BlackWater Mitt Romney

For you black Republicans that will be voting Republican in the 2008 Presidential elections, consider this. if you plan to vote for Mitt Romney, you will be voting for BlackWater, USA. You see BlackWater USA has Mitt Romney in their hip pocket. As Reported by Politico, The top counterterrorism and national security adviser to Romney’s presidential campaign is Cofer Black, vice chairman of Blackwater USA. No wonder as Politico reports, Mitt Romney has remained mum on the alleged killing of 11 Iraqis by a company where one of his top advisers serves as vice chairman, even as the case has led to an uproar in Baghdad and Washington. More HERE.

Reader Comments

Jena 6 - when many white liberals and white bigots seem to agree - strange fruit

READER COMMENT:

From Dawn Deskins

Why are you shocked by this apathy or indifference? This is what happens when you blindly give your support to one political party without asking much of anything in return. Decades ago when "radical" Black leaders proposed a Black national party, to force both parties to compete for our vote, it was dismissed as impractical, lunacy and even racist. We made the collective decision that our best interests would be served by committing to one of the two major parties--racist and racist light. What demands have been made of the Democratic Party that would compel it to be more atuned or pro-active to our needs and interests? We certainly haven't demanded that they do more to elevate African Americans to national leadership. 2 governors and 4 African American senators in 400 years! 10 damn decades of COMPLETE loyalty to the Democratic Party and we can't get a pardon for these kids from a Democratic governor NOT seeking re-election! Talk about zero return on investment. Instead, year-after-year-after-year, we give complete dominion to White Party leaders over our interests and lives. We can't blame anyone but ourselves for not using our votes more strategically. We don't influence elections; we only help secure nominations. We get pimped every four years without asking for even a small percentage of the cut and now we want to complain that pimp is not willing to kiss us when he fucks us?

The appalling silence of the good people.

Rewind: 09.19.06

One year ago.

"Where are they now"





"History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people."

- Martin Luther King, Jr.


Remember Clinton and white Liberal bloggers? Remember how they met in Harlem for a "private conversation" and invited one black blogger who was out of town and could not make it.

I guess this same group has been Missing In Action (MIA) regarding The Jena 6 and many other issues impacting blacks, Latinos, Native Americans over the past year.

Jena 6 - when many white liberals and white bigots seem to agree - strange fruit

OK, I'm an old school dude. I grew in Boston and as a teenager attended anti-war marches during the Vietnam era. I used to go down to the Boston Commons. It was a sea of white college kids faces, and it seemed like I was the only black person at the anti war rallies. That was then, this is now.

September 20, 2007 Jena, LA. A sea of black folks and a few good people of other races and nationalities, all joining in to say enough is enough.

But what happen to the media, what happen to the left wing bloggers? Why were only black folks Blogging for Justice? Why only black radio, NPR and Pacifica Radio talking Jena 6 and black justice? Where was the so called liberal media?




Oh, I guess they were blogging for justice for Paris, Lindsey, Brittney, oh and let's blog some hate for OJ?

Social justice, criminal justice, human rights, civil rights, what is that?

As blogger Vanessa: unplugged said, "This case of the Jena Six began almost a year ago and the media coverage has been abysmal, at best." But she is not the only one Pam of Pam's House Blends' talks about the lack of coverage in the "progressive blogosphere."



But it's just not black bloggers or the AfroSphere that notice the absence liberal bloggers talking about Jena 6. As an example Media Matters noted "Hardball addressed the so-called Jena Six case for the first time on September 19, but the report focused only on Rev. Jesse Jackson's reported comment that Sen. Barack Obama was "acting like he's white" in his response to the matter. By contrast, the same edition of Hardball spent nearly 14 minutes on the O.J. Simpson case. The September 20 edition of Hardball featured no coverage of the Jena Six despite a thousand-plus march in Jena that day."

OK , so you say what is the point? Why bring this up. We had our Day of Blogging for Justice to focus attention on the disparate, shameful punishment of six black students in Jena, LA. You had your Jena Day, why are you critical of liberal bloggers? Why are Pam's House Blend, Field Negro, and Jack and Jill Politics and so many other Black bloggers wondering why white liberals bloggers are Missing in Action?

I guess it's because the black bloggers and the AfroSphere has wondered for sometime why white bloggers and white media have been MIA. Afro-netizen broke it down to a level anyone, including liberal bloggers and the media should be able to understand regarding why we protest. "We protest because the boys of Jena 6 and their families need to know they are not alone. We protest because the Jena travesty is not about a nooses that were hung on a now-felled tree, but the noose of injustice that remains around the neck of Black America. We protest because few people know "state-sponsored terrorism" like Blackfolk. We protest because Jena is not a rural Southern town, it is a state of mind -- not from the 1950s, but of the here and now in every American town, suburb and city from South to North and sea to shining sea." More HERE.




But I for one think that there is something going on in America right now, that is problematic. It appears there is an unwillingness or inability on the part of liberal media and bloggers to stand up and report, blog, or protest. It seems that liberals in the media and liberal bloggers have forgotten some of the words of one of the greatest American's of all time, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King when he said, "He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it."

But that's right many liberal bloggers and many in the liberal media only believe in Martin Luther King, when it's convenient for them, or on his birthday.

Will left wing bloggers join in an effort to Free The Jena 6. Only time will tell.

JENA LA. - CNN Continues In-Depth Coverage on Racially Charged Events in Jena, La.

Thousands Rally in La. to Support 'Jena 6'

Top Correspondents Lead CNN’s Live Reports and Special Investigations Unit Documentary about ‘Jena 6’

CNN, which has led broadcast networks in coverage of the “Jena 6,” will originate much of its programming this week from Jena, La., where people from around the nation will gather on Thursday, Sept. 20, for a day of demonstrations.

On Thursday, CNN’s American Morning, CNN Newsroom and Anderson Cooper 360° will carry live reports from Jena on all of the latest developments. At 8 p.m. (ET), CNN will premiere a one-hour documentary, CNN: Special Investigations Unit – Judgment in Jena, an investigation reported by Kyra Phillips examining the complex issues of this case. In addition to Phillips, the network has moved Sean Callebs, Tony Harris, David Mattingly and Susan Roesgen to the town for live reports.

For Judgment in Jena, Phillips reports on racial tensions within the small Louisiana town where whites and blacks have existed in the sort of separate-yet-civil existence typical of many rural Southern towns. Phillips interviews local residents, who have split largely along color lines in their view of the students. She will ride along with radio personality Michael Baisden and protestors on a bus from Alexandria, La., to Jena.

Phillips secured exclusive interviews with District Attorney Reed Walters, who decided to pursue the adult charges for the students, and with family members of the accused. In addition, the investigation includes an interview with the mother of the white student who was beaten, and an interview with U.S. Attorney Donald Washington, who explains the charges against the Jena 6 and why hate crimes charges were not applied against the noose hangers.

“The events in Jena have become a national touchstone in race relations,” said Jon Klein, president CNN/U.S., “As we do with all major stories, CNN is mobilizing massive resources to cover this story from every angle.”

Roesgen was among the first national reporters to investigate events surrounding the “Jena 6” – five Jena High School students and a sixth student who were arrested and charged as adults following the beating of a white student. The beating followed a series of incidents that began with nooses being hung from a campus tree. The original charges against some of the Jena 6 included attempted murder, although some of these were later reduced. Viewers can playback video from the network’s early reporting on this coverage at www.CNN.com/video using the keyword “Jena.”

Also on Thursday, Callebs, one of CNN’s New Orleans-based correspondents, will report on Jena’s preparations for the day’s demonstrations for American Morning beginning at 6 a.m. (ET). Harris will join Callebs at 9 a.m. and co-anchor the morning CNN Newsroom broadcast from Jena. Roesgen will continue coverage from various locations for CNN’s afternoon and evening broadcasts. Mattingly will contribute live reports from Jena for Anderson Cooper 360°.

CNN.com Live will carry all reports throughout the day of the key events.

This week’s extensive coverage is the culmination of CNN’s continuous investigative reporting on these events over the last few months. In July, Roesgen updated her original reporting with the felony sentencing of Mychal Bell of the Jena 6. To view this report, please visit: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2007/07/01/roesgen.la.jena.6.update.affl.

To view Roesgen’s report on Bell’s overturned conviction, please visit: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2007/09/14/jenna.six.overturned.cnn.

On Sunday, Sept. 16, CNN's Suzanne Malveaux interviewed Bernice King and Martin King III on what the case may indicate about the state of modern race relations. For video of this interview, please visit www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2007/09/17/nr.king.intv.CNN.

David Fitzpatrick is the senior executive producer and Steve Robinson is managing editor for Judgment in Jena. Mark Nelson is the vice president and senior executive producer of CNN Productions. Jody Gottlieb is the executive director of CNN Productions.

CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world’s most extensively syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.

Jena 6 - Chicagoans Travel To Jena while Obama just makes statements

CHICAGO -- Tens of thousands of people are expected to rally in the small town of Jena, Louisiana, where the alleged beating of a white student and the arrests of six black students have made national headlines.

AAPP: One has to wonder why Barack Obama is missing in action?




While John Edwards plans to march?








Not good Barack Obama, Not Good at all.

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Chicagoans Travel To Show Support For Jena 6

The case has gotten so much attention, that the Rev. Al Sharpton and the Rev. Jesse Jackson have climbed onboard. Jackson, according to the AP, is going so far as to say Sen. Barack Obama was "acting like he's white" in what Jackson said has been a tepid response to the case.Former alderman Dorothy Tillman said she is supporting the Jena 6 as well, and is "happy to be going to Louisiana to join people around the country."As for Obama's response to Jackson's comments, a statement said, "Outrage over an injustice like the Jena 6 isn't a matter of black and white. It's a matter of right and wrong. We should stand as one nation in opposition to this and any injustice.""It's not so much white vs. black. It's justice vs. injustice," said marcher Drew Messinger. "It's a perfect example of mainstream media ignoring it."

More HERE

As one writer said, Senator Obama's presidential ambitions may rest on how he responds to the trials in Jena, La., of six schoolboys accused of attempted murder in a case that has become a test of whether racialism still stalks the Southern states.

AAPP: But he should not ignore his own people.

Jena 6 - Jena Six

Jena 6 National Day of Action: Sept. 20th 2007

Today, as thousands descend on Jena to press for justice, you can take action in your own community to support the Jena 6. You can attend a vigil or rally near you, start one of your own, pass out flyers to spread the word, or make a few phone calls to increase pressure on public officials.

Click >HERE< to learn more.

More you can do

National Day of Action: Sept. 20th

This Thursday, as thousands descend on Jena to press for justice, you can take action in your own community to support the Jena 6. You can attend a vigil or rally near you, start one of your own, pass out flyers to spread the word, or make a few phone calls to increase pressure on public officials.

Click here to learn more.

Bloggers' Roundtable on NPR

Check out the Bloggers' Roundtable on NPR this week. Farai Chideya talked with Juliette Ochieng of Baldilocks; Lynne Johnson, senior editor of the online magazine Fast Company, who also blogs on her personal site; and Baratunde Thurston, who blogs for several sites, including Huffington Post and Jack & Jill Politics.

HERE

This week, the panel talked about O.J. Simpson legal drama, the GOP snubbing black voters in the upcoming debate in Baltimore, MD. They also talked about the private security firm Blackwater getting kicked out of Iraq.

Obama "Acting White"

I have accused many people of Acting White over my life. I have even said that blogger James C. Collier of the blog, of all things, Acting White, truly writes like he is whiter than white.



Rev. Jesee Jackson is right, if reports are correct about jackso calling out Presidential candidate Barack Obama as "acting white" and not responding strong enough over the controverial Jena, Louisiana case involving six youths on trial for their lives.

Jackson is also right Sen. Barack Obama's "tepid response" to six black juveniles’ arrest on attempted-murder charges in Jena, La. is not what I want to see out of my candidate. Jackson is right, “Jena is a defining moment, just like Selma was a defining moment.”

It's too bad Obama won't be in attendance. But, then again Jesse and I could be wrong. Obama and James Collier could be right. What do you think?

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For more discussion and opinion on this and other issues Click HERE - visit and join your new link to African American Opinion and Social Networking on the web.

UPDATE: But then again. At some point you have to stand for something, even after your college education and a degree.

Republicans' say Republicans' "Acting Stupid"

"For Republicans to consistently refuse to engage in front of an African American or Latino audience is an enormous error."

- Former House speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.)
epulicans
Source: WaPo

"We sound like we don't want immigration; we sound like we don't want black people to vote for us," said former congressman Jack Kemp (N.Y.), who was the GOP vice presidential nominee in 1996. "What are we going to do -- meet in a country club in the suburbs one day? If we're going to be competitive with people of color, we've got to ask them for their vote."

Making matters worse, some Republicans believe, is that the decision to bypass the Morgan State forum comes after all top GOP candidates say McCain declined invitations this month to a debate on Univision, the most-watched Hispanic television network in the United States. The event was eventually postponed. Jack and Jill Politics is following this story as well.

More HERE

Megan Williams - Torture Victim - Tortured Again - This time by West Virginia Criminal Justice System

AfroSphere Alert:

You remember the reports of Megan Williams being tortured and raped by 6 people for at least a week.

You know how she was a victim of repeated racial slurs while her captors sexually abused, beat and stabbed her.

Now we learn from the West Virgina Gazette that Megan Williams, the Charleston woman who has been the center of international media attention after her torturous ordeal in a Logan County home earlier this month, was arraigned Tuesday afternoon in Kanawha County on outstanding warrants. Williams is being arraigned in Kanawha County Magistrate Court on at least seven charges, mostly for allegedly obtaining under false pretenses and writing bad checks, according to court records. She also has an outstanding warrant from Summers County for failing to appear at a court hearing. Before the arraignment, Williams was placed in a holding cell. She screamed and cried for her mother.

More HERE

As black blogger Adrianne of black women in europe has noted the police are making the victim look like she deserved being tortured. I agree with Adrianne, obtaining under false pretenses, writing bad checks and failure to appear. Hardly the activities of a hardened criminal but perhaps a petty thief? One question is who will turn over all the rocks on top of her attackers?

For more discussion and opinion on this and other issues Click HERE - visit and join your new link to African American Opinion and Social Networking on the web.

Jena 6 - Virtual March

I plan to join the Internet Virtual March In Support Of Jena 6.

Watch for my virtual march picture later today.

Concerned Blogosphere Launches Virtual March In Support Of Jena 6

Contact: Daz Wilson theultravioletunderground@gmail.com or Yobachi Boswell 615-478-5204.

Afrospher Jena 6 Coalition -- Worldwide Web -- September 17, 2007 The Blogosphere recently took matters into their own hands when they saw the lack of coverage for the Jena 6 case in mainstream media. A day of blogging was coordinated with the intent of magnifying the voices of 'the people', while also requesting that the mainstream media share the story of miscarriage of justice that has taken place in the Jena 6 case, with their mass audiences. A press release was issued to notify the media, and on Thursday August 30, 2007 the Day of Blogging for Justice (http://www.pr.com/press-release/50358) took place. On the very same day of the event, MSNBC stepped up and aired a 5 minute segment on the Jena 6 case. They also continued to cover the story online.




The Blogosphere is again coordinating another show of support and concern with an online Virtual March which will act as an unofficial companion and alternative to the Michael Baisden and Al Shaprton lead March in Jena Louisiana on September 20, 2007, for those who cannot make it to the physical March and also for those who wish to double and triple their efforts.

Interested bloggers, webmasters, and social networking profile owners are asked to take a picture of themselves holding a sign that reads 'Free the Jena 6' and other messages. As an added measure, if possible, Virtual Marchers are asked to wear black as Marchers will be doing on September 20th. The digital photos can then be posted to visible sidebar areas on their blogs, sites, profiles and anywhere else they feel it will send a constant message that 'the people' are standing against racism in the justice system and elsewhere. Virtual Marchers are asked to keep displaying the pictures on their profiles until true justice has been served for all of the Jena 6, as a show of solidarity.

Those who don't have digital cameras can check with their local office supply stores. Most office supply stores will scan a photo and save it to a disk that can hold the file needed to upload to the internet. After that, Image hosting services like Imageshack.us can store the photos and generate a code Virtual Marchers can use on their profiles. If there are no office supply stores in the area, other Virtual Marchers who have access to scanners will likely accept photos through the mail, scan them, then email them back.



'The hope is that the Virtual March in addition to other acts of solidarity will stand as a message that 'the people' are aware of the evils these young men have encountered, and are also aware that theirs is not truly an isolated incident. This March is therefore symbolic of our refusal as aware individuals to allow these evils to befall people of color, or people targeted for any reason of systematic prejudice. Many have shed blood and stood strong against tyranny, and it is up to us to honor those sacrifices,' Advises Daz, a coordinator of the Virtual March. Go Here for some blogs that may participate in the campaign: http://www.blackperspective.net/index.php/jena-6-page/day-of-blogging-for-justice/

More information can obtained by typing 'Virtual March' in search at: www.ultravioletunderground.com , and also by visiting www.blackperspective.com

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For more discussion and opinion on this and other issues Click HERE - visit and join your new link to African American Opinion and Social Networking on the web.

DC Kid Shot in Head - By OFF DUTY DC COP

Off-Duty D.C. Officer Fatally Shoots Youth

Why are our babies dying like this? Sounds like a cover-up coming.

Check out what the "black mayor" of DC says to the mother.

"We'll do a full investigation," Fenty said. "If I wanted to sweep this under the rug, I wouldn't be here. I would have stayed downtown."

AAPP: Thanks you Mr. Mayor for your heart felt concern, you are such a great communicator.

The 14-year-old youth shot last night by an off-duty D.C. police officer in Southeast Washington has been identified

Teen Killed After Firing at Police Officers

Videos

The 14-year-old youth shot last night by an off-duty D.C. police officer in Southeast Washington has been identified as Deonté Rawlings.

The officer shot the youth while searching for a minibike that he believed had been stolen from his home, D.C. Police chief Cathy L. Lanier said. She would not identify the officer.

D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) went from a morning news conference with Lanier to the Rawlings home in the 3900 block of Cole Boulevard SE, where more than a dozen distraught family members confronted him with angry questions.

"Why do you train police officers to shoot him in the brain?" the youth's father, Charles Rawlings asked.

Carolyn Rawlings, 51, a cousin of Charles Rawlings, said the family doesn't believe that the youth shot at the officer. "If there was a gun, the police would have it by now," she said.

"We'll do a full investigation," Fenty said. "If I wanted to sweep this under the rug, I wouldn't be here. I would have stayed downtown."

Charles Rawlings said his son had transferred just this week from Hart Middle School to Ballou Senior High School. The elder Rawlings, who runs his own cleaning service, said he relied on his son to fill out papers and documents for him. He was the smart one in the family, he said. He also said his son mowed neighbors' lawns. More HERE

Formidable AfroSphere

You remember this post? The Trouble with Francis - Whitosphere vs Blackosphere
How About this post? "White-News" vs. the Blackosphere | culturekitchen
Oh yeah and don't forget this post:Blogging While Brown, Part III

and so many more...

The origins of “AfroSpear” started from a discussion a group of us had in regards to developing a community of African/Black progressive minded bloggers. From further discussions it developed into an idea to create a diasporic-wide think tank type blog comprising of 6 bloggers: 3 women and 3 men. The vision was that it would focus on discussing issues, exchanging ideas and creating strategies, with the objective of developing concrete and viable solutions to tackle the concerns relating to those of African descent worldwide.

The 6 we initially started with had developed a relationship by exchanging ideas and having discussions and respectful debates on each others blogs. We didn’t always agree, but what we had in common was our love for our community and a commitment to the progress of those of African descent, both near and far. We came from 4 different countries on 3 continents. We brought a variety of experiences, perspectives, ideas, beliefs and values in an effort to foster understanding, wisdom, knowledge and strength.

So we are currently and forever will be a work in progress. Standing still is not an option! When one stands still, you actually start moving backwards, you get left behind as others move forward. We don’t claim to have all the answers but we are searching. We want to be a part of, connected to and add our collective voice to the variety of other Afrocentric/Black individuals, cells, conglomerations and collectives out in the AfroSphere. To the best and the brightest for the progress of our people.

Moderators and Contributors:

Adrianne

Asabagna

Aulelia

BelizeBound

Field Negro

Kizzie

Lubangakene aka thefreeslave

Tafari

Well, that was the beginning of many conversations, smart work, that has lead us to where we are today. Here is a article that provides us an opportunity to stop for a minute and look back and praise our higher power, and say to each other good work, yet we have much work to do.

Check out this power article on our formidable AfroSphere:

By Howard Witt | Tribune senior correspondent

As formidable as it is amorphous, this new African-American blogosphere, which scarcely even existed a year ago, now comprises hundreds of interlinked blogs and tens of the thousands of followers who within a matter of a few weeks collected 220,000 petition signatures—and more than $130,000 in donations for legal fees—in support of six black Jena teenagers who are being prosecuted on felony battery charges for beating a white student.

"Ten years ago this couldn't have happened," said Sharpton, who said he first heard about the Jena case on the Internet. "You didn't have the Internet and you didn't have black blogs and you didn't have national radio shows. Now we can talk to all of black America every day. We've been able to form our own underground railroad of information, and when everybody else looks up, it's already done." Read More HERE

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It started through communication like this: message from Francis: Let the World Know that the Jena March Goes on! and March in Jena, Jena Six Black-Out Day: September 20

To build the AfroSphere

• • 2nd Book of Asabagna
  • Acting White
  • Africa Beat
  • African American Health Network
  • African American Opinion
  • African American Political Pundit
  • African Diaspora Online
  • African Executive
  • Africana News
  • Afronary.Com
  • AfroNetizen
  • Afrosphere Bloggers Association
  • American Journal of Color Arousal
  • BelizeBound
  • Black Agenda Report
  • Black and Christian
  • Black Commentator
  • Black Looks
  • Black on Campus
  • Black Star Journal
  • Black Women in Europe
  • BlackWebPortal
  • Blog Africa
  • Blogging Black
  • Booker Rising
  • Bronze Trinity
  • Burundi Youth
  • Caged Lion
  • Caribbean Beat
  • Caribbean Blog List
  • Caribbean Net News
  • Chancellorfiles
  • Charcoal Ink
  • Chippla's Weblog
  • Church Boy
  • Conversations
  • Daana Lost in Translation
  • Dallas South Blog
  • Diary of a PHD Student
  • Dogon Village
  • Double Consciousness
  • Dr. Lester K. Spence
  • Eddie Griffin
  • Electronic Village
  • Elle, Ph.D.
  • Ensayn Reality
  • Exodus Mentality
  • Field Negro
  • Fort Wayne African-American Independent Woman
  • Francis L. Holland
  • Global Voices Online
  • Having Read The Fine Print
  • Heber Browm, III
  • Human Beams
  • Jack and Jill Politics
  • Jikomboe
  • La Belle Noire
  • Le Pangolin
  • Lies Before Breakfast
  • Lyrically Yours
  • Maat's Feather
  • Mirror On America
  • Moveable Feast
  • My Urban Report
  • Native Son
  • Nuvision for a Nuday
  • Obyno
  • Ore's Notes
  • PlezWorld
  • Poefrika
  • Progress at all Cost
  • Prometheus 6
  • Refined One
  • Shakazulu
  • Tafari
  • Temple 3
  • Terry Howcott
  • The African American
  • The Disputed Truth
  • The Hutchinson Political Report
  • The Jose Vilson
  • The Way I See It
  • thefreeslave
  • There... Already
  • Thin Black Duke
  • Tony Allen and Ann Brown
  • Tribute to Black Women
  • Undercover Black Man
  • Wealth Weekly
  • What An African Woman Thinks
  • WhatAboutOurDaughters
  • Wholeheartedly Sudaniya
  • Within The Black Community
  • Yeyeolade
  • Young Black Professional Guide
  
  
• And we Continue to build!
  

The GOP don't like black people

Hat Tip: Huffington Post

2007 GOP Won't Even Talk to Black Folks

I guess Fred Thompson and his Grand "Old" Party don't see "2007 as the Year of the Black Republican." In fact, it appears that Fred Thompson and his Grand "Old" Party see 2007 as a year for "old" white Republicans standing their ground and preparing an old fashioned dish of classic old school race politics for black folks to eat. More HERE

UPDATE: Wapo is reporting that the debate no-shows are worrying GOP Leaders

Candidates Are Urged to Attend Forums Sponsored by Minorities

WaPo says, Key Republican leaders are encouraging the party's presidential candidates to rethink their decision to skip presidential debates focusing on issues important to minorities, fearing a backlash that could further erode the party's standing with black and Latino voters.

The leading contenders for the Republican nomination have indicated they will not attend the "All American Presidential Forum" organized by black talk show host Tavis Smiley, scheduled for Sept. 27 at Morgan State University in Baltimore and airing on PBS. Former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, former senator Fred D. Thompson (Tenn.) and Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) all cited scheduling conflicts in forgoing the debate. The top Democratic contenders attended a similar event in June at Howard University.

"We sound like we don't want immigration; we sound like we don't want black people to vote for us," said former congressman Jack Kemp (N.Y.), who was the GOP vice presidential nominee in 1996. "What are we going to do -- meet in a country club in the suburbs one day? If we're going to be competitive with people of color, we've got to ask them for their vote."

Making matters worse, some Republicans believe, is that the decision to bypass the Morgan State forum comes after all top GOP candidates save McCain declined invitations this month to a debate on Univision, the most-watched Hispanic television network in the United States. The event was eventually postponed.

"For Republicans to consistently refuse to engage in front of an African American or Latino audience is an enormous error," said former House speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.), who has not yet ruled out a White House run himself. "I hope they will reverse their decision and change their schedules. I see no excuse -- this thing has been planned for months, these candidates have known about it for months. It's just fundamentally wrong. Any of them who give you that scheduling-conflict answer are disingenuous. That's baloney." More HERE

Bloggers Round Table

Check out 2007 Black Weblog Award winner Gina McCauley, educator Michael Fauntroy, and writer David Mills as they held it down on NPR's Bloggers Round Table. Another great conversation on News & Notes, for September 12, 2007 when they discussed Cornel West and rapper Mos Def's debate about current events on "Real Time with Bill Maher." They also discussed comedian Eddie Griffin's use of the N-word, and developments in the Jena 6 case.

Great program Chideya and producers of Bloggers Round Table. Hat Tip to Gina, Michael and David. Please check it our readers and listen in to NPR.

Get Linked to Web Assets Mentioned in This Segment

Black Bloggers Are Sick of BET and 'Gangsta Crap' Music

AAPP says: Well it looks like black bloggers are more than pissed off and are not just sitting around waiting for others to speak up and take action against gangsta rap. The AfroSphere Bloggers Association is taking strong stand against what they call 'Gangsta Crap' music.

Check out what the AfroSphere Bloggers Association has to say and what it plans to do:



(New York): Black Bloggers have united to battle mainstream music and entertainment fat-cats who profit off the stereotypical, sexist, and racist exploitation of African American people. Their main targets are Black Entertainment Television (BET), who they call 'Black Exploitation Television', and gangsta rappers such as 50cent, Snoop Dog, The Game, and Cam'ron. These artists produce music bloggers have branded 'gangsta crap'.

Gangsta rap regularly glorifies sexism, the n-word, profanities, violence, drug use and dealing, sexism, and the dehumanization of Black men and women. Gangsta rap videos and stereotype-filled shows are the programming staples of BET.

"BET and hip hop have gone down hill. They were once inspirations. Now they purvey some of the most harmful anti-Black sentiments you will ever see or hear, and this has become a representation of mainstream Black culture," says Bronze Trinity of the Afrosphere Bloggers Association (ABA). ABA is coordinating the Afrosphere Accurate Images campaign against BET and gangsta rap.

ABA member, Wayne Hicks criticized, "BET was an inspirational idea when it was first created. Tremendous shows providing news and information for the Black community. Today, BET is an embarrassment for the Black community. It is something that we hide from our children. Enough is enough". ABA bloggers want widespread changes in the television and music
entertainment industries. They want BET to stop airing videos where half-naked women are objectified, Black men are shown as 'thugs' and 'pimps', and street violence, illegal drugs, and gang activity is glorified. The want the n-word and sexist epithets to be be censored when children under 18 are likely to be watching. ABA also wants radio stations to stop playing racist, violent, and sexist music, for mainstream record labels and artists to stop producing such music, and for positive/conscious hip hop to become the mainstream. "It's time to rise above the corrupted caricatures painted onto the Black community, and reach within ourselves with self love and respect", says ABA blogger Daz Wilson.

However the bloggers understand the fine line between artistic expression and free speech. Carole took a pledge against racist and sexist hip hop on her blog but stated, "I believe that artists and performers are free to speak their own minds. I'm not against free speech. But honestly, I wish there are folks who were a bit more responsible in their speech to kids
because most kids are pretty undiscerning".

The non-profit blogger group is battling media executives and multi-millionaire artists using internet activism in the form of blogs, message boards, email, and online petitions. On the ABA website http://solutionsforourpeople.wordpress.com, the group suggests taking a pledge against sexist and racist hip hop, buying conscious hip hop from artists like Common, Mos Def, and Talib Kweli, advertising conscious artists on blogs, and requesting more radio play time for these artists. They also provide anti-BET stickers, instructions to boycott radio, television, and
website sponsors, and numerous petitions so bloggers can show their support.

This is not just an American concern according to ABA member Adrianne, "Living overseas allows one to see how influential American pop culture is. Even in Sweden I see the young kids listening to and emulating the hip hop performers. Black artists do not need to import negative images of Black women around the world". Other international members have reported
stereotypes and negative behaviors caused by gangsta hip hop and television programming that is broadcast around the world. ABA strongly supports recent activism of other groups such as What About Our Daughters blog, the Enough is Enough Campaign, and the National Action
Network's Day of Outrage Against the Music Industry. "The time has come for us to take back our image and for Black people to accept responsibility for the role they play in denigrating our own image," proposed Bronze Trinity.

Contact Information: The Solutions Blog http://solutionsforourpeople.wordpress.com
Bronze Trinity at bronzetrinity@hotmail.com
Adrianne at http://blackwomenineurope.blogspot.com/
Carole at http://www.darkparables.blogspot.com
Daz Wilson at http://www.ultravioletunderground.com
Wayne Hicks at http://electronicvillage.blogspot.com/

BlackWater USA From Iraq to New Orleans

For Iraqi's Blood Is Thicker Than Blackwater. Blackwater USA a private military company (ie mercenary) and security firm. Founded in 1997 by Erik Prince and Al Clark, has been banned from working in Iraq after the fatal killing of civilians in Iraq. As you can see from this YouTube Report by Jeremy Scahill, he describes the rise of Blackwater Shadow U.S. Army that has been getting paid big time by the U.S. government.



The Center for American Progress Action Fund americanprogressaction.org reports on how the Iraq's Interior Ministry has banned the American private security firm, Blackwater USA, from operating in Iraq after eight civilians were killed after Blackwater members guarding a State Department motorcade allegedly responded to gunshots with open fire. In 2003, the Bush administration awarded the firm a $21.3 million no-bid contract to provide security for then-Amb. Paul Bremer. In 2006, the company moved from solely providing private security details "to a more 'overt combat role,' essentially becoming an army for hire." Though dozens of Blackwater mercenaries have been killed or wounded in Iraq, notably the four guards who were killed in Fallujah in 2004, the Pentagon does not include these causalities in its official tally. Iraq's Interior Ministry has indicated it will investigate Sunday's incident and press charges against the individuals involved. It is unclear whether the Iraqi government has the authority to prosecute Blackwater employees. As the AP notes, "Unlike soldiers, they are not bound by the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Under a special provision secured by American-occupying forces, they are exempt from prosecution by Iraqis for crimes committed there."

Let's see who gets involved in a coverup on this one. Have any ideas?

BlackWater USA From Iraq to New Orleans. Is your city next?