In the News

I haven't done a news piece in a while, so I thought this would be a perfect time to do so. So without further ado, here's a roundup of some of the things going on in the world:

Women refs are unholy
St. Mary’s Academy -- a private religious school outside of Topeka, Kansas -- removed a female referee from a boy's basketball game because of the often mistaken interpretation of a Biblical rule forbidding women from "having authority" over males. Though school officials had no comment regarding the affair, their website clearly indicated that they often practice separation between boys and girls in according to "Biblical standards."

Is there any wonder why I have a HUGE issue with organized religion...?

Overinflated economy

If you think you're getting poorer, you're probably right. According to reports, the rate of inflation has risen up 4.3% more than what it was last year. Between that, the ridiculously skyrocketing oil prices, and a weakening dollar, we should all start running for the hills. Pretty soon (with the mortgage crisis on our hands), we'll probably be living in those hills.

Boozed-up pregger

File this story under "Things We Can't Blame On Racism": A Pennsylvania woman seven months pregnant was charged for assaulting a bartender who refused to serve her drinks. The mother-to-be smashed the bartender in the head with a beer bottle. This incident required the bartender to get part of her ear reattached.

After hearing this story, I'm now convinced that some people just should NOT be allowed to procreate. Where's Darwin when you need him?

Funky cold Madea

As if he couldn't leave well enough alone with those insipid plays, Tyler Perry is now turning his horribly stereotypical character Madea into a cartoon. I guess -- on the one hand -- I can't hate on the brotha for his success. But a part of me just can't forgive him for his ministrel-like representation of black folks; particular black women when he performs in drag.

Perhaps I won't be as critical once my play blows up.

Pimp your gun?

Stories like this make you shake your head. Much to the dismay of police (and rightly so), Jim's Gun Supply store in Barbarro, Wisconsin is in the business of custom painting firearms. In doing so, firearms that should be distinctively recognized as dangerous items are starting to look more and more like toys. This supplier even does -- get ready for this -- Hello Kitty themed artwork. If this doesn't open a window for children to become further fascinated with guns...

Conservative joins ACLU for prisoner rights

Hat tip to Malik for this story: David Keene, Chairman of the American Conservative Union, has partnered with the American Civil Liberties Union in challenging laws currently in place to curb prisoners lawsuits. I should also point out that Keene's son is currently incarcerated himself.

I guess I can't blame Keene for wanting to get involved in this case. But he hasn't exactly been a champion for prisoner's rights before now. So that begs the question: Would this conservative hardnose be such a staunch supporter of convicts' rights if his son wasn't a con himself?

No supply of vitamin E(ar)

I thought I was finished with the stories that make you shake your head. But I guess not.

This time the story is about PETA's ridiculous fight to have Christopher McCuin (who was charged with killing and eating his girlfriend), placed on a vegetarian diet while being held by the police. I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried. Though there is no evidence showing that McCuin actually ate any parts of his girlfried, police did find what they think is an ear boiling in water and a piece of flesh in a plate on the kitchen table.

I'm in now way downplaying the heinous nature of this crime; but stuff like is the very reason why I despise PETA with all my heart and soul. Only they could somehow compare the killing and eating of a human being with that of an animal.

Jena 6 member in trouble again

This story is a little old, but still worth mentioning. Bryant Purvais, one of the members of the Jena 6, was arrested once again for assaulting a student; this time the student being someone whom he suspected of vandalizing his vehicle. Included in the charges are choking the student and ramming his head into a table.

When the Jena 6 case first went down, I was all for the organizing and protesting done to rectify some of the blantant civil injustice (trying teenagers for attempted murder because of a school fight). But I also get unnerved when Black America uses criminal defendants as the motivation behind different movements. Since (as far as I'm concerned), the civil rights component of the Jena 6 case has been addressed and resolved, our support of this situation should be over and done with. Now's the time to start to smacking some sense into these kids and holding them accountable for their actions.

McCain-gate

The NY Times released a stinging article accusing Presidential Candidate John McCain of having an affair with Vicki Iseman, one of his lobbyists. Naturally, Senator McCain is denying the incident.

I honestly can't say that I believe the reports; mostly due to opportunistic timing of it all. On the heels of a Presidential election, the almost sure-shot nominee for the right is being attacked by a newspaper commonly believed to have a liberal slant. Still, if it is true, I have to give Sen. McCain some dap. He did a whole lot better than Bill Clinton back in his day. *Joke*

But more importantly, if this is the kind of "political experience" that Sen. Obama doesn't have, all the better for him.

Os(b)ama

It's possible that this one may get chalked up to being a simple mistake, but I'm not entirely convinced. An MSNBC employee was recently reprimanded for flashing an image of Osama bin Laden while Chris Matthews was leading in on a story about Barack Obama. This isn't the first time that such associations have been made publicly, though I can't recall it coming from the usually liberal MSNBC. Despite all of that, I'm in favor of the reprimand; especially since I'm always on Fox News for their constant mishaps.

Hillary's concession?

According to sources, some of the folks in the Obama camp are calling for the Hill machine to call it quits. While I'm truly excited that Barack Obama has built considerable momentum over the past few weeks, he really needs to put his surrogates in check. There are still over 1,000 delegates left to earn. This thing is far from over. As I've stressed before, the fat lady hasn't sung yet.

Bill-O's lynch party

In an attempt to give Michelle Obama the "benefit of the doubt" about being an angry militant, conservative pundit Bill O'Reilly recently said that he wouldn't form a "lynching party" against her unless there's evidence supporting that claim. (H/T to Mirror on America for the story).

Now I know that O'Reilly would never personally organize a lynching party for Michelle Obama. So I'm not taking his words directly to heart. Still, you'd think that with all of the uproar about blacks and lynching, a little more caution would be used when linking those two ideas together in a discussion. But I guess that being conscious enough not to make those kind of comments is asking too much.

Bush = Worst president ever

An American Research Group study indicates that -- at 19% -- Dubya's approval rating is the lowest ever. You don't say?! I suppose that next they're going to tell us that Michigan is a cold and miserable state to live in. Sheesh!

Castro resigns

Fidel Castro, the aging leader of Cuba has retired after 49 years. But Cubans who were not necessarily loyal to Castro are not so quick to celebrate; considering that Castro's brother Raul is set to take over. I wonder what this will do to US/Cuba relations -- if anything.

Well, I guess that's it for now. I'm done entertaining you for one day. Until next time: Peace!

- ACL

My rich friend

I just got the coolest email from my dear friend Peter Wong. Apparently, it's one of many:

DEAR FRIEND,

I am Mr. Peter Wong I work with Hang Seng Bank Hong Kong, Executive Director and i have this transaction proposal of $44.5million USD for you. Should you be intarested I will prefer you send me your 1,FULL NAME. 2,COMPLETE HOME ADRESS. 3,OCCUPATION. 4,PHONE NUMBER.

Below is my email account you can reach me with. E-mail:peterwong12_65@yahoo.com.hk Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated. I await your response.

MR Peter Wong.

Yeaaaaah, buddy. I'm finally about to get that payday I've been waiting for all this time! And to think, all I need to do is disclose all my personal information to some fictitious dude in Nigeria.

Anybody else wanna get down?

-ACL

A comprehensive celebration

We are officially half way through Black History Month. But for some inexplicable reason, I haven’t had even a remote interest in taking part in any BHM celebrations or commemorations. I suppose that I’m done with the novelty behind the month.

I guess I should’ve prefaced this post by making it clear that I will forever recognize the importance of noting the contributions Black Americans have made – and continue to make – in our society. But – IMO, dedicating one month of the year waters down any significance of that proclamation.

Perhaps what fuels my argument most against the notion of Black History Month is the narrow scope it offers. Every year, we hear about the MLK’s, the Rosa Parks, the Harriet Tubmans, and the Fredrick Douglasses. With enough motivation, folks may even be inclined enough to toss radicals like Nat Turner and Malcolm X into the discussion. But don’t push it too far. Ultimately, Black History Month has been used to comfortably discuss some enslavement, some oppression, and some figures who rose against it. But that’s about it. While those elements certainly shape the way the world has come to be, they certainly don’t exhaustively cover the history of blacks in this country. What’s more: Black History Month is becoming dangerously similar to a bad round of Jeopardy. [This man invented the cotton gin. Who is Eli Whitney? Judges? We'll accept that.]. I’m sorry; but the ability to recall a few names, a few feats, and a few inventions will never replace having an understanding of the historical and modern-day implications associated with these tidbits of knowledge.

Though I’m sure nobody will ever listen to me (when has that ever happened..?), I have a way to deal with my frustration with Black History Month while also truly honoring the past. I don’t presume to have the lone solution, but I think it’s a start. I think the answer starts in the classroom, but can easily spread to just about every public institution. Rather than focusing on random trivia for an entire month, why not integrate Black history into American history? For that matter, we should be able to toss in contributions made by every marginalized group in this country. There are enough of them to go around; trust me. Contrary to how American tends to have a ‘celebration of the month’ philosophy, the struggles and histories of different groups is not somehow separate from the country’s struggles and history.

For the sake of concentrating on the ‘Black’ element of history (it being Black History Month and all), why not focus as much on the thoughts and ideological motivations behind different activities as we do on the activities themselves? We know about the marches, the speeches, the sit-ins and boycotts, but what’s being conveyed about the philosophies regarding those acts? How did the debates between WEB Dubois and Booker T. Washington set the stage for the openly expressed debates between MLK and Malcolm X? How did those public exchanges relate to the today’s systemic racism vs. personal responsibility debates between Michael Eric Dyson and Bill Cosby? How would some of the heroes that we honor from the past feel about the state of Black America today? What would they say about B.E.T., the growing problem of black-on-black violence, the rampant drug use, the explosion of teenage pregnancies, and the rising rate of AIDS?

As my dear blogging friend Sylvia pointed out, Black History is not limited to what has happened in times past. It also addresses present-day events and how those events will undoubtedly shape the future. It’s not just about the suffering and oppression we’ve endured, but it’s also about the strength, resolve, and esteem that arose. BMH is Joslyn, Sylvia, Carmen, Malik. It’s the emergence of the HBCU. It’s Tony Dungy. It’s Barack Obama. It’s Oprah Winfrey. It's the long list of white anti-racism activists in this country. BHM even has its occasional black sheep (pun intended).

Black history is not just as month long celebration. Black history is you. Black history is me.

-ACL

Stop in the name of love. Or just stop, PERIOD...?

I'm gonna take a brief intermission from the more serious topics that have come to shape this blog; and zero in on something a little more personal and maybe not as serious. Fellas I'm looking for your input particularly. But ladies, feel free to chime in as well. Your feedback is most welcomed.

Have you ever had the nagging feeling that somebody for whom you kinda sorta had a thing was deliberately avoiding you? If so, what (if anything) did you do about it?

Go.

-ACL

Pop quiz on gun control

In my previous post, I jokingly suggested how safe I feel; given that Congress has so much time to spend on steroids in baseball but not other pressing issues we face. Humor and sarcasm aside, in some instances, I actually don't feel safe at all.

Just in case y'all haven't been following the news, there were two more shootings on college campuses this week. The first shooting -- which you've probably already heard about -- took place at Northern Illinois Univeristy and resulted in the deaths of six people (the gunman included). The second shooting -- not so well covered -- involved a student at Louisiana Technical College who killed two others before turning the gun on herself. Out of respect for all the victims, I won't go into a rant about the level of coverage each story received.

Instead, I'll admit that stories like this make me a little more nervous each day. Working at a university myself, I can appreciate just how easy these kind of attacks are to perpetrate. Sure, we've got a Department of Public Safety; but when you're in open and unsecured areas, you find yourself far more prone to this level of victimization. Frankly you never know when, where, and how these events will occur. Don't get me wrong: I fervently believe in praying to God for His grace and protection. But my faith won't necessarily stop a nutcase with a gun.

I don't presume to have any answers for this one. I doubt that using stories like this will ever be successful at providing a politcially and socially charged impetus to revisit (and possibly overhaul) the 2nd Amendment. Besides that, even if gun ownership is strictly prohibited to you and me, nutcases will still find a way to get their hands on one.

I guess all we can do at this point is pray for the victims, pray for ourselves, and stay alert.

-ACL

My Beefed Up Sense of Security

This morning while I was getting ready for work, I got a stunning revelation from ESPN's Sportscenter that I'd like to share with you all.

Apparently, America is in the best shape it's ever been in and we can all feel completely safe now.

How did a sports news show help me come to that conclusion? Well, it's simple. In the face of a miserable economy, an endless war, insane oil prices, corruption in high offices, a vast immigration problem, rampant violence, illegal and legal drug epidemics, lousy schools, etc; the 110th Congress has enough time to make steorid usuage in professional baseball a major issue.

I find a certain solice in knowing that with all these Congressional hearings going on, all of the aforementioned problems (and then some) have been taken care of. I mean, when you have time to go on and on with investigations and hearings about cheating in baseball, you must have lots of free time on your hands. Whew! That's a relief. Apparently, I was getting all worked about that other stuff for nothing.

*End of Sarcasm*

OK. I understand that we're talking about some serious anti-trust ramifications affected by millionaire athletes who cheat in sports. But at the end of the day, this really is JUST A GAME! It bothers me that Congress has so much interest in this topic.

Kinda makes those consistently low approval ratings make a little bit of sense, yes?

- ACL

We're #1 (and #3)!

According to sources (hat tip to my sister for the link), Detroit, Michigan is the most miserable U.S. city to live in. Third on the list is my hometown of Flint, Michigan.

Go 'head Detroit/Flint: Way to put the state back on the map! Represent, baby BAY-BAY!

- ACL

The Presidential Duel

Here's a little in-your-face humor for those of you following the No-Holds Barred, Steel cage match between Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Warning: supporters of either candidate run the risk of being offended by these skits. But, c'mon people: they're just jokes.

Sort of.

Part 1:




Part 2:



- ACL

Kryptonite for the Superdelegates

I don't know about you, but I'm a litte bothered by all of this superdelegate nonsense. Though (to be completely honest) I never even heard about the notion of a superdelegate until now, I'm already annoyed by them. What's worse is that these few hundred people will be key to determining who our next Democratic nominee will be.

Just a brief somethin' about how this whole thing works: Certain delegates are assigned specifically to a candidate based on how well that candidate does during caucuses and primaries. Essentially, those delegates are obligated to endorse the candidate who won their state. Superdelegates (elected officials, former Presidents, big wigs, etc.) are significantly different; in that their votes are not limited to the same regulations and they can cast their vote for the candidate of their choosing; even if that candidate is outside of the party. For better insight, the Hippie Conservative wrote an incredible piece on how it works. What can I say: this guy's a walking almanac. But, I digress.

Anyway, superdelegates will be critical during this election year, especially considering that people are speculating that it will be virtually impossible for Clinton or Obama to win the Democratic nomination solely based on the pledged delegates. But if enough of the superdelegates fall in line with the candidate who comes in second, that candidate could easily get moved to the head of the line. So anybody with even an ounce of belief left in our system of democracy should be OUTRAGED by the idea that the interests of few people can (and most likely will) trump the interest of an entire collection of people. Hmm...sounds a little bit like why I hate the Electoral College.

Fortunately for you, I've come up with an answer to this problem. After all, I've always got ya back. That's what I'm here for...

Effective immediately, Congress should require all superdelegates to swear an oath to vote for the candidate who earns the most non-superdelegate votes. Of course, Congress would never make such a move, but I believe it would significantly reform our present situation. Even in the event that this initiative is only supported by one of the Democratic candidates, the other would almost be forced to jump on the bandwagon, at the expense of coming across as being an opponent of democratic voting. As the candidates all catch on, it would only be a matter of time before the DNC and its superdelegates also got the hint. They'd be faced with mounting political pressure to support this initiative by Congress.

In the end, this initiative would cause Senators Clinton and Obama to spend more time trying to earn votes from you and me and not the privileged few. Because of this, the person who eventually receives the nomination would have done so by being represented by the majority.

There you have it. This electoral kryptonite I just proposed is the very thing we need to stop the "Delegates of Steel" from their overpowering grasp.

- ACL

Counting the Cost

"Everyone has a plan 'til they get punched in the mouth. "

- Mike Tyson

The other day, I got an email from a friend of mine talking about prosperity through faith. It was from one of those cats who makes it a common practice to pimp the Word for personal gain. Her email annoyed me for a couple of reasons: (1) in a job where I receive and respond to hundreds of emails a week, this was the last thing I needed to see and, more importantly (2) the implied message of the email; suggesting that following Christ translates to prospering financially.

I think that one of most critical mistakes that people in the Body of Christ make is in believing that following Christ will somehow lead to a materially prosperous life; while minimizing the true costs associated with being a follower. Living a life in Christ was never meant to be easy. Let we've allowed for a few ministers wearing flashy clothing and jewelry, driving in expensive cars and jets, and living in beautiful homes to convince us that their material accumulation was the direct result of their devotion to Christ. But I assure you: following Jesus is not the guaranteed get-rich-quick scheme it's often portrayed to be.

As far as I can tell, the only guarantee Jesus gave us concerning our decision to follow Him was that following Him would only lead to more troubles we would face; not less. In Matthew 6:34, He states:

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Paul also chimed in when he offered the following commentary from II Timothy 3:12:

In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

That doesn't sound like a cake walk life in Christ to me. Instead, it sounds like following Christ may require us to take a few of those punches that Mr. Tyson mentioned in the quote above.

Often, many believers (new and experienced) have been inadequately prepped for the punches that are sure to come from being a follower of Christ; whether those hits come from life's conditions, the Devil, or even from other believers. We've been appeased or appease others by chanting a few prosperity catchphrases; mindlessly used to assuage the situation. But little do we realize that God may have indeed allowed certain situations to get ahold of us so that we can shape our character and remind us on how much we need Him to sustain. Most of all, facing difficulties that come with following Christ cause us to reexamine our faith. Can we stay committed to Christ when it becomes unfashionable to do so? Certainly, suffering for Christ is not the same now as it was back in the day (Don't be fooled by the speculated prowess of the religious right. It's not at all fashionable to be a Christian these days). But following Christ does have its share of costs that must be counted.

Are you willing to count those costs or are you just looking for the huge mega-lottery pay day? If it's the latter, you might be pretty disappointed in the end.

- ACL

The Media Focus

Normally, I don't make it a point to discuss celebrity news. Frankly, I've always thought that celebrity news (mostly in the form of gossip; who's sleeping with whom, who's in rehab, etc.) is a strategically used ploy to distract us from the more important issues that the AVERAGE person has to face. Don't believe me?

Who is this person?



















Now, who is this person?




















The first is Britney Spears, a spoiled, untalented loon who has as many mental issues as she has stacks of hundred dollar bills at her disposal. The other person is Andrew Olmsted; one of Jared's blogging buddies who was recently killed in Iraq during this nonsensical war. He is joined by the mounting list of U.S. casualties that continues to grow daily.

In everybody's defense (I guess), it's impossible to know the names and stories of each solider who has fought, continue to fight, get hurt, and die in this war and in wars past. Oppositely, celebs are household names; internationally famous for what they do. Still, we should be mindful that while we're glued to the tube to see our favorite stars (or other socially insignificant stuff which, I hate to say includes...gulp...sports), another person has been hurt or killed who will receive little if any fanfare.

Montel Williams was quick to bring the media to task for it in this clip:



(I wonder if it's a coincidence that his show was also cancelled...?)

I don't presume to know how we can adequately honor people who have suffered and died; especially through the media. But after watching this clip, I have to ask myself how often my misguided priorities dishonor their sacrifice. Does my knowing about Heath Ledger's death but not Andrew Olmstead's make me any better that the media who only cover the former? What about you?

- ACL

Snub 'O War

OK. So President Bush gave his final State of the Union address the other night which, if you like recycled speeches, wasn't too bad. He droned on about how the state of the Union is strong, reminded us about how we must continue taking the fight to the enemy, and spewed some other drivel that has come to personify the SOTU speeches over the past few years. Nothing new there.

But perhaps the highlight of the evening (or, should I say, one of the highlights) was the now infamous "Senator snub job" allegedly given to Hillary Clinton by Barack Obama. As some sources have indicated, Clinton came by to acknowledge Senior Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) after the speech; during which time Obama was photographed with his back turned away from her.

Oooooooooooooh! How riveting! I haven't heard such juicy gossip since the Flint Northern/Northwestern marching band fight back in high school.

Just in case y'all can't tell from my tone, I'm being sarcastic.

From some of the blogs and op-eds I've checked out, people are suggesting that this 'snub job' makes Obama a political hypocrite: being ostensibly committed to alleviating (if not completely tearing down) bad relationships that the U.S. has created and sustained with its enemies, while not even being able to acknowledge Hillary. Normally, I'd consider that viewpoint pretty valid. But accepting a proclamation like that at face value would be so unlike me without also considering the counter; especially in light of everything that has gone down since the start of the Democratic primaries.

First, let's consider the source of this whole story: one still shot frozen in time. CNN recently aired a segment, Campaign Killers, where former and current ad executives discuss various tactics used to attack someone politically (interesting, given how CNN themselves have been known to distort the truth. Most media folks are guilty as charged in that respect). Anyway, included in those stunts are identifying the most incriminating photos you can find; even if the act -- in larger context -- is no where near as damning. Any person with even a remote sense of celebrity runs the risk of being exposed for a split second engaging in something that completely gets distorted.

Secondly, to snub someone implies that you are casually dismissing their attempt to address you directly. As far as I can tell, Senator Clinton came by to address Senator Kennedy (which I admit was an interesting move, considering that he is now endorsing Obama). Any other acknowledgment is secondary. Addressing Clinton may have been the polite thing to do. But not addressing Clinton wasn't necessarily impolite.

Lastly, lest we forget; Clinton and Obama have been involved in a series of heated exchanges lately. Though most of the blows came vicariously from hubby Bill (who -- interestingly is used to being the one getting the blows. *snicker*), B.E.T. sell-out Bob Johnson, or Hillary's staff, it's no secret that Hill has been pulling out all the stops herself as well. So if the snub was really a snub, I welcome it. In a chamber full of enemies making fake, half-assed attempts to play nice for the cameras, I welcome a second or two of realness. If anything, my view pleasure would've been increased somewhat after watching a slugfest. I mean, for a while I was a diehard devotee to the WWE for crying out loud. This snubjob is childplay in comparison. Well, I guess you could say that it's pretty child-like anyway.

- ACL

Knowing the Man

I once heard a great story that I think sums up the nature of human relations. It goes a little something like this:

Once upon a time there was a young man driving his carriage along a narrow road. The young man was an orphan who never knew his father. Still that did not deter him from being a good person. As he is driving down the road, he sees an old man coming towards him driving a carriage of his own. The old man had no son (or so he thought); but that did not deter him from being a good person as well. As the two good men meet in the middle of this narrow road, they get into an argument over which good man should move aside to let the other good man pass. In the heat of the exchange, the young man, who is quite angry at this point, picks up a rock from the side of the road and strikes the old man in his vulnerable head; killing him.

After reading this story, I suspect that you'd chalked this up to another case of road rage. You'd be correct in thinking that. Still, others may recognize this story from the Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex; where Oedipus unwittingly fulfills an oracle's prophecy by murdering his long lost father.

Do you think that Oedipus would've killed, hurt, or even raised a rock to this old man if he knew it was his father?

The moral of the story: get to know the other man.

- ACL

Dream turned nightmare?

There is something special about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., but it’s not the stuff they write in the history books.

Many people are unaware of the reality, but Dr. King's support and popularity from the general society saw a significant decrease as he drew closer to his assassination. Don't be completely taken by all the commenorations, the furniture sales, and the commericials you see. For a while Dr. King was a far stretch from being an "American hero." In fact, it wasn't until after his death that his cause was able to acheive the type of mainstream validation prevalent in today's world. As with just about any other personality with a profound message/agenda, Dr. King was more appreciated in death than he ever was in life.

I believe that we should keep this in mind when we celebrate Dr. King’s life today.

Some are quick to point out that Dr. King was awarded a Noble Peace Prize while he was still alive. But I submit to you that he received that award in Norway, not in the deep South. Let's face facts: people simply did not like him. In fact, as he drew closer to his death, his popularity significantly diminished. His bold anti-war protests made him a target by governmental agencies. His association with Bayard Rustin drew criticism and rumors. Many fellow blacks resisted his nonviolent approach in favor of retaliation. Colleges and universities withdrew their offers to have him speak. I even heard rumors of him being involved with Rosa Parks.

Although Dr. King is now widely celebrated as a great American hero, we must never forget that he was also once seen as one the greatest threats to the American agenda.

Interestingly, though most of the assault came from bigotted right-wingers who boastfully stood in the way of black progress, MLK was quick to point out the role of liberals who were typically resistant to the flourishing of blacks in the south. He often called out liberals who were ostensibly committed to being the "moral" voice who -- when it was time to act -- did nothing and often steered clear of the awesome role of embracing blacks. This disassociation provide as much of an obstacle to black progress as the blantant racism of opponents to the Struggle.

Sadly, I can't say that things have progressed all that much. While we celebrate Dr. King's life, many of the things he stood against are allowed to live on. We still rely on the machine of war to promote our version of "right". Republicans still dismiss the plight of minorities, the poor, and the disenfranchised. Democrats still tip toe around the prevalent issues of the time, while doing little (if anything) to annihilate racism, sexism, and classism. Many sections of Black America continue to be divided, uncommitted to progress, and supportive of socially void and destructive institutions (*ahem* B.E.T.)

So much for "The Dream."

**UPDATE**

In the spirit of the times, I think I still have a little hope remaining in this world. Especially after seeing this again:



Preach Brotha Martin!

Let our world's healing being NOW!

- ACL

We almost had a great joke

So my sister and I were joking about how creepy this weekend's Giants/Packers football game was. First, the game itself:



And then there's the surreal prediction embedded into one of my favorite comedies of all time:



This joke was ALMOST ours. But then people on YouTube started coming up with the same idea. From there, it was all over. No chance at making a comedic name for ourselves. All we're left with are thoughts of what COULD have been.

Stupid telepathy.

- ACL

Whites, PLEASE get it Right!

To all my white readers out there, let me first say that I appreciate you sticking with me so far. Admittedly, some of my commentary regarding race relations (particularly about white privilege) may be a little uncomfortable at times. But let me just say that I commend you for taking the bumpy ride with me. But, I've got one more request that may be a little uncomfortable, but necessary: please tell your fellow white folks to stop being so damn stupid.

I was ready to put the Tiger Woods lynch joke behind me. Until I read this article:

Golfweek magazine replaced the editor responsible for illustrating the current cover with a noose and apologized Friday for its depiction of a Golf Channel anchor’s use of “lynch” in a comment about Tiger Woods.

“We apologize for creating this graphic cover that received extreme negative reaction from consumers, subscribers and advertisers across the country,” Turnstile Publishing Co. president William P. Kupper Jr. said. “We were trying to convey the controversial issues with a strong and provocative graphic image. It is now obvious that the overall reaction to our cover deeply offended many people. For that, we are deeply apologetic.” Source

So let me get this straight: the woman who made the joke in the first place only gets suspended for two weeks, but the editor who brings the issue to light while trying to address the problems of racism in golf was forced to resign fired?

Unfortunately, I know this score all too well. Too many White Americans are unwilling to accept the fact that this time-honored sport is littered with a shameful and racist history of exclusion and marginalization (I should point out that the absence of blacks in golf is not a reflection of the idea that we don't play. In fact, it's actually just the opposite). It's just a shame that as long as the sport of golf can maintain its covert system of racial inequality and segregation (with the occasional exceptions), people will never realize the impact blacks have made in the sport over the years.

Perhaps what's worse is that apparently racist stupidity from people like Tilghman (deliberate or not) is given a slap on the wrist; while trying to be disturbingly critical about it will most assuredly get you canned. Instead of using this magazine story/cover as a method of engaging in hard-hitting discussions about race, some folks would rather brush it under the rug. At the end of the day, shit like this does very little to deal with the problems. If anything, it only makes it worse.

So again to my readers, please get the rest of your folks to get a clue. Lord knows I'm not doing a good job of it.

- ACL

Lynching on the back 9

So, PGA Tour announcer Kelly Tilghman of the Golf Channel recently joked that the only way for younger players to beat Tiger Woods is to "lynch him in a back alley."

Tilghman was laughing during the exchange Friday with analyst Nick Faldo at the Mercedes-Benz Championship. But the comment became prevalent on news shows Wednesday, and the Rev. Al Sharpton joined the fray by demanding she be fired immediately.

Faldo and Tilghman were discussing young players who could challenge the world's No. 1 player toward the end of Friday's telecast when Faldo suggested that "to take Tiger on, maybe they should just gang up for a while."

"Lynch him in a back alley," Tilghman replied.

In a statement, the Golf Channel said: "While we believe that Kelly's choice of words was inadvertent and that she did not intend them in an offensive manner, the words were hurtful and grossly inappropriate." Source

Apparently, her comments weren't too "hurftul and grossly inappropriate"; the chick was only suspended for two weeks.

Oh.

Again, I'm a proponent of free speech. But for real?! Who do I have to run over with my car for there to be a more suitable punishment for using one of the nation's greatest atrocities as the butt of some crass humor? I'm just curious...

**UPDATE** I just found a clip of the incident on YouTube. Decide for yourself:

- ACL

My thoughts on Obama and Iowa (**and now N.H.)

As much as I hate to admit it, when it comes down to the Presidential election, I have no idea where my loyalties lie or what's gonna happen in the next few months. Lately, I've been starting to dig Ron Paul a lot more. Depending on what day of the week of it is, I like -- or can at least tolerate -- Dennis Kucinich; or so I've been told. Hell, I even make no bones about liking Mike Huckabee. But, even when he does stupid things like disenfranchise my vote as a Michigander, I'm still enamored most by Barack Obama. And now that he's won the Iowa caucus, many analysts say that the White House is but a hop, skip, and a jump away.

But the fat lady hasn't even started to get her voice ready yet.

There's no doubt about it: Obama's win in Iowa was amazing especially considering its historic precendence and the nature of race relations in this country. But to say that this is a prelude to living at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. is a bit of a stretch right now.

For starters, consider that Sen. Obama hasn't had the same run-ins witht the media (especially CNN) as Hillary has as of now. In fact, it's been the very opposite. Ever since his speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, he's been adored by virtually everyone in the national media. Now, I'm not saying that this isn't well deserved. I mean, the brotha did come across as being far more charming, relatable, and likable as Hillary has ever been (even with her Sopranos parody). Most of the backlash Hillary receives in the media -- though not equitable when compared to the other candidates -- is pretty justifiable. Still, I'm a little nervous that the same media who is currently shouting "Hosana" as Obama makes his way through the primaries riding his donkey will the very folks yelling "Crucify him" when it becomes fashionable to do so later on.

What's also been bothering me about Obama-mania is how the concept of race relations has been significantly skewed by analysts. Many analysts are using Obama's victory as some sort of indication that race is not a factor for Obama and that America has somehow moved beyond racism. But what they often miss (easy to do when you're a privileged white person in America) is that though the racism which disallowed blacks to have a significant presence in politics is a thing of the past, deeply rooted systemic racism is still alive and well. Sure a black man is currently a legitimate candidate for president. But this is a drop in the bucket when you juxtapose it to the racial inequality still prevalent in the world.

Also, I think everybody needs to stop making a big deal every time Obama wins a primary. if you recall Jesse Jackson; as disliked as he was and still is; won eleven different contests during his run for President (including seven primary elections and four caucuses). Democratic candidates for President; even those as legitimate as Obama; are just not newsworthy anymore. You wanna impress me? Find a legitimate Black candidate who wins primaries in the GOP race.

Finally, I've always maintained that I think Obama's momentum will be seriously compromised by his decision not to be on Michigan and Florida's ballot. One thing that connects Michigan and Florida (besides the thrashing that the Wolverines just gave the Gators! HA!) is that both are critical swing states with expansive memories. They won't soon forget about how he and three of his fellow Democratic Presidential hopefuls all decided to skip out on us. I'm curious to see how this will effect his chances. But frankly, I'm not optimistic.

Simply put, Obama has indeed been impressive so far. But this thing is far from over. I mean, even Kerry won in Iowa; and we all know what happened next. Let's not get too carried away yet.

- ACL

Justice at last!

Plane ticket: $180
Bowl game tickets: $320

University of Michigan - 41
University of Florida - 35

Priceless!

Oh, yeah: Happy New Year and all that jazz too...

- ACL

Taking the CHRIST out of Christmas - REPOST

I wrote the following Christmas post two years ago. But not much has changed in my heart since then. So rather than recreating the wheel, I decided to just do a repost. Enjoy!

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Yet another Christmas has come and gone. It's funny to think about all the changes I'm made from this time last year to the present day; from all the personal challenges that I've faced this year concerning my faith, to the issues surrounding love life, to the changes I've made in my attempts at growth. But some parts of me have remained the same. Namely, I'm still boycotting the concept of Christmas.

I must make it clear that I'm not, in any way, in opposition to the birth of Jesus Christ (although He wasn't born anywhere near December 25th). Rather, I'm boycotting the commercialization of Christmas. I'm really getting annoyed by it all. Mostly, I'm annoyed by all the people racing to the stores, looking for the best sale, making out lists of what to get and what they want, and supporting the lies about a magical jolly fat man who travels around the world to bring gifts (who seems to forget the poor and starving children of the world every year. But, I digress..).

Last year, I went to Miami for Christmas. While I was walking through downtown, I saw an interesting headline for an article from a progressive newspaper with the title "Merry Giftmas". Though I only saw the headline, I could infer what the article was about. It gave me a pretty good chuckle.

When I think about Christmas, I think about the Magi who went to see Jesus. It's not so much that they gave Jesus gifts (although their gifts were hot in the streets!). It's that they did acts that honored Him. They traveled from a great distance solely for purpose of worshipping the baby Jesus; and doing so in spite of the orders of King Herod. It should also be noted that they risked their lives by not reporting back to Herod about the baby they found. In essence, they made a brave and honorable sacrifice for what they believed in. It was their act -- not the gifts -- that mattered most. But what about us? What do we do today? Instead of honoring God, we get caught up on what to buy or what we want to receive from others. We fail to put actions behind our beliefs (James 2:17).

I often hear people say "we need to put Christ back in Christmas". I disagree. Instead, we should take Christ out of Christmas and place Him in our hearts where He belongs. This is a year-round concept that shouldn't be reserved for one day. As for the holiday that we celebrate on December 25th, let's call it for what it really is: "Giftmas". I mean, that's what it's been reduced to, right? For all of you who may think that my ideas are too sacrilegious or blasphemous, answer me this: Have you ever found the word "Christmas" in the Bible? Have you read anywhere in the Bible where Jesus' birth was ever celebrated during His life, through His death or after His resurrection? Hmmm...?

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for celebrating Christ, family, and togetherness. But let's not get in the habit of dishonoring the birth of our Savior by trippin' about some material crap that will only keep up satisfied until we get newer stuff.

-------------------------------------------------------

Whether or not you're a Jesus freak, I'm happily declaring that I AM! So for me, Jesus truly is the "reason for the season." But just in case He isn't for you, still keep in mind that life's common denominators are love, family, friends, and togetherness; not the stuff you can neatly wrap and fit under a tree with lights (which, I still maintain to this day is fire hazard. I'm just sayin...). It's not about the giving; it's about the living!

Have a blessed and safe holiday season! See y'all in the '08! Go Blue!

- ACL

War on Fear

This week federal, state, and local officials all collaborated in making a huge gang bust in my hometown of Flint, Michigan. Bringing down the Pierson Hood gang, as they call themselves, has been said to be a critical move in alleviating criminal offenses currently plaguing the city.

Yesterday, a friend and I were talking about this bust and the significance it can and/or will have on the city and – indeed – the nation. She seems to think that this bust is a perfect application of HR. 1279 [109]: The Gang Deterrence and Community Protection Act of 2005 which passed through the House two years ago, but has not been voted on by the Senate. This anti-gang bill along with the recent efforts in Flint are said to be battles in the so-called "War on Gangs".

Frankly, I’m not as optimistic.

Whenever I hear about a new "War on (fill in your own fear-generating phrase), I cringe. Not only do these "wars" provide the breeding ground for bigotry and other potentially harmful implications to certain individuals, but they also allow politicians and officials to create and legitimize a corrupt and exploitative agenda.

For as long as I can remember, "war" catchphrases have been used as a subterfuge for politicians to effortless gain support for insipid (at least I think they are) and resource-depleting programs (you can’t argue with that one. I dare you.). But, as a consistent trend, each of these initiatives have failed miserably; largely due to the negative implications that rose from them. LBJ’s “War on Poverty” did nothing but create an increased dependance on "the government" to fix everything. Obviously, that hasn't work very well. Richard Nixon’s "War on Drugs" only made getting medicine from Pfizer more expensive than getting weed from your neighborhood Nino Brown. Most recently, Dubya's "War on Terror" has only led to a universally-uncontested removal of our civil liberties and an expansion of the very terrorism we claim to be fighting.

The process for creating these wars is simple. To start, an enemy has to be established. But it can’t just be any simple enemy. It has to be an enemy that is undeniably harmful. Islamic fundamentalists easily fit into this equation, but it can be virtually anything we consider threatening. From there, a description must be made about enemy in the worst case scenario. This will undoubtedly cause the general public to be scared out their wits. From there, launching a campaign against that threat will be sure to gain support, even if our way of life is compromised in the process. And don't think of going against that agenda. If you're brave enough to oppose the steps done to combat these issues (at least according to the Prez ), you’re with that enemy.

The unfortunate consequence of allowing these "wars" to materialize is that we fail to realize just how flawed they are. Rather than sending them back to manufacturer as defective items, we casually sit back and watch them fail; especially if they appear to be successful once in a while. Sure, the "War on Drugs" may have brought down a big-time kingpins like Frank Lucas. But "illegal" drugs are cheaper, stronger, and much easier to come by now than ever before. Poverty rates may have initially declined during FDR’s tenure, but rising costs, inflation, the ongoing mortgage crisis, outsourcing, and shifty labor markets continue to create a neo-generational age of poverty. The War on Terror has done nothing but give the feds the ability to arrest and detain without probable cause, deny Constitutional liberties, keep us from taking hand lotion on an airplane, and use "excessive interrogation techniques" on suspect. None of which, I should note, have made us any of us safer. Now, even when Flint's gang bust was successful (depending on how you define "successful"), it will most likely add to a growing incarceration rate without also addressing the core problems of why people join gangs and commit crimes in the first place.

Oh, eff it. I think I’m going to start my own "War on Fear" campaign. It should be a real doozy. Do I have any takers?

-ACL

More holiday fun

Probably one of the more entertaining versions of "12 Days of Christmas" I've heard in a while.

If I'm not careful, I might just get in the holiday spirit after all.

- ACL

In the news

Just in case you haven't been following the news (watching Dancing with the Stars and all), here's a roundup of some of the more interesting stories I’ve seen in a while:

The phone is on, but nobody's home
According to reports, an Icelandic teen was able to figure out the President's personal phone number and gave him a call. The teen, posing as the president of Iceland, left Bush a message requesting him to return the call. Though the Secret Service finally caught on to him, the kid (as far as I can tell) has not indicated how he came across the phone number. Some say he got it when Jenna Bush called the Prez on the Ellen DeGeneres show; while others suggest that he just simply outsmarted White House security and officials. Either way, this kid is brilliant.

Cookie Jar Contempt
This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee -- by a 12-7 vote -- approved criminal contempt resolutions against former Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove and White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten. Six months ago, the Committee requested Rove's public testimony on the now infamous attorney firings and issued subpoenas for internal White House documents. As the custodian of such documents, Bolten was cited for refusing to hand them in.

Frankly, I don't think that anything is going to come out of this. Though the resolutions are expected to move to the Senate floor, I don't think any actions will be taken this year. For that matter, I don't think the Senate will have enough momentum to do anything at all.

Gonzo wins award for "Lawyer of the Year"
Former Attorney General Alberto "I don't recall" Gonzales has been honored as the 2007 "Lawyer of the Year". Initially I thought to myself "WTF?!" But when I saw this report from the Associated Press, it all started to make sense to me.

As it appears, the American Bar Association doesn't necessarily recognize the most outstanding lawyer each year; just the one who is the most newsworthy. Think of this way: when Time Magazine voted Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and -- yes -- Dubya "Persons of the Year", it wasn't necessarily because they were the best people in the world (certainly not as cool as you and I apparently were one year). They just made the most noise. That being said, Gonzo truly deserved this award.

Gore finally catches up to his award
Speaking of awards, Nobel Peace prize winner and "former President" Al Gore has made environmentally-friendly improvements to his home. Uh…can you say “about time?” Maybe I'm just being a hater, but when Gore received the Nobel prize for his recent documentary about global climate change, maybe we should've been looking at him as one of the biggest culprits. Don’t get me wrong, I was happy to hear about his award. But when you think about how lifestyles don’t match up to sermons, the preacher tends to lose credibility.

Another shock jock back on the air
This story is a little old, but still worth mentioning. Hip Hop disc jockey DJ Star (real name Troi Torain) is back on the air after being fired for comments he made about a rival DJ. Torain was released from a popular New York radio station last year when he threatened to sexually assault and urinate on his rival's then four year old daughter. This dude made Don Imus look like Ghandi by comparison.

Now, we all know my stance on free speech. But, come people: where's the outrage? Threatening children? For real?

Congressional holiday plans: Stay at work?
I just read an op-ed piece from the Washington Post citing the potential plans of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in keeping the Senate running during the Christmas break to stop the Prez from making blind appointments in certain vacancies. Reid organized these special sessions before. He may try it again.

Personally, I think Congressional work should be a year-round job anyway. These clowns typically put us in situations that don’t rest. Why should they get to?

Ex-CIA official chimes in about waterboarding
John Kiriakou, formerly of the CIA recently revealed that not only was waterboarding used in interrogations with suspected terrorists, but that the process was directly approved by the White House.

While all of this was going on, current CIA director Michael Hayden was called into an unpublicized meeting with the Senate Intelligence Committee to offer testimony about the process. He is publicly claiming that the Committee knew about the CIA's interrogation techniques, while they claim to have no knowledge of it. Clearly we have a case where somebody or EVERYBODY is lying. So, you can expect for this to be the first of many more hearings.

Halli-hurtin'
I'm torn on this story; mostly because it involves two groups whom I frequently have a hard time believing: greedy corporations like Halliburton and alleged rape victims. Halliburton is currently under fire from accusations of rape by former contractor Jaime Leigh Jones. Jones, a former employee of the billion dollar contracting firm, released a story about how she was gang raped by some of her co-workers, locked away in a storage unit without food or water, and how the company tried to cover it all up.

On one hand, I wouldn't be suprised if this story wound up being true. Halliburton is notorious for raping you and me as American taxpayers. So why stop there? But on the other hand, I wouldn't be suprised if this Jones girl is an opportunist; using the unimaginable (and untouchable) idea of being raped as a chance to either get even with her former employer or to get famous from her screenplay. I dunno.

A Slow Food Nation?
Apparently Los Angeles, plagued by obesity and diabetes, is making a push to ban fast food restaurants from the area. The proposed ban was approved by the council's Planning and Land Use Committee even though two city officials indicated that more work was needed on the proposal.

Honestly, I'm confused by this one. Rather than committing more resources to promote health (exercise facilities that don't cost a fortune, better/safer parks, less expensive health food stores, etc.) the city wants to ban fast food joints?! Somebody pul-LEASE explain that logic to me. I must be slow or somethin'.

Though some studies have suggested that fast food is addictive, this hasn't been as universally accepted as being as truthful as cigarettes being addictive, for example. Until these studies are universally accepted as truth, the city council needs to factor personal responsibility somewhere into this discussion. Sheesh.

“Liberty City 7” terrorists not so terrorizing
According to reports, none of the seven suspects connected to plans of terrorism in the Sears Tower were convicted. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions about this story, but I will say that this seems to represent a failed attempt to get people so scared about terrorism that they commit kneejerk reactions. The resources devoted to manipulate our thinking and to make these guys out to be bogeymen worked; apparently until they got to court.

New Jersey abolishes death penalty
By close votes of 44-36 in the state Assembly and 21-16 in the state Senate, New Jersey has become the first state in over forty years to abolish the death penalty. Governor Jon Corzine has indicated that he will sign the bill, effectively making it state law.

I’m not sure what to think about this decision. On the one hand, I’ve always maintained that the death penalty is a barbaric and archaic way of issuing justice; especially considering the number of falsely convicted people executed in recent years. Still, the argument can be made that some of the criminals who were indeed guilty of brutal crimes lost their right to life. But I guess I still believe that a lifetime of losing your freedom (and not being pampered with our hard-earned money; like many convicts are) can be a fate worst than death.

Ike Turner dead
Ike Turner, the infamous rock and roll pioneer is dead from unexplained circumstances. He was 76. Turner was known just as much for his Greatest Hits on Anna Mae Bullock and his Greatest Hits on the pipe as he was for his Greatest Hits in music. Maybe he got a bad rap; maybe he didn’t. Interestingly, Tina didn’t have any comments.

As always, this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what's going on in the world. As more stuff surfaces, I'll be sure to offer my two cents. So keep tuning into to "Inside Andre's Head"; the most trusted source in news. The Hippie Conservative is the second most trusted source; albeit a distant second. :)

- ACL

The Wedding Crasher

Food for thought: While other people's children continue to suffer in the streets of Iraq, the President's child is getting married.

Huh.

-ACL

The Bushism Schism

Over the years, folks have had a field day with our current President. Between the way he's been bungling the war, his insanely massive and irresponsible spending, his unwavering support of corrupt cronies, screwing up speech after speech, making toilet paper out of the Constitution, and being an overall moron, Bush has failed the citizens to whom he's beholden time and time again. Thank God he's almost out of the White House.

Still, I can't help but to wonder if he could run for office one more time, how many people would vote for him again. Sadly, I think the numbers would be pretty high.

What say you?

-ACL

Masters of the Universe

Though I haven't quite finished my thesis yet (I'm about 80% finished. Give a brotha a break), I can finally announce that I'm all finished with classes! I's a graduate!

Yeeeeaah Boi!

- ACL

You said what?!

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

I was just over to Hippie’s spot (He’s back on the blogging scene. Yeah, you have me to thank for that.). In his latest piece, he posted a YouTube clip of an old episode of Crossfire; the political and social debate program. On this particular episode, there is a heated exchange between Washington Post columnist John Lofton and the late recording artist Frank Zappa about free speech. Interestingly though this clip is quite a few years old, the debate over free speech is still brewing today; with a different cast of characters, of course.

I make no bones about it; I’ve always been a fan of the 1st Amendment. In fact, it’s the very concept of free speech that has allowed me to host this blog for as long as I have. In other nations, having this type of clearinghouse for discussion would likely get me dragged outside of the city walls and stoned. Whether my commentary has centered around spirituality, social/cultural happenings, politics, or just your average Monday morning water cooler discussion, the Constituition does its job in allowing me a considerable forum to speak and be heard. As it does with the rest of you...

However, what the First Amendment does not…and I repeat…DOES NOT do is protect us from certain types of consequences we might face for expressing ourselves; namely criticism from other people. I can post virtually anything I want on my blog (at least anything not in violation with security); citing my first amendment rights in the process. But similarly, my readers -- barring any censorship I can do as this site’s administrator -- also have the rights to call me out for what I say. Future employers have the right to use the content of this page to make decisions on my employability. My mother has the right to be pissed and knock me upside the head if she read some of the stuff I’ve written on my blog. Simply put, the First Amendment protects our rights to speak freely. It does not shield us from the backlash that may occur from doing so. When Don Imus, for example, was fired because of his comments about the Rutgers Women’s Basketball team (only to later be rehired, as I predicted), it wasn’t because he broke any free speech laws. The government didn’t detain and convict him on charges of violating the Constitution. He simply lost his job because of the consequences of his free speech. Supporting sponsors -- fearing public boycotts -- pulled out of him faster than (insert dirty insertion jokes here).

So whether you're a complete free speech advocate, only in favor of free speech when it applies to you, or a loon out to censor EVERYTHING, we all need to take a chill pill. Let's not get things twisted: the government can’t constitutionally barge your door down and arrest you for having an opinion (though, the Patriot Act is freakishly close to allowing that). But before you try to cloak yourself in the First Amendment, that doesn’t mean that your brother, sister, or best friend can’t attack you in a different way. It is within a their rights to challenge you on different things; even if those things were a product of you exercising your rights.

Attack my comments all you want. It's a free country...

...at least for now.

-ACL

A little holiday fun

OK, I admit: I'm not exactly a Christmas spirit-y type of person. I'm also not a fan of too many Will Ferrell gigs outside of his SNL days. But this clip from "Elf" always gives me a little holiday chuckle for whatever reason.




- ACL

Victims to victors (and back again?)

I was watching Oprah not too long ago (I know. I'm sorry...). On the show were Drs. Bill Cosby and Alvin Poussaint as they discussed their new book Come on People: On the Path from Victims to Victors. This book is the latest in the long list of public appearances and open discourse they've had regarding the state of today's black community. Their forums -- controversial as they be -- are calling on the Black community to be more aggressive in their advocacy for change and community improvement. Not surprisingly, their commentary has been met with opposition; mostly from public intellectuals like Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, who insist that they place too much emphasis on personal responsibility and not enough on the systemic and structural racism that exists. Further, opponents contend that "airing dirty laundry" allows many in White America (especially conservatives) to justify their own bigotry by using observations from other blacks like Cosby and Poussaint as a support system.

Truthfully, I see both sides of the argument.

On the one hand, I completely understand how some of Cosby and Poussaint's biggest critics can get incensed by their observations. Looking at their commentary from a certain vantage point, I can see how it can be perceived as being generationally out of touch, classist, and unbalanced.

To address the first point regarding the generational breakdown; for some time now, Dr. Cosby has been waging war on young people; particularly as it relates to how they embrace a certain urban culture that often includes activities, images, and representation that have negative implications. But what Drs. Cosby and Poussaint fail to note is how complex many elements of urban culture truly are. Now I'm not exactly a hip-hop subscriber myself. But even I can tell that many circles of hip hop go beyond simply celebrating thuggery, drugs, misogyny, violence, and the vacuous pursuit of material. There are quite a few mechanisms in place through the urban community that speak directly to the importance of education, community awareness, the harsh conditions of the streets, and the presence of systemic racism in law enforcement, the courts, and society at large. But messages like these are often ignored simply because the entire platform of hip hop is disparaged by the likes of Cosby and Poussaint. Simply put, some of their messages about black folks living outside of our means, killing each other, and promoting ignorance can sometimes be found in the very rap lyrics that they are so vehemently against.

Moving on to the next point, many critics tend to view the antics and commentary of people like Drs. Cosby and Poussaint as being laced with a great deal of classism. Though I don't think that is at all their intention, one would be hard pressed to disagree. One of the problems with how they (and other "well off" black folks) delivery their message is that their commentary typically suggests a level of antipathy toward poor and lower class blacks. Oftentimes, that antipathy is unfairly assigned. For instance, I read an amazing book by Barbara Ehrenreich called Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America; where she experimented by taking on a series of unskilled jobs while trying to earn a living. Yet she was unable to make ends meet. Such is the case with many poor blacks. They have solid work ethic and an interest to take care of their families; but because of certain precipitating events (racism, the ills of job outsourcing, corporate greed, low wages), they are often left out of the "American Dream".

Speaking to the last point, I understand why Blacks are sensitive to criticism about their lifestyles; albeit constructive. When analyses and cultural criticisms appear to be unbalanced and conveniently discount social, economic, and political deficiencies that create the problem, the 'victim' tends to get more offended when you place the blame squarely on them. The unfortunate consequence of this type of critical analysis -- though somewhat on point -- is that it can get lost if it isn't balanced by an understanding and an appreciation of the systemic problems that contribute just as much to this plight.

Still, I think that critics of Drs. Cosby and Poussaint should stop and really listen to the message they are trying to convey; regardless to how poor and incomplete the delivery might be. They talk about how gangs, drug/alcohol addiction, violence, and ignorance should be viewed in the same light as the other nefarious forces that exist in this society. Jim Crowism no longer "keeps us down". Now it's B.E.T. The Klan no longer terrorizes our neighborhood (at least not to the same extent as it once did). Now it's young black teenagers who are committing the assaults. It's no longer the George Wallaces of the world who work assiduously to keep blacks out of college. We're the ones voluntarily dropping out of high school. Simply put, in many cases, we're the ones self-imposing things that threaten our advancement and indeed our very survival.

Rather than painting black folks as sad and pathetic victims of circumstance, people like Cosby and Poussaint seek to empower us to control our own lives. They challenge parents to play a more active role in determining what images their children are exposed to; particularly when that imagery is the product of what we throw out there ourselves. True, most of the enterprise out there has a great deal of corporate sponsorship/ownership; but we are the ones being portrayed. Cosby and Poussaint are trying to urge us to be more actively engaged in promoting education in the community. They are calling for us to manage our households. They are calling for us to be more fiscally responsible. Frankly, there is nothing classist about that. They're using their "bully pulpit" in a responsible and necessary manner.

Again, I don't deny that there are major social obstacles in place that can hinder progress. But now is the time for the black community to have a renewed mind when facing those challenges. Let's take Oprah for example. Sure, she can be pretty shallow; especially with some of her ridiculous talk-show and magazine coverage and how she flaunts her money. Sure, she panders to middle-aged white woman far more than a person ever should (interestingly, the same thing can be said of most rappers; who largest consumer markets are white teenagers). But she is also a black woman who, by her success, wealth accumulation, and philanthropy; is living the life. This coming about in spite of racism. Though she is a rare case of insane success, the possibility of emerging from dysfunctional and oppressive environments is not at all inconceivable. True, not everybody can earn the status as an uber-billionaire in the same fashion that Oprah did. Only so many black people can cater to the interests of White America before the novelty wears off (are you listening Wayne Brady?). Nevertheless, the possibilities for other forms of success are as attainable now as they have ever been. That being the case, I see nothing wrong with one of us who "made it" occasionally lighting a fire under everybody else's ass.

What's often deplorable is that any time a Black person makes even a slightly critical assessment of other blacks, they are labeled as an Uncle Tom, classists, or as being apologetic for/dismissive toward racism. But if you believe that, you must also believe that their attempts to improve the conditions of Black America are somehow wrong as well. That, to me, is a ridiculous claim. This country is full of great people who have emerged despite the mounting structural disorders they faced. So rather than solely channeling out frustrations at Cosby, why not use our resources to confront both the systemic problems AND the ones that we create?

Holla at me!

-ACL

Blogger of the Month

Now that I've been able to finally get through midterms, get some sleep, recover from the debacle that is University of Michigan football and set two minutes aside to stop being mad at the world I can get back into the blogging scene. Somewhat. Indeed, there's plenty to talk about, but when I put myself in the frame of mind to post, I invariably find that I don't have the time. But I will at least take a moment to recognize this month's featured blogger: Sylvia; AKA "HeiressChild."

Like most of my other cyberfriends, I have no idea how I first came across Sylvia. I suppose if I traced back far enough to some previous posts, I'll find our first conversation. But in the interest of not doing any additional legwork, I'll just say that I met her at the post office.

Sylvia's screen name is derived from a Biblical passage that proclaims that she is a joint heir(ess) with Jesus. But truthfully, I didn't need a screen name to remind me that Sylvia's a woman of God. She ejects that kind of Spirit anyway. True, I've never met her in person. But if her real-life persona even remotely matches her on-screen identity, I have every confidence that she is indeed living a life that is pleasing to God.

What I particularly enjoy about Sylvia's site is that she provides a forum that I often use as a much needed assurance of God's goodness. I think we all know how good God is; but sometimes we need to be reminded. When I read about her daily struggles, how she fights to overcome them, and how she clings closer to God in the process, I get a sense of encouragment which I can then apply to my own life. Furthermore, I enjoy her positive insight on things (usually as a clear contrast to my negativity), her ability to open new networks (I've met quite a few interesting people through her site), and the fact that -- like me -- she loves Jeopardy. :)

If you haven't done so already, stop by her place. You'll be blessed for it.

- ACL

Fail to the Victors

Ohio State - 14
Michigan - 3

DAAAAAAMMMMNNNNNNIIIIITTTTTT!!!!!!

- ACL

Jumping on a new ship?

Everybody knows that I'm officially done with Hillary. We can't seem to get an ounce of truth from her anymore. Yes, I've been on Team Obama for a while. But after he and a few other Dems decided to disenfranchise my vote as a Michigander, I'm not so sure I can get down with him either. Dennis Kucinich seems pretty cool; though he's a little too liberal for my liking (which makes me want to demand a recount on the Candidate Calculation I so kindly plugged on my blog. That program, of course, made me Kucinich supporter). And, of course, it's common knowledge that I can't stand the GOP. So we all know that none of those jokers could ever gain my support.

But in a strange and unexpected turn of events, I've been finding myself curiously interested in Ron Paul as a legitimate candidate for me to support. Of all the candidates on either side, he makes the most sense. For example, this clip highlights his positions on some of the more critical issues facing the country right now:





Now, it should be noted that I strongly disagree with his stance on social programs (where he wants to eliminate them altogether, while I believe they should still exist with rules and limitations attached) abortion (though not that big a deal to me since I'll never get pregnant :) ) and lower taxes (which, as far as I can tell, can't happen right now because of the mess the Bush Administration has put us is). But most of his policies -- though having traces of "traditional" conservatism -- aren't all that unreasonable to accept. His positions on smaller government, independent liberties, trade limitations, troop withdrawal, staying out of other nation's business for instance, all seem like good indicators of sound policy. Clearly, this dude is light years ahead of the other candidates; both Republican and Democrat.

This dude may very well have my vote come January; and possibly come next November.

- ACL

Two bear arms

If only this was the 2nd Amendment "right" the NRA was making such a big deal over. But unfortunately it isn't.

And this is usually the result.

- ACL

The Jena sux

I'd like to take a quick second to publicly apologize to my loyal readers for blindly jumping on the Jena 6 bandwagon. While I'm relieved that the initial charges of six black teens beating up a white teen were rightly reduced from attempted murder to assault; and while I'm fully aware of the ill state of race relations in this country, recent events involving these kids have turned me off to this Jena 6 nonsense for good.

First, two of the Jena 6 boys were seen chillin' and partying at the BET Awards. Then, there was so-called "comedian" Katt Williams sporting a noose on the red carpet. Then, as if I couldn't get any more annoyed, another one of other boys *allegedly* posted pictures of himself on his Myspace page, where he's flashing what some people suspect are donations from supporters. Though I can't speak directly to the veracity of that claim, I can at least comfortably say is that when it comes to painting themselves out to be the tragic victims of racism, the Jena six sux.

True, I'm upset at these kids for discrediting themselves (and, for that matter, their "cause") by engaging in this foolishness. But I won't dismiss forget the fact that they are teenagers; albeit stupid ass teenagers. So I won't go down too hard on them. Instead, I'm actually shifting more of the burden to the parents, lawyers, and activists who have made this case what it is. How effective have they been in teaching these kids the importance of low exposure during important trials? What have they done to teach these kids about the social responsibilities that come with being in the spotlight (whether they wanted to be thrusted in it or not)? What have these folks taught the Jena six boys about honoring and respecting the contributions/sacrifices others have made to support them?

At least I can say that -- outside of a post on my blog -- I haven't lost too much of an investment regarding the case. I'm glad that I followed my better judgment and restrained from sending donations and/or personally traveling to Jena. But if any of you actually did do any of the aforementioned things, I don't think you'd be too hard pressed in demanding a refund.

Holla at me!

- ACL