Some personal thoughts at the end of Black History Month

CSPAN | 2/29/04 | Jeffrey Clark

[Warrior Nurse]

Yesterday while purusing through the televison channels I came across a program on CSPAN called Focusing on the Black Family which was hosted by Tavis Smiley. I was curious to see what this was going to be about since it had some of the most notable black intellectuals that were particpants. Obviously I knew that most of these people on the panel were going to be black liberals but I wanted to watch to see if they would really address what is really wrong in the black community. Some did like Marva Collins a giant in the education of black children. The graduates from her school have been accepted into the bests schools in this country, not because of skin color but because of academic excellence.

What disturbed me the most was the Bush bashing that occured from time to time by different panel members. This gathering was conducted in Miami near for the liberal ground zero of election 2000. Julia Hare a motivational speaker took her swipe at the President by blaming him for all the ills and plight of black Americans. Shelia Jackson Lee was there and since she is a member of congress she got in her shots. The most disturbing was Dr Eric Michael Dyson from the University of Pennsylvania. This man has several Ph.D's and has the sense of a grapefruit. Here is a man that has pulled himself out of the most dire circumstances though hard work and determination, published many books and is hailed in academia as a great thinker. This man goes and talks about how white supremacy is still keeping black people down. He even blasted his own employer the University of Pennsylvania. Someone should tell the good doctor to wake up stop hanging with the Gangsta Rappers and step into the real world. This learned man condemmed the system by which he himself has gained success. He also said that the White House was full of anti-intellectuals and the President was dumb. Well now that is typical liberal speak and we know that Dr. Rice is a member of MENSA and the President along with the Sec of State have their respective MBA's.

Anti-intellecutal?! Hardly, what I saw was the practice of Intellectual Apartheid amongst these thinkers. There was not one notable black conservative on the panel. For all the talk about equality there was no chance for equality of thought no intellectual diversity. All of these successful people have gotten to where they are by espousing conservative princples of hard work, education and pulling yourself up by your bootstraps. This is what Booker T Washington and Frederick Douglas espoused for the race. All I was looking for was some truth which came out at times. Perhaps the island of hope in that entire morass was Dr Ben Carson the noted Pediatric Neurosurgeon. He said that the Jews both conservative and liberal can argue an issue be diametricly opposed but they will come together in areas that have a direct impact upon their communities.

How profound!

[Warrior Nurse]

PING

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Great post WN. I'm going to LINK it to one of my collections.

In truth, they are LIBERALS first, last and always. That they are black, merely gives them another soap box.

[varon]

BUMP

[RikaStrom]

You put it very succinctly. I am afraid that the liberal leaders are going to continue to drive a wedge between the races. The only ending I can see is a frightening one for everyone.

Let's hope the rest of us are smart enough not to let that happen.

[Warrior Nurse]

PING

[sandydipper]

Still looking for a government funded handout.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

This past month there was a gang shooting outside of an elementary school in Philadelphia. An innocent child walking to school was shot and later died.

The police caught two of the gang members but don't have information on the other 4 involved. All people involved were black.

For days I saw parents walking their children to school - something they probably should have been doing anyway but at least this event caused some to get out and demand protection and to show concern. Several people were interviewed and calmly stated that no one would give information for fear of retaliation by the gang.

I flashed to LA and the riots following the Rodney King incident.... there would have been riots had a white man shot that child -

[Warrior Nurse]

PING

[DustyMoment]

God bless you, we're on the same page. The values you espouse are not white values or black values. They aren't conservative values or liberal values; they're HUMAN values.

One of my biggest pet peeves is when people treat each other as crayons. I'm not a color and don't want to be treated as such, and neither are you. Both of us are human beings and if we begin with that premise and respect one another simply for the fact that we are human beings and share the human experience in common, we can do much to change what is wrong in America. This land is my land, but it's also your land and we must work together to make wise decisions on how best to maintain it. If we spend our efforts pointing fingers and making accusations, the land lies fallow and barren. When we work together, the land is fruitful and leaves us prosperous and fed.

I've never been black and don't know what it is like, just as you have never been white. What's important, however, isn't the color difference, it is the values that each of us brings with us and disseminates throughout the world with each person we touch. Your values are my values. They are the values of strength, truth, honesty and reliability. Let's keep doing what we're doing and we will win - one person at a time.

Good luck to you and may God smile on your fortune.

[Hollywoodghost]

When is Native American Month? or Asian American Month? When can we celibrate Mexican American-ness (O I forgot--Cinco de Mayo)

[dixie sass]

Good report, wish that I had seen the show.

Is it just force of habit for these people to continually blame others for their inability to accomplish things? I get very confused at times since I know people that are very successful and people that are not and none of them seem to blame others for their success of lack their of.

People, black or white, yellow or red, orange or purple who blame others for their inability to get ahead are losers in my estimation. No one can make you do something that you don't want to do!

[dixie sass]

Wait a minute, there are lots of people who were or are black that have contributed much to our culture.

Where would you be if you lost blood in surgery and they couldn't cross and match it.

Where would you be without someone to repair your shoes.

Where would kids be with PB&J.

The list goes on and on and on.

Like all cultures, they have much to be proud of as well as much to be ashamed of.

[dixie sass]

No matter who started Kwanza, it is a legitimate holiday now. They took from Christianity, Jewish and I can remember the others. But what they try to teach the youth is pride in one self, community and doing the best that you can to make a difference.

Those are pretty important things and ones that should be taught to all kids, don't you think?

[dixie sass]

That statement is derogatory and should be apologized for. You are talking as though that is the standard and from what I've heard it is the minority of families nowadays.

[JamesA]

Well said; Who gives a rip! If you are American you are just that. Black American, Irish American, Spanish American its all the same AMERICAN. You IMHO don't have to tell someone you're African American because I'd say not too many actually are from Africa. American history....get it American history and we are all part of that. Subject festers like a ripe boil on my butt...

[Badray]

Bump for reading later.

Jeff, be careful. You are about to join my list of (BTW, all Black men) heroes. The reason that you have to be careful is that they are amongst the most hated men in America because they are principled conservatives.

Of course, I think that you have what it takes to get on that list and stay.

[dixie sass]

Charlestons Police Chief is a man that is much respected and admired by the majority of the community, of course we have a few idiots that are like the ones you described in your article - self-absorbed and unwilling to take on any responsibility for the ills of the community.

When someone like Greenberg speaks up, especially since he is black they take extreme umbrage and the following is the result.




Local NAACP seeks Greenberg apology

Quote angers some black leaders, residents

BY PHILLIP CASTON
Of The Post and Courier Staff
The Charleston Branch of the NAACP called for an immediate apology from Charleston Police Chief Reuben Greenberg on Friday following comments the chief made about blacks killing other blacks.


FILE/STAFF
Charleston Police Chief Reuben Greenberg

"We come today as people who have tried to be patient with Chief Greenberg," Dot Scott, president of the Charleston NAACP branch, said at the branch's headquarters on Spring Street. "We cannot and will not be patient any more."

In Sunday's editions of The Post and Courier in a story that cited an increase in black males killing other black males, Greenberg, who is black, was quoted as saying, "I refuse to take responsibility every time one black son of a bitch kills another. I have no control over that. There are social factors much more powerful than anything we can concoct in the Charleston Police Department."

The comment sparked outrage from Councilmen Kwadjo Campbell, James Lewis and Wendell Gilliard. The black community has been angered as well, Scott said.

The Charleston NAACP branch is demanding a personal apology from Greenberg to the city of Charleston, Scott said. If Greenberg refuses to apologize, the Charleston branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is calling for Mayor Joe Riley and Charleston City Council to dismiss Greenberg from his position, Scott said.

Riley has defended Greenberg over the incident and said the chief's statement sounded harsh because it was taken "somewhat out of context."

Greenberg's comment came in response to a reporter's questions about trends in homicides in Charleston, including black-on-black crime.

"It bothers us that the mayor seems to want to explain away the comments as if he knows what the chief meant," Scott said. "My personal reaction is that it's pretty clear what he said."

The chief and the Charleston Police Department did not have a response for the Charleston NAACP's demands, spokesman Charles Francis said.

If no action is taken by the chief or the mayor, the Charleston NAACP will consult the state and national offices before taking further action, according to the Rev. Joe Darby of the NAACP. The Charleston branch could publicly protest the comments, but it must first get approval from the national office, Darby said. Charleston NAACP officials will meet with Riley next week to discuss the chief's comments, Scott said

[dixie sass]

You got dat right!

[nmh]

I'm just thankful the racist month honoring blacks and denigrating everyone else is all over. This year they had an extra day to drag out revisionist history.

[spintreebob]

Marva Collins was great and needed no others to beat all the idiots singlemindedly.

I've worked her Chicago Westside in politics for fun and insurance for money. I've met her students. I've only seen her from afar. You can't imagine how strong the opposition to her has been for 40 years by the likes of Congressman Danny Davis.

They are true opposites. Danny honestly believes that the best way to obtain what is best for his community is to have low expectations of them. Marva has high expectations. They have both been proven right.