WAOD and Essence Magazine Part Three

ESSENCE’s “New Normal” ain’t “Normal”–Part III of Why You Should Burn the June 2009 Issue of ESSENCE magazine
June 3rd, 2009 — Uncategorized
This is the last in our three part series “Why You Should Burn the June 2009 Issue of ESSENCE magazine”. (Read Part I and Part II)

I’ve repeatedly stated that there is a war on Black women; a battle to devour us mind, body and soul for the sole purpose of profit and power. We are in a sense to some people a “consumable” good. our purpose, as they see it, is to make THEIR lives better and in our community, our “leadership” organizations hand out lifetime achievement awards to those who have perfected the art of devouring Black women and girls. But how do you convince a group of sentient beings to allow themselves to survive for the sole purpose of being consumed? Psychological warfare.
Our bodies are “preserved” for future consumption, yet we’re so brainwashed we dare not object to someone attaching themselves to our aortas and draining the life from us over time. In a sense, as I’ve stated from the very beginning, we have psychological warheads aimed at our minds, bodies, and souls.

If you believe that instruments of mass media have the ability to be just as destructive as live ordinance, then the June 2009 issue of ESSENCE magazine is a daisy cutter. You should burn the June 2009 issue of ESSENCE magazine because the theme of the issue isn’t SEX, the theme of the issue is that Black women are powerless. Its about convincing you that your exploitation and degradation is the “new normal.”

The New Normal
We’ve already pointed out the OBVIOUS malice and contempt for their audience by suggesting that Black women go trolling for dates in strip clubs because, to quote the article’s author:
That’s a lot more action than they’ve had in a while.Charrea Jackson
We’ve called them out for publishing the self-serving rant of a violent criminal who blames Black women for his intentional violent acts against the, but perhaps the most SINISTER ( no, I am not being my usual hyperbolic self) article in the entire issue is The Body Shop on page 110.
First of all you should know that “The Body Shop” is touted in the table of contents and on the cover of the magazine as a guide to make Black men scream your name. What it ends up being is anti-Black woman propaganda of the worst sort because its destructive impact is cloaked in the respectability of “helping Black women.’ It takes the most dysfunctionally needy Black women you can find and the most oxygen-deprived Black men alive and mixes it all together with a side of a couple of quotes from Tracey D. Sharpley-Whiting, Phd and voila, we have a “new normal.” The article is written by Demetria L. Lucas.

It included unscientific studies about the prevailing view of African American men.
We polled twenty and thirty something Black men to see what they were expecting in the bedroom and heard similar responses.

She doesn’t mention the sample size or whether they even left ESSENCE headquarters to find Black men. She quotes Aaron, a 31 year old idiot who should go play on a busy freeway blindfolded during rush hour. Who offers this advice expectation to women:
“She can study a couple of pornography films on her own and try to learn some skills via imitation.” [as opposed to him telling her what he wants]
We are then introduced to Maxwell, 33, who is an absolute waste of organic matter. Maxwell, according to the author is outraged at the idea that a woman may not perform oral sex to his satisfaction and then throws this tidbit out there:

“A woman should be committed to the act. That’s the only way she’s going from wifey to wife”
As if you are some great prize Maxwell. No woman should EVER consider marrying this man. He will abuse you. He’s got narcissistic abuser written all over him. Demetria Lucas then goes trolling for additional opinions from self-serving Black men to support her thesis.
She introduces us to the wisdom of a FAILED magazine editor, Jermaine Hall. Hall was was so terrible at his job- his magazine no longer exists. That is likely the case because he appears to be an idiot. Why else would he publicly declare that Jessica Rabbit, a White cartoon character was the prototype for his magazine’s cover models. I guess he never heard of Sara Baartman.

Oh and we can’t leave out 31 year old Brandon:
"I won’t be serious with any woman if I feel she has a flat butt."

I mean Black men should be more outraged than Black women about this article. She went and found the most ignorant Black men she could find to offer their opinion. The article exclusively relies on the opinions of men who no woman, Black or otherwise, should maintain any sort of relationship.

Mix that with the prevalence of video models with protruding breasts and gigantic backsides who are redefining Black beauty standards and , ladies we may have a really big problem Demetria L. Lucas, Page 111

Um who took the national survey of Black America to declare this to be so? If you only talk to KING magazine readers, then are you RE-defining Black beauty OR promoting the previously held viewpoint and representing it as a new paradigm?

If you do an article about the housing crisis and you only interview sub prime lenders and a representative from the National Association of Realtors, don’t be surprised if the article ends up being anti-consumer.

The article also features the stories of two Black women and “one woman of color”. The first woman introduced, “Brown” is taking a sex education class and practicing fellatio on a banana. She does so because one of her boyfriends in her 20s was verbally abusive and told her “Your head game is not on point.” ESSENCE could have at least brought back Dr. Gwendolyn Golsby Grant to tell readers that this was a form of verbal abuse. this manchild is responsible for his own needs and this statement was likely the result of his own sexual insecurity and immaturity.
But instead, Lucas ends the story with a quote from the woman indicating that now that she went to sex ed class, she’s snagged a new man. . . who will likely go on to abuse her because of the cloud of desperation floating about her. Lucas quips she” has found self-acceptance by kissing, ahem, bananas.” That’s not my take. Brown’s entire self worth is tied up in the whims of men. If this man (the current boyfriend )tells her he’s unhappy, then she’s back to feeling worthless and unacceptable again.

We then are introduced to Maldanado who is of unspecified ethnic origin. It matters only because Lucas pointed that out. Maldanado is engaged in self mutilation, but Lucase doesn’t call it that. Maldonado is getting illegal injections of foreign matter into her buttocks. Maldonado is doing so to look more like the women in music videos because “Now, that’s what ethnic men like.” Then Lucas comes back around to confirm Maldonado’s rant with references to unspecified studies and repeats that there is a new Black beauty standard. According to who? the rantings of a woman getting injections in her rear end in a strip mall next to a KFC?
Last we have a married woman who is taking pole dancing classes because she saw it on Oprah, so that makes it “normal.” I’ll stop there, but in summary,under ESSENCE’s new normal
Black women are objects
Our sole purpose in life is to cater to Black men
Even if those men are abusive
Even if those men are idiotic
Even if those men are sexually incompetent
Even if those men should go play on a busy highway blindfolded during rush hour.
Under ESSENCE’s “new normal,” the definition of what makes a woman marriage material is now defined by pornography producers, failed magazine publishers, and women with a demonstrable lack of common sense and self- esteem.

There was once a “normal” that said that the sun rotated around the earth. In fact they burned people alive for saying otherwise. There was once a “normal” that said that if you said too far to the west, you’ll fall right off the side of the ocean because the earth is flat. There was once a normal that said it was legal in this country to own other human beings. There was once a “normal” that said that women should not have the right to vote. There was once a normal that said Black people had to sit at the back of the bus, enter through the back door, drink at the Black water fountain, stay at the Black hotel, attend the sorely underfunded Black school, and hold Black jobs. So its important to speak out when folks are attempting to impose new normals the “normal” might not be in society’s best interest.Sanctimony as a Substitute for Doing SomethingSo why do a three part series on a magazine that none of my readers actually read? Because foolishness must be called out. Foolishness cannot be ignored or it will spread like Desmond Hatchett’s little swimmers. This writer is attempting to impose a new paradigm on Black women that is not in out best interests and is doing so based on questionable reasoning and that should be confronted.

I found those of you who touted the fact that YOU stopped reading ESSENCE magazine X years ago particularly tiring because this isn’t about YOU. YOU get it. YOU have some semblance of media literacy. YOU instantly recognized that Anonymous, who crowed about intentionally infecting Black women with Herpes, was a violent criminal. YOU instantly recognized that suggesting women head the strip clubs was complete and utter foolishness. You get it, but the blog isn’t called What About You or What About Me.

The response to some of you points to why at times our community appears to be in a death spiral of chicanery and foolishness. Those who have destructive values, like those quoted in this article, boldly put their values on display. They are proud of their values. They set their values to music. Make movies about their values, publish magazine’s touting their values. While Black folks who know better sit back and do nothing more than say “Well IIIIII am not engaged in foolishness!” as if that is enough.

You’re going to be okay. I’m going to be okay. This isn’t about you or me! You assume that because you’re okay, your daughters will be okay. As if the world doesn’t need to devour them in order to survive. As if your personal value system is going to be a hedge around future generations of Black women and girls, while the Regime is waging war for their minds bodies and souls with the help of magazines like this June issue. If you can’t do anything else, you ought to at least be able to open up your mouth and speak and say “Hey this is some foolishness!”
For those apologizing and “rationalizing” by saying ESSENCE is just like Cosmo or Glamour, I disagree. Neither one of those magazines, as far as I know, hosts a young women’s leadership conference or a conference about Women Shaping the World. In other words, they know better than this MESS!

I’m done!

Previous Posts
Bedroom Bioterrorism :Why You Should Burn the June 2009 Issue of ESSENCE Part II
ESSENCE Writer Responds-Strip Club Dating is the Best Black Women Can Hope For
Why You Should BURN the June 2009 Issue of ESSENCE Magzine Part 1

Direct from the excellent blog "What About Our Daughters ?"

http://www.whataboutourdaughters.com/

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What Obama's Cuba Move Means For Blacks

What Obama's Cuba Move Means For Blacks
by TheLoop21 .com Friday, April 17, 2009
TheLoop21 .com BY MARVIN KING

This week, President Barack Obama announced a shift, a subtle, but important shift, in American policy toward Cuba. First, he is lifting travel restrictions for Cuban-Americans with family still in Cuba. Second, he will allow unlimited transfers of money from Cuban-Americans to family still on the island. Third, Obama will allow American telecommunications companies — if Cuba allows it — to compete in the Cuban market.Obama has not lifted the trade embargo on the island nation, nor will he allow unrestricted travel by Americans to the island — that would require congressional action. (A shame, too. I've already daydreamed about a Cuba Libre in Havana for my next vacay.)Myopic journalists and cynics on the right insist on framing this issue as solely a matter of Obama trying to win over more voters in Florida. There is so much more to consider, though. Let me point out the relevance of the new policy to Cuba's black population, which is significant.

According to the 2002 Cuban Census, 35 percent of Cuba's 11 million people are black or mulatto. Unofficial estimates, however, have a broader definition of mixed ancestry, and put the black or mulatto population at closer to 60 percent to 70 percent. During the revolution, Fidel Castro earned black support, because he promised equal opportunities. As the saying goes, in Cuba, race does not exist, people "are only Cuban." Yet objective reality says something different.

The Good:
To Castro's credit, since the revolution, in some areas, life has improved for the better for Cuba's black population. Cuba is much more likely to produce black doctors. There is considerably more racial integration on the island and relationships between the races are more amicable.
The Bad:
However, blacks are severely overrepresented in Cuba's prisons. (Sound familiar?) Despite the prevalence of black doctors, blacks with college degrees are relatively sparse. And, government officials, the elites in Cuban society, are overwhelmingly white. There is a strong pro-white, Spanish tilt to Cuban aristocracy.At the end of a recent visit by members of the Congressional Black Caucus, chairwoman Barbara Lee noted that the 47-year American embargo against Cuba has done little to alter the political status quo in Cuba. The Castros are still in charge. Furthermore, the real victims of the embargo appear to be those lowest on the economic and political ladder — black Cubans. (As an aside, critics of the trip have failed to note it is consistent with the CBC agenda of fighting poverty and suffering everywhere.)No doubt, Cuba still has a long way to go in addressing valid, real concerns of human rights abuses of political prisoners. There are legitimate concerns over the severe restrictions on freedom of movement and even the persecution of religion. We can say the same of China, but how many Americans visited for last summer's Olympics?Still, as long as there is only a tiny American investment on the island, a relatively small, white, Spanish elite will horde those resources. Significant American investment is the only way to improve life for all Cubans.Obama could start by sending me to Havana for that Cuba Libre.

Marvin King is an assistant professor of political science at the University of Mississippi and writes the blog King Politics.

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Date Rape & Jamie Foxx

"Don't even get me started on that stupid song which is pretty much advocating date rape. And before folks chime in with “it’s just music” think about what he is actually saying in that song.
She really wants to do it (I know because I am a man who knows women and I know all women want to have sex with me because I have $$$$) but her guard is up so let me get her drunk so she won’t care about anything and have sex with me. This is textbook date rape pathology. When I first heard it I was disgusted. Can’t believe it’s a “hit”. - www.Whataboutourdaughters.com

Lyrics to Jamie Foxx's "Blame it on the alcohol":

Ay she say she usually don't

But I know that she front

Cause shawty know what she want

But she don't wanna seem like she easy

I ain't saying what you wont do

But you know we probably gonna do

What you been feeninn deep inside

Don't lie now

Girl what you drinking ?

Gonna let sink in

Here for the weekend

Thinking

We can

See what we can be if we press fast forward

Just one more round and you're down I know it

Fill another cup up

Feeling on yo butt what ?

You don't even care nowI was unaware of

FineYou were before my buzz set in, before my buzz set in....

[Chorus:]Blame it on the goose

Got you feeling looseBlame it on Patron

Got you in the zone

Blame it on the a a a a a alcohol

Blame it on the a a a a a alcohol

Blame it on the vodka

Blame it on the henny

Blame it on the blue top

Got you feeling dizzy

Blame it on the a a a a a alcohol

Blame it on the a a a a a a alcohol

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Blame it on Jamie Foxx's Foul-up

We just had to share this !

http://www.whataboutourdaughters.com/2009/04/blame-it-on-the-alcohol-jay-leno-hypocrite-in-cheif-supposing-miley-cyrus-was-a-member-of-a-certain-basketball-team/

Blame it on the Alcohol: Jay Leno Hypocrite-in-Chief- Supposing Miley Cyrus was a Member of a Certain Basketball Team
April 16th, 2009 Uncategorized

“I didn’t mean it maliciously.” Jamie Foxx

Oops Jamie dear, didn’t you get the memo? You only get to dehumanize BLACK women and girls in the name of “humor.” Surprised you didn’t blame this on the al-al-al-al-a-alcohol.

After taking a call on his Sirius satellite radio show The Foxxhole Sunday, the Oscar winner and his zoo crew lashed out at tween dream and reigning box-office champ Miley Cyrus, referring to the 16-year-old as a “little white bitch” and advising her to alternately “do some heroin” and “make a sex tape and grow up.”

The 41-year-old’s foul outburst was prompted by a caller to the show who brought up a month-old story in which Cyrus pledged to “ruin” Radiohead after the rockers rejected a request to meet with the Disney star backstage at the Grammys.

“Who is Miley Cyrus?” an incredulous Foxx, who has a teenage daughter of his own, said. “The one with all the gums? She gotta get a gum transplant…S–t.”

The insults didn’t stop there. Or get less personal.

“She’s gonna ruin Radiohead’s career? The same Radiohead that gets paid a million dollars just to sample their songs?

“Make a sex tape and grow up,” he continued. “Get like Britney Spears and do some heroin. Do like Lindsay Lohan and start seeing a lesbian and get some crack in your pipe. Catch chlamydia on a bicycle seat.

“That’s what I want.” E Online

There you and your crew went and got out of pocket and left the safe confines of Black woman and girl bashing and went after Miley Cyrus.

Miley’s dad, Billy Ray, is particularly upset, according to the source.

“He thinks Jamie was out of line and didn’t find any humor in it,” the source told me this afternoon. “He doesn’t understand why he would do that to Miley, especially since he has teenage daughter himself.” E Online

Foxx noted to Jay Leno that he was doing a routine, saying: “Sometimes as comedians, you know, we go a little too far.”

Oh I LOVE IT! The Apology begins at 6:37. I’m adding that time stamp so you can avoid all of Jamie’s shucking ,jiving and soft shoeing.

How in the Heck is Jay Leno going to get an apology out of Jamie Foxx for making inappropriate comments about a teenage girl in another forum, but didn’t demand an apology out of DL Hughley who insulted Black women everywhere on Jay’s couch?

Somebody help me to understand! Oh never mind.Folks watch and learn. Jamie Foxx knows who butters his bread. Boundaries- Get them-enforce them-keep them!

In other news, DL Hughley announced that following getting fired leaving his CNN gig for “family reasons” he’s decided to star in a revival of Birth of a Nation…because he thinks that will be funny. . . And that’s all that matters. Ha -ha-hey-el!

http://www.whataboutourdaughters.com

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From Goddess to Gangstress

From Goddess to Gangstress:
The Devaluation of the Diva

Paul Scott


My friend, Jae told me about an incident that she recently had on her way home from work. These two teenagers were having a loud public/ private discussion in the back of the bus, tellin’ the interested and uninterested, alike, about everything from the graphic details of their sexual escapades to the best way to roll a blunt. What really concerned Jae was that these were not guys but teenage girls who turned her ,otherwise, quiet and uneventful ride home into a combination of the Jerry Springer Show and Def Comedy Jam. She could only sink down in her seat and think about how her generation had failed these two girls and wonder what will happen to these black women of the future.



(Photo of Spoken Word Diva Queen Sheeba)
I used to be clear about the definition of a diva. In the 60’s, it was all about Diana Ross and the Supremes with the big wigs and expensive gowns. During the 70’s the epitome of diva-ness was Patti Labelle or the Three Degrees. During the 80’s and 90’s you had Kylmaxx, En Vogue and Whitney Houston (before Bobby Brown).

But according to Beyonce’s alter ago “Sasha Fierce” the 21st century definition of a diva is “a female version of a hustler.”

Forget Jennifer Hudson, the new Dream Girl is a sista that will stick you for your jewelry and slit your throat while you sleep. Yeah, that’s what I call a lady.


It is a case of historical romanticism to suggest that all black women have always carried themselves as perfect ladies. Uncle Jack can tell you stories about how “Mustang Sally” could out drink, out smoke and out gamble even the toughest Stagger Lee-type dude. But for the most part, black women have always carried themselves in a respectful manner; divas in every sense of the word. However, over the last 20 years, the value of “the diva” has been on a steady decline; rapidly accelerating, downhill, over the last decade.

At first unlady -like behavior by sistas was condemned by male rappers. I remember Run DMC chastising a “Dumb Girl” back in ‘86. And who can forget Brand Nubian’s “Slow Down” when they dissed some sistas by saying ” a 40 and a blunt, that’s all they really want.”
At the beginning of the 90’s we saw the emergence of the female versions of NWA (Nigga’s With Attitude), the now forgotten HWA (Hoez With Attitude) followed by BWP (Bytches With Problems.) Also, during this period, the behavior that was once condemned by the male rappers began to be glorified by artists such as Apache who proudly pleaded for a “Gangsta Bitch.”
This period was followed by gangstress successors like Da Brat and Boss, whose “street cred” was busted when it was discovered by the Wall Street Journal that her tales of gangta-ism took great liberties with the truth.

Next came the age of the “Ride or Die” chicks, sistas who would do what ever it took to hold their men down whether legal or illegal. The movement was headed by rappers such as Lil Kim and Foxy Brown, rappers who built upon the “Bonnie and Clyde” theme that was established by Ice Cube’s female protege, Yo Yo, a few years earlier.

While this “ride or die” theme may have been glorified on CD, the real life results of following this path resulted in dire consequences. One just has to look at the life of Kemba Smith, the former Hampton University student who ,beginning in 1994, served a six year prison sentence because of her involvement with a crack dealing boyfriend.

The legacy of the “gangstress” has been carried on courtesy of rappers such as Khia, Trina and Jacki O, who often compete for the crown of the “Baddest Bitch” in Hip Hop.

To blame the negative image of black women on today’s entertainers may be unfair since one could argue that Millie Jackson and Vanity 6, women whom Slick Rick James would have called “the super freaks that you don’t take home to mother,” set the standard for female vulgarity, during the 70’s and early 80’s. However, regardless of the past, in real time, you now have teenage black girls in every mall in America with baggy jeans and bandannas tied around their heads, cussin’ louder than the boys. Not to mention the fact that some of the once teenage fans of Lil Kim are now grown women with nothing more on their minds then gettin’ their hair and nails “did” and hittin’ the club on the weekend to find a “balla.”

Maybe, we have spent too much time discussing the plight of black boys instead of paying attention to what was going on with our black girls. Perhaps their emulation of gangstas is a disparate cry for attention.

Suppose instead of just reading street novels, black women, of all ages, would start reading books like “Black Women in Antiquity,” a collection of essays by Dr. Ivan Van Sertima that discusses the great black women of history. Maybe reading about the great queens of ancient Egypt and Ethiopia, whose beauty and intelligence were legends of mythical proportions will improve the self esteem of black women, young and old.

Some believe that it is too late to do anything to save this younger generation of black women. Some men believe that even older black women of today have been so influenced by pop culture that if you greet them with “Peace, Queen” they will only roll their eyes and suck their teeth. But if you yell, “Yo, Shawty,” you might get a response.

However, there are still a lot of examples of real black women, sisters who carry themselves like beautiful black queens, true divas. And I’m not just talking about the soon to be first black first lady, Michelle Obama. I’m talking about that intelligent sister at work who has her stuff together. Or that caring wife and loving mother who has dedicated her life to raising a strong black family. How about that honor roll college student who is working her way through college by doing something other than working at a strip club ?

When I think of them, I realize that there is hope after all. Even for the girls in the back of the bus.



http://www.truthminista.blogspot.com/


TRUTH Minista Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com.
He can be reached at http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/ (919) 451-8283

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Ashamed of being black

"Where do we go from here?"
speech by Martin Luther King August 16, 1967

"Where we are now"Now, in order to answer the question, "Where do we go from here?" which is our theme, we must first honestly recognize where we are now. When the Constitution was written, a strange formula to determine taxes and representation declared that the Negro was 60 percent of a person. Today another curious formula seems to declare he is 50 percent of a person. Of the good things in life, the Negro has approximately one half those of whites. Of the bad things of life, he has twice those of whites. Thus half of all Negroes live in substandard housing. And Negroes have half the income of whites. When we view the negative experiences of life, the Negro has a double share. There are twice as many unemployed. The rate of infant mortality among Negroes is double that of whites and there are twice as many Negroes dying in Vietnam as whites in proportion to their size in the population.
In other spheres, the figures are equally alarming. In elementary schools, Negroes lag one to three years behind whites, and their segregated schools receive substantially less money per student than the white schools. One twentieth as many Negroes as whites attend college. Of employed Negroes, 75 percent hold menial jobs.
This is where we are. Where do we go from here? First, we must massively assert our dignity and worth. We must stand up amidst a system that still oppresses us and develop an unassailable and majestic sense of values. We must no longer be ashamed of being black. The job of arousing manhood within a people that have been taught for so many centuries that they are nobody is not easy.
"Depiction of Blackness and Negro Contributions" Even semantics have conspired to make that which is black seem ugly and degrading. In Roget's Thesaurus there are 120 synonyms for blackness and at least 60 of them are offensive, as for example, blot, soot, grim, devil and foul. And there are some 134 synonyms for whiteness and all are favorable, expressed in such words as purity, cleanliness, chastity and innocence. A white lie is better than a black lie. The most degenerate member of a family is a "black sheep." Ossie Davis has suggested that maybe the English language should be reconstructed so that teachers will not be forced to teach the Negro child 60 ways to despise himself, and thereby perpetuate his false sense of inferiority, and the white child 134 ways to adore himself, and thereby perpetuate his false sense of superiority.
The tendency to ignore the Negro's contribution to American life and to strip him of his personhood, is as old as the earliest history hooks and as contemporary as the morning's newspaper. To upset this cultural homicide, the Negro must rise up with an affirmation of his own Olympian manhood. Any movement for the Negro's freedom that overlooks this necessity is only waiting to be buried. As long as the mind is enslaved, the body can never be free. Psychological freedom, a firm sense of self-esteem, is the most powerful weapon against the long night of physical slavery. No Lincolnian Emancipation Proclamation or Johnsonian Civil Rights Bill can totally bring this kind of freedom. The Negro will only be free when he reaches down to the inner depths of his own being and signs with the pen and ink of assertive manhood his own Emancipation Proclamation. And, with a spirit straining toward true self-esteem, the Negro must boldly throw off the manacles of self-abnegation and say to himself and to the world, "I am somebody. I am a person. I am a man with dignity and honor. I have a rich and noble history. How painful and exploited that history has been. Yes, I was a slave through my foreparents and I am not ashamed of that. I'm ashamed of the people who were so sinful to make me a slave." Yes, we must stand up and say, "I'm black and I'm beautiful," and this self-affirmation is the black man's need, made compelling by the white man's crimes against him.
"Basic Challenges"Another basic challenge is to discover how to organize our strength in terms of economic and political power. No one can deny that the Negro is in dire need of this kind of legitimate power. Indeed, one of the great problems that the Negro confronts is his lack of power. From old plantations of the South to newer ghettos of the North, the Negro has been confined to a life of voicelessness and powerlessness. Stripped of the right to make decisions concerning his life and destiny he has been subject to the authoritarian and sometimes whimsical decisions of this white power structure. The plantation and ghetto were created by those who had power. both to confine those who had no power and to perpetuate their powerlessness. The problem of transforming the ghetto, therefore, is a problem of power-confrontation of the forces of power demanding change and the forces of power dedicated to the preserving of the status quo. Now power properly understood is nothing but the ability to achieve purpose. It is the strength required to bring about social, political and economic change. Walter Reuther defined power one day. He said, "Power is the ability of a labor union like the U.A.W. to make the most powerful corporation in the world, General Motors, say 'Yes' when it wants to say 'No.' That's power."
Full Speech Located At This Site



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Did Rap Kill The Black Male Singer?

Did Rap Kill The Black Male Singer?By Pearl Jr. How many of you know who the best selling Black male singer in the world for 2008 was? I bet you'll never get this right, without a few clues. Well, he's 50 years old, considered washed up and too controversial to sell, plus the majority of his songs are more than 25 years old. It's Michael Jackson, who sold more than Usher, Chris Brown, Ne-yo, John Legend, and Seal. The King of Pop sold nearly as many records worldwide as the #1 best-selling artist in the US regardless of race, Lil Wayne, whose genre of hip hop lost 19.8 percent in sales from the previous year. Michael Jackson's song catalog sold 2.9 million copies with Thriller 25 topping over 2.3 million by itself, plus Michael didn't even promote it and performed nowhere! Shocking isn't it! (Lil Wayne sold nearly 3 million) Before the 1990's, it seemed one could find a million-selling Black male recording artist on other every corner, and, at least, 20 in every Black church. Today, it's becoming more and more difficult to ignore the facts that Black men are headed to the bottom of, yet, another statistical chart. Music, the savior of the Black race, made bearable the horrors of slavery, soothed during Jim Crow racism, and bonded in segregation. This type of Black love and togetherness ushered in the perfectly pitched passion of singers like Smokey Robinson singing countertenor (a male soprano), Michael Jackson a solid tenor, David Ruffin a baritone, and Barry White, the maestro, bass singer. Even now writing this article, name after name of remarkable Black male singers come to mind like Nat King Cole, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Jackie Wilson, Marvin Gaye, Donnie Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, Ronald Isley, Al Green, Teddy Pendergrass, Luther Vandross, Jeffrey Osborne, and singing groups like The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Spinners, Stylistics, Chi-lights, Jackson 5, Earth Wind and Fire, The Moments, The Manhattans, New Edition, and Boys II Men. The list goes on and on. But today, where are the Black male singers that made Black women buy every Right On Magazine and scream with excited hysteria whenever their favorite artists appeared? In today's world of rap music, the last solid genre created in the Black community, seemed to have seduced too many Black men wishing for their spot on the top of music entertainment fame, to speak rhythmic poetry instead of singing the melodies of love and longing. The irony is that while the loving lyrics of Motown dominated the Black airways for decades, Black love was in bloom, and so was the growth of the music industry. Now too many Black men in the game of hip hop slop are volunteering to label Black women bitches and hos, promote criminality, excessive spending (bling), and speak of love making as purely a one night stand have contributed to the widespread decline of Black love and progress. It's no coincidence that Black love is down at the same time Black music is at its lowest levels ethically and well as financially. This decline has little to do with the recession because these declines started to manifest 6 years ago, and ringtones along with 99 cent downloads just ain't paying the bills. Could the absence of Black male singers be correlated with the lack of decency taught in rap crap chants? Does it take the desire to love completely and thoroughly to enhance the singing style of Black men? Throughout the history of television, there have been numerous talent shows, such as the competitions at the famed Apollo Theater and Star Search. But the last few seasons of American Idol have not produced one top Black male singer and I think Simon is in shock due to this! Season Eight of American Idol's top 12, Oops 13 doesn't have one Black male singer and only one Black male singer was in the top 36. Season two winner, Reuben Studdard and the like, are now extinct for six straight years. He was the only Black male winner in American Idol history. Black men have lost their way in so many more different categories, such as low high school graduation rates, high incarceration rates, high rates of low self-esteem or undeserved self-gratification, and too many Black men are not in the home taking care of their children and not marrying their baby's mothers. There are simply prices to pay for not loving and respecting your women! Nature just wasn't meant to fail like this! Perhaps, the Black male's continual downfall spiral will be due to too much bad karma. Have Black males lost their singing dominance with their souls and are now out of the emotional loop of wanting to give true love to a Black woman? What happened to lyrics like, "The Way You Do The Things You Do", "Just My Imagination", "Your Precious Love", "Maybe Tomorrow", "Try a Little Tenderness", "Lonely Teardrops", "Isn't She lovely", "Love Ballad", "I Can't Help Myself", "Mighty Love", "Reasons", "Stop, Look, Listen to Your Heart", "Oh Girl" and "Ooh Child". Even later group like Boys II Men released hits like "I'll Make Love to You" and New Edition's "Can You Stand the Rain" seems like those were the last true love song that touched the heart in just the right place to make herds of girls run to the record store and lay out their, many times, strapped money to experience love's possibilities through music. Even, Michael Jackson, the best-selling artist in the world achieved his greatest heights when he was filled with Black pride and surrounded by Black people, especially his Black mother and sisters who lived at the family home with him, because all of his brothers had married and moved away. One might wonder if Michael Jackson still has Black fans. Well, as the owner of one of the largest and most successful Black-themed and Black-owned bookstores in Los Angeles (Eso-Won) told me that Thriller 25 was the best selling product in his store. Remember, the last women the world saw Michael with two Black women named Grace Rwamba (reportedly MJ was going to marry), his assistant and Raymone Bain, his spokesperson. All is not totally lost. There are a few Black male singers, but only one comes to mind. Usher, who is the last best selling new Black male singer, remains on the scene, but he is a rare reminiscent of days long past. Usher's album and song, "Here I Stand" earned him the #2 best-selling Black male singing title of 2008 because that love song exudes the unrelenting emotion every Black woman needs to hear to believe that to be loved, honored, and cherished is attainable. By the way, Usher is married to a beautiful Black woman. It's always been Black women that have purchased nearly all the recordings by Black male artists, period! Examine the recent careers of post-platinum selling artists akon, Baby Face, Brian McKnight, John Legend, and Seal who are all good singers, but once they are found out to not chose Black women as their mates, those sales dropped like hot potatoes. No one else will have the guts to say this or ASK THIS SERIOUS QUESTION. Is it the Black woman who brings out the natural emotional PASSION in Black men or is it Black women that feel abandoned by the very artist they put in the rich house AND stopped buying their music because now it is difficult to imagine that singer is singing to directly to them? The answer to both is probably a big yes. Either way, the Black male singer is the loser in all this when he chooses to abandon the already abandoned, use the already abused, and fall prey to manipulations that tell him to be wrong is to be right. Men are natural providers and protectors of their women, children and community, therefore, when Black men refuse to do their jobs as men, nature jumps in and creates a cataclysm of castigation. The Black race will not improve until Black men OVERWHELMINGLY take their responsibility seriously. Even with the latest abusive disaster with singer Chris Brown against his girlfriend Rihanna, whose first albums attained platinum, one of Chris' first music videos (from his second album) shows him chasing non-Black women and even jumping over Black girls to get to a non-Black girl. The highly publicized relationship between Chris and Rihanna jump started Chris' quickly declining records sales, because sistas just wasn't having it. Now, why would Black females purchase an album from a guy who blatantly disrespects Black females like that? They don't and they won't. Chris' career will never recover from his felony charges for allegedly beating his girlfriend Rihanna-and Rihanna doesn't even realize that she does not possess enough love to save him. Rihanna's latest album has sold over 6 million copies worldwide, while Chris' latest stands around 2 million. During their heavily publicized crisis, Rihanna continues to sell, but Chris' sales are pretty much dead. It seems to be a trend for Black men to be with non-Black women in entertainment, but much of the Black female audience is tired of trying to be racially fair when it's obvious that union is in direct contrast with Black love and the returning of Black men to their male lacking homes and communities. This may be hard for many to hear, but it is the love between a Black man and a Black woman that unveils the often imitated, unique melodic beauty of Black music? Yet, the Black female continues to deliver love songs at her emotional high, but Black men apparently, have done too much wrong to be righted by the God's of good singing and good fortune. As the author of the book, Black Women Need Love, Too, at a glance one would think this manual was written for the sole benefit of Black women, not so! It is basically for the savior of Black men via love for Black women. Isn't it quite obvious by now, that not loving hasn't rendered any real long lasting cultural benefits? Rap Crap artists are the biggest losers in the music industry-they lead in deaths, incarcerations, and lost fortunes. It was always the Black woman that supported the Black male singer, but how many Black men appreciated it? So now, it has been taken away. When will the majority of Black men realize that to not love Black women, will only deliver more massive declines. White women have the best PR because White men demand it and realize that if they don't love their women and represent them as valuable; big declines will be the result. You see, men are innately motivated to thrive for success when they want to be loved by a woman--take that away and chaos is the consequence. Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown, named his autobiography "To Be Loved" because that is what motivated him to succeed. At that time, he only dated Black women and Motown was filled with Black married couples--a correlation that supports this hypothesis. The old divide and conquer methodology, used by the non-Black music executives who have hired too many uneducated weak-minded sell-out thug-able young Black male performers to do their dirty work, has succeeded once more. How else did despicable words like the "N" word get into Black music? Motown didn't use it, Casablanca Records didn't use it and both these companies that Black men had ownership and control of hired tremendous Black talent and made lots of money. My man is the son of music executive and part owner of Casablanca Records, Cecil Holmes, who also worked in the record business and was kicked out in the early 1990's with a group of others, because they were too nice and decent for the massive mental corruption that was on the horizon. The Rap Crap Treason Act then took full effect. Now, the Black male singer seems to be a relic of the past. How many trick bags are we going to jump in? Do right by Black women, and Black men will see their own lives massively improve, which is attached to the upward mobility of the Black race! Hopefully, what was lost will one day be found again!

Source: http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=x5oj9ycab.0.0.47eqbzaab.0&ts=S0389&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mediatraffic.de%2F&id=preview
http://www.blackwomenneedlovetoo.com/
http://www.michaeljacksoninsider.com/

The Original Black Irish - A historical note

BLACK PEOPLE IN THE BRITISH ISLES AND EARLY NORTHERN EUROPE
By RUNOKO RASHIDI

Any comprehensive account of the African presence in early Europe should include England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Scandinavia. The history and legends of Scotland confirm the existence of "purely Black people." We see one of them in the person of Kenneth the Niger. During the tenth century Kenneth the Niger ruled over three provinces in the Scottish Highlands. (See photo)

The historical and literary traditions of Wales reflect similar beliefs. According to Gwyn Jones (perhaps the world's leading authority on the subject), to the Welsh chroniclers, "The Danes coming in by way of England and the Norwegians by way of Ireland were pretty well all black: Black Gentiles, Black Norsemen, Black Host."

There is also strong reason to suggest an African presence in ancient Ireland. We have, for example, the legends of the mysterious "African sea-rovers, the Fomorians, who had a stronghold on Torrey Island, off the Northwest Coast." The Fomorians, shrouded deep in mist, came to be regarded as the sinister forces in Irish mythology.

Photo: The Fomorians by John Duncan Scottish 19th century artist

A prominent Viking of the eleventh century was Thorhall, who was aboard the ship that carried the early Vikings to the shores of North America. Thorhall was "the huntsman in summer, and in winter the steward of Eric the Red. He was, it is said, a large man, and strong, black, and like a giant, silent, and foul-mouthed in his speech, and always egged on Eric to the worst; he was a bad Christian."

Another Viking, more notable than Thorhall, was Earl Thorfinn, "the most distinguished of all the earls in the Islands." Thorfinn ruled over nine earldoms in Scotland and Ireland, and died at the age of seventy-five. His widow married the king of Scotland. Thorfinn was described as "one of the largest men in point of stature, and ugly, sharp featured, and somewhat tawny, and the most martial looking man... It has been related that he was the foremost of all his men."

Click here to review the articles SOURCES:

"The Fomorians were an ancient sea-faring race it is thought that they originally came from Northern Africa or Asia as they are described as having dark hair and dark skin in the original accounts. The name 'Fomor' literally means 'beneath the sea' from the Gaelic faoi-mhuir. Today scholars believe that 'Mor' means 'phantom' or 'spirit' and therefore proves that the Fomorians were considered to be Gods with magical powers." Click here for source.

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Will The Real Brothers Please Man Up?

Will The Real Brothers Please Man Up?

by Kenny Pugh, Thursday, March 12, 2009

The African-American community is now at one of the lowest points in history. Critics and media weigh-in and begin placing blame and fingerpointing at the reasons for our societal and cultural demise. I agree that the liberated Black women’s movement has caused a shift in the traditional family structure, but we must applaud the desire for women to better themselves. Despite the varying issues our African-American women possess, you can often identify a man (father, husband, boyfriend, etc.) as the source of their troubles. What has caused this shift in our Black men?

1. Why are so many of us not finishing high school and opting to underachieve? We identify cancer as a disease that eats away at a person’s body. Similarly, underachievement is one of the cancerous demonstrations that we as men, are contributing to a community that is already dying a slow death. When men make conscious decisions to live a below average life, it is a slap in the face of the many trailblazers who fought for our equal rights. Education, freedom, motivation and a strong work ethic are things that used to matter to the ones formerly known as ‘head of household'. However, many of us are satisfied at utilizing ‘the white man’ and ‘circumstances of life’ as reasons to continue living as generational underachievers.

2. Why are so many of us looking for the quick-fix hustle? The media and entertainment industry glorifies the hip-hop lifestyle, sports figures and often associates popularity with purpose. However, the harsh reality is 99% of men will NEVER make a hit album or play professional sports. It is the responsibility of mature African-American men to make sure our younger generation is prepared to be successful in ALL walks of life. It is okay to encourage our young people to excel in football, basketball, baseball, golf, etc. It is also necessary that we balance out their athletic appetite with a healthy dose of academic reality. Unfortunately, we have dropped the ball and today’s generation is reaping the results of our neglect.

3. Why are we quick to make babies but slow to take care of them? According to singleblackparents.com, 63% of African-American households are headed by a single parent. Over 85% of single parents are women and 46% of them have attended college. Well, the statistics allow us to see a trend of men who are not solidifying the God-ordained structure of the household. The statistics also show us that contrary to popular belief, almost half of single mothers have some level of college education. This means that they are still pursuing their dreams despite encountering a bump in the road of life called love masked in the form of a non-committal, immature, unmotivated and irresponsible man. It is amazing how minutes of pleasure lead to the destruction of a child, family and ultimately a community.

Parting Thought -

Although white America has seemingly written us off, we serve a God that is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all we can ask or think. Don’t allow the past curses of your family to keep you from living the abundant life that God has called you to live. The African-American family needs strong, Black men more than ever. We are not only basketball players or football players, but we can also become influential members of society. There is nothing wrong with becoming a doctor, lawyer, entrepreneur (legal of course) or corporate executive. Start dreaming big, but remember that an entire generation will be lost if we continue at our current pace.

Kenny Pugh is a minister, coach and sought-after speaker on relationships. Kenny is creator of the blog, Chat Kafe, and is a frequent guest on various radio broadcasts.

http://www.rushmoredrive.com/News/DetourAuthor.aspx?a=08ae5ff1-4467-4c3f-955e-23c11e885a3a
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Did Rap Kill The Black Male Singer?

Did Rap Kill The Black Male Singer?

By Pearl Jr. pearljr@trutalk.ccsend.com

How many of you know who the best selling Black male singer in the world for 2008 was? I bet you'll never get this right, without a few clues. Well, he's 50 years old, considered washed up and too controversial to sell, plus the majority of his songs are more than 25 years old........................................ It's Michael Jackson, who sold more than Usher, Chris Brown, Ne-yo, John Legend, and Seal. The King of Pop sold nearly as many records worldwide as the #1 best-selling artist in the US regardless of race, Lil Wayne, whose genre of hip hop lost nearly 19.8 percent in sales from the previous year. Michael Jackson's song catalog sold 2.9 million copies with Thriller 25 topping over 2.3 million by itself, plus Michael didn't even promote it and performed nowhere! Shocking isn't it! (Lil Wayne sold nearly 3 million)

Before the 1990's, it seemed one could find a million-selling Black male recording artist on other every corner, and, at least, 20 in every Black church. Today, it's becoming more and more difficult to ignore the facts that Black men are headed to the bottom of, yet, another statistical chart. Music, the savior of the Black race, made bearable the horrors of slavery, soothed during Jim Crow racism, and bonded in segregation. This type of Black love and togetherness ushered in the perfectly pitched passion of singers like Smokey Robinson singing countertenor (a male soprano), Michael Jackson a solid tenor, David Ruffin a baritone, and Barry White, the maestro, bass singer. Even now writing this article, name after name of remarkable Black male singers come to mind like Nat King Cole, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Jackie Wilson, Marvin Gaye, Donnie Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, Ronald Isley, Al Green, Teddy Pendergrass, Luther Vandross, Jeffrey Osborne, and singing groups like The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Spinners, Stylistics, Chi-lights, Jackson 5, Earth Wind and Fire, The Moments, The Manhattans, New Edition, and Boys II Men. The list goes on and on. But today, where are the Black male singers that made Black women buy every Right On Magazine and scream with excited hysteria whenever their favorite artists appeared?

In today's world of rap music, the last solid genre created in the Black community, seemed to have seduced too many Black men wishing for their spot on the top of music entertainment fame, to speak rhythmic poetry instead of singing the melodies of love and longing. The irony is that while the loving lyrics of Motown dominated the Black airways for decades, Black love was in bloom, and so was the growth of the music industry. Now too many Black men in the game of hip hop slop are volunteering to label Black women bitches and hos, promote criminality, excessive spending (bling), and speak of love making as purely a one night stand have contributed to the widespread decline of Black love and progress. It's no coincidence that Black love is down at the same time Black music is at its lowest levels ethically and well as financially. This decline has little to do with the recession because these declines started to manifest 6 years ago, and ringtones along with 99 cent downloads just ain't paying the bills. Could the absence of Black male singers be correlated with the lack of decency taught in rap crap chants? Does it take the desire to love completely and thoroughly to enhance the singing style of Black men? Throughout the history of television, there have been numerous talent shows, such as the competitions at the famed Apollo Theater and Star Search. But the last few seasons of American Idol have not produced one top Black male singer and I think Simon is in shock due to this!

Season Eight of American Idol's top 12 doesn't have one Black male singer and only one Black male singer was in the top 36. Season two winner, Reuben Studdard and the like, are now extinct for six straight years. He was the only Black male winner in American Idol history. Black men have lost their way in so many more different categories, such as low high school graduation rates, high incarceration rates, high rates of low self-esteem or undeserved self-gratification, and too many Black men are not in the home taking care of their children and not marrying their baby's mothers. There are simply prices to pay for not loving and respecting your women! Nature just wasn't meant to fail like this! Perhaps, the Black male's continual downfall spiral will be due to too much bad karma.

Have Black males lost their singing dominance with their souls and are now out of the emotional loop of wanting to give true love to a Black woman? What happened to lyrics like, "The Way You Do The Things You Do", "Just My Imagination", "Your Precious Love", "Maybe Tomorrow", "Try a Little Tenderness", "Lonely Teardrops", "Isn't She lovely", "Love Ballad", "I Can't Help Myself", "Mighty Love", "Reasons", "Stop, Look, Listen to Your Heart", "Oh Girl" and "Ooh Child". Even later group like Boys II Men released hits like "I'll Make Love to You" and New Edition's "Can You Stand the Rain" seems like those were the last true love song that touched the heart in just the right place to make herds of girls run to the record store and lay out their, many times, strapped money to experience love's possibilities through music. Even, Michael Jackson, the best-selling artist in the world achieved his greatest heights when he was filled with Black pride and surrounded by Black people, especially his Black mother and sisters who lived at the family home with him, because all of his brothers had married and moved away. One might wonder if Michael Jackson still has Black fans. Well, as the owner of one of the largest and most successful Black-themed and Black-owned bookstores in Los Angeles (Eso-Won) told me that Thriller 25 was the best selling product in his store. Remember, the last women the world saw Michael with was a Black woman named Raymone Bain, his spokesperson.

All is not totally lost. There are a few Black male singers, but only one comes to mind. Usher, who is the last best selling new Black male singer, remains on the scene, but he is a rare reminiscent of days long past. Usher's album and song, "Here I Stand" earned him the #2 best-selling Black male singing title of 2008 because that love song exudes the unrelenting emotion every Black woman needs to hear to believe that to be loved, honored, and cherished is attainable. By the way, Usher is married to a beautiful Black woman. It's always been Black women that have purchased nearly all the recordings by Black male artists, period! Examine the recent careers of post-platinum selling artists akon, Baby Face, Brian McKnight, John Legend, and Seal who are all good singers, but once they are found out to not chose Black women as their mates, those sales dropped like hot potatoes. No one else will have the guts to say this or ASK THIS SERIOUS QUESTION. Is it the Black woman who brings out the natural emotional PASSION in Black men or is it Black women that feel abandoned by the very artist they put in the rich house AND stopped buying their music because now it is difficult to imagine that singer is singing to directly to them? The answer to both is probably a big yes. Either way, the Black male singer is the loser in all this when he chooses to abandon the already abandoned, use the already abused, and fall prey to manipulations that tell him to be wrong is to be right.

Men are natural providers and protectors of their women, children and community, therefore, when Black men refuse to do their jobs as men, nature jumps in and creates a cataclysm of castigation. The Black race will not improve until Black men OVERWHELMINGLY take their responsibility seriously. Even with the latest abusive disaster with singer Chris Brown against his girlfriend Rihanna, whose first albums attained platinum, one of Chris' first music videos (from his second album) shows him chasing non-Black women and even jumping over Black girls to get to a non-Black girl. The highly publicized relationship between Chris and Rihanna jump started Chris' quickly declining records sales, because sistas just wasn't having it. Now, why would Black females purchase an album from a guy who blatantly disrespects Black females like that? They don't and they won't. Chris' career will never recover from his felony charges for allegedly beating his girlfriend Rihanna-and Rihanna doesn't even realize that she does not possess enough love to save him. Rihanna's latest album has sold over 6 million copies worldwide, while Chris' latest stands around 2 million. During their heavily publicized crisis, Rihanna continues to sell, but Chris' sales are pretty much dead. It seems to be a trend for Black men to be with non-Black women in entertainment, but much of the Black female audience is tired of trying to be racially fair when it's obvious that union is in direct contrast with Black love and the returning of Black men to their male lacking homes and communities. This may be hard for many to hear, but it is the love between a Black man and a Black woman that unveils the often imitated, unique melodic beauty of Black music? Yet, the Black female continues to deliver love songs at her emotional high, but Black men apparently, have done too much wrong to be righted by the God's of good singing and good fortune.

As the author of the book, Black Women Need Love, Too, at a glance one would think this manual was written for the sole benefit of Black women, not so! It is basically for the savior of Black men via love for Black women. Isn't it quite obvious by now, that not loving hasn't rendered any real long lasting cultural benefits? Rap Crap artists are the biggest losers in the music industry-they lead in deaths, incarcerations, and lost fortunes. It was always the Black woman that supported the Black male singer, but how many Black men appreciated it? So now, it has been taken away. When will the majority of Black men realize that to not love Black women, will only deliver more massive declines. White women have the best PR because White men demand it and realize that if they don't love their women and represent them as valuable; big declines will be the result. You see, men are innately motivated to thrive for success when they want to be loved by a woman--take that away and chaos is the consequence. Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown, named his autobiography "To Be Loved" because that is what motivated him to succeed. At that time, he only dated Black women and Motown was filled with Black married couples--a correlation that supports this hypothesis. The old divide and conquer methodology, used by the non-Black music executives who have hired too many uneducated weak-minded sell-out thug-able young Black male performers to do their dirty work, has succeeded once more. How else did despicable words like the "N" word get into Black music? Motown didn't use it, Casablanca Records didn't use it and both these companies that Black men had ownership and control of hired tremendous Black talent and made lots of money. My man is the son of music executive and part owner of Casablanca Records, Cecil Holmes, who also worked in the record business and was kicked out in the early 1990's with a group of others, because they were too nice and decent for the massive mental corruption that was on the horizon. The Rap Crap Treason Act then took full effect.

Now, the Black male singer seems to be a relic of the past. How many trick bags are we going to jump in? Do right by Black women, and Black men will see their own lives massively improve, which is attached to the upward mobility of the Black race! Hopefully, what was lost will one day be found again!

Pearl Jr.

pearljr@trutalk.ccsend.com

Author, Black Women Need Love, Too!
www.TRUtalk.us
www.MichaelJacksonInsider.com
www BarackObamaHistoryDVD.net
www.BlackMediaReview.com
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Barnes and Noble in Coral Gables FL

Barnes and Noble had this as their store front display in Coral Gables FL in the Miracle Mile Mall.

From The Roland Report:

"My email box has been flooded with emails over the last few weeks regarding a display at a Cora Gables, Fla., Barnes and Noble that has a book about monkeys in the display window with a bunch of books about President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.
Instead of reacting, I reached out to Barnes & Noble to get their take on this, and got the following statement from:
“The photograph being circulated on the Internet was taken by a customer in one of our stores, who maliciously placed an inappropriate title in the center of a display honoring President Obama.
The store immediately removed the title from the display. Barnes & Noble finds this malicious act to be despicable.”
Mary Ellen KeatingSpokespersonBarnes & Noble, Inc.
I wanted Keating or someone else with Barnes & Noble to do my segment on the Tom Joyner Morning Show because them commenting is better than a written statement, but got this response: "Thanks but we are not available."
Now, what does seem suspicious about this photo is that the spot below the monkeys book is empty. I just don't see how a store worker would leave a spot empty on a display. Then the book is smack dab in the middle of all the others.
So, there you have it."
http://essence.typepad.com/news/2009/03/barnes-and-nobl.html

From Sandra Rose:
A Barnes & Noble spokesperson claims a customer placed a book about monkeys in a window where Barack Obama books were on display.
Yeah, sure. Blame it on the customers. It makes you wonder how long it took Barnes & Noble employees to figure out why people were outside snapping pictures of their window display.

"Barnes & Noble would like to publicly apologize for what happened in our Coral Gables, Florida store. We believe that a customer played a cruel joke and placed an inappropriate title in the front window of our store, where we were featuring books written by or about President Obama. We want to assure our customers that the book placed by someone other than our booksellers was never intended to be included in our display and was removed as soon as we became aware of the situation. We are looking into it and are taking the steps necessary so that it does not happen again. From time to time customers will move titles from one area of the store to another. In this particular case, we do not condone whatever message may have been intended with the placement of this title in our Presidential display. It certainly was not part of our merchandising and we regret that we didn’t see the placement of this title immediately." "[LINK]

http://blacklegalissues.com/Article_Details.ASPX?ARTCLID=00458278c6


Another ‘Cruel Joke’ About President Obama
By Stacey Patton
“Sometimes things aren’t always what they seem; the first appearance deceives many; the intelligence of a few perceives what has been carefully hidden . . .” so said Phaedrus, a first century Roman slave and writer of Greek tales.

In recent days, a photograph of a Barnes and Noble book display honoring the inauguration of President Barack Obama has gone viral over the Internet because it prominently includes a book about monkeys with the other titles. The circulation of this photo with calls to boycott the book chain comes in the wake of protests and editorials over a racist cartoon published by The New York Post that featured President Obama as an ape being gunned down by police officers.
But hold on to your wigs and britches folks. Before the NAACP, Rev. Al Sharpton and other concerned citizens pick up signs and start making demands to fire managers and employees or telling consumers to stop buying books from Barnes and Noble, there is another side to the story.
Yes the photo is authentic. And yes the incident did happen at the Coral Gables, Florida store. But it turns out that it was a cruel joke by a customer and not a decision made by the store.
“This was not a company driven decision,” Edgar Chang, the store manager, said in an interview with TheDefendersOnline. “We are not sure how the book got in the window, but we believe it was put there by a customer who didn’t like the fact that Obama won the election.”
The store is located in the Miracle Mile Mall on a busy stretch of highway. The display windows face that highway. While customers walking in or by can clearly see titles in the window, somehow the store’s manager and employees did not notice the monkey book for three or four days.
“We didn’t notice that it was there,” said Chang. “Employees park in the lot in the back of the store. We just put up displays but we never go up to the windows until it’s time to change them.”
Barnes and Noble spokesperson Mary Ellen Keating said that employees were interviewed and there was a thorough investigation of the incident.
“Barnes and Noble would certainly not do something like this,” Keating said. “We put up a display to honor President Obama. Once we discovered this, four days later, it was immediately removed.”
Keating said that the store deals with similar types of pranks on any given day. From time to time customers will move titles from one area of the store to another. In a statement issued to the media Keating wrote: “I’ve seen situations where someone put a book about sex in the children’s section,” she said. “In this particular case, we do not condone whatever message may have been intended with the placement of this title in our Presidential display. It certainly was not part of our merchandising and we regret that we didn’t see the placement of this title immediately.”
The story continues to grow and spread like a virus through cyberspace, with e-blasts and accusations that Barnes & Noble is racist. Some are calling for boycotts and firing of employees.
The incident has prompted the bookseller to consider ways to secure its display window so there won’t be a similar episode again. This is a classic example of how rumors spread in cyberspace, sparking strong reactions and often gathering support without thorough fact-finding or asking deeper questions. As a result, people can be misinformed, tensions can be inflamed and our attention can be diverted from the more serious, substantive issues of the day.

Stacey Patton is Senior Editor/Writer for TheDefendersOnline and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.
http://thedefendersonline.org/2009/02/27/another-%E2%80%98cruel-joke%E2%80%99-about-president-obama/


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The history of blacks in the White House

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Chris Brown more important than Chris Nobody

Why is Chris Brown more important than 'Chris Nobody'?
by Nsenga Burton
Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Nsenga Burton

Well, well, well. America's sugary pop star couple — a match made in publicity heaven — Chris Brown and Rihanna (the one-named wonder) are exposed. The young stars on the cusp of music royalty, both teenage heartthrobs in their own right, are now embroiled in one of the most publicized cases of domestic violence ever seen.

Although I have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to domestic violence, I tried to refrain from commenting about the case because a.) everyone and his momma is covering it, b.) the story changes every millisecond, and c.) just when you think it can't get any worse, it somehow manages to do just that. One thing is for sure: The plot continues to thicken as Rihanna's folks have started leaking info (this is not the first time that he has hit her) and Chris Brown used Facebook to, ironically, save face (which was later proven to be a false post).

I find it interesting listening to people justify when it's alright to beat someone. It has been reported that Brown beat her because Rihanna gave him herpes ... allegedly. Even if she did, does that give him the right to beat her down? After all, it was he who chose to lie down with her, so why be mad when he came up with fleas or disease or anything else for that matter?

Some have speculated that the awesome twosome actually broke up weeks ago, but were trying to maintain a "public" relationship because of their scheduled Grammy performance. Depending on which "publication" you read, she got mad and popped him because some girl was text messaging him or he got mad because she was flirting with some guy at Clive Davis' pre-Grammy party. Whatever happened, violence was the end result with Rihanna being beaten, bruised and bitten.

Before I move on to my next point, biting someone is punk sh#t. Yes I said it, and I mean it.

Hitting a woman, even when the woman is stupid enough to hit you is dumb. Why? Because as 19-year-old Chris Brown is learning, you will go to jail. If you can't wrap your tiny mind around non-violence as a philosophy or the fact that you should only touch people in what is clearly defined as "lovingly" or "playfully," then be prepared to concentrate on not dropping the soap.

Chris Brown is just the type to go into the joint and come out with his shirt in a knot. Why? He's young, good-looking, wealthy and obviously thinks he's a tough guy. Let's see how tough he is surviving in the joint. But even though this case is tragic because domestic violence is tragic, what I find most interesting is the amount of attention this case is receiving.

Chris Brown has gone from facing a possible domestic violence charge to making criminal threats, which carries more time than attempted murder. I'm all for throwing the book at batterers, but there is something not quite right about the zeal with which they are going after this brother. It seems as if you have to be a superstar celebrity like Rihanna in order for them to prosecute the case to the fullest. The police don't seem to go after regular folks with the same zeal, and this is problematic.

The degree to which prosecutors decide to prosecute should not be determined by celebrity status. If Rihanna were a D-list celebrity, would Mr. Brown be facing possible attempted murder charges? Would we know about it? Would it be talked about all over the world? Probably not.

Just look at how many celebrities have gotten away with battering their spouses.

Vanilla Ice, Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots frontman), Scott Stapp, David Hasselhoff, Sean Penn, Jamal Woolard (star of Notorious), Don Cornelius, James Brown, Mike Tyson, Dennis Rodman, Warren Moon, Tommy Lee, Josh Brolin and the list goes on and on. Hell, Tyrese Gibson was accused of beating his pregnant girlfriend and no charges were filed. What's sad about it is that some of these people are celebrated with awards, honors and more success after they get arrested.

I find it interesting that the world is so pissed off with Chris Brown, but does not show the same amount of ire when other celebrities beat on women. I also find it interesting that a 19-year-old, who comes from a background of domestic abuse, is being held to a higher standard than men who are twice his age. Why is he being made the poster boy for domestic abuse? Why does this case require a level of prosecution that is unheard of when domestic disputes involve "Chris Nobody" and Rihanna without the record deal and cosmetics endorsement?

Something is terribly wrong here and on many levels. If indeed it is true that this is not the first time that Brown has hit Rihanna or that violence has been an integral part of their relationship, including on her part, why didn't anyone intervene before this? They are young, after all, and need guidance. The adults thought it better to "maintain" the façade of a "relationship" for publicity and are now surprised when it has blown up in their faces?

Why does it take two A-list celebrities to get authorities involved in prosecuting domestic violence cases to the fullest extent of the law? Everyone should be equally protected under the law regardless of the number of Grammy nominations that they receive. That is the true tragedy of this senseless crime.

Nsenga Burton

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Vice President - Joy King
President - Seko VArner

Visit our online Black History Class
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Visit www.cherylwilkerson.com Everyday !
Getting married ? Visit http://www.happilyeverafter.be/
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