OJ Simpson trial - injustice unreported

I did not want to discuss this case. But when I listened to the glee from Sheppard Smith (news anchor for Fox News) as he spoke on the news I made up my mind to say something.

The case I am referring to is the OJ Simpson trial. You may not have heard much on this, you might even be surprised to know that his trial in Las Vegas is already underway. And the reason there has not been much media on this is likely because of what the outcome will be.

At this point I feel incredibly confident that OJ Simpson will be sentenced to jail for his life. For all those cheering that sentence realize this – OJ is being jailed based on prejudice and the bias of America.

Whether or not OJ Simpson is guilty of the charges, all 12 of them, stemming from his arrest in Las Vegas is not important. It’s the fact that after more than a decade the legal system, and most White Americans, now have the chance to convict OJ for the murder of Nicole Simpson; which he was found innocent of. The major news media has never accepted that answer. Shepard Smith has always made it clear he despised that verdict. And double jeopardy be damned White America could not live with this.

Every misstep OJ has made since the murder trial ended has been publicized. The media has maintained an onslaught of coverage aimed at 1 goal, tarnishing his image and guaranteeing every American would believe he was guilty of murder and deserved to be in jail. And this trial will be the fruition of all that work.

On the 10th of September the Las Vegas judge, Jackie Glass, decided that 2 members of the prospective jury being contacted by a reported member of the press was not a problem.

On September 12th the jury was selected. 9 women, 3 men. Not a single person on the jury is Black.

On September 16th, after being told not to take into account any of the news or rulings dealing with OJ’s murder trial, the prosecution has introduced it as part of their case.

So let’s look at this. Reportedly 4 men and OJ entered a hotel room to recover stolen goods that belonged to OJ. Questionably the meeting was set up by one of those men, who has given evidence against OJ for reduced charges. 2 men in the room that day are reported to have had guns, neither of which was OJ. Both of those suspected men have turned states evidence to get off their charges in return for being a witness against OJ.

9 women were reminded that this man is believed by the prosecutor, media and many Whites, to have brutally murdered a woman. They were reminded that for over a decade the media has hammered the thought that this man is guilty though proven innocent beyond a shadow of doubt.

Fear of racial bias for OJ prevented any person in the jury from being African American. Racial bias to convict OJ was never considered in the jury selection. And the potential jurors being contacted by the media, thus hinting at future media stardom – or at least their 15 minutes of fame and a nice check for a book or appearance – was not important.

And someone wants to tell me this is a fair trial. After the initial arrest superseded all other news for 1 week. After a decade of persecution. After acts of retribution by the police on Rodney King (that’s just a guess about the L.A. police). Yeah, a real fair trial.

OJ is going to be convicted of at least 10 of the charges against him. He will be sent to jail for at least 25 years. It was a foregone conclusion the day he was arrested in Las Vegas. That’s why there the huge media circus that week. Validation for all their efforts of over a decade. And it’s why right now there is so little coverage. It has to be fair if they aren’t covering ever second of this stacked deck.

I’m not saying OJ is innocent of the charges in Las Vegas. I’m not saying there weren’t guns present, or that OJ didn’t know they were there. But I have doubt, especially the way this was handled and organized, and prosecuted.

I am saying that OJ is innocent of the murder of his wife, a court said so. I am saying that White America lost their mind on this case, and the media has fed that hate and anger. I recall mobsters being acquitted of multiple murders and getting less coverage or dismay.

The glee of newscasters reporting on the OJ trial just makes me certain. It may be nearly impossible for a Black man to get a fair trial in much of the nation [Jena 6, Rodney King, Sean Bell, Wesley Snipes, and on]; but it’s impossible for OJ.

Some call that justice, I call it the legal system in action. And people wonder why people of color distrust the legal system.

Senator Obama is the Democratic Presidential candidate

This is an excerpt from VASS, my political blog following the Presidential election since 2006 and providing coverage for TV ONE.

With great joy I can now say that Senator Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee for President of the United States.

As of 5:37pm the total delegates and Super Delegates reached 2123 in a surge as many formerly supporting Senator Hillary Clinton abandoned her. There is no question that comments from Senator Clinton acknowledging her interest in the Vice-Presidency helped to sway at least some of the late breaking delegates...

But now is when the real issues will appear. The real questions of what are the plans that will improve America. The plans that will unify the nation. The plans that will carry the nation to the future. And these plans will be compared to those of Senator John McCain, with the best becoming President.

Race is still the predominant issue going forward. I still see that as a factor that will secretly withhold votes from Senator Obama no matter what people say publicly. I hope to be proven wrong on that, again...

See full post here

The most dangerous people in America Part 2 - 4.9.2008.1

This is a reply to a specific and series of comments found at Black & White Blog and The most dangerous people in America - 11.4.2007.1


Soldie,

First, my name is Michael Vass not dude. Please use that as after 40 years of life I think I am at least deserving of that if not the more polite and respectful Mr. Vass.

But to answer your comment, I did not isolate my initial post or comment above to only Columbine. As I stated and is a clear fact virtually every mass murder occurring in a school or college to date has been committed by a White young male. None have ever happened, or even been planned as is known, by African Americans or Hispanic/Latino Americans. And that is throughout the decade of time you wish to isolate my comments to, which I do not.

Thus while same race crimes may be more likely to cause harm or death to a Black male, which is a problem on a one-on-one basis, young White males are vastly more dangerous to groups of individuals. That is to say nothing of those older White males that are predominant in committing “gone postal” shootings, serial murders, and murder sprees.

You go on to mention how homicides are the leading cause of deaths to Black males under 30. You fail to mention that 66.2 percent of hate crimes are enacted against Blacks (according to D.O.J. 2006 reports). Further looking at the data from 1994 through 2004 we see that crimes by more than one offender against a victim work out as follows:

http://www.ojp.gov/bjs/abstract/cvus/race.htm

White victim - 1,555,490 Percentage committed by White - 48.8% Black - 22.2% Other - 11.8% Mixed race - 12.2% Unknown - 5.1%

Black victim - 372,680 Percentage committed by White - 10.8 Black - 67.1 Other - 6.7 Mixed - 13.9 Unknown - 1.5

In addition violent crimes committed by 1 offender are as follows:

Crimes of violence 6,930,880 Percentage committed by White - 62.1% Black - 26.2% Other - 9.3% Unknown - 2.4%

So we get this realization, Whites committed 4,297,146 acts of violent crime against a single person, and 759,079 acts against multiple victims that were White. Including the 40,249 multiple Black victims we get a total of 5,096,474. Thus once we move away from percentages and look at real numbers we learn that Whites are far more likely to commit a crime of violence against anyone, especially other Whites. Again I never isolated my comments to murder; I was speaking of violence and general danger.

Now add in the age component of multiple victims:

Crimes of violence 2,010,170 Under age 12 - 0.3% Ages 12-20 - 46.9% Ages 21-29 - 13.9% All over 30 - 5.7% Mixed ages - 25.9% Unknown - 7.2%

Thus 61.1% of all violent multiple crimes are committed by those at or under age 29. [Single crime age data not found, all data via the Department of Justice records] That is considered young.

So again I say what the numbers prove true, and seemingly leaves some readers feeling uncomfortable, young White males are dangerous.

It is not hateful or mean to state facts. You may not like the facts, you may feel embarrassed by them, but they are facts. There is no dispute of the numbers. And by not hiding behind percentages that sound impressive, we see the reality that was expressed to me on that Sunday.

The truth is that I have never in 40 years heard of a White male shot by police 50 times, or 40, or even a dozen – though multiple Blacks have been (Sean Bell and too mant others). The truth is I have never heard of a Black kid shooting a school or college. The truth is that nooses are used by Whites to intimidate and threaten Blacks (Jena 6). [By the way, as a friend of mine mentioned, what other purpose would anyone – especially kids – have to know how to make a noose?] The fact is that 6 Whites (most of whom were young) raped, tortured and kidnapped a Black woman (Megan Williams) that was avoided by the media. For all your protest otherwise you avoided speaking about any of these events. And for each one we can find multiple events of an exactly similar nature over the last 40 years. These are facts and they are not filled with hate or mean. They are just the truth.

You might like to be told the facts of what happens in America in a manner that makes you feel good, but that’s just sugar-coating. You might be upset that some Whites act in a manner that is despicable. But you have yet to deny or prove me incorrect.

And why is any of this important?

Because America is filled with anger and penalties of law that are motivated by the inaccurate and tunnel-visioned lie of who is committing crimes of violence. Because these prejudices and stereotypes influence our entertainment, politics, and daily lives. Because instead of saying that there is a problem and dealing with it we look to address the symptoms.

If you find me a pain because I’m presenting you the reality that actual numbers back up, and not the prejudiced image that percentages present, I can’t help you.

So now the question is before you, since the factual and accurate numbers state that young White males are the most dangerous group in America what will you do about it? Feel embarrassed and upset with me for telling you the truth, or do something to change the facts?

Golfweek sought attention on Tiger Woods lynching - 1.19.2008.1

Tiger Woods. It is a name that when uttered brings up images and thoughts of success, achievement, dedication, fame, recognition, respect and wealth. To some. For a few the only image is that of a Black man in a White sport. Like Fuzzy Zoeller who’s only comment about the success of Tiger winning his first green jacket (an honor few professional golfers ever get – and Tiger now has several) was a stereotyped reference to fried chicken. Or Kelly Tilghman who envisioned Tiger Woods hanging from a tree.

Before I go further I want to take a moment to reflect on something. In 2007 there were several events that stood out. A few were highly covered by the major news media; others were followed and discussed in blogs like this one. Those events included Don Imus verbally attacking the Black members of the Rutgers Women’s Basketball team without provocation, Duane ‘Dog’ Chapman hurling the N-word as he rebuked his son for the interracial relationship he was in, the kidnapping torture and sexual abuse of Megan Williams in West Virginia, the reports of roughly 50 nooses throughout the nation, and the Jena 6.

Let’s focus on the Jena 6 and the nooses. It was a noose that caused the inflammation of that event. In fact it caused multiple events, all racially based, across the country. The sight of a noose from a tree, implying the potential lynching of African Americans, evoked violence and highlighted the imbalances that exist in the application of the law in America.

All of these things are facts.

Given these facts, it should be obvious to most that a noose is little different than the swastika or the confederate flag to most African Americans. They are all symbols of hate and violence unleashed for the pleasure of people too absorbed with the skin tone of those around them. These small minds needed big symbols to evoke the fear they felt and they made them huge.

How powerful are these connotations? Considering that the conservative counts of African Americans that were lynched numbers at least 3500 over 93 years (which ends in 1958). That after 7 years of debate and stalling, lynching became illegal in the United States in 1922. That given those numbers and the recent timeline, most African Americans need only look back 2 generations to find members of their family that were affected directly by either lynching or the Jim Crow laws and prejudice that fueled it. That’s 2 generations, even if you are just 20 now.

So yes nooses are not jokes or objects of laughter any more than say Nagasaki, or a concentration camp, or the Japanese internment is. It is a visceral reminder of violence against Blacks merely because we exist. And there is no equivalent that I am aware of that White Americans have ever known.

Perhaps it’s the fact that there is no equivalent that makes it so easy for some White Americans to minimize the impact of a noose, or to call for lynching a person. Perhaps the fact that far fewer White Americans can point to any time in America and their family trees when they were considered, by law, property or less than human or deserving of death because they exist. IF a nuclear bomb had destroyed Kansas City, I’m sure they would understand as I do. IF from say now until 2254 every White American was hit with a whip, 5 times every day for a half-hour each time, I guarantee they would understand.

But the fact is most don’t understand and never will. And that is why Tiger Woods is involved in a news story that deals with golf in the most meaningless way. That is the reason that Ms. Tilghman said the remarks she made (which I discussed previously – Tiger Woods comment impacts Dr. Martin Luther King birthday), why she only received a 2 week suspension, and Golfweek thought a noose on the cover of their magazine was appropriate.

Because if anyone stopped to think about it, or the events that filled the hours between intense discussion about Sanjiah still being on American Idol, how Anna Nicole Smith died and why (it was a drug overdose and she was an addict – seemed simple to me), and Ellen DeGeneres crying on television about breaking a contract and losing a puppy she had no right to give away, then you might have noticed that the prominent display of a noose pisses off most African Americans.

Obviously the editor at Golfweek missed all the abovementioned events, though I would bet that they know about American Idol. I would have thought the comments by the Golf Channel and the reaction of most (not Tiger Woods sadly – he missed a huge opportunity to make a valid and needed point) Blacks would have been a clue. Obviously they took that, and the entire Jena 6 situation among others, as the elephant in the room.

"...we consider Golfweek's imagery of a swinging noose on its cover to be outrageous and irresponsible. It smacks of tabloid journalism. It was a naked attempt to inflame and keep alive an incident..." - PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem

There is no justification for the noose on the cover. It was a blatant attempt to profit off of a serious and offensive event. It seems apparent that they must have felt that since golf in America is so predominantly White their actions would slip through the cracks and the major news media would ignore it. Mostly they are correct, but not enough thankfully.

Let me say this clearly, I hope many in the major news media hear this and remember it. A noose is required for lynching. Neither is a positive nor funny (as many in Americas past felt they were). Both evoke memories of a time in America when we were not the land of the free, not for all not for a long time. Both evoke thoughts of words whose only use is the degradation and minimalization of an entire race of people for no reason other than their genetic birthright. The use of either of these things is no more worthy of profiteering than using videotape of 9/11 to promote political gain or an air ionizer.

There is a manner and way of using both the term lynching and a noose such that a positive is reached. That would be education and sensitivity on what those things mean and what they involved. That would help fill in some of the missing parts in American history, where African Americans are concerned.

But that would involve an understanding that I mentioned previously is missing, and that Golfweek seems far too obtuse to understand.

Justice may be blind, but the legal system sees colors Part 2 - 12.5.2007.2

Continued from Justice may be blind, but the legal system sees colors Part 1...

There is no way possible that the current system will improve when, even in the face of criticism by the highest courts, the average populace thinks that the system is fair or needs to be harsher. There is no chance of repair while the media focuses thoughts towards the impression that Blacks are responsible for the majority of violent crimes, are the majority receiving social entitlements, and generally in the worst class of society.

“Focusing on 2006 (estimated data from the FBI) there were 611,523 violent crime arrests and 17,034 people murdered. 70% of all arrests were for Whites, with 59% of those responsible for violent crimes being White. And White teens represented 67% of all teens younger than 18 arrested.”

Those are the facts, but the media has spent how much time following every aspect of the recent OJ case? How much time was dedicated to Bobby Cutts? And in each case how often did major news commentators all but declare these men guilty from the first day?

“In terms of media time there was about 1-5 ratio at best on the coverage of the Vaughn case versus the Davis case. So far today I have noticed about 5 minutes of news on the Vaughn murders, versus 1 ½ hours (at least) on Mr. Cutts. This was over a 2 hour 45 minute time period. Roughly every 3rd item on cable news is referring in some aspect the Davis case. In comparison there has been 1 item on the Vaughn case in that same time.”

The legal system is not fair. It never has been. It is racist and predjudiced. But there are many Americans that don’t realize this. A friend and colleague of mine once stated to me

“I had no idea of the things that happened to you were possible in America. It would never come into my mind. It would never happen to me, or anyone I know. I’m shocked.”

So once again we will hear about how bad things are. And the media will maybe provide a minute of coverage, unless they are too busy dedicating a day of coverage to OJ sneezing, or Ellen DeGeneres losing another pet and crying on television about it. You know covering the important issues.

Because the legal system is fairer now, more than any other time in history.

Justice may be blind, but the legal system sees colors - 12.5.2007.1

*This can also be found at Black & White Blog, where I am a co-author.*

I was recently talking to a friend and they mentioned how things are so much better for African Americans these days. They believed that the legal system is fairer now than ever before. I laughed.

There is no question that African Americans have long felt that the legal system in America is a failure when it comes to any person of color. We have long complained of higher conviction rates, less access to bails, and harsher penalties once convicted. That says nothing of the stigma attached to those paroled, falsely accused, or who win the judicial action.

There is the examples from the past of numerous lynchings, the eradication of Rosewood, and Jim Crow laws including segregation as recent as the mid- to late-70’s. But on more recent notes there are the examples of Rodney King, Sean Bell, OJ Simpson, Genarlow Wilson, and the Jena 6. To that recent list can be added Allen Snyder.

Who is Allen Snyder? A black man who was convicted in Louisiana for the murder of a man and the stabbing of his wife. Sounds similar to another case? Well this trial was initially in 1996 and the prosecutor removed all African Americans from the jury, and then made correlations to the OJ Simpson case. The all-White jury agreed on guilt and the death sentence.

“Williams made repeated public references to the Snyder case as his "O.J. Simpson case." In his final remarks before jurors, Williams said the case reminded him of Simpson's, although he didn't use Simpson's name.
"The perpetrator in that case got away with it," Williams said, after the trial judge overruled a defense objection.”

Now the Supreme Court is looking over the case. Of course this is after the fact that back in 1986 and 2005 the issue of racial bias in juries was addressed.

"The use of race- and gender-based stereotypes in the jury-selection process seems better organized and more systemized than ever before," Justice Stephen Breyer wrote in a 2005 case. Breyer said that despite a 1986 decision, Batson v. Kentucky, barring prosecutors from striking someone because of race, studies suggest discrimination "remains a problem."

My point?

Simple. There is more than just an imbalance in the legal system. It’s an absolute fact that it’s prejudiced. But the media plays short shrift to this, and the general White populace believes that everything is fair. At least that’s how I have experienced it.

Continued in part 2...

All are equal under the law. Really?

**This can also be seen at All American Blog, where I am a contributing author.**

I just have to wonder. The legal system in America is skewed. If you are rich, you are set. You can get away with almost any crime. From Ted Kennedy to Robert Blake, it’s happened time after time. But that is not the only problem.

If you happen to not be a White American you can expect even more problems. As I noted in a recent post

“But young White males are dangerous. High school shootings? White males. Most petty crimes, the same. Nooses hung from trees and various other places? White males. ‘Redneck row’ and other whites’ only places enforced by White males. Bensonhurst, and so on and so on.”

But that danger is only a start. Because if you are non-White and on trial for a crime, the chances are you will be convicted (most assuredly if the victim was White) and the penalty will be more severe than a White person under the same circumstances.

Take Mr. Genarlow Wilson, a teen that had sex with another, though younger, teen on a consensual basis. In fact the female was the aggressor. Yet due to her age Mr. Wilson was convicted of rape, and sentenced to 10 years in prison. After 2 years, the courts finally overturned the sentence as extreme cruelty versus the crime, and the underlying law has been changed.

In the Jena 6 case, the boys involved were charged with attempted murder. The White male involved had previously provoked the altercation in a fight the day prior (allegedly hitting one of the Black males with a bottle), was knocked unconscious in the case in question, and went to a dance the day of the incident. That does not sound like attempted murder. That’s a lopsided fight and the White teen lost. Bails in this case were set so high as to guarantee the incarcerations of the Black teens. There are more issues with the case but I think the point is made.

And of course there is the case of Ms. Megan Williams. She is the woman from West Virginia that was raped, tortured, stabbed, hair pulled out, boiling water poured on, choked with a noose and more by 6 Whites (3 men, 3 women of various ages). That entire story, and the subsequent arrest, the denial of Hate crime status, and a recent march to draw attention to the injustice have received 2 minutes of attention and have been buried by the major media.

My point is that there is a fascination, and a need for the legal system to prove, that non-Whites are dangerous. It’s a troubling fact that most of the roughly 200 million White Americans never have to question as it never applies to them. But the media feeds this fear daily.

The Jena case was ignored for months. The Wilson case was unheard of by major media for years. But the OJ Simpson case has never stopped being discussed since the trial started. For 2 days now, the leading story (at least at Fox News) virtually every hour has been some aspect of the OJ Simpson case. Virtually every reporter I’ve heard has referred to the prior trial and has tactfully alleged (though not crossing the legal line of making a direct statement) that OJ was guilty of the original murder trial. They forget to state that he was found innocent, and thus IS innocent. Under the same nature of coverage, Senator Ted Kennedy should be referred to as the ‘the alleged murderer Senator Kennedy.’ That of course does not happen. Every time there is a murder of a married woman, references to Robert Blake are not drawn.

Right now OJ is in pre-trial. There is no question he will go to trial. There is a small chance he will win the trial. Small because though he has a very high priced defense (which is uncommon for an African American to start with) which should allow him to win under the skewed nature of the legal system, the media has been trying him for over a decade.

If this were a White man, and he was arguably set up by a less than credible Black male (who illegally taped entrapping conversations prior to the event) in an event organized by the Black male – most would say he would walk. If every other person involved was given immunity from prosecution or deals on their crimes, most would say this was prosecutorial bias, and an attempt to railroad the White male. If it were stated that the intended crime was told to the FBI with plenty of time before hand, and they did nothing, many would demand the White male be released from this set-up.

But OJ is Black, and he got his lucky win against the legal system already.

I want criminals prosecuted for their crimes, regardless of skin color or income level. I want justice for victims without thought of race or where they live. But more than that, I want a legal system that is balanced. If that means that the rich have an advantage, then all rich people have that advantage without race being a factor. I’m no idealist. If the system is flawed, as all systems are, I at least want it flawed equally. If violent crimes get overly-harsh penalties all convicted should get that.

But we cannot trumpet how wonderful our system is, and I do think it is the greatest in the world, when we enact inequality on a daily basis. We are the greatest, but we can be greater. Don’t you think so?

The most dangerous people in America - 11.4.2007.1

**This can be found at Black & White Blog, where I am co-author. You can comment here or at the above site which deals with racial issues from various viewpoints.**

So I was walking to my house on a Sunday at 6:15pm, and I was reminded of something that causes me pause. Young White males. Seriously, they make me nervous. In this case it was because as they drove past me they decided to just scream at me as they drove past relatively slowly. I suppose they expected me to jump or shout or something. I did flinch for a moment as my thoughts were elsewhere.

But when you think about it, many claim young Black males are dangerous. How silly. While many African Americans may posture and dress like the ready-for-prison crowd, they in fact are just regular kids. Few actually commit crimes, especially violent ones though the major media likes to play it as if they do nothing but felonies.

But young White males are dangerous. High school shootings? White males. Most petty crimes, the same. Nooses hung from trees and various other places? White males. ‘Redneck row’ and other whites’ only places enforced by White males. Bensonhurst, and so on and so on.

Why? Because a White male can bring a shotgun to a school and have no penalty. A White male can instigate fights and be seen as the victim. A West Virginia – the men had half a dozen or more arrests, one being for murder, not counting the women) which the media buried and refuse to discuss.

So when you face the fact that the media, law enforcement, and far too many people have an absolute fear of me, while I am less likely to do anything, you see things differently. I’m fearful and cautious because if I confront young White males acting badly, I stand a better than average chance of being the one that goes to jail. I get nervous because the real possibility of me being harmed is high. Because I am a Black Puerto Rican I stand a great chance of being killed, by the police, young White males, or the lack of timely medical attention.

In fact, even at 40, my chances of being killed are higher than Whites of virtually any age or background. So can you imagine why on a Sunday afternoon I was startled and nervous when 3 young White men decided to antagonize me for no reason?

So yes, what I fear are young White males. Due to sheer numbers, and sheer number of acts of violence and suffering. Not that any of this is conveyed by the major news media. Not that anyone will notice a start of police shooting down White kids 50 times, even with cause. Not like my fear, or my above average chance of death, will have a reason to diminish as I get older.

Do you share my fear and caution? Why?

Taking a look at the past and present race relations - 10.31.2007.1

** This can also be seen at Black & White Blog, where I am a co-author. You can comment either here or at that site, which is a forum for views on race issues from many sides. **

I was going through some of my favorites at YouTube yesterday and I ran across an old Saturday Night Live skit that is classic and funny on so many levels. But it’s more than that as well. It features Chevy Chase and Richard Pryor, from the 70’s when SNL was at its best and most biting social commentary.

I’m sure everyone my age and older have had the joy of seeing this long ago. For those who are younger, check out the clip.



Now the point is this. What really has changed since then? While there is PC this and that, and Blacks have gone from being “Black and Proud” to ‘Forshizille my nizzelle’, has anything become better?

Yes there is more interracial dating, yet it is still shunned as the recent death threat against the Boise State player that asked his girlfriend to marry him on national television proved. Yes there are Black doctors, lawyers, and even Secretaries of State yet Blacks still have disproportionate poverty and unemployment levels. While Senator Obama is running for President of the United States, the number of CEO’s of major corporations (on the stock market) can be counted on 1 hand.

In the 70’s the N-word was understood to be a negative term, and even this video showing its use to evoke humor recognizes the absolute anger attached to the word. Today kids, of all races, routinely play on pronunciation and use the term daily as a greeting. Yet its use has not changed its meaning as we have seen in the Jena, West Virginia and Lititz cases.

The KKK, and neo-nazi groups still exist. Cops still beat and kill Blacks (name one year where there have not been several unjustified explosions of police abuse since 1980, whether or not it got national media attention). The legal system (the word Justice is unwarranted in describing the system we have) routinely continues to convict innocent Blacks, and invoke penalties so harsh as to be ludicrous to compare on those Blacks convicted of crimes, as with the Jena 6 and Genarlow Wilson.

While the surface of the nation may seem like calm waters, it’s not. There is as much or more racial tension in this nation than ever before. Political Correctness may prevent hearing all the tension, but it’s doing little to nothing to prevent the action itself. The media, without uttering a single slur, has never stopped presenting slurs or negatively portraying African Americans.

In 1977, the year Roots was on television (I haven’t seen it on ever since), there were 24 Black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian characters on all of television (not less than 69 shows). That number includes 5 shows where the characters had starring roles, but does not include a cartoon (Fat Albert) or a dance show (Soul Train) which was only on Saturdays. It also includes 2 programs that ended that year, Sanford & Son and Electric Company, and one star (Freddie Prinze) that died.

While it’s harder to define all the shows on television today, including cable and reruns, looking at the top 100 first-run programs I get an estimate of 18 African Americans. I’m sure I’m missing a few characters (only counting leading and featured support characters) and television shows. My previous efforts, including reruns, came to less than 2% of all characters are African Americans and less for other minorities. That’s sad when there has been an increase of 1000% in television channels since 1977.

So what has really gotten better? Yes some individuals are doing better, but not society. The realization is pitiful. At least in 1977 we were honest, but the main thing I see that improved the most is our ability to hide the anger that exists.

Do you agree?

Why is the major media afraid of racial news stories? Part 2 - 10.22.2007.2

Continued from Why is the major media afraid of racial news stories? Part 1...

"Last year, there was a little bit of racism, but it didn't surface as much because there weren't as many minorities. I never thought I was in danger or anything, but this year it's starting to escalate more, so now I'm starting to get kind of worried." - Jasmine Whaley a 15-year-old sophomore.

Does that sound like a place immune to racism, or where the predominant racial majority chose to ignore their own actions against others? I mean one of the greatest points of racism that is never addressed is the fact that many Whites don’t see any racism ever. The Superintendent seemed to think there was none until this event, while at least one student interviewed has seen it grow over a little more than a year. And this is hardly an isolated event.

I plan to delve into a case of racism that has been brought to my attention, in a vocational college in Pennsylvania, in the near term. But where is the insight from the major media that has far more resources and personnel than I do? Why do they fear addressing this issue?

I know that this isn’t the 1960’s, and racial conflict stories aren’t popular. That doesn’t mean they are irrelevant. More importantly as nooses, guns and racial slurs are being noted in schools, and kidnapping and torture occurs virtually without any media coverage, we are being told that there is one problem in our nation.

Perhaps if the nation is defined as Whites only. I won’t say that every White American thinks like that. But when I see nooses in Long Island police stations, Jena, and a dozen other locations, when I read about the rape, torture and kidnapping of a woman, and more cases of violence against Blacks and other minorities it seems obvious that there are more than a few that do think like that. And as Superintendent George presents, many more that just won’t see this racism before them.

Some thing needs to be done. The issues need to be addressed. Because I think if you closed your eyes and imagined that 6 black men and women repeatedly raped a White woman, poured boiling water on her, stabbed her, chocked her with a noose, and ripped her hair out that there would be national media attention that would be covered from dawn to dawn until the offenders were found guilty and sentenced to life in jail. If you doubt that, just count the hours of coverage on the Bobby Cutts case.

The question should be asked. Why is there such a disparity in justice in America today? Why is the major media terrified to present that disparity? Who benefits from this lopsided presentation of the nation?

Why is the major media afraid of racial news stories? - 10.22.2007.1

I find it interesting how the media works. Months after everything happened in Jena; the media pops up and gets involved as if this were a new thing. But, since this is an obvious example of prejudice and legal bias in the 21st century, the media felt it necessary to ignore the Megan Williams case in West Virginia. As if the quota were filled for the racial injustice for the month.

But that’s not all. The media seemed to feel a need to prove that such injustice was not one-sided. Thus there was a big splash made when a young White teen was assaulted in Virginia by 6 Black teens. But in day 2 of the building coverage that was describing how horrible this racial incident was, and cries of justice were coming from media pundits, they were let down. Let down by facts like the police stating live on-air that this was not a racial act. In fact this was a provoked incident, one that the White teen caused prior to the “sudden attack” which just happened to occur on tape made by his friend who did nothing to prevent the fight, nor defend his friend.

Can’t you hear the major media executives groaning at the loss of that story? Because they killed it right after that announcement. Not another mention of the story since that utterance by the Norfolk police.

Yet throughout all this searching for equality in ratings, and a diminishment of guilt there has been a blind eye turned to the obvious and recurrent. Sure there has been a special about the increase in nooses in the news. But no one asked if it’s an increase of the major media just paying attention. And at the same time we saw that Ellen Degeneris whining about a dog was worth of 2 days of coverage as opposed to an extra 5 minutes about Megan Williams, or the emergence of problems at Warwick High School in Lititz, PA.

Haven’t heard about that have you? I imagine not.

To give you a breakdown, possibly some time in the first week of October 3 White teens, possibly members of the known and allowed “redneck row” verbally attacked 3 non-White students and threw paper at them. While it may sound innocuous, this incident lead to rumors that same day that the next day guns would be brought in and riots were planned. What fun.

And this pastime was a shock to local residents.

"Perhaps we were lulled into a false sense that our school district was immune to racism and bigotry." - Superintendent John George

Imagine that. In a town of 9,000 that has 3 percent Hispanics and Blacks represent 2 percent in the high school. No racism or bigotry. Never mind the confederate flags and “redneck row”. Suddenly they have a race issue.

Continued in part 2...

Dr. James Watson calls Blacks inferior - 10.18.2007.2

This is an excerpt of a post and the comment I made at Black & White Blog where I am co-author. I invite you to see the original post and leave comments on either blog.

With great sadness I have to say that ignorance pervades even at the top of the scientific community. There is no excuse for the words of Dr. James Watson. They are blatant, racist, and ill-informed at the least. But historically, this is an argument that has long persisted.

Perhaps all those that continue the line of ill-reasoning stated by Dr. Watson as

“inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa ... because all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours – whereas all the testing says not really”

...

The part that truly worries me is that men of this type are the ones that led the cry for a master race. They ran experiments of the most inhumane nature, in the hopes of creating that race. And now there is Dr. Watson who is researching DNA, and god knows what his ultimate goal for this research may be. I can only hope there are several groups and individuals watching what he is up to.

As for your question:

“What if one race was scientifically inferior to another in terms of learning ability? Let’s say, for example, what if the black race was scientifically inferior and if that could be proved through a trusted scientific trial? Would blacks throughout the world accept it or would it be labeled as a racist trial?”

...

Actually there are 2 things you are incorrect about. The first is that African Americans do not “blame their woes” but rather highlight injustice and inequality in America that has been created and promoted through centuries of the existence of America.

...

I invite you to visit the post and blog to read the full story and leave your own comments.

Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy - 10.13.2007.1

Keep an eye out on the horizon for a new movie that will be coming out probably next year. The movie is called Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy.

This is not a comedy show, like The Kings of Comedy or Mr. Eddie Murphy’s RAW. This is a documentary. Now before you say well that’s too boring and I won’t see it, listen to who is involved.

Beside the fact that it is being co-produced by Mr. Robert Townsend, who is no slouch in his own right, it contains interviews with some of the top Black comedians around today. That includes D.L. Hughley, the Wayans brothers, Paul Mooney, Tommy Davison, Reynaldo Ray, Marla Gibbs, Eddie Griffin and Katt Williams.

But this documentary, like Black comedy, will also include political commentary and thoughts from the world of hip-hop from noted individuals like Dr. Cornel West, Stanley Crouch and Russell Simmons.

At just 90 minutes some of the best go from their comedy routines to the roots of what is happening in the Black community and how they transform these topical and emotional events into humor. From Don Imus, to OJ Simpson, to Jena 6 and more.

If this doesn’t sound like something you want to keep an eye out for, what else is there for you to look forward to? How often are you able to not only see where the comedy comes from but how and why it affects us all. How comedy interacts with all the facets of life in America, especially for those of us who often have no other voice to carry in the media and public.

With the people associated so far, one thing is certain. There will be quality and depth and intelligence. Insight and debate will ensue. Critical questions will be posed. And isn’t that one of the things that we expect from movies?

Response to 'Average American' comment on comparing news coverage Part 4 - 9.28.2007.4

Concluding from Response to 'Average American' comment on comparing news coverage Part 3...

You go on to say that OJ was freed, actually he was found innocent by a jury of his peers which included Whites. He did nothing more than what other rich men have done. Afforded a great legal team. How much time did Senator Ted Kennedy spend for Chappaquiddick?

The D.C. Mayor was elected. Drug use or not. And how many politicians are duplicitous in their actions? Perhaps you might also find fault that Senator Hillary Clinton took $850,000 from a man (Norman Hsu) that had a warrant for his arrest, evaded prosecution, and scammed people for that money. Even after the fact of his past was revealed, the Clinton campaign spent weeks before mentioning how much money he had given. They even initially tried to give away only $32,000 AFTER they knew of his record. You want to speak about questionable political figures; a Presidential candidate may be where you want to start.

And the Duke Lacrosse team. Those innocent boys, that hired strippers for a drunken party with minors. Whose actions prior to this event gave pause to their credibility and claim of innocence. That had every media outlet defending them from day one. That received justice, fame, and monetary gain for their troubles. Do I feel bad for them? No, they are richer today, several having graduated, and have no long term problem.

“How is it that so many black people care so little for truth? With the turnout at the Jena march it suggests there is a huge disparity in understanding that exists between the black population and the rest of America.”

Truth? I think I have clearly stated the events involved. What part of the events in Jena do you see as a lie? You disagree that there were nooses hung? You already said they were. You dispute the honesty that the White boy was attacked? No one has said he wasn’t. That all of this was started because of remnants of the segregation that was rampant in the South in your youth? While no one has said it exactly as I just have, everyone agrees that the source of all this was Blacks sitting under a tree that was considered Whites only. So what lie have African Americans assumed as truth?

I agree there is a disparity, but not in the manner you suggest. If you are the ‘Average American’, which I severely doubt having read your words several times, then there is a large disparity between Americans living in the 21st Century and yourself. The rest of us are willing to say a law or action is wrong. White, Black, Hispanic/Latino or any other minority. The average person I know in America wants a rule of law that is fair and equal, in execution and meaning. Those I know would not only write in protest, but march for what they believe. An even smaller portion, and no less or more loyal, have taken an oath, as I have, to defend this nation and ALL her people.

I have given an oath, as did my father, both grandfathers, and a sister. I believe in the Constitution and the Amendments. I have and those before me, and many today, have sweat and bled for this nation. That means I believe in your right to have your opinion and voice it. I further invite and encourage commentary on the posts that I make. But that does not mean that either of us has to agree.

I feel that you have a mind that is closed to some aspects of life. I believe you cannot accept that things happen in this nation that you would never allow to happen to a White American. I believe you think that life in America is fine as is, and because I believe you are White and have never faced any of the events and problems I, my family and friends have encountered they don’t exist in your mind.

If rose colored glasses could work in reality, the world would be far better. But they don’t. Slavery was real, as was Jim Crow laws. Segregation lasted longer than the 60’s, and racism persists today. That doesn’t mean I will blithely accept these things. I am successful and strive for better.

At the same time, I am constantly reminded that I am an African American Puerto Rican, and that everything I have made can be lost quickly. I am reminded that for every obstacle I surmount there is another waiting. And I am reminded that people that share your views will make my life difficult, sometime without their own conscious intent, to live.

I leave you with this thought. Life is fluid and in constant motion. The moment you stop trying to improve you start to decay. This is true of Justice, Equality, and personal actions.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Response to 'Average American' comment on comparing news coverage Part 2 - 9.28.2007.2

Continued from Response to 'Average American' comment on comparing news coverage Part 1...

As for where a hate crime should be claimed, Ms. Megan Williams of West Virginia was kidnapped, raped, tortured, stabbed, had boiling water poured on her and had her hair ripped out while being called the N-word and other derogatory names for a week. There was no motivation for the prolonged crime committed by 6 people, comprised of men and women. The racial impetus for this crime is not questioned, yet the hate crime statute has been denied. I ask why has there been no coverage of this case, and the failure to apply the federal statute.

Back to the point at hand.

There was nothing fake about the nooses. And as a resident of the South that has been around long enough to recall the 70’s you know that a noose is a threat. It has every intention of implying a lynching and death. It is also, by definition a hate crime which has not been charged. In fact no crime has been charged, which at the least can be called disturbing the peace and criminal mischief.

All penalties for that threat of death were ignored, similar to how you brush off their presence. I assume from this comment that you are White, because I know of no Black American that does not see a noose in the same manner as a burning cross. There is no comparative image in White America, so I am not surprised that the impact it creates is not recognized immediately.

As for your comparison that a speech by Dr. Martin Luther King justified his murder, you make several fallacies. The first is that you assume I do not wish any criminal penalty against the Jena 6. That is untrue. A crime was committed, punishment is due. I want that punishment to be commensurate to the crime committed and equal to the punishments for the crimes of all the others involved. Lopsided justice is bad for everyone, no matter who is on the favored side. There are several crimes that whites have committed in this case from its start to conclusion, yet none have been punished. That I do not agree with. Nor do I agree with penalizing anyone with a crime more severe than what they committed. Lastly I do not agree that legal minor, who has not committed a serious offense, should be treated as an adult. That is the law in this nation, and as I do not see this as an attempted murder, they were wrongly accused and bail was severely over-charged.

Secondly, hate speech should not ever justify an attack. How can you compare words calling for compassion and understanding to threats and physical harm? Where do you see the connection? It was that same logic that caused the nooses to be hung from the tree creating this problem in the first place. You imply that speaking against an over punishment for a crime is the same as murder for seeking equality. I cannot see that logic forwards or in reverse. It’s simply illogical.

Continued in Part 3...

Response to 'Average American' comment on comparing news coverage - 9.28.2007.1

This is in response to a comment from Average American on my post Compare White and Black news coverage Part 2 - 9.25.2007.2. My response was so long I felt it was better as a post of it's own. Please refer to the link to see the comment that lead to this post.


Thank you for responding Average American.

I too feel I am an Average American. I’m 39, of Black Puerto Rican decent and grew up in the Bronx going to public schools. As I state in my bio, I did not grow up in any special way and wealth was never a factor in my young life.

Given that, I do recall how the N-word was used back in the 70’s and throughout my life, including recently. I can recite multiple events, in New York City and the Northeast, where race and law enforcement directly collided against me. Oh, let me add another fact of my life. I’ve never been arrested nor involved in any crime. Yet off the top of my head I can recall several incidents where I have had police draw guns on me, while at college or driving on the parkway, or driving down Hollywood Blvd with friends (White and Asian). I have lived with the knowledge first-hand and through observation that race is a MAJOR factor in how the law and justice are applied in America.

I also have spoken with friends of mine of other races and found that consistently White Americans are not faced with these same events and outcomes. To deny the fact of how race affects issues in my decades of life is to ignore facts that exist. You may not have experienced them, or not recognized when they happened, but that does not change that they happen.

While I agree that if, in the Jena 6 case, race is not considered there is no question that there was an attack made. There is no question that there were 6 against 1. There is some dispute, as stated by Rev. Jesse Jackson and others, whether or not the victim was kicked and/or when he became unconscious. That makes this a crime and prosecution is justified. No one has questioned that.

The question is the application of the law. The victim was not seriously injured. He attended a dance, or some other social event, later that same day. If murder was the intent, 6 people are more than enough to accomplish this, especially if he were unconscious. This was a fight, lopsided but a fight all the same. To charge attempted murder is over the top.

In comparison, days earlier a White student brought a shotgun to school to intimidate one or several Black students. That student, in a nation that has endured Columbine and college shootings, was not charged or reprimanded. Is not a firearm attempted murder when used in this manner? Where is the justice and equal treatment under the law?

While you might say this is a hate crime, I disagree. Were this a random White male selected you might be right. But this student was part of a group of White males that attacked one of the Jena 6; I believe it was Mr. Bell, the day prior striking him allegedly with a bottle. The attack by the 6 Black males was an opportunistic attack in retribution. If the first attack the day earlier, and the shotgun being brought to school, are not hate crimes, then neither is the Black males fight. In fact because this was retaliation on other violence it can be easily argued that race was never a factor.

Continued in part 2...

Compare White and Black news coverage Part 2 - 9.25.2007.2

Continued from Compare White and Black news coverage Part 1...

Beyond the fact that the Jena 6 just got a lot of coverage over the inequality and unfairness of the punishment, there is no difference on the face of it. Now what if it’s proven the police that the White teenager did something to provoke this, like beating on a younger Black kid or selling drugs to someone? Will the media still follow this case? Will they still feature the video tape? What if this was an arranged fight that was meant to go on YouTube? Will the media still be implying the boy’s innocence?

Let’s go to an even bigger issue. In West Virginia there were 6 Whites that tortured, sexually abused and violated in the worst ways, a Black woman. Ms. Megan Williams had boiling water poured on her, stabbed, and raped. This lasted for DAYS. Sadly for the news media there is no video of this vile torture, but there is of Ms. Williams in the hospital. Where is the sympathy for this woman and her SEVERE injuries?

This boy has gotten 2 days of coverage so far. In day 2 he has gotten more than twice the coverage of Ms. Williams of West Virginia. In fact the coverage, in day 2 has been maybe 5x that of the West Virginia case in total to date.

Where is the local police interview? Where are the city council members denouncing this repeated and aggravated attack? Why has the federal government not filed hate crime charges?

The bias sickens me. If a boy being beaten with minor wounds is worthy of news (and I don’t doubt that) then why is the rape, kidnapping and torture of a woman not?

I want to know from CNN, Fox News and all the other major news media why they don’t care about Ms. Megan Williams of West Virginia. I want to know why it takes MONTHS before the injustice of the Jena 6 is acknowledged though bloggers were aware and constantly speaking on it. I want to know why this one situation deserves more attention and investigation while these others do not. I demand to know why Jonathan Riches can evade prosecution and gain local legal authority protection for DECADES, and when he is finally brought to justice there is no coverage for his double murders.

Can anyone explain why I can have found and investigated information about these issues, and discussed them, but the major news media with dozens, if not hundreds, of employees and reporters cannot. Why is it that bloggers can see bias and inequality but major news media can’t?

What agenda is being promoted by the major news media? There must be one as I cannot see another reason why one case is followed and others are ignored. Corporate policy is dictating that one is a higher priority than the other. Does that bias benefit or detract from America?

This isn’t some loony extremist vision. This is what major news media is doing. This is the coverage they are presenting to America and the world. What messages are they providing and why? That is an issue that I feel must be addressed.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Issues stemming from Jena 6 Conclusion - 9.23.2007.4

Continued from Issues stemming from Jena 6 Part 3...

mike vass: No, he is going to be released.

MH: No he is not being released. Check CNN.

mike vass: I stand corrected, what is happening then?

MH: I am still reading. That sucks, even after the protest they still didn’t get "justice".

mike vass: Not really. But protest has been ongoing for months. At least now there is a chance, Congress is supposed to get involved.

MH: Which makes my point. I think that is just a spin.

mike vass: It is, but it may get justice served along the way. They may be self-serving, but he may get help by accident.

MH: So in order for us to get justice, we need to call Al and the gang and have a march?

mike vass: We need to pursue it, and realize it won't happen immediately. If we stop it's like stopping swimming, you drown. May still die while swimming, but at least you have a chance.

MH: We need to get the hell out of the pool then. This is crazy.

mike vass: You can only get out of the pool if you win, and we aren't winning.

MH: We only make up 12 percent of this country, we will never win.

mike vass: Actually, we are at 15% and Hispanics are 15%. We are roughly 1-3 for people of color, which means things have to start to change.

MH: Oh excuse me. So even if we and the Hispanics teamed up (don’t hold your breath) and really rallied, we would still be basically doing nothing. We don’t even like our own people.

mike vass: But how depends on what we do, and not being divided, or distracted (like by trying to be the next sports star, or the whole rap/hip-hop thing).

MH: Black Americans don’t like Jamaicans, Puerto Ricans don’t like Dominicans. But we get bent out of shape when whites don’t want us around.

mike vass: No real reason for it. But it makes things easy for others to maintain control.

MH: Jamaicans are idiots because they say "Black Americans allowed themselves to be mistreated during slavery so they are now lazy." Which is asinine. Black Americans think "West Indian men beat their women and cheat on them all the time and they are arrogant."

mike vass: That’s so stupid.

MH: Yes it is. Which is why I can see why Whites don’t like us.

mike vass: Where does all this come from?

MH: We spend too much time doing stupid things. It comes from the fact that the English were much more humane to their slaves (Black Caribbean’s) than American slave owners were. They were not beaten nor treated as harshly as American slaves were. So there was some level of pride left in Jamaican slaves, when they were freed, they were in a better position and they look down on American slaves.

mike vass: Ah, that makes a big difference.

MH: It does, but it’s stupid because we were all slaves. Hating one another doesn’t make sense.

mike vass: Exactly, still suffering the effects of all that.

MH: No he is not being released. Check CNN.

mike vass: I stand corrected, what is happening then?

MH: I am still reading. That sucks, even after the protest they still didn’t get "justice".

mike vass: Not really. But protest has been ongoing for months. At least now there is a chance, Congress is supposed to get involved.

MH: Which makes my point. I think that is just a spin.

mike vass: It is, but it may get justice served along the way. They may be self-serving, but he may get help by accident.

MH: So in order for us to get justice, we need to call Al and the gang and have a march?

mike vass: We need to pursue it, and realize it won't happen immediately. If we stop it's like stopping swimming, you drown. May still die while swimming, but at least you have a chance.

MH: We need to get the hell out of the pool then. This is crazy.

mike vass: You can only get out of the pool if you win, and we aren't winning.

MH: We only make up 12 percent of this country, we will never win.

mike vass: Actually, we are at 15% and Hispanics are 15%. We are roughly 1-3 for people of color, which means things have to start to change.

MH: Oh excuse me. So even if we and the Hispanics teamed up (don’t hold your breath) and really rallied, we would still be basically doing nothing. We don’t even like our own people.

mike vass: But how depends on what we do, and not being divided, or distracted (like by trying to be the next sports star, or the whole rap/hip-hop thing).

MH: Black Americans don’t like Jamaicans, Puerto Ricans don’t like Dominicans. But we get bent out of shape when whites don’t want us around.

mike vass: No real reason for it. But it makes things easy for others to maintain control.

MH: Jamaicans are idiots because they say "Black Americans allowed themselves to be mistreated during slavery so they are now lazy." Which is asinine. Black Americans think "West Indian men beat their women and cheat on them all the time and they are arrogant."

mike vass: That’s so stupid.

MH: Yes it is. Which is why I can see why Whites don’t like us.

mike vass: Where does all this come from?

MH: We spend too much time doing stupid things. It comes from the fact that the English were much more humane to their slaves (Black Caribbean’s) than American slave owners were. They were not beaten nor treated as harshly as American slaves were. So there was some level of pride left in Jamaican slaves, when they were freed, they were in a better position and they look down on American slaves.

mike vass: Ah, that makes a big difference.


MH: It does, but it’s stupid because we were all slaves. Hating one another doesn’t make sense.

mike vass: Exactly, still suffering the effects of all that.


I hope this conversation was of use and interest. I want to thank Michael H. for allowing me to present this to everyone. And thank you to everyone that read it all.

Issues stemming from Jena 6 Part 3 - 9.21.2007.3

Continued from Issues stemming from Jena 6 Part 2...

MH: Well then here is the crux. The black student wasn’t arrested for sitting under the tree; they left nooses basically taunting him. Not hanging him outright. So what would have happened if he ignored it?

mike vass: Who knows? I feel a noose is more than a taunt. In the South that's a death threat.

MH: Agreed, a noose is more than a taunt.

mike vass: somehow I don't think it would have ended with the threat.

MH: We will never know, but the escalations that followed were done by blacks retaliating with physical harm.

mike vass: If you don't respond then it's a sign of fear and/or weakness and the aggressor pushes to see how far they can go. I agree that they reacted badly. But that was a death threat. Not justifying it, just a point.

MH: So then report it to the authorities, we have that right now as opposed to the 60's when we were on our own.

mike vass: True and I agree they should have. But to charge attempted murder is going overboard. Especially when other fights around that time, by whites against blacks, were never given charges most of the time and the ones that were got misdemeanors.

MH: Why is it overboard? It was 6 to 1 right? Were blacks beaten up? If the colors were reversed, how would it play out?

mike vass: Yes. And it would be like in West Virginia with Megan Williams.

MH: This is not in WV

mike vass: Fine, but nothing so serious would have happened. It wouldn't make the news or the blogs. You know that.

MH: But would justice be served? That is the important thing, not whether I can see it on CNN. If it doesn’t make it on TV and the people have been prosecuted correctly then I don’t need to see it. TV would probably put a negative spin on it anyway.

mike vass: Does justice get served now? Jonathan Riches took 43 years to get arrested and convicted and not a blip on national news. And as true as your words are, it isn't getting prosecuted correctly.

MH: And it’s on the TV, so what is the difference?

mike vass: For every one case we do hear of there are 15 that don't get any attention. I mean it took months to get this news out on the Jena 6, and bloggers were speaking about it for months. Oh, by the way, I just heard one kid just had his conviction overturned. Which is more just.

MH: But it didn’t make a difference, the boy is still in jail.

Continued in Part 4...

Issues stemming from Jena 6 Part 2 - 9.23.2007.2

Continued from Issues stemming from Jena 6 Part 1...

mike vass: Given. These are all very true points. So where is the issue with what I said? I tried to address and suggest sparking debate over those feelings.

MH: Had the black student kept those facts in mind, he would not have asked to sit under a tree where it was CLEARLY seen to be a white’s only area, or whatever. Why did he have to choose THAT area?

mike vass: Why shouldn't he be able to is the question. Not that he should have, but should be able to. And why did they have to respond with a threat of death? Especially over a tree.

MH: No we know why he shouldn’t be able to. Because he should be able to sit where he wants.

mike vass: Because of segregation and racism.

MH: Which is the norm in the South.

mike vass: Which I address in the post.

MH: Which is why he didn’t need to sit there.

mike vass: That's why this nation will always have race issues. It's also why there will never be an apology for slavery.

MH: This nation will always have race issues because there will always be racists. I don’t want an apology for slavery. You can never apologize for that. But whether there are laws telling whites to accept me or not, will not change the fact that they will not want me around them if they don’t like me.

mike vass: I agree

MH: Then the real question is how far do I want to push the issue knowing that the more I try to integrate myself, I will certainly run into resistance. Is it worth it just to prove a point? Just to be able to sit under a tree?

mike vass: Sometimes yes. Because if you don't try to sit under a tree, eventually you can't sit in a diner, and so on. Especially as kids today pay less attention to the issues that affects them, and buy into the commoditization of being black.

MH: I don’t think so. A diner is not a tree. The tree was not specifically mapped out for whites only. It just so happens that the groups of whites have always been under that tree.

mike vass: A diner can become one with time. The point is the segregation and not where it happens. It just so happens that they may eat at a diner, or go to a classroom. Where is the difference?

Continued in Part 3...

Issues stemming from Jena 6 - 9.23.2007.1

The following is a conversation that I had recently with my best friend Michael H. (MH). MH has known me since elementary school. I think this conversation may be of interest for some, because it’s separate views on this Jena 6 issue.

MH, like many in America, only recently became aware of the situation. He has heard of some of the details and discussed the matter with me. He is my age, college educated, and a father. He currently lives in the South, though we both grew up in the Bronx, and he moved south relatively recently.

I thank my friend for allowing me to share this conversation with you all. Take what you will from this.


Michael H (MH): I have a problem. This whole Jena 6 issue got started because a black student wanted to sit under a tree. Not a library, a diner, or the front of the bus. A f***** tree.

mike vass: yep.

MH: Now I know that he did have a right to sit under a tree, but should we have all this media attention based on the fact that tempers got flared, and a boy is now in jail because he and 5 others beat up another student.

mike vass: They were charged with attempted murder. One of the boys got 15 years, though it's being review by the courts. One of the kids was a minor and was charged, and convicted as an adult.

MH: Well was it attempted murder?

mike vass: Nope, the kid that was beat up was at an event (a dance) that same day. It was just a high school fight.

MH: I have heard of minors being charged as adults under extenuating circumstances

mike vass: These weren't them

MH: I am not familiar with all the details but is the battered student really worse off?

mike vass: Nope the kid is fine. He was bruised but nothing serious.

MH: I just have an issue with the viewpoint you make in your post. I have 2 facts of reality I come into the discussion with.

1) If you are a black person in the South, you have to be careful about racists

2) No matter how you try, you cant legislate people's feelings

Continued in Part 2...

A conversation on the Jena 6 Part 3 - 9.21.2007.4

Continued from A conversation on the Jena 6 Part 2...

I mentioned to my friend what he thought about a situation. I said, ‘Does a case where an individual got away with murder for 43 years before being brought to justice deserve national airtime?’ The answer was yes. I went on, ‘If that person committed 2 murders, and the local police covered up the case knowing who committed the crimes, and it took 43 years, does that deserve coverage on the national cable news channels?’ Again yes. ‘Does it matter the race? And how much time do you think it deserves? 5 minutes? 3?’ he answered that it doesn’t matter, that is does need to be covered, and should have at least a couple of minutes. Then I asked him if he knew who Jonathan Riches was and how much time his case got on national news. He had no idea. Check the link if you want to find out.

America is afraid to address the roots of the problem. We want to turn a blind eye to the Jonathan Riches in the nation. The major news media ignores the Jena 6’s that occur. The media wants to emphasis OJ Simpson, and gloss over Ms. Megan Williams of West Virginia. And when this willful detachment of facts reaches critical mass and we have events like the Rodney King riots, everyone acts shocked.

I’m tired of the feigned ignorance. I’m tired of the propped up ‘leaders’ and politicians that seek to puff up their election chances and political clout with contrived concern over issues that have been ongoing for some time prior to their sudden involvement when the television cameras roll.

I deserve better. We deserve better. America must do better.

National news media needs to do their job. They need to investigate the roots of the problems in these cases. Then need to promote discussion on what is not changing in this nation. They need to shine the spotlight, which bloggers like me cannot yet do, on the shadows of the past of America that remains with us today.

The Jena 6 case is a problem. It’s racial, unjust, and reminiscent of a separated ignorant violent past of America that really wasn’t long ago. In the history of America it was just yesterday that African American were still being lynched for being in the wrong place or looking at a member of the wrong race. It was just a few months ago, in that historic clock, that slaves became free. And if America does not, as a whole nation, move forward to a better way, we will always carry the past on our collective backs.

This is what I think, what do you think?

A conversation on the Jena 6 Part 2 - 9.21.2007.3

Continued from A conversation on the Jena 6 Part 1...

When that segregation was acknowledged and challenged, the response was to place nooses on the tree. That is a powerful message, especially in the South. When my friend thinks about a noose he thinks of a hanging, but I informed him that for an African American it evokes an image of a BLACK person being hung – a lynching. And when that happens in the South you get the image of KKK and slavery. It’s very different for me to see that and for my friend. I wanted him to comprehend that. I know he cannot understand it as I do, but the comprehension that those nooses are a death threat. It makes the difference of how the reactions unfolded. It provoked anger, and that is not an excuse. Violence is a bad response to provocations, but it is one response when death is the message.

As I recall, back in the 1970’s a court (I believe the Supreme Court) held that incendiary words exist, and their use could provoke actions. These actions could be crimes, but due to the incendiary words the punishment could be minimized or removed. I’m not a lawyer but I recall that well [any lawyers that know better or the exact case, feel free to correct/support me here]. Thus, back then, if an African American were called the N-word, and he beat the crap out of a White man that said it to him, the incendiary clause could be used as a defense.

The nooses were the incendiary. The tree is the segregation. Essentially what happened and was said is, in my opinion, ‘Hey N*****, you don’t belong here. Go away.’ When that was challenged with the thought that segregation doesn’t have a place in 21st century America the response was ‘Uppity N***** I will KILL you.’ Which lead to the violence.

Perhaps it’s the fact that African Americans still feel the weight of the past of America on them, or that America has never apologized for slavery (nor willing to provide reparations as the nation has for other groups that were wronged in the past) because America is not beyond the thoughts of that time, but this is the sentiment that still pervades the nation.

It goes both ways. As my friend correctly mentioned, there are places that he cannot go in New York City. There are places that any race or ethnicity cannot go in America, to this day. We have not gone as far as most of us wish we have. And as long as we don’t address the root of the problem, we never will.

America has its head in the sand when it comes to race relations and segregation and prejudice. Slavery is a subject no one wants to speak about. Reparations is so terrifying a concept, because of what it addresses, every Presidential candidate except one (not Senator Barack Obama) refused to even speak about it in a debate. And these events, like Jena 6, continue to happen.

Continued in Part 3...

A conversation on the Jena 6 - 9.21.2007.2

Suddenly after months of bloggers speaking about the Jena 6, the major news media has finally woke up and realized there is an issue. It would be funny that they are treating this as a new thing, except there is no humor in this. Rev. Jesse Jackson is holding rallies and blaming Sen. Obama over this case, suddenly. Democratic Presidential candidates are all jumping forward to make a comment on how they feel about this injustice. And the President was asked to speak on the controversy. You would think this all just came up in the last day or 2, yet that is a false impression. At least it’s finally getting attention.

But what I want to share with you is a conversation I had yesterday with a colleague and friend. He is a White man about my age, owns businesses, and a good person. He also writes to a couple of blogs and was completely unaware of the Jena 6 case. After hearing all the news yesterday, he decided to write some thoughts on it, and then got in touch with me to discuss it.

His position was basically

In every racial injustice case, we tend to measure the punishment and forget that a crime was committed.

To a degree I agree with him. But there is a lot going on with this case that most are not getting. There is something not being conveyed. The main question is not as much that there should be no punishment, but that it should be equal. Attempted murder was hardly the correct charge, if charges must be made in this case. I say must as others White males were not given any charges for their fights. But if a crime is done, punishment is mandatory. But it shouldn’t be blind or biased.

Given that, the conversation evolved to discuss the real issue that Jena 6 represents and the major news media seems to never want to discuss. Race, segregation and anger. These are the roots of the Jena 6 case. And these are the things not being addressed. The charges and the imbalance of the legal system are only symptoms of this root.

The facts are that no one in this nation should be fearful of entering an establishment or standing in a space and being punished for it. In this case a tree was designated ‘Whites Only’, harkening back to the segregation of the 1950’s (for the younger readers, that’s really not as far in the past as you might think). A tree.

Continued in Part 2...