Ralph Nader and his civil rights banner…

Okay, before I give up the goods on our newest bass-ackwards cracker-bread hero sandwich of a politician talking his shit… (sorry if I bounce from eloquence to profanity and back again… but this ticked me off!)

Let me fill my folk in on a little back story. This comes from ABC News online:

Nader: Obama Not Black Prez He Hoped For
August 06, 2008

ABC News’ Teddy Davis Reports: Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader ripped Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., on Wednesday, saying that the presumptive Democratic nominee would not make the kind of African-American president that he and other members of the civil rights movement worked to make possible.

“People who have fought the civil rights battle — politically, economically, legally — as we have since the 50’s would often talk about, ‘Look what would happen if we had an African-American president or chairpersons of major congressional committees,’” said Nader. “It doesn’t look like it’s going to be what we all thought it would be.”

“I lost respect for him,” Nader said of Obama “when I saw him over a year ago on C-SPAN vigorously opposed to the impeachment of Bush and Cheney — vigorously opposed. He said it would be ‘divisive’. That is a cop out word. We have the most multiply impeachable presidency in American history.”

Okay, here’s the skinny, my black people, whether he “walked side by side with King” blah, blah, blah… matters not. I have serious issues with the way the civil rights movement was lead, arranged, diluted and ultimately dissolved. All of these people claiming their civil rights banners can really kiss my ass. Nothing has changed. They just learned how to shut us up.

What do I mean… where are the marches on Washington? Where are the equal educational practices across the board? Where is the movement fighting for fairer systems and more balanced budgeting so that children don’t lose the war before it begins due to faulty equipment?

I didn’t get the memo.

Where are the results of this “good life of freedom and equality” we are supposed to have if we’re still looking at a “black” president. That doesn’t sound equal and free to me.  In fact, I will go so far as to say this precious “movement” we all talk about with kid gloves for fear of pissing off an established member of our families was a fallacy.

With the end of segregation came the end of black empowerment. The economic power the black community possessed vanished in a blink of a Macy’s shopping spree. These so-called leaders did nothing to prevent this wide-spread cultural and financial rape and pillage of our communities. Our universities, secondary schools, banks, grocery stores, hostels, watering holes, neighborhood shops all dried up because we stopped shopping and spending our money in our neighborhoods. Suddenly everything on the other side was “better.” I did not see the civil rights movement defending this travesty.

Education is still the shitty mess it was for blacks in the 50s and 60s. Our communities have been uprooted and destroyed, and Nader is telling me Obama isn’t the “Black President” he wanted… I say GOOD! his “plans” didn’t amount to much so his word is equally as unimportant.

Good try though.

Oh, and if we impeached Bush and Cheney, there would be other cabinet members to take their place and the regime would have still continued. So to that I say again Nader, good try.

Oh yes, and um…Ralphie Boy… this is your third time trying to botch the election. You split the votes with Gore in ’00 to help Bush win. It looks like you are trying again this year. Do us and yourself a favor…  go find Ross Perot, get an old T-Bird and follow Thelma and Louise’s lead…

Plausible Separation

The Art of Causing Racism by Pretending to Defeat It

Last night, after a long day at the office, I picked up my son from the sitter, fed him and let him play, cooked spaghetti with meat sauce and waited for my wife to come home from work. Once she arrived and settled herself we turned on the television to entertain us as we ate. Soon, time came around to put the baby down for the night. After that, my wife turned to me and asked “What time is it?”

“Nine o’clock” I replied and she went on to tell me that Black in America was coming on CNN and she wanted to watch it. I looked at her like she was crazy but I turned the channel anyway.

Fifteen minutes into the program I was livid…well, actually I was livid when she asked me to tune in but I decided to give it a chance anyway. Bad move. As we viewed this “enlightening” program, I realized something. Why do we need an after school special to highlight just exactly what is WRONG in our community. Do these producers realize that when you say “Sally Mae went to college, as did her whole family,” A lot of us hear either “Ooh, blacks CAN go to college…” or a sarcastic “The amount of successful blacks can be counted on one proverbial hand”…

And if in the same segment, not less than one scene later you show the exact opposite. When you show a young black man, obviously disinterested in school, at home in mid day with his chest exposed and underwear over the top of his jeans with a cheering squad to get him to go to class in the background… we know not to expect great things. The sad part is, the producers of this farce were more interested in highlighting the educational disparities of the communities, i.e. 70% of all students’ graduate high school and only 50% of black students graduate.

Um… excuse me ladies and gentlemen, but I think we all know that.  I think all members of the Black community know that, as we are constantly reminded of the inequalities. Here’s my issue (one of several) why are we still segregated? Why are we still “Black IN America as opposed to being Black Americans? Why do we still have a month to celebrate our history instead of a true integration of African history into American history in schools from grammar to university level institutions? Our history is more than a few paragraphs on Dr. Martin Luther King and wearing kinte cloth.

Also, why are we being spotlighted on the eve of Presidential history? Could it be an attempt to reaffirm certain stereotypes others have about us and that we have about ourselves? Could it be viewed as unfair propaganda? Possibly.

There are those who will say I am wrong for seeing this the way I do. Others would say it makes sense to highlight the achievements and accomplishments of our people. To that I don’t disagree but to view graduating high school as a major accomplishment is an insult. To show us going to college tells me our college-educated members are unicorns.

The scariest part to this is how widely-acceptable this type of programming is… if it says something about “Black people” we tune in or feel as though it is our responsibility to watch even though the real truths of our history, motivation and even-footing in American society are never properly represented

The Black experience is the American experience, period. Until that day is won, we will always be outcasts in our own country.

When The Filipinos In America, The Asians In America, The Hispanics In America, The Jews In America, Italians In America, Arabs In America etc shows come on CNN I may not be as cynical, but as of today, I’m calling a spade a spade and Anderson Cooper, you are on notice.

http://images.huffingtonpost.com/gen/29981/original.jpg

If you do not read The New Yorker, you may want to check out the most recent issue. It is supposed to be a “caricature” of the stereotypes Americans have about future president Barack Obama and his wife Michelle.

What do you think of the photo?

Well, the NBA draft has come and gone and again….my Knicks have surprised me with the only pick they had this year.  Not knocking the european player, or the link he has with our new coach, but #1 he’s not been scouted as much as the other picks who were of equal or greater draft value, #2 we are in restructuring mode. We need real help. I just don’t know if this kid is that impact, team-changing player the Knicks need.

We’ve already got plenty of young talent on our bench that we’re using… wrongly.  I mean Wilson Chandler, Randolph Morris, and this is just from last year. Agreed, Marty Collins needs to wake up a lil bit and play ball, but that may not be entirely his fault. Reynaldo Balkman needs to spend some gym time shooting mid range and practicing to finish at the rim because with all his energy and great defensive play, his liability at the offensive end gives the other team reason to play off him and use that man as an extra defender on our more offensive threats.

We as Knicks have one great liability as a whole however and its not a 20/10 player, it’s not lack of leadership on the court, it’s us. Our biggest issue facing the New York Knicks is how we treat and look at our team, and how our team lost the meaning of being a Knick.

Would we ever have booed a Patrick Ewing-led Knick squad? Hell no. As a matter-of-fact, when the Knicks were led by head coach Hubie Brown and they had players like Rory Sparrow, Trent Tucker and Bill Cartwright at the center we were a “bottom-tier” squad and no boos.

Today’s Knick fans have forgotten “the dunk” the “four-point play” and all of the spirit of Madison Square Garden. In turn, the Knick players have forgotten heart. They have forgotten that before the 90s seasons, we hadn’t seen true success in the playoffs since 1973. Knick players are playing for a paycheck and nothing more.

Stephon Marbury is no leader. I don’t care if his contract is up next year or in 10 years. He’s been a Knick since 2000. His being from New York should have spoken volumes to that true Knick tenacity but alas, our hopes of continuing in the traditions of Pat Riley and Jeff Van Gundy have been dashed. We’ve had 5 coaches in 7 years. We’ve traded away Antonio McDaniels & Nazr Mohammed (who have since gotten rings), We have dead weight on our roster that is almost impossible to move. We are “still” waiting for Eddy Curry to decide to be a beast in this league but his work-ethic (or lack thereof) keeps us wishing this big 7 foot ‘tough guy” would just trade away…

Our team has given us nothing to support, and so we have no support left. We’re still New Yorkers, and still Knick fans as I’ll always be. But it has becoming increasingly hard to watch a lazy, no heart having squad wear the same uniform as Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, Patrick Ewing, Dave Deboucher, Bill Bradley, Mark Jackson, Bernard King, Rod Strickland, Larry Johnson, Anthony Mason, Marcus Camby, John Starks, Latrell Sprewell, Charles Oakley…

So I hope this draft pick helps. But Knicks… you need more than draft picks, “elite” players or blockbuster trades. You simply need to watch game films from the 70s, 80s and 90s… understand what it means to BE a Knick before you dive into the uniform.

We love you, why don’t you love us back?

That’s right I’m a fan, ya’ll… if you agree let me know, if you think we need more, let me know, if you can put these words in front of a Knick so they know how the fans feel, do it, and let us know what they say.  Some how, some way, we need to get to these players and let them know “why” we disapprove, not just that we do. Booing doesn’t work. What will?

Last night, Senator Barack H. Obama won the Democratic Nomination for President of the United States of America. This is the first time in Black American History that one of our brothers have been *this* close to leading the country.

In thinking of this great achievement and milestone, it begs me to wonder. I wonder if (whether he wins or loses the race) we as a people will continue to cut each other from the knees, will we continue to let pettiness keep us short-sighted or will we as a community become one again.

Back in the late 1960s and early 1970s, our younger generation galvanized itself as a community. We had leaders, both political and religious. Societies were created (Nation of Islam, Nation of Gods and Earths, Black Panther Party, The National Black Caucus, The NAACP etc) in which we as a people could feel some sort of comfort in knowing WE HAD A VOICE, AND WE WERE GOING TO HAVE OUR SAY.

Since the 70s however, our culture as Black Americans was whitewashed (for lack of a better term). Somewhere along our way, we changed our focus from setting up our culture and our societies within the American infrastructure to melding with the infrastructure all together. Thus attaining a sense of equality unheard of just a decade or so prior.

So, if we successfully assimilated into the American system, why has it taken so long to be recognized that we have the ability to make some of the most important decisions ever?

That being said, we also lost a lot of ourselves and who we were in this country because of the conforming issue. The things that made Black beautiful are the very things our culture is missing right now.

So I ask you, Are we ready to reclaim who we were and our Black American culture? Are we ready for Black to be beautiful again? IS this the second renaissance? Or will we continue to assimilate so much that we lose our Black culture all together?

Are we there yet? Or are we still in a fight?

Amadou Bailo Diallo (September 2, 1975 – February 4, 1999) was a 23-year-old immigrant to the United States from Guinea, who was shot and killed on February 4, 1999, by four New York City Police Department plain-clothed officers: Sean Carroll, Richard Murphy, Edward McMellon and Kenneth Boss. The four men fired a total of 41 rounds. Diallo was unarmed at the time of the shooting, and a firestorm of controversy erupted subsequent to the event as the circumstances of the shooting prompted outrage both within and outside New York City. Issues such as police brutality, racial profiling, and contagious shooting were central to the ensuing controversy.

The shooting took place at 1157 Wheeler Avenue in the Soundview section of The Bronx. The four officers involved were part of the now-defunct Street Crimes Unit. All of the officers were exonerated by jury trial of any wrongdoing.

Phillip Pannell was an African American teenager killed by Police Officer Gary Spath in Teaneck, New Jersey on April 10, 1990. Pannell was fleeing police when he was shot; Spath was later charged and acquitted on charges of manslaughter[1]. The case created controversy over the issues racial profiling and police brutality.

Rodney Glen King (born April 2, 1965 in Sacramento, California) is an African-American motorist driver who, in 1991 was stopped and then beaten by Los Angeles Police Department officers (Laurence Powell, Timothy Wind, Theodore Briseno and Sergeant Stacey Koon) after being chased for speeding. A bystander, George Holliday, videotaped much of the event from a distance. Part of the video was broadcast around the world and shows four LA police officers restraining and repeatedly striking a black man, while four to six other officers stand by.^[1] There is no part of the tape that shows Mr. King attacking the officers, as some have claimed.^[2]

The resulting public outrage raised tensions between the black community and the LAPD, and increased anger over police brutality and issues such as unemployment, racial tension, and poverty in the black community of South Central Los Angeles. The four officers were tried in a state court for using excessive force, but were acquitted. The annoucement of the acquittals sparked the 1992 Los Angeles riots

(from Wikipedia.com)

Leon A. Walker- leonwalker@cox.net

April 15, 2008

Lately I have been entertaining myself laughing at the national media and the Clinton Campaign. They are languishing in confusion over why Senator Barack Obama is destined to win the Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States. The analysis continues fail at predictions and the negative political tactics just won’t stick. They are absolutely dumbfounded. I will start by stating simply, that they are just too institutionally conditioned. The media pundits and traditional politicians who claim to have their finger on the political pulse of America have totally missed the mark. Totally!

The first massive mistake that the media and the Clintons have made is that they are convinced that on some level this contest can be negatively influenced by injecting race. In fact, the opposite is true. The one thing this contest has already clearly told us is that Senator Obama’s voters “are determined not to permit this to be about race”. Why? Because they absolutely do not see it that way. Many Black and White Americans just don’t see things thorough such a simplistic black and white lens anymore. The media and the Clinton’s cannot understand or accept this because they are locked in a myopic world and mindset that says this cannot be. You see they understand the racism, what they don’t understand is the absence of racism. The truth is, I only just figured this out myself. Being African American I started thinking about who Senator Barack Obama represents to me, and I believe many other Americans, regardless of their race.

In 1967 there was an award winning movie called “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” released, staring Sidney Poitier, Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. Poitier and Eleanor Parker (I believe) a White actress were a dating couple of different races and Tracy was her father. The movie was considered extremely controversial as Blacks and Whites lived for the most part, worlds apart socially in America at that time. There was racial separatism that would be unfathomable today. Fast forward to 2008 and consider these names: Derrick Jeeter, Mariah Carey, James Blake, Halley Barry, Tiger Woods and yes, Barack Obama. These names are intended to represent a miniscule number of examples of something that has taken on mammoth proportions in these United States of America. Just consider that all of the aforementioned are in their thirties and forties, meaning their parents are “Baby Boomers” and meaning also that those I have named have, or certainly could have children of their own. People of blended ethnicity are everywhere! I was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio but currently live in a relatively small town of sixty thousand people in Northwest Florida. Even here, you can scarcely go anywhere without encountering an inter-racial couple or a child of blended ethnicity.

Let’s take this one step further. Men and women of different races have been marrying and having children of blended ethnicity “in significant numbers” over the past forty years and at all socioeconomic levels. It follows then that they, and their children (now adults) have friends, peers, associates, coworkers and relatives of various races that admire, respect and love them. And now the third generation has arrived. There are kids adolescents and adults who look like Barack Obama all over the place. We have kids who look like Barack Obama at our Christmas and Thanksgiving gatherings, on our children’s, soccer and tee-ball teams and at their birthday parties and in classrooms and in our churches. Some are our children, nieces, nephews and grandchildren and they don’t look anything like us. America is undergoing a sweeping social change as the races blend and many of our artistic, intellectual and sports icons, across a broad spectrum are representative. Senator Obama is no exception.

Much of White America is voting for Senator Obama simply because they think he is a magnificent candidate. And I am convinced that his being Black has no bearing as it is just simply not of consequence due to education and the experiences and attitudes of obviously a great many White Americans today. This is a tremendous dynamic that transcends politics because there is no existing political model. These are uncharted waters politically and also dangerous waters for the traditionalist. First, they don’t see what is happening so they don’t understand why the cause and effect of injecting race is failing. Secondly, they don’t understand that you apparently can’t exploit a qualified person of blended ethnicity racially in politics today. It simply can’t be done without (in the case of Senator Obama) receiving the wrath of both sides of his ethnic voting blocks. His largest base includes blocks of young and older educated Whites that not only have close personal and professional associations with Blacks but who more importantly, just don’t see race through any demeaning or uncomfortable lens. The “race card” represents an insult or personal affront to them and they are intelligent enough to see and understand overt and covert negative politics versus reality.

Then there is the Black Community which essentially has two voting segments in my view. Those that support Senator Obama because he is a stellar candidate of tremendous achievement and impeccable credentials and of whom they are very proud. I absolutely do not believe there are significant of those who support him simply because he is Black or it’s finally our turn. Senator Obama does not fit that mold. Remember this is the guy that some said was not Black enough. That ploy failed as well. I do believe there is a very small segment of those who do not support him because he is not White (sad but true) or because they are envious or self serving. There may also be one or two Black Clinton supporters on the planet somewhere. There is one other very significant dynamic related to the Black Community social growth equation. They too are being more intensely exposed to White American culture in growing numbers. Particularly in the middle class and they share many of the same aforementioned attitudes and values. So the same relations, attitudes and associations that I addressed about Whites above, have also taken a comfortable hold in many Black families and communities. Additionally, with each new generation, (mixed ethnicity) is now becoming more of a comfortably normal byproduct of modern America. Most American Blacks have White bloodlines which (for many) represent a stain of oppression and slavery, and creates a basis for identifying exclusively with their African roots as the basis of our ethnic definition and proud culture. Many also grapple with this in the “mixed or biracial discussion”. Nonetheless, Senator Obama has unquestionably shown himself to be on solid and ethnic ground both internally and externally and has always been embraced by Black voters and the Black Community. A positive indicator of his prowess as a uniter.

I want to make it clear that I am not attempting to have a discussion about racism or civil rights. There are still Blacks and Whites and those of other ethnicities who remain rigid and disapproving simply on the basis of race. And there are those who are stuck in the same racial rut to the point that they can’t see the positive when it presents itself. And yes, there are still areas of racial disparity that require attention. There can be no question of that.

The opinion I am providing herein is not about the “race factor” in politics or this specific Democratic campaign. It is very pointedly about the lack thereof. Americans are interacting, changing, blending and becoming parts of White, Black and other ethnic families and communities and therefore having a visible positive impact on each other. Direct and personal impacts on a beneficial emotional and intellectual level. Change in this country has been significant in the past forty years and we the American people are now discernibly living our lives across cultural lines. This political season has produced a litmus test that no one intended but the results of which are undeniable.

What Senator Obama has accomplished in this political campaign says much about the man that he is. But more importantly, what Senator Obama has accomplished in this campaign speaks volumes about America! America is evolving and Americans wants change. The people have transcended race and united in support of the candidate of their choice. These same people are appalled at the condition of this nation and are galvanized in demanding change.

There is no media analysis that could have predicted or altered this, not even with a zillion broadcasts or video loops. There is nothing in the traditional political bag of tricks that can impact or manipulate this. For ratings and votes, they were determined that at some point they would be able to make it about race. But the American people created the perfect storm and the Clintons and the media never saw it coming.

Somebody send Hillary and Bill a DVD of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”.

L. A. Walker

© Leon A. Walker, April 15, 2008

While Hillary is fighting to become the first woman president, Tamar Manasseh is fighting just as hard to break another barrier for her race and her sex. She is studying to become one of the nations first black female Rabbis.

Ladies and Gentlemen of America… please stop allowing yourselves to be fooled. There is an immediate and dangerous terrorist plot unfolding before your very eyes. America is being set up to be destroyed. All that you hold true and dear is about to be taken away in a flash of fire and agony.

There’s a half-negro attempting to take over the White House.

He will bring terrorists from all Muslim countries onto our shores for the sole purpose of destroying the America our forefathers built, toiled and died for. Don’t be fooled. He is no Martin Luther King. He will not follow what we prescribe him to do. He’s dangerous and needs to be stopped. If you believe in America… stop Barack Obama.

As strange as it seems for this to be written, this is exactly what Anderson Cooper, Bill and Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Lou Dobbs and just about every reporter, media correspondent, political pundit, shoot, just about every person in control of our airwaves want you to believe.

If that weren’t true, why are we attacking Sen. Obama for telling the truth? As shown in CNN’s recent programming, though Sen. Obama clearly and confidently answered all of the questions put forth to him his orator continued to SHOW her frustration at the fact he would not crack under her belligerent questions.

Why are they still reporting that he “lost” Texas? Why are they still talking about a retired pastors statements? Why America? Why are we allowing the media to sway our feelings toward fear? What are they truly afraid of?

Sen. Hillary Clinton had the absolute audacity to call Sen. Obama elitist for stating the truth about small town America, where poverty is ever-increasing. Where jobs are being lost at alarming rates; where health care is impossible, wages are shrinking but food, gas and all other amenities are becoming increasingly more expensive? In a world that is watching all of its medical and educational funding being cut to kill our children in a war WE SHOULD NOT BE IN.

Are main concern is that the “Tiger Woods of Politics” is trying to blackface the White House.

Of course this is just a ploy to take our hearts and minds away from the important facts of this election, and America’s future. The status quo is not working. Period. The presidency is supposed to be of the people, by the people. Sen. Clinton, ex-President Clinton, Sen. McCain, FOX news, and all other media outlets want us to realize one fact. The people mean rich white people. Not US people, not the United States of American People, their kind of people. The big business, oil-producing, Yale and Princeton affording, 2.5 million-dollar home purchasing people, where excellent health care and excellent education affordability is of no concern.

Why else do they continue to raise the color flag every time Sen. Obama is addressed. The media believes they are being fair and impartial, but to whom? It has been highlighted and documented the inaccuracies of Sen. Clintons claims of experience. The down-right exaggerations of seeing battle, the omissions of just how intricate she was in democratic processes overseas have been shown, and yet we continue to allow her to control our airwaves with her nonsense. During the course of her campaign the great respect this writer once had for her has been thoroughly obliterated.

There is something bigger happening here. Race issues that have not been spoken of in 20 years are now all we hear. Even hip hop music message boards are splitting into race wars based on the fear and misunderstanding that we NEVER TRULY HEALED AS A COUNTRY. And for Pat Buchanan to say Black Americans should be grateful for slavery is like saying Jewish Americans should be praising Hitler for the holocaust. To us it IS that serious.

And yet, there is nothing spoken about that madness, but Rev. Wright is all over the news for his comments. Right or wrong, he is allowed free speech and though some may not like his comments because they truly don’t know that the other side understands his words, whether they are mad because his truths hit too close to home and allow for dialogue America truly isn’t ready for, or if they just don’t like him, matters not,. If Buchanan can say what he says, why can’t Wright?

Fear campaigning my people, fear mongering, and fear tactics are what’s separating us from seeing the truth.

What is the truth, simple. Whether we like it or not, America is changing. Americans are not the reflection of what they were 20-30 years ago. To elect a person to lead us who cannot see the change is to say we don’t respect the change. We are archaic in our decision-making and we do not want to truly come together as a united country, all of its people together.

I am not an “Obamaite” or any nifty colloquialism you can ascertain to dismiss these writings. I am a husband, a father and a person struggling within this economic system that is crippling my loved ones. I am an ex Army Sergeant with friends and family still caught up in a war we should not be in. I am black, and I am America.

Are you America? If so, tell these people controlling our airwaves to STICK TO THE TRUTH. WE ARE NOT IN A COMMUNIST DICTATORSHIP WHERE WE ARE TOLD HOW TO THINK. ALLOW US TO VOTE CLEARLY FOR OUR COUNTRY’S FUTURE.

If not, we will have 100 years of more of the same. That is not what I want for my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Do you?

My Brothers and Sisters,

The “editorial opinion” below was taken from the below link on craigslist.org. Apparently, though skewed opinion is floating around the internet and it is truly appalling to me. Being a black man married to a beautiful Nigerian woman of dark complexion and one who has been raised by a beautiful black American single mother and he who has 2 beautiful sisters find this testimonial to be false and extremely crass.

Unfortunately, due to the immense proportion of our sistren in the adult industry, the amount of single mothers in our culture and the amount of our brethren who date “outside” our culture, could there be any truth to this madness?

Here is the link and the quote. Please let me know what you think.

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/rnr/642308315.html

“There are very few attractive black women to begin with. I am talking about truly black, not red bone or Dalmatians. I mean 90% of the women are bald, have skin issues, have chicken legs with cottage cheese thighs. Very few black women actually look good with a fat ass. The average black woman has to work 10 times harder to look presentable. Otherwise they look like they got dipped into Crisco and just woke up. There is nothing special about a black woman, unless you have a fetish for them.
It may sound racist but even their own males don’t find them attractive. The common answer to that is well black woman are strong and don’t put up with shit. No the real answer is that black women are just not attractive to males, of any race.”