Black Conservatives on television

I don't know how many people saw this on Friday. I think it was very important. I think that there are far too few that pay attention to the other Black voice in the Black community.



These days Black culture is a commodity up for sale. Various consumer products use it to sell everything. Politicians use it to get votes. The youth are sold it as the norm they should observe. Yet there is a portion of African Americans that are completely opposed to such an outright mental slavery.

Why is it that the youth of today are sold on the idea that they should got to jail? Why do kids think that the only way to make money is via illegal actions, rap music, or sports? How have we moved from creating some of the most important inventions in the world, and multiple scientific discoveries that have saved untold millions of lives, to (some of us) waiting to be handed money?

Not only that, but why is it that in a mere 40 years we have gone from a people that led the nation from a mindset of prejudice and segregation to that of subservience. Dr. Martin Luther King never advocated that, Malcolm X never believed that. Both men were conservatives, especially in the political world of today. Yet Conservatives that are Black today are shunned and rejected. Why?

I really don't understand why we have come to a place where intelligent Blacks that offer strong reasonable opinions, that differ from the Liberal mindset, are considered to have abandoned their race. I don't understand why just speaking American English is considered an insult to so many. It leaves me with my head spinning.

I know of some younger African Americans that have bought into the commoditized view of Black culture. They rush out to buy anything that is hip hop, they obsess over rappers and bling. They are the first to go to any movie that is Black-oriented - no matter the quality - the first to buy a big SUV while living in the projects, the first to get $500 jeans and/or Prada shoes while they can't pay rent. And they are the first to denounce the Black businessman that questions the economic programs of President Obama, or the kid going to college.

Listen to the things said in the video clip. Forget that it's on Fox News, forget about Glenn Beck. Listen to the words, listen to the people. Have you heard these voices in your community? Maybe you even heard it from Bill Cosby. Now ask yourself this, Why have you not supported these views and instead contributed the nearly $1 trillion dollars of Black buying power supporting those that would keep you in a line for food stamps - essentially economic slavery?

Why, in America, would Black Conservatives consistently be called sell-outs, yet entertainers that are followed and emulated and are merely high paid employees selling the denigration and commoditization of Black culture are seen as being pro-Black?

How can an African American that rises from poverty, gets an education even though in sub-standard schools, goes to and pays for college without a trust fund or family money, and creates a career - maybe even a business - so that they can raise their kids in a better life than they had be called a sell-out?

Maybe Black Conservatives don't agree with every word coming out of President Obama's mouth. Maybe they aren't Democrats. Maybe they speak well and have educations. And how does that make them any less worthwhile or Black? How does that make them so different from Dr. King, Malcolm X, or even President Obama?

I'm glad Glenn Beck did this show on Black Conservatives. I'm glad that finally the major media is acknowledging our existence. I'm glad that the Black community is now faced with addressing this segment of Black Americans. Because maybe now we can have some real discussions on fixing the problems we all face. At least until another rapper tells the Black community that jail is good, drugs are great, and abandoning their own children is manly.

The full video is available at www.mvass.com. Either way let me know your thoughts.

media tuning of race relations

The following is a question posed to Michael Vass by Logan Calder at Black and White Blog where I am co-author.

Michael,
I would like to get your opinion on what I noticed recently in television. In almost every add that has a mixed race couple, it is always a Black male and a White female. Almost never is there any other type of mixed race shown. This seems disproportionate to me, as I see mixed races of all variety (including my own) and am wondering if you think there may be some political significance to this?

**Rather than responding as a comment, I wanted to add my thoughts to the post of Logan. In this way readers can have a full thought to respond to, in addtion to allowing search engines more access to this post. I hope that Logan does not mind.**

Logan,

Well that is a good question. But I think you are somewhat mistaken in your premise.

There are many, and I believe more, mixed race couples in advertisements that are Hispanic and White than any other group. The reasons for this are

1) Hispanics - light skinned - are often mistaken for Whites. (ie, Andy Garcia among many others)

2) Hispanics are the fastest growing 'minority' group in America

3) Hispanics comprise one of the bigger buying groups, and tend to purchase more big ticket items (which is reflected in the ads they appear in)

But as for the Black/White mix... well that is harder to define.

In part there are the old stereotypes that are continuously promoted in movies and television shows of the mandingo. Add to that the old view of implied status of a Black man with a White woman. I disagree with both thoughts, though I know many who still ascribe to these thoughts.

Another part is the theory held only in Hollywood (I hope) that audiences can only react positively to something if people of the same racial background are represented.

This has been one of the main reasons that television shows (and movies) are 90%+ dominated by White actors in virtually every aspect. That means the background actors, the supports, and the headliners. In fact, in 2007 - 2008 I randomly selected channels several times over several days and investigated various program line-ups. I found that roughly 2% of all television programming, including cable television, involved non-White actors of any nature, COMBINED (movies were slightly higher though not even 10%).

Thus a commercial, according to this theory, must contain Whites to be effective. It is also the reason that most commercials (with the exception of many racially targeted commercials by McDonald's - but not all) that target specific groups of people of color still maintain White actors in the surrounding roles.

Thirdly I suspect that the use of mixed race couples is a subtle acceptance that America, in reality, is far more diverse and intermixed than what television has been promoting since 1950's. That reality must be reflected as fully 1/3 of the audience is a person of color and thus by the archaic standards of Hollywood need to be shown.

Lastly there is the Obama Effect. Advertisers are cashing in on the positive imagery of African Americans that must exist since the President is a person of color. This I feel is the ultimate commoditization of Black culture that has been beforehand seen predominantely in the Hip Hop culture and advertisements.

The political significance of all this is unknown.

In one respect the benefit of all this is to create more acceptance of people of color in political groups, particularly in the Democrat and/or Liberal organizations. Name an ad, movie, or television show where the people of color are Conservative or Republican - as best as can be discerned relative to its content. I cannot think of one off the top of my head.

Beyond that, which is speculation I admit, I cannot think of a political end to using mixed races. Which does not mean there is or is not one.

Perhaps other readers may have a better answer than I.

Transformers 2 - controversy or not?

Transformers 2 is now in theaters, so the question of whether the hype is equal to the film is about to be answered. But setting aside the lack of logic, the overabundance of CGI and explosions, and the failure to have a script worthy of the Saturday morning versions this was created from, there is a big question.

Is having a CGI robot speaking ebonics a take on Black culture and, even in the most innocent of ways, making fun of African Americans?

This is the growing question from the film. Many fans that have seen the movie (which I have not) believe that it does, others do not. But what I have read leads me to believe that this is another instance of Hollywood sticking to what it knows best – stereotypes in bad taste.

“Skids and Mudflap, twin robots disguised as compact Chevys, constantly brawl and bicker in rap-inspired street slang. They're forced to acknowledge that they can't read. One has a gold tooth.”

So the robots are deep into hip hop. Which could mean anyone, since fans of hip hop reach from Beverly Hills to Japan to the Bronx. But how often have you seen a character in a movie that speaks “rap inspired street slang” that isn’t Black? How many movies can you recall ever having a character with a gold tooth (or teeth) that were anything but African American? Add to this the connection the major media makes between rap and violence (which is a natural conclusion), and African Americans (which is not).

So is this a caricature of African Americans? Sounds like it. In fact some are relating these characters to another CGI major movie character that inflamed millions. Jar Jar Binks. They are being called Jar Jar Bots.

How do some defend these characters?

“They don't really have any positive effect on the film," she [Tasha Robinson, associate entertainment editor at The Onion] said. "They only exist to talk in bad ebonics, beat each other up and talk about how stupid each other is.”

Sounds like most rap music videos. And who is the lead minstrels in those music videos?

This disturbs me since any association some might make to African Americans is to 2 cowards, that are illiterate, eternally distracted by the useless, and are worthless. Would you like to be referred to in an association like that? I sure don’t.

“If these characters weren't animated and instead played by real black actors, "then you might have to admit that it's racist," Robinson said. "But stick it into a robot's mouth, and it's just a robot, it's OK."

Perhaps the best way to consider if this is making fun of African Americans in a negative way is if we substitute what the characters are portraying. Let’s say that instead of rap, they went with country music. Instead of street slang they speak with a Southern drawl. And instead of the gold tooth we have a confederate flag.

So in effect we have two illiterate, cowardly (since they avoid all fights), dumb, Southern brawlers. What might be identified as the Southern inbred hillbilly redneck stereotype – like Ricky Bobby. Still sound like a fun character, something that you and your friends can laugh at? Would you laugh if you were in the deep South? Would you still like it if foreigners heard your accent and compared you to these characters?

Yes it’s a movie. And movies often use a stereotype to convey thoughts that are in the societal mindset. But the negative stereotypes really don’t need to be reinforced. Especially on an international level. And saying that it’s just a movie, is akin to saying a Nazi flag is just a decoration.

You may disagree, but for me it is just one more reason not to see this film.

Kings of Rap hosted by DMC of Run-DMC

The world of rap music originally had a diversity that matched the diversity of African Americans across the nation. That diversity contained in almost equal parts positive messages of empowerment and self-responsibility, fun, sex appeal, and the gritty reality of life some experience. That diversity lasted from 1978 until 1992.

In 1992 the thought of gangsta rap was created, and the music industry jumped on it like a crackhead on a rock. Within 2 years of its start gangsta rap had become the rap industry instead of just a part of the many genres within it. Along with this infection of rap came an acceptance of rap that had been denied since its inception. With that acceptance came large contracts, music videos, Grammy Awards, and inclusion by the media.

In effect the rap industry was commoditized, selling a corporate image of what was and was not Black culture. This image was plastered onto movies, television, music videos, and entertainment news. I will note that the number of African Americans dropping out of high school, and becoming single parents, skyrocketed at the same time that gangsta rappers (now just called rappers) were being lauded for arrests based on violence, drugs, and misogynistic acts.

But not everyone has agreed with the corporate view of rap, or African Americans.

It's taken some time, but now the potential return to the roots of rap music is in the works. DMC (Darryl McDaniels of Run-DMC) is to be the host of The Kings Of Rap. This is a new reality television program. Unlike most reality shows featuring a rapper, this program is not to create more fortune for the rapper, or laud their questionable skills, or even reinforce their bloated self-image. Nor is it an attempt to find a way to scour the nation for moldable individuals that can easily be disgraced and discarded.

DMC states the idea as this

"There are so many talented kids out there who don't get heard or don't get signed because they're not controversial enough, or they're too positive. That amazes me. The spirit of hip-hop was always about changing the world or yourself, not with a gun or with denigrating or offensive words, but by being effective with your mind. This is a time when everyone is talking about change, and we as a country have the opportunity to make a difference."

That's powerful, because it's honest. This is one of the few rappers I've ever heard address the sell-out mentality that has become rap. What else can anyone call gangsta rap, when the industry refuses to allow non-controversial (ie. entertainers that are not ex-convicts, and are not being arrested for violence, drugs and so on) positive (ie. individuals that are educated, finished high school, and/or religious maybe even politically aware) influences in the music?

Do I like reality television programs? No. I find them to be insipid at the very best. But the prospect of a program that will help return the rap music genre to the diversity and richness that is the Black community intrigues me.

Do I find rap music worth listening to? Not since maybe 1994, likely earlier. Because not everyone enjoyed KRS-1, Public Enemy, Heavy D, LL Cool J, Will Smith, Kurtis Blow, Doug E. Fresh, The Beastie Boys, De La Soul, Erik B & Rahkim, Ice-T, Sir Mix A Lot, and the multitude of other rappers but they did have a choice. And there were more than enough styles to match the people out there.

The Kings of Rap may be more important for what it re-introduces than what it's ratings might be. Likely there will be little media coverage, and corporate promotion will be minor compared to that of Sean Combs, 50 cent, Snoop Dogg and other malcontents. Yet if it achieves what it proposes, reawakening the spirit that created rap and hip hop, then none of that matters.

I may not be a big fan, I may hate reality television, but I think I will check out Kings Of Rap on occasion just because I believe in its ultimate goal. How about you?

A discussion of police, race, America, and what to do - part 2

Concluded from A discussion of police, race, America, and what to do

That brought up a point for my friend. I was being unfair to the police. Because they must be more aware and on guard in high crime areas. Which I agree with. But that does not justify their actions, nor does it excuse them.

My friend brought up a case he felt that was an example of such an understandable use of deadly force. The Amidou Diallo case. Which I lost my mind on. The fact that a man can be shot at his door 41 times, while unarmed, is inexcusable to me. My friend felt that in the heat of the moment, with adrenaline pumping, and the sound of shots going off these officers feared for their lives and thus it was understandable.

Except I noted, that Diallo was unarmed, so the police had no reason to begin shooting in the first place. And the police continued to shoot Diallo after he was laying flat on the ground, since it was found that he was shot through the sole of his foot. And this was a violation of police procedure as they are trained, and to my knowledge is part of written policy (correct me if I am wrong), to shoot in small bursts to protect the populace and prevent such overkill events.

Worse yet, I reminded my friend that in the last decade alone, we have seen dozens of times where police confront an armed individual, that may have already killed innocents, and is an obvious danger to their lives. Yet in those documented, and occasionally video taped, events the suspect is fired upon maybe 6 times by multiple officers. With the same adrenaline, the same fear, though with a real threat and a White antagonist. If police overkill is so understandable, why do police never kill armed White murderers with hails of 30, 40, 50 bullets?

Again we came back to the central thought, how can this be changed or prevented. My friend noted that he felt the Black community must stand up and kick out the criminals, not allowing them to continue. And he noted that the White community must learn to recognize that people of color are not an unequivocal threat.

But again I find fault with that argument. Because often in the most poor areas of major cities, where crime is highest, there is no where else to go. Where can the Black community move its criminals to? There is no where else to go. And it avoids the root of the cause of crime, education.

In any poor community, the one factor that is the same is the fact that the education system is abominable. School books are older in many cases than the students. Teachers are burnt out, or unqualified. The buildings and resources sub-standard. Yet it is expected that students from these schools should be the equal of those with far better resources? That these students will have the means, en masse, to improve their standard of living?

Yet something else came to me as I decided to write about this event. The discussion of what is ailing America and influencing crime, prejudice, and racial disparity is not just one thing. It is a multitude of events and actions. Each plays a part in creating the whole. And in trying to limit the subject to 1 thing we fail to reach a point of reasonable change.

I understand that most police officers are good people. I realize they have a difficult job, and do not question the actions they take to defend themselves and the populace from criminals, in general. But I also realize that these same reasons are not excuses to act in a manner that harms those they are supposed to have been sworn to protect.

I understand that the Black community has its share of fault in this process. But I realize at the same time that it is difficult to wage such a battle when the community is being assaulted by the media (with a message of inevitably), denied a fair education, presumed at large to be wrong and violent, and poisoned by dreams of instant wealth (either through attainment of entertainment's highest circles or by enlisting in the inner circles of hell and selling drugs - both of which are presented as equally available options).

But I am left with a horrible thought in the end. America is ingrained with the residual thought that people of color are not equal or similar, and that means inferior. This thought started with the first slave, no later than 1619, and was reinforced with Jim Crow laws until 1965. And even then it was not until the mid to late 1980's that the nation accepted people of color into positions of familiarity (television and movies) or power (politics, business, ect) with any regularity or trust.

The seeds of our past still continue to grow, though at a far slower pace today than ever before. That is an improvement, but it still hides the causation and thus a remedy.

There is no one answer to the problems that plague America. There is no one cause for the racial divide in the nation. Though it is clear that the longer we do not address the causes we will keep having more incidents of violence and discord among our people and thus law enforcement too.

I know that I do not see these issues objectively. I cannot because I have been their victim, and may be so again in the future. As well as my family and friends of color. It prevents a calm and separate view. At the same time the completely dispassionate view of some Whites is just as wrong. Because it refuses to see the multiple vines of this infestation, refuses to acknowledge that this is all connected since it will never truly affect them in their life.

So again I come to the thought that communication is the key. Angry, calm, loud and quiet. Passionate and dispassionate. An ebb and flow of discussion that will annoy and grate on the nerves of everyone involved at one point or another. Because if we cannot communicate fully, with all that is vested in the conversation, with all the things we are wrong about, we will never resolve this. It will just create another vine and choke off some other aspect of our lives, plaguing yet another generation of Americans.

But what do you think?

Hip-Hop Chess Federation - expanding minds and hip hop

I am often asked why, or more often criticized for, I have disdain of hip-hop. This is especially true in regard to gansta rap music. And my answer is always in one wording or another the following:

"I do not support anything that commoditizes Black culture and pigeon-holes African Americans. We are diverse, intelligent, successful Americans. Anything that detracts or distracts from that deserves to be reviled."

Put another way, I grew up with rap music. I enjoyed it as much as anyone, if not more than some, prior to 1992. It was up until that time that Hip Hop was still formative. There was a diversity in the sub-genres that fell under the cloak of hip hop.

There was political, social, and just recreational commentary. All at the same time. And there were positive messages being put out every day. Yet at that time, not one advertiser or the music industry itself would commit to rap and/or hip hop. Not until they found a way to package it and sell it as a negative. On that day it stopped being a fad (more than a decade after it had started) and was 'legitimate'.

Since 1992 there has been no reason to have anything but contempt for rap and hip hop, with the constant message of drugs, violence, gangs, and illiteracy being propped up as positives. Until I saw something today.

The Hip-Hop Chess Federation. The name alone drew my attention. I feared it was a gimmick meant to just drive more dollars to some corporation intent on denying the potential of Black youth. I'm glad to say this is not true.

Adisa Banjoko is one of the founders of Hip-Hop Chess Federation (HHCF). The stated goal of this organization that

"We recognize that chess, martial arts and hip-hop unify people from multiple cultural, religious and social backgrounds. These black and white squares do not care what color you are or if you are rich or poor. The only thing they ask is that you come with your strategy, your patience and your skills."

I can and do respect that thought. To use Hip Hop and rap in such a manner is more akin to the roots of the genre and its intention of improving and enjoying lives. This is something that hip-hop has needed for over a decade.

Since it's inception in 2007 HHCF has had the support of celebrities and entertainers including DJ QBert, international chess Master Vinay Bhat, Casual from the Hieroglyphics, award-winning filmmaker Kevin Epps and martial artists champions Denny Prokopos and Alan "Gumby" Marques. Without huge fanfare HHCF has been able to fund over $10,000 in educational scholarships.

So when I am asked why I find sell-outs like 50 cent to be a insult to the minds of the youth, it's not because I don't understand hip hop. Nor when I question the commercial interest to limit the growth of minds via gangsta rap am I against rap music - the full scope of it.

When presented with the positive, spiritually and mentally beneficial aspects of hip hop, as found in HHCF I am a happy supporter. Were there more organizations like this, I'd never have a negative word to say.

DVD Review: Diary of a Tired Black Man

Wow. 10 minutes into this film and I had to stop and write about this movie. This is a powerful film. This is the hidden voice of many Black men, just like myself, that has been drowned out by the perceptions promoted by the media and accepted by some Black women. This film is on the mark. It’s another side to being a Black man that can’t be packaged and sold like the “thug” image.

Those are just a few of the very first thoughts I had while watching this film from director Tim Alexander. An independent film, it does not fall into the cookie cutter standards of Hollywood and that is part of what makes this so powerful. The fact that this is based on true events and is something that Black men around the country experience is another. But this is not just a movie, this is a message whose intent is to spark discussion and motivate action.

There is no question that it will do just that. In fact at the website for the film, www.tiredblackman.com you can see that the forums hold over 50,000 comments discussing the aspects of the film and its topic. There is a lot to be said about a film that provides an indelible experience for those that see it.

Now I admit that I had not seen or heard of the 3 minute video that swept the internet some 3 years ago.



It was that video that inspired the creation of the feature length film. Not only are there vignettes in the film expanding on the original video, there is discussion from men and women from around the nation. And the impact of what is said openly and honestly is enormous.

Tim Alexander – the director and creator of the original video and movie – hits to the core of a part of Black culture that has been avoided in all aspects of the media all my life. I deeply relate to the main character and the experiences he goes through. But be prepared because some will be upset by this film. Its honesty is devoid of the usual distractions and imposed stereotypes found in most films discussing Black relationships.

It’s not the fact that I can recognize myself in the main male character James, played by Jimmy Jean-Louis. It’s not that I recognize some of my past relationships. Or in accepting both of those facts that I better understand my growth as a man from my early teens to who I am today. It’s that I think this film has value for those older and/or younger than me. That this addresses an issue that is eating away at the Black community, and it must be changed.

Suffice to say that this film will evoke a reaction from the viewer. And it does not matter if the viewer is male or female, Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, or whatever. But it will be an even stronger reaction for those that are more closely tied to its theme and message.

It is the fact that the audience is left with a reaction that is one of the biggest positives of the film. There are far too many movies that try to entertain and are lost in a message, or just fail to do either. And we the audience are left with nothing, in fact often forgetting what we have seen the moment we stop watching. With Diary of a Tired Black Man, you will likely not want to stop watching and you will definitely remember it. And how can you not want to watch a film that can provide that?

One of the best things about the DVD, which is not available in the various bootlegs out there, is the bonus material. Specifically the expanded commentary of those that were interviewed and seen in the movie. Watching the raw footage of what is said and the full context of what some think is as engaging as the film itself. And the commentary by Tim Alexander is equally rewarding.

And I want to address something that is a bit separate of the film. Bootleg DVD’s. We all have owned on at some point. The thought is that the Hollywood studios make too much money to be hurt. But this is not a Hollywood studio movie.

This was the creation of Tim Alexander, and every bootleg copy takes money from his mouth. Some may want to justify a bootleg by inferring that director/creator Alexander is rich, but that too is a false justification. His passion went into this film, as did his money. And every bootleg copy takes money directly from him, excludes some of the best features of the DVD, and affects the ability of this first time director to create another film. And talent to bring this kind of honesty to the screen should never be blocked.

This last part I can say with 100% assurance as I spoke with Tim recently. I think my up-coming interview with Tim Alexander will be interesting for all my readers.

But right now I am focused on the DVD. I recommend it. I suggest strongly that if you are African American you need to own this. And if you are not you will still find the film captivating and will want to own it as well.

An Obama effect in Hollywood is insulting

There is something that’s been nagging at me for months. The Obama effect on media and television. The very statement is an insult. Let me explain why.

An effect is a reaction to a stimulus. As long as the stimulus is around the effect continues. Once it is gone the effect fades. An Obama effect is a temporary shift in a long held belief system. And I don’t want to accept that as good enough.

Since before, and massively since, the election President Obama has been used as a reason for media to remember that African Americans have been a vital part of this nation since inception, are a rather large part of the population, and an enormous factor to the prosperity of the economy.

Television and movies have long ignored all of that. With the exception of the Cosby Show and a few programs that were on broadcast television at that same time, the small screen in everyone’s living room is devoid of people of color. In fact, once the Cosby Show went off-air (ending the Cosby effect), the executives in Hollywood seemingly scrambled to eliminate what they had created. Proof that Americans will watch a good program no matter the color of the stars.

At this point, the 9th year in a row, the line-up of television features 2 programs with Black actors as lead. They are on the smallest and least seen public television broadcast network, and hold the worst time-slot possible. Beyond this, there are 2 prominent Black actors in drama ensembles. And then there are 2 programs on cable television that feature Black casts. That’s it, out of over 120 programs just looking at broadcast television alone.

But President Obama will cause all that to change. Kiss my ass.

I do not need, nor should it take, the leader of our nation to be Black to make me aware of the abilities of tens of millions of Americans. There have long prior been examples of success in front of and behind cameras. There has long prior been proof of our viability. And to claim that only now people can see or accept this is insulting to generations of African Americans and the American public at large. To say nothing of the even less acknowledge or seen Latino/Hispanic and Asian communities.

Back in November of 2008

“It may say something about the state of American television that there is one more black president-elect of the United States than there are black actors with individual lead roles in a network television drama.”

Recently Bill Cosby had this to say about the supposed Obama effect and television

“No, because these people are stupid," he says, referring to network bosses. "Look at how NBC is struggling. You would think they would make some changes and be talking about trying to get another 'Cosby' kind of show. But they would probably die before putting another show on about a black family and black pride."

And Bishop T.D. Jakes stated

“I think sometimes the only images we see of people of color are the images that Hollywood projects: the hip-hop, the gangs, the street life. Now, it would be wonderful for them to recognize what has always existed in the African-American community and what Obama's presidency suggests: middle-class African-Americans who are articulate, intelligent and thoughtful."

And that is the issue. Hollywood wants African Americans to be limited to gangsta rappers or such ilk. President or not, African Americans are supposed to be bad guys, poor, uneducated and in need of a hand-out. Adding more African Americans because of President Obama is just that. And once he is out of office, just like with the Cosby effect, they can go back on message.

That is insulting. I don’t want laws to tell me that I am equal. I don’t want executives in Hollywood to portray African Americans in a movie or program because they want to enlighten me to success. These things should be obvious to anyone that looks around or reads more than a high school book on history.

America does not need an effect. We need respect. For those that work everyday, that contribute to the prosperity of the economy, of those that aren’t living the commoditization of Black culture. We need to acknowledge that without African Americans, America would have failed before it could have started. And that right this second, there are tens of thousands that are qualified and capable but overlooked because they have a permanent tan.

Jaime Foxx, Denzel Washington, Laurence Fishburne, Bill Cosby, Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Sidney Poitier, Angela Bassett, Terrance Howard, Gabrielle Union, Oprah Winfrey, Spike Lee, Bill Duke, and so many others are not an Obama effect. They are not an effect at all. They are representatives of a far larger, more diverse community that has been right here for as long as America has been around – they have just been mostly ignored.

Trying to placate this vital segment of America with insincere transitional leftovers is not the answer. Though it does answer a sincere question that often is asked and I think best stated in the movie The Tuskegee Airmen.

“Lt. Col. Benjamin O. Davis Jr. – Andre Braugher -
…I ask myself the most difficult question everyday. How do I feel about my country… and how does my country feel about me.”

Chris Rock is on a quest of Good Hair

Here is a question that few ever ask. Do you like your hair?

The question has a multitude of answers depending on whom you ask. For many aging men, the answer may be no since many are losing their hair and facing being bald. And there are tens of millions made to make those men feel better by giving them more hair. Ask men that are going grey and the answer provided accounts for tens of millions on coloring additives.

But when you ask women it starts to get really tricky. And then if you are speaking to Black women, you might just get slapped.

Black women are very particular about their hair. Whether its getting it straightened, adding a weave (never ask a Black woman if she has a weave), getting braids, coloring, or maintaining a natural look a majority of Black women have difficulty with their hair. And that adds up to roughly 2 billion dollars every year.

Black women spend between 2 – 6 times as much on their hair as any other group of women. They are the single largest group that the hair care industry caters to. The majority of that money flows out of Black communities and never returns, though you can always find several hair care shops near and in every Black community across America.

Because every Black woman wants “good hair”. Whatever that means to the individual woman.

It’s a subject that Black men rarely address, and most other non-African Americans inevitably end up insulting when they bring it up. Because most do not understand what they are speaking about, nor do they respect the differences they find.

Perhaps this is why when Chris Rock’s daughter asked him about having good hair, he was inspired to make a movie about the industry.



Now I admit I am no expert on the subject. In fact I am saying so little because I know better. But I am interested in seeing this documentary. Because I am fascinated at how so many women are driven to seek out “good hair” to extreme.

In reflecting on the thought I have to say that the media has a coup in this arena. Because it has completely sold the idea that a Black woman should have hair that is reflective of genetics they don’t have. And the rest of us just assume that’s the way it’s supposed to be. Which is stupid not ignorant, because we should all know better at a glance.

The more I think of the topic, the more I want to see what Chris Rock has made. He already is clear that this is his best film work ever. While Puttie Tang is not hard to top (why did anyone let you make that?) it is quite a statement for someone in the industry for over 20 years and 31 films not including this documentary or his stand-up comedy.

I have not seen the film yet, nor any trailer footage. But in general I would say that whatever your hair, it is good. Whether you are going salt-and-pepper, with a bit of thinning, like me or braids, or whatever. The question women, and men, of whatever race ask should never be ‘how do I get good hair’ but ‘why can’t others see how beautiful (handsome) I am regardless of my hair’.

Spike Lee ignores racial diversity

I love the film work of Spike Lee. I like the fact he takes on controversial topics. But his politics are something else.



I am a Black Republican. I support Republican ideals. You know, things like if you work hard you deserve to keep more of what you earn. Being self-responsible instead of relying on the Government. Having a strong militiary is one part of having a safe nation. And so on.

I disagree with the policies that President Obama and the Democrat-led Congress propose. Thing like letting the Government pick my healthcare for me. Having the Government decide how much money I should have. The Government deciding where my money should go instead of allowing me to expand my business or give to a charity or cause of my choice. Talking to nations and groups that have sworn to their God to kill all of us – and increasing their power by doing so, instead of ensuring they can’t hurt the nation and think twice before doing so. Forcing conservation by jacking up electricity costs and closing power plants. Stuff like that.

Does that make me a White man stuck in the 50's? Does it make Afican Americans like Colin Powell, Ken Blackwell, Condoleezza Rice, Janice Rogers Brown, Erik Rush, Ken Hamblin, Thomas Sowell, Yaphet Kotto, Lynn Swann, Karl Malone, Akindele Akinyemi, T.D Jakes, James Meredith, Vernon Robinson, Stanley Crouch - and I believe Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcom X – among so many others White? Spike Lee seems to think so.

He may not agree with the views of the Republican Party but that does not mean he should insult all Republicans with stereotypical comments. Just as he would be upset if he was stereotyped, or labeled as a liberal, tree-hugging, socialist, racist. I don't think such things can be said about him or most Democrats, but niether should Republicans be blasted.

And most of all I hate the way that Black culture, and American society in general, insists that African Americans must be Democrats. Like we don’t have minds and philosophies of life of our own. Like race is the only issue that we care about.

If Spike Lee makes a new film, I’ll still probaly go see it. But I’m way past tired of being blasted for a choice I make for my own life.

Criminals Gone Wild, the DVD - 12.12.2007.3

There was something I heard this morning that took me aback. I was shocked by a display of vulgar, unrepentant, ignorant, money-grubbing via the glorification of the most base and illegal activities in the Black Community. I am being serious.

What got me so upset? Criminals Gone Wild. The name itself conveys images of stupid and petty actions performed for the monetary benefit of the videographer. But unlike the exploitation of drunken minors and misguided young women that is Girls Gone Wild; this DVD is a compilation of violent petty uneducated thugs in the pursuit of a dollar. There is no superficial and misguided level of cheer or fun. There is no veneer of happiness or joy.

Criminals Gone Wild is simply a Black guy videotaping felons, and soon-to-be felons, in the act of committing crimes so he can make money. It’s exploitative, a crime, and base on every level. I am looking forward to the owner/creator of this DVD being arrested and serving a long sentence.

I expect this guy to be arrested because he has captured the murder and attempted murder of African Americans. He has captured on film the robbery at gunpoint of African Americans. He recorded the planning and commission of carjackings and assaults of every nature. And he did not report a single event. Rather he scurried off to a corner and made a DVD. It makes me sick.

I’m not sure what is worse; the fact that this individual was able to make this DVD or that so many criminals thought this was their chance at 15 minutes of fame. Actually perhaps the fact that criminals feel like they are superstars is the greatest crime and source of disgust I have.

The Black culture has become a commodity, and criminals have become the oil that is most valued to trade upon. Call them thugs, pimps, ghettofabulous, rappers or uneducated, small-minded, petty, cowardly, slow-witted, buffoons who derive their delusion of self-importance from the misery and suffering they impose on their own people. They are parasites and I have no pity, remorse or forgiveness for them.

And as for the creator of this enterprise, he is best described as a parasite that feeds on parasites. A low creature feeding of the scum of the earth for no reason other than the selfish gain of money. His only excuse for his actions was in fact,

“What do you want me to do? Mop floors for $5 and hour? This is what I do.” – As shown on Fox News at 9:56am

To answer the question asked, yes I expect you to mop floors. Why not. When I started working, back when I was 13 and still in school, I swept floors. I also had a job cleaning the floors in my apartment building and bringing out the garbage cans on collection day. I made a grand total of maybe $40-50 a week for my labor at the start. Today I make far more an hour. That’s not a boast about me, but an example of what a Black man with self-respect, discipline, and a work ethic can attain.

I was once told by my father something that I think many in the Black community don’t hear often anymore, especially this refuse of pond-scum that created these DVD.

“You can hold you head high to anyone every day that you do a good day’s work and get a good day’s pay. It doesn’t matter what the job is, you can be proud of it and tell anyone that asks.”

I have lived by those words; I think many others need to as well.

There is but one positive in this whole thing I can mention, and that is because of the boundless idiocy of most of the criminals, and their desire to justify their delusions of grandeur. The police have a good deal of information to go on to arrest and incarcerate these putrid beings. I look forward to hearing of the multiple arrests and long sentences each of these blights on the Black community will one day receive. Starting with the leech responsible for this DVD.

[While there is video of this out on the net, in good taste and good conscience I could not include it, or link to the web addresses that promote this pestilence.]

Another of those days - 8.29.2007.1

Sometimes I have to wonder how other groups deal with different situations. One case in point is something that happened recently to me while I was out on Saturday night. I had the chance to speak with a young black guy. The conversation was centered around the fact that I was dressed in a suit instead of a pair of $150 sneakers, a printed T-shirt, gold chains, and gold teeth. For some reason, since I wasn't wearing those clothes I had to be rich, born to middle-class parents, who had to be doctors or lawyers, a fan of Paris Hilton or Christina Aguilera, and had no idea of what a crackhead was. Basically, this gentleman, I use the term loosely, wanted me to know that I wasn't black by his definition. I'm sure his intention was to insult me.

I can never be insulted, because I am being me. There is no shame in being successful or enjoying dressing well. Success, or the lack of it, can never be seen from the clothes a person wears or any other outward appearance. And as I've said before, the fact I am black has nothing to do and does not change with the whims of a person regardless of color or race.

But my question is, do other races and ethnic groups encounter the same degree and type of ignorance that I described above. I have never heard of any white person being told that they were anything other than white because of the clothes they wear. Even those that choose to wear hip-hop clothing that I consider black culture on sale, are perceived as exactly what they are - White. Asians are Asian, Hispanics and Latinos are exactly that, but in America you can be black, and not be Black. A great example of this has to be Senator Barak Obama. For some he is not black enough, for others he is far too Black to be president. How this exists never ceases to annoy me.

On Saturday, I wasn't upset about what was being said about me. Rather, I was upset with why it was said. There is so much invested in being Black under the exact conditions and style dictated by segments of society that anything counter to that is seen as a attack. The Black guy wasn't trying to insult me. He was trying to justify his own lifestyle. The fact that I or anyone could be different was completely alien.

How sad and depressing things are today, when the Black community cannot accept individuals that have a style and mannerism separate of what can be found in a television commercial or magazine.

This is what I think, what do you think?

BET and it's new program line-up Part 2 - 7.4.2007.2

Continued from BET and it's new program line-up Part 1...

*Note: Ghetto – usually meaning low class, bottom of the barrel. Equivalent to White trash. EXCEPT when used as ‘ghettofabulous’. When used as an oxymoron it is implied to be something desirable.

If you think ANYTHING is ghettofabulous and mean it as a positive, why are you still reading my blog? You obviously will not agree with what I have to say.*

As I was saying, the title is supposed to be enticing or of interest. I find it insulting. But that is just icing, the cake is what the program will be about.

“Utilizing comedy, man-on-the-street interviews, video clips, pictures and music, “Hot Ghetto Mess” aims to shine a spotlight on prevalent images in pop culture and examine what role they play in American lifestyle. “Hot Ghetto Mess” goes where most shows fear to tread.

As host Charlie Murphy guides viewers through shaking booties, thug life, baby-mama drama and pimped-out high schoolers, “Hot Ghetto Mess” will explore what these images really mean to all of us.

Cutting edge, original, relevant and irreverent, “Hot Ghetto Mess” is like the traffic accident you can’t look away from. Viewers will laugh. They'll cry. They'll think. They'll learn, and hopefully they'll recognize they've GOT to do better."

I honestly thought more of Mr. Charlie Murphy.

Now you may think, what’s wrong with this. It’s Candid Camera for Black people. No I think not. The title states its intention. This is Punk’d meets Candid Camera without the class of either.

Shaking booties? Beyond the fact that this seems to be a staple that Viacom insists that African Americans must desire to see, what does that have to do with Black culture in America? How does seeing a booty, which will likely be more exposed than not, promote an intelligent debate about getting young Black men to stay in school?

Thug life? You mean the same lifestyle that got Tupac Shakur and Biggie shot dead. A lifestyle that has killed so many African Americans that every Black person in America today knows at least one person who has died from it, regardless of their age or location.

I won’t even bother trying to delve into the minds of the people who thought that baby-mama drama and pimped-out high schoolers could be irreverent or funny. The fact that they tout this program as an accident is both accurate and tragic.

Continued in Part 3...

Sympton and the cure, Part 2 - 4.10.2007.4

Continued from part 1 ...

But there have been calls for acceptance of the apologies made by Mr. Imus. While many politicians have made no comment so far, Senator McCain has expressed a willingness to accept the apology made by Mr. Imus and appear on his show. The President has accepted the apology made and reserved further comment. Basically there is a lot of waiting happening.

Yet the double standard of this situation remains. I mean the fact that while everyone is focused on the comments of Mr. Imus, and should be aware of the words of Mr. McGuirk, they have missed the fact that this is a symptom and not an end result. Mr. Imus is not the source of why women are called hos, nor why calling an African American “nappy-haired” is an insult. He is not the cause of the status of Black culture today. And we cannot be upset by what he has said without being angered by others that say equally offensive words.

If the action of Mr. Imus calling women, specifically Black women, hos is abhorrent so must be rappers when they do so. There is no difference. There should be lo lessening of our anger. When a rapper defames women, they defame all women. When they use the n-word, they insult all African Americans. And again I say that that word is insulting no matter who uses it. There is no difference in the word, because like all words, its meaning is exactly that.

We cannot be upset because one person says a thing and not when another does it as well. That’s hypocritical and stupid. The fact that various aspects of life in America are skewed against minorities is not a release from the bounds of decency or language use. We cannot demand that a music and/or radio entertainment corporation punish an employee and allow them to profit and promote music that contains the same language and defamatory comments that the firing entailed. Equality requires the same reaction to the same inflammatory source.

But why is virtually every African American that hears of this event upset? Why is this so inflammatory? Why are words spoken by one person more vile than another saying the same thing? Because Black Americans were slaves in this nation, and then persecuted for over 100 years after that, and no one wants to talk about that.

It’s that simple. In my opinion almost all the problems that face African Americans, and race relation in America, are connected to the fact that slavery of the most dehumanizing nature. I’ve spoken about this several times. We have not healed, and we cannot until we resolve the pain that has festered in this nation for 400 years. Let me show you the connection.

Continue part 3...

Another Blackplanet poll - 3.22.2007.1

I have seen a poll recently, found at Blackplanet.com, that is quite interesting. The question the poll asks is “What medium has the most negative images of Blacks?”

It’s a good question. The choices are the TV, Newspapers. Internet, Music, Movies and Film. This is an ongoing survey with only 4742 respondents at the moment (out of a potential of several million that are part of Blackplanet), but it is still quite interesting. Which of these would you pick as the single worst source of negative imagery? [I’m not sure what the difference is between Film and Movies as I see them as being the same thing, but excluding that issue the question stands.]

You might be surprised by the answer. Then again maybe not. The Internet and Film both hit the bottom of the list at 3%, followed in order by Newspapers at 8%, Movies at 9%, TV 25% and the big leader is Music at 53%. I have no doubt that Music leads this group due to music videos, especially those of rappers that feature the ladies barely clothed and gyrating. Of course those with the ridiculous (my opinion) stuff on their teeth, or those incapable of speaking their native language are no less unattractive.

Given the recent news of the decline of sales for rap music, the media assault that tried to link the abuse of children and the teens that provided drugs to them to rap, and the actions of various individuals (such as the cops making their own impromptu video) based on the commoditization of Black culture – beyond the various antics of numerous rappers themselves – this points to an interesting trend. As the version of rap that floods the airwaves and music videos becomes less appealing, and the focus of many African Americans turns away from the ‘ghettofabulous’, I wonder what will happen next. Where will the executives of the music industry turn next to inflate sales of this genre. Will they retreat from the former ‘gansta’ rap splinter and expand the genre to include more positive formats.

Ten years ago I doubt that these results would be so strongly against music. But as the teens and 20-somethings of the 1990’s mature it seems that they see less value and more of the downside of what was touted as merely an expression of what was the real life on the streets. Interestingly some of these supposed street prophets never grew up in the environment they espoused about (like Ice Cube and Dr Dre if my memory serves me, among others), and the number of one hit flash-in-the-pans grew massively. While the music industry was flooded with this one style (which smacks of censorship to me) and Black culture was commoditized, the second generation of rap aged and music videos innovated on misogyny and female gyration. I’m not surprised by the stagnation of the genre, I am by the fact that it is finally sinking in even as record companies seek new ways to market the same trash in new packages.

So if this poll gains a couple of million respondents will the results continue to maintain these values? Does this mean that we may again see more positive or political rap artists? Might the egos and actions of rap/hip-hop entertainers fall from the lofty delusional self-important heights they exist at now? Like “...Because Kayne West didn’t win best video he decided to jump onstage and berate the audience, some of which may be his fans, because he felt unappreciated. The fact he did win an award wasn’t good enough. With an ego seemingly that large one would have to wonder how it all fit on that stage.”

Perhaps I am too harsh, or expect too much. Perhaps I feel the need to critique these instant ultra-entertainers, like when I commented on Eminem “…Secondly, Eminem is hardly a gold standard to follow. Eminem failed 9th grade three times and dropped out of high school. He has made millions attacking his mother and then ex-wife on various recordings. He received 2 years probation on a concealed weapons charge [shall we say slap on the wrist], was sued for defamation, and is often noted for his apparent homophobia (performing on stage with a gay man is a marketing gimmick not a statement about personal thoughts) and misogyny as expressed by his music. The last 2 items, and possibly the legal charges, are of course positives when rappers are concerned. But to be considered a role model seems hardly credible…”

If I am too extreme in my thoughts, good. There needs to be a balance and difference in opinion. And it seems that my side of the equation is growing.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Sanaa Lathan and the other side of interracial dating

I was caught between a couple of items today, the ratings on several network broadcast and cable television programs, when I noticed something a bit more enticing. It wasn’t the fact that Mr. George Clooney has done so well in the Oscars race this year. A far less glamorized movie that will be coming out shortly - Something New.

When I first noticed anything about this movie, it was that it was a love story. Being a fan of sci-fi and action films, and more than occasionally watching what friends call ‘high intellect’ films, love stories don’t usually hit my radar. Not that there is anything wrong with them. And I don’t mean to imply they are ‘chick flicks’ and I’m too manly to see them. It’s just not my thing.

This film does have an interesting twist on the theme though. The couple is an interracial one. Even more interesting is that the woman is a Black African American and the man is White. In its own way I think this film is similar in cultural impact to Guess Who’s Coming Home to Dinner, except this time it’s the Black culture that gets the surprise.

It’s not a new thing, interracial couples have been around a long time. They are socially accepted moreso now than ever before, I think the late 70's and early 80's was the turning point in the nation. The portrayal of a Black African American woman in an interracial couple is different though. Black women have long been the champions of the call to ‘Keep it black’ and ‘Stay true to your people’ in my experience. [I have known many women who believe the above strongly. I have seen some lash out at a white girlfriend of a black male, just because she was with him and he had never dated the woman. I have even had a woman I dated breakup with me due to the fact that I had dated ‘outside the race barrier’. I find both actions incredibly stupid and repulsive.] Much of the return to Africa and re-embracement of traditional African culture, has been lead by black women at least on a community basis as I have seen.

Yet as Ms. Sanaa Lathan states “...about 42.4 percent of black women in America aren't married. Black women are shooting up the corporate ladder way faster than our black male counterparts. And (black men) are either dating outside their race, in jail or dying...” [By the way my poem I rejoice in me may give you an idea of how I feel about my place in American society] The surprise is still there as, in my experience, Black African American women more than any other group including Hispanic women have stated (some shouted) they will stand by their Black African American man. Quite the diametric I think.

It will be very interesting to see how this movie does, especially in cities with high ‘minority’ populations. It is well known that many Black African American actors will not do movies or scenes that have a White female as a love interest or sexual partner. At least its well known in the communities I’ve been in. Mr. Denzel Washington has never done so nor several other prominent Black actors. The fear is alienating the Black female audience. Alienate them and watch movie sales along with star power disappear. Even Mr. Wesley Snipes has felt the backlash, I believe, if not in moviegoers definitely in the black media.

The big question though is why is this such a big deal? Interracial dating, in a movie or in real life, should not be such a question. Or am I mistaken. Does it matter what color your mate is, since the only person it should hold importance to is you and your mate. Obviously to racists it make quite the difference, but what about everyone else? I wouldn’t call Black women racist for having a belief in having a strong black family, just as I wouldn’t say that about a white female. But where is the line, if it exists at all, that crosses to the extreme. [My personal examples above seem well beyond that point but others may disagree.]

So I find that while I still will not go to see this movie, it's still a love story and they have no interest to me, I will probably watch a couple of minutes when it on DVD or regular cable among friends and/or family just to see how everyone reacts. If nothing else I find that the premise is timely, and culturally dynamic.

This is what I think, what do you think?