Depraved Mindset

I have moved!

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 02:01:00 +0000

I am no longer blogging at Depraved Mindset. I am now focusing on a racial justice newsletter in Hartford. The blog has already been launched, and the print edition will be out in February. Please check it out.Click on the banner, and you will be taken to the Hart Monitor.

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 11:47:00 +0000

RIP TROY DAVIS

Murdered by the State of Georgia with help from the US Supreme Court

My own race fail!

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:44:00 +0000

Every two weeks I go to “mobile foodshare” sites around the city I live in. It is a program that shares fresh fruit and vegetables with people who are unable to afford them independently. Since my food stamp allowance has been reduced significantly since I moved, I have been taking advantage of this service to prepare healthier meals. Since they distribute enough food for a large family to each individual, I usually take some of what I am given and give “care packages” to other friends in need

The other day, the people at the foodshare site were giving out cases of yogurt. The people in the front of the line were given one case each, while towards the end of the line, everyone was given two cases, since the people running the site knew how many people that needed to feed by that point. I was given one case, but when I walked past the site again while waiting for my bus, one of the women volunteering offered me a second case, which I gladly took.

Then, as I was still waiting for the bus, a Black man was expressing his anger that he had received only one case of yogurt. He was told that since he had already passed through the line, he could not go back again and get another case. He said “I see how it is....you all only want to take care of your own people!” (all of the foodshare volunteers at this specific site are Latino/a as are most of the people who use the service) Since I live alone, I offered this man my second case of yogurt. At first he declined, but when I offered it again, he did take the yogurt and left the site. And I went home thinking I had done the right thing.

So, I went home and began thinking about the situation in more depth. My automatic first response was that this was NOT about race, this man simply received only one case of yogurt because he was in the front of the line, before they began to distribute two cases to each person. But then I realized that I was given a second case even though I had already been through the line, while HE was turned down because he had already received his allotted food.

So, was his statement that “you only want to take care of your own people” true? Again, I thought not because he was speaking to Latino/a people, and I am not a Latina. Then I thought about it.... the neighborhood where I live is about 65% Hispanic and less than 10% white. I have dark, wavy hair and have been approached by people speaking Spanish on many occasions. I have been asked time and time again since I moved here if I was an immigrant, or if my parents were immigrants of Hispanic origin. So I had to wonder.... when I was given the extra yogurt were the volunteers, in fact, thinking they were “taking care of their own people”??

I spoke to a friend with whom I often discuss issues of racism. He was furious with me. He told me that I was doing more damage to the cause of ending racism than I was helping. He also said that if he were the gentleman at the foodshare site, he would have been highly insulted that I offered him a case of yogurt instead of standing up and saying something about the fact that he was being discriminated against because of his race. He told me he would have had the perception that I was offering him the yogurt simply to appease him, and that I might as well have thrown the food and him and said “just take the fucking yogurt and shut up!”

I wanted so badly to excuse myself for failing to say something about the situation at the time that it happened. I wish I could go back and stand up with this man and express the wrongness of what happened. I wish I could apologize to him for failing to speak up. But I can’t do that.

This is just an example to me of how any white person WILL at some point, FAIL when it comes to addressing racial discrimination. White folks want to give the benefit of the doubt when it comes to racism because it benefits us to deny that discrimination is occurring based on race. I should have spoken up that day, but I didn’t, because I did not want to make waves since I use this service on a regular basis. So, I not only ignored the fact that this man was being discriminated against, I DENIED it entirely. And spent the next week trying to justify my own inaction to myself.

When the friend I discussed this with mentioned the story numerous times over the past two weeks, I wanted to justify my inaction to him. I wanted to fight the idea that I failed tooth and nail. I wanted to find some excuse for me not, as he put it “practicing what I preach”. And,I wanted to not mention issues of racism to him again, because he would take me to task about this specific event again.

Then I realized that I NEED to be held responsible when I fail. I need to learn from events like this one so that there is not a repeat of it. And, I cannot refrain from discussing issues of race and racism for fear that I will have to hear about the times I have failed. I have to use this to make me more effective in the fight for justice.

Achievement Gap is NOT about racism???

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 12:54:00 +0000

Did you hear the news? Apparently, the racial achievement gap in education has ALMOST NOTHING to do with racism!! Yes, this is the news I received from Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra . I posed a questions about the achievement gap at a recent "Town Meeting" focusing on education. Of course, since Hartford is a majority minority city, the achievement gap was one of the primary focuses of the meeting. And according to Mayor Segarra, racism is only a nominal contributing factor to the well documented achievement gap between white, Black and Hispanic students. Apparently, the primary reasons for the gap are economics, inadequate housing and nutrition, and parental neglect/ineptitude. And of course, none of these factors have racism as their root cause, right?

Of course, we can all just ignore the statistical evidence that shows that the achievement gap persists even among suburban, upper income, two parent minority students. No, the achievement gap has NOTHING to do with white teachers who have lower expectations of Black and Hispanic students. It is unrelated to a school curriculum that almost entirely ignores the achievements of Black and Hispanic people in history. It is minimally impacted by teachers who have no cultural sensitivity towards Black and Hispanic students. Teachers who claim that Black and Hispanic student "cannot be taught" are not the problem. Apparently, the blame rests mainly on the shoulders of the dysfunctional Black and Hispanic familial and cultural institutions. Yes, the achievement gap can be attributed to those damned poor, single Black and Hispanic moms.

David Chambers, principal of the nursing academy at Hartford Public High School, stood up and said that children need to be taught from first grade that two parents in the home are a requirement to produce high achieving Black and Hispanic students. He basically asserted that Black and Hispanic families have a cultural value system that is fundamentally flawed and THAT is why Black and Hispanic students perform poorly in school. Then he went on to explain that he tells his students that they have NO EXCUSES for not succeeding in life, since we have a Black president and a Hispanic Supreme Court justice. (I guess he is a believer in a "post racial America"?) I would have expected that a Black, male educator would be familiar with the studies that prove that Black and Hispanic students perform better when they are taught by Black and Hispanic teachers, and that white teachers are often totally incapable of teaching Black and Hispanic students due to inherent, deep seated biases. Apparently, I was wrong.

Ironically, while I was at the event, I pulled out my phone and googled "Hartford achievement gap". I found an abundance of articles that spoke of the persistent racism that is deeply embedded in a school system that is made up of 96% Black and Hispanic students, but only 32% Black and Hispanic teachers. And the very next day, I attended another forum in which a white woman stood up and spoke about her (presumably white) friends who are teachers, who have made the claim over and over that the (Black and Hispanic) students of Hartford "are impossible to teach".

While it is true that the family can be a key component in the success or failure of ALL students, placing the blame on Black and Hispanic families is not an appropriate response to the ubiquitous racial achievement gap that persists throughout this entire nation. Rather than pinning the blame on the parents of children who are not thriving in the school system (many of whom are previous victims of this nation's conspiracy to under-educate Black and Hispanic children), issues of cultural insensitivity and racism need to be addressed. Minority teacher recruitment needs to be the focus, particularly in majority minority districts. A curriculum that celebrates only the achievements of dead white men needs to be adjusted to reflect the reality of a multi-ethnic society. The single minded focus on training children to pass standardized tests without actually teaching them needs to end.

School should be a place for children to explore and grow. Children should be exposed to a broad variety of topics and ideas, not just the facts and figures they need to pass a test. Teachers need to engage children. They need to expect ALL children to succeed, not just white children. And, they need to discover creative ways to engage the curiosity of all children.

In "Countering the Conspiracy to Destroy Black Boys", Jawanza Kunjufu asserts that Black male children lose interest in school by grade four because the teaching methods of predominantly white, female teachers is inadequate to engage them in the learning process. Black male children are pushed in special education classes and labeled "behavioral problems". This is NOT the fault of the Black boy, it is the fault of a school system that needs to be totally revamped to meet his educational needs. While the situation for Black girls and Hispanic children is not quite as dire as for Black boys, they still lag behind white children for similar reasons.

The problem is the system. It is the teachers and the administrators. It is ridiculous to try to place the blame solely on the shoulders of parents when schools are failing to do their jobs due to institutional racism. Yes, an involved parent can be a great ally for a child trying to navigate his way through the maze of this nation's educational system. However, to claim that Black and Hispanic students are not succeeding because of their families is to ignore the legacy of racism that has pervaded the public education system since its inception. Racism is the reason for the racial achievement gap, and the parents (who are victims just as much as their children) should not be blamed for this nation's failure to adequately address the educational needs of minority students.

How does putting down Black people help "Replace white supremacy with Justice"??

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 03:15:00 +0000

OK, so one thing I will never understand…. How is it that people can call themselves “counter-racists” and claim that they want to “replace white supremacy with justice” AT THE SAME TIME that they are parroting all of the negative images of Black people trumpeted by the folks over at websites like “Stormfront”?

I was on the COWS (Context of White Supremacy) Facebook group a few days ago. Someone had posted a video of V-Nasty, a member of the “White Girl Mob” who likes to throw around the N-word like it is going out of style. She takes pride in the fact that she has been arrested multiple times for fighting, claims that she is “real” because she has done prison time, and works closely with Kreayshawn, who is the “mastermind” behind the materialistic anthem “Gucci Gucci”. One of the members of the group made the comment “wow white girls think they are black and trying to take hip hop over”.

Well, I made a comment back in the group, that reflects my way of thinking about the concept of “acting Black/acting white”. I said “those girls do not "think they are Black"... they are promoting an image that they want people to believe is what "being Black" is about. Acting like a person without any morals, values, or class is not about "acting Black".... it is about promoting an image of what the white supremacists want ALL PEOPLE to believe is "Black". Think about it... if these girls were discussing issues that many Black people consider important and choose to speak on, issues which white people almost always ignore or pretend do not exist... they would not be looked at as "acting Black"... it is only when white girls act in a way that white people do not consider "appropriate" that they are deemed to be "acting Black"..... in truth they are acting in a way that the white media chooses to identify as "acting Black" based on racist stereotypes and programming..…” I really thought that a group full of people who are dedicated to ending white supremacy would understand the relationship between racism/white supremacy and the adoption/promotion of stereotypical images of Black people among white youth. I thought it would be obvious to the people who listen to COWS that the “White Girl Mob” is nothing but a modern day minstrel show. Apparently, I was wrong.

A member of the group commented back: “Sorry they are acting black this is black culture (self destrudtive behaviour) what issues do black ppl beleive are important tv music sports fashion etc? I strongly disagree with ur comment however i could be wrong” Although I should have known what to expect from the adherents of the COWS (codified) philosophy, I was quite surprised by this response. I should not have been, because the whole underlying theme behind being “codified” seems to be “Black people ain't shit…” “Codified” people say over and over that “the problem is white people” but STILL seem to be buying wholeheartedly into all of the white supremacist notions of what Black people are all about. Just because you modify your “Black people are retarded” with “but it is white people’s fault” does not mean that you are not still drinking the white supremacist’s Koolaid.

So, I followed up with the comment: “I believe that the idea that "Black culture" is synonymous with "self destructive behavior" buys directly into the white supremacist agenda. White people love to show examples of destructive behavior by Black people to enforce the notion that Black people are innately bad. This web page is full of notes from people who are attempting to counter white supremacy. Are they not "acting Black" because they are not behaving in a self destructive manner? Was Malcolm X less of a Black man because he was not acting in a self destructive manner? Are Black Nationalists not "acting Black"? I could be wrong, but I believe that what you call "black culture (self destructive behavior)" is an invention of white supremacists that some VOR (victims of racism) have unfortunately bought into.”

Now, far be it from me to claim to be an expert of “Black culture” (or any other culture) but I simply do not believe that you can highlight the (negative) behavior of certain Black people and claim that their actions are synonymous with “Black culture”.

Shortly after I made my comment, the gentleman who claimed that “this is Black culture” asked if I was white. When I said yes, he seemed to believe that I had nothing more to contribute to the conversation. Which is a bit confusing to me, because as a white person, I can be considered an "expert" on how white people think. Yet, here I am, pointing out how this statement equating Black culture with "self destructive behavior" feeds white supremacy and I am looked upon as if I have no clue what I am talking about.

A few minutes later, the same man posted a video called “Dick Slang” under the heading “More Black culture." Since I am not the type to keep my mouth shut when I have something to say, I had to comment again. I said “Do you believe this is ACTUALLY "Black culture" or what white supremacists WANT PEOPLE TO BELIEVE is "Black culture"? Because frankly, I can imagine this same video posted on "Stormfront" under the heading "some more black culture".... maladaptive behavior adopted as a result of the global system of white supremacy DOES NOT EQUAL "Black culture" Just my opinion! I am not an expert on "Black culture" but this, to me, is not "culture" it is simply white supremacy in action.”

The original poster than went on to post links to various definitions of “Black” as well as various definitions of “culture” He then commented to me “ For the record I strongly suspect u are practising racism white supremacy however i could be incorrect as i am a victim” To which I responded: “I strongly support the idea of suspecting all white people of practicing white supremacy. However, I will state again that my opinion is that "culture" is NOT synonymous with "behavior" especially when that behavior is a result of racism/white supremacy.”

I then discontinued my participation in the conversation, which went on to call nonwhite people the N-word, and asserted that “Non white people are under a system of RWS (racism/white supremacy), all behaviors whether constructive or non constructive can be considered "n-word culture" until RWS has ended” (Word edited out by me)

Perhaps I have a very different definition of what “culture” is, but in my opinion, negative behavior adopted under the influence of white supremacy IS NOT synonymous with “culture”. How can you choose to highlight ONLY negative behavior under the heading “Black culture” while totally ignoring every thing else that Black people all over the world are doing? If anything, self destructive behavior is WHITE SUPREMACIST CULTURE that has been forced upon Black people.

I am not one to tell anyone how to fight against racism/white supremacy, especially if they are a nonwhite/Black person, but after spending months reading and hearing the “Black people ain't shit” message from the folks who believe in the COWS/”Codified” philosophy, I just could not bear to listen any more.

Seriously, this whole exchange could have easily taken place on a neo-Nazi/skinhead website. The people who are adherents to the COWS way of thinking seem to have a very negative view of Black people. How “constructive” is that?

To me, all you are doing by called Black people “retarded” claiming that they have “offspring” instead of children and saying that Black people are incapable of forming families is providing fodder for white supremacists. If a Klansman read the exchange I just discussed, it would, in his mind, reinforce all of his negative feelings toward Black people. Heck, he could even use this exchange to legitimize his claims against Black people by claiming that “even THEY feel the same way I do…”

One of the things that Gus, the host of the COWS has mentioned is that if a white person genuinely wants to end white supremacy, one of the things they can do is report the truth about what white people are thinking/doing/saying when there are no nonwhite people around. Yet when I do exactly that, I am either ignored, not believed, or dismissed as not knowing what I am talking about. But I KNOW how white people think. And, I KNOW that white people LOVE when Black people talk negatively about other Black people. I KNOW that they grab on to any example of a Black person criticizing the behavior of other Black people as “proof” that they are correct, because “even Black people say the same thing…” So, by claiming that Black culture is synonymous with “self destructive behavior”, the person who I had this exchange with is actually feeding white supremacy.

Maybe it is none of my business to get involved in these sorts of conversations, but frankly, as a white person I see very clearly how these sorts of messages pushed by the “codified” individuals who listen to COWS can be used to further the white supremacist agenda, and I feel like it needs to be pointed out. If that makes me an interloper, and garners accusations of “practicing white supremacy” than so be it…. It is the truth as I see it, and I feel it is my responsibility to speak my mind.

On Hiatus

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 15:57:00 +0000

Well, I have been reluctant to say officially that I am taking a break from my blog, especially since I have all of these pretty little business cards that have my information and a link to my site on them. But, I have to do it. I was writing every day while I was in New York, but I find that now that I am in Hartford, I have so many other things going on, I have been unable to attend to Depraved Mindset as much as I would like to. So, I am officially on break right now. Although I have already been in my new home for 2 1/2 months, I am still trying to get acclimated to having so many more things on my plate. I have been going to community meetings, and I have more friends who I see on a regular basis than ever before.

Bottom line is this: I have so many projects I want to work on that I do not have time at this moment to dedicate to blogging. I am going to make a very sincere effort to start back up later in the summer, or maybe in September. By then, I should be used to my new schedule and able to dedicate more time to this project. Right now I am trying to go from someone who writes about what is going on to someone who participates in and impacts what is going on. Hopefully, within a few months, I will be able to both participate and write. I just need to get used to my new life.

I apologize to anyone who will miss my blog, but I will be back. Of that you can be sure.

Guest Post by Carey : "Drugs, White Folks, Fools and Politics"

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 17:31:00 +0000

Drugs, White Folks, Fools and Politics

by Guest Blogger Carey

Hell has no fury like a woman scorned and I am not looking forward to being anything like the babie’s daddy who was seen on Facebook in the arms of momma’s next door neighbor. I mean, the last time I did a guest post, I had over 70 women stick their foot way up my ass.

Well, actually, there was over 70 comments but many of them were mine. Sh*t, they were hitting me in my gut so hard, I was crying like a b*tch and telling them I was so sorry. But listen, to this day I don’t know why they were so mad at me because I was just telling the truth.

“What You Are Speaks So Loudly, I Can’t Hear What You Say”

But check this, since my daddy said, “don’t be nobodies fool”, I am going to take his advise, so for this post I am going to change the skin color of my target audience. Are you kidding me, although a few black women (and men) could fit these shoes, I am not ready for another ass kicking. So today, it’s White Folks, Politics, Drugs and Zip Fools, because they all have something in common.

Let me start by saying I am leery of white people, okay. Now don’t take that wrong. I was raised around white folk (I was born in Iowa), and I am not a racist by any stretch of imagination. Wait, does that have the same feeling/flavor/sting as a white person saying “I have black friends’? Well, all the King’s horses and all the King’s friends couldn’t put Humpty Dumpy back together again. Yeah, figure out how that relates to anything I’ve said. Nevertheless, I am gonna say it, I have white friends - not many - but I do.

But listen, I hate white people. Yup, I said it. I really hate them. They are ugly, stupid and obnoxious. And they are a bunch of narrow minded privileged bigots. I see white people as a scourge that needs to be eliminated from the world. You are sitting there thinking "damn this motherfucker is crazy", aren't you? Well, therein lies the problem. Because you know what? Most of my opinions are really on point and need to be said. Only problem is, coming from my mouth they tend to lose legitimacy. I am a black man, but hold that thought.

Okay, white folks are now on the floor, so let me drag out "drugs", politics and a few fools.

Well, I have to raise my hand. I was a heroin addict for over twenty five years. Since the age of 17, I loved the comfort heroin gave me, however, back then, if you would have asked me if I was an addict, I would have told you hell no. How could I be an addict? I had a college degree, a six figure job, a family and a nice home. That’s certainly not the stereotypical image of an addict. Yet, every day of my life, some years ago, I was flying high in the sky, flying high without ever leavin' the ground. I went to the places where danger awaited me and it was bound to forsake me, but I was so stupid minded. I couldn’t help it, I was stupid minded, and I’d go crazy when I couldn’t find it. In the mornings I'd be alright, but soon the night brought all the pains, the pain, oh the pain! Yet I’d go to the places where the good feelin' awaited me, self-destruction was in my hand, Oh Lord, so stupid minded. I was hooked to that boy who makes slaves out of men and I’d go crazy when I couldn’t find it. Believe me, I was flying high without ever leaving the ground and I didn’t see nothing but trouble. I had to cry out, “help me somebody”.

Damn, yawl gonna have me crying up in here thinking about those days. And check this, many of you may have noticed that many of those words were from Marvin Gaye’s song “Flying High”. Many of those words were his, and I’ve cried while reading them because I fought those exact same demons. And, he didn’t win his battle.

Okay, this pie is about ready to put in the fiery oven. We have white folks, drugs and a fool, so now we need a cup of politics, and then it’s patty cake patty cake, baker man, I’m gonna spank this thang with a very heavy hand.

As political debates go, the lines of opposition are frequently drawn deep in the sand. Each side digs in, gets very entranced in their positions, and then, nobody budges. And again, my daddy told me not to be anybodies fool and don’t play another man’s game, so taking his advice, I generally do not get too involved in the tick-tack-patty-wack of politics. But sometimes I’ll listen on the sidelines and add a little commentary on the ongoing affairs. So, in short, I don’t do politics, I do people. But birds of a feather flock together and why do fools fall in love?

Remember when I said I have a few white friends? Well, over the last year, over at my favorite political blog “We Are Respectable Negroes” I had been noticing the comments of this one white guy, they were quite different than most political debaters. His had a ring of openness and honesty that I’ve seldom seen in most political discussions. It was obvious to me that the man had a wealth of wisdom, and an education. I asked myself, “who is this white guy that’s not afraid to call a spade a spade, and bigoted dumb white folks... bigoted, racist ass dumb white folks?” Now you know, and he must obviously know, that his penchant for holding up a mirror to some of our evil white brothers, could get a white man barred from the shores of America. But Fred is not alone.

Remember my paragraph that opened with “But Listen, I hate white people“? Well. actually, some of you may have noticed that those words belong to our own JuJuBe. Yep, Joanna, who just happens to be a white woman. DAMN, she was raining blows on white folks and her skin is like soft fallen snow. Wait, I don’t know if she’s soft but I know she’s white . She seems to have acquired the honesty and lack of fear to speak about the evil ways of some white folks. How does a white person find the courage to voice such an opinion?

Well, Joanna asked if I’d consider doing a quest post on “addictions”. See, about a year ago she dropped by my blog and witnessed some of my trials and tribulations; many of which concerned my drug habit and the consequences of such. I even sent her a copy of one of my speaking engagements. She apparently wanted to see if I was Memorex or just talking shit. Well, here I am, she has invited my in her house.

So now I have to bring this home by first mentioning a few words of my daughter. She has a saying: “ show me a 4-10 year old jerk - child, and I’ll show you an adult asshole”. Now, you know what, think about that for a few seconds. Take a little time to drift back in your memory. Think about those kids in you classroom who were sleep, jacking around and were just being a damn nuisance. They usually could be found in the back two rows of the classroom, talking about sh*t and doing shit other than the prescribed school activities. They certainly wasn’t trying to learn anything. Where are they now? Well, I’d bet my last ham hocks (I love ham hocks) that they’re still jerks, lost in space, or are in jail, an institution, or they’re dead.

But listen, I’ve come to believe an apple does not fall far from the tree, so the bulk of the blame does not fall at their feet. In walks the white racist, the bigot, and fools that fall in love with whomever and whatever. Now hold on tight, fasten your seat belts because I am about to make a quick left turn. I am going to drive by the house of a racist fool. He lives at the intersection of Ignorance Avenue and Pessimist Lane. We’ll be looking for a person that knows no sorrow. By definition he will be careless, callous, indifferent and never broken up or softened by conviction or sorrow for wrong doing. He hates knowledge and resist instruction. He and she will not be hard to spot because again, by definition of the word fool, they despise wisdom and are closed minded. The biggest fools are deficient in judgment, sense, or understanding. They are easily deceived or duped and willingly engages in buffoonery and trifling activity. Damn, I better turn this car around, I am wasting gas. There’s a racist fool on every corner.

Look, we may not be who we think we are, nor want to be, but wisdom is learned by going through a storm, not by listening to popular opinions or by living in the realm of a false self-image. I, by the definition of the word “addict”, and my actions, was a full blown addict. When I accepted that cold hard fact, it behooved me to take the responsibilities that would lead me out of my dark abyss. I had to admit to myself that I was a damn fool who wasn’t fooling anyone except myself. Now that was a hard pill to swallow. It wasn’t the shoes, it was me. It certainly wasn’t white folks, it was me. My lady, friends and family didn’t put drugs in my system, it was me, I was the gatekeeper. I was the biggest fool around, but what about a time called now? That’s my motto, “What About A Time Called Now?”. When in our life do we make a decision to really change? Is it when are backs are against a wall of no return? Is it when we become seriously ill with some disease that John Hopkins can't cure?

Why should we expect white folks to change? Their momma was a racist and their daddy was too, and they fell from that tree. Well, at the very least this country was based on racism and the oppression of people of color, and the beat goes on. The Tea Party, and all that flock, love flocking together. They’re obviously not looking for wisdom and they love engaging in buffoonery and trifling activity, so why should they consider changing? They’re not going to be denied the basic rights afforded all Americans because of the color of their skin. And please, talking about a dark pit of lost hopes and no return, what kind of special kind of white racist would raise their hands for that Black Bozo The Clown, Herman Cain?

Damn, drugs, white folks, fools and politics, there is a distinct connection. Some white folks exhibit the exact characteristics of a pimp or die, stomp down drug addict **whispering** “so do many black folks“. Just like drug addicts and alcoholics, they love what they do and they have no apparent reason to change. They would cut off the nose in spite of the face and sell their wife’s pomtang before they’d give a black man an even playing field. All their friends are doing “it” , so those birds are going to flock and sock puppet together. When they drink their hate and racist juice, it makes them feel powerful and in control, and to a large degree they are, so why should they change?

This is not an indictment of all white people. It’s an observation of the evil intrinsic nature of all humans. We all can be duped and led astray. Hey, as I said, I have a few white friends. But wait, I am trying to say I've earned and lived my discontent of some white folks. How could I, or should I, or any person of color put their full faith in white people? They hold most of the cards, and when they invite me to their game, it's generally a game of 3 Card Monte.

Damn it, I was suppose to write a post on addictions, and to some degree I have. However, I believe Joanna was referring to addictions related to drug and alcohol abuse and their treatments, but I got side tracked. Well, maybe not side-tracked but I did not know how much truth a person can handle in one day. See, Joanne has a link on her blog, “Drug Abuse Centers”. Well, I have to say this. Treatment centers are one of the biggest pimp games in town. They are a dismal failure. Hey, I am talking about something I know. As a patient, I found myself in one the most respected treatment centers in the world, Hazelton. And, I’ve worked in treatment centers. Oh yeah, and look, the average numbers of “treatments” before a person gets a whiff of a sustained recovery is 4.5 times, in and out those doors. It’s called “treatment”, not a cure. If one keeps going back for treatment, somebody keeps getting paid. Now hold up, the average cost is thirty to fifty thousand dollars! And guess who’s running those facilities, white folks. Oh yeah, there’s a whole lot of pimping going on and unfortunately they are the only game in town. But I didn’t have time to tell you all the maddening news. But maybe if I am invited back, we can get down to all the sickening details.

My Dillemma

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 14:23:00 +0000

I hate white people. Yup, I said it. I really hate them. They are ugly, stupid and obnoxious. And they are a bunch of narrow minded privileged bigots. I see white people as a scourge that needs to be eliminated from the world. Except, of course, for me.

Yeah, I am white. Unfortunately. Just call me the white, female version of Uncle Ruckus. Yeah, I see that smile on your face. You are sitting there thinking "damn this bitch is crazy", aren't you? Well, therein lies the problem.

Because you know what? Most of my opinions are really on point and need to be said. Only problem is, coming from my mouth they tend to lose legitimacy.

Realistically, who the hell is going to listen to me talk about the evils of white so called "civilization" with a straight face? I mean, I really do know what I am talking about. And if you read the message and do not actually see that I am the messenger, you would probably be nodding your head in agreement the majority of the time. But then you see my white face, and start thinking I am some nut job.

I have heard people say they have never met a single white person who would trade their privileged white existence to live life as a Black person. Not in a million years. Not for a million dollars. So maybe I am a first. Because truthfully, every day I wish that I were not white. In fact, for years I have always said that I am Italian when people ask me my race, because for some reason, I have always had this misguided notion that Italian is somehow "less white".

Now, a lot of people will read this and think I am just talking shit. That if it really came down to it, I would not want to change my race. But, I really sincerely wish I could. The main reason being this: I am probably the only white Black nationalist you will ever meet.

Yes, like the Black KKK member on the Dave Chapelle show, I am a person who has ideals that are the exact antithesis of my perceived identity. I believe wholeheartedly in 99% of the tenets of Black Nationalism. Hell, I even have a strong admiration for Kamau Kambon, the man who has called for the total elimination of white people. Only problem is, it is a little hard to be a Black Nationalist when you are not, in fact, Black. Because if the goals of Black Nationalism came to fruition, if a separate Black nation was formed within the boundaries of the US, or if all Black people were re-patriated back to Africa to form a new and better world, I would be left behind. And, if Dr. Kambon had his way, I would be dead.

The things I believe in and the people that I consider to be heroes do not believe that there are "exceptions" when it comes to white folks. Shit, if I was not in the skin I was in, I wouldn't believe it myself. I do not think I have ever met another white person who thinks the way I do.

I am opposed to integration being touted as the solution to racial problems in the world. I do not think that Black people need to associate with white folks to have a better life. I believe that Black people can and should build their own institutions that are superior to those that are created by whites. When I have children, I would never want them to identify as bi-racial, I want them to consider themselves Black. I would HATE if my child brought home a white boyfriend or girlfriend. Hell, I do not even want my kids being friends with little white kids. And, except in my own case, I am pretty much opposed to interracial dating.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, people can say I am a hypocrite because I date Black men, but say that interracial dating is wrong. I know people think that when I see an interracial couple by discomfort comes from jealousy or some such nonsense. But, truthfully, the thing is, I know white people. And I know what they say/do behind closed doors. And I know for a fact that almost every white person I have met, even those involved in interracial relationships, allow their racism to run rampant when they think no one is around to see.

I tell people all the time that I wish I was a Black woman. The things that I believe it would make so much more sense. I would not be a hypocrite, not practicing what I preach. I could be a Black Nationalist without being called "self loathing" or "confused." But, I guess I am stuck in the skin I am in, and always will be. And I will try to do the best I can to rise above the legacy of my skin color and really make a difference.

For those who support the Libyan "opposition"

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 15:45:00 +0000

For those who support the Libyan ‘opposition'

Friday, 03 June 2011 21:45

By Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey
MAYBE those who refuse to call the Libyan opposition terrorists and instead continue to accuse the forces of the Libyan government of attacking innocent civilians could answer some of the questions posed in this article.

If not, then maybe they could ask themselves why they are supporting Islamist terrorists.

Under which United Nations resolution did NATO get the right to murder civilians?

Why did NATO murder Colonel Gaddafi's son if their remit was to impose a no-fly zone to protect civilians?

Why did NATO murder three of Colonel Gaddafi's grandchildren? Why has there been no accountability for the murder of innocent children?

Why is nobody calling Cameron, Sarkozy or Obama cold-blooded child murderers?

Why is NATO trying to murder Colonel Gaddafi? Why have the leaders of this act of butchery changed their tune, starting off by declaring that "This is not about removing Gaddafi" (Cameron) to now describing him as a legitimate target?

Why is NATO targetting civilian structures, as it did in Iraq, with military hardware?

Why did the Libyan "revolution" start on the frontiers where revolutions had already occurred in Tunisia and Egypt and, in Misrata where NATO military personnel deployed through the port? Why are NATO personnel on the ground when NATO is not allowed to deploy troops? Why are Western mercenaries being deployed inside Libya?

Why is NATO taking sides in a civil war? Does NATO not know that it is illegal to get involved in an internal conflict?

Does NATO know that the UN cannot under any circumstances permit the use of force against a sovereign nation unless it is attacking its neighbours? Why has NATO accused the Libyan government of using cluster bombs against its own population?

Why are 90 percent of the Libyan tribes on the side of Colonel Gaddafi? Why are the Benghazi-based terrorists called "The Rats" by the population of Libya? Why are they for the most part anonymous?

Why did they ask NATO to bomb the building where the records of their corruption were kept?

What is the role of Abdel-Hakim al-Hasidi inside the rebellion? Does NATO know he has links to Al Qaeda?

Does NATO know he was arrested for fighting alongside Al Qaeda against the American and British forces in Afghanistan?

Does NATO know that he recruited terrorists to be suicide bombers in Iraq? Does NATO know where most of the suicide bombers in Iraq came from?
Answer: Benghazi.

Why are French lawyers preparing to launch a case against Sarkozy for crimes against humanity?

Who was the first international leader to issue an arrest warrant for Osama bin laden and Al Qaeda?
Answer: Muammar al-Gaddafi.

Who was the African leader who financed African satellites so that Africans would not be saddled with a payment of 500 million USD a year, every year, to use Western satellites?
Answer: Muammar al-Gaddafi.

Who was the African leader behind the African Union so that Africa could find the solutions to its problems?
Answer: Muammar al-Gaddafi.

Who was the African leader who launched an ambitious telemedicine programme benefitting all Africans?
Answer: Muammar al-Gaddafi.

Who was the African leader who implemented a continent-wide e-learning programme?
Answer: Muammar al-Gaddafi.

Who inherited the poorest nation in the world and turned it into the richest in Africa?
Answer: Muammar al-Gaddafi.

Who has educated, fed and housed his people?

Have Cameron, Sarkozy or Obama or any of those who support the Islamist terrorists calling themselves the "rebels" implemented a free housing programme? Why not?

If they are superior to Colonel Gaddafi, answer the question.

Why do Libyans have housing for free and your citizens do not?

Why has NATO said nothing of the tremendous social programmes Colonel Gaddafi has implemented? Why has NATO said nothing of Colonel Gaddafi's education programme inside Libya?

Why has NATO said nothing of Gaddafi's financing of pro-African progressive groups?
Ditto cultural groups?

Why all the lies about Gaddafi attacking civilians? Why did the Russian satellites reveal that at the time of the NATO lies about Gaddafi bombing his people, not a single flight was registered?

Why, when SKY news took Saif al-Islam al-Gaddafi to visit a bombed residence did such a residence not exist?

Why doesn't NATO tell the truth, that an armed insurrection was aided and abetted from abroad; that armed terrorists were sent to create havoc in Libya and that the Government forces first tried to negotiate and only then took up arms against them and fought not civilians, but terrorists?

Why has NATO not taken up any of the many offers of ceasefire presented by the Libyan government?

This war is illegal. NATO is guilty of war crimes. NATO should disengage now and allow the people of Libya to sort it out for themselves. NATO should be barred from the reconstruction process.

NATO should be barred from Africa. The African continent should reconsider its position with those who are raping a son of Africa and sign contracts with the progressive members of the international community.

This entire debacle is about destroying the African Union and implementing Africom - the take-over of Africa and its resources by the USA, and finding new markets for its lobbies. Those who support the rebels against Colonel Gaddafi have fallen for the trap hook, line and sinker.

Time to launch a diplomatic offensive involving the African Union.

NATO out. Libyan solutions for Libyan questions. - Pravda.Ru

Can Blacks Elect Two US Senators from Vermont? by Francis L. Holland

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 21:55:00 +0000

I came across Francis L Holland pretty close to the time when I first started blogging. I have had many conversations with him online, and previously featured a guest post from him. He is an original thinker, and has a vast amount of knowledge about a great many topics. I came across a comment he posted on another blog, which he adapted into the form of a post for his blog. I asked him if I could use his article on my site, and he graciously gave me permission

Francis has a brilliant proposal that outlines how Black people can gain political power and elect two US Senators by moving en masse to Vermont. His original article was posted HERE, and he has a FOLLOW UP ARTICLE addressing what others have seen as barriers to his plan. Please pay him a visit!

Can Blacks Elect Two US Senators from Vermont?

There's something missing fromthis article entitled, ". . .Alabama Set to be US Whitest State, over at Rippa's blog. What's missing is proof that Alabama is "about to become the nation's whitest state." "US Census Quick Facts says that whites are 68.5 percent of Alabama, while Blacks are 26.2% and Latinos are 3.9%.

I know the article title, "Alabama Set to Be Whitest State," is intended as an exaggerating criticism of the State of Alabama, but the assertion risks misleading and misinforming people, like foreigners, children and people who don't use US Census Quick Facts.

The question of which state has more Black people is vitally important because it figures into the question of what state we should move to in order to become a majority and gain two Senators in the US Congress (instead of ZERO now), as well as gaining House seats, a governorship and many other elected officials in the one Black state in the United States of America.

For example, if six hundred thousand voting age Black people moved to Vermont, Blacks would become the voting majority in Vermont and we would politically take over a state and its political apparatus and representation in Washington, with two Black US Senators from Vermont.

Does this sound like a crazy idea? If anyone can come up with a more reliable way of having two Black US Senators instead of none, then I am all ears.

Quick Facts says there are approximately three million Black people in the state of New York. On average 75% of the state of New York is of voting age, which would mean that there are about somewhere around 2,250,000 Blacks of voting age in the State of New York.

If about one third of the voting-age Blacks in the state of New York moved across the border to the contiguous state of Vermont, then Vermont would become a majority Blacks state and send two and send two Black US Senators and a couple (?) of House member to Washington, as well as elect a Black Governor.

If anyone asks you why there are no Blacks in the US Senate, tell them the real reason: Blacks in New York have not realized how important it is that one in four of their voting age population move across the border into Vermont.

Now, readers will demand to know how Blacks could find jobs and housing in Vermont. I Black seniors with Social Security Insurance (SSI) moved, then would have to work in Vermont at all to support themselves, just as they do not work in New York at all to support themselves today. Their income comes from an entirely mobile sources and changing their state of residence would have no effect on their income.

Likewise, Blacks who receive Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) and private pension could move to Vermont with no need to work and only positive effects on their cash flow. Real estate, bought or rented, is less expensive in Vermont, and so Blacks would see their incomes stretch further by moving to Vermont than by staying in New York.

Based on past patterns, it is reasonable to assume that some Vermonters, who have never seen Black people up close, would be spooked into selling their homes to escape neighborhoods that became increasingly Black. This would actually help Blacks because the increased available housing on the market for purchase would drive down housing prices and enable Blacks to purchase housing in Vermont for a fraction of what the same house would cost in New York State. By moving out, whites would make it less expensive for Blacks to move in.

So, be careful how you characterize demographic information. The only reason we won't have two Black US Senators is that Black in New York state have not studied the census numbers in New York and Vermont, and so they haven't realized the national impact they could have by moving across the border into Vermont.

White people don't seem to care that we have no representation in the US Senate. But, when we start moving to take over a state and turn its politics brown, they will take a strong new interest in our franchise behavior.

Our perfectly legal but revolutionary voting strategy would drive SOME white people completely out of their minds. That alone is a good reason for doing what the Census numbers recommend: Make Vermont the only majority Black state in the entire country and win the electoral benefits that come along with that demographic change.

Johannes Mehserle to be Released Monday!

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 00:36:00 +0000

A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge has ordered that former BART Police Officer Johannes Mehserle, convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the shooting of Oscar Grant New Year’s Day 2009, be released Monday, after serving just over 11 months of his two-year sentence.

“As of June 13, 2011, the defendant’s mandated custody credits will be equal to or exceed the sentence imposed,” Judge Robert Perry wrote in his order, posted to the court’s website Friday. “It is hereby ordered that defendant Johannes Mehserle be released from custody on Monday, June 13, 2011.” SOURCE

WTF kind of justice is this?? This animal MURDERED Oscar Grant in cold blood, and he is being released in three damn days!

I hope someone delivers the kind of "justice" that Johannes Mehserle REALLY deserves!

A bully with a badge... just like all of those motherfuckers that are supposed to be "protecting" the people!

I wonder how long it will be before Mehserle is up to his old tricks terrorizing Black and Brown citizens?

I cannot even begin to express how much hatred I have in my heart for this beast!

Fuck you, Johannes Mehserle. Hope you end up in a hole sooner than later!

Jackson, Mississippi Alternative School Handcuffs Kids as "Discipline"

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 23:16:00 +0000

Schools are supposed to be about educating kids, right? They are supposed to be safe places for students to learn and grow. It is bad enough when students have to fear going to school because other students have disciplinary issues that the administration is incompetent to address, but now, schools are moving towards policies similar to prisons.

Yesterday, the Southern Poverty Law Center filed a federal class action lawsuit against Jackson Public School District in Mississippi for allowing an alternative school to shackle and handcuff students for hours on end as punishment for the most minor infractions, like speaking too loudly or not wearing a belt.

At Capital City Alternative School, administration would actually shackle students to railings and poles, then walk away and leave them tied up and unsupervised like dogs. One student, shackled to a railing for the entire school day for not wearing a belt, had no choice but to eat his lunch handcuffed. Other examples of the school’s bondage punishment policy include a 15-year-old girl handcuffed to a railing for hours after greeting a friend too loudly in the hallway and a student who was shackled up for not wearing the right colored shoes.

The SPLC filed the lawsuit after the school district refused to respond to a letter asking that the school’s strict punishment policy be stopped. SOURCE

OK, now discipline is one things, but handcuffing kids for hours at a time for the most minor infractions? That is criminal, in my opinion.

Of course, if you go to the website of Capital City Alternative School, they pose a really pretty picture of their institution. One of their stated goals is to " create a climate where students feel safe in the educational environment" I do not know about anyone else, but frankly, I would feel far from "safe" if I knew that I could be shackled for hours as a form of "discipline".

The ACLU alleges that this extremely punitive environment is designed purposely to push the most challenging students out of the school. Now, if these children are already in an alternative school, they obviously do not have any options to complete their education elsewhere. So, what choice are they left with??

An alternative school should be designed with the end goal of teaching children the skills they need to adapt to the regular school environment AND to every day life. This school seems to be teaching children how to be prisoners. And, since the school wants to push out the children who have the most challenges to face, they are feeding the school to prison pipeline.

Is this effective education? If the administrators of Capital City Alternative School are not up to the task of educating the most challenging pupils, then they need to just get out of the game, and leave room for new people who actually give a damn what happens to the kids!

Scientists Claim they can predict cholera, but does that really matter??

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:29:00 +0000

I came across this little tidbit yesterday on my news feed sections that is dedicated to African news. It definitely set off some bells and whistles in my head.

Johannesburg — A new study into the linkages between rain, temperature and cholera shows scientists may be able to predict epidemics in time to save people from the life-threatening disease.

After analysing several years of disease and weather data from cholera-endemic areas of Zanzibar, Tanzania, scientists from the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) in Seoul, Korea, found that if a more than one degree Celsius increase in the average monthly minimum temperature and a 200mm increase in monthly rainfall were recorded in a month, a cholera outbreak was imminent in the following month.

"A mere one degree Celsius increase in the average monthly minimum temperatures was a warning sign that cholera cases were likely to double within four months," said Mohammad Ali, a senior scientist at IVI, and one of the authors of the study published in the June 2011 issue of the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Rita Reyburn, a research associate at IVI and the study's lead author, said in a statement: "Our work validates the notion that rainfall and temperature increases are often precursors to cholera outbreaks in vulnerable areas."

Climate experts have predicted that hotter and wetter climate in many cholera-endemic areas could see higher caseloads.

"We are getting very close to developing a reliable forecasting system that would monitor temperatures and rainfall patterns to trigger pre-emptive measures - like mobilizing public health teams or emergency vaccination efforts - to prepare for an outbreak before it arrives," she added. SOURCE

My first thought was that these scientists were motivated more by the money that can be made by the vaccine industry than by any attempt to save lives. Vaccines are big business, and it is not too far fetched to believe that when the supposed predictive factors listed by scientists are present, a man made cholera epidemic could arise in order to sell more vaccinations to vulnerable populations. In other words, I can very easily believe that when the rainfall and temperature increases, outside forces could introduce cholera into a community and make the claim that the climate changes were the determining factor that caused the outbreak.

The article predictably went on to push vaccines as the solution to the problem posed by cholera in African and Asian communities.

The mounting evidence of links between higher temperatures and cholera incidence should add a sense of urgency to efforts to make cheap cholera vaccines available to poor communities in cholera-endemic countries, he said.

Hotez pointed out that there are only two oral vaccines available in the world: Dukoral manufactured in Sweden, which costs US$60-80 (for the required two doses) and the much cheaper and very new alternative Shanchol or mORCVAX, manufactured in India, which costs around $2

An injectable vaccine is manufactured in some countries, but is not recommended by WHO because of its limited efficacy.

Shanchol was developed in collaboration with IVI, with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation by modifying a vaccine used in Vietnam, said Ali. After trials in Vietnam and India, the vaccine was approved in India in 2009. "We are awaiting approval from WHO to allow its purchase by UN agencies and internationally."

Hotez said the world needed to enhance production of the vaccines to maintain a global stockpile as cholera cases mount. SOURCE

I think one of the most important factors that is largely glossed over in this story is the role of poverty and systemic inequalities that make cholera more prevalent in certain communities. After all, vaccinating people against a disease is far easier than addressing such issues as access to clean drinking water and better sanitation systems.

The real problem here is NOT higher temperature or more inches of rainfall. The solution is NOT vaccinating a population against cholera. The REAL solution is to enhance access to clean water. Why is there this willingness to invest money in producing vaccines rather than in improving sanitation to poor communities in Asia and Africa, where cholera is most common??

See, vaccines can be used for years and years to come. And they make money, so the people who provide the seed money to research vaccines can get a return on their investment for a long time. Improving conditions in poor communities does more for the people of those community, but little for the investor. After all, the bottom line is the almighty dollar, right?

Solving the problem of cholera with vaccines is treating the symptom rather than the disease. The disease is poverty. Treating cholera by pushing vaccines without addressing the problem of gross social inequality is like using a band-aid to treat a stab wound. It may stem the blood flow for a few minutes, but eventually the patient is going to die.

No Evidence of Racism??

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Mon, 16 May 2011 10:49:00 +0000

A few days ago, police in Manchester, CT, announced that the investigation into the killings at Hartford Distributors had been completed. And, the not at all surprising conclusion that the investigators reached was that Omar Thornton was NOT the victim of racist bullying in the workplace.

The police claim that no evidence was found of the racism that Omar Thornton complained of on the job. They did not find the pictures that Omar Thornton took with his cell phone of racist graffiti in the rest room of Hartford Distributors. Therefore, it obviously never existed right?

Oh, yeah, except for this:

Montminy said the closest the investigation came to finding any items related to Thornton’s claims of racism was a picture of President Barack Obama hanging from a noose drawn on a bathroom wall “many months” before the incident. Montminy said he did not know if Thornton had actually seen the drawing, but he had relayed to others that he was aware of it.

“Whether you consider that racial implications, political implications, or both, that was reported to have been there at one point in time,” Montminy said. “What we know is that when it was reported to administration, the administration had it removed.” SOURCE

So, there was no evidence of the racist graffiti that Thornton complained of, except for the reports from coworkers of racist graffiti? Um, am I missing something here??

Did a racist depiction of Barack Obama in the bathroom somehow NOT contribute to a hostile racist environment simply because Barack Obama was a public figure? Omar Thornton complained of a drawing depicting a Black man being lynched. Barack Obama is a Black man. A noose usually indicates a lynching. The company admits that there was a portrayal of Barack Obama hanging from a noose in the bathroom. So, doesn't that PROVE that Omar Thornton was telling the truth about the racist graffiti?

But, wait, it doesn't count as racism, right? Because Barack Obama with a noose is not about his RACE, it is about his POLICIES, right?? Um, sure, OK.....

Omar Thornton complained of a hostile environment at work. I would say that a picture of the first Black president being lynched is about as hostile as things can get. Yet, the conclusion was that there was no evidence of racism?? Seriously?

What would it have taken for people to take the claims made my Omar Thornton seriously? A racist depiction of the president is obviously not enough for some people. Not a racist work environment? Seriously?

Amazingly, the conclusion was that the work environment at Hartford Distributors was NOT a racially hostile environment, yet I have heard of numerous cases where there have been charges of sexual harassment on the job based on a picture of a woman in a bikini. Saying that Barack Obama with a noose is not proof of a racist environment would be like saying that a depiction of Hilary Clinton being raped does not prove a sexist environment. Yet, claims of sexism have been substantiated with far less evidence!

I guess people believe that proving that Omar Thornton was a victim of racism on the job would require that he have three voice recordings, a video tape and a written affidavit from a co-worker saying that he had been directly threatened with racial violence. Or maybe even that would not have been enough!

Are there "degrees" of racism??

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Wed, 11 May 2011 15:48:00 +0000

Late last night, I got into an online debate about whether or not their are “degrees” of racism. I am of the opinion that yes, there are differences in the severity of racism between individuals. The person I was debating said that no, you are either racist or you are not. But, I feel like it is more complicated than that, depending on what definition of racism you use. He said there is only one definition of racism, and that all racism is equal. I tried to explain what I meant, but I think my efforts kind of fell short. So, I was thinking about this all night, and decided to write about it a bit more.

Now, while the CORRECT definition of racism is “prejudice + power” there are MANY OTHER definitions of racism that people subscribe to. Some believe that racism requires hatred, or a sense that one race is superior to another. Others believe that racism only comes with action, that prejudicial thoughts do not rise to the level of racism unless they are put into motion. Still others feel that racism is simply a thought pattern that impacts behavior consciously and unconsciously.Many people (particularly white people) want to believe that racism is rare, that all people have certain prejudices, but that most do not allow them to elevate to the level of hatred that they believe is required for racism. There are others who believe that every white person is racist, because we all possess some degree of biased thinking. If racism = prejudice + power and ALL people have certain prejudices, then all white people must be racist, right? Because white privilege endows all white people with a certain degree of power.

OK, so if we accept as true the idea that all white people have some degree of racist thinking, whether conscious or unconscious, then it begs the question: is all racism equal? Is the white person who was programmed since childhood to think in prejudicial terms, but who makes a conscious effort to counter that programming a racist to the same degree as a person who embraces their racist thinking and espouses an ideology based on the premise that their racist assumptions and programming are a good thing?

In other words, am I a racist to the same degree that David Duke is a racist?

Now, understand, I am not talking about a KKK member who burns crosses on the lawns of his Black neighbors versus a landlady who denies the rental application of a young Black couple based on their race. Those, to me, though varying in degree of violence, do not vary in terms of racism. Both are blatant and obvious racist acts. But, is the person who makes a sincere effort to attack their own racist assumptions and who calls out others on their racism a racist to the same degree?

If I say something racist, and am confronted by an individual about my racism, I make sure that I understand what it was that I said/did wrong, and I do the work I need to do in order to change that racist pattern of thinking. Some people, when confronted in the same manner, become angry, and lash out at the person who confronted them. They decide that they will continue to make the same racist assumptions and that they will act upon them despite the consequences to the people around them. So, am I still just as racist as the people who are dedicated to holding on to their biases? I like to think not, but maybe I am just trying to assuage my own guilt.

Obviously, I do not have the answer to this issue. Racism is racism, no matter what. But, is all racism equal?

I present this question as an effort to dialogue about this issue. Obviously, as a white person, my experience of racism is very different than that of a POC. So, maybe those of us who believe that we are “not like those other white people” because we make a conscious effort to rid ourselves of racist ideology are fooling ourselves. Maybe I am not different than the Birthers, or the KKK, or the “white saviors” we see in the movies.

What do YOU think of this issue? Is all racism the same? Is it possible to be “less racist” than another individual? Can a person be “cured” or “recovered” from racism?

Airline to Imams: No Muslims Allowed!

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Tue, 10 May 2011 00:52:00 +0000

How is this for irony? Two imams were headed to a conference addressing Islamophobia and prejudice in America, and instead of flying to their destination in peace, they were confronted with the theme of the conference head on.

Transportation Security Administration agents escorted two Muslim imams from a plane heading from Memphis, Tenn. to Charlotte, N.C. on Friday.

The men were on the Atlantic Southeast Airlines plane heading to a conference of the North American Imams Federation. The theme of the conference was prejudice and Islamophobia. Atlanta Southeast Airlines runs connection flights for Delta Airlines.

The Memphis-based imams, Masudur Rahman and Mohamed Zaghloul, were both dresses in traditional Muslim garb when the plane was told to return to the gate after taxiing to the runway.

Rahman and Zaghloul were put through secondary security screenings and not allowed back on the plane. Rahman told reporters that a Delta representative looked embarrassed after speaking with the pilot.

The men said they were treated kindly by TSA agents, but they still don’t know why they weren’t allowed to fly on the plane.

Rahman and Zaghloul eventually made it to the conference.

Their attorney said his clients have not yet decided to take legal action, but he wants the pilot to be held responsible for the incident. SOURCE

Could you imagine? I guess the fact that other passengers were "uncomfortable" sharing a plane with men dressed in traditional Muslim clothing was more important than the rights of those men to freely travel about the country.

Next thing you know, the US will be passing laws outlawing traditional Muslim garb, like Belgium and France have already implemented. Because apparently Muslim clothing, in the minds of many Americans, is like a "terrorist" uniform. And, instead of government officials and corporate representatives like the TSA agents and airline pilot involved in this case attacking the biased thinking of these fools, they capitulate to the demands of the bigots.

Imagine if , after Timothy McVeigh, a so called "Christian" bombed the state building in Oklahoma, people wearing crosses were profiled on the streets, pulled over and confronted, treated as "extremists" and "terrorists". The whole world would be up in arms. Imagine if priests were not allowed to wear their collar while flying in a plane with children, for fear that they would molest the kids. How fast would there be laws passed banning this sort of treatment? Quick, fast and in a hurry. But no, these men were not Christian and not white, so they are considered fair game.

I am at a crossroads!

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Mon, 09 May 2011 14:55:00 +0000

Well,I have been blogging for a year now, and to be totally honest, I am losing steam. I feel like I have been covering stories that are totally inconsequential simply to put something up on the site every day. And I really do not know if that is what I want to do with this blog. I find I have been sitting here the past few weeks and dreading having to write a blog post each day. So, I have largely let my blog fall by the wayside, using the excuse that I am too busy with my move.

So, right now, I think I am going to take some time off and focus on other things. I really need to decide what direction I want this blog to take, and figure out what my goals are. To be honest, I have not been reaching as many people as I would like, and the numbers have been pretty static over the past few months.

I am not sure what I am going to do from here on forward. I may just work on making posts for the other blogs I write for, The Intersection|Madness & Reality and Womanist Musings. I may start blogging again in a few weeks or even a few days if I get my mojo back. Or, I may just give up this blogging thing since it has gone from being a labor of love to just labor. I am kind of burned out right now.

I really hope I am able to regain my momentum and get the energy to begin blogging again, but if I do, I will really have to re-examine the direction I am traveling in.

Hopefully, I will be back. Keep checking back here on occasion to see my decision in action.

I am so sick of the "Save the Middle Class" Hype!

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Fri, 06 May 2011 14:49:00 +0000

I went to a so called "labor rally" last Sunday in my new city. Ostensibly, it was supposed to address the plight of the "working man" in Connecticut, and to push legislators to put forth policies that were for the benefit of all residents. Instead, I found the event was like a pep rally, and the ONLY people who were considered important to the crowd and the speakers were the "middle class". Of course, we all know that "middle class" is code word for "privileged white folks who feel like they deserve the best in life while they shit on the poor." Sorry, but I simply cannot get excited when people are running around crying about the "plight of the middle class".

New flash folks: you are not "struggling to make ends meet" just because you can only afford a Hyundai instead of a Mercedes! There are real, actual POOR people out here, and frankly, your having to "downsize" your "middle class" lifestyle means you are most likely STILL in a better situation than they are!

From when I first arrived at the event, I knew that it was not at all about poor conditions for laborers in the state of Connecticut. One glance at the overwhelmingly white "middle class" crowd told me this rally was not going to be about anything of importance. The country music blasting from the speakers just cemented the idea that this event was not about "the people" in general, but only about the "white so called middle class people who want to cry poverty" people.

Speaker after speaker got up on stage for about 30 seconds of talk time to discuss "the American dream", and how "the middle class is in trouble", and of course about how the USA is "greatest country on Earth" There was nothing said about the poor, it was obvious that only the "middle class" counted. There was also speaker after speaker blaming the problems that the "middle class" is facing on the Republicans, as if Democrats are the saving grace of the nation. As if ANY politician has the best interests of the general population in mind!

And, oh yeah, there were even some speakers who stood up and blamed the problems in the economy on immigration. They actually had the nerve to get up on the podium and claim that "closing the borders" was a solution to all that ails the nation.

Oh, and of course there was speaker after speaker talking about the "good old days" and bringing Hartford back to "the way it used to be". Of course, we all know that is code for "back when the city was whiter". Uugh, what a cluster fuck!

The only good thing that came out of the rally was that I got a copy of a newspaper called "The Militant", which is a socialist weekly news paper, and which has pretty interesting content!

I am in my new home!

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Wed, 04 May 2011 12:12:00 +0000

Well, folks, I am sitting in my beautiful new apartment, trying to make the most out of my move to this new city. My introduction to Hartford was a bit inauspicious, in that someone broke into my apartment and stole my new laptop, but I am not sweating it. I have my old computer up and running, my landlord has spoken to all of the tenants about not letting in anyone who does not live in the building, no matter how charming they seem, and I am confident it will not happen again. From what I can tell, it was a woman who was a tenant here a few years ago, but I keep trying to contact the officer who took my report (I know, I hate cops, but damn, this chick stole was IN MY APARTMENT!) to give him her name and he is not returning any of my calls. Oh well.

Anyway, I attended a labor rally my second day here, and spent HOURS unpacking and setting things up. I still have about 12 plastic bins full of cookbooks and magazines, but I need a friend to help me assemble the bookshelves I bought. I already have three bookcases filled with fiction and nonfiction books. I also need some help hanging the blinds and some art for the walls. I am not in a rush though!

My new apartment is about twice the size as my old one, and the rent is significantly less. My entire living room and kitchen from the old apartment could fit into the living room of this place, with room to spare! Plus, there is an eat in kitchen, and a gigantic pantry! And,there is lots of light coming in which means cheaper electric bills!

I already met two of my neighbors from in the building, and they seem very friendly. I think next time I cook a large meal, I am going to bring them plates. They are both older, one is a woman in her 60s who lives with her brother, and the other is a gentleman who is probably in his 60s as well.

I am supposed to be going to the circus tonight, but I think I am just going to skip it, and take the ticket price as a loss. I have been doing so much work around here, and I am not used to exercise, so walking to the civic center is more than I can handle tonight. It is close to a mile away, and it is supposed to be pouring rain today!

Anyway, I should be getting back into the blogging life tomorrow or Friday at the latest, I just wanted to keep everyone updated as to what is happening with the move.

Happy Blogoversary to me!

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Sun, 01 May 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Well, it has been a year now since I embarked upon this blogging adventure. When I started, I really did not take it at all seriously, I just had a lot of opinions I wanted to express and my friends were sick and tired of hearing me talk.

My ex advised me to put my thoughts in blog form for the world to see (mainly because he did not want to be bothered listening, but isn't that how exes are, anyway?). So, I have him to thank, along with another friend who is responsible for helping me explore my ideals in more depth and flesh them out into a more concrete philosophy.

I am actually not even able to blog at the moment because I am in the process of moving to another state and I do not have an internet connection set up yet, so I am writing this post on Thursday, April 28 instead.

I feel like I have come so far over this past year, yet I still have a long way to go. I would really love to get more traffic to my blog, because I really feel that the message is vital, and would like to spread it to as many people as possible. I would also like to get into some sort of rhythm, maybe have a specific day of the week or month set aside for a certain topic or form of blog post. I would also love to find some guest bloggers to feature in the near future.

It has been a real interesting experience creating my blog... from the first day when I was totally clueless and did not even know what a blog roll was to today. I wasn't thinking long term when I originally created my blog in the form of My Name Is JuJuBe on blogger. (Thanks to RiPPa for providing the inspiration for the Depraved Mindset name, and for giving me an additional arena in which I can express my views!)

Anyway, while I am not around right now, I will be back shortly, and I just wanted to post a little reflection on the past year! Thank you all for reading, and I hope you will continue, and tell your friends! I love you all!

Weekly Cartoon Roundup

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Oklahoma Lawmaker Claims Black People just don't work hard enough!

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:04:00 +0000

OK, right now I am sitting in a gourmet Italian deli, and the royal wedding is playing on the television. The deli is owned by a Black man. This is the third business that he has bought and nurtured into a successful local hot spot. He has been working in the food business since he was in middle school, and works long days to make his business a success. And on the television are two privileged young white folks who have had everything handed to them on a silver platter, and who never have to worry about working to earn the money needed to keep them afloat. To me, it seems kind of ironic considering the recent racist remarks by Representative Sally Kern of Oklahoma:

Outspoken Oklahoma Representative Sally Kern has caused outrage by making both racist and sexist remarks during a state House debate on Wednesday night.

The House met to discuss a proposed constitutional amendment to eliminate affirmative action from state government.

During the debate, Republican Kern said minorities earn less money than white people because they are not willing to work as hard.....

Speaking about black people she said: 'Is this just because they are black that they are in prison, or could it be because they didn't want to work hard in school.

'I taught school for 20 years and I saw a lot of people of colour that didn't want to work as hard. They wanted it given to them.

'Matter of fact, I had one student who said to me I don't need to study. You want to know why? The government's going to take care of me. That's kind of revealing there.' SOURCE

Kern also said that women do not work as hard as men, because they want to spend more time with their families and to have more leisure time. Of course, a day later, Kern apologized, obviously in an effort to save face (and her job) :

She said: 'I want to humbly apologize for my statements last night about African Americans and women. I believe that our government should not provide preference based on race or gender.

'I misspoke while trying to convey this point last night during debate. Women are some of the hardest workers in the world. My husband is a pastor of a diverse inner-city church and the way that my words came out last night is certainly not my true spirit.'

By now this should be pretty familiar to everyone. A law maker makes some outrageous racist statement, showing their true colors, the quickly tries to put out the firestorm they created with their bigoted remarks. Ironically, though, this time Kern possibly provided the best evidence possible in favor of affirmative action. I mean, really, what better than a blatantly racist statement to prove that hatred is alive and well, and that affirmative action is needed now more than ever??

The Oklahoma Democratic Party took the opportunity to retaliate and use her comment against Republicans as a whole by saying: ''Rep Sally Kern's comments on the House Floor this evening in regards to SJR15 shows that discrimination is far from dead and affirmative action is still necessary in our great state.

'It saddens and angers me that the women and minorities of Oklahoma are represented by such bigotry and outright ignorance.

'This rhetoric will drive new businesses and new jobs from our state. All no votes on this bill will stand on the right side of history.'

Unfortunately, while Kern actually came out and stated her feeling regarding Black people, apparently many other Oklahoma legislators silently agree with her sentiments. The proposed ban on affirmative action passed in the house 59 - 14, and has already been approved by the Senate.

Of course, while Oklahoma lawmakers are passing laws against affirmative action, they are totally neglecting the fact that most of them have benefited throughout their lives from being part of the group that receives the most widespread race and gender based preferences: white males.

Representative Kern needs to look at her own statement. While she is complaining about a single Black student saying that he didn't need to study because the government would take care of him, how many white students run around every day firm in the belief that they do not have to work hard or study because they have "the right connections" needed for success and that "Mommy and Daddy will take care of me"?

Buffalo Nightclub shuts down rather than have a crowd that is "too Black"

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 18:01:00 +0000

New Chippewa bar accused of racism: wivb.com

A Buffalo bar is coming under fire for racism. Rather than allow the crowd at their establishment be majority Black, the manager of the 4Play nightclub shut down the club and ordered all of the patrons out.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - There are claims of racism against a Chippewa hot spot. Patrons at the 4Play Nightclub on Chippewa Street were outraged when they were all ordered to leave at 11 p.m. Saturday night.

A patron said, "They say there's not enough white people, so they're shutting us down."

In a video shot by a professional photographer hired by event promoters, people said they heard the club's management and some security staffers saying there were too many blacks in the establishment.

"They kicked us out specifically because there's not enough white people," said one patron.

Another patron said, "Too many black people in the club, talking about they didn't want our money."

Giovanni Centurione said, "They were outside on the patio and they basically said there was way too many black people in here, and my business partner Chris and I had heard them say that and looked at each other and said, "Did you really just say that?""

Rinaldo Moss said, "And everyone was kicked out and no sooner than when we were kicked out, they re-opened the bar about 20 minutes later, and let more people in." SOURCE

About 100 people had just arrived at the club from a fashion show that had been held nearby. The after party, with an open bar, had been planned in advance. The promoters of the event say that the club manager approached them and told them that if their was not a 50/50 balance between Black and white patrons, the club would shut down. And, at around 11pm, the music stopped, and all of the party goers were ordered out.

Promoters who had been working with the fashion show said managers at the 4Play Nightclub gave them an ultimatum to meet a ratio of blacks to whites.

Party promoter Devaughn Jones said, "If the ratio is not 50/50 by the time 11 o'clock hits, the party will be over. I will cut on the lights, turn off the music, and that will be that. That's what they did." SOURCE

Now, we all know the deal. Clubs in every city in the country have this unwritten policy regarding keeping Black people out of their establishments. Usually they will use excuses like dress code violations to discriminate against Black patrons. Apparently, the managers of THIS club are a bit more brazen and let their blatantly racist intentions known in no uncertain terms.

And, apparently, this is not the first time Black people have had problems with this specific establishment. It seems to be a pattern with this club, and many patrons have come out to file official discrimination complaints.

The City's Citizens' Rights Executive Director says others have now come forward reporting similar incidents.

Exec. Director Crystal Rodriguez-Lane said, "We have been contacted by other groups of people who have had similar experiences with staff and management at the 4Play Nightclub."

All the allegations will be investigated, and Mayor Byron Brown says they will be forwarded to the State Division of Human Rights.

"The Division of Human Rights has enforcement powers and a variety of things that it can do in investigating this complaint," said Mayor Brown. SOURCE

A petition has been started and there are plans in the works to boycott this establishment. I, for one, cannot imagine anyone wanted to spend money in a club that has such obvious racist policies. Unfortunately, I am sure that their are many white citizens of Buffalo who will find the club appealing simply because of their policy to turn Black patrons away. It is a damn shame, but it is simply the truth.

Is it a hate crime or a simple assault? (McDonald's Assault video)

noreply@blogger.com (Joanna) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:17:00 +0000

A few days ago, a video went viral on the internet. It was recorded at a McDonald’s restaurant in Baltimore, and showed two young Black women assaulting a white woman while employees stood around watching. There was no context provided as to what, if anything, provoked the assault, but it was a brutal beating that resulted in the white woman on the floor having a seizure. It was very violent, but rather typical of the sort of video that has been so popular since the advent of the youtube craze.

As expected, immediately, white people jumped in to decry this as a hate crime, because of the different races involved. Predictably, there were racial epithets thrown around, and the attackers were derided as “typical” examples of their race. Even though there was no mention of the race of the victim during the attack, and, in my opinion, the attack seemed to have some impetus behind it that had nothing to do with race at all, immediately, the cries about how “white people are victims of hate crimes more than anyone else” began.

Shortly after the video surfaced, it was discovered that the victim was transgendered. So, the focus went from this being a Black on white hate crime to it being a transphobic hate crime. Now, considering that fact that the girls in the video never mentioned gender as an issue, and did not seem to use any transphobic speech during the attack, I still have doubts about whether this was, in fact, a hate crime. During the video, the only comments I heard that indicated that anyone was aware that the victim was transgendered came from an observer that seemed out of earshot of the perpetrators.

So, I am really confused here. The victim was interviewed, and on camera, she never indicated that the attackers knew that she was transgendered. As I suspected, the attack was based on the perception that she was flirting with the boyfriend of one of the teen perpetrators. So, while I think that this was a horrible attack, and I think that it was awful that so many people stood around and watched instead of helping the victim out, I still have to wonder how this becomes a hate crime.

The initial reports indicated that the woman was assaulted because she was using the women’s bathroom and the attackers were angry because they thought she did not belong in there as a transgendered individual. But, the victim herself seems to indicate otherwise. It seems like the attack was actually provoked by jealousy, and seems unrelated to her identity as a transgendered woman.

Now, I have to wonder if everyone is so quick to judge this as a transphobic hate crime because they two perpetrators are young Black women, and Black people are seen as uniquely biased when it comes to gender identity issues. I also wonder how many white people would be quick to dismiss charges of transphobia if they watched the same exact video except with white attackers and a Black transgendered victim.

Maybe I am missing something in the video. I will be the first to admit, I really know next to nothing about the issues surrounding transgendered men and women. I sincerely would like to start a dialogue regarding this video. Do you feel that this was a transphobic hate crime? If the perpetrators were not, in fact, aware that their victim was transgendered, is it still a hate crime? Or is this a case of people wanting to pin the label “hate crime” on an attack that was motivated by jealousy simply because the victim was white and the perpetrators were Black?