Crime which we hear very little of unless its WHITE COLLAR CRIME, Asian on Asian Crime (which exist but again we see and hear very little of it), Latin on Latin Crime (which is the double feature after the Black on Black Crime on the News), Black on Black Crime which is the opening News of the day but when there are People of Color on White Crime – that is Front Page stuff, the ratings buster, the how did the system break down stuff, the call in the experts and analyst and help us understand this stuff. its the FEAR STUFF.

If I had to do a YouTube debate question, I would have asked with my White Friend standing beside me, “To all of the candidates, what would you do to prevent BLACK ON WHITE CRIME?” Now that would be real news to talk about THE NEXT DAY.

HERE COMES THE MOB

That now brings me to Rudy Giuliani, AMERICA’S MAYOR. America’s Mayor? Where the HELL was I when they had that vote? I have so much to say about this guy but I can only drop the words in small doses. He’s like constipation, you know its coming, you feel the pain, and you can’t wait until it gets dropped so you can move on with life. What BURNS MY BUTT WITH HIM …. With this one, he actually said, "I REDUCED CRIME IN NYC?"

He did? Last I checked, New York City had gone through it largest economic boom (not with him at the helm, do anyone remember the BLACK NYC MAYOR David Dikins?) in YEARS. The whole NATION was going through the same BOOM. When people are working, they don’t have time to participate in crime petty or any other. City budgets were balanced, after-school programs were working, and non-profit organizations as well as community services were at an all time high because people had extra funds to donate as well as extra time. Parents had more time to spend with family (traditional and non-traditional), people traveled and more Black people became property owners, business developers and college graduates than any other time than ever before. Now this can also be said for all other ethics groups but when the economy radically changed (the Bush Years), Black Americans were hit the hardest.

So lets give the man his PROPERS.

Yes, Giuliani did bring down crime and took guns off the streets of New York City BUT he was also busting up the mafia and all those underground organizations that were bringing in the drugs and guns and flooding Black and Latin communities with the stuff in the first place. Many of the people busted were friends of Giuliani and his father who was a failed “Sopranos wannabe”. So in essence, HE ratted out and busted his friends for political gain.

OMG!!!, GULIANI DECREASED CRIME IN HARLEM BY 80%. ???

OK THIS IS COMMON SENSE TIME.

If Giuliani brought crime down in Harlem by 80% that would mean that only 20% of all Harlem citizens didn’t break the law or were law abiding. YOU DO THE MATH. I think he sat in too many showings of AMERICAN GANGSTER staring Denzel Washington or maybe it was NEW JACK CITY.

You have to remember, Rudy Guliani's background is law enforcement, better yet a policeman with a brain. he was able to rise through the ranks as a Prosecutor with all the tactics and Grey's Anatomy of urban guerrilla warfare. If you are not familiar with urban policing or a military background you'll miss the tone and tenor of the Guliani bravado. As Harlemites, they have heard it all too long from too many people. They have him to straight when it comes to the Guliani Agenda.

Giuliani reputation is that of a bully and an idiot and it scares me that AMERICA isn’t smart enough to catch on that he’s also a con man. Or are they?
 

One thing I know about bullies, idiots and con men is once confronted with a Bigger Bully, a Smarter Person, and the REAL PEOPLE IN POWER they become children and fearful and just follow the status quo. Does this type of LEADERSHIP SOUND FAMILIAR? -- Shazza Nikim on "The Wisdom of Power."

Back to the BLACK ON BLACK CRIME question, Black people already know what the long-term solutions are. The effort has to come from within without outside interference. Especially from those that represent the Republican Party today. Malcolm X said it perfectly, “WHITES CAN HELP US BUT THEY CAN'T JOIN US”. This might sound racist to those on the outside of the community but it is 100% true. You can’t love your brother until you first love yourself first. WHITES in America can take care of themselves, BLACKS on the other hand need to accept that WHITES don't, can't, shouldn't and will not take care of their communities. Generations have witnessed this and when Generation X wake into their consciousness, they too will find that they are disconnected from the American Reality. If there is any disconnect, first find out where that break is with yourself and then mend it. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it doesn't have to be seamless, it just has to hold together. The Brother in a YouTube response I posted below made me applaud because he gets it and he knows that the amount of work it takes isn’t that much when dealing with "IDLE CRIME" in his community. In essence, if He Builds It, They Will Come.

America's Disconnect With The Noose

The hanging of The Nooses is not a new thing, its just the new NEWS REPORTING HIGH of American media. High meaning when News breaks from its formula for concentrating on what editors perceive what the Public needs to know or what will keep ratings HIGH, occasionally will pull its lenses just so far back enough to report on events that sheds light on the real America. Malcolm X stated it best when he said, "Pulling the skirt up on American and showing her privates to the world". Since I was a child, I have always pulled on America's skirt and often gotten my hands smacked. I like that feeling but like all things, there are consequences to challenging the establishment.

I had posted a picture on Yahoo not that long ago which displayed a photo of the lynching of a Black man highlighting an article entitled, "Why I Am Not Your Nigga". I received from Yahoo an e-mail stating that my article as well as picture was being censored. I responded back that Yahoo had no right and I re-posted it. I knew then that the idea and practices of Noose hangings were happening as well did Black People in America. And even though the events in Jena, La. was common and the News were draggged kicking and screaming to cover and evolve into recent events, the knowledge that it is ongoing then and now doesn't make an impact on American White Society because as each "hanging noose" is found, the notion that they are perceived as "pranks" become the common theme and not hate crimes.

It amazes me that if one defaces a church, its a Hate Crime. Draw swastikas on a synagogue, its a Hate Crime. Chase, bash or tie up a Gay people? A Hate Crime. Hang a noose from a tree or on someone front steps .... its a Prank. America has a serious disconnect.

Only Great Leaders Die (.... for the Cause)

Exhausted by the labors of the day
I became a physical casualty of a reality war.
My body ached.
My head pounding.
Visibly tired,
Too weak to continue,
I desired to release my burdens upon an angry world.
On someone.
Anyone.
Dump them into a box
Deep and wide,
One capable of withstanding the years.
A box to stand the tests of time.
To house excess baggage.
To drop my brother into
for he is heavy.
I want to be free enough not to ask the question often asked.
Is there life after death?

I see no evidence of such a thing,
The living dead.
I know because I wake and walk the Earth daily.
Talking, and not saying anything.
Working, and not making anything.
And praying, and I getting
Nothing.
So tired am I that its effect bring me full circle.
Circle into rings,
Rings into links of chain,
Chains fastened at the ankle
-- Balled and chained.
Weighted down by the human condition .
I struggle and pull for freedom.
Tugging away for just an inch ,
Until I can only ask but for one thing ,
"Sleep".

So they say
To sleep is to give up,
And to give up, is to die.
As a result I cheat,
and slave.

More and more,
Harder and harder,
Until the skin that is on my hands
Rip free from each finger.
And bones snap under pressure.
The pain from my shoulders arch into my back
Causing my knees to buckle from the stress,
Allowing my foot to tear free from its shackles.
Giving my all
To you.
My people.
My cause.
Sacrificing
Life and limb.


Only Great Leaders Die by Shazza Nakim
Copyright © by Peace of Mind Publishings and with permission by Shazza Nakim