MY LATEST BLOG POSTINGS!

BLACK LIBERATION & LABOR -- BLACK AMERICA & ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION -- OBAMA IS THE LOVE OF THE LAND

7.31.2006

Here's an interesting article in The Courier-Journal about the ties between black liberation and the labor movement.Courier-Journal: African Americans and labor. This is an article focused on labor in Kentucky, but it applies across the nation. The combining of issues has always existed, but seems to be on the topic of many commentators because of the illegal immigration issue and what it means to black laborers.

On that note, I got wind of this new group via Booker Rising which is focused on black labor rights and against illegal immigration. Some conservatives have a problem with the "Black America" instead of "America." I can understand that. I'm sick of the "this is just about us" thing too, but if it applies...
Choose Black America
La Shawn Barber's Corner: Why Not Choose AMERICA?

So Barak Obama is the most beloved statesman in all the land according to the recent surveys, but am I the only one who believes it isn't a good idea for the Democrats to consider Obama for President in 2008? I think it's too soon and it shows such a lack of trust in Democratic leadership. Shouldn't he be Governor of Illinois for one term at least? I think so. Governors just make better Presidents than Senators. I would be cool with him taking the VP spot, but I don't think Pres is the right move for 2008.
Wonkette: Barack: Bigger Than Jesus
SurveyUSA - 100 US Senator 07/25 Sort By Approval
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FOOLISHNESS FOR FRIDAY

7.28.2006

What a surprise. The ACLU is going to fight for those crazy ass fools who are protesting at the funerals of military heroes. This is such a disgraceful thing and I was so glad to hear Congress acted quickly to put a stop to it. The ACLU is a trip. They will fight for your right to scream obscenities in the name of God to grieving widows and mothers, but if you dare try to put the baby Jesus on the front lawn of your elementary school, they will chase you out of town. ACLU Sues for Anti-Gay Group That Pickets at Troops' Burials

Gregory Kane has some interesting comments on the acquittal of the black Navy Midshipman accused of rape and how the conservative pundits reaction is curiously different to their reaction to the Duke rape case. He smells some hypocrisy. BAW: Looking at Rape Through Race-Colored Glasses

Thanks, but no thanks is what candidate for GA Governor Mark Taylor is saying to Rep Cynthia McKinney after hearing she has endorsed him. Don't bring your crazy mojo to me. She's in a runoff, so she needs to focus on herself right now. And cut out all that dancing. You're not at a wedding and nobody wants to see you shuffle. Also, someone was criticizing McKinney for not showing up to vote for the Voting Acts Rights renewal, but I can't find that article now. AJC: GOP alleges Taylor fudges McKinney tie

This USA Today study says that all women are equally messed up about our beauty and size. No longer can we say that we are untouched by this Eurocentric perfection. Finally, we have achieved equality. We all hate the way we look. Isn't progress great? USATODAY.com - Race doesn't reflect on women's poor body image


And yes I do love me some Wonkette. The very slutty, foul mouthed site tells us Why Bush Only Gave the Second Most/Least Believable Speech at the NAACP Convention. They are funny, but come on. Who keeps inviting this guy? Or maybe he just invites himself. Is he supposed to be the entertainment and just doesn't know it? I was at the National Association of Black Journalists conference last year in Atlanta and this joker went off buck wild on how horrible white people are, what they do to us and what they owe us. There were white folks all up and through that joint. White folks who believe in diversity or wouldn't have been there otherwise. It was so embarrassing and quite a few people left. I left too. It's just so tired. Blame whitey, yada, yada, yada.


Finally, here's a book you might want to check out. Brian Copeland's, Not A Genuine Black Man, is a new book based on his life growing up black in an all-white suburb. How many of us can relate? Good times. This story has been the longest-running one-man show in San Francisco history and is now coming to Off-Broadway.





I haven't shared a picture of my baby with you guys in a long time, so here he is with his 'other' Mama (because we all know I'm the one who loves him the most) and his birthday cake/icecicle. He is all of 1 years old and about 55 lbs. He's a fat, bigheaded spoiled darling and I still want to kidnap him and run away.
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STEELEGATE -- ILLEGALIMMIGRATIONPALOOZA

7.27.2006

Everyone is talking about Micheal Steele badmouthing Bush and the GOP. He says his words were off the record, others say he's pandering to the left. Whatever the case, he's still a better candidate than Mfume or Cardin. I'll let you decide. Here are some articles:
ABC News: After Bashing Bush, Steele Backs Down
Wonkette: Steelegate
ABC News: Senate GOP Candidate Slams Party
Booker Rising: Steele Admits He Criticized GOP
Baltimore Sun: Despite ground rules, Steele protests publication of criticism
WAPO: Steele Admits He Criticized GOP in Interview


You can always count on me to keep the illegal immigration fires burning. It's no longer a hot topic for the news, but it's still important to voters. Many states are following Georgia's lead and stepping up to the plate after realizing that Congress isn't going to do anything. Here are some recent articles on what is happening on The Hill and in cities all over the country on the topic:
WAPO: A Long Flight of No Return: Illegal Immigrants Are Deported From Va. to Native Countries
Washington Times: Employers held on charges of harboring illegal aliens
NewsChannel 8: Dozens Of Illegals Targeted In 'Operation Return To Sender'
WAPO: Immigration Proposal Aims to Bridge Republican Divide
Philadelphia Inquirer: Latino voting gets push
Washington Times: States stepping up to tackle immigration laws
The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio Sweeps Nets 154
WAPO: U.S. Border Town, 1,200 Miles From The Border
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LOCAL RACE & POLITICS ROUNDUP

7.25.2006

I'm going to be on The Hill all day tomorrow, so there won't be any post. I'll see you again on Thursday.

MARYLAND
It's looking very close for Mfume & Cardin in Maryland. It will be interesting to see how this turns out. The party has been behind Cardin all the way and is very concerned that if Mfume wins the primary, he will lose to Steele in November and that seat they have owned for the longest will be lost. In a year where Democrats are projected to make a comeback, this would be embarrassing. Cardin, Mfume in Senate tossup - baltimoresun.com

Also in Maryland, comes an interesting story about a dig along the Eastern Shore at the home where Frederick Douglass was a slave boy for a couple of years. He writes about the place and the description is very elaborate. The plantation has a long history of slavery and the current owner is hoping to help heal and provide information as the result of what they might find.
Unearthing Slavery, Finding Peace

D.C.
In the district the city council is getting some negative feedback because of their latest efforts to curb crime? Yes, you read it right. You would think that people in a city that seems to be held hostage by its criminals sometimes, isn't down with doing anything to stop crime. These measures include a 10pm curfew for those 17 and under, access to juvenile records for police and surveillance cameras in residential neighborhoods. The first two are fine for me. With the third, the only problem I have is if those cameras can look inside houses. If they can only look on the sidewalks and streets, I'm fine.
Council Approves Earlier Curfew

Adrian Fenty is leading the race for Mayor of D.C. by about 10 points, which looks very good for him. I think he'd make a better mayor than Linda Cropp, so I hope he wins. The WAPO seems to think that his recent vote in favor of this controversial crime bill could be a little troublesome for him. Fenty's Crime Vote Called Risky

STATEN ISLAND
This story is a little old, but worth sharing. It appears a school in Staten Island had a policy of including only five racial/ethnic categories to describe schoolchildren. Biracial families had a problem with that and the school responding by changing the classifications. Schools will end black and white policy on race. To me this is not about political correctness, but reality. I have nephews and nieces who are both black and white and they do not accept the pressure from society to pick one (not really pick one - society wants them to be black). My relatives see it as embracing one parent's heritage over the other. They refuse it and they should. They will not be put in a box because older generations can't accept that you can be more than one race. They are the future and this is the trend. Biracial is a race now.

NEW ORLEANS
Believe it or not, New Orleans Congressman William "Frozen Dolla Bill" Jefferson is expected to win reelection to Congress. Yes, innocent until proven guilty, blah, blah, blah. But they found $90K in his freezer. Come on, now. I really do understand the desire to maintain seniority. If they elect someone new, he/she will be a freshman and have no clout. Jefferson's seniority in Congress still gives him clout, but this investigation is not over. They may end up with nothing either way and still have the shame of voting in a criminal. Hey, it's their choice.
Jefferson political prospects still bright
Laughing All the Way to the Bank Freezer - Wonkette

HOUSTON
This is not good news. Don't get me wrong, I love me some Jesus and I believe in the power of prayer, but the news that most Hurricane Katrina survivors living in Houston plan to rely on God instead of the government to get them out of an emergency is not good. You have to rely on yourselves! Hasn't this experience taught you anything? God helps those who help themselves, not those who just sit there and pray for a miracle. Chron.com | Poll finds blacks turn to faith in crisis. Faith is belief in the absence of proof. This may get you into heaven after you drown, but will not get keep your ass from drowning. MAKE A PLAN!!!!!

NEW YORK
Got this one from Blackelectorate.com. In Harlem, not all blacks are loving them some Bill Clinton. His decision to make his headquarters in the famously black area of New York helped revitalized an area that was making a comeback slowly on its own. Now, it's too revitalized and is being gentrifized (yes, I made that word up). Have you been to Harlem lately? I was there two years ago and white folks everywhere, girl. Not shopping or working, but living and walking down the streets with their babies in their strollers. That means what, you guessed it. Rent is getting too high for many who have been in Harlem for generations.
The Independent: Harlem to Clinton: You're Ruining Us
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BLACK WOMAN RAISING BLACK BOYS -- COSBY v WASHINGTON POST

7.24.2006

The Capital City Courier, a black newspaper out of Springfield Illinois, is asking if Black Women Can Raise Black Boys To Be Black Men. CCC: Can Black Women Raise Black Boys To Be Black Men?. My answer is not alone and just look at the results of boys who grow up without fathers compared to those who do. Men and women are different no matter what the feminazis try to tell us. Beyond socialization, which is still very important, there are natural and genetic differences between us (this is a good thing by the way). Any woman can try to bring a boy up to be the type of man she wants him to be or thinks he should be, but that isn't making him a man. We can all agree that there are basic principles of civilized upbringing that either a mother or father alone can teach, but being a woman or being a man goes beyond that.

When my nephew turned 10, my sister went through a period of mourning because she sort of lost him. Suddenly, my brother-in-law became the beginning and end for Evan. His attention, his approval, his advice was all Evan cared about. My mother told my sis that there comes a time when a boy needs his father more than his mother; a time when he realizes he isn't going to just be an adult, but he's going to be a man and he needs to know and SEE what that's like. He's eager for bonafide approval that he is on the right path. What is happening to all the black (or any other race for that matter) boys who don't have a father around when that time comes? I think we see the answer all around us. BlackNews.com: Local Black Newspaper Continues to Stir Community-Wide Dialogue

Haven't written about Bill Cosby causing a stir in a little while, so I thought I'd keep you updated. Richard Prince writes about Cosby's challenge to the Washington Posts' current series on Being a Black Man, which I thought was well done. Cosby, not so much. He thinks they are being a little too upbeat. Cosby Challenges Washington Post

"I'm not interested in hearing that things aren't as bad as they seem. They're horrible," Cosby said at "Paths to Success: A Forum on Young African-American Men," sponsored by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the Post and Harvard University.


And guess what? Someone has something to say about that and his name might be Michael Dyson. I smell a cage match!
WAPO: The Injustice Bill Cosby Won't See
WAPO: Invoking Responsibility
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NON RACE & POLITICS ROUNDUP

7.21.2006


BLACK HAIR
So they wanna go there? Hair is a crown for every woman, except for those that are so beautiful, they can practically go bald and still look stunning, but I'm not talking about those bitches. For black women, it's like some kind of obsession. I'm a low maintenance kind of girl and have been lucky to have pretty healthy hair no matter how much I've neglected it. Whatever it looks like, I'm at least happy it's all mine. Although I think most of the black women walking around with fake hair look a hot mess, I don't get too touchy about it. This is not the case for everyone:
St. Paul Pioneer Press: Charged debate about 'black hair' is flaring up again

This is supposed to be a really good site for discussion on healthy black hair of all styles, types and lengths. From the homepage pics it looks mostly about length. LetsTalkHair.com

GROWN ASS KIDS SUING PARENTS
This is such Bulls*^#. local6.com: Daughter Who Surprised Mom With Birthday Visit Sues Parents. I can't imagine how many people want to get their hands on this woman and slap her in the face. I'm really angry with the court system for letting it get this far, but I hope that the judge has some sense and throws the case out. Throws it out after he's humiliated her in court telling her what she really is and makes her pay for her parent's legal fees. Some people just have no shame. It's sickening.

R. KELLY TRIAL
Okay, if there was any doubt before now that this brother has sold his soul to the devil, I think it can be erased. The latest news in his trial which is going on what, a decade now, is that the judge in the case fell down while trying to fix something on or in his house and is in intensive care. All of the cases pending in his court are postponed indefinitely. Come on, now. EURweb.com: R. KELLY TRIAL UPDATE: Courthouse gets spruced up; judge in intensive care after fall.

Speaking of pedophiles, this nonsense caught my eye and I'm thinking only in The Netherlands can someone get away with this mess. AP: Dutch Court OKs Pedophile Political Party. Madness.
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RACIAL CLEANSING IN AMERICA -- GEORGETOWN'S RACIAL HISTORY -- KATRINA FUND CONTROVERSY -- GOP COURTING BLACKS

7.20.2006

Richard Prince has a great column on the issues, comings and goings in black media. His recent review of the Austin American Stateman's coverage of counties and cities that organized efforts to purge their areas of blacks is very interesting and so is the series. I look forward to reading more.
Richard Prince: An American "Racial Cleansing"
Statesman.com: Leave or Die
Actually, this is a CoxNews series that is being carried by many of its papers, but surprisingly the Atlanta paper has decided not to cover it. I find that surprising.



Not the same as racial cleansing, the WAPO has a great, must read, article on the Georgetown area, which went from being a place where slaves were bought and sold, to a very diverse community including many of the prominent blacks in D.C., to what is now is an overwhelmingly white enclave, which it has been for the past few decades. Who were the people who came to Georgetown and created these lily white social clubs that changed the makeup of the area? He names names.WAPO: Georgetown's Hidden History



I didn't know there was a controversy surrounding President Clinton and Daddy Bush's Katrina charity, but obviously people are not very pleased. Recently, senior staff members quit and now some black ministers involved have quit because they aren't feeling valued among other things.
BlackNews.com: Black Ministers Quit Katrina Clinton-Bush Fund Panel
Church Central: Pastors quit Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund

We all expected Ken Mehlman to do his thing at the NAACP convention despite the fact that the organization is basically the black version of the DNC. I've seen him make his "party of Lincoln" argument a couple of times at black events and I have to hand it to him. He has a good spiel and he speaks it with confidence. He's got a lot of ammunition with some really strong candidates the GOP is really going after and he hasn't let Katrina scare him away. He's been showing up anywhere you can find black folks. The NY Times is not impressed. Big Surprise! NYTimes: G.O.P.'s Bid for Blacks Falters
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McKINNEY'S RESULTS -- WHY BLACK FOLKS ALWAYS GOTTA BOYCOTT SOMEBODY?

7.19.2006

Rep Cynthia McKinney was supposed to win her primary hands down even after she got into a steel cage match with a Capitol Hill officer (emphasis mine) and couldn't even play the race card effectively. It's good to know she at least has to participate in a runoff with another candidate. I would have been very disappointed if she won in a landslide. As much as I would miss her straight foolishness up in Congress, I think GA would be better served by someone who worries about their taxes, schools and crime instead of whether or not Tupac is getting his props.
Forbes: McKinney Heads to Runoff in Georgia
CQPolitics.com - GA 4: McKinney Wins, But Can't Avoid Runoff Against Johnson

Don't get me wrong. I have no problem with boycotting or protesting. Speaking with your wallet is a very effective way of making a statement. Although I don't try to get all up in people's faces, I don't wear fur, I won't eat veal and I still won't step foot in Cracker Barrel, but why is it black folks always getting called on to boycott somebody? I wasn't so surprised when Jackson and the others called for a boycott of BP Oil, but I was reluctant to hear them out. I personally think BP is the only oil company of the big ones that actually gives a damn about the environment. I always pass the Amoco and Mobil if there is a BP nearby for that reason. They claim they engage in racially discriminating business practices? Does that mean they refuse to Jackson on as a consultant at $200K a year like other companies he threatens to call racist if they don't hire him?
IrishExaminer.com: Black Leaders Boycott BP
ChristianPost: Black Leaders Announce Boycott of BP

Then I heard that the NAACP is saying we should boycott Target because the company ignored NAACP's diversity survey, I was like OH SNAP! Washington Times: NAACP calls on blacks to avoid Target. Target is my store. I wish I could stay out of that place, because sometimes I feel like I might as well just direct deposit my paycheck there. And really, I wonder, how many people actually do these boycotts? Why should I be deprived of my discounted toiletries because Target doesn't feel like it has to answer to the NAACP?
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WELFARE REFORM A SUCCESS? -- WILL BUSH CUSS AT THE NAACP CONVENTION TOO?

7.18.2006


President Clinton got a lot of flack from the liberals when he pushed forward with welfare reform. Not necessarily blacks though because many blacks knew the system needed to be overhauled if there was to be any chance of breaking the cycle that is a stranglehold on so many families. I remember when I was living in Illinois, there was like an exodus of single mothers moving to Wisconsin because that state was so much more lenient with their welfare rules. I was thinking, isn't the point to get off of welfare instead of moving to a state that makes it easier to stay on welfare?

I've always believed if you are being fed, housed and clothed by the government that you are still a slave. I don't care if you're black, white, male or female. Even if what put you there was not of your own doing. You may be able to survive, but no one can control their destiny if they stay in that situation. We all know a welfare to success story and that's the point. They are so few and far between that we all know them. Yes, people have and will continue to fall through the cracks, but there is no system a man on this earth can make that will avoid that. You have to think of what you can do that is the best for the most people and America. This includes the working taxpayers who, although have an obligation to support those who are less fortunate, deserve to have their hard earned money come home with them. The government doesn't owe anyone a good life. It only owes them a chance and opportunity to make a good life for themselves.

USA Today has an article looking at welfare reform ten years later:
USATODAY.com: How welfare reform changed America
NCPA: Daily Policy Digest: Welfare Reform
White House: Welfare Reform Works

So I hear that Bush might actually be coming to this year's NAACP convention. I'll certainly be turning to C-Span on that day. I know the perfect ice-breaker to loosen up the crowd, which you know will be all full of attitude and mean faces. Just start cussing for no reason. That will work wonders and won't have any negative effect at all. I'm surprised he's going. You know the only reason they want him there is so they can give him mean looks and not clap. They want him to know they hate him. "Please come so we can be mean to you! Please!!!!!!!!" He is the president, so he should just suck it up and go. If he can stomach sending men and women to die in war, he can live through 45 minutes at the NAACP Convention. He'll look like the better man if they act ugly about it anyway. And who knows, it may turn out to be a good thing. Doubt it, but you can't be completely pessimistic.
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People National Convention - July 15-20, 2006
CBSNews: NAACP Again Asks Bush To Drop By, He Is First President In Decades To Skip NAACP's Conventions
Chron.com: Gordon: No more 'victim-like thinking'
SFGate: Politics, voting in spotlight at NAACP convention / Group's new chief urges more action at the state level
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BUSH UNPLUGGED -- ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION WILL NOT DIE

7.17.2006

I'm back to reality today. Sorry about last week. If you know anything about law school, you know how detached you can get from the world when you're in it.

So today everyone is talking about President Bush's candid remarks to PM Blair at the Summit. This is really the news stations trying to make a story out of something because they desperately need to fill in their 24-hour "war in the middle east" watch. They want so badly to pull Bush into this, so they are trying to make the world of it. It's not a big deal except for the fact that it made the President look more competent than he usually does. I thought it was a positive thing for him to say that Hezbollah needs to cut this s--- out because they do. I don't have any faith in Kofi's approach to this either, so I agreed when Bush used a dismissive tone when referring to him. I wish our leaders could talk that way, the way they really feel, more often. Plus he was kind of making me laugh eating his little crackers the whole time. I guess the leader of the free world can speak with his mouth full if he wants.
Reuters: Unplugged Bush, Blair speak frankly on Mideast
Guardian Blog: Yo! Blair and Bush rap

As much as the Republicans want it to, the illegal immigration problem will not die. Although it is not on the radar as if it were going to cause the downfall of America any second, like it was earlier this year, it is one of the most important issues to Americans, especially working class Americans, and will make a difference in November. This is why Republicans are trying to desperately to pull the Democrats into the problem. Here are some recent articles:
LA Times: GOP Immigration Tactic: Blast Away, but Be Nice
Bloomberg.com: Specter, Kennedy Say They're Open To immigration Compromise
AP: Summer Immigration Hearings
LA Times: Immigration Hard-Liners on a High
WAPO: Splits Over Immigration Reform On Display From Coast to Coast
uExpress.com: On the Right by William F. Buckley Jr. --ILLEGALS CLASS INTEREST
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HIV/AIDS GOOD NEWS -- VOTING RIGHTS ACT

7.13.2006

Here are some interesting articles on advances in HIV/AIDS. L.A. Times: HIV-Positive Group May Hold the Key to Defeating AIDS. I have a friend whose partner has been HIV Positive since 1985 when medicine was not at all advanced and people died very quickly from the disease. Not only is he still alive (now in his young 40s), but he is healthy. He is not at all thin or sickly looking. He's rather fit (quite a vain guy who likes to stay buff)and all his numbers are pretty much at the top. He also travels internationally for his job (he's a Harvard grad consultant), which exposes his immune system to all kinds of things. He has also gotten sick plenty of times; colds, flus, etc. which have weakened him more than it would a non-HIV person, but he recovers quickly. I don't know if he is part of any study like the one mentioned in the L.A. Times, but he should be.

Also, here's an article on the one pill a day HIV medicine that is supposed to be so promising. NY Times: New Medicine for AIDS Is One Pill, Once a Day. They are advertising it on the black radio stations in D.C. pretty frequently. Not everyone can take it, but whatever makes it easier is a good thing. This would be especially so for people in countries who don't pay that much attention to time. I remember President Clinton mention that some of the problem in parts of Africa is that a lot of people don't have watches or clocks, so they don't take their medicine at the right times. They sort of guestimate, which is better than nothing, but you can't mess around with this. One pill once a day is a good deal.

Well the House passed the Votings Rights Act today, but not without bruises and ugly faces being shown when things fell apart. Whatever happened to "here's an issue both sides of the aisle can agree on?"
CNN.com: House passes Voting Rights Act renewal
NY Times: House Votes to Renew Voting Rights Act
ABC News: House Rejects Changes to Voting Rights Act
L.A. Times: Voting Rights Act Renewal Divides GOP
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SOME BLACK (WELL MOSTLY BLACK, A LITTLE BIT BLACK) FOLKS HAVE NO SHAME

7.12.2006


A few days ago, I blogged about Uppity Black Folks being good material for novels because I was pimping my latest book. The next new book I wrote about was Lawrence Otis Graham's The Senator & The Socialite. This was my review:

THE SENATOR AND THE SOCIALITE by Lawrence Otis Graham is also new and it's about the true story of Blanche & Josephine Bruce, heads of America's first true black dynasty. Bruce was a Mississippi Senator from 1875 to 1881, but that was the least interesting part of his life. This book tells the not so pretty side of what I see as a very disturbed family. I hate to judge considering what it might have been like back then for someone in their position, but ultimately you can't side with someone who forsakes their own people to keep whitey happy. If you like reading about passing for white, pandering to whites and true life scandal, you might like this one.


That being said, tonight I attended a booksigning for Mr. Graham in the District. He did a reading and brought something quite shameful to my attention. I have always known about blacks passing for white; we all have. There are members on my mother's side of the family who have been quite successful at it. Well, the book is about Senator Blanche Bruce and Graham mentioned that a few years ago, a portrait was painted of Bruce to be placed in the Capitol. To commemorate this event, Congress invited every descendant of the Bruce family. Graham showed up because he had been trying to write this book for six years and was very eager and excited to meet some of his subjects. He had been having such a hard time getting them to talk to him.

Alas, only ONE descendant showed up. She is a doctor in Kansas City. When Graham asked her where everyone was, she told him that they have all been passing for white and don't want to be identified as his family. He also had the same response from a descendant he tracked down living here in D.C. She told him over the phone she didn't want to meet in public because she didn't want anyone to suspect she was a Bruce because many people know Graham to be an 'expert' on upper class blacks from his writing history. She admitted that she didn't even have any black people in her life.

I can almost excuse people in the old days who passed because people make really bad decisions when they are under intense pressure and the desire to live a happy, easy life is only human. That didn't make it right, but so much wasn't right in those days. But today, I just can't abide it. These people know who they are and what they are. No one is telling them they have to abandon whatever part of them is white, but have some balls. This man was by no means perfect (as the book clearly shows), but he was the first black Senator in the country; the first black man to have his name printed on money. Who wouldn't want to come forward for that? That unveiling was a character test and it appears almost everyone failed.
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CALLING OUT THE AD INDUSTRY -- BLACKS & THE PARTIES WHO WOO THEM -- DIVERSITY UNDER ATTACK

7.11.2006


Is Black Enterprise, my favorite magazine BTW, playing the race card? Earl Graves, Jr., the President & CEO at Black Enterprise is calling the advertising industry out. Advertising Age: 'Black Enterprise' Magazine Chief Calls Ad Industry 'Racist'.

Earl "Butch" Graves Jr. said agencies that specialize in targeting blacks often are not responsible for media buying and planning for products bought by blacks. One source, he said, is "basic racism. This is one of the most racist industries in this country. Period. I'm angry about it. Agencies are licensed to practice racism, not just in hiring but also in investing in these media."

I know a few people that work high up in advertising and they all (including the white ones) say that the industry is still very racist, so I'm inclined to agree with Graves, Jr.

T.D. Jakes is getting a lot of publicity for his recent statements on blacks and both political parties. Clearly, Pastor Jakes is a conservative, but I agree with his statement that we shouldn't belong to one party or the other. However, I think the Republican party was using him quite well when he came with Bush to visit the shelters in Louisiana. They knew Bush and his boys would have gotten run out of there without someone like T.D. to make sure there was no acting out. CNN.com: No political party can contain us.

Affirmative Action and Diversity continue to be a hot topic in this election year. I've stated before that I genuinely believe AA is on its last legs, but Diversity in itself is not a bad thing. Blind multiculturalism is dangerous because it seeks to make us all believe that every culture is equal and should be shown equal respect, but that isn't true. Some cultures who oppress their people and not only condone, but preach as vital tenants of their culture the abuse of women are not equal and do not deserve equal respect. When I say culture, I'm talking about THE DOMINANT culture, not just the current government in place or certain segments of the culture. I'm talking about places where for someone to believe that women are equal to men and deserve rights are considered counter-culture and evil. I digressed again, but here are the articles. Yes, Ward Connerly is trying to get his face time.
Diversity Inc: Governor to Review Diversity Programs
Diversity Inc: How Ward Connerly Plans to Destroy Affirmative Action in Michigan
Diversity Inc: Obama Champions Diversity in the U.S. Senate
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LOCAL RACE & POLITICS ROUNDUP

7.10.2006

I am going to be doing Law School stuff all week this week, so my posting will not include much commentary. Here's some local stuff I found interesting.

DALLAS
A hospital in Dallas plans on sending the bills to Mexico for the care of illegals, I thought it would be a good gesture. I'm in favor of making illegals pay for their non-emergency health care so the hospital doesn't cover the burden. Of course it would never work and nothing would happen, but a point could be made. Then I read further and the hospital plans to charge for the indigent any place, not in Dallas, they come from. I'm a little confused. Read for yourself. Washington Times: Dallas hospital plans to bill Mexico

WASHINGTON D.C.
The D.C. Board of Education is actually doing something. They recently closed several schools and are making several more available to lease for charter schools. They haven't made a space decision in more than nine years. Sounds about the right timeline. Not everyone is happy about this, believing it is an election year gesture, but efficiency has never been a strong point of the D.C. school system so I hope this is a sign of things to come. WAPO: Board Votes to Close Five District Schools

The District is on the offensive about HIV/AIDs in the area and they have their work cut out for them. The WAPO has a not so good news article on AIDS/HIV in Washington D.C. as part of the 25th anniversary of this dreaded disease. Kickoff Rally Offers Unified Plea: 'Know Your Status'
WAPO: D.C. Estimates Up to 25,000 Residents Have HIV.

MARYLAND
The WAPO has a good article about MD Senatorial candidate Kweisi Mfume and how the Democrats are afraid he is going to be the reason they lose a Senate seat they've owned for more than 30 years. I think Michael Steele might have something to do with it too.
WAPO: The 'Kweisi Problem'

But Michael Steele has a few problems of his own. He recently had a fundraiser hosted by none other than the man responsible for those tasteless Willie Horton commercials which are sort of the standard bearer for sub-conscious race-based campaign ads. The NAACP is pretty pissed. WAPO: Steele's Donor List Stirs Racial Questions

Ellicot City is having some problems with "Race Based Incidents." Is that the new word for hate crimes? Anyway, there are some very disturbing incidents going on, although not all have a racial component to them. WAPO: Concern Over Increase In Race-Based Incidents
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LIKE SAD, CRAZY & ODD FOR FRIDAY

7.07.2006

The Columbine killer's diaries are made public and you have to wonder how two kids, with imperfect lives but not miserable lives, could be filled with so much anger and hate. CNN.com: Hate-filled Columbine diaries released.
ChiTribune: Columbine papers show that killers detailed plans.
I remember the big hoopla about guns and that the NRA refused to move their convention in very close by Denver to someplace else just a month or so later. I remember how angry some of the families were when the school erected a memorial and included the two boys who killed themselves after it was all over. I especially remember the black kid who was singled out because he was black and just imagine what he was thinking in those last moments. Just a sad, sad thing.

Now you know if this heifer really plagarized, I will be so happy. I'm pretty skeptical, but if this is true I can't wait to see her on TV trying to blame this on some liberal conspiracy. Please let this happen. Jossip: Ann Coulter vs. New York Post: Somehow More Incendiary Than Coulter vs. New York Times.
Also, I'm including this picture I found at Images because whatever wrist thing she has going on is freaky. Maybe she is an alien.
Gawker.com: Possible Plagiarist Ann Coulter May Have Been Plagiarizing As Far Back As 1997 (When She Was 36)
Editor & Publisher Mag: Syndicate Will Look Into Alleged Coulter Plagiarism On Its Own -- And Possibly With Electronic Tool

Oh yes and WTF is this? I get that Sony wants to be shocking to get attention, but give me a break? Even the anti-PC police have to cringe a little when they see this. I don't know what they wanted, but they certainly got a lot of publicity. This is in Holland by the way. I sincerely doubt they would try this mess in the U.S., but really, with the internet everything is everywhere now.
Guardian: Sony ad causes white riot
Eurogamer: Civil rights group slams Sony ad
SF Chronicle: Sony plays white vs. black
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RACE & POLITICS ROUNDUP MINUS THE RACE PART

7.06.2006

I was out yesterday, but I'm back and trying to get a handle on things. As usual, while I'm away or on vacation, I live in a vacuum; a world where nothing matters but me and what I'm doing. The world could be on the brink of an Apocalypse and I wouldn't know. Especially when The Daily Show isn't on.

On Korea, I just have to say that this b*&&% is crazy. And when I say crazy, I don't mean in the Team America: World Police laugh at way. He is a tyrant and a dictator and now he's playing with bombs? You know he's sitting on his throne in some dark room rubbing his hands together and laughing at how powerful a god he believes himself to be. He's just going to want more and more. He needs to have a fatal home accident quickly and by that I mean like by noon today.
USATODAY.com: North Korea vows to continue launches
CNN.com: N. Korea vows more missile tests to come


On Ken Lay, there is no greater wage for sin than death, right? I would still be bummed if I was a former Enron employee who will be working until I'm 95 because I have no retirement fund. I'm sure they wanted him in jail, knowing he would spend the rest of his life paying for what he'd done. They'll have to settle for what they can get out of his $8 million they say he has left. I bet he has more elsewhere. You know he does and his wife isn't telling.

When I first heard, I thought he'd committed suicide. I didn't know he had such a history of heart problems. I wasn't surprised when all the conspiracy theories came online. Ken Lay Lives!!!. He used his connections in high, high places to fake his death so he can disappear. Then of course there are the "THEY KILLED KENNY!" jokes which I find somewhat amusing.
USATODAY.com: Lay's death has legal ramifications
WAPO: Ken Lay's Last Evasion

And what is the deal with these idiots who wanted to sell Pepsi the secret formula to Coke? First of all, what would Pepsi do with it? It isn't like they would want to use it. They don't want to taste like Coke. They think their product is better. Also, anyone can take a can of Coke to a lab and use technology that has existed for some years now to break down all the elements and get the ingredients that way. Well, not anyone, but it wouldn't be hard. Idiots. Good for Pepsi dropping a dime on them and now they'll go to jail for a decade or so; enough time to reflect on their ignorance.
USATODAY.com: 3 charged with stealing Coca-Cola info
CNN.com: FBI nabs 3 over Coca-Cola secrets
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UPPITY BLACK FOLKS MAKE GOOD BOOK MATERIAL

7.03.2006

In my haze of hot dogs, ribs and movies over this holiday weekend, I came up with a way to promote my newest novel without looking like such a shameless hussy. I thought I would include it in a list of books about rich, stuck up black folks that I like; non-fiction and fiction alike. This may only work if you are about to O.D. on BBQ sauce like me.

VIEW PARK is the title of my new family saga, a good trashy mainstream fiction about rich people and all the drama they bring with them. It's an inside look at one of the wealthiest, most powerful black families in America (in the toney L.A. suburb of View Park). There is deception, murder, sex, love, dysfunctional relationships, drugs, things exploding and all the other good scandalous stuff we like in our summer books. RT Magazine said, "Winters offers an exciting beginning to this trilogy. The dialogue is realistic, the descriptions are detailed and vivid and the wealthy world of the rich and famous is reminiscent of Dynasty."






THE SENATOR AND THE SOCIALITE by Lawrence Otis Graham is also new and it's about the true story of Blanche & Josephine Bruce, heads of America's first true black dynasty. Bruce was a Mississippi Senator from 1875 to 1881, but that was the least interesting part of his life. This book tells the not so pretty side of what I see as a very disturbed family. I hate to judge considering what it might have been like back then for someone in their position, but ultimately you can't side with someone who forsakes their own people to keep whitey happy. If you like reading about passing for white, pandering to whites and true life scandal, you might like this one.






Getting back to fiction, MURDER ON THE GOLD COAST by Barbara Fleming. This is a murder mystery set along D.C.'s Gold Coast where historically the oldest money blacks have lived. Fleming's main character, Matthew Alexander, is a recurring detective in her books. At Amazon it reads, Unhappy families, intense emotions, illilcit relationships, strained family bonds, coalesce when a rich man is murdered unexpectedly. Again, sounds like something good for the beach.






THE PRIDE by Wallace Ford has been out since November, but is a pretty good book about a group of NY black elites maneuvering around the world of the privileged in the Big Apple. The Pride is the name of the exclusive social organization that they belong to and the book is considered a 'strategic thriller' whatever that means. The Pride is interesting because unlike the general books about wealthy black New Yorkers who live pretty miserable lives, this includes mystery.






And about those wealthy black New Yorkers who live pretty miserable lives, my favorites are GOOD HAIR and THE ITCH by Benilde Little and PG COUNTY and CAN'T GET ENOUGH by Connie Briscoe and GOTHAM DIARIES by Tonya Lee Lewis and Crystal McCrary Anthony.









OUR KIND OF PEOPLE by Lawrence Otis Graham is probably one of the most controversial books about race and class in several years. Graham chronicles the history of upper-class blacks dating back centuries. He does incessant name dropping, but also shares a lot of information I'm sure a lot of black folks didn't know about. He talks about who is who in what cities, where they live, where they went to school, where they vacation, what exclusive clubs they belong to and what they do. I particularly enjoyed reading the Chicago chapter because, being a native of Chi-Town, I am familiar with many of the families mentioned, particularly the Jones family who I know to be really fine people. My buddy CJ is from that family and isn't really crazy about the book because she thinks it only separates black folks.






THE EMPEROR OF OCEAN PARK by Yale Professor Steven Carter is a few years old, but when John Grisham went on The Today Show to say this was his favorite book of the moment, we all knew what was going to happen. It's a good, thinking man's thriller about blacks in Martha's Vineyards. It's really a character study of a lawyer who I found rather wimpy and how he works through his failing marriage and dysfunctional relationship with his father while investigating said father's mysterious death. It was supposed to be optioned for a movie and a sequel was due in 2005, but neither seemed to happen. Too bad.

There are plenty more, but BUY MINE!
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