Racism: The Most Violent Weapon in Human History

Trayvon Martin wore a hoodie in the rain..In the world of Don lemon and Geraldo, maybe He should've had an umbrella instead

Trayvon Martin

Stop denying that race doesn’t matter.

To claim that killings of Jordan Davis, Trayvon Martin, Renisha McBride, Darius Simmons, Garrick Hopkins, Carl Hopkins, and countless others have nothing to do with race erases generations of white-on-black violence.

And before you trot out some example from history of an African American who killed a white person, or cite some FBI statistics (deflection is a form of denial), hear us:

The history of violence directed at African Americans is grounded in a history of systemic racism; efforts to protect slavery, irrational fear, segregation, Jim Crow, stereotypes and white privilege are all part of this history.  It is what binds together Emmett Till and Jordan Davis, what links together the countless incidents of lynching throughout America’s history with killings of Trayvon Martin and Renisha McBride who were seen as “not belonging.”

white mobsThe history of the United States is one where whites have killed with impunity; the murder of African Americans has been carried under a culture that continues to sanction this violence. Our society has refused to hold white killers accountable within the criminal justice system. On the flip side, African Americans have historically and continually experience the opposite: the unequal brunt force of the criminal justice system.  Unlike their white counterparts, who have been let off the hook over and over again, blacks have been policed, locked up, lynched, and executed for s**t they didn’t do.  Just as those involved with countless lynchings and Emmett Till’s killers never faced consequences for killing black people, Michael Dunn and George Zimmerman have been left off the hook.

Race matters because of continued circulation of racial stereotypes. From Dunn’s views about “thug music” or Zimmerman’s profiling of Martin, or the belief from Theodore Wafer that Renisha McBride’s an intruder has everything to do with race.  How many different jokes about blacks and crime do you hear each day, either from popular culture or from friends?  How often do you confront media reports, video games, films, TV, or conversations that depict African Americans as dangerous, as “thugs,” as threatening criminals?

Michael Dunn

Michael Dunn

One cannot understand Michael Dunn, or George Zimmerman or countless others within a colorblind fantasy.  We must talk about racism, stereotypes and the history of criminalizing black bodies.  Research proves that whites, from college students to police officers, are more likely to misidentify a gun when in a black hand.  According to B. Keith Payne, “Race stereotypes can lead people to claim to see a weapon where there is none. Split-second decisions magnify the bias by limiting people’s ability to control responses.”  Racism thwarts many in white America from seeing how racism kills.

According Project Implicit,  “An analysis of more than 900,000 completed Implicit Association Tests (IAT) at the Project Implicit website suggested that more than 70% of test takers associated White people with good and Black people with bad…”   It is easy to dismiss race and racism but the daily consequences of American racism are real; the trauma and pain, the ongoing history of racial violence, and a culture that is more likely to see black criminality than black innocence.  Racism kills and so does denial.

Geraldo Rivera Blames TrayvonRace matters even in death.  How else can we explain the lack of concern society shows for the anguish of black parents who have lost a child?  The mantra of not speaking ill of the dead is rarely applied to black youth.  For all too many, that means routinely seeing the victims as criminals, as unworthy of sympathy and assumptions of innocence. Instead of being seen as victims, as someone’s son or daughter, someone’s friend that lost their life, they are turned into criminals deserving of death.  Writing about Emmett Till and Trayvon Martin, Eric Mann highlights the longstanding history of blaming black youth for their own murders:  [D]eep in the white American psyche” rests the controlling belief and script that sees “the impossibility of Black innocence.” Efforts to convict black youth for their own murders is engrained in the American fabric, enshrined in the history books, and centuries old in the script of white supremacy.  Racism continues to turn the victims of racism into criminals who either deserved to die or did something that resulted in their own death.

Whether citing school suspensions, problems with the law, drug use, clothing choices, being drunk, loud music, whistling, not listening to authority or simply their attitude, the presumption of black guilt, black criminality, and black pathology is reason for black death.  Don’t look at the killers or a history of white supremacy since the “victim” is in fact responsible for his/her death.  The message is clear: Don’t mourn for them; don’t seek justice for them since it is they (and their parents, their “culture”, and their community) that is responsible, not the killers, not the laws, not the gun culture, not the racism, and not America.

Affluenza DefenseWhite youth, on the other hand, even those who go on shooting rampages at in public places, even those who drive drink and kill people, who shoot first and ask question later, are regularly imagined as innocent, good, and all-American. Sometimes this takes place within the court of public opinion and other times within the courts.  We see this regularly in the aftermath of “mass shootings” at least those involving white perpetrators, in white communities, and with white victims. From James Holmes, who perpetrated a mass shooting in a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado in 2012, to Adam Lanza, who shot and killed over 20 children at a Connecticut Elementary School, society works to understand the backgrounds of these assailants and questions “why” and “how” these wholesome kids became evil.   Maybe it’s video games; or maybe its affluenza, or it could be mental health issues.  It’s never whiteness, it’s never racism; it’s never white pathology and ultimately that means little accountability

The effort to exonerate white shooters, from Lanza to Zimmerman, from Holmes to Dunn, embodies the power of race.  The failure to mourn Black Death, to protect black life, or the failure to understand the fear and anger reflects entrenched white privilege.  The yearning to cite Black on Black crime demonstrates the historic disregard for black life.

Khali Gibran Muhammad

Khali Gibran Muhammad

“It’s true that black-on-black violence is an exceptionally grave problem. But this does not explain the allure of the violence card, which perpetuates the reassuring notion that violence against black people is not society’s concern but rather a problem for black people to fix on their own,” writes Khalil Gibran Muhammad, director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at the New York Public Library. “The implication is that the violence that afflicts black America reflects a failure of lower-class black culture, a breakdown of personal responsibility, a pathological trait of a criminally inclined subgroup — not a problem with social and institutional roots that needs to be addressed through collective effort well beyond the boundaries of black communities.” Is it astonishing the black life is only valued when it can be used to deny white terror, to obscure solutions, and to otherwise blame EBW (everyone but whites). If black life was truly valued, we would all join those demanding justice for Jordan and Trayvon, those working to repeal stand your ground laws, those working to combat the insidious racial stereotypes that sustains anti-black racism.

If Black Death is such a concern for white America there are plenty of ways to get involved; to be a solution. There are plenty of organizations and individuals that are demanding justice for Mark Carson, Islan Nettles, Adrian Broadway, or Ricardo Sanes.  What are we doing for these victims, for countless others?    These are people, not talking points.

We do wonder where are the white leaders, whether Democratic or Republican, the organizations so concerned about gun violence, the media pundits, and those who like to obfuscate with “black on black crime” in addressing these killings? Where are the calls against Stand Your Ground, given its clear racial consequences?  Where is the support for those organizations and individuals that are challenging America’s pathological and destructive gun culture, or those working in communities like Chicago to combat injustice?  Where is the action and outrage about the violence that ravages Chicago or Detroit?  Where is the demand for something other than more police and lectures about sagging pants and fathers? Or do the concerns begin and end when trying to derail discussions about the continued history of racist violence that continues to plague this nation that continues to lead to deaths of Black Youth.

Stop racist violenceWe ask, what are we going to do about “white on white crime,” “black on black crime,” and the culture of violence that is ravaging communities? What are we all doing in the name of justice, in the name of every lost live?  What are we doing about permissive gun and mental health no matter the neighborhood?  We need to commit ourselves to having honest discussions about racism, inequality, and violence.  We must fight for justice for Trayvon Martin and Renisha McBride, for Adrian Broadway and Mark Carson, for Jordan Davis and Darius Simmons.  Justice will remain an illusion as we refuse to recognize the ways that they and so many others are seen as criminals when alive, remaining as “violent thugs,” in worthy of blame and reproach in death.

If we want to stop the violence, maybe we should look in the mirror, and look at racism, the most violent weapon in human history.  To deny race is to deny this history. To ignore racism and refuse to deal is to allow for the most dangerous weapon to continue to kill and kill without any consequence and intervention.  To wipe clean this history is to erase the pain and trauma of racial terror.  And worse, to keep repeating it, over and over.

Stand up for what’s right

written by  JLove and David Leonard

See, Judge, ACT:

What white folks can do:

Showing Up For Racial Justice (SURJ is a national network of groups and individuals organizing white people for racial justice. Become a member and get involved directly: http://www.showingupforracialjustice.org/

Don’t have time to organize?  At the very least:

-Sign up for ColorofChange.org and sign petitions demanding justice for all

-Donate to ColorofChange, SURJ and/or a multiracial group organizing around racial justice issues

-Post up on social media and circulate KNOWLEDGE so that your community is more informed; build an intentional community committed to justice, change, and accountability!

About the Authors

David Leonard is a professor in the Department of Critical Culture, Gender, and Race at Washington State University. http://drdavidjleonard.com/

JLove Calderon is a conscious media maker, social entrepreneur, and author of five books, including her latest: Occupying Privilege; Conversations on Love, Race, and Liberation. www.jlovecalderon.com

Hard Knock Radio: White Vigilantism, Stand Your Ground & Jordan Davis – Meet The Lumpen (02-18-14)

Kali Akuno

Kali Akuno

Hard Knock Radio (02-18-14) We speak w/ Kali Akuno, Special Projects and External Funding Director for Mayor Chokwe Lumumba in Jackson, Mississippi and member of Malcolm X Grassroots Movement. Our conversation starts off with reaction to the Michael Dunn/ Jordan Davis trial verdict and its larger implications.

We spoke with Kali about connecting the dots and looking at the larger issues connected with what seems to be an uptick in vigilante style killings of Black people at the hands of ‘scared’ white folks who than try to hide behind Stand Your Ground laws that now exists in 26 states.

Kali had unique perspective to this incident because he did organizing work in New Orleans in the aftermath of Katrina where there were a number vigilante killings involving mobs of white folks literally hunting Black people.

Ground zero was the Algiers section of New Orleans, but there were also disturbing incidents on the Gretna and Dezanger Bridge where Black people seeking dry ground were shot and killed. In the last couple of years we’ve seen high profile cases with the murders of Trayvon Martin, Renisha McBride and Jordan Davis.. A lot of this was highlighted in the documentary Katrina’s Hidden Race War and the explosive article by AC Thompson for the Nation Magazine.

Katrina vigilantismIn our conversation Akuno noted that many of these incidents seem to borrow from the same play book with vigilantes claiming they were frightened and felt threatened by unarmed Black people who they thought were armed.  The same excuse is used by police who have been gunned down unarmed and innocent Black people.

Kali pointed out this history of fear is rooted white supremacy and the notion that the Black people who have been killed were somehow not in the ‘right place’. Their presence is deemed out of the ordinary which leads to folks becoming ‘suspicious’ and acting with malice..

We talked about ways in which people are organizing to combat this and what organizing will look like ideally as more people step up and push back.

We also asked Kali to put on his other hat as Special Projects and External Funding Director and give us some insight as to how people in his city of Jackson are organizing and protecting themselves given the sordid history of Mississippi and that it too is a Stand Your Ground state.

Kali noted that is organization has gotten a number of calls to investigate troubling incidents that have gone down in the state, primarily in rural areas. With respect to whats going on in Jackson, the Lumumba administration has been carefully laying down groundwork to enact bold, progressive initiatives that has gotten many people excited and simultaneously gotten many in power upset.

Jackson, Mississippi

Jackson, Mississippi

He noted that the state legislature is one of the most reactionary in the country and have put forth a bill similar to Michigan where the governor can arbitrarily appoint an Emergency Manager. Dubbed the ‘Takeover Jackson Bill‘, this would allow one individual appointed by the governor to come in and usurp the power of the Mayor, City council and other local elected officials. The Emergency Manager would have the power to set budgets, oversee the police, hire and fire administrators as they saw fit etc.

Kali noted that such moves were to be expected and that their response as an administration is not be shocked and surprised but instead apply their skill sets and years of fighting in the trenches to organize and employ strategies and counter measures of their own.

Kali noted one of the first steps is to raise awareness and make sure folks are in the loop as to whats happening. The second step is to organize folks on the ground and get them prepared for the latest attack and attempts to oppress folks..

Hopefully news outlets like Democracy Now Melissa Harris-Perry on MSNBC Roland S. Martin of TV One to name a few take up this matter and shine a glaring spotlight on this…

As Shamako Noble of Hip Hop Congress recently noted whats taking place is that many of these new laws are being put in place with Black People being used as training ground.. Once the proverbial kinks are out they are then applied to everyone else who is deemed a threat or ‘the other’.

Far too often everyone ignores these laws when its hitting the Black community and literally sweep it under the rug until it’s too late.. That’s one hard lesson folks should’ve learned with the fight around mass surveillance. It was ignored when it was being used in the Black community for a couple of decades under the banner War on Drugs..

The Emergency Manager tactic was ignored and even justified by some who should know better when it was impacting cities like Detroit and Flint. Some rationalized that such places were run down and needed a change..Now they are directing it at Jackson, Ms toward a progressive Mayor who hasn’t even been in office 6 months.. Who will be next and how are we prepared to fight?

The Lumpen

The Lumpen

Later on in the show, we hear excerpts from an hear a panel discussion featuring author/scholar Rickey Vincent and members of the Black Panthers Funk band The LumpenWilliam Calhoun, Clark Bailey and James Mott speak about their experiences as revolutionary rank and file members of the panthers and what led to them forming a band. They note that its important to keep in mind they were Panthers first before ‘rock stars’..

right click the link below to download or  stream the HKR Intv

right click the link below to download or
stream the HKR Intv

hkrfullshow_02-18-2014 Kali Akuno- Meet the Lumpen

Remembering X-Clan’s ‘Day of Outrage’ in the Wake of the Michael Dunn Verdict

X-ClanWhen things don’t seem right and injustice is all around, sometimes you need a loud, booming song to re-center you and remind you that our people are resilient and that resistance to the evil all around us will be the order of the day.

A day after the incredulous verdict around Michael Dunn where jurors could not convict him of murdering unarmed Jordan Davis while simultaneously convicting him of attempted murder of the men who survived the shooting, has had me listening to the song ‘Day of Outrage‘ by X-Clan.  The searing lyrics has me wanting to hear more songs like this as I recall the climate that led up to the landmark song…

For those unfamiliar, back in August 1989, folks were feeling overwhelmed after the killing of 16-year-old Yusef Hawkins at the hands of an angry white mob who thought he was dating a local white girl named Gina Feliciano…About 30 men laid in wait near the house of the girl who was believed to be dating a Black men. They all had bats.

Yusef and his friends came out of candy store and coincidently walked by the building when the men with bats confronted them. No words were exchanged, No bats were swung, Yusef was shot twice in the chest and left dead holding onto his candy bar. The man who shot him was convicted of second degree murder the other main defendant was acquitted but found guilty on a lesser charges.. Yusuf wasn’t dating anyone, he and his friends were simply responding to an ad for a used car.

Yusef Hawkins Protest

Yusef Hawkins Protest

At the time New York City was in an uproar and the rap group X-Clan responded . They were  part of an organization called Blackwatch which was led by group leader Professor X who was the son of long time activist Sonny Carson who was one of the group’s mentors and advisors. .. On the Day of Outrage they led help lead 50 thousand people across the Brooklyn Bridge… The song they did ‘Day of Outrage’ was among the many songs artists were doing at the time to offer the community a soundtrack for the racial struggles they were battling.. Here’s an article on the day of outrage http://www.nytimes.com/1989/09/01/nyregion/day-of-outrage-march-ends-in-violence.html

Fast forward to today in the aftermath of Oscar Grant, Trayvon Martin, Renisha McBride and  Jordan Davis to name a few of the many, one can’t help but wonder what it would be like if popular artists like Nicki Minaj had taken all their anger and frustration expressed in songs  like ‘Looking Azz N*ggas‘ and applied that same energy and venom to the racist folks in Florida who time and time again show disdain and disgust for our people.

Nicki MinajIn the video, instead of shooting guns at Looking Azz N*ggas what if she pointed those guns at Looking Azz Racists in Florida who set George Zimmerman free? Or what if she pointed the guns at ‘Looking Azz’ Jury members who got hung up and handed down a mistrial verdict to an un-remorseful murderer like Michael Dunn? Even better what if those guns were directed at the state prosecutor Angela Corey who lost two cases of unarmed Black teenagers being killed via Stand Your Ground, leaving many to believe she threw the case?

Maybe a venomous song could be done directed at George Zimmerman himself, who is seeking to capitalize off murdering Trayvon Martin and reinvent himself as a ‘celebrity boxer’…

Perhaps a stinging song could be directed at ALEC members or Stand Your Ground advocates who created this climate of fear, suspicion which is leading to the murder of innocent unarmed Black folks.

Where are our most popular and most visible artists with their lyrical take downs of this injustice system and the people who run it. ? How about a song directed at Looking Azz Government officials in Florida’??

Lookingazzracist-400Instead of distorting the image and legacy of Malcolm X, Emmett Till, Harriet Tubman, Harry Belafonte and other folks who symbolize our freedom struggle, some of these artists should go all out and lambast folks who actively and routinely work against us. For example, where’s the songs to bash Congressional leaders John Boehner and Eric Cantor over their policies like cutting 40 billion dollars in food stamps and not extending unemployment benefits?

Where’s the songs taking down Bill O’Reilly? Sean Hannity? Rush Limbaugh who make a living off of demonizing and stereotyping Black folks day in and day out?  Where’s the take down songs directed at Megyn Kelly the Fox news pundit who blew up the spot late last year by announcing Jesus and Santa are white? Where are the songs that go HAM about them?  We need more songs that speak to our collective outrage about a system that is broke beyond repair and aggressively counter attack those who seeking to demoralize us.

And yes for the record I’m fully aware there are lots of artists who do speak truth to power, from Rebel Diaz to Immortal Technique to Yassin Bey to dead prez to Cihuatl Ce to Sa-Roc to Talib Kweli to Ras Ceylon to Killer Mike to David Banner to Boots Riley Alia Sharrief to Jasiri X to Toki Wright to Eseibio the Automatic to DLabrie to name a few. Their efforts should be supported and never discounted. Sadly they are not presented via mainstream outlets and in terms of pushing to get issues addressed we should all be thinking, advocating and noting what’s lacking in many of our circles during times like these.

Angela Corey

Angela Corey

If one wants to take this a step further, how about a few songs that challenge those in office and push for a changing of the guard? Many are upset with Florida’s State Attorney Angela Corey and her office who they feel did not give it their all both in this trial as well as the George Zimmerman/ Trayvon Martin trial which they lost.

Many feel they were skittish in talking about race and that they went light on the defendants. In this particular case, Corey’s office never countered all the testimony claiming Dunn was a nice sensitive guy by showing the racist letters he wrote from prison in describing Jordan and his friends. Corey needs to be removed from office.

Back in the days, when Miami residents were dissatisfied with their local district attorney, Uncle Luke (Luther Campbell) of the 2 Live Crew, had one of his artists named Anquette do a song that help catapult someone into office who they felt would do a better job. That individual eventually went on to become the US Attorney General.. Her name was Janet Reno. An interesting side note, Reno’s opponent, Jack Thompson was so enraged about the song, that he led a campaign to get 2 Live Crew brought up on obscenity charges because of their racy music. That case made its way to the US Supreme Court where 2 Live Crew was vindicated. Luke in later years said he had no regrets putting out the Janet Reno song. He felt it was necessary.

Day of Outrage.26.03 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROZllkxVshM

Today I’m listening to that classic X-Clan joint ‘Day of Outrage‘ and remembering some pointed words put forth by the late Amiri Baraka when describing the purpose of Black Art  “Poetry is not, as art form, separate from the violent struggles of the people; it is and must be a weapon in that struggle..

X-Clan Day of Outrage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ejFR1asJvc

 

 

People Stay Alert as the Jordan Davis Trial Starts Today in Florida

Jordan Davis**Update*** The trial has already started with Michael Dunn pleading NOT GUILTY for the murder of Jordan Davis.. Guess he’s hoping it plays out the way it did for George Zimmerman..

Hope people stay alert and pay attention to the latest Stand Your Ground Trial in Florida which starts today.. This involves 17-year-old Jordan Davis who was shot and killed by a 46-year-old white man named Michael Dunn.. This killing took place 9 months after Trayvon Martin was killed..Jordan was unarmed and sitting in a car with several friends when Dunn who isn’t even from Jacksonville where the incident took place demanded the teens turn down their music..

According to Dunn, the teens complied but then turned the music up and an argument ensued.. Dunn claims one of the teens reached under his seat like he had a gun so he shot 8 times into the car where the 4 teens were at, killing Jordan Davis… According to Florida’s Stand Your Ground Law, the person who is shot does not have to have a weapon, he only has to look like he has one….

The mother of Jordan Davis notes that her son was like her shadow and was scared after Trayvon was killed. She had a number of talks with her son as to what he should do if confronted with someone determined to shoot him down… Sadly he was gunned down before he could even get out of harms way..

Meanwhile closer to home we had yet another teen gunned down over the weekend along with a 35-year-old man he was walking with as they left the Boys and Girls club here in Oakland..This was not a case of stand your ground, but sadly another case of unchecked nihilistic behavior, which gets highlighted on the nightly news and convinces all the stops must be pulled to contain, eradicate and suppress young Black males who are perceived as frequent perpetrators and the overwhelming majority of victims…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p02oLB3xi9E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl61NWARV70

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6vLfV7hGpQ

Hard Knock Radio: The Plight of Florida’s Other Slain Unarmed Teen, Jordan Davis

Jordan Davis

Jordan Davis

HKR August 15 2013: Today on Hard Knock Radio Anita Johnson sits down with John M. Phillips the attorney for the Jordan Davis family. For those who don’t recall last year Florida had two 17-year-old Black teens who were killed by racist individuals using Stand Your Ground Laws. We all know about the murder of Trayvon Martin and how he was profiled, followed and killed by George Zimmerman but not too many know about Jordan Davis.

Several months after the Trayvon slaying in November 2012, a white man named Michael Dunn saw some Black teenagers in a car and felt he they were playing their music too loud. He confronted them, according to him, words were exchanged. Dunn said he felt threatened and thus emptied his gun into the car containing 6-8 unarmed teenagers. When the gun smoke cleared 17-year-old Jordan Davis laid dead.

We discuss the particulars of the case, what steps are being taken to bring about justice and how they compare to the Trayvon case.

Later in the show we hear a commentary from political prisoner Mumia Abu Jamal and a riveting speech from Michelle Alexander the author of the book ‘The New Jim Crow‘.

Click the link below to download or listen to the HKR Intv

Click the link below to download or listen to the HKR Intv

Hard Knock Radio_August 15 2013

One Year Ago Trayvon Martin Was Murdered..What Have We Done Since Then?

Davey-D-purple-frameOne year ago today 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was killed by a wannabe cop who was serving as a neighborhood watch captain named George Zimmerman..

Trayvon was unarmed when he was profiled and confronted for looking suspicious even after police told Zimmerman not to pursue him… One year later after all of us wore hoodies and held up skittles, what has changed and where are we both with the case and the way we deal w/ violence, racism and our collective pursuit for justice?

What was bothersome was far too many caked off the Trayvon tragedy..It was a way to get camera time by expressing outrage, but the important follow-up was all but abandoned.. For example, there was a call to push back on ALEC.. The American Legislative Exchange Council which was primary engine responsible for putting Stand Your Ground Laws in effect all over the country. We made promises to dismantle it and stop the millionairs and billionaires like the Koch brothers from using it to their advantage and our detriment

Trayvon Martin

Trayvon Martin

Even if Zimmerman himself will not be using Stand Your Ground, it was the existence of this law that emboldened him to chase down Trayvon and shoot him..Have been people been keeping up w/ ALEC? Have they been following the work of Color of Change which is still in the mix fighting this?

Many have all but forgotten the case of Marissa Alexander, the young mother who was abused by her husband who in defending herself from another brutal attack shot a gun in the ceiling to prevent herself from being beat.. Her actions would’ve been in line w/ Stand Your Ground.. She is now serving 20 years for her actions..

The same DA/State Attorney, Angela Corey who is overseeing the prosecution of Zimmerman is the same DA who prosecuted Alexander.. She is also the same Angela Corey who made history by trying a 12-year-old in adult court..Her term is up this year..What’s the plan of action regarding her? Will she pursue the Trayvon case vigorously? Are we concerned about her mistreatment of Marrissa Alexander?

Jordan Davis

Jordan Davis

Since Trayvon we saw a repeat incident in Jacksonville Florida, when 17-year-old Jordan Davis was shot and killed by a man named Michael Dunn who felt the unarmed teen was playing his music too loud. Dunn was finally charged w/ First degree murder..Davis’ parents are fighting ALEC and Stand Your Ground..They said they will crusade against these laws in honor of their slain son..Have we joined them? Do we care?

Since Trayvon there have been a rash of raced based vigilante attacks and killings from Oklahoma City on down to the some of the border states. For whatever reason many have not connected the killings of Brown folks by anti-immigrant Minute men types in places like Tuscon to what was happened to folks like Trayvon and Jordan..and before that, to folks in New Orleans who were shot and killed fleeing flooded areas after Katrina for higher ground..

Since Trayvon the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement issued a stunning report documenting extrajudicial killings by law enforcement and law enforcement types.. The report revealed that every 36 Hours a Black person was killed. What have we done to follow that up? Most recently a number of organizations met in Oakland to a packed house to update the findings and lay out a number of next steps to hold folks accountable and get justice.. Have we joined those efforts?

Stop the Violence March in Chicago

Stop the Violence March in Chicago

Right after Trayvon was shot there were some who were upset that folks had rallied his killing. Their rationale was Black folks kill each other all the time. They pointed to cities like Chicago as a glaring example of inner city violence..For those folks since Trayvon, what’s been the progress you initiated? Whats the orgs you linked up to that others can join? Whats the legislative path being pursued that others can help out on?

One year ago Trayvon Martin was killed. It angered us. It shocked us..It had us wearing hoodies..But if all we did was wear a hoodie after one year with all that has happened, I dare say we failed Trayvon and failed ourselves..What more needs to happen before the current climate is shifted?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKaJoEyYXyI

Some Random and Not So RandomThings I Remember from 2012

Davey-D-brown-frameAt the end of each year all of us have things we can and should reflect upon. We assess all that has happened and make promises to build upon successes, shed bad habits and bad energy and create better tomorrows..

In looking back at 2012 I would say it was a turbulent, very contentious years..It seemed like everything that went down was in your face and folks were pulling out all the stops to literally body you.. From voter suppression tactics to stand your ground laws to a war on women where sitting law makers  not only stated but tried to pass legislation that reflected a twisted belief that some rapes are legitimate while others are actually blessings… Yes, I’m looking at you Gov Mike Huckabee, Todd Akin and Richard Murdock.. Oh yeah I’m looking at you as well Congressman Paul Ryan..

In 2012 billionaires went all out to make life miserable if you weren’t in their circle, it just seemed like the pressure never let up.

And while 2012 was challenging, there were some shining moments, where folks fought back and triumphed. It showed up in the form of Biko Baker and League of Young Voters doing their historic Ignite Tour around Voter Education or Bakari Kitwana of Rap Sessions who gathered up scholars, activists and artists and did a similar tour.

It showed up in the form of Javier Gonzalez and the Soundstrike which put a serious dent in SB 1070 laws in Arizona. It showed up in the form of Jasiri X, Paradise Gray and One Hood who never let up providing a sound track for many of the struggles folks were undertaking in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZvkFdDli3U

It showed up in the form of Barbara Arwine of the Lawyers Committee on Civil Rights and political activist Angela Woodson out of Ohio who were on the front lines dealing with Voter Suppression.. You can check them out HERE.. It showed up in the form of folks who stood on voting lines for 6, 7 and 8 hours to cast their ballot while oppressive forces were doing their best to get them to leave and not partake at all.

Favianna Rodriguez

Favianna Rodriguez

It showed up in the form of artists Favianna Rodriguez and activists like the Dreamers who were part of the big Undocubus Tour where folks toured the country and challenged the systemic deportations. They put in mad work and at the end of the day had both political parties and the staunchest of enemies changing their tune about immigration.. Now everyone wants to find a way to get comprehensive immigration reform on the books.

It showed in the form of Rebel Diaz and their Bronx based collective who traveled the country, spoke truth to power and showed the true meaning and power of cooperative economics. The fact that they own their own building/ community center in the middle of the South Bronx is testament to their hard word.

It showed up in the form of graf writers Refa 1 who brought us AeroSoul 3 where he gathered pioneering Black and Brown graf artists to Oakland to not only share their crafts but to talk about ways to raise consciousness and why it was important to connect the dots between Khemet and Aztlan..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWJCK6rep74

Gabby speaksIt showed in the form of Serena Williams and Gabby Douglass taking Gold Medals in the London Olympics and dealing with horrific negative feedback because of how they danced or wore their hair..The disrespect that gymnastic champ Gabby Douglass endured over her hair was outlandish, but she handled it with class and dignity and kept it moving. Her 90 million dollar endorsement deal from Wheaties was also nice..

It showed in the form of Jill Stein and Cheri Hunkula who stayed the course and push valiantly the virtues and un-compromised positions of a 3rd party (the Greens). It was more than just them being in a 3rd party.. It was watching them put their principles to practice…I would encourage folks to peep the interview we did with them at the democratic National Convention

It showed up in the form of brave folks from the Occupy Movement to Medea Benjamin and Code Pink activists who shun strong light on the Drone Warfare that were are currently engaged in.. It showed up in the form of 30 thousand people who marched against the Stop and Frisk Practices in New York City.. Y’all remember the Silent March?

Elon James White

Elon James White

It showed up in the form of folks taking their time to create innovative broadcasts as way to fight the stranglehold of corporate media..Elon James white‘s daily This Week In Blackness is one example.. Weyland Southon and author Adam Mansbach‘s weekly Father Figure show which airs on KPFA is another.

We be remissed not to shout out Skyyhook Radio which has been innovative, woman owned and runs 24/7..and Chuck D‘s Cant Stop Won’t Stop Hip Hop Show and Occupy the Hood’s radio show. We also have scholar Marc Anthony Neal‘s Left of Black TV show along with Bruce Dixon and Glen Ford‘s Black Agenda Radio.

On the mainstream front we had Melissa Harris Perry‘s show on MSNBC and Roland Martin‘s Washington Watch on TVone .  We also had Marc Lamont Hill and Alyonna on Huffington Post Live. That’s just to name a few of the many.

It showed up in the form of folks who endured 16 mass shootings, from Colorado to Oakland to Newtown and still managed to push forward, keep their humanity and fight to bring about a better way and a brighter tomorrow…I could go on and on..Here’s a few more things that stood out in 2012…

BrotherAli-Flag-1Album of the Year… It was a toss up between Nas‘ ‘Life is Good‘, Kendrick LamarGood Kid Maad CityKiller MikeRAP MusicPublic EnemyMost of My Heroes Don’t Appear on No Stamps‘  and  Brother AliMourning in America and Dreaming in Color

winner: Brother Ali...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKHsGh-y8d8

Song of the Year…There were too many joints to name that moved me in 2012 everyone from Nas to Asap Rocky to E-40 to Melina Jones had bangers. depending on my mood, dictated what I was rocking with.. 3 Songs seemed to keep me in step all years… Public Enemy w/ Brother AliStand UpKiller MikeAnywhere But Here‘ and Rebel DiazRevolution

winner: Rebel Diaz

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byL3o3VMUKk

don-corneliusThe Death of Soul Train Host and Founder Don Cornelius...He was one of many people we lost in 2012 including the seemingly immortal Dick Clark and Mike Wallace from 60 Minutes. All of us grew up on those 3 gentlemen. Even though we knew they were aging we never thought they’d pass.

In the case of Don Cornelius it was troubling because he committed suicide. I don’t think we ever really sat down and dealt with what that really was about..We just kinda swept it under the rug…8 months later we were all forced to confront it again with the sudden passing of former Jungle Brother, music mogul and founder of Violator Entertainment Chris Lighty. His passing shook us  and made many of us reflect on mental health which is sadly a taboo subject in many of our circles.

One of the things that stood out for me around the time of Lighty’s passing was this powerful essay by Hip Hop activist Rosa Clemente titled Depression, Hip Hop and the Death of Chris Lighty

With respect to Don we paid tribute with a great interview from Chuck D of Public Enemy  who reminded us of his greatness. You peep that HERE

paul mooney, Dick Gregory davey DComedians Dick Gregory and Paul Mooney Link Up…Earlier this year I started doing a weekly spot OLM News w/ Davey D on Free Speech TV... I interviewed lots of folks but the highlight was when I got comedian Paul Mooney who is a frequent guest on my daily radio show and comedian Dick Gregory who is also no stranger to my outlet on the air at the same time.

According to them it was the first time it had ever happened and it wasn’t totally planned. They just happened to be in town at the same time. I was scheduled to do separate interviews with them.. Mooney was running a late, Gregory needed to move his time up and boom magic happened. Out of this landmark show the two set up a successful tour together.. Enjoy the conversation below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noSgVmr-PaY

Trayvon Martin

Trayvon Martin

The killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin set things off in a big way during 2012.. It was one of many deaths that would come to Black folks at the hands of the police.. From Rekia Boyd to Ramarley Graham to Alan Bluford to Jordan Davis, the list of folks who fell victim to police terrorism was long.. It was enough to prompt an explosive report from the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement in early July that documented all the the Black people who had been killed by police. Initially it worked out to every 40 hours a Black person died at the hands of the police…  After it was updated it came down to Every 36 Hours..You can read that report HERE.

The most tragic thing about this report was it was embraced all over the world except at home including amongst our own Black intelligentsia who seemed hell-bent on keeping a lid on this so as not to disrupt a contentious presidential election that may have impacted Barack Obama..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKaJoEyYXyI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcmUAG210oM

I don’t think she and her legacy was ever fully appreciated.. Already we are seeing and hearing younger generation attribute her signature song At last to Beyoncé who sung it at President Obama’s Inauguration ..We were thankful Pittsburgh rapper Jasiri X and producers Agent of Change had a tribute song for here called Etta and ran down her amazing legacy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpGApCcn0yI

Atlanta based rap star Killer Mike was a high point for 2012..I feel he as an artist and his album were totally underplayed. What stood out for me with Killer Mike was how he went in on President Reagan and completely took a part the revisionist image that had been carefully crafted for him over the years…You can check out our insightful interview HERE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPyjJ1MMUzQ

Tooshort-225Bay Area rapper Too Short got into some hot water in 2012 when he was complimented by rap star 2 Chainz who called him a father figure.. Short took that compliment to another level at the urging of XXL editor Vanessa Satten by penning what was supposed to be a satirical advice column for kids. His advice included telling little boys how to take it to the hole and force sex upon ‘little girls’.. needless to say this caused a lot of outrage..

A coalition of women within the Hip Hop industry formed the 44% Coalition to bring attention to the alarming statistic that shows 44% of the women who are sexually assaulted are under 18. The women called for the firing of Satten and a boycott of Too Short..  As the debate heated up Too Short reached out and had an impassioned conversation with coalition member and writer dream hampton about misogyny… You can read that interview HERE.

From there Too Short agreed to be apart of a well attended town hall meeting at Oakland City Hall… Unfortunately while Short was well received by the audience, local media outlets never bothered to stay for the talk and instead ran unflattering hit pieces that had very little to do with the intense conversation that took place that evening. You can read about that HERE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAl_6HJmvJg

Jimmy Castor who gave us the b-boy anthem ‘It’s Just begun‘ along with fun funk songs like Troglodytes (Cave Man) and  Bertha Butt Boogie..Although him and his band The Castor Bunch were funk legends, they were also cornerstones to Hip Hop.. many a bboy move was done to his signature song…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWl01JD-CtQ

Chuck-Brown-Blue2Chuck Brown..The Godfather of Go Go Music Passes 

We were sorry to see so many music and entertainment outlets overlook him when he passed as well as in their end of year tributes. Chuck was a giant among giants. His musicianship was exceptional. The GoGo sound was essential in continuing DC’s long music legacy as well as helping shape Hip Hop’s evolution. Here’s our tribute to him who always kept it 100% and in the pocket. Looking Back, Remembering Chuck Brown and the Go Go Sound He Pioneered

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQwQvMZYpsc

lupefiascosource-225

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3m3t_PxiUI

We Lost MCA from the legendary group Beastie Boys after he endured along battle with cancer…We paid tribute to him and had an insightful interview w/ author Dan Charnas of the Big Payback about MCA’s legacy

Here’s our tribute mix to him courtesy of DJ Sloepoke out of LA who did him true justice

We lost the iconic Whitney Houston in 2012 Her funeral which was viewed by folks all over the world was moving and much needed considering all the drama surrounding her death. It was something to behold..

We lost actor Michael Clark Duncan.. His passing caught many of us off guard, because we had no idea he was sick until we got word he had a heart attack and his finance former Reality TV star Omarrosa helped revive him.. We didn’t hear anything more for what seemed like a few weeks and then we got word the popular actor had passed at age 52.

We lost George Jefferson (actor Sherman Hemsley) We lost Moesha star Yvette Wilson. We also lost music legend Donna Summer

Drake-225“Woke up this morning and got hit w/ this foolishness from the bottle thrower named Drake.. He’s just told the Jewish press he’s the ‘first person to successfully rap and sing’ I was ike WTF? This is why Hip Hop history should be required b4 putting out a record.. Can we start with Angie Stone of Sequence.. she raps and sings better.. Maybe Drake forgot 8x Grammy winner Lauryn Hill? Cee-Lo, Mos Def, hell Black Thought kills it in both genres? Did dude forget Queen Latifah, Force MDs, Devin the Dude? Hell, Teena Marie, Blondie and Tom Tom Club blow Drake out the water doing both.. First time I heard singing and rapping was in 78-79 when GMF and the Furious 4 came to Bx Science and harmonized routines.. Later I heard Crash Crew and of course we had Cold Crush who killed it everytime on the singing/ rap tip y’all remember this from back in the days?? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCTjA9zapLc&feature=related.. Damn Drake even ja Rule and 50 Cent kill u on the sing rap tip..LOL

kreayshawn fail

Thoughts on Robert Griffin III (RG3) being called a ‘Cornball Brother’ by ESPN’s Rob Parker

Robert Griffith III

Robert Griffin III

An interesting conversation went down on ESPN’s ‘First Take‘ the other day around Robert Griffin III (RG3) and how he identifies with race and him being Black. Sports writer and panelist Rob Parker raised the question whether or not RG3 was a brother or a ‘cornball brother‘.

Parker took issue with the way RG3 answered some questions about race in a recent USA Today interview.

‘For me, you don’t ever want to be defined by the color of your skin’.. ‘You want to be defined by your work ethic, the person that you are, your character, your personality. That’s what I’ve tried to go out and do….I am an African-American in America. That will never change. But I don’t have to be defined by that.’

In response to those quotes Parker asserted;  “Well, he’s black, he kind of does his thing. But he’s not really down with the cause, he’s not one of us….He’s kind of black. But he’s not really the guy you’d really want to hang out with because he’s off to do something else.”

When questioned as to what he meant by saying RG3 is not one of us, Parker noted that because the rookie quarterback has a white fiance and that there were rumors he might be a Republican his Blackness needed to be called into question.

When asked about his braided hair style, which often times has led to Black people being denied employment, Parker responded; ‘That’s different…wearing braids, you’re a brother’. But he didn’t move off his initial point that RG3 might be a cornball brother

Needless to say this conversation caused a lot of outrage especially among those who read RG3’s USA Today remarks and concluded that it was admirable he appeared to be trying to rise above the minefields that often occur when it comes to discussions about race. Parker’s cohorts Stephen A Smith and Skip Bayless attempted to rein him in and ESPN issued a statement saying Parker’s remarks were inappropriate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2G5GwnQMmE

Now on the surface all this can be seen as some BS with Parker arguably making controversial remarks as a way to get attention and boost ratings. After all, this is the same Parker who once wrote that baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron was a coward for not showing up to see Barry Bonds break his home run record.

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan

With all that’s going on in the world why should we be concerned about such discussions?  On the other hand, there’s a lot to consider especially when it comes to the types of demands we have long put on athletes to be better role models and to speak out. It wasn’t too long ago that many of us decried athletes like Michael Jordan for playing it safe by remaining silent or taking apolitical stances on important issues that seemed to downplayed his Blackness.

Many got upset with Jordan when he refused to speak out about all the Black inner city youth killing each other over his high-priced basketball shoes. He was famously quoted as saying ‘Republicans buy sneakers too usually at full retail’, when asked to address the issue.

Jordan further enraged people when he refused to weigh in on two racially charged elections in which former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt, an African-American, challenged long time far right conservative Senator Jesse Helms for his US Senate seat. A lot of attention was on Gantt who stood a good chance at becoming the second or third African-American win a Senate seat.

Gantt sought an endorsement from Jordan who refused.. He played it safe and many accused him of not being ‘down for the cause’. It wasn’t until Jordan met Helms and the Senator dismissively looked him up and down and called him ‘Fred’ that Jordan began to rethink his position. For those who don’t know calling a black man Fred was a long-standing ‘joke’ Helms had when dealing with African-Americans. He’d call them Fred no matter what their name was, because Fred was the generic name for  ‘the Help‘. Jordan reflected on that incident after Helms died and admitted there was more to life than making money.. You can read about that encounter HERE.

All this is not to suggest that RG3 would ever be like Jordan. Perhaps RG3 is the type of guy who will proudly step up and support worthwhile candidates and speak out on issues of importance. He also may be conservative whose opinions stand in stark opposition of the ones held by the majority of Black folks. Time will tell if RG3 is ‘down for the cause’..

Rob Parker

Rob Parker

This leads to the next point..’What cause was panelist Rob Parker expecting RG3 to be down so he could avoid being classified as a cornball brother?

Did he want him to talk a certain way? Often times some Black folks who speak in a certain tone or are too articulate are accused of not being Black and acting white.

Did Parker want him to dress a certain way? Go to a particular church? Have a Black girlfriend?

Did Parker want RG3 speaking out about the recent killing of Jordan Davis, a teen shot to death by a white man in Florida who felt his music was too loud?

Or did he want RG3 to be ‘down for the cause‘ by weighing in on the controversy surrounding the firing of KTBS whether reporter Rhonda Lee?   She was fired for responding to a racist Facebook comment where a viewer told her to get rid of her natural hair and wear a wig. Was this a cause for RG3 to be down for?

Would RG3 be less of a cornball brother if he said he was a fan of Chicago rapper Chief Keef and could kick the lyrics to all his controversial violent themed songs?  Would that be an indication that he’s down for the cause?

black-power-pinParker said he was just being honest and reflecting what folks say on street corners and in the barbershop. Perhaps..The irony is that in many of those barber shops, RG3 may carry himself in a way that they deem satisfactory, while calling Parker’s Blackness into question. For example, some might say Parker is a cornball brother for sitting on a panel, cheesing at white owned ESPN, a Disney company vs showcasing his talents on Black owned TV1.

Some might say Parker is a ‘cornball brother’ because he doesn’t speak out about the prison industrial complex or bring attention to the plight of political prisoners, like; Mumia Abu-JamalHerman BellDr. Mutulu Shakur or Romaine “Chip” Fitzgerald or Ed Poindexter to name a few.

Perhaps he’s a cornball for not speaking out about the plight of unions and how Black folks in Detroit, a city he once worked in, will be disproportionately hurt by recently passed anti-union right to work bill.

Some might call him a cornball for publicly blasting RG3 vs sitting him down and talking to him behind the scenes about his politics and ways in which he engages Black culture. Parker’s public condemnation of another Black man for something so personal is the type of behavior we often advise youngsters to avoid for fear of it leading to unnecessary beefs and violent confrontations. How is it ‘being down for the cause’ to call someone out like that? Was he trying to shame Mr Griffith into a particular way of being? Should RG3 upon hearing these remarks dump his girlfriend?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFY2kJ96jNY

We could go on and on playing ‘I’m Blacker than thou games’ pointing out where and how someone falls short of some mythical mark. Someone can always claim they are ‘Blacker’. Perhaps we should be more concerned with the types of causes RG3 gets behind.. In short lets choose substance over style. It may have been a bit more instructive if Parker had noted that the folks in the barbershop were looking for RG3 to come hang out at the local youth centers, or speak out on some recent occurrence impacting Black folks who live in DC and the surrounding DMV. Even better would be if Parker himself could’ve invited the star quarterback to join him and others to an activity or be a part of cause that would enrich the community. To simply suggest he’s a cornball brother is in the words of James Brown, is talking loud and saying nothing.

written by Davey D