CW Political and Social Thought

Jennifer Hudson Wins The Big One

My Response to Your Responses

(If you read nothing else, read the last paragraph)

Read the Virginia Resolution for Yourself

I have to say that I am so excited about the reaction to the article that I posted on slavery. Today was one of the busiest days ever for my blog and I want to thank all of you who took the time to write a comment. There were many interesting issues that were discussed. I want to respond to many of those criticisms. First, I noticed a clear divide between persons of color and persons of European descent on the Virginia General Assembly’s recent action to unanimously pass a resolution to express “profound regret” for American slavery, at least Virginia’s part in that horrible institution. For persons of color, this resolution did not go far enough as its symbolism is only that. “Okay, how many of these simpering white politicians will resign their seat in the legislature to a black representative? How many will take their children out of private schools and return them to public schools?” For European-Americans, who are identified based of their use of possessive pronouns, the resolution represents another effort by African Americans to play the victim instead of taking responsibility. While some of the comments were highly inappropriate and offensive, this is one of the least absurd, “This whole slavery thing drives me crazy! For the life of me I don’t understand why someone should apologize or express “profound regret” for another’s dastardly deeds. I fully agree with Delegate Frank D Hargrove who said, “Black citizens should get over” slavery.”

I do not want to invalidate anyone’s opinion on the matter because it’s very obvious that we need to have a discussion about race in this country. Whether of not European-Americans want to believe it, there is such a thing as “white privilege,” which is a social order which rewards European Americans for just being white while denying those privileges to other groups. Examples include; European Americans are more likely to have health care, have an equal and quality education, less likely to be exposed to drugs, violence, and the like, have a job, less likely to be convicted of a crime (even though they proportionally commit just as many crimes), less likely to be born into poverty or poverty-stricken neighborhoods, more likely that their history is taught in schools, more likely that they have top positions in government, business, and higher education, more likely they feel ownership in American society, more likely to feel fully American...the list goes on.

On the other hand, as some people rightly pointed out, some African Americans should not take the occasion to continue to see themselves as victims. That’s not to say that Black folks don’t got it hard. HIV/AIDS is running through the Black community at an alarming rate. In fact, African Americans make up over 50% of all new HIV cases. However, the question is why. Why aren't the ghettos getting any better? Why isn’t education for our Black little girls and boys getting any better? Why are the numbers of Black men in prison swelling? No one would disagree that the Black community, for all of their rhetoric, has a role to play in protecting its own community. So where is the help?

I invite all of you who read this entry to think about your own prejudices. Then, I want you to try to cast your prejudices aside in trying to understand race in America, which is an extremely complex issue. Thinking that all Black people are lazy won’t get you anywhere, just as thinking that all White people are racists won’t get you anywhere. What we really need to do is to identify our values and proceed from there. If we care that poverty is equally shouldered by all racial groups, then we should do something about that, especially if one group that has been historically relegated to the bottom of the social ladder is disproportionately bearing the brunt of that burden. If we think that all American children should have equal education, then we need to see how our system advantages some kinds of  kids over others. If our value is equal justice, then shouldn’t we look into the way in which certain groups are more affected than others by certain biases within the justice system? All I have to say is that you should really think about the deep-rooted prejudices from which you base your opinion. If you can’t explicate and justify those prejudices, then maybe you should think twice about stating your opinion. If you don't, you're only acting out of ignorance and...

We all know that we got enough ignorant people in the world.

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Virginia Expreses "Profound Regret" for Slavery

Check out this story from CNN.com

RICHMOND, Virginia (AP) -- Meeting on the grounds of the former Confederate Capitol, the Virginia General Assembly voted unanimously Saturday to express "profound regret" for the state's role in slavery.

Sponsors of the resolution say they know of no other state that has apologized for slavery, although Missouri lawmakers are considering such a measure. The resolution does not carry the weight of law but sends an important symbolic message, supporters said.

"This session will be remembered for a lot of things, but 20 years hence I suspect one of those things will be the fact that we came together and passed this resolution," said Delegate A. Donald McEachin, a Democrat who sponsored it in the House of Delegates.

The resolution passed the House 96-0 and cleared the 40-member Senate on a unanimous voice vote. It does not require Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's approval.

The measure also expressed regret for "the exploitation of Native Americans."

The resolution was introduced as Virginia begins its celebration of the 400th anniversary of Jamestown, where the first Africans arrived in 1619. Richmond, home to a popular boulevard lined with statues of Confederate heroes, later became another point of arrival for Africans and a slave-trade hub.

The resolution says government-sanctioned slavery "ranks as the most horrendous of all depredations of human rights and violations of our founding ideals in our nation's history, and the abolition of slavery was followed by systematic discrimination, enforced segregation, and other insidious institutions and practices toward Americans of African descent that were rooted in racism, racial bias, and racial misunderstanding."

In Virginia, black voter turnout was suppressed with a poll tax and literacy tests before those practices were struck down by federal courts, and state leaders responded to federally ordered school desegregation with a "Massive Resistance" movement in the 1950s and early '60s.

The apology is the latest in a series of strides Virginia has made in overcoming its segregationist past. Virginia was the first state to elect a black governor -- L. Douglas Wilder in 1989 -- and the Legislature took a step toward atoning for Massive Resistance in 2004 by creating a scholarship fund for blacks whose schools were shut down between 1954 and 1964.

Among those voting for the measure was Delegate Frank D. Hargrove, an 80-year-old Republican who infuriated black leaders last month by saying "black citizens should get over" slavery.

After enduring a barrage of criticism, Hargrove successfully co-sponsored a resolution calling on Virginia to celebrate "Juneteenth," a holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

DreamWorks and Paramount Apologize for Dreamgirls

According to Page Six of the New York Post, DreamWorks and Paramount, the companies responsible for producing the highly acclaimed film Dreamgirls, has taken out an ad in Daily Variety and the Hollywood Reporter to apologize for Jamie Foxx’s portrayal of a character inspired by Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records. In the film, Jamie Foxx’s character had dealings with the mob, manipulated DJs to play his band’s songs, and cut corners to advance his self-interest. Though some, including legendary Motown star Smokey Robinson and Gordy himself, had hoped for an apology sooner, they nevertheless approved of the Paramount and Dreamworks’ apology which in part read, "Dreamgirls is a work of fiction. It is also homage to Motown. We used many wonderful accomplishments that belong to the rich Motown history…For any confusion that has resulted from our fictional work, we apologize to Mr. Gordy."

Sing Girl!

Just in case you missed the best performance of the night by Lakisha Jones, here it is!

What the Hell Was She Thinking

Here are Your HOT MESSES of the Week

My Favorite American Idols

Look Who's On My Gaydar

Advocate, Advocate, Advocate!

I cannot reiterate enough how important it is for those of us who are equipped with the knowledge and wisdom to know better and do better assume our responsibility. Get people to think outside the box! Get them to question their assumptions. If we don't do it, who will!

This is a message that University students received this morning.

This message is to alert you of an armed robbery that occurred on Grounds this past Friday evening in the E-3 parking lot, which is located at Bryant Hall at Scott Stadium. Such incidents are a regrettable reminder that criminal activity can occur on Grounds at relatively early hours. As always, please alert the police at 911 if you notice suspicious activities or individuals. If you have any information concerning this incident, please call the University Police at 924-7166 and ask to speak to a detective.

This particular incident occurred on Friday evening, Feb. 16, at approximately 9:20 p.m. Two men pointed handguns at the two victims, one a U.Va. professor and the other a student, and demanded their wallets. As the accosted individuals turned to leave after giving the men their wallets, one of the victims was struck in the back of the head and suffered a small abrasion. The assailants are described as black males, approximately 20 to 25 years old, wearing dark clothing.

Vice President and Chief Student Affairs Officer Lampkin approved distribution of this message.
~Michael Gibson, Chief of University of Virginia Police

This is my Response
To whom it may concern,
I hope that we realize that this incident is not about renegade "thugs". We will continue to have the same problems plague our student body if we do not understand why these young men are committing these crimes. Do you think that they would commit these crimes if they were economically well off? Do you think they they would commit these crimes if they felt a sense of community with the University? Do you think that they would commit these crimes if they had a sense that society cared about their well-being? I imagine that the young men who committed these crimes are high school drop-outs who don't have much going for them. I believe that the question we ought to ask ourselves is, "How can we make Charlottesville a place where everyone has the opportunity to succeed and do in fact succeed?" Yes, I understand that this is a problem bigger than your department. It's bigger than Charlottesville. In fact, the dropout rate for males is really scary because it's getting precipitously higher, and the numbers for Black men are even worse. What is going on? It's a problem that is not yours, but that you must deal with in order to curb violence in and around the University.

~Chris
 

Paris is Burning

I have to say that I am a bit embarrassed to admit that I just saw the film, “Paris is Burning.” When I say “just saw” I mean that it hasn’t been ten minutes since I turned off the DVD player. Ever since I heard of the film some years ago, I wanted to see it. For one reason or another, I never had the opportunity. To be honest, I didn’t make the opportunity because I was under the impression that it was a gay documentary about white gay men. I knew that it constituted the bedrock of gay films, along with others, but I had no idea that it was a documentary about the fabulous world of gay black men in Harlem. I don’t know if I am really able to contextualize the film. That is to say, I don’t know what I should have taken away from the film, as my choice to see the film was of my own volition not for a class or anything like that. I can tell you what I did take away. I took away a notion of freedom that has altogether escaped me in my lifetime. What does it mean to break all the rules and substitute them for one’s own? To be everything and to be nothing? What does freedom mean if not a space for open, unadulterated self-expression? In watching the film, I identified with those faces in a way that I have never connected with any characters on film before. Those men and women, whose exterior was worn by the heat and hostility of the outside world, meticulously drape their food-craved bodies as a way to pass for something or someone they would never be. I am incapable of realizing the conditions under which hope can emerge from such depravity, skill from such inexperience, and passion from such rejection. Indeed, I can learn so much from them.

The Week On Rewind: Feb 5th-18th

The Week on Rewind

*The Covenant

*White Privilege

*2008 Presidential Election

*Iraq Resolution

*Ted Haggard

*Entertainment News

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White Teen Shot Mall Victims at Random

The coverage of the mall shooting that happened in Utah made me think, "Instead of a white boy doing the killing in Salt Lake City, Utah, what if it was a Black boy who went on a shooting spree in some 7-Eleven in the middle of the ghetto?" While the shooter's name and his Bosnian heritage were revealed, you will not find any article referring to the white teenager as "White." We have to ask ourselves, what would have happened if he was Black? First of all, we know that he would have been called Black. The media would not have limited their coverage to "a man some South Central L.A. or downtown Richmond." They would have made it very clear that he was a dangerous, Black man of that type that you will find in your local paper.

A trench coat-clad White teenager who opened fire on shoppers at a mall had one thing in mind: "to kill a large number of people," and he likely would have killed more than the five victims who died had an off-duty officer not confronted him, the police chief said Tuesday.

"There is no question that his quick action saved the lives of numerous other people," Police Chief Chris Burbank said of the officer.

Burbank identified the gunman as Sulejmen Talovic, an 18-year-old White male who lives with his mother in Salt Lake City, and said he had a backpack full of ammunition, the shotgun he was using and a .38-caliber pistol. The White teen killed five people and wounded four at the Trolley Square mall, including two people in the parking lot as he arrived around 7 p.m. Monday, another at the entrance and then several people inside a card store, the police chief said.

"It appears to be very random," Burbank said. "There was no sense to why he was doing what he was doing."

"The White suspect in this particular circumstance had one thing on his mind, and that was to kill a large number of people," Burbank said.

Had the off-duty Ogden police officer, who had a gun but no extra equipment or additional ammunition, not gone after the gunman, the White teenager likely would have continued shooting people on his way through the mall, Burbank said. He said police knew little about the young man.

The card store Cabin Fever had been packed with Valentine's Day shoppers Monday night when the shooting started, store owner David Dean said.

Dean said his assistant manager called him, saying "someone's in the store killing people." The place was "all shot up," Dean said. He said three or four of the victims were shot inside.

As investigators began interviewing the 100 to 200 witnesses, people placed candles and flowers at two memorials outside the mall for the victims. Business owners surveyed the damage, and shoppers who had fled returned to pick up cars they had to leave parked overnight.

Marie Smith, 23, a Bath & Body Works manager, said she had seen the White gunman through the store window. She watched as he raised his gun and fired at a young woman approaching him from behind.

"His expression stayed totally calm. He didn't seem upset, or like he was on a rampage," said Smith, who crawled to an employee restroom to hide with others. He looked like "an average Joe," she said.

Associated Press writer Doug Alden in Salt Lake City contributed to this report.

Obama is Taking Too Much For Granted

Here are my initial reactions to Barack Obama’s announcement speech, which itself was not all that unexpected since he’s got too much star power to pass over a presidential bid. The problem that I have with his speech is that he wrongly assumes that he can give a typical political speech and expect the same results. He will ultimately fail to secure his party nomination if he pretends that his idealism and optimism, not to mention celebrity status, will carry him into political victory. In so many ways he is not an ordinary candidate, he’s a symbol representing many things to many people, kind of like Oprah. Some people support him because they are tired of Bush, tired of his divisive politics, and tired of the War in Iraq. Others support him because he is the best Democratic alternative. Let’s be honest here; Hillary only wishes she had the mastery of public speaking that Obama possesses. Compared to Obama, Hillary and other Democratic hopefuls are trite and tired representations of mouthpiece politicians who protect their electoral vulnerability by saying what least offends and least inspires. Obama invigorates the 2008 presidential election with a new energy and mass appeal, which we have not seen in a very long time. He can’t be too careful though.


He’s thinking that the highly unusual number of people that has distinguished his political rallies will easily translate into actual votes. This is a tragic mistake. He must work harder to persuade people to think critically about his candidacy, including the obvious concern about electing a Black president. He’s not only got to be on his game oratorically for every speech that he delivers, but also he has got to quadruple his efforts to get out and to get to know the people. I think that he should have made an announcement speech in every demographic area in the United States. Had I been his campaign manager, I would have suggested a four-prong strategy. He should have continued his announcement tour into the (Deep) South, Mid-west, and west coast. It’s not like Obama has been in the Senate for a significant number of years. At least Hillary has served six years. Biden has served since the 1970s. Dodd since 1980. Edwards since 1999. Also consider this, JFK was the last sitting Senator to be elected president and this was only after serving seven years in the U.S. Senate.


Obama has certainly not paid his dues, but this does not mean that he’s got no chance, only that he has to fight his way to the top. It seems to me that he does not really want to do that. Here I have a few things in mind. One, did you see how Obama came out after being introduced by Senator Durbin? He walks this long platform, shaking hands and waving like he had already been elected president. The whole thing came off as a farce. Who did he think he was? Then, he delivers a speech that does not really engage the audience. His first mistake is launching into this litany of things that make him qualified to be a presidential candidate. First of all, it is so untimely because he just started his speech and diluted the potent energy with a resume that we would have cared less about. Even if he wanted to include it, he should have saved it for later. This is also another thing that bugs me. He wasn’t that man who we all fell in love with at the Democratic National Convention in 2004. He lacked the urgency and fire of a sinner-in-the-hands-of-an-angry-god minister. Somehow that novelty and freshness faded and with it a man who could really could rally the people. Obama takes too much for granted, that is clear. I am beginning to think that he doesn’t really want to be president, only a decent presidential candidate. If so, he’s not even close to completing that.

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Tyler Perry Now in Theaters

Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls is now in a theater near you.

Former NBA Player Comes Out

I have never heard of this guy so I'll let other media sources tell you about him.

"Ex-NBA Player Comes Out" -TIME.com
 
"The NBA's First Gay Player" -KeithBoykin.com

"Rumors Confirmed" -AOL.com

Celtics Coach, "So What?"-MercuryNews

 

More of Reggie Bush

Black and Gay in 1928

This story is taken from Wandering Caravan.com. The story is so great that I thought I would share it with you.

In the midst of my career there burst on me a new and undreamed-of aspect of sex. A young man, long my disciple and student, then my cohelper and successor to part of my work, was suddenly arrested for molesting young men in public places. I had before that time no conception of homosexuality. I had never understood the tragedy of an Oscar Wilde. I dismissed coworker forthwith, and spent heavy days regretting my act--W.E.B. Du Bois in 1958

 

The man Du Bois is speaking of is Augustus Granville Dill, gay African American. Dill was arrested in 1928 for sexual improprieties in a subway restroom with another man. Dill was an undergraduate at Atlanta University during DuBois' tenure as an educator there around 1900. There, the two men became almost instant friends as well as collaborators on various scholarly articles. When DuBois left the University for the NAACP and The Crisis, Dill replaced him on the faculty until he also went to work for the organization under the tutelage of Du Bois as a business manager in 1913. The working relationship of the two men lasted 15 years until Dill's arrest and subsequent firing by Du Bois.

Years later, and challenging the false assumption that all blacks are homophobic, DuBois expressed great remorse over terminating Dill because he happened to be gay. DuBois had no concept of the idea that one man could express romantic affection for another until the scandal broke with Dill's arrest. When Countee Cullen and Yelonda, the daughter of Du Bois separated, Du Bois blamed his daughter for the marriage not working instead of even acknowledging the "open secret" of Cullen's sexuality; Dubois never look askance to Cullen taking Harold Jackman on the honeymoon to Paris instead of his daughter.


Dill was a Harvard graduate and edited an African American magazine for children, The Brownie Book. He has been described by various biographers and historians of the Harlem Renaissance as a chrysanthemum buttonhole wearing dandy or a fastidious and predestined bachelor. Langston Hughes shared Dill's home residence for a brief while upon arriving in Harlem for the first time.

 

How Anti-Gay is Your State?

Click Here to Find Out

My State
Virginia State Laws        

Virginia Adoption Law Virginia permits single GLBT people to adopt and does not explicitly prohibit same-sex couples from adopting. It is unclear whether a person can adopt his or her same-sex partner’s adopted child.

Virginia Birth Certificate Law: Gender Identity Issues Virginia will issue new birth certificates to post-operative transsexuals.

Virginia Custody and Visitation Law Virginia courts have used a parent’s sexual orientation to deny, restrict or modify custody and visitation. There are no reported or published opinions dealing with transgender parents or same-sex co-parents.

Virginia Donor Insemination Law Virginia law is unclear on the issue of donor insemination for unmarried women.

Virginia Hate Crimes Law State law does not address hate crimes based on gender identity or sexual orientation.

Virginia Marriage/Relationship Recognition Law Virginia law and the state constitution both purport to ban marriage for same-sex couples. There are no other forms of relationship recognition for same-sex couples in state law or policies.

Virginia Non-Discrimination Law Virginia law does not address discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.

Virginia School Law Virginia law does not address school issues relating to sexual orientation or gender identity.

Virginia Sodomy Law The Virginia sodomy law was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court on June 26, 2003, as a result of the Court’s decision in Lawrence v. Texas.

Virginia Surrogacy Law Virginia law permits surrogacy agreements for married couples only

Oprah and Letterman Super Bowl Commercial

The Negro Bowl, Who Knew?

The Week On Rewind: Jan 28-Feb 4

Topics For This Week

*J.P. on Cover of Instinct

*Joe Biden Being Bad Boy

*Jesse Jackson Selling Out

*K-fed Bounces Back?

*Zulema Showing at Fashion Week

*An American Idol Tries to Sell Sex

*Oprah's Book Club's New Selection

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Catch me on iTunes

Bathtub Reflections: Episode 102

Topics Covered in This Blog Entry

*American Education

*David Walker and Thomas Jefferson

*Race as Social Construction

*Joe Biden on Barack Obama

*University of Virginia

*Unity in Black America

*Oprah Winfrey Misses Opportunity

*Living with Being Average

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Look for this audio on iTunes under Black Gay Journeys