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.

The secret anti-ganst rap movement Part 2 - 4.30.2007.4

Continued from Part 1 The secret anti-ganst rap movement - 4.30.2007.3 ...

The fact that many do try to use that argument, which fails, brings up the question why hasn’t anything ever been done if such language is so bad. The media has been a huge proponent of highlighting the apparent blasé attitude among Black Americans on the language and imagery used in rap hip hop. I have watched literally dozens of news programs where pundits and talking heads pose the question, “So why hasn’t anything ever been done?” I’ve seen multiple African American interviewees get this question presented to them almost everyday since the firing. I have to ask in response, “Why did it take so long for you to open your eyes?”

I ask that question to the news media. They act today as if there has never been a single person speaking out against the gansta rap genre. They present statements by Rev. Al Sharpton and Rev. Jesse Jackson against modern rap as if they are making a sudden noise to grandstand and serve their own interests. The Media poses questions to entertainers and celebrities as if the fault for inaction laid upon them. That is a horrible lie, and a misrepresentation of enormous, perhaps epic, proportions.

Reverends Jackson and Sharpton may be placed in the public spotlight by the media on various issues, but only those the media wants to cover. There is no question on the fact that both have rallied against the language in rap music for quite some time now. And they were far from the first. The battle against gansta rap has been ongoing for over a decade now. There have been dozens, perhaps hundreds of articles that have been written, seminars and lectures made, and blog posts against gansta rap since 1992. I’ll say that timeframe again, 15 years. Yet the news media and various pundits seem to be shocked that there has been no action made. They should say there has been no action they chose to hear.

For whatever the reason the media has chosen to ignore the growing number of voices demanding change. The corporations have ignored the consumers asking for diversity in a music genre that started off with multiple sub-genres; each one basically killed off to make room for only one style. Let me make a couple of examples.

The national media focused on the Mr. Don Imus story on April 9th. On March 22nd Blackplanet.com had a poll I commented on, which dealt with negative stereotypes in the media.

“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.”

On March 8th New York City banned the use of one word in particular. It was an empty act and I criticised it,

“Obviously the City Council of NYC agrees with the view held by me, as does Mr. Michael Richards [doesn’t that prove the point right there?]. Their ban on this word was passed, and you may wonder why less time was spent reporting this than Ms. Rosie O’Donnell’s depression. Because it was a bunch of hot air. The usefulness of the ban rates on par with releasing known illegal immigrant child molesters on bail and expecting them to show up to court (as happened in Vermont not long ago).”

Concluded in Part 3...

Dark brown means... Part 2 - 4.19.2007.3

Continued from Dark Brown means... Part 1

I would bet that the controversy over Mr. Imus makes no sense in most countries, if the story was covered at all. In countries where commercials that contain Black Americans (or just Blacks) are called the N-word, I would guess the controversy never was covered. And don’t delude yourself to think that I’m speaking of 3rd world nations. In my opinion overseas, Germans, Italians, Belgians, Arabs, and so on all hold similarly negative views. In each case, in my experience, they all point to music videos as well as news footage to confirm their reasoning.

So I’m not surprised that a Chinese translation (given that it was old, but still used) would define dark brown as it did. I’m not surprised that foreigners fear and shun Black Americans on sight. I’m not surprised that the words N-word, felon, criminal, drug addict, and Black American can be often used interchangeably. We use it in this manner in music videos and conversation, why shouldn’t they.

Words are power. The meaning and the understood meaning affect action intimately. They affect potential business transactions, reinforce cultural beliefs, and personal attitudes. If you think that how the world views African Americans isn’t important then you don’t understand how the world works. What may be a misguided greeting to you is a reason for a CEO not to build a store or factory in Detroit or in D.C. or other parts of the country, thus preventing jobs or giving opportunities to improve the lives of some people. Bling may be an impressive word to you, but to an overseas corporation it’s a reason to sell sub-prime loans in an area, or to market over-priced clothing, or sub-standard goods. Presumed ignorant, drug-addled, poor with one of the strongest currencies in the world are always a good target for profit without consideration of morality. I mean why should a corporation care if it is gouging prices or selling inferior goods to people who refer to their mothers and children with terms worse than used to describe a dog?

And that’s how a couch gets labeled the N-word in Canada. By the way, when was the last time you checked the label on anything that has a dark brown or black color in your home or possession? If you just wondered about checking them, maybe the disparaging words, like N-word, don’t mean what you think or want them to.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Surprise, where are the minority leads on tv - 3.14.2007.1

I am shocked and amazed. I would even go so far as stupefied. You might wonder why, if not for a friend making me aware of some news I would as well. In this case though I am referring to my reaction to the article found on Yahoo TV, Black leads still absent from network dramas by Nellie Andreeva. It seems that Black Americans are underrepresented in television. With no disrespect to Ms. Andreeva, no kidding.

Finally there is some media coverage on a subject I have directly discussed in no less than 3 posts, the earliest dating back to December 2005. In my post Minorities, Television and 27 percent, I highlight the fact that broadcast television, television commercials and movies ignore the relevance and existance of non-whites. A particularly relevant section from that post goes on to say, “The facts taken in total make a profound statement, that is seen and felt not only in the US but also throughout the world. Broadcasters appear, in my opinion, to state that any non-white is relatively unimportant. That no attempt at providing quality programming targeted to these groups is required or of practical use. Perhaps it could be summarized as 'the less seen the better'? That offends me.”

Yet I feel that Ms. Andreeva seems to make an excuse for this fact. That it’s ok that no dramatic television program starring an African American, or Latino/Hispanic, or Asian, has ever fared well. Her reasoning is that the majority of viewers are White and thus do not connect to leads unlike them. It feels like Ms. Andreeva is also relegating Black American leads to only roles that are restricted to a type, such military officers because, “Most dramas are in some way relatable to your life, whether it is about families or cops, something you see every day.” [This quote is in the above mentioned article but made by Mr. Tim Brooks.]

I disagree with such a thought excusing the lack of leading African American, Latino/Hispanic, Asian and other minority actors. The reality that television hopes to evade is that better than 1 in 4 Americans is a person of color. Millions of Americans work with, for, and/or under the supervision of people of color every day. People of color have held positions of power and prominence for some time now, and I do not like the implication that those individuals have not, or do not, exist.

I dispute the theme proposed that a White audience cannot accept a lead character that is African American, or a person of color. In my post German police and television programing - 10.05.2006.2, I stated, “Take your choice of programs made by HBO, Showtime, FX, Spike or others. I’m speaking of The Shield, Thief, Blade the series, Eureka, and many others. In each program there is a diversity of race, sexuality and flaws that are just caricatured in broadcast show. There are actually characters that you can identify with as a person of color. And in several of these shows we see leads like Mr. Andre Braugher that show that African Americans, and other minorities, are easily capable of being leads and cores of their respective shows. There is more depth in their performances than the usual limitation to comedy shows and minor secondary characters broadcast television has tried to shove down our collective throats for decades.”

Continued in part 2...

Final thoughts on declining rap sales and the future - 3.1.2007.3

Continued from part 2 of the death of rap - 3.1.2007.2 ...

The fact is that the ‘thug’ life is a choice relatively few African Americans chose. But it is those few that have been paraded around on the media like a prize winning dog at a kennel show. I’m no fool, being Black in America is no picnic but it is far from a death sentence or a life long prison sentence in a ghetto. The “hip-hop hoodlums” responsible for the anarchy at the NBA All-Star game in Vegas that Mr. Jason Whitlock wrote about chose to be that way. The only Black artists that “shuck and jive”, as rapper David Banner calls it, are in my opinion rappers. Recent Oscar Award winners Ms. Jennifer Hudson, Mr. Forest Whitaker, Mr. Denzel Washington, and Mr. Jamie Foxx can hardly be described in such a manner. Entertainers like Mr. Stevie Wonder, Mr. Quincy Jones, Mr. Chuck D, Ice-T, and the late Mr. Ray Charles don’t fit such a description either. Yet I feel such a label could be applied more easily to 50 cent, than Mr. Spike Lee. Thus in my opinion rappers today that live the ‘thug life’ are merely showcasing a modern version of the minstrel show, for the main audience of White Americans that buy their albums.

So I am glad to hear that more are heeding the call started by Ms. C. Dolores Tucker, and continued by individuals such as Professor Tracy Denean Sharpley-Whiting, Mr. Bryan Hunt, Mr. Rashod D. Ollison, and others (including myself in my own small way). I am happy to learn that sales have dropped 21%, and that no rap album has hit the top 10 for the first time in 12 years. Happy that is if diversity becomes more prevalent. If the realities of what I think is accurate of most Black Americans gets to be heard. I’d love to see fewer music video girls and ‘crunk’ and ‘bling’ [what kind of ebonic idiocy are those words? They rate right up there with that ‘fasizzle’ lunacy. Get a dictionary and learn to speak your native tongue] if it means I can see substance, like that evoked by Public Enemy and KRS-One. Throw in a little mindless fun like Mr. Will Smith’s original alter-ego the Fresh Prince and Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five and I’m a very happy man. I’m sure sales would actually go back up, and probably surge beyond what they have been.

Because I don’t think rap is a temporary medium. I think it’s a powerful form of entertainment, and social outcries. It’s a voice that can express all the aspects of Black American life. Because being African American is not a singular mold, nor a commodity or as Mr. Chuck D states, "...one-dimensionalized and commodified us into being a one-trick image". It was all these positive things once, and it can be again. But until then rap aides and abets the worst attributes of the Black community while giving a show that makes ‘shucking and jiving’ look like a waltz.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Tancredo and Hargrove - 2.2.2007.1

Leave it to Mr. Stephen Colbert to hit the nail on the head. In discussing Black History Month he brought to light the question of Virginia wanting to express “profound regret” about slavery. Yes the state legislature of Virginia has considered saying they are strongly remembering with feeling a loss the act of slavery they imposed on Africans taken against their will and brought to America to build the nation that has become what we know today. It’s only taken 140+ years since the abolishment of slavery.

Of course not everyone agrees. Mr. Frank Hargrove, a delegate, thinks that Black Americans should just “get over” 246 years of slavery and consideration as property. That the subsequent 100 years of Jim Crow laws and segregation and de facto third-class status should have been more than enough to adjust. I would imagine that he feels that the Civil Rights movement was all the reparation that was due to the descendants of more that 4 million slavers in America. The fact that Hargrove doesn’t want to “apologize for anything” seems to support that thought. Since I infer that Hargrove thinks its such a great idea, or at least no big deal, he wouldn’t mind having all of the stuff he and his family (all of them) own taken away and to have them all go into the fields of farms in his state, owned by Black Americans, and work 20 hours a day seven days a week with out healthcare and no pay. I’m sure they will get over it.

Of course Mr. Colbert pointed out another joyous thought by a politician, in this case Mr. Tancredo. Mr. Tancredo feels that minorities having a caucus is just hypocritical and discriminatory. As Mr. Colbert mentioned it’s not like Congress is anything but overwhelmingly comprised of 45+ year old white men (for the last 200 years or so). Yes, according to Mr. Tancredo minority caucuses need to include the majority so they can fairly represent the views of the minorities in this nation. What a visionary. I’m so happy he his around to help me understand the political goals that will help improve my life as a Black Puerto Rican American.

It’s not like either man would be able to survive a day if they were to live as a minority in this nation, I imagine. Especially if they had to encounter others with views such as their own, I think. But maybe they were able to see how ridiculous they seem, thanks to Mr. Colbert. Hopefully everyone else could see it just by reading what they said.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Did you know it's Black History Month? - 2.1.2007.1

Today is the first day of Black History Month. If you didn’t know I’m not surprised as there is little media that I observed mentioning it. Unlike 30 years ago, this month draws less real attention than even minor news items. Sure there is a movie starring a Black American entertainer here and there, but what does that really mean? Does that really convey Black History when you’re watching Passenger 57, or New Jack City, or Training Day? Do you feel empowered when you see an occasional 30 second public announcement commercial giving you a soundbite on Black History? Somehow I think there could be more, actually there needs to be.

I mean there needs to be due to a couple of examples. I won’t get into the comments of Senator Biden here. I’ll discuss that at my Vass site shortly. I will mention Mr. Bill Cosby. Did you see the news from the 30th? Have you heard any mention of it? I did, and I’ve waited to see the major media, especially televised news, to give it any attention. I barely found out about it online.

What happened is that Mr. Cosby is continuing to draw attention to the unbalanced and terribly poor conditions young African American are dealing with in schools, and in general. On the 30th Mr. Cosby brought attention to the sub-standard conditions that students in New Orleans are currently enduring. This is the second time Mr. Cosby has gone to the still post-Hurricane Katrina ravaged area. Yet there is nothing mentioned in the media. Not on the 30th, nor on the first day of Black History Month.

By the way, Black History Month was started in 1926, by Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson. At the time it was only Negro History Week, and the reason it’s in February (something I always wondered about since it is the shortest month) is due to the birthdays of President Lincoln and Mr. Frederick Douglass.

A quick note on Dr. Woodson. He was the son of slaves, wasn’t able to go to high school until he was 20. His early education was mostly self-taught as he worked to help his family rather than go to school. He attended the University of Chicago and Harvard. In 1916 he founded the Journal of Negro History, one of the oldest journals in America. An important though his father passed on to him was “learning to accept insult, to compromise on principle, to mislead your fellow man, or to betray your people, is to lose your soul."

If you wonder why this is a big deal I’ll quote Dr. Woodson again, “Those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching of biography and history.”

Well I suppose the news of when the next, and final, Harry Potter book will be release is more vital and helpful. [July 21st if you need to know.]

This is what I think, what do you think?

Hollywood movie bias, the reality - 1.25.2007.1

Sometimes you have to wonder what people are thinking. I mean that I can see a point being made, yet I think the extreme view being posed is just gratuitous. If you wonder what I am referring to, it’s a new report by the Islamic Human Rights Commission in Britain on how movies portray Muslims.

I will give this report the fact that since 9/11 Muslims are the ‘bad guy’ choice du jour. More than any other group they are the favored group to be seen losing to the good guys and that of course is due to the current political and social environment in the world. I can see how that can annoy the tens of millions of Muslims that live quiet lives, being productive citizens of their respective countries.

While the emphasis is on Muslims, today, there continues to be the re-enforcement of the African American as a negative image in every medium in America. Long before Arabs and Muslims were picked on, Black Americans (particularly males) were the only pimps, dealers, petty criminals and poor in movies. While Black Americans were the first minorities to be included in American films, the roles were even worse with portrayals as slaves or complete caricatures. This negative image is no less consistent now, with 60% of all images in news of poverty or lack of education or violence being matched with images of Black Americans.

While I admit this is not a fact I have seen quoted, it is something that is often commented on. Some may recall the Mr. Carlos Mencia Comedy Central episode that provided 2 news reports focusing on images of people in waist deep water right after Hurricane Katrina. One image had a Black American in holding a bad, the caption accusing him of being a looter. The other image had 2 White Americans in similar water each holding a bag, the caption reading that they were trying to scrounge for food. Neither image included any background buildings or any indication that either of the people had food or goods in their bags. Some may recall my post where Yahoo News placed an image of Mr. Chris Rock along side a completely unrelated article dealing with investigation by the government on the mob. [Chris Rock, Andy Garcia, M:I3 and Snoop Dogg] The people in the article were all white. Watch the evening news and any time there is a mention of unemployment, welfare, government aide, and similar stories you will see a predominance of images of Black Americans – regardless of where in the nation you live or the fact that since African Americans only make up ~14% of the nation it’s impossible for us to be the only, or even major, cause or recipients of these items.

So I can appreciate the feeling by Muslims that it is now their turn on the negative public image machine that is Hollywood, movies and other media. Still to carry the extreme to say that movies such as Disney’s Aladdin were negative is silly in my opinion. They are shooting themselves in their own foot with such an accusation. All the characters in that movie were Arabic, and yes the architecture, timeframe, and clothing indicate they are all Muslim. But I cannot agree that this movie was done in bad faith. Equally off-base to me is the claim that Raiders of the Lost Ark made a similar negative portrayal. As I recall one of the leading supports is an Egyptian Arab character, and a good guy. Virtually all the bad guys are White and Nazi’s. Perhaps I am naïve, but I do not recall any stereotypes that were not balanced by other characters that were neutral if not positive. And any negative images were minor compared to the positive main characters in both movies.

American media and Hollywood in particular, love to portray all minorities in a horrible light. That is a fact. Minorities are excluded from having major impact in front of and behind the camera to this day, though it is incredibly slowly changing. Addressing the fact of this imbalance, and its consequences, is a positive for change. To go to an extreme, claiming insult where none was seen for literally decades does not help but hurt such a cause.

Muslims should not be unfairly judged. Neither should Black Americans, Latino/Hispanic Americans and other minorities. But at the same time it should be noted that some leeway must be given when a nation is at war. Much as the Germans, Italians, Japanese and others have been made objects of anger for a time during conflict against America so will be any other group. That’s just human nature. Rather than place a blanket on all things ever done, seek the positives and note the negatives. Your cause will be better helped I think.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Recap of the 2nd week of January 2007 - 1.16.2007.1

There are a few things from last week I didn’t get a chance to mention. I’ll try to catch up now. First the week in history. During the last week: Fisk University was founded, Dr. George Washington Carver was born, Delta Sigma Theta is started, Twelfth Night or the Epiphany occurred (the baby Jesus was born in January not December and the 3 wise men visited him last week).

Beyond those events, this is the second week I can mention that of the 3 individuals considering or running for President that I have contacted none have responded to date. Now to be fair I did not send my letters to each all on the same day, but they have had some time. Of course I may not be the first name on their list to respond to. Still considering that the questions I am asking are what I believe are important to you as well, I think that they should be in touch soon. Then again, some of them may not wish to clearly define where they stand on issues important to Black Americans, Latinos and Hispanic Americans, and others. But when they do respond I will post every word, unaltered, for every one of the tens of thousands of you to read. [Yes I feel good that so many pay attention to my blogs] You can look forward to reading my letters to Senator McCain, and Obama in the near term. Possibly Rev. Sharpton as well.

You can reach each letter posted to date at the following:
Letter to Mitt Romney - 1.10.2007.1
Letter sent to John Edwards - 1.5.2007.1
Letter to Senator Clinton - 12.16.2006.1

As for some events that happened last week, there is an interesting bit on the rapper Noreaga or NORE or whatever he goes by now (his name is Victor Santiago and I will refer to him as such). In Mr. Santiago’s desire to build record sales, he had no problem befriending and employing a couple of members of the Murder Unit gang. That’s not my opinion, he said, “Hard-core hip-hop tends to sell more records. It's about selling an image.” Mr. Santiago stated this as a witness in the trail of one of the members of the gang. It seems that the accused allegedly murdered 3 victims and stole cocaine. My opinion is that Mr. Santiago’s claim that he was unaware of any of these gang members he employed were selling drugs, carried weapons, and were violent is either false or the man is beyond dim. Since he knows how to use people to promote himself, as well as possibly providing him with the drugs he admitted to using [a shame they couldn’t arrest him for that] I doubt dim. I just find it infuriating when an entertainer (especially a Latino/Hispanic) brazenly uses drugs, chases women, employs potentially violent drug dealing felons and brazenly admits to it while cracking goes at a trial. All this just to sell records and make money on an image. Wealth is just not worth it, I think.

Something worth speaking about are the continuing efforts of Mr. George Clooney and his father in bringing more attention to the Dafur atrocity. If you have missed the news on Darfur, which is easy since little is mentioned about it on the news [though there is plenty of time to discuss say the Trump vs. O’Donnell idiocy], over 200,000 Africans have died since 2003. Over 2.5 million have had to flee from their homes. Mr. Clooney has spent a good deal of time raising the awareness of this situation, having spoken to the U.N. twice already trying to get international attention on the matter. I respect Mr. Clooney as a man due to his efforts, as well as respecting his choice of movies and ability in them. If you missed the presentation of his documentary film A Journey to Darfur, look for a replay on the AmericanLife TV Network. Or ask for it to be put on DVD or on a local station near you.

Perhaps 2007 will be the year we see some of these rappers, or other celebrities, entertainers, and politicians do something to help these Africans that are in need. It may not be as much fun for them, but I hope they all don’t want to live like Mr. Santiago.

This is what I think, what do you think?

My message concluded - 1.15.2007.4

Continued from part 2...

...

Without these items the creed, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,” is just hollow words. The equality can never be realized, not when we feed the flames that inequality thrives on. The dream that, “…my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character,” cannot come true when we allow the character of a person to be based on the color of their skin.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream, but it was not something that he wanted to only dream. He had a vision of a better America, stronger by the inclusion and respect of all the colors and religions that comprise America. Dr. King, and many others, worked towards taking the dream and making a reality. Sadly Dr. King has not lived to build that reality. Thankfully he did not live to see this failure on the steps he helped the nation take forward.

We have stumbled. Not just White Americans, Black Americans, but ALL Americans. In the same way we grew and moved forward as a nation we have faltered and stumbled together as well.

I feel the time has long passed to wait for another Dr. King. As African Americans we need more than a figurehead, real or imagined by the media, to bring us forward. We need to accept that the vision of Dr. King, Malcolm X, and all who sacrificed those short decades ago is the vision we all share. Dr. King was a great man, and great men lead. But all great men are so due to being followed. Though Dr. King has passed we can each still follow his vision, as we did when he walked among all people in Alabama, Mississippi, Washington D.C., and in life.

If we do this, the dream becomes a reality. The creed takes meaning. The lives of all in the nation improves. Perhaps the lives of all the world may one day live this dream come true. But if in our community and culture we do not live the dream, it fades from memory and distorts. It becomes a part of the past that has no meaning in the current and thus cannot be in the future.

I, for one, do not wish to see a future like that. I do not wish my nieces and nephews, or those children of my friends, to grow up in that kind of world. Perhaps this can help to ensure such a world of negativity never exists. It’s a small step, but a step all the same. Now what step will you take?

This is what I think, what do you think?

Part 1

Part 2