Just another isolated event
Written by Black Entertainment USA
Just days ago the Government decided that there was nothing more they could do to pursue justice in the Sean Bell shooting. After 4 years and 50 shots, nothing has been done besides “normal police actions”.
Across the country, in an odd coincidence, a Black man was unarmed and shot in the back by police. No I’m not speaking about Robbie Tolan, or Adolph Grimes, or even Oscar Grant. I mean the shooting of Aaron Campbell in Portland.
I know, with all these cases being so similar it’s hard to know which police shooting of unarmed Black men I could be talking about. Not that this is an epidemic or a pattern that someone should investigate or report.
Aaron Campbell was a man that had just lost his brother to heart disease. He was understandably upset. As was his family, because they knew he had a gun in his house. But the family made one mistake. They called the police.
Police arrived and text messaged Campbell if he was going to harm himself. He replied
that he had no intention of killing himself. Sgt. Liani Reyna, commander at the scene, believed the situation was over.
She is quoted as saying “I’m ready to walk away from this, we don’t need to be here.”
At that time Campbell came outside, unarmed, hands on his head. What do you think the police did next?
Obviously they felt that Campbell was still dangerous. Because he is a Black man and he must have the strength of Hercules, and the skin of Superman. The police near simultaneously told him to raise his hands over his head, shot him with non-lethal bean bags, and sicked a police dog on him.
Campbell ran, which is not entirely a strange thing to do as a dog attacks and the confusing reactions of police. As Campbell ran police claim he reached for his waistband. Here is the critical moment.
Just like Amidou Diallo (41 shots), like Sean Bell (50 shots), like Oscar Grant (1 shot while he laid face down on the ground), like Robbie Tolan (1 shot as he was on his knees), like numerous Black men across the nation, police were 100% sure that this meant Campbell had a gun. So they shot him in the back with a AR-15 (the civillian version of the military M-16 rifle) and killed him. They left his body on the ground while the police dog bit it, for half an hour, before they checked it (maybe they thought he was a vampire and would just get back up).
The police were loaded for bear, and bagged an unarmed Black man. What do you think happened to the officers involved in this? Nothing. Just a letter from the Multnomah County grand jury stating
“We feel that his death resulted from flawed police policies, incomplete or inappropriate training, incomplete communication and other issues with the police effort.”
Have you heard that before? I have. Too many times. In cities across the nation (L.A., Philadelphia, New York, Oakland, Dallas, do I need to go on?), in “isolated” “justified” police shootings of Black men every year for decades now. But I bet that most people haven’t heard a word about 1/5th of them.
But today the Dept. of Justice has decided to look into this case. Just because it’s a “routine” thing to do.
I don’t think there is anything routine about it. Aaron Campbell did not need to die. Nor did Oscar Grant (a case that won’t go before a jury for another year oddly enough). Nor Sean Bell. Or a whole list of men (and Black women too) shot with enough bullets to kill the army of France [ok I'm exaggerating, France and Belgium combined].
At what point to people stop avoiding this “isolated” event that keeps repeating multiple times a year in every corner of the nation? At what point do people stop dreaming and proclaiming America is post-racial, and start noticing the very racial bias of police? Will it take a police officer shooting one of the Obama children 5 or 10 years from now to make someone in the major media notice there is a problem?
I’m not saying that every police shooting is unjustified or unreasonable. But I am saying that there are way to many examples of excessive force and deadly action, focused directly on African American men, without the hint of reason. And I am tired of it.
Stop the game!
BART police are at it again
Written by Black Entertainment USA
When you consider the problems that BART officers are prone to create you have to wonder what they are being instructed to do. In yet another case of overreaction, a BART officer goes to the extreme.
Now while excessive force in any police department is something to take notice of, I want to point out the differences in this case compared to the murder of Oscar Grant on New Year’s Day 2009.
In the Oscar Grant case there were multiple videos showing that Grant and the other men being questioned by police were not resisting. In this case there were 6 - 7 officers present. In this case Oscar Grant was unarmed, possible handcuffed behind his back, definitely laying on the ground with an officer on his back. Oscar Grant was shot in the back and killed, I believe on purpose.
This recent situation deals with a drunk White male (reportedly Michael Gibson, 37, of San Leandro). The White male is belligerent and seeking to endanger the people on the train. The officer acts quickly, and excessively, to place the suspect out of the reach of other passengers. Though slamming the drunk into a plate glass window with enough force to break the window is extreme, there was no need for deadly force. Additional officers were not brought to the scene.
In addition, notice that the officer was also cut by the breaking glass. Several people approach the officer, and in fact one seems to be helping to hold down the suspect. Which compares to BART officers earlier this year, who were aggressive to passengers that were only videotaping the altercation with Oscar Grant, and keeping a distance from officers.
Was the recent action of the BART officer extreme? Yes, though the intent seems to have been to remove any threat and potential escalation as quickly as possible. But there was a definite limit to what the officer was willing to do. Which is not the same thing that routinely happens when the suspect is Black, Hispanic, or any other person of color. It is a fact that police across the country have been repeatedly found to act more aggressively and violently with a person of color than any other person, even when not in a potentially violent situation.
I saw all this because it is likely that this recent BART case will likely provide the drunk with a get out of jail free card. Because the drunk will likely be paid a huge settlement. Because this case with the White drunk IS getting national attention. But at this time the Oscar Grant case has not resulted in these same things. In fact, it is highly likely that ex-officer Johannes Mehserle will be able to get away with what he did.
The Oscar Grant case has been delayed, the venue moved out of Oakland to a “neutral” place (think Rodney King), and the media has avoided the case in extreme. The city, as last I am aware, is unwilling to make any payment or accept any blame and wrong-doing.
I want justice, for ANYONE that is a victim of true police violence. Not the get rich quick schemes that some cases create. Not the sensationalized media-driven cases. Not the questionable cases of shootouts and violence initiated by a suspect. But covering for police is not the answer or justice.
Oscar Grant and his family have been victims of Johannes Mehserle, Oakland, BART, and the media. This is a reflection of a systemic flaw in our law enforcement system. And this flaw is now becoming an issue even White Americans are being affected by. But I don’t want to wait until there is an epidemic - like how crack was ok until White Senators kids got addicted, then it was a problem - because it is too late by then.
Justice for Oscar Grant is justice for all of Oakland. It is an indication that across the country at least some attempt is being made to stem a virus that is growing, not by the year, but by the week. Anything less is just an excuse for the racial bias that is a reality in our law enforcement and legal system.
Black Conservatives on television
Written by Black Entertainment USA
I don’t know how many people saw this on Friday. I think it was very important. I think that there are far too few that pay attention to the other Black voice in the Black community.
These days Black culture is a commodity up for sale. Various consumer products use it to sell everything. Politicians use it to get votes. The youth are sold it as the norm they should observe. Yet there is a portion of African Americans that are completely opposed to such an outright mental slavery.
Why is it that the youth of today are sold on the idea that they should got to jail? Why do kids think that the only way to make money is via illegal actions, rap music, or sports? How have we moved from creating some of the most important inventions in the world, and multiple scientific discoveries that have saved untold millions of lives, to (some of us) waiting to be handed money?
Not only that, but why is it that in a mere 40 years we have gone from a people that led the nation from a mindset of prejudice and segregation to that of subservience. Dr. Martin Luther King never advocated that, Malcolm X never believed that. Both men were conservatives, especially in the political world of today. Yet Conservatives that are Black today are shunned and rejected. Why?
I really don’t understand why we have come to a place where intelligent Blacks that offer strong reasonable opinions, that differ from the Liberal mindset, are considered to have abandoned their race. I don’t understand why just speaking American English is considered an insult to so many. It leaves me with my head spinning.
I know of some younger African Americans that have bought into the commoditized view of Black culture. They rush out to buy anything that is hip hop, they obsess over rappers and bling. They are the first to go to any movie that is Black-oriented - no matter the quality - the first to buy a big SUV while living in the projects, the first to get $500 jeans and/or Prada shoes while they can’t pay rent. And they are the first to denounce the Black businessman that questions the economic programs of President Obama, or the kid going to college.
Listen to the things said in the video clip. Forget that it’s on Fox News, forget about Glenn Beck. Listen to the words, listen to the people. Have you heard these voices in your community? Maybe you even heard it from Bill Cosby. Now ask yourself this, Why have you not supported these views and instead contributed the nearly $1 trillion dollars of Black buying power supporting those that would keep you in a line for food stamps - essentially economic slavery?
Why, in America, would Black Conservatives consistently be called sell-outs, yet entertainers that are followed and emulated and are merely high paid employees selling the denigration and commoditization of Black culture are seen as being pro-Black?
How can an African American that rises from poverty, gets an education even though in sub-standard schools, goes to and pays for college without a trust fund or family money, and creates a career - maybe even a business - so that they can raise their kids in a better life than they had be called a sell-out?
Maybe Black Conservatives don’t agree with every word coming out of President Obama’s mouth. Maybe they aren’t Democrats. Maybe they speak well and have educations. And how does that make them any less worthwhile or Black? How does that make them so different from Dr. King, Malcolm X, or even President Obama?
I’m glad Glenn Beck did this show on Black Conservatives. I’m glad that finally the major media is acknowledging our existence. I’m glad that the Black community is now faced with addressing this segment of Black Americans. Because maybe now we can have some real discussions on fixing the problems we all face. At least until another rapper tells the Black community that jail is good, drugs are great, and abandoning their own children is manly.
The full video is available at www.mvass.com. Either way let me know your thoughts.
Threats against President Obama strain the Secret Service
Written by Michael Vass
A recent report leaked to the Boston Globe just caught my attention and seriously disturbed me. The report is about the Secret Service, and questions whether the Agency can continue to protect the President and other high-ranking officials, while at the same time investigating financial criminals.
The key point that stood out in this report? That threats against president Obama are straining the Agency. Ronald Kessler, who recently wrote a book about the Secret Service, noted that threats against President Obama are 400 percent higher than against President Bush. It’s a troubling purported fact.
I should also mention that the Secret Service issued a stament
“In the longest and most expensive campaign in history, the Secret Service has proven it can maintain its dual mission of both protecting individuals and conducting criminal investigations,” the spokesman said. “The Secret Service had asset forfeitures totaling $140 million and investigated the largest data breach in history. There were also zero arrests at the largest inauguration ever.”
Still the fact that, as expected, prejudiced and biased nutjobs are planning and/or attempting to kill President Obama is disturbing. It’s a reality that has been apparent since the Secret Service started watching his back during the 2007 campaign. A reality few have wanted to discuss.
I realize that part of what I just said was a leap. There is no way of knowing if all or even some of the wakos threatening the President are racists. They could just as easily be dellusionally opposed to his policies. But I believe that 99% of the people that disagree in part or whole with the policies of the President are not violent. And to date there has been no act of violence among people of that mindset to change my opinion. But there have been arrests of pathetic radical racists.
I realize that America has yet to resolve the issues of race that are just under the surface of our society. The fact that our wars in the Middle East involve people of color only add to this problem. But our President is just that. As President there is no color or religion or anything else. To assign such attributes is to miss the point.
I am an outspoken opponent of many (ok, just about all) of the policies of the Obama Administration. I am very passionate and vocal in my dissent on these issues and their ramifications. But even with that, there is no question that I would do whatever it would take to protect the President of the United States. Something that I believe every American should agree with.
Our nation is great because we do not settle differences with violence. We are great because we do not change political policies with guns. We are great because we embrace the Freedoms this nation was built upon. And the President is the living embodiment of these great things.
I have no doubt that all of my readers agree with my view on this. I have no doubt that not one of my readers would seek out violence nor choose that as a means of debate. But there is always the chance that those few challenged people that have these twisted beliefs might read this. And I hope that if they do read this they are compelled not to enact violence for any cause or belief they might hold. It is not to the benefit of the nation, or any part therein, to use violence.
There are always those few mentally deranged individuals that threaten a President. But to see that the number of threats has increased so much means that either psychosis is spreading or long seated issues of race are coming to a head. I can only hope that such issues can be resolved with words and calm minds. For the sake of us all.
How far have we really come?
Written by Black Entertainment USA
The year is 2009. Yet there are still people who act as if the year were 1959. For all the hype of a post-racial America, for all those that continue to deny that any racism exists, they need only look to Louisianna.
Justice of the Peace Keith Bardwell of Tangipahoa Parish, recently refused to grant a marriage to a man and woman. His only reason - they are an interracial couple. And he admits doing this several times before.
Wow. It just hits me hard. A supposed member of the Court, sworn to uphold the laws of the State and the nation, blatantly and without remorse is breaking the law. Because he doesn’t agree with a racial issue that has nothing to do with him and should not be an issue. And he has been a judge for 34 years.
In all that time this officer of the court has been violating the rights of couples by asking about their races, and refusing to marry those that don’t conform to his standards. That’s breaking a law that’s older than I am, and has been in effect long before he became a justice of the peace. But Justice Bardwell does not consider himself a bigot or racist. Because he has “piles and piles of Black friends”.
Stepping away from the thought that I have never refered to the number of friends, or even enemies, I have as piles (or what imagery that might imply). Judge Bardwell has the audacity to claim that he is fair and treats everyone equal. Imagine that.
How equal can any man or woman be to another if on the basis of the color of their skin, and that alone, Justice Bardwell treats them differently? How is that not biased? And one must ask how else this racial prejudice have come out in his legal actions?
I will give Justice Bardwell this, he is open about his prejudice. But as the saying goes
“If you can see one roach, there are a thousand others you cannot.”
What really upsets me is that I just wrote about the prejudice of France and Australia. How I just reprimanded both countries for not being in the 21st Century. Because I had forgotten for a moment about the death threats that were given to the Black college football player who proposed to his White girlfriend on national television (they since got happily married). I forgot about the systemic bias in the police across the nation, as clearly defined by the murder of Oscar Grant and Adolph Grimes as well as the shooting of Robbie Tolan. And there are a host of other examples from this year alone, never mind going back several.
This is not a case of some made up racism, like the accusations that stood before Rush Limbaugh. This is not some kind of political accusation meant to deflect any criticism or question of policy, as is being used by Democrats. This is the real racism that runs through the nation, altering what we see on television and movies, reinforcing stereotypes, and affecting the lives of millions both subtly and occasionally obviously.
When we get to see moments of racial bias in the light of day as this has, it makes me ask yet again - How far have we really come?
France and Australia have more in common than you think
Written by Black Entertainment USA
Wait, France and Australia? They are on opposite sides of the world. Literally. They don’t have a share history. The people in Australia like beer, France has wine. Australia is mostly a big desert known for Mad Max and Mel Gibson. France has the Eiffel Tower, cheese, and hasn’t won a war (or really mattered) since a short guy named Napoleon.
These things are all true. But they are very similar in their desire to display buffoonery that mocks Blacks. For Australia its the Aborigine people that are the special focus of this backwards kind of thinking. In France it’s usually Moroccans, but they really stepped up the insults with the latest venture into pugnacious “art”.
The French Vogue magazine, in all its brilliance, decided that supermodels needed more attention. Which is fine if not a bit absurd. But when it came time to have photos of Black models they decided that blackface was a far more appropriate and fashionable thing to do. Yes, blackface. The key part of the minstrel show that the uneducated and repugnant of the 19th century loved.
I realize that there aren’t a lot of models, or supermodels for that matter, that are women of color. It’s a problem the entire fashion industry can’t seem to figure out. Then again, in my experience, it’s far easier to find White women the size and flat board curvaciousness of Olive Oil. And as I have said before
Still I find it hard to believe that none of the Black supermodels were available. I mean there is Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks, Iman, Alek Wek, Liya Kebede, Chanel Iman. I mean the photographer, Steven Klein is an American. Couldn’t he have had the balls to simple say what Harry Connick Jr. said to the nation of Australia? Did Klein think that no one in America would notice, or care?
Perhaps I’m not as artsy and cultured as our European “friends” or as burly as those down in Australia. But at least I am in the 20th century. Though the fact that both these nations consider racism and prejudice a normal and current way to deal with people of color in their own nations.
Vogue knows better than what they did. They had the ability to bring in Black models, they have the intelligence to know this is offensive. They knew that they were insulting tens of millions of people of color around the world. But maybe they are just like the Australian audience for Hey Hey, its Saturday night! in that they just don’t care.
Considering that Blacks across the world have contributed to freedom (including saving the French in WWI, WWII, and Viet Nam), made innovations that have eased life and saved untold millions of people over the centuries, and the least of all - President Obama - you would think they might have a bit of a wake-up call. But it seems not.
I would suggest to every reader I have that buys Vogue to skip it for 3 months (or more if you would like). Send them a message in a color they are sure to respect and understand - money. Blackface is an insult. ANYWHERE in the world to ALL people of color. Perhaps France and Australia would like to join us in the 21st Century on that.
Nicholas Cage is better than Method Man - so the IRS apparently thinks
Written by Black Entertainment USA
I think that someone in the IRS must really be a fan of Ghost Rider. Or perhaps this head honcho just loved Con Air. It has to be something like that, since I just found out about Nicholas Cage.
Nicholas Cage owes the IRS $6 million since 2007. Which does not include a lien against him for $350,000 back in 2003 - 2005. Of course the IRS is not looking to arrest Nicholas Cage. Which sets him apart from other celebrities.
As I mentioned last week, Method Man was arrested because he owes $33,000 to the IRS. Of course part of that arrest may lie in the excuse Method Man has for not paying the taxes
Even if true it’s a dumb reason. And illegal. But that aside, isn’t it interesting?
Method Man is facing 5 years in prison. Wesley Snipe was sentenced to 3 years in prison, after beating the IRS on charges of evading takes on $14 million and facing 16 years in prison. The 3 year sentence was for 3 misdemeanours - and is universally seen as overly harsh. On the other side of things, besides the non-action on Cage, there was Willie Nelson who owed $33 million dollars and got probation.
Perhaps it’s me, but this looks like a systemic problem. There seems to be a massive issue here, and I doubt that anyone in the major media will raise it.
Why is it that Nelson got off scot-free? Why is Cage seemingly untouched? Yet there was no end of media coverage negatively implying his guilt. And Method Man seems hardly in the same category, though the IRS took and sold his car and now has arrested him.
I realize that often celebrities and entertainers are slapped on the wrist for most criminal actions. Rappers, and other entertainers, are routinely absolved of possession of drugs, sex with minors, even acts of violence. But when it comes to taxes, well things appear to be very different. Are we to infer that the IRS loves country music and occasionally bad acting so much that it will give a free pass to those entertainers, but if the music and actor is outside that realm the whole weigh of the Government is thrown at them?
Personally, I think that all the entertainers and celebrities (not to mention a host of politicians) should be treated harsher than the average person when they break the law. The perks their careers provide should be the best reason not to commit a crime - of any nature. They need to be examples as much as they are role models in the society - even if they don’t wish to acknowledge that they are that.
But when I say harsh penalties, I mean harsh with a level playing field. it is the highest hypocrisy to have one entertainer face jail for $33,000 and another entertainer walking free as a bird without a care while owing $6,350,000. If nothing else it implies a favouritism and prejudice. Neither should exist and must be removed from the Government and law.
The IRS is not a movie mogul, nor an Oscar judge. It is not a Grammy official, or in record sales. It has one purpose (which no one loves, given) and that purpose sees only 1 color - green. If the IRS cannot get that right, well then why do we have it?
I wish Nicholas Cage no ill, but if I could I’d make sure he was in the same boat as Wesley Snipes. At least that would make sense.
Oscar Grant trial - now its about ‘emotional’ African Americans
Written by Black Entertainment USA
It’s just one of those days. The racial bias in the news just seems to be rolling of the presses. This time its in reference to a trial I have long been discussing. Johannes Mehserle.
Johannes Mehserle is the former officer that allegedly shot the unarmed and defenseless Oscar Grant in the back on January 1st of this year. It was the first murder of the year (I believe), and was the unofficial welcome to office for President Obama.
I have stated in no uncertain terms, that I believe Mehserle is guilty. The fact that at least 4 separate videos of the shooting exist that I have seen, in addition to preliminary testimony for police that is at best questionable, plus the actions to evade prosecution by Mehserle have all led to that belief. But according to the lawyer for Mehserle it is that combination of facts, which cause me to be upset, that guarantee no African American can be fair in the trial without even presenting a single piece of evidence for Johannes Mehserle.
In fact, the defense has gone so far as to ask for a change of venue to move the trial out of Almeda County. They have stated that polls (of unknown quality and suspect technique) done for the defense show that 80% of all African Americans in Almeda County believe Mehserle is guilty. The defense has inferred that African Americans are too emotional and devoid of logic to put aside their passions and evaluate facts.
Thus if the trial is not moved, an action and motivation that allowed the officers on trial for the Rodney King beating to evade justice, the defense - Michael Rains - has requested the following:
So I take it that the defense plans to either move the trial because 87% of Almeda County (the non-Black resident percentage) just hangs on the every word and thought of the Black community there, or any African American called to jury duty and selected for this trial will be taken to the side and intimidated in a style reminiscent of Mississippi in 1960.
Now my job may be to comment on events in the nation and the world and in doing so express my opinions and feelings - but I have no illusion that everyone that reads what I write agrees with me. No matter the color of their skin, age, religious background or sex. Yet the defense in this case is trying to claim exactly that same kind of situation. Essentially they are insulting every person of color in the nation and reviving streotypes that just can’t seem to be left for dead in the past.
45% of all people polled by the defense stated that they had no opinion, or favored, Mehserle. So far there is no legal evidence presented - since the trial has yet to start. But if the defense thinks that just poking at race will allow Mehserle to bypass the legal system I think Mehserle should plan for a long stay in a very small room.
It is one thing for evidence to prove that Mehserle is innocent. It is a far cry differnt for race baiting to allow him to avoid prosecution.
So I come to this conclusion, Mehserle knows that testimony from officers found to have changed their story multiple times is not enough. That video from multiple sources makes a very clear and strong case. That an unarmed man lying on the ground face down isn’t a threat to anything but an ant. That all of this combined equates to life in jail, UNLESS enough prejudice can be stirred up beforehand to create a biased verdict in his favor.
That’s not emotion, that’s logic based on facts at hand. But if Rains wants emotion I will take a moment and provide him some - if his client gets convicted I would love to see him get the death penalty.
Australia - A great country if you are White
Written by Black Entertainment USA
If you haven’t heard about this yet, I am sure that you will soon. Harry Connick Jr. was in Australia recently, on a program that some of my older readers will recognize as a copy of The Gong Show. Basically it was the poor man’s version of American Idol back in the 70’s when the concept of “reality” television meant a live event.
Connick was a guest on the show, which seemed to be a return trip for those on it. The “entertainers” had been on the show years prior and were back to give it one more go. All this is fine.
But then came a group called “Jackson Jive”. And it was with this group that were were again shown the racist attitudes that most of Australia has.
I have known many Australians. They were good people. I’m sure there are many in Australia right now. But there is no question that the racial attitudes of the nation is more akin with 1950’s America that the 21st century.
I just don’t know where to start with what I think is wrong with this. The group in blackface is probably the big thing. When I first saw this I was stunned. It was the last thing I expected.
Connick is either a master of control, or the other celebrity judge beat him to getting the gong for this group. Which is a nice sign that some in Australia have good taste. But did you hear the crowd? they were loving that group. They were loving the blackface. It just makes me think how much lynch mobs must have loved hanging a Black person back in the days of America no one wants to talk about (the last known lynching was in the 80’s by the way).
Connick, much to his credit gave the group a 0. I suppose negative numbers are shunned in the show. And I do like the way that Connick was clearly displeased and uncomfortable. But the judge in the middle gave that group a 7! I wonder how she would rate a lynching? I hope that all the Aborigine people near her stay clear after dark.
The other part of the video that I think was great was that Connick made it clear that this was unacceptable. That had he known this was to be on the program he would not have appeared. It’s the least that could have been said to a crowd that really just didn’t care. Notice that there was no apology, except to the American sensibilities of Connick. The host, like the judge and crowd thaought that depicting people of color as buffoons was perfectly normal and humorous.
Perhaps the most chilling part of this is that the clueless morons that comprised the Jackson Jive are all professionals. Doctors and 1 psychiatrist. This is an example of what the professionals in Australia do in their downtime. It’s sickening.
In one fells swoop, this show and these doctors along with Australia, insulted every person of color in the world. They disrespected the memory of one of the most famous and influential entertainers in the world. And they reinforced the abysmal treatment of the original natives of their country - that are still systemically treated to bias and hate.
Some will likely say that Harry Connick Jr. knew what was going to happen. That he was just covering his butt with his fanbase and America in general.
I disagree with that thought. You can see his displeasure, his anger, with this performance. I genuinely believe that Connick had no idea, and would hope he was fighting walking off the set.
In all this is just yet another reminder that the problems of race relations are not just an American thing. It’s not just something that happened in the past. Across the world people have ignored the lessons of history and will reap the bitter pain that these kinds of actions create.
Pass this video around, especially to anyone that might be considering a trip to Australia.
Texas Governor Perry’s cousin shot dead by police - how many bullets?
Written by Michael Vass
I have often made the point, when discussing the extreme violence and overreaction of police across the nation, that I have never heard of an unarmed White male being killed by police - with a hail of bullets that number in the dozens. I have said I also have not heard of police killing a White male that is armed in such a manner either. I may have to revise that statement.
It is now hitting the news that the cousin of the Texas Governor Rick Perry was shot and killed by police over the weekend of September 27th. The news is still being pieced together but what is known is that police received a 911 call mentioning a disturbance of some type. It is unclear whether that was disturbing the peace and/or firing a gun - news reports I’ve seen so far conflict on this.
Either way, 2 officers came to the home of Larry Don Wheeler, the aforementioned cousin. Wheeler was 74 and had been a member of Gov. Perry’s 2006 re-election steering committee (though currently Gov. Perry is denying knowledge of his cousin). He was sitting on his porch having just finished dinner. His wife was just inside the house as police arrived. The next part is completely unknown.
Somehow gunfire was exchanged between the officers and Wheeler. One officer received a wound to his hand from shotgun pellets, Wheeler was shot dead. Wheeler’s wife was amazed.
An investigation is underway. It is unknown how many shots were fired, and/or how many struck Wheeler.
If in fact Wheeler was shot some 24 or more times, potentially having been shot while lying on the ground dead or dying, then I will have to amend my claim. Slightly, since Wheeler was armed. But I believe when the facts become known, it will be far more likely that he was shot at no more than 6 times in total.
I don’t mean to be harsh, but I am trying to be fair. And I am highlighting something that so many refuse to see. The difference in police reactions, across the nation, when dealing with even an armed and possibly dangerous person that is White, as contrast to a person of color that is unarmed. If my guess is correct, and we see few shots fired, even as police were under fire, I will be left just as bewildered and angry as prior to this news by the numerous cases of police shooting young unarmed Black men between 2 dozen and halfway to 100 times.
If it takes anger by my posting this, to make the nation understand the systemic issue here then so be it. Because there is a problem. And when I can go virtually State by State from one coast to another, and from border to border, and in some extremes all in one day, and give examples of the death resulting from this police excess - its not isolated events. Not when there is no comparison that I am aware of, unless Wheeler was shot 42 times. And Vegas wouldn’t even give me odds on the chance of that happening.
I am sorry to hear of this. But at the same time, my bigger concern is the next child or parent of an Oscar Grant or Adolph Grimes, or Sean Bell, or Amadou Diallo, and on and on.
Who Are The Real Americans?
This will be a short post derived from my own curiosity. Who in America is an American? Very likely “Native Indian” would be the response of most. And, I’m tempted to agree. We all came from somewhere else to get here.
If the native Indian is the only true American, then aren’t we all, who aren’t native American, subject to some kind of classification by kindred affiliation? If so, then why only the “African American” distinction? I’ve really never understood the reasoning behind this situation.
As a Caucasian I’ve always felt this to be some kind of racial designation that musters tension between Blacks and Whites particularly. The reason I’ve felt this is simply because it seems totally unnecessary. Why do we have to differentiate the Black race? If it’s a good idea to do so, then it would seem that all men, red, brown, yellow and white should also have such distinction. Can you imagine that being the case!
If such were fact, I would hereafter be known as Tom a European Dutch/French American. You’re right! That would be totally mucho whaco. So, would somebody please explain to me why “African American” or for that matter, “Black American.”
It seems to me that if we all were just simply known as “Jane Smiths” or “John Blacks” it would be much easier to look at one another with a colorless eye. We’re making a great effort to rid the world of racism while at the same time we promote it by highlighting race!
Maybe it is simplistic, but it makes sense to me.
Tom
media tuning of race relations
Michael,
I would like to get your opinion on what I noticed recently in television. In almost every add that has a mixed race couple, it is always a Black male and a White female. Almost never is there any other type of mixed race shown. This seems disproportionate to me, as I see mixed races of all variety (including my own) and am wondering if you think there may be some political significance to this?
**Rather than responding as a comment, I wanted to add my thoughts to the post of Logan. In this way readers can have a full thought to respond to, in addtion to allowing search engines more access to this post. I hope that Logan does not mind.**
Logan,
Well that is a good question. But I think you are somewhat mistaken in your premise.
There are many, and I believe more, mixed race couples in advertisements that are Hispanic and White than any other group. The reasons for this are
1) Hispanics - light skinned - are often mistaken for Whites. (ie, Andy Garcia among many others)
2) Hispanics are the fastest growing ‘minority’ group in America
3) Hispanics comprise one of the bigger buying groups, and tend to purchase more big ticket items (which is reflected in the ads they appear in)
But as for the Black/White mix… well that is harder to define.
In part there are the old stereotypes that are continuously promoted in movies and television shows of the mandingo. Add to that the old view of implied status of a Black man with a White woman. I disagree with both thoughts, though I know many who still ascribe to these thoughts.
Another part is the theory held only in Hollywood (I hope) that audiences can only react positively to something if people of the same racial background are represented.
This has been one of the main reasons that television shows (and movies) are 90%+ dominated by White actors in virtually every aspect. That means the background actors, the supports, and the headliners. In fact, in 2007 - 2008 I randomly selected channels several times over several days and investigated various program line-ups. I found that roughly 2% of all television programming, including cable television, involved non-White actors of any nature, COMBINED (movies were slightly higher though not even 10%).
Thus a commercial, according to this theory, must contain Whites to be effective. It is also the reason that most commercials (with the exception of many racially targeted commercials by McDonald’s - but not all) that target specific groups of people of color still maintain White actors in the surrounding roles.
Thirdly I suspect that the use of mixed race couples is a subtle acceptance that America, in reality, is far more diverse and intermixed than what television has been promoting since 1950’s. That reality must be reflected as fully 1/3 of the audience is a person of color and thus by the archaic standards of Hollywood need to be shown.
Lastly there is the Obama Effect. Advertisers are cashing in on the positive imagery of African Americans that must exist since the President is a person of color. This I feel is the ultimate commoditization of Black culture that has been beforehand seen predominantely in the Hip Hop culture and advertisements.
The political significance of all this is unknown.
In one respect the benefit of all this is to create more acceptance of people of color in political groups, particularly in the Democrat and/or Liberal organizations. Name an ad, movie, or television show where the people of color are Conservative or Republican - as best as can be discerned relative to its content. I cannot think of one off the top of my head.
Beyond that, which is speculation I admit, I cannot think of a political end to using mixed races. Which does not mean there is or is not one.
Perhaps other readers may have a better answer than I.
Hair highlights police bias in Philadelphia
Written by Black Entertainment USA
Can you imagine your boss coming to you and reprimanding you for your hair? To have your boss instruct you to change your hairstyle because it is not ‘clean or professional’. And imagine in this instance that there are several other people in your workplace that have the same exact hairstyle, and nothing is said to them as they happen to be of a different race.
Sounds like a blatant bias does it not? I would say it is.
The hairstyle in question is cornrows. A popular style among many African Americans, men and women alike. Which is not to be confused with dreadlocks, as some do make that mistake.
The workplace is the police in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia to be exact. Where the regulations regarding hairstyle require a military look.
But the person in question is not an African American. It’s a White cop – Officer Thomas Strain.
Now does that change anything in what you were thinking as you were reading along? For me it has not. But obviously in Philadelphia there is a bias, this time against White cops, over what is a simple situation.
This is just as wrong as if a Black police officer was told to cut his cornrows. In fact, I believe either all the officers need to remove the cornrows or every officer that wants to wear them can. As long as they are neat and keep up to date, it’s no different than a dozen different hairstyles that I have seen officers in every police force in the nation wear.
These days politicians are using accusations of bias, and racism, for anything and everything that does not match their point of view. It doesn’t matter how trivial the subject, nor if any factual evidence exists. Which is a shame and a problem at the same time.
This is an obvious case of bias. It doesn’t matter that the officer in question is White. And while hair preferences may be transitory and benign to most, it is a real issue as it indicates other problems. Yet with so many fake and politically advantageous uses of the serious issue of bias and racism, this gets shoved under a carpet – as do all real issues.
Personally I hate when any rule or law is split or modified just because of the color of my skin. Either I am just as good and qualified as anyone else, or I am not. To create special rules just for me infers a weakness or inferiority in me. Which is an insult and a lie. Which doesn’t change because the issue is trivial.
In stating that the White officer can’t have cornrows, the police department is stating that Black officers have to be treated with different rules. That they are not the same as any other officer. It’s an insult to EVERY non-White officer.
What other rules and regulations are not the same? What else might one officer be allowed that another cannot do? And would that include violations of the law? Because it seems to be credible that such disparities might just exist.
I am a man. A Black and Latino man. Which makes me no better or worse than anyone just on the basis of my skin. Or my hairstyle. To judge me as such is to insult me.
The same is occurring in this case. Every officer in the department has been insulted and ranked. They have been told de facto that they are not the same and therefore better or worse because of skin and hairstyle. I can think of little more explicit examples of bias. It should not be allowed to happen.
Racism or political advantage at African Americans expense
Written by Michael Vass
I really must hand it to Maureen Dowd and former-President Jimmy Carter. They really know how to take advantage of a political situation. Not that it is anything like what the facts reflect.
When Rep. Joe Wilson interrupted the President in a speech before the Congress, he violated written and unwritten rules of conduct. He broached a realm that never before has been done. And he made the mistake of doing it to a President that is on one hand African American, and the other beloved of the news media.
Because of this unique and absurd relationship with the major media, President Obama is unassailable. To question him is to be racist. To disagree is to be akin to a blatant bigot. It is such a powerful position that even the appointees of President Obama are nigh untouchable.
Van Jones was finally removed as a ‘czar’ after his public and easily found radical comments were introduced to the public – several months after the fact. And the Republicans felt the brunt of that removal, as they became the objects of racial bias according to some.
The fact that Van Jones own words and actions, even after becoming one of the more powerful people in the Government, are the real source of his removal had nothing to do with the impression that was doled out to the masses.
But with the outburst of Rep. Wilson, we go into new ground. Because it is a fertile place for those that are liberal to denounce any voice of opposition. It is essentially what I have said before
“Liberals believe that any comment or statement is ok and Freedom of Speech, as long as they agree with it. Anything else should never be spoken or heard.”
Maureen Dowd proved that when she blatantly added her own meanings and words to what Rep. Wilson stated. She said
“But, fair or not, what I heard was an unspoken word in the air: You lie, boy!”
Again not what Wilson said, but what Dowd needed to be said to prevent anyone from defending a statement that might interfere with what seems to be her position on the issue.
Former President Carter was little better.
When 2 words that responded to an unpopular political agenda are spoken it’s hard to infer more than what is said. When those words are just, “You Lie” it is reaching to proclaim racist attitudes to them. But when doing so provides a political benefit, well then anything is possible.
Anyone who is honest knows that racism is not dead in America. Anyone who paid attentions to polls across the country prior to the election knows that some 20% of Americans vocally stated they would not vote for a Black President. But we have one today.
But there is a big difference between racism and disagreement. Perhaps being Black Puerto Rican helps me discern the difference, then again being Republican makes some thing I cannot.
When I had a policeman pull a gun on me, in college, because I was going for cigarettes on a night they were looking for a White blonde haired suspect is racist. Having police pullover a car on Hollywood Blvd. and draw guns on me and the driver because 2 White guys were in the back seat and a Black guy and Asian were in the front is racist.
A disagreement on an ill-defined, controversial, expensive, Government enlarging political issue is not racial. Not even in the worst dream of Dr. Martin Luther King. In fact, to make it such is a form of racism all its own.
This response to Re. Joe Wilson is not about racism. It’s about shutting down opposition to a goal that liberals and Democrats want. And I can respect the view that says the President’s health care idea (it does not have enough substance to be called a plan or even an outline) is a good one. But those that chose to interject race diminish the entire situation.
I had little respect for President Carter, having lived through his Administration and its chorus of gaffes and ill-advised plans. I know have even less.
I had many differences with Maureen Dowd. I now have even more.
Neither understands the racism I have had to live with in America. Just as millions in my age group have had to do, which says nothing of the even worse actions America lived by before my time. Yet they presume to define what is racist in 2 words that mean nothing more than disagreement.
If that is not shutting down people that disagree with your view, I’m not sure what is. And I shudder to think of where America goes from here if such ignorant and polispeak comments are allowed to stand without challenge.
If Dowd, or President Carter wish to address racism I can give them hoards of cases they can review and discuss. I can give them a score of events in my life. But if they just want to tell political opponents to shut up, I really wish they don’t use issues I have to live with to do so. Because they only make my battles that much harder, and insult me at the same time.
Johannes Mehserle may still face justice in Oscar Grant murder
Written by Black Entertainment USA
Following up on the news of a story that the national news media has avoided like the plague since it happened, I will discuss the latest events in the Oscar Grant murder case.
As long-time readers are aware, I started covering this case back in January shortly after former BART police Officer Johannes Mehserle shot and I believe purposefully killed Oscar Grant while he laid face down (and I believe handcuffed behind his back) on the ground with another police officer kneeling on his neck. It was an outrageous display of police overreaction, violence and abuse. And it was all caught on video by at least 4 sources I am aware of.
Many people still are completely unaware of the events that happened on January 1st at 2am. That’s because the national news media has never covered even 30 seconds of this news story. In fact the media made it obvious that they were willfully concealing this news story when national coverage of riots in Oakland, California – directly the result of the apparent attempted police cover-up of this murder – failed to mention this case or any of the people involved.
But I have followed the case. Including the sudden attempt by Mehserle to avoid investigation by resigning from the police, the extended timeframe required for the D.A. to press charges – after serious local pressure, the long-term denial by prosecutors and defense (and the news media) of multiple recordings of the entire murder, and the more recent changing excuses and blatant lies by police officers at the scene of the murder.
I am doing this because Justice needs to prevail. And I truly believe that if we do not continue to watch this case, and scream at the top of our lungs for justice, Johannes Mehserle will walk away from this without so much as a slap on the wrists.
Thus I reported that the preliminary trial in June of 2009 found that there was a wealth of evidence to go to trial. That trial date was November 2, 2009. But all has not been quiet in this case.
Johannes Mehserle, who is out of jail on bail – something you and I would likely not have the ability to do based on the nature of this crime and the video evidence – and his lawyers have tried to get the entire case thrown out of Court. Their argument is that Alameda County Superior Court Judge C. Don Clay unfairly allowed evidence into the hearing. They claim the ruling to go to trial is “arbitrary, capricious and patently absurd”.
The defense stated
But at the end of the hearing, Clay said, “There is no doubt in my mind that Mr. Mehserle intended to shoot Oscar Grant with a gun, not a Taser” because Mehserle had both his hands on his gun when he fired that shot that killed Grant.
Rains said on Friday that Clay’s remark was an error because the defense’s Taser expert would have testified that Taser users are trained to use both hands on their stun guns while firing.”
Judge Thomas Reardon obviously did not agree. Something I am greatful for and was worried about. Because shooting an unarmed man in the back while they lay face down with an police officer on their back and not resisting tends to seem malicious to me. And the testemony of a Taser expert does not change that.
So the case will again start on November 2. Unless the Mehserle defense team can win on another motion they are presenting. Which is to move the trial out of Alameda County. Which harkens to the move of the Rodney King trial police retirement community of Simi Valley. And we know how that verdict came out. This will be decided on October 2, 2009.
Keep you fingers crossed and pray the Scales of Justice are not rigged in Johannes Mehserle’s favor by the legal system.
Wake Up White Boy
This is the title of an email I recevied recently. It asks a question(s) that really need to be answered in todays political arena. It reads: The animals pictured below; car-jacked, then raped Christopher Newsom, cut off his penis, then set him on fire and fatally shot him several times while they forced his girlfriend, Channon Christian, to watch. An even more cruel fate awaited her!
Channon Christian was beaten and gang-raped in many ways for four days by all of them, while they btook turns urinating on her. Then they cut off her breasts and put chemicals in her mouth… and then murdered her.
VICTIMS::
ANIMALS:
Knoxville (WVLT) - The District Attorney General of Knox County announced the list of charges facing now five suspects in the double murder of Chann on Christian and Christopher Newsom.
The District Attorney General Randy Nichols is not saying whether or not he will seek the death penalty, but he does say the State will seek conviction for all charges filed in a 24-page indictment from the Knox County Grand Jury.
Lemaricus Davidson, 25, faces a total of 46 charges. Davidson was indicted on 16 counts of Felony Murder growing out of rape, robbery kidnapping and theft of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom, 2 counts premeditated murder of Christian and Newsom, 2 counts especially aggravated robberies from Christian and Newsom, 4 counts especially aggravated kidnapping of Christian and Newsom, 20 counts aggravated rape of Christian and Newsom, and 2 counts of theft from Christian and Newsom.
Letalvis Cobbins, 24, faces a total of 46 charges. Cobbins was indicted on 16 counts of Felony Murder growing out of rape, robbery kidnapping and theft of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom, 2 counts premeditated murder of Christian and Newsom, 2 counts especially aggravated robberies from Christian and Newsom, 4 counts especially ag gravated kidnapping of Christian and Newsom, 20 counts aggravated rape of Christian and Newsom, and 2 counts of theft from Christian and Newsom.
George Thomas, 24, faces a total of 46 charges. Thomas was indicted on 16 counts of Felony Murder growing out of rape, robbery kidnapping and theft of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom, 2 counts premeditated murder of Christian and Newsom, 2 counts especially aggravated robberies from Christian and Newsom, 4 counts especially aggravated kidnapping of Christian and Newsom, 20 counts aggravated rape of Christian and Newsom, an d 2 counts of theft from Christian and Newsom.
Vanessa Coleman, 18, faces 40 Tennessee state charges. Coleman was indicted on 12 counts of Felony Murder growing out of rape, robbery kidnapping and theft of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom, 1 count Premeditated Murder of Christian only, 1 count Especially Aggravated Robbery of Newsom only, 4 counts especially aggravated kidnapping of Christian and Newsom, 20 counts of aggravated rape of Christian and Newsom and 2 Counts of t heft from Christian and Newsom.
Eric Boyd, 24, also arrested in connection with the fatal carjacking, only faces federal charges as an accessory after the fact. He was not indicted by Knox county grand jury.
Felony Murder carries a possibility of death, life without the possibility of parole and life with parole. Especially Aggravated Robbery is a Class A felony that carries a possibility of 15 to 60 years in prison. Aggravated Rape is a Class A felony that carries a possibility of 15 to 60 years of prison.
At a news conference Thursday, Nichols commended the cooperative efforts between several departments and credits that cooperation for the fast pace this case is moving through the court system.
Nichols says he hopes to move the case to trial on the first day its set.
The four are expected to make their first court appearance within ten to fifteen days.
This is certainly a case garnering a lot of public interest, Nichols recognizes that and says he expects all kinds of requests filed in this case, including a change of venue in order to receive a fair trial.. But he says he does hope 12 Knox County jurors will be able to determine the guilt or innocence of these suspects.
Where are Al and Jesse? Are they providing counsel and help to the families of the victims?
Of course not - the victims were white
Why hasn’t this received National coverage by the news media like the Duke “rape” case?
Oh, that’s right - the victims were white
Why hasn’t the NAACP, ACLU, New York Times etc., called for an investigation?
Must be cause the victims were white
Why hasn’t the FBI been called in to investigate this as a hate crime?
Oh, that’s right - the victims were white”
So, if a white radio shock jock uses the phrase “Nappy headed”, it gets 2 weeks of constant news coverage.
I realize it’s written rather accusingly, but it merits attention as to the media factor.
From Right and Left, the media gets Hillsboro town hall wrong
Written by Black Entertainment USA
On August 18th, Bill O’Reilly discussed the charges of racism at a Missouri town hall. This is a news item that first surfaced on CNN, and has since risen in controversy. O’Reilly, and Dr. Marc Hill went over several of the facts of this case.
The problems though are many. Foremost is the fact that it seems all the details of what happened have yet to be accurately described. Yes, the White male was arrested for assault. Yes, signs are not allowed at that town hall meeting. Yes, the woman was in violation, and it is unclear what was in the mind of either individual involved.
The fact that the poster was of Rosa Parks does not instantly mean anyone knew who she was on the poster. I bet many of my readers wouldn’t be able to pick out Rosa Parks picture without help. Still that does not give anyone else a right to assault someone for the poster either. Even if they disagree with the poster. But that doesn’t make it an outright racial event. Especially at a highly heated debate as the health care reform issue is.
Based on those facts, CNN is wrong in allowing a depiction of this being a racist act. But O’Reilly is wrong to dismiss the accusations of signs with the N-word. It is something that is being reported, though not visually backed up, and thus is questionable as to veracity. So Dr. Hill should have stood stronger on that point.
But when Dr. Hill makes the claim that the town halls, across the nation as he implies, are all racist – I think he is channeling Speaker Nancy Pelosi. There is no proof of this. There is no way to even make a credible argument for this. So in effect all he is doing is fanning racial flames. Which is wrong.
But O’Reilly goes off the deep end when he assumes that the only possible way a person can find there to be racial animus at a town hall is if a White opposes President Obama’s health care reform – and thus must be assumed a racist by anyone Black. It is illogical and fallacious and insulting. Such reasoning is as bad as the claims of Dr. Hill. If this is not what O’Reilly meant, he did a supremely poor job of making his position clear.
But there is more to this, as I found on Youtube.
Given the additional video evidence, the question of racial discord seems far more credible. To a degree.
There is the fact that the initial incident looked to be approaching an explosion point. Which would mandate the separation of both parties. But if the excuse for the removal of the Black woman is the fact that she had a sign, why were the others with signs and flags allowed to stay? Why were police so forceful with the Black woman, once she was separated from the man assaulting her, and adamant in expelling her? Why were police so uncaring in dealing with other sign holders in the crowd?
And from the evidence I was able to find, I did not once see anything that included the N-word. Nor am I aware of any credible source stating that. Still there was a remarked difference, which should be addressed.
Was this event a blatant racially biased event? I think not. Though there was plenty of insensitivity and more than enough emotion – for various reasons. And I think that CNN, Tim Wise, Fox News, O’Reilly and Dr. Hill are all equally at blame for sensationalizing what happened at Hillsboro. Which just makes it that much harder to really address obvious issues when they appear in the media.
In all honesty, the major media can kiss my buttock when it comes to covering racial bias in this nation. The major media has a blind eye to what really should be discussed, and a knack for sensationalizing the more trivial events. I mean I still have yet to watch coverage of the Oscar Grant case, or Adolph Grimes and Robbie Tolan, which took place this year. Yet there was no end to coverage of OJ, and the spin on that was anything but a witch hunt.
This event is a tough call. It is obvious that there is a disparity. Much like the systemic disparity I have often spoken about. But if we only get to see the edited versions the major media provides we are left with an equally biased and unfair view of events from either side.
Perhaps that is the most important thing to keep in mind. Today the problem is not only the systemic problems that we as a nation have carried forward over centuries, but the overreactions of media in (rarely) both directions when they do choose to hype a situation. Ultimately neither helps resolve anything. And everyone loses.
I don’t think all town halls are like this. I don’t think everyone is like this. But until we deal with the underlying issues, and the ideological propaganda of the major media, it will only get worse.
Would you call Michael Vass a racist?
Written by Black Entertainment USA
Recently I received a comment from my discussion of the upcoming Disney film The Princess and the Frog, that made several claims and challenges that I though would be best to deal with in total as a post. You can see the comment from Logan Calder at http://www.blackandwhiteblog.net/2009/04/22/movie-preview-the-princess-and-the-frog/ and in quotes below.
“Ok, fair enough. I want to add that I have no problem with your issues of unfair treatment of Blacks in this country. My issues and responses are based on what I see as your Afrocentrism, which basically is racism against Whites in a costume - why you need to concentrate on diminishing Whites can be understood if you are a racist Black person, but is no different than a racist White person.”
Ok, I am confused. Are there people in America that believe this? That they can state that they understand that African Americans have, and continue, to be treated with bias and prejudice; but if you identify such abuses, and are Black (or Black Puerto Rican in my case), then it is Afrocentrism and racist?
Let’s be clear. I am Black and Latino. I am an American. I love my country, and my heritages. But neither stops me from pointing out that in the greatest nation on the planet – a country I would readily die for as is – there is systemic abuses and problems in regards to people of color. Being American, of any color, does not preclude facts.
By the way Afrocentrism is defined as
I do not see myself as such, though aspects of this are surely part of me. As it should be for anyone of any particular group. I am proud of who I am, and what I do, and my ancestors. I will never apologize for that.
And I see no reason not to note the contributions of African Americans in this nation. Something that is all but ignored in basic educations, the media, entertainment, and general life in this nation. America tends to ignore people of color, especially African Americans, because to not do so means the nation has to deal with past and current biases. Which America is unwilling to do.
But is it racist? Am I racist?
Over the years of my writing I have had a multitude of people I know across the world, of most every nationality and background, read my writing. Only in America has anyone found my writing, about race relations, even somewhat disturbing. And of those in America, only those that don’t know me have ever made accusations of racism. Generally after reading just one post, instead of the thousands I have written. And generally they have taken a statement out of context or reinterpeted my words to fit a pre-existing view they have.
Still I wonder about this. When I discuss the fact that a photo of a Black man wading through post-Katrina waters with a bag is called a looter by national media, and an exactly the same photo of a White man doing the same thing is called foraging to stay alive, am I being racist? When I discussed the fact that repeatedly African American males are shot by police, across the country, in a hail of dozens of bullets while unarmed, and that I am unaware of there ever being similar treatment to White males, is that racist? When I note that some 90%+ of all media ignores completely people of color, or that specific and often insulting references are made just for people of color, is that too racist?
Or am I just commenting on a racial bias that is so ingrained in the society that most people ignore it as commonplace. Am I hoping to note the inequality and systemic problem that prevents true respect and societal bonding, or is it just one guy screaming Black Power?
“Ultimately I still dont know why any of this matters, pointing out who is Black and who is White. Blacks and Whites both want to claim king Tut, Jesus, and Bob Marley as theirs, as if they would justify that the race they belong to is the better. It is still a racist thought that is driving the force, to need to claim someone of mixed race is theirs. Do you get it?. Do you need to claim that “we are Gods first” if you are Black?? you are really saying “we are Gods real children and are therefore better than you” and then that same person gets mad if a White person is a racist.”
First off, Jesus, Bob Marley, and with some question King Tut are all Negroid (which I will call Black to simplify). Why is that important? Because in American society, where almost all positive actions and contributions of history and the nation’s development have been either ignored or rewritten, the truth is necessary. In fact the truth is always important. Because lies always lead to a problem down the road.
Plus I think that correcting misconceptions is important. Queen Nefertiti never looked like Elizabeth Taylor. To assume as much steals away the history of my ancestors and perverts history. It diminishes people when you relegate them to nothing. And any people that are nothing can be treated as less than human. Which American history is rife with. Such was the excuses to justify slavery and the invasion of “savage” people across the world. Not to mention the “saving” of Native American Indians. I don’t think it’s racist to correct that.
Though I have never claimed anyone was God’s first. I dare anyone to find such a comment on any post or comment I have ever made. To say that I have is to totally misunderstand everything I have ever written and to place words in my mouth I have never spoken. It is insulting.
“I simply get tired of a racial debate, that continually attacks White people in a racist and/or degrading manner for being racist. It is my belief that racism is absolutely equal among races, and that 80% of us dont really care too much, but do have racial or prejudcial views. The other 10% of radicals are at both ends - one hates their own race and the other hates everyone else. It is definetly NOT a White only thing. In fact, Whites are the only race taught (by the same media you claim is so racist) to be ashamed of being proud of who they are!!. If it were equal we wouldnt have Obama or Sotomayor in office.”
I don’t agree with attacking anyone, without cause. I am as willing to take on the Government, racists, corporations, global warming, political lies, and bad entertainment. The question is not the color, but the content. But I will not back away from critiquing President Obama because he is Black, just as I have no problem taking on ex-officer Mehserle because he is White.
But it is not racist to point out the systemic problems in the nation. Problems that benefit some, and hinder others. Generally those that are people of color. Is it racist to ask why the nation is so focused on Mexico and the potential threat from terrorists, when all terrorists that have entered the nation have come from Canada which is ignored? That’s not an attack on White people, but it does bring up the question of what factors are involved in such a mentality.
Is racism really equal among all people? I don’t know. But in America, my experience says that it is not. Partially that is because there are so many things taken as commonplace that it is not recognized as bias. But there are indeed those that are prejudiced. And it’s not 10%. If you recall the polls done before the election of 2008, fully 20% of those polled directly stated they could not vote for a Black man. And that’s those (in both political parties) that were willing to answer the question.
Because America has not move that far forward since the 1960’s, as much as we try to imagine so. We just generally prefer to avoid the questions or answers. It’s more PC and no one will feel socially awkward. This is not the same thing.
But you are right. Racism is not solely a White thing. While not nearly as common it does exist in some people of color in this nation. And I don’t support that either. But that is not the same as being willing to address the issues in this nation. Black or White or whatever, the issues exist – pointing them out is not racist.
As for Whites being ashamed, where do you see that? Maybe I missed it. Which you might understand as 95% of all characters in movies and television are White. 97% of all commentators and pundits are White. I believe that some 80% of all politicians are White. 97% of all major CEO’s are White. And on and on.
So where is the media saying it’s bad to be White? Considering that most people of color are not addressed in almost every form of media, except when a negative is expressed, how are we being lifted above anyone?
As for President Obama, and Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor, they are political and I have addressed my thoughts of both at my political site VASS. Though I will ask, how was a bias of their color created to benefit them? If every African American, hell every person of color in America voted for President Obama (which they did not) he would still need an overwhelming number of Whites to be elected (as he was). And Judge Sotomayor got nominated because she is a woman and liberal, not due to some benefit of her race.
“Lets say we all wake up tomorrow and agree with you, on the absolutely ridiculous notion that America is here because of Africans and would never have made it into the greatest country on earth without slave labor - a completely absurd notion and belief but it is yours, and based on a need outlined above.
Does anything change??? No!! - why not stick to current and the future instead of using the past to make wounds?? I have never yet met anyone, who has told me that their family had been on American soil long enough to have been a slave owner.”
First, you do wake up in that reality. Without slave labor America could not exist. That’s not opinion, that’s fact. Do the math, check the population numbers (where African Americans were counted). Add up the money that the labor of slaves should have made. Remove the manpower they provided and see what would have been left of the nation at the time. To deny the facts is absurd and revisionist dreaming. Thus my need is for people to accept nothing more than what has happened. Because less is insulting, and something that most Americans would not stand for if it were them.
As for families that were slave owners, you are either being obtuse or uninformed. Millions have traced back their lineages to find they were either slaves or slave owners. My family line goes back to about 1860, and the records end because the slave owners before that did not see a need to document their “property”. But I do have that slave owners name in 1860. So do a lot of people.
It’s just that a majority of people don’t want to face that truth. They don’t want to know. Just as they don’t want to know about racism, or prejudice, or bias. Because they feel bad. Because the system helps Whites and hurts people of color. And who wants to have to have that on their back – since the system is not being changed.
So the past is the present. To address one is to address the other. To fix one is to start on fixing it all. And to do nothing is to bask in the benefits some have at the cost of others. Which I do not agree with.
Am I a racist? No, I don’t think so. Those that know me across the world don’t think so. I’m just upfront about addressing what is and is not really going on in America. Which is not an accusation, just a reality. And for some such honesty is too harsh to deal with. And thus I must be at fault since their worldview cannot be so corrupt.
It still doesn’t make me a racist, but I understand why I absolutely have to be for some people.
Bill o’Reilly discusses Black man shot 43 times by police
Written by Black Entertainment USA
Tonight Bill O’Reilly will be discussing the shooting of a Black man by police. He was shot 43 times. It’s about time such cases get attention.
I decided to check out which case of shooting O’Reilly might be investigating. Considering the time and number of shots involved I know it was not the Oscar Grant case (which O’Reilly did not cover), Robbie Tolan, Adolph Grimes (the last 3 being all at the start of the year 2009), Sean Bell, or several other more recent actions. So I decided to google it.
Under the term police shooting black man 43 shots there are 221,000 responses. On the first page of Google the time frame covers 2009 – 2001. That’s a hell of a lot of time. But it denotes the number of cases that never get national attention.
I have long stated that there is a national epidemic on-going. That young Black males are the target of police abuse and overreaction. In fact studies have found that the darker the skin, the more likely police are of reacting with violence, where or not the individual is armed.
So which case might Bill O’Reilly be discussing?
As I said before, it’s not the 1 shot in the back of an unarmed Black male in Oakland. Its not the shot against the unarmed Black male in his driveway in Texas as his mother was assaulted by police. But there is no scarcity of incidents across the country where an African American male has been shot by police officers several dozen times.
In fact, when was the last time that an armed White male was shot by police more than 3 times? Seriously. I can name at least a half dozen times where an unarmed African American male was shot by police at least 12 times or more in the last year and a half. But I cannot recall a single instance where even an armed and dangerous White male was shot by police more than 3 times. Not in a decade. Maybe more. Anywhere in the country.
So what will Bill O’Reilly say tonight at 8pm? Do you think it will be a highlight of the national response of police forces towards people of color? Or will it justify a singular case of police action?
No matter which it is, the ultimate truth remains. Police are prone to overreaction towards people of color. They react as if young Black males are the most dangerous people in America (which is factually White males 18 – 30, proven in another post). And that same reaction is also the consistent call of White violent crime criminals trying to obfuscate their own actions (how many times have we heard a supposed White victim claim that some ambiguous Black male did it?). Hell, almost even in the most extreme cases White actively dangerous armed criminals are treated with more care and firing restrictions than people of color – armed or not.
What do I want to hear O’Reilly say? That there is a problem. That the justice system is skewed in the nation. That across the country there is a predisposition towards violence against people of color, and that this needs to be addressed.
Will I hear that? Not likely. Not from O’Reilly, NPR, the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN, MSNBC, or any other major news organization.
And that is the key point that sticks out in my mind. What about you?
Glenn Beck call President Obama racist - is that right?
Written by Michael Vass
Wow, I would hate to be the person that checks Glenn Beck’s mail and email. After his comments detailing President Obama as a racist, that job is not going to be fun.
But the question is if Beck is correct. That should be the focus. In fact it should open the debate of what is a racist and what is racial bias.
Taking the case at hand, President Obama jumped into the story of the arrest of Harvard Professor Henry Gates with misinformation and a strong opinion. President Obama directly stated that the police were ‘acting stupidly’ in this matter, thus making a local event a national debate. President Obama has yet to apologize, though he has somewhat retracted his misunderstanding of the events.
Is that racist?
No, and not exactly racial either. President Obama is a friend of Professor Gates from what I understand. That would help to lead a person to accept one side of a situation far faster than another, without all relevant facts at hand. It’s something we all have done. Which is not racial but friendship based.
In addition there is the issue of how the police, across the nation, respond to African Americans. We have all seen the studies proving that African Americans are targets of police abuse more than any other group. That police are more likely to shoot an African American, and are more quick to do so armed or unarmed than Whites. That police are willing to overreact against African Americans than others.
This is important too, as it helps form a mental image of the police in every African American. An image and belief that is hardly positive. Which could also add to the words of President Obama. But again that is not racist, though it can be seen as a racial reaction.
Think of it like this. If President Obama has had a life similar to my own, then he has had at least 8 instances where police have unjustifiably drawn guns on him. He has had at least 2 dozen instances where police harassed and attempted to intimidate him. In each case no law was broken, no arrests made, no charges created, nothing illegal occurred on my part. And I have seen similar actions occur to friends and associates throughout my life. How do you think that would affect a person? Is that racist to discuss it?
Take a different point of view. I have detailed events like the attack against 3 Black men by 15 police officers in Philadelphia – an overreaction at the least, the murder of Oscar Grant, the death of Adolph Grimes, the shooting of Robbie Tolan, the murder of Sean Bell, and so many others at the hands of police. Each without real provocation, and generally with changing reasons from police. This does not instill a trust in police, nor a belief that they are honest or correct in their actions.
But should President Obama have said what he did? No. He is the President of the United States, and this is a local matter. He did not have all the facts. And this was his friend, thus clouding the judgment and reaction.
That said, can President Obama be a racist? Can an African American, or anyone bi-racial be racist?
Of course they can. To say otherwise is dumb. The severe limitations of a racist mind are not bound to the color of a person’s skin. Racists learn to be such, it’s not hereditary or genetic. Perhaps the only connection to racist acts and genetics is the lack of intelligence in such people, but that is hardly bound by race, gender, ethnic background, religion or anything else.
So when I hear someone say that President Obama cannot be racist because he is half-White, I recognize that they are either being foolish or are ignorant. Because that has nothing to do with mental attitudes or the ability to think. They are neither connected nor relevant.
Thus I feel that President Obama was not racist in his reaction to the Professor Gates arrest. He was perhaps somewhat racial, but overall he was being a friend. Which has no place in the comments of the President on national television.
In fact I think that President Obama is very racial in his actions. Some are more politically based; and completely in line with the goals and attitudes of the Democrat Party. Others are just natural extensions of having grown up in America, especially as someone that is considered Black because they have a dark skin tone. (Be honest, growing up police and people walking down the block did not see Barack Obama as a future President or half-White)
To say that a President of color, having grown up in a nation that is so racially divided and resistant to racial change (how long did it take to get slavery, segregation and Jim Crow out of laws?) is racially sensitive is repetitive. Just as it’s absolutely just as honest to say that every other President has had no clue, nor any real motivation towards, racial differences in the nation. They never grew up with it, so it’s not a significant factor for them.
So Glenn Beck is wrong. His lack of understanding, or concern, probably is due to not having to live as people of color have to in this nation. That does not make Beck a racist, nor insensitive to improving the race relations in the nation. It just makes him White, and a media personality. Neither is bad. But he can improve himself.
Separate of that, there is nothing wrong with posing the question, “Is our President racist?” It’s the same as asking if our President is overly religious, or an adulterer, or drunk, or anything else. It is a Right that all Americans have. And if in asking the question a better understanding of America and all Americans is achieved then the question was worth asking.
Black superheros - where are they?
Written by Black Entertainment USA
While I was checking out some photos for my post on the Black Panther (new lead actor) I ran across a blog post at Bam! Kapow. And it got me wondering.
Black superheroes. It’s almost an oxymoron. I mean just look at all the media. In virtually every venue it’s obvious that African Americans are either villains, bad guy henchmen, drug dealers, or just don’t exist. Which is about 1000x better than how Hispanic/Latinos, Asians, Native American Indians, and any other person of color is presented.
But comic books are supposed to be different. It’s a world where literally anything is possible. That anyone can become far more than the limitations and expectations of society allow. Because in the world of comic books, at least, everyone can be super.
Except that really isn’t true. The abovementioned post was from 2008. It was made in dedication to the film Hancock, one of a handful of film featuring a Black hero lead. A superhero that is drunk over 50% of the film at that. And in this case, as I recall, the only film besides Blade to feature a Black superhero.
That post listed the top 15 greatest Black superheroes. But take a moment and tell me how many superheroes are non-White? I mean really think about it…
I decided to double check the Marvel and DC encyclopedias. Both are books that purport to cover all the major and minor recurring characters (and more than a few one shots) of these major comic book universes.
For DC, there are 886 White characters – which includes aliens that just happen to be White. There are 5.5% (55) that are Black, 2% (18) Hispanic, 1.5% (15) Asians, and .9% (9) Native Indians. I did not count any aliens that were blue/pink/covered in fur/or non-human in appearance. Of the aliens that are of some non-human coloration, 90% were drawn to exact White features.
Of these characters that are people of color, 85% came into existence in the past 25 years. The exception is for the Native Indian characters, which 50% are older – from discontinued comic books like Jonah Hex.
In total this covers DC comic books from the 1930’s until 2004.
For Marvel, in 2006, we get a similar breakdown. Out of 642 characters that have a discernable race (IE not green like Skrulls or blue like Kree) it works out that there are 543 White, 7% Black (46), 3% (19) Hispanci/Latino, 1.7% (11) Native Indians, and 3.6% (23) Asians. Part of the difference in the numbers goes to the fact that Marvel has far fewer alien characters than DC.
Again these characters of color begin to appear roughly 30 years ago, and prior to that time were virtually none existent. Part of that might also be a result of the fact that Marvel is not as old as DC Comics (roughly 5 years fifference). But like DC, the overwhelming majority of aliens are drawn to specifications that would match a White character.
I won’t even bother mentioning how many of these characters of color happen to be villains. Suffice to say that the further back in time you go, the more likely they are to be a villain. In addition to which Marvel seems to love Asian villains, thus having the higher numbers there.
So when I read about a list of the top 15 Black superheroes, well it seems a bit silly. There is only 101 to work from, of which some 80 of them only appeared within the last decade or so and have little fanbase. There are barely enough of them to not be on a top list in the first place. Extend the list to 20 and you are forced to include Sunspot (Brazillian and Black - and little known), M (very relatively new), and Bumblebee (DC, from the 60’s, minor support character little seen or known) as examples.
But what does this say about America? What does this say about the way we not only view the world, but the worlds we dream of and fantasize about?
It tells me that we have taught our kids that people of color are lucky to be included. That only the very few might be lucky enough to reach for the stars. That to even be recognized is achievement, versus being recognized for achievement.
Yes some will think this all silly. But the fact is, when television, movies, and even comic books all say the same thing – something you have blasted into your brain every day of your life – plenty of people might eventually believe it. It’s a brainwashing, and everyone in the nation is involved every day.
I am happy someone looked through Marvel and DC to create a Top 15 list. I’m exuberant that not only do Black superheroes now get a chance to shine on the big screen, but that they are wildly successful when they appear. And I am looking forward to see more characters, like War Machine or Luke Cage or Black Panther, take the forefront. (I can definitely live without another drunk Black hero)
But the one thing that cannot be escaped is that in a world that claims improving race relations, at a time when many of the youth of the nation believe that the playing field is flat, the media – especially the entertainment media – projects an image that can only be best described as 1950’s segregation overall.
That’s nothing to be excited about. It’s nothing to be proud of. And it will not change until the day we all pay attention and demand it to change.
Hollywood movie star reacts to Philadelphia racism
Written by Black Entertainment USA
When it comes to a news story about entertainers doing a good thing and kids, I just can’t stay away. It’s these kinds of things we all need to hear more about.
In this case the news starts off in a negative. In Philadelphia, a city known for its negative overreactions of its police force, there was the added negative news that 65 kids were turned away from a private swim club.
The story goes like this. Valley Swim Club is private, but declares they are open membership. Creative Steps Day Camp paid nearly $2000 to allow 65 kids (that happen to be Black and Hispanic) to be able to use the pool to swim. The day camp made one visit, which seems to have caused a ruckus. Not because the kids were rude or badly behaved, but because of race.
It seems that not only were comments like this stated, but the parents (who it seems were all White) pulled out all of their kids from the pool once the kids of color got in the pool. Which is insulting in far too many ways.
It got worse though. Valley Swim Club then rejected the day care. The very next day the membership was revoked, with an offer to refund the money paid offered. But this was not about money, but a chance for kids to swim.
Valley Swim Club stated
“There was concern that a lot of kids would change the complexion … and the atmosphere of the club,” John Duesler, President of The Valley Swim Club
In just that statement I think the case was clear. Valley Swim Club is open to everyone, as long as they have the right skin color. It’s a page right out of Jim Crow and segregation. I’m sure Philadelphia was proud.
But the story was not over. Because after this hit the news on July 9th, people around the nation started to hear what happened. One of those people had the ability to do something about it. That was Tyler Perry.
Perry found this to bne an outrage. That no child deserves such treatment, especially over their race. He said
Then he went a step further. Since the kids couldn’t go to Valley Swim Club, Tyler Perry is going to send them to Disney. He has paid for all 65 kids to go to Disney and a Disney Water Park for 3 days.
I applaud Perry and what he has done. I hope that the people of Philadelphia abandon the Valley Swim Club, and write to John Duesler about this. People like him need to be reminded that this is not the 1950’s, that even then such actions were never acceptable, and that all of America is better because of the various people that make up this great nation.
Tyler Perry has helped the 65 kids of the Creative Steps Day Camp, and all of us that hear this story, realize that the small minds of a few cannot prevent them from attaining great things in their life. It’s a message that I am more than happy to spread.
**You can reach John Duesler and Valley Swim Club at:
22 Tomlinson Rd
Huntingdon Vly, PA 19006
(215) 947-0700
Harvard professor arrested, racism accusations claimed
Written by Michael Vass
Sometimes you hear news and you just know how someone involved in that news feels. In this case, I think virtually ever African American in America has had a moment similar to this one.
Before I get to that think about this. In many cities around the country calling 911 in or to a predominantly Black neighborhood is about as useful as inviting the local Mayor. The response time in many large cities, New York and L.A., are especially noted for being about as reliable as a politician being honest. Actually the police are known for being slightly better - most of the time. In fact it was so bad at one point that records were made about the situation (notably by Public Enemy).
Another thing to keep in mind is the tendency of most every police force in America to overreact when a Black man does something they don’t like. In Philadelphia it got 3 men beaten by 15 cops. In Oakland it resulted in Oscar Grant being shot dead, in the back, on New Year’s Day 2009. In Texas it caused Robbie Tolan to be shot in the stomach, New Year’s Eve 2008. And of course there was the case of Amadou Diallo in New Yok City.
Diallo was shot 19 times out of the 41 that were fired at him by 4 officers, in front of his door. 2 of the officers reloaded to continue shooting Diallo. One of the shots was fired at Diallo through the bottom of the sole of his foot, meaning he was lying prone and dead at the time. The deadliest thing he had in his possession was his wallet.
I don’t mean to say that this is the normal response by police to an unarmed African American male. I am saying it is anything but uncommon. Especially when a study done of police officers in NYC (2004) found that
“Black faces looked more criminal to police officers; the more Black, the more criminal.”
In addition to noting that Police would more quickly shoot an unarmed or armed Black man than White.
So the reality of the situation is clear I think. Now combine this information.
On July 16th in the afternoon, Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. was trying to enter his own home. He was locked out of his house. His house is near Harvard University. A woman called the police, stating that an unknown individual was trying to break into the Professors house. The sun does not set in the East coast until about 8:30pm at this time of year (in case there was a question of visibility) Those are all the facts that are not in question.
Police state that they arrived and asked the man in question to identify himself. This was denied. Professor Gates was arrested for trying to break into his own home. From there police stated that Professor Gates accused the police of being racists. That he purportedly stated
‘This is what happens to black men in America.’
Neither the police, nor Professor Gates have made further comment.
My point is this. How many people have you ever heard of that were White and arrested for trying to enter their own home if they were locked out? I have actually watched police help a person enter their home and then give them proof that it is their residence, rather than arrest them (yes, they were White). I know of friends that have had multiple police search a house for a supposed burglar to only find a cat in a closet (in a White neighborhood). I have watched police become belligerent because a kid did not move fast enough to their instructions (Black kid, White neighborhood). I have had police pull guns on me, every time without cause or provocation (across the country some 8 times now).
So I am left with this thought. I understand how Professor Gates felt that day. It doesn’t matter how this all went down exactly. I’ve been in similar situations before, and have had police watching me as I entered my own house several times.
Given the propensity for police to assault and/or kill an innocent unarmed Black man, Professor Gates is lucky. This could have easily been far more sad and unfortunate. It very often is, and normally if so it gets neither media attention nor punitive actions against the police.
I can also understand how Professor Gates, who is the director of Harvard’s W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research, might react as was stated. If he did so, and if he was not provoked to do so. Which are questions we do not have answers to.
But considering the nature of police and relations with African Americans, for centuries, plus the subliminal and persistent views of the media connecting African American males and violence can you also understand how Professor Gates likely felt?
Education is systemically biased - Education Department study shows proof
Written by Michael Vass
Perhaps it’s just me but the trend data on the difference in math and reading between Black and White students was released today and I find the results appalling. Not only because the study by the Government shows a wide gap in education, but that such a difference exists in the first place.
The national averages show an 11% difference in the math scores of 8th graders across the nation between 1990 – 2007. When it comes to reading, between 1998 – 2007, the difference is 10%. I know that may not sound like a big difference, but when we are talking tens of millions of children it’s huge.
I know some will question why this matters. In the most simple example I can think of, it means that by age 13, African American kids are losing 1/10 the thoughts. Basically drop 1 in 10 of the words you know, or eliminate 10% of the math you do everyday, say to your checkbook balancing. Add that percentage to the response time to the questions you answer in a conversation, or to doing your job everyday.
By age 13, most of the math and reading that a person will use in average daily life is known. The math and reading of a child by 8th grade are the building blocks upon which higher education is built. So in failing these children we are failing to help the future of our nation. We are effectively denying them the chance to a better life.
The thing that really annoys me is that it is not necessary. The education system in America should not have a gap of any nature in it. There is no reason why any child should be systematically lower than anyone else in the education they receive. It means this is being done on purpose.
The only way that a kid in Mississippi scores lower than another kid in that same state is that they are not being taught the same. It means that there is a bias built into the education system. That African American kids are being taught, de facto, to be lesser which is insulting and infuriating.
This report means that African American children are being taught to fail. Americans are being taught to fail. If that was your kid, would you stand for that? Would you just ignore those numbers? If it were White kids that were lower, do you honestly think something would not be done?
These numbers directly correlate to the higher dropout rates for African Americans, the lower economic status, the smaller middle class, the higher poverty levels. It is the first step in a life that is far from the American dream, or even a life that is equal to that which our parents have had. Without factoring in a bad economy or growing Government.
There are of course other factors that are involved in this study. The results are not solely the problem of having outdated education materials, overcrowded schools, burnt-out teachers or teachers that are unqualified for the subjects they teach. But it is those problems that that make all the other factors that much worse. It’s a domino effect.
I realize that the education system today is deplorable. That kids are taught to have rote memory instead of comprehensive thought. That for all the hoopla kids today know less than even 20 years ago, maybe even just 10. But the fact that the playing field is unquestionably uneven is a smack in the face. A fact that is proven in the lack of change in reading scores over 15 years.
I recall how so many people, or all backgrounds and races, assumed and promoted the idea that because President Obama was elected all the problems of race and racial bias in this nation ended. That somehow everything in the nation was fair and fine the second the last vote was counted. This study places a big spotlight on that and shows that such thoughts were fanciful dreams.
I recall how people across the nation compared the election of President Obama to the fruition of the dreams of Dr. Martin Luther King. Yet there is no question that Dr. King’s dream did not include a systemic bias that promoted any group of Americans over another. And if anyone thinks that Dr. King would not have been enraged by the results of this 15 year study, they don’t know their history.
The big question that is not addressed in this study is why, in the 21st century, there is such an obvious and demarked difference in how the nation teaches African Americans? Why does the Government, or even at state government levels, accept that there should be a difference? Why is it that when comparing apples to apples there is such a difference?
Why is it that in a state like Wisconsin, where the difference in reading scores is 14%, does such a difference exist? Or 12% in Michigan? Or 11% in California, South Carolina, and Connecticut? And similar examples in math as well?
Later this year a similar report will be published detailing the gap in scores between Hispanic and White children. The expectation is that the difference will be similar. And again I ask why? Why is there such an expectation? Why is this considered ok?
I think that there is no way that we can ever have a better education system when built into that system is a difference of expectations and quality. We are accepting that less is equal, that separate is ok. Something that I believe Brown v. Education dramatically stated was un-American and wrong.
Put another way, there would never need to be a Connecticut firefighter case if the basic education was provided equally to every child in America. But if we accept that a bias exists, and allow it to continue, how can we ever move forward enough to eliminate the need of such cases? How can we ever say that racism is dead? How can we say that we are all created equal and yet ensure that we all don’t even have an equal chance at life?
Can Whites be discriminated against? Was Judge Sotomayor wrong?
Written by Michael Vass
Since almost the moment that Judge Sotomayor had been named as a Supreme Court nominee, I have been asked my thoughts on the 19 firemen in the “reverse discrimination” case. Now that the Supreme Court has responded, I will further clarify my thoughts.
First, let me explain my thoughts on “reverse discrimination”. It does not exist. There is no such thing as reverse discrimination, it’s a made up term.
Discrimination is defined as
the process by which two stimuli differing in some aspect are responded to differently, and prejudiced or prejudicial outlook, action, or treatment.
Thus the term reverse discrimination cannot exist. Least of all as it is used by the political circles. Discrimination against anyone is just that. It is not limited to nor exclusive for people of color.
So the question becomes, can Whites be discriminated against? The answer is yes, of course.
But the bigger question no one asks is - How can a White person be discriminated against in America? That is much more difficult and likely to inflame many. But I will try to provide a view.
In America, right now, to be White is an absolute advantage. While there have been many strides forward in race relations, the fact is that there is an obvious distinction made to people of color everyday. Most of these acts are subliminal and so ingrained in the populace that we don’t notice it, but that is not the same as its lack of existence.
Look at any television channel, cable or broadcast. I’ve spoken about this often, the fact that consistently throughout my lifetime of 41 years the number of people in front of cameras has never reflected the actual proportion of African Americans or people of color in the nation. Television has always maintained a view of the nation that more reflects the 1940’s or 50’s than the 21st century. In fact looking at all television programs, and movies, we see that all people of color – in front and behind the cameras combined, account for some 5 – 8% of all the people involved. A far cry from the 30% we actually comprise in this nation.
Stepping to the news media, there is a consistent emphasis to sensationalize any crime that is even believed to be committed by a person of color. At the same time crimes by Whites are more often marginalized. Take for example the Duke Rape case where the reported victim was the target of media attacks and the White lacrosse team were envisioned as saintly by comparison. Which ignored their actual activities on Duke campus and the events of the night the now rejected rape took place. And this says nothing about cases completely ignored like the Megan Williams case in West Virginia.
Or look at how police officers acting in a manner more akin to gangs against people of color are reported. We have the case of 15 officers in Philadelphia beating down 3 Black men that were innocent because the police were upset. There is the case of Sean Bell were he and 2 companions were shot over 50 times for no apparent reason beyond the suspicion of an officer. We can look at numerous other cases across the nation, perhaps no more famous than Rodney King. But all these cases have a similar trend. The White officers are presumed innocent and justified while the person of color is framed as being guilty and thus inciting the incidents.
There is the fact that many cases of police violence is completely ignored by the media. Just this year, Oscar Grant’s murder, the shooting of Robbie Tolan, and the murder of Adolph Grimes have all been under-reported. I doubt many have heard of any of these cases unless they have read my blogs, or those of other bloggers, as the national media refuses to discuss them. In fact, in Oakland, the Grant murder sparked riots – which the riots were the only news discussed by the national media and not the cause.
Looking at a different aspect of law, there is the legal system. It is biased system, few with clear thoughts will dispute this. The bias is that those who are poorer will be less likely to win a charge. With higher proportions of people of color being less wealthy, there is that bias. Add to that the fact that a person of color convicted of a crime will receive a penalty that is 2 – 3x as severe as a White person convicted of the same crime brings in another level of discrimination. Like the boy (the name escapes me this second but he was 17 at the time, and is Black) who was convicted to 10 years for having consentual oral sex with a minor (who was 14 at the time, and was White as I recall) that actively and publicly pursued him at a party.
