Now this is just wrong…or maybe just the beginning. Americans have been pretty civilized in accepting/dealing with the black democratic front-runner so far. I guess it’s about time for it to get real. Real what, you tell me…
I know, I know…he said “deplicted”.
I just read the Washington Post piece “Racist Incidents Give Some Obama Campaigners Pause” and I just have to say DUH!!! I’m mean really??? Really? People are surprised about campaign offices being defaced and people calling teens the N-word? Have we all bought into the whole “color blind America” concept? Really?
The article notes that Obama’s camp hasn’t publicized the racial incidents that have occured. You want to know why? You want to the reason they weren’t bold enough to print? Can you handle it?
Because white people don’t want to hear about that stuff!!! It makes them fell bad. That kind of news doesn’t make white people want to vote for “Barry.” If his name is too black, too African/Muslim thus they’ve given him the nickname “Barry”, then they damn sure don’t want to think about racism and injustice when they think of him. White folks will not be motivated by guilt, shame, or America’s racism when voting for Obama. That much guilt doesn’t exist in America…ask a segregationist about the civil rights era, they’ll tell ya. The things that people in Obama’s camp have suffered are nothting compared to things that protesters endured in the Civil rights era. It took years and years and years of seeing that for white folks to get behind the cause and help move the government.
It’s better that Obama stick with connecting himself and his image to middle of the road concepts…hope…change…etc. White America doesn’t want to see oppression and the legacy of slavery when they look at a potential candidate. They want to feel good about giving their “black friend” a chance.
Yes…I said it.
I’m an art lover so I thought I’d share. I’m excited about this exhibit. Should in the vicinity of Dartmouth before August 10, you should go see this exhibit at the Hood Museum of Art.
Maud Sulter, Scottish (1960-200 
Terpsichore, 1989
Cate McQuaid/Globe Correspondent writes:
“”Black Womanhood” aches with old wounds, probed tenderly by artists who still contend with these scars and restrictions. It has a mighty scope, embracing topics such as the spice trade, Josephine Baker, African initiation rituals, and homophobia in South Africa.
The paradigm it sets up Keep reading →
From NY1 - A police group and a local lawmaker gathered Sunday at police headquarters to express outrage, after a white police officer is accused of inappropriately questioning a black driver.
The driver turned out to be the highest-ranking African-American officer in the NYPD.
Chief Douglas Zeigler — who heads the Community Affairs unit — was confronted by two officers while sitting in his car last week. Police say one of the officers tried to force open Zeigler’s door, even after the chief had identified himself.
The group 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement and State Senator Eric Adams say the incident is an example of the discrimination that is prevalent in the department. They said they are looking for changes in the department to address what they call institutionalized racism.
“When you have the head of the Community Affairs division stopped at gunpoint, what kind of community affairs do you have?” asked Adams.
Adams says things could have ended badly for Zeigler under different circumstances.
“The only difference between [police shooting victim] Sean Bell and Chief Zeigler, I believe, is that Chief Ziegler didn’t make a move towards his glove compartment,” said Adams. “If he would have done that, he would have gone to the same destination and went to the morgue instead of going home.” [full article]
There have been a number of people who did not think that the King memorial to be placed on the National Mall (it’s not really going to be on the mall…it will be off the tidal basin…lol) should be made in China anyway, so this news of the memorial being postponed is not surprising.
A King Statue ‘Made in China’? - washingtonpost.com
Some Say Memorial Design Misrepresents MLK Jr. : NPR
A Seattle Times article titled “King looks like dictator in statue, critics say” says:
Construction of the national Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial has been postponed after a federal commission likened its proposed sculpture to the art of totalitarian regimes.
The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, which has the power of approval for such projects in the capital, has notified the memorial’s planners that the “colossal scale” and static style of the planned 28-foot granite statue “recalls a genre of political sculpture that has recently been pulled down in other countries.”
The panel also said that a clay model that has been built in China for the sculpture depicts the civil-rights leader, shown standing with his arms crossed, as too “confrontational,” said Thomas Luebke, an architect and secretary of the arts commission, who summarized the objections in a letter April 17.
The project’s chief architect, Ed Jackson Jr., huddled with advisers this week in Ann Arbor, Mich., to discuss ways to address the commission’s objections before sculpting of the granite statue begins. [click here to see a photo]
Senator Barack Obama now holds a majority of all black superdelegates, according to a new tally. More than half of all African American superdelegates (52 percent) say they will support the Illinois senator, while just under a third say they support Senator Hillary Clinton (31 percent). Almost 17 percent of African American superdelegates are still “uncommitted.”
The information comes from a newly published tally of African American superdelegates, released this morning by The Daily Voice.
umm….
Am I supposed to be surprised? No one in office wants to be the black politician who didn’t support Obama in case he wins. Duh!
“The Wedding Proposal is a personal documentary where the filmmaker takes stock of her life style and romantic choices during the year of her 35th birthday. The film examines the institution of marriage, opinions and attitudes about marriage and marriage options from the viewpoint of professional African-American women my age and older.”
 Thomas Lopez-Pierre (holding private placement memorandum) with models during casting call for Fashion Show Club Magazine /investor presentation for Lopez-Pierre Realty, LLC, November 19, 2007 (NYC) |
I’m watching Anjanette Levert’s documentary on BET right now. The filmmaker, an educated African-American journalist, celebrates her 35th birthday and acknowledges to her dismay that she is STILL unmarried. For answers she turns to her family, her friends and a very interesting negro…Thomas Lopez Pierre, Managing Partner of The Harlem Club, a private social club for professional African-Americans. Any professional man is eligible to join, but women must be under 35, single, have no children; AND they must also submit head and body photos. Thomas points out the troubling statistic that of those African-Americans that graduate college, 65% are women. That leaves a shortage of available professional men for women like Anjanette. As you might think, the ladies in the documentary are not feeling Mr. Lopez. He says that most professional men don’t want a partner (who is a professional woman who works and that they have to support in their goals and journey to success) …they want a wife and that they want to walk into the room with a drop dead gorgeous woman/trophy that personifies their success. He also says there is NO hope for any unmarried black woman over the age of 35. Very interesting…sigh.
What do I think?
Everybody wants love. No body wants to be one of “those women”. Yall know what I’m talking about!
Very interesting so far…it will be on again as part of the Black Stories series, I’m sure.
Great, well written, witty content. We love it, however we love every blog with “Negro” in the title. We really hope they accept our application for membership. *fingers crossed* LOL
Check out the Introductory Letter from the SCAN Public Negro Handbook, 1933 Edition
January 19, 1933
Dear Distinguished Negro,
Welcome! Your recent fame and success has lead you to the public life of a distinguished Negro. We at the Secret Council of American Negroes want to congratulate you on your newfound success. But with that success comes great responsibility as being a Negro does not mean one can simply relax and enjoy their new prominence, for in these difficult days since the Great Emancipation Negroes of note are scrutinized in ways that our fellow white Americans could ever imagine.
Because of this we have sent along the 1930 edition of our SCAN handbook, commonly referred as the “Bible” for newly famed Negroes. While you may take in the handbook at your leisure, encourage you to read it in its entirety to better prepare you for the life fame has brought you.
For a sampling of the knowledge to be found inside the tome, please read the passage from the first chapter of the book: [Click here for the rest of this post]
Here is an email we received from Philippe Krakowsky of IPG regarding our post on the racist, homophobic, horrible ads that a subsidiary branch of McCann-Erickson in India produced.
Hi Ashe -
I work at IPG, the parent company of McCann-Erickson, and was hoping to have the opportunity to share our thoughts - and concerns - with you and your readers on what happened that led to the offensive fake ads that you ran a post on a few days back.
I thought we’d posted a comment with a link to a fuller apology and explanation, but please let me take a few moments of your time to share this information with you directly.
Fake local print ads were produced by McCann Erickson India – without the knowledge, approval or consent of Hanesbrands Inc., of anyone at IPG, or of McCann’s global management. The ads are wholly inconsistent with the interest of the Hanes brand and were created only for entry into creative competitions. They would never have been approved had our internal procedures been followed and should never have been publicly distributed. We have identified the circumstances that led to this violation of our policies and of our trust, and we are taking immediate corrective action.
We have apologized to Hanesbrands for developing this objectionable work. We want to extend our apologies to those who these fake ads have offended, as well as to Hanesbrands’ customers and business partners. That is why I would appreciate it very much if you’d be willing to share this information - and the link to our full statement - with your readers.
Thank you,
Philippe Krakowsky
Ummm…fake ads? If they were created by someone at the company for a competition…that’s not fake. Some “rogue employees” created them on purpose for submission to a competition of some sort. These ads ran…that’s not fake.
From the statement…”The ads in question were developed and run locally, without the knowledge of anyone at IPG, or of McCann’s global [or country] management. The ads appeared once in a small publication in Mumbai in late 2007 so as to qualify for consideration in award competitions and were recently posted by local Indian employees at McCann onto two web sites that display international advertising campaigns.”
Friends and family, we are gathered here to day to discuss my message. That message…The Friday question! Can I get an AMEN up in here?!?!?!
LOL
Comment and let me know what you think! Money…5 minutes of fame…righteous indignation…educating the masses??
I think Hillary Clinton would benefit from watching this series in light of her recent comments. It’s a great video and really gave me some interesting incite on how white people perceive [or don't perceive] white privilege.
[5 parts]
“Mirrors of Privilege: Making Whiteness Visible is a brilliant documentary and a must-see for all people who are interested in justice, spiritual growth and community making. It features the experiences of white women and men who have worked to gain insight into what it means to challenge notions of racism and white supremacy in the United States.”
Cartoon: Auth (Washington Post)
Stop already, LADY!! Sigh…the band played on.
I don’t want to get in to the damage caused or foolishness on the part of Jeremiah Wright for his PBS interview, comments at the NAACP dinner, or at the National Press Club. I will say that he should know that there’s a double standard when it comes to freedom of expression. He should know that white ministers can say all kinds of things and it doesn’t outrage the country as much. No speech on America’s issue of race would be necessary by a white presidential hopeful. He should know that stories, like the below article, won’t make a dent in the minds of Americans who would much rather in a relieving sigh, find a reason to look at a black candidate as just the black candidate…
The All-White Elephant in the Room (as published by The New York TImes)
BORED by those endless replays of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright? If so, go directly to YouTube, search for “John Hagee Roman Church Hitler,” and be recharged by a fresh jolt of clerical jive.
What you’ll find is a white televangelist, the Rev. John Hagee, lecturing in front of an enormous diorama. Wielding a pointer, he pokes at the image of a woman with Pamela Anderson-sized breasts, her hand raising a golden chalice. The woman is “the Great Whore,” Mr. Hagee explains, and she is drinking “the blood of the Jewish people.” That’s because the Great Whore represents “the Roman Church,” which, in his view, has thirsted for Jewish blood throughout history, from the Crusades to the Holocaust.
Mr. Hagee is not a fringe kook but the pastor of a Texas megachurch. On Feb. 27, he stood with John McCain and endorsedhim over the religious conservatives’ favorite, Mike Huckabee, who was then still in the race.
Are we really to believe that neither Mr. McCain nor his camp knew anything then about Mr. Hagee’s views? This particular YouTube video — far from the only one — was posted on Jan. 1, nearly two months before the Hagee-McCain press conference. Mr. Hagee appears on multiple religious networks, including twice daily on the largest, Trinity Broadcasting, which reaches 75 million homes. Any 12-year-old with a laptop could have vetted this preacher in 30 seconds, tops.
Since then, Mr. McCain has been shocked to learn that his clerical ally has made many other outrageous statements. Mr. Hagee, it’s true, did not blame the American government for concocting AIDS. But he did say that God created Hurricane Katrina to punish New Orleans for its sins, particularly a scheduled “homosexual parade there on the Monday that Katrina came.”
Mr. Hagee didn’t make that claim in obscure circumstances, either. He broadcast it on one of America’s most widely heard radio programs, “Fresh Air” on NPR, back in September 2006. He reaffirmed it in a radio interview less than two weeks ago. Only after a reporter asked Mr. McCain about this Katrina homily on April 24 did the candidate brand it as “nonsense” and the preacher retract it.
Mr. McCain says he does not endorse any of Mr. Hagee’s calumnies, any more than Barack Obama endorses Mr. Wright’s. But those who try to give Mr. McCain a pass for his embrace of a problematic preacher have a thin case. It boils down to this: Mr. McCain was not a parishioner for 20 years at Mr. Hagee’s church.
That defense implies, incorrectly, that Mr. McCain was a passive recipient of this bigot’s endorsement. In fact, by his own account, Mr. McCain sought out Mr. Hagee, who is perhaps best known for trying to drum up a pre-emptive “holy war” with Iran. (This preacher’s rantings may tell us more about Mr. McCain’s policy views than Mr. Wright’s tell us about Mr. Obama’s.) Even after Mr. Hagee’s Catholic bashing bubbled up in the mainstream media, Mr. McCain still did not reject and denounce him, as Mr. Obama did an unsolicited endorser, Louis Farrakhan, at the urgingof Tim Russert and Hillary Clinton. Mr. McCain instead toldGeorge Stephanopoulos two Sundays ago that while he condemns any “anti-anything” remarks by Mr. Hagee, he is still “glad to have his endorsement.”
I wonder if Mr. McCain would have given the same answer had Mr. Stephanopoulos confronted him with the graphic video of the pastor in full “Great Whore” glory. But Mr. McCain didn’t have to fear so rude a transgression. Mr. Hagee’s videos have never had the same circulation on television as Mr. Wright’s. A sonorous white preacher spouting venom just doesn’t have the telegenic zing of a theatrical black man.
Perhaps that’s why virtually no one has rebroadcast the highly relevant prototype for Mr. Wright’s fiery claim that 9/11 was America’s chickens “coming home to roost.” That would be the Sept. 13, 2001, televised exchange between Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, who blamed the attacks on America’s abortionists, feminists, gays and A.C.L.U. lawyers. (Mr. Wright blamed the attacks on America’s foreign policy.) Had that video re-emerged in the frenzied cable-news rotation, Mr. McCain might have been asked to explain why he no longer calls these preachers “agents of intolerance” and chose to cozy up to Mr. Falwell by speaking at his Liberty University in 2006. Keep reading →
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