Bloggers RoundTable

Putting a Face to the Voice

News & Views gives a big shout-out to today's bloggers' roundtable guests -- (from left) Baratunde Thurston of Jack & Jill Politics, Desmond Burton of Afronerd, and Lauren Williams of Stereohyped -- photographed at NPR's New York studio

Bloggers' Roundtable: 'Jena Six' Charges Reduced

Micheal Baisden - 0 The Color of Change - 1

Black bloggers upset with Micheal Baisden


Micheal Baisden

I had planned not to blog on this issue, but I guess I must. I know Jill from Jack and Jill Politics will be posting on this issue too. We discussed this issue yesterday evening and agreed not to post until things played out. I guess its not going to play out, anytime soon. so I urge you to read this post, and check out Jack and Jill Politics blog too.when I talked with Jill she wanted to jump feet first... Well let me let her tell you vs me.

I think its a damn shame that Micheal Baisden and the Color of Change are going at each other in a 'public debate' about $$ and cents regarding the Jena 6 Legal defense effort. This, after the great work of the color ofchange.org, Micheal Baisden, black bloggers, grassroot people, black college students and other stakeholders to drive the Jena 6 campaign.

Candidly, if Micheal Baisden wants to take on some groups that are not accountable for $$ they receive go after the NAACP, Black Mega Churches, and some of the folks he is currently grinning with (Jesse and Al) in a PR campaign regarding his work on Jena 6.


Eddie Griffin

It appears that radio talk show host Michael Baisden has allowed a disgruntled family member to make "on the air" negative accusations against the Color of Change. Based on what has been made public thus far from the Color or Change, it appears that the allocations are not valid. This is not to say that the Color of Change should be left off the hook. They too could have done thing differently. The Color of Change should have made a transparent monthly accountability statement on their website to keep all informed of the $$ raised and the distribution.

Now we learn, Eddie Griffin, a black blogger, is leading the charge in support of the Color of Change. He and other black bloggers are challenging radio personality Michael Baisden.

Eddie Griffin is not the only black blogger calling Michael Baisden out. Blogger Exodus Mentality says he is disappointed at his allegations against Color of Change. More HERE Dallas South Blog is also following the Michael Baisden /ColorofChange.org; issue. While the Color Of Change Defended Themselves Against Michael Baisden. Blogger Prometheus 6 is also placing heat on Baisden. Well, it seems like the heat is on for Michael Baisden to answer some questions.

One does have to wonder if this is just a "Jena-Gate" for Ratings? or is there something bigger going on. Update: This whole issue becoming a big deal reminds me of COINTELPRO case when the FBI infiltrated the Panther Black Party.

Here are the facts as stated by the color of change:

• ColorOfChange.org has disbursed $210,809.90 of the $212,039.90 collected as of the last reporting period (October 4th). These distributions cover all invoices we've received from the young men's legal teams to date. $33,150.00 was sent to Louis Scott, Marcus Jones' son's lawyer on October 7th (Scott was able to request $35,339.98 but only provided an invoice for $33,150).

  Here are images of the deposited checks to the defense teams, proving they received the funds.

• The Jena 6 families are all aware of how we raise money and how we distribute it. We make payments to their attorneys at the families' sole direction. Within 24 hours of receiving written authorization from the family, along with an invoice from an attorney, we send checks for up to 1/6 of the total amount donated.

  Here are the authorizations signed by the families, starting with Marcus Jones'.

• Michael Baisden claims to have a letter signed by all the Jena 6 families that implies that ColorOfChange.org is acting against the wishes of the families. This is false. One parent who signed the letter says that it made no mention of ColorOfChange whatsoever. Two families say they did not sign the letter at all.

  Here is an email sent to Michael Baisden's team by one of the parents who did not sign the letter, asking to see a copy of the letter.

• ColorOfChange.org is known by all the Jena 6 families. Our executive director, James Rucker, has met with the families on at least five occasions in Jena and has positive relationships with all of them, with the exception of Marcus Jones.

  Michael Baisden's staff know this, because we put them in touch with Jena 6 families with whom they had no relationship.

• Michael Baisden and his staff know the facts. James Rucker has talked with Baisden directly, as well as Pamela Exum and Yvonne Gilliam who work for Michael Baisden. From the start, we have explained our procedures to Baisden and his staff; we had them verify payments were received by lawyers; we had them verify our process with the lawyers and families--it was in response to an inquiry they started, driven by Marcus Jones' accusations almost two months ago.

  In mid-October, Yvonne Gilliam, who works for Baisden indicated by phone that every lawyer she'd contacted had received their checks.

• Marcus Jones stated that David Bowie contributed $10,000 to ColorOfChange.org's fund and Baisden let the accusation stand. Bowie's contribution was made to the NAACP for Jena 6 legal defense and was widely reported--ColorOfChange.org never came in contact with this donation. A link to the NAACP's press release about that donation is here: http://www.naacp.org/news/press/2007-09-18/index.htm.
  
• Michael Baisden has shown a reckless disregard for the truth. Marcus Jones has been making false allegations about us for months. However, responsible journalists check facts and then report accordingly. We've fielded inquiries from CNN, the Tom Joyner Morning Show, Black America Web, and others, based on Marcus Jones' allegations--they all concluded the claims were without merit and refused to give him a stage to speak.

  Despite knowing the reality of how ColorOfChange has managed the fundraising and distribution process, Baisden has joined with Jones in launching baseless attacks.

• ColorOfChange.org exists for one reason: to organize and amplify the political voice of Black America and our allies. Michael Baisden claims to share this goal but he is using his show to recklessly attack an organization that has a clear record of doing the real work he claims is important, in Jena and beyond.

AAPP: I guess Micheal should hear the words of Jill of Jack and Jill Politics when she wrote, "Baisden -- you still have a chance to rescue your credibility and Step Off."

Black Face from The College Campus to The Department of Homeland Security

Here is an interesting post I found regarding the timely topic of blackface and its the history and role in American life. The Post Black like you by Paul Demko at citypages.com

The Strib and others carry reports today about six Hamline University football players who have been suspended for dressing in blackface for Halloween. John Strausbaugh's extremely interesting 2006 book Black Like You, scrutinizes the history and role of blackface in American life. One curious fact that Strausbaugh points out is that the use of blackface has become surprisingly common in the last decade--especially on college campuses.

Indeed a quick Nexis search of the terms "blackface," "controversy" and "college or university" yields 188 stories in the last five years. This Halloween, for instance, four white students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign sparked controversy when they painted their faces brown to imitate the Jamaican national bobsled team, while four Colorado College hockey players (including two Minnesotans) were suspended after donning blackface to imitate the characters on "Family Matters." In January students at Clemson University marked Martin Luther King Jr. Day by hosting a "Ghetto Fabulous" party featuring white students in blackface swilling 40s and sporting fake teeth grills. In 2005 it was students at Stetson University raising eyebrows when they painted their faces black in imitation of the school's basketball squad.

AAPP: Now we learn the the U.S. Department of Homeland Security finds Black Face funny. The Department of Homeland Security even gave an award to an employee who won a Halloween contest for portraying prisoner in blackface.

Think Progress Reports, "Bush official lauded racially offensive Halloween costume. Julie Myers, head of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement division, has apologized for “awarding ‘most original costume’ to a Homeland Security Department employee who dressed in prison stripes, dreadlocks and dark makeup for a Halloween gathering at the agency.” The AP reports:

Julie Myers, assistant secretary overseeing Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement division, was part of a three-judge panel that lauded the costume, worn by a white employee, last Wednesday. She also posed for a photo with him." More HERE.

AAAPP: The employee who wore the costume was not identified, but ICE spokeswoman Kelly Nantel said he was counseled by his supervisor. He was not wearing blackface but makeup that was a darker color than his skin, I guess this should not surprise many black people. The both George Bush and George W. Bush are famous for having people in their administration that may just be whites in blackface.

One Reason

Here is one reason why black men, women and children should not use the word nigger. Remember these photo's if and when you ever use the word again. Check out how whites enjoyed the lynching events. Photos' courtesy of withoutsanctuary.org Don't forget to purchase the book. Pass this blog page on to someone else.

The lynching of Lige Daniels. Onlookers, including young boys. August 3, 1920, Center, Texas.

The lynching of James Clark, handcuffed. July 11, 1926, Eau Gallie, Florida.

Ink inscription on reverse: "July 8, 1926. Rocky Water Camp Fla." Local newspapers reported that the chief of police and the sheriff were overtaken by a mob while transporting James Clark to trial in Titusville. It was the third lynching of a black man in that region in two months.

The corpses of Ernest Harrison, Sam Reed, and Frank Howard hanging from a rafter in a sawmill, jagged circular blade in lower right hand corner. September 11, 1911, Wickliffe, Kentucky.

AAPP: If your last name is Harrison, Reed or Howard, and you have family from Kentucky, you may want to check if those lynched were family members.

Photos' courtesy of withoutsanctuary.org

And for you old and new school brothers, still using the word.

Lynching of African American male. 1960, McDuffie County, Georgia.

John Richards hanging on a tree, jubilant lynchers, a freshly hewn pine coffin. January 12, 1916, Goldsboro, North Carolina.

The lynching of Rubin Stacy. Onlookers, including four young girls.
July 19, 1935, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

PS, Lynching black was not just for the South.

The lynching of nineteen-year-old Elias Clayton, nineteen-year-old Elmer Jackson, and twenty-year-old Isaac McGhie. June 15, 1920, Duluth, Minnesota.

The lynching of Will James.

Composite photo, Will James portrait in center and three scenes of his lynching. in top right corner the lynching site of Henry Salzner, lynched the same night as Will James. November 11, 1909, Cairo, Illinois

The lynching of Will James.

Lynching scene. Commercial Avenue jammed with spectators below the electrically lit Hustler's Arch. November 11, 1909, Cairo, Illinois.

The lynching of Joseph Richardson, damaged shoeshine stand. September 26, 1913, Leitchfield Kentucky.

African American male standing on buggy, back to the camera, feet shackled, stripped, deep lacerations and wounds. Onlookers, one with a bloodstained shirt. Circa 1900, location unknown.

We cannot allow America to keep our black men who were killed by America faceless. Look at this man, he was a man, son, probably a husband, probably a father, a man loved. Look at his picture. This is just one of the reasons we should stop using the N word.

------

Let's not forget. Americans did not only lynch black men. Black women and children were lynched as well.

The barefoot corpse of Laura Nelson. May 25, 1911, Okemah, Oklahoma.

Don't forget to watch The Noose: An American Nightmare: The noose, a symbol of hatred from America’s dark past, has resurfaced. Why is it back? CNN’s Kyra Phillips investigates the shocking history of the noose and its re-emergence across the United States. Watch Thursday, November 1, at 8 p.m. ET. "Never Should We Forget" our own history in America!




For those who say, lynching was our past. I say, read the news, read Blogs, and watch watch CNN's The Noose. I also say, like Jews in America, and across the world with the holocaust, "Never Should Blacks Forget."

Vote for Black Women in Europe Blog

Vote before 8 November!

Please vote for the Black Women in Europe Blog to win in the International Blog (Non UK) Category! Thanks.

AAPP

Hat Tip Adrianne George

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf

Bush's "Democracy On The March"

His buddy, Musharraf, Declares Emergency Rule in Pakistan

Constitution Suspended; Chief Judge Fired

As reported by the WaPo -- Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on Saturday declared emergency rule, suspended the constitution and fired the country's chief justice, extraordinary steps that gave him almost absolute power in a country that he described as spinning out of control.

The government deployed hundreds of army rangers on the streets of Islamabad, arrested some opposition figures and blacked out privately owned television stations across the country.

Wapo also reports:

For Musharraf, who has become deeply unpopular in recent months, the moves represented a drastic gamble and came despite intense appeals from the United States and other Western allies to stay within the bounds of the Pakistani constitution.

In an emergency order, Musharraf cited rising extremism and a judiciary "at cross purposes" with the rest of the government as reasons for the moves. But the timing suggested he was also attempting to extend his rule as both president and army chief. The Supreme Court had been reviewing a challenge to his candidacy for another presidential term, and was expected to rule as early as next week.

The court made a defiant but ultimately unsuccessful attempt Saturday to block Musharraf's implementation of emergency rule; in response, seven dissident justices were immediately removed from the bench. Musharraf said the Parliament, where he holds a commanding majority, would remain intact. Democracy On The March? Nah

Read More HERE

Megan Williams, Family, and supporters march for justice!

Megan William Smiles and glows as Malik Shabazz, left, founder of the Black Lawyers for Justice and hundreds of marchers do what other black leaders failed to do - Support HER. It's important to note that the rally was non-violent in keeping with the great tradition of Martin Luther King's Civil Rights marches.

Well. it looks like black leaders have left Megan Williams hanging. What happened to the NAACP, Urban League, National Association of Negro Women, Civil Rights RoundTable, SNCC, CORE, Congressional Black Caucus, and all those other national black groups that love to get on BET with Image Awards, or write reports on the condition of black America? How about those black preachers with the mega churches and mega money? Damn, oops Megan Williams does not deserve support right? she and her family are from the back woods of West Virginia, they don't count right? It's not high profile enough right? She is a petty thief she writes bad checks so she deserved to be raped right? She brought it all on herself right?

Now the script continues to be written. The story is being told. Some wanted Megan Williams just to be quiet and go into a shell, go into depression or just go away. Don't come out and say anything. But she and her family said no. We will come to the rally, We will not fall into a shell, and we will hear the voices of support.

Here is what the media outlets are saying, through Associated Press:

Malik Shabazz, left, founder of the Black Lawyers for Justice, Megan Williams, center, and her mother, Carmen Williams, right, attend a rally at the Capitol prior to a march Saturday, Nov. 3, 2007 in Charleston, W.Va. Hundreds of people gathered urging prosecutors to add hate crime charges against six white people charged in the beating, torture and sexual assault of 20-year-old Megan (AP Photo/Jeff Gentner).

West Virginia (CHARLESTON)

AP - Hundreds of people marched through the state capital on Saturday to urge prosecutors to add hate crime charges against six white people charged in the beating, torture and sexual assault of a 20-year-old black woman. Authorities say the accused, three men and three women, held Megan Williams captive for days at a rural trailer — sexually assaulting her, beating her and forcing her to eat human and animal feces.

Police stopped traffic in downtown Charleston along the 2-mile route, as demonstrators held signs calling for the suspects to be charged with hate crimes.

"Hate crimes are out of control in America," Malik Shabazz, a legal adviser to Williams and her family and a founder of Black Lawyers for Justice, told the group at a rally before the march. "Nooses are being hung and our women are being raped by white mobs. What happened to Megan Williams was a hate crime and we want this prosecuted as a hate crime."

Shabazz pointed to statements from suspect Frankie Brewster and her son, Bobby Brewster, that racial epithets were used every time Williams was stabbed.

Shabazz staged the rally despite a request by the city's black ministerial association and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People not to gather because it could harm the prosecution's case.

Logan County Prosecutor Brian Abraham has not filed hate crime charges in the case saying the other charges already filed carried harsher penalties. A hate crime conviction carries up to 10 years in prison in West Virginia. All six face kidnapping and sexual assault charges. Kidnapping carries a possible life sentence.

Abraham, who urged Williams and her family not to talk about the case or attend the rally, has said it might be difficult to prove a hate crime charge because Williams had a "social relationship" with one of the suspects for at least several months before the alleged assaults.

Williams attended the rally wearing a T-shirt with the message "Protect the Black Woman." In a brief speech, she showed her appreciation to her supporters.

The Associated Press generally does not identify suspected victims of sexual assault, but Williams and her mother agreed to release her name.

Joe Marchal said he drove three hours from Berea, Ky., with his wife and infant son to show his support for Williams.

"If no one came out today, imagine how that would make Megan Williams feel," said Marchal. "We're here for her."

In addition to calling attention to hate crimes, organizers hoped the rally would help raise money for Williams' medical care and future educational expenses.

Zayid Muhammad, the national minister of culture for the New Black Panther Party, came to the rally from Newark, N.J.

"As a father of a daughter and a child of African ancestry, the idea that I can sit by idly, (in) the face of one of the most violent and obscene acts committed against a black woman in my life, was too appalling," Muhammad said. "I had to come."

The Rev. Al Sharpton had been expected to participate but did not appear.

Photos' by WSAZ reporter Amanda Barren.

Megan Williams and her mom sit at the front of the crowd at the WV capitol.

This rally of support for Megan Williams and family, organized by Malik Shabazz, a legal adviser to Williams and her family and a founder of Black Lawyers for Justice, did not reach the level of support of the Jena 6 rally. I have my own thoughts on the reason why. I wonder if you have any ideas on why it did not reach the level of support of the Jena 6 demonstration? Why did Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton not show? Why did the NAACP really refuse to support the demonstration? Is this the same old split between the old guard negro organization and the new guard black nationalist? Is history repeating itself in the black communities, as it is in the U.S. with Iraq like the Vietnam war?

It's too bad the NAACP has been more concerned about burying the N Word than it has been about a modern day attempt of lynching a young black girl.

Bounty Hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman, Don Imus and Nigger Jokes

Questions

" I wonder how the Bounty hunter would like it if he were called "Bounty Hunter and white Nigger Duane "Dog" Chapman ? I Wonder how Don Imus would like it if he were called Don "white Nigger" Imus? "

- AAPP

Why is there so much hatred in America? Why are so many whites in America, so comfortable with calling black women niggers? For that matter, why are whites so comfortable calling any black person a nigger? Why are blacks allowing it? Maybe this is what happens when black women date white guys? Or am I being to general?

Why have we been so tricked into calling ourselves niggers? Are you tired of the word? Did the NAACP bury the word Nigger, yet they are willing to allow a black woman to be treated like a nigger? Raped like a nigger? How much can a group of Americans take? How much can a group of Americans allow, time after time, after time?

This moron (below) is not the first one to call a black women nigger and won't be the last. Come on let's get real. The question is, whether there is anything black folks, as a collective group of people in the country can do about it?

If so, what? If so, when? if so, how? If so, why? If so when?

Or is this going to be happening for the foreseeable future?

Anyone got any answers?

Dog Man

There is more.

The reality TV show starring celebrity bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman was pulled from the air indefinitely on Friday, two days after a private phone conversation in which he used a racial slur was posted online.

Listen to the audio tapes:

Warning: These tapes contain racist and offensive language.

Click here for FULL VERSION

Click here for SHORT VERSION

Cable channel A&E suspended production of the fifth series of Chapman's popular show, "Dog the Bounty Hunter," as the phone call was made public on Wednesday, but on Friday the network went a step further.

"In evaluating the circumstances of the last few days, A&E has decided to take 'Dog The Bounty Hunter' off the network's schedule for the foreseeable future," an A&E spokesman said.

Still More

Enter Civil Rights Leaders who urges the Dog Man to GET DOG OFF TV!

READ MORE >>

AAPP: Check out the key words, "foreseeable future." Will after all the hype goes, will he be back on the air like you know who? Don Imus. You know, the man who was on 60 Minutes in 1998, yes, Don Imus told Mike Wallace that his show had someone specifically assigned to do "nigger jokes."

Come on lets get real, we know that in 2000, Newsday's Philip Noble monitored the Imus show for months, then cited numerous examples of his racist, homophobic and misogynist references. In 2001, Imus promised syndicated columnist Clarence Page that he wouldn't make racist comments about black athletes any more.

But in April 2007, on the morning after the mostly black Rutgers University women's basketball team had reached the finals of the NCAA women's basketball championship, Imus offhandedly remarked, "That's some nappy-headed hos." Calls for his removal from the airwaves were invoked by public figures ranging from Barack (not black enough) Obama to Al (too black) Sharpton, from feminist Eleanor (not woman enough) Smeal to Jesse ("Let's go to Hymie-town") Jackson. Although Imus proceeded to apologize all over the media, ranging from Sharpton's radio program to the Today show, he felt that he was only following the lyrics of black rappers, from the Wu Tang Clan ("nappy-headed niggaz") to Ludacris (boasting of random "hos in different area codes").

Foreseeable future? Is that not another code word?

I just finished reading a post regarding Don Imus by Paul Krassner, titled He's Back!

Don Imus Meets Michael Richards
Hat Tip: Paul Krassner and counterpunch.org

In the post Krassner talks about the early 1960s, when Dick Gregory called his autobiography Nigger, because, he explained, "I told my mama if she hears anybody shout 'nigger,' they're just advertising my book." Richard Pryor called one of his albums That Crazy Nigger, and wrote an article for The Realist about the disproportionate number of blacks fighting and dying in Vietnam, titled "Uncle Sam Wants You, Nigger!" After a visit to Africa, he reclaimed his heritage, promising not to use that word again.

Krassner also talks about Lenny Bruce, on stage one night, riding an invisible unicycle as he balanced his way along a tightrope into uncharted comedic territory:

"The reason I don't get hung up with, well, say, integration, is that by the time Bob Newhart is integrated, I'm bigoted. And anyway, Martin Luther King, Bayard Rustin are geniuses, the battle's won. By the way, are there any niggers here tonight? [Outraged whisper, as if an audience member] 'What did he say? Are there any niggers here tonight? Jesus Christ! Is that cruel. Does he have to get that low for laughs? Wow! Have I ever talked about the schwarzes when the schwarzes had gone home? Or spoken about the Moulonjohns when they'd left? Or placated some Southerner by absence of voice when he ranted and raved about nigger nigger nigger?'

"[In his own voice]: Are there any niggers here tonight? I know that one nigger who works here, I see him back there. Oh, there's two niggers, customers, and, ah, aha! Between those two niggers sits one kike--man, thank God for the kike! Uh, two kikes. That's two kikes, and three niggers, and one spic. One spic--two, three spics. One mick. One mick, one spic, one hick, thick, funky, spunky boogey. And there's another kike. Three kikes. Three kikes, one guinea, one greaseball. Three greaseballs, two guineas. Two guineas, one hunky funky lace-curtain Irish mick. That mick spic hunky funky boogey. Two guineas plus three greaseballs and four boogies makes usually three spics. Minus two Yid spic Polack funky spunky Polacks. [Auctioneer's voice] 'Five more niggers! Five more niggers!' [Gambler's voice] 'I pass with six niggers and eight micks and four spics.'

"[In his own voice] The point? That the word's suppression gives it the power, the violence, the viciousness. If President Kennedy got on television and said, 'Tonight I'd like to introduce the niggers in my cabinet,' and he yelled 'nigger-nigger-nigger-nigger-nigger-nigger-nigger' at every nigger he saw, 'boogey-boogey-boogey-boogey-boogey-nigger-nigger-nigger-nigger' till nigger didn't mean anything any more, till nigger lost its meaning, you'd never make any 4-year-old nigger when he came home from school. Screw 'Negro!' Oh, it's so good to say, 'Nigger!' Boy! 'Hello, Mr. Nigger, how're you?'"

Krassner also talks about how four decades later, Dave Chappelle on his TV show played a man delivering milk to the all-white family, the Niggars, and he did indeed say, "Hello, Mr. Niggar, how're you?"

But consider the contrast between Lenny's good-natured, poetic routine and Michael Richards' mean-spirited, uncontrollable outburst. In November 2006, at the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles, in response to heckling from a table of four African Americans (three men and a woman), he suddenly became enraged with repressed hatred:

"Shut up! Fifty years ago we'd hang you upside down with a fucking fork up your ass! [Laughter in the audience, apparently unaware of the heckler's race and that the reference is to lynching] You can talk, you can talk, you can talk, now you're brave, motherfucker! Throw his ass out! He's a nigger! He's a nigger! He's a nigger!"

"[A woman in the audience] "Oh my god!"

"A nigger! Look, there's a nigger! [Imitating reactions in the audience] 'Oooh! Oooh!' All right, you see, this shocks you, it shocks you to see what lies beneath your stupid motherfuckers!"

[A man at the heckler table] "That wasn't called for."

"What was uncalled for? It's uncalled for you to interrupt my ass, you cheap motherfucker! You guys have been talking and talking and talking."

[Voice from the audience] "Calm down."

"What's the matter with you? Is this too much for you to handle?"

"I said calm down."

"They're gonna arrest me for calling a black man a nigger? Wait a minute, where's he going?"

"That was uncalled for, you fucking cracker-ass motherfucker!"

"You calling me cracker-ass, nigger?

"Fucking white boy!"

"Are you threatening me?"

"We'll see what's up."

"Oh, it's a big threat. That's how you get back at the man."

"You're just not funny. That's why you're a reject. Never had no shows, never had no movies. Seinfeld, that's it."

"Oh, I guess you got me there. You're absolutely right. I'm just a wash-up. Gotta stand on this stage."

"That's it, we've had it. Niggers--that's un-fucking-called-for. That ain't necessary."

"Well, you interrupted me, pal. That's what you get when you interrupt the white man, don't you know."

"Uncalled for, that was uncalled for."

"You see, there's still those words, those words, those words."

Richards then walked off stage.

Later, seemingly stunned at his own racist rage, he apologized on the media again and again as best he could.

African-American comedians reacted to Richards' use of the n-word. Read More HERE

AAPP: Are you tired of the word nigger? Or is Bounty Hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman, and Don Imus, just two white "Niggers" that are off the air only for the foreseeable future?

History of the AfroSpear

The genesis of the AfroSpear/AfroSphere movement can be attributed to many Black bloggers, Black blogs and websites within the African Diaspora. Bloggers like AfroNetizen, African American Political Pundit, Jack and Jill Politics, Black Commentator, Booker Rising, Prometheus 6, Mirror on America and Francis Holland had for many months expressed the need for inclusion of black bloggers into the majority blogosphere discussion on all issues impacting Americans. They contended that white bloggers, particularly the "big [white] boys of blogging" refused to link to Black blogs on their blogs lists as well as within articles, and generally pretended that Black bloggers did not exist.

In spite of the demands by Blacks for inclusion in the white blogosphere, in 2006 white bloggers met in the middle of the an historic black community of Harlem, N.Y. with former President Bill Clinton, to discuss politics but did not include the participation of a single Black blogger. Many black bloggers considered this an insult to black bloggers and to black communities.

The resulting photograph of an all-white group of bloggers in Harlem with Bill Clinton infuriated Black bloggers, who represent a critical base of the Democratic Party. From the conservative La Shawn Barber , the moderate The Republic of T and the liberal Steve Gillard and The Culture Kitchen created early discussions for a chain of Black change in the blogosphere.

In 1996, Black Internet social and political activist Francis L. Holland, Esq. began criticizing the lack of diversity at DailyKos, but he was banned from participation there. He subsequently published a groundbreaking study at MyDD, on Feb 15, 2007, that included a startling graphic which showed a square entitled "Blogosphere" divided in half, into two segregated triangles, the "whitosphere" and the "Blackosphere," with an accompanying essay entitled "entitled Blackosphere & Whitosphere: Silence is Never Golden . This graphic acknowledgment of the de-facto segregation of the blogosphere provided an additional crucial catalyst for bloggers of African descent to coalesce to discuss issues of importance to the African diaspora in a collective manner.

A subsequent article entitled "White-News" vs. the Blackosphere became to topic of conversation in the black blogger community, and the term "whitosphere" made popular by Francis L. Holland became essential to Blacks and whites conceptual understanding, continuing to be used even today.

Bloggers like The Field Negro , Jack and Jill Politics, African American Political Pundit, Asabagna, Aulelia, P6, Skeptical Brotha, Republic of T, BygBaby, Culture Kitchen, Angie, The Free Slave, and many other bloggers continued the discussions at the Republic of T's blog after his blog post " The Republic of T. Blogging While Brown, Part III" on March 30, 2007 with Black bloggers, Rikyrah, ecthompson, Electronic Viillage, Mark Bey, Dr. Lester Spence, Bronze Trinity and many other bloggers contributing to the discussion. Through further discussions on other black blogger platforms such as The Free Slave the AfroSpear name was agreed upon.

More HERE

Abuse Alleged at Oprah's School - NPR- News & Notes,

Bloggers' Roundtable: Abuse Alleged at Oprah's School

Photo: Antony Nagelmann

© 2006

News & Notes, October 31, 2007 · A panel of bloggers talked about the abuse allegations that are rocking Oprah Winfrey's South African School for Girls and criticism over Denzel Washington's latest role as a notorious Harlem drug lord. Look out!

Farai Chideya talked with Angela Winters of Politopics, Richard Graves of DJ Black Adam, and David Mills of Undercover Black Man. check out what these interesting and informed black bloggers had to say.