Anti-Muslim violence spiralling out of control in America - Opinion - Al Jazeera English

Anti-Muslim violence spiralling out of control in America - Opinion - Al Jazeera English

"Sen was pushed to death by a woman who "hated Muslims", as anti-Muslim bigotry in the US sinks to violent new depths."

 Whats very telling is where it says "bigotry in the US sinks to violent new depths". I'd have to question why Murtaza Hussain considers such violence to be new? Perhaps he would be better to say well, now we too are beginning to feel the real depth of the violence that has existed in the US for centuries. He doesn't seem to understand that the time to speak out against that violence was long ago. To become indignant now is like closing the barn door after the livestock has made it's exit. Doncha think? Who else in the US wants to wait for their turn to come around as a recipient of violence? Just wait and your turn is surely coming. Now is the time for all Americans to be speaking out agains the violence that has been for far too long allowed to be committed in the US against her own citizens. We can't continue to tolerate/condone this behavior and expect to exist in the new world demographics. If we don't get it right we won't fare any better than who were here originally. Now isn't that something to think about?

Angela Davis and Michelle Alexander - End Mass Incarceration

 Mass incarceration is easily one of the top 5 issues affecting African Americans today. We absolutely must take immediate steps to insure that it doesn't get even worse and then take the next steps to dismantle this atrocious condition. 

 While on the surface this may appear to be a problem for racial minorities only, I believe that if this condition is not rectified, it could lead to nothing less than the complete undoing of the United States as we know it.

"Angela Davis and Michelle Alexander take part in a panel discussion on the issue of mass incarceration at Riverside Church in New York City on September 14, 2012. They answer the questions of, what is the problem of mass incarceration and what does it say about the United States society?"

Also see HISTORY IS A WEAPON by Kim Gilmore

The Battle of Isandlwana - Anglo-Zulu War 1879 - Zulu Kingdom

Battle of Isandlwana

The Battle of Isandlwana on 22 January 1879 was the first major encounter in the Anglo-Zulu War between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom. Eleven days after the British commenced their invasion of Zululand in South Africa, a Zulu force of some 20,000 warriors attacked a portion of the British main column consisting of about 1,800 British, colonial and native troops and perhaps 400 civilians. The Zulus were equipped mainly with the traditional assegai iron spears and cow-hide shields, but also had a number of muskets and old rifles  though they were not formally trained in their use. The British and colonial troops were armed with the state-of-the-art Martini-Henry breech-loading rifle and two 7 pounder artillery pieces as well as a rocket battery. Despite a vast disadvantage in weapons technology,  the numerically superior Zulus ultimately overwhelmed the poorly led and badly deployed British, killing over 1,300 troops, including all those out on the forward firing line. The Zulu army suffered around a thousand killed.
The battle was a crushing victory for the Zulus and caused the defeat of the first British invasion of Zululand.  The British Army had suffered its worst defeat against a technologically inferior indigenous force.  However, Isandlwana resulted in the British taking a much more aggressive approach in the Anglo-Zulu War, leading to a heavily reinforced second invasion  and the destruction of King Cetshwayo's hopes of a negotiated peace

Arsenio Hall Is Supposed To Be Coming Back in 2013

I guess CBS decided that since we already have a black president, they may as well bring back Arsenio Hall.

On June 18, 2012, Hall and CBS Television Distribution (which now owns the Paramount Television library) signed a deal to produce a new late-night talk show, targeted to debut on September 9, 2013.  The new program will tentatively air on stations owned by CBS Television Stations, Tribune Broadcasting, and Local TV, in some cases on stations which also carried Hall's original program.

I tried to show a few youtube videos but it's hard for me to edit them. I want to put every one that I see in here. If you haven't seen this show before you're in for a treat. If you have seen it, you're also in for a treat. (What else can I say)

Gay Protestors

Farrakhan

Governor Bill Clinton

N.W.A.

Tupac 1993

The Arsenio Hall Show is an American variety/talk show that aired late weeknights in syndication from January 3, 1989 to May 27, 1994.  The show was created and hosted by comedian/actor Arsenio Hall, and took place at the Paramount Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles

(more)

Useless Slaughter and Meaningful Action

Pastor Corey Brooks and Project Hood

Pastor Corey Brooks and Family

 I first heard about Pastor Brooks before the Trayvon Martin affair. He was known at the time, as "The Rooftop Pastor" because he had decided that, in order to bring attention to the senseless loss of life among the young people of his neighborhod and others he would camp on the rooftop of a South Side Chicago  motel. Pastor Brooks had vowed to remain on the roof until he raised $450,000, the amount needed to buy and tear down the building, which he says has become a magnet for drugs, prostitution, and violence. I followed his endeavour with interest and he finally came down after 94 days, after having received a donation of $100,000 from actor-producer Tyler Perry which put him beyond his goal. It wasn't just Perry though, he had also gotten donations of dollar, $5, $10, $100 and $1,000  and he sincerely thanked all who answered the call for assistance in his quest to eliminate gun violence which is epidemic in Chicago. 

 As amazing as this story sounds it doesn't stop there. Having torn down the motel Pastor Brooks still lacked the 15 million dollars needed to build a youth center on the site of the motel. To make a long story short, soon the word began to spread that "The Rooftop Pastor" was going to walk across the United States from New York City to Los Angeles in order to raise money and at the same time bring attention to the gun violence that is occurring all across the nation. I find it unfortunate that the mass media which appears to be so interested in the abolition of gun violence today, didnt find the story of Pastor Brooks walk across the nation, which he completed after 130 days of walking,  worthy of their time. What about all these folks now crying for gun control, very few of these voices were heard when Pastor Brooks was walking across America. Who knows how things might have gone if they had glorfied this persons intent to try defeat the violence.  Perhaps more would have been influenced to make an attempt to improve things or at least to help the good pastor towards his goal.  People are all too content to stand by and do nothing, not even comming to the aid of those who are engaged in the struggle. Then when something goes the way it had to under the circumstances they scream for the government to take charge and force things to change. They want to find a scapegoat for their own lack of action, never thinking that any direct government solution will be the equivolent of using a blunt object to get rid of a headache. No people, this is our problem and we have to get together to work out our own solutions. Then tell the government what we've come up with using rational deduction rather than media frenzy inspired quick fixes. 

 Look at Pastor Brooks for example, here's someone who's been working to solve the problem in his own way. Maybe there is something we can glean from this man's experience that holds a key to bringing this violence under control or at least reducing it's occurrence.  See Project Hood if you're interested in Pastor Brooks' brand of meaningful action. 

 Update January 10, 2013  BlackCelebrityGiving.com Awards Vote.

VOTE Pastor Corey Brooks BCG's CHANGE-MAKER OF THE YEAR http://www.blackcelebritygiving.com/2013/01/2nd-annual-bcg-awards-vote-online-now/

We can vote once every day on twitter and once on facebook 

I believe, vote until January 18th.

Advocate for Nonviolence and Community Empowerment - A Pastor, businessman, philanthropist, mentor and visionary, Pastor Corey B Brooks Sr. founded New Beginnings Church of Chicago, as an urban ministry. He took a personal mission to combat the crime and constant violence in our communities. Chicago may reach 500 murders in 2012 and too often people are silent, but Pastor Brooks is about action. He camped out on a rooftop for months to raise money for a community center, he walked all the way across the country coast to coast and has been recognized for his work by Steve Harvey and Tyler Perry. I believe without a doubt that Pastor Brooks is the BCG Change-Maker of the Year.

Where's The Outrage?

Drug Sentencing Disparities

• About 14 million Whites and 2.6 million African Americans report using an illicit drug
• 5 times as many Whites are using drugs as African Americans, yet African Americans are sent to prison for drug offenses at 10 times the rate of Whites
• African Americans represent 12% of the total population of drug users, but 38% of those arrested for drug offenses, and 59% of those in state prison for a drug offense.
• African Americans serve virtually as much time in prison for a drug offense (58.7 months) as whites do for a violent offense (61.7 months). (Sentencing Project)

African Textile Use and Creation

Some of the eye catching and unique textile patterns of Africa caught my eye and I decided to look up a bit of background on some of these beautiful creations. I find it amazing how more African Americans are not immersed in fashion designs based on these textiles. I seems like there is so much potential for mutual benefit to be had in developing relationships with the creators of these quality materials. I can see custom handmade clothing from original high grade African textiles that are imported using only quality controlled mateterials. Even commercially produced textiles using designs created by African artisans can be used in some manner. Everyone wears clothes the only thing preventing the popularity of this material among brothers and sisters in America is the lack of creative marketing.



Ndomo is a textile workshop where traditional and modern cloths are designed and made, using natural dyes from leaves, bark, and clay. This process is called 'bogolan', or mud cloth. This center was founded in 1990 by Boubacar Doumbia. It is located in Pelengana, close to the city of Ségou (Mali). The term Ndomo refers to the first phase of the (former) Bamana initiation societies, through which young people are integrated into social life. Solidarity, sharing and a sense of responsibility are traditional values of the Bamana, one of the largest ethnic groups in Mali. Ndomo offers social security and stability by offering education based on local knowledge, and jobs. This film consists of fragments of the dvd "Ndomo - solidarité et partage", Samaké Records 08, and lasts 4,5 minutes. (see: www.elisabethdenotter.nl)



A Sierra Leonean with 15 years in Bamako's Tie Dye industry explains the ins and out and much loved making of the 'bamako bazin'.


Adire
Adire (Yoruba — tie and dye) textile is the indigo dyed cloth made in south western Nigeria by Yoruba women, using a variety of resist dye techniques. As the translation of the name suggests, the earliest pieces of this type were probably simple tied designs on cotton cloth handspun and woven locally (rather like those still produced in Mali), but in the early decades of the 20th century new access to large quantities of imported shirting material via the spread of European textile merchants in Abeokuta and other Yoruba towns caused a boom in these women's entrepreneurial and artistic efforts, making adire a major local craft in Abeokuta and Ibadan, attracting buyers from all over West Africa. The cloth's basic shape became that of two pieces of shirting material stitched together to create a women's wrapper cloth. New techniques of resist dyeing developed, such as "adire eleko" (hand-painting designs onto cloth with a cassava starch paste prior to dyeing), along with a new style more suited to rapid mass production (using metal stencils cut from the sheets of tin that lined tea chests, using sewn raffia and/or tied sections, or folding the cloths repeatedly before tying or stitching them in place). Most of the designs were named, with popular ones including the jubilee pattern, (first produced for the silver jubilee of George V and Queen Mary in 1935), Olokun ("goddess of the sea"), and Ibadadun ("Ibadan is sweet"). However, by the end of the 1930s the spread of synthetic indigo and caustic soda and an influx of new less skilled entrants caused quality problems and a still-present collapse in demand. Though the more complex and beautiful starch resist designs continued to be produced until the early 1970s, but despite a revival prompted largely by the interest of US Peace Corps workers in the 1960s, never regained their earlier popularity. In the present day simplified stencilled designs and some better quality tie & die and stitch-resist designs are still produced, but local taste favours "kampala" (multi-coloured wax resist cloth, sometimes also known as adire by a few people).

The School-to-Prison Pipeline Gets Its First-Ever Airing in the Senate - COLORLINES

The School-to-Prison Pipeline Gets Its First-Ever Airing in the Senate - COLORLINES

Youth Killed As Man Fires Multiple Rounds Into Carload of Unarmed Teens. One is Killed The Rest Traumatized.

On November 23 in Jacksonville Florida Michael Dunn apparently armed with a handgun (concealed?) approched a vehicle in which several youth were listening to music which Dunn deemed was too loud.
A verbal argument ensued the result of which was that Dunn fired multiple rounds into the vehicule containing the unarmed youths, killing 17 year old Jordan Davis. Fortunately none of the others were seriously injured physically but were no doubt traumatized by the experience and the loss of their friend. Dunn then apparently fled the scene and was apprehendeded later by police.

African American Icon Paul Robeson

Africa Today featured Paul Robeson
(don't miss the audio files at the bottom part of this article)

This program was aired a few years ago but I felt like pushing it up to the top of the blog because we need some inspiration of the kind that mr. Robeson has demonstrated. He stood up for what he believed in and in terms of money and career it cost him dearly but he stood up for what he believed in. We need to remember the sacrifices made by people such as Paul Robeson and teach our children that we can make this place a better place for all people if we stay on track

Walter Turner of Africa Today is featured  Black  Super Hero Paul Robeson.

 Robeson worked as a social activist on behalf of the common working people. He could have enjoyed immense personal success and wealth but he chose the high road. 

 We've all heard of Mr.Robeson but how many of us know about the sacrifices he made or how he stood up to the House Un-American Activities Committee with statements like "You are the Un-Americans and you should be ashamed of yourselves." Wow!

 Turner in the midst of a KPFA fund drive is offering  a Freedom Archives CD of Mr. Robeson but he is also playing selected parts on his podcast - This stuff really knocked my socks off. 

You have to hear it. (Recorded Program Here)

This extra recording is Robeson testifying at the HUAC from the Black Media Archives,           (click here to listen) I recommend you listen to this one.

 See also A Biography of Paul Robeson 

@BaltoSpectator BPD SWAT Standoff

Late yesterday evening Internet a Blogger/Tweeter Reporter Live-Casted a SWAT raid on his home.
James MacArthur using his twitter login @BaltoSpectator tweeted and live-casted his encounter with a SWAT team negociator Lt. Yerg.

MacArthur who publishes an independent Blog The Baltimore Spectator apparently had an outstanding warrant for missing a court date. Some how on the evening of Saturday December 1st this escalated into a standoff between Mr MacArthur and a Baltimore PD SWAT Team.

Click here to listen to this encounter.

Africa Today and host Walter Turner

Walter Turner's Africa Today - kpfa.org 

One of the most important issues in the African community is the dissemenation of information. Whether we're living in the US, Europe, South America, the Carribean or on the continent of Africa itself, we need all the reliable sources of news and information that we can find. I consider the Radio program / Podcast "Africa Today" Aired on Mondays on KPFA Radio to be one of the best sources of knowledge on the subject of Africa and African peoples that one can find.

Africa Today host - Professor Walter Turner 

 The host Walter Turner, "is a Professor of History and Chairperson of the Social Sciences Department at the College of Marin in Kentfield, California, instructing courses in United States History, African History, and African American History. Walter is also President of the Board of Directors of Global Exchange, and is an African News analyst for Pacifica Radio Station KPFA."

 Prof Turner has conducted hundreds of interviews and has spoken at many events with prominent and knowledgeable women and men from throughout Africa and the African Diaspora. Prof. Turner's selection of interviewees and choice of subject matter is on the pulse of what's going on in the  Afrocentric world now. Many of these interviews  are available at the KPFA archives where they may be downloaded individually or better yet you can subscribe and have them all podcasted to a podcast aggregator (reader). Which is what I'd recommend because they are  all compellingly interesting and informative. If you don't have a podcast reader I suggest iTunes because it's easy to use and is an excellent way to play and record audio and video files.

These podcasts will make great subject matter for students and discussion groups who are trying to expand their knowledge of conpemporary issues involving Africans and people of african descent worldwide.
 I will go so far as to suggest that people can come together online and form a weekly discussion around the program of the week.  This could be located in a classroom, community center or on one or more of the Afrocentric forums that are available online. Another possibility would be for several bloggers to encourage their readers to get involved with discussing current programs. However we do it keep in mind it's and excellent educational opportunity that I'm sure is being grossly under-utilized.

 I am always looking forward to the next program, you will be too if you're interested some solid alternate info out of Africa and you think that the media in general is failing us.

African World History - The Save Nubia Project

 For  many years we have been told that Africans have made no significant contributions to the history of mans civilization and that Egypt although on the continent was developed by people from outside of Africa. The heritage sites of Sudan disprove this claim and they are at present at risk of being lost due to the activity of dam building. Please make yourself aware of what is happening in this part of Africa and involve yourself in whatever way you can in the preservation of our heritage.

"5000 years of African history will be lost!"

The mission of the Save Nubia Project (SNP) is to help raise national and international awareness about the pending flooding of the central areas of the ancient Kushite and Nubian civilizations in the Sudan. There are a series of dams (from the 2nd through 5th cataracts) scheduled for construction, each of which will cause the Nile River to back up and create a reservoir and flood countless ancient archaeological sites and displace well over 100,000 local Sudanese people. Thus, the Save Nubia Project’s task is to document that the dam construction areas in northern and central Sudan are valuable World Heritage Sites that are in danger of being destroyed, and should be preserved.

Prof.Manu Ampim

"Professor Manu Ampim is an historian and primary (first-hand) researcher specializing in African and African American history and culture. He has a B.S. in Business Management and M.A. in History/African American Studies. His master thesis, “The Revolutionary Martin Luther King, Jr.” (1989) is being expanded into a two-volume work entitled, “Martin Luther King: The Evolution of a Revolutionary.”
His latest work is the “Save Nubia” campaign to help preserve the archaeological sites of ancient Nubia and Kush in the Sudan, which are threatened by the construction of dams. "

Goto The Race & History Site and see the article: Nubia Is Older Than Egypt

West Papua - Help Wanted

Let's make sure that the people of West Papua are not forgotten.

An open letter to President Obama from Forkorus Yaboisembut

President, Federated Republic of West Papua

Genocide in West Papua by General Prabowo Subianto - Part 1



Genocide in West Papua by General Prabowo Subianto - Part 2



Genocide in West Papua by General Prabowo Subianto - Part 3

A Little Walmart Strike Music

Music For The Walmart Strikers or any other occasion that calls for people solidarity.

Look if you are going to be striking against Walmart it won't hurt to bring along a good ol' timey union song. Woody Guthrie wrote this first one years ago and it works just as well now as it did then.





This is an old favorite, tried and true. This song has inspired the movement well on many an occasions when we needed to be reminded that our solidarity, is what will enable us to attain our goals.

Afro Brazilians: Time for Recognition

  November 20 is celebrated, chiefly in Brazil, as a day of Afro-Brazilian consciousness. 
The day has special meaning for those Brazilians of African descent who honor Zumbi as a hero, freedom fighter, and symbol of freedom. Zumbi has become a hero of the twentieth-century Afro-Brazilian political movement, as well as a national hero in Brazil.

FMP - Mark Wells - Afro Brazilians




Afro Brazilians and Islam

Mass-incarceration of African and Hispanic Americans

Surely the Americans that voted for President Obama have to be aware that the mass incarceration of African-Americans is a serious problem. Socially and economically it makes sense that these issues must be addressed if the USA is going to pull out of this tailspin that it finds itself in. I remember the things we were being told in the ninteen fifties and sixties about the repression that was occuring in the Soviet Union and how we should under no circumstances allow them to spread their repression to the "free world". If we take a close look at the situation in the US today then we have to see that the "free world" especially as far as the US is concerned is not looking all that free. Few countries in the world imprison their citizens at the rate that people are being imprisoned in the US. One can't help but  wonder, if just maybe the ratio of money and resources spent on incarceration vs that spent on education and formation of basic good citizenship, has a bearing on our present economic downturn. Steering citizens into punitive, counterproductive circumstances for relatively minor infractions is hardly a way to grow a healthy economy or a healthy living environment. Not to mention that the extremely lopsided dispensation of justice, heavily weighted towards black and hispanic citizenry is bordering on a post genocidal situation. Given that the "war on drugs" is largely responsible for the excess of penal system occupancy and the well known fact that drug envolvement occurs at a more or less equal rate among white and black citizens, the disparity in the numbers of black and hispanic people vs white people receiving drug sentences makes it obvious that there is some mischief afoot. NOW is the time for the coalition of people that elected the Democratic president and senate to push for major reforms in the policies being implemented by the justice system not only to address the imbalance of the ratio of ethnic to white  incarceration but to at the same time redirect our financial resources towards a more positive end, ie. education and formation versus punishment. We are all too aware, that nothing positive can come from the continuation of these destructive and divisive policies presently being executed by our justice system. 

Ending the Cradle to Prison Pipeline and Mass Incarceration | Common Dreams

"A black boy born in 2001 has a one in three chance of going to prison in his lifetime and a Latino boy a one in six chance of the same fate. The U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world: 7.1 million adult residents -- one in 33 -- are under some form of correctional supervision including prison, jail, probation, or parole. Michelle Alexander writes in her bestselling book The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness that there are more adult African Americans under correctional control today than were enslaved in 1850, a decade before the Civil War began. In 2011, our state and federal prison population exceeded that of the top 35 European nations combined. Something’s very wrong with this picture."

quoted Marion Wright Edelson

CEO? CEO? We don't need no stinkin' CEO!

The Worker cooperative. 

 Thinking outside the box. 

 For way less than the price of a CEO you can create a pretty darned good company. I've always wondered why when businesses fail, let go their employees and all the equipment that the employees don't try to buy and continue running the business themselves. Looking at the following youtube videos just goes to make me think it really could be possible. At least under some circumstances. 


Start A Worker Cooperative

Natural Cycle Worker Co-op

Union Cab - Worker Cooperative

Other Avenues Worker Cooperative

Worker Cooperatives Saving Argentina

Bryan Stevenson - Mass incarceration "Ted Talks"

Mass incarceration is a topic that wants to be on the short list of things for president Obama to look into during his second term. Black and hispanic voters surely deserve to have this lopsided doling out of justice given the attention it merits.   The war on drugs, which somehow only seems to be waged in black and hispanic neighborhoods, is especially biased, considering that black and white people are using drugs at about the same rate while  mostly black people are incarcerated for such offenses. Well, here's Bryan Stevenson on Ted Talks to speak on this very poignant topic. I hope he inspires some of you to actively organize your community in order to find solutions and push the government to help implement them. Another thing which must come on the block is mandatory minimum sentencing. Congress is holding elections in 2014 start let's organizing now to find representatives whose solutions to these injust situations are more in line with what we want.

Afro-Latinos - FMP Mark Wells

The following videos are part of a series Called For My People (FMP) presented by Mark Wells. I am surprised that I have just discovered these since I'm always on the lookout for this type of presentation in particular. In the blogs coming up I will be sharing these with you. I'll see what else I can find about the presenter Mark Wells and if you have some info to share please don't be shy to leave a comment.


FMP - Mark Wells on Afro-Latinos, part 1




FMP - Mark Wells on Afro-Latinos, part 2

Non-Profit Founder, Hattie Smith-Miles, Recognized by California Mayor For Invaluable Service

Non-Profit Founder, Hattie Smith-Miles, Recognized by California Mayor For Invaluable Service

Obama's Back! Time for African-Americans to get it together.

How African-Americans Shaped the Re-election of Barack Obama and What Happens Next
by
Freeway Rick Ross and Antonio Moore

A review by The Web Prospector

 Ross and Moore point out that if it wasn't for the overwhelming support of African-American voters the coalition that reelected President Obama would not likely have been so successful. They believe that this term the president should invest more time and resources toward addressing the concerns of this bloc of voters.

 I'm inclined to agree with them but I felt the article was lacking in the sense that it didn't stress enough the importance for the African-American community to remain active and take advantage of the inertia created by the election, in order to further organize and build on and maintain the political infrastructure that enabled them to motivate such an extensive black voter turnout. If we are to be truly effective, we will have to develope a means of identifying our discrepancies, formulating our own solutions, and taking the first steps in getting control of the most urgent situations in our community. We also have to develope and maintain relationship with the other coalition voters so that we can continue to apply pressure on the the government to address  the concerns of all those who supported this government.

 We can also define areas where we have needs in common with other coalition members and coordinate our actions accordingly. We should not just let the Democratic party get away with using our votes then forgetting us until the next time they need our vote.


Ross and Moore closed with the following list of issues that need attention, again I agree . However, I feel like if we start to take action immediately, to the best of our ability, on our own initiative, then we will be in a much better position to dictate the kind of help that we need, rather than leaving it to be decided by someone from outside the community.

• Building economic development centers in inner-city areas that have high minority populations


• More attention & visits by President Barack Obama to African American groups such as the NAACP, Urban League and others during his second term


• Focused government efforts on unemployment of black youth, particularly in high crime urban centers


• College loan and grant assistance for those in college, in addition loan forgiveness or aid for those that complete college


• A highly focused look at the War on Drugs, and the unfair application of crack cocaine sentencing disparities

There are already several instances and models, of organizations which are already and have been for quite some time hard at work, developing solutions and creating an infrastructure to further implement those solutions. I know that President Obama is aware of some of these as well.  It is here that we can apply pressure on the government to reenforce the already existing and time proven organizations that have come into existence through the initiative of members of the African American community.

(Click here to read the Ross-Moore article)

Student's Riot at Mississippi U.- Not happy with the election results.

Every now and then I get musically inspired by things that are going on  around me and of course there has been a song written for almost every occasion. That, coupled with the fact that we have available the likes of youtube and twitter and facebook, etc, means I get to share a lot of music with a lot of new friends. I'm loving it. I hope you all are as well.

 With the reelection of Barak Obama, thanks to a broad-based coalition of Americans that represent the future. Some students of Mississippi U. decided to riot as an expression of their dischord with those results. An action that reminded me of a Mississippi not that long ago that would persecute my people with impunity. Maybe they long for the good ol' days?

Here's some music to remember those good ol' days by.






It wasn't easy for our Latino brothers and sisters either.

Obama Reelected! 4 More Years!

Obama Reelected!

Supporters Celebrate

 In spite of what was perceived as an attempt to suppress the Obama vote,  the Obama coalition made it to the polls in overwhelming numbers. They braved the long waits, veiled threats  and  the misinformation  in order to make their choice known. As Van Jones on CNN exclaimed "the coalition held!".  It did too  and looking at the faces of those celebrating that victory last night, it was clear that it was a victory that reflects the emergence of a new America. The faces were those of Americans whose racial backgrounds represented all of the continents, many different religious beliefs were represented, the different sexes and sexual preferences were present, the economic strata was well represented also -middle class- working class- working poor- and -pensioners and those in need of social assistance-,  as well as young voters who wish to demonstrate their vision of the future of their America.  It is clear that while the needs of these various groups can at times be different, they are prepared to make the effort to overcome their differences in order to continue and expand the American experiment. I believe that it is up to president Obama to nurture the continued cooperation among this diverse coalition of Americans, to work with them and to take the opportunity at hand to strengthen the bonds among the diverse groups that supported him, thereby bringing a cohesiveness that's been lacking, thus hindering the progress of this great nation. We will not be able to rebuild the country until we are working more or less toward the same goalss and this is where the government can take a key roll. I only hope the president will take the cue and engage the people. I believe that Americans for the most part are prepared to actively participate in partnership with their government  in order to heal the nations ills as long as it's not just a "top down" arrangement. Government and the people have access to social media making multidirectional communication quite cost effective. Open source solutions have worked in many corporate and working enviroments while being very cost effective at the same time.  There is no reason that some form of open source model can't be used in government.  Areas such as health and education could be enhanced quite creatively if openly addressed. The president has 4 more years to get this started. Let's all keep reminding him that we're all in this together.

Melissa Harris-Perry 'What is Riskier than being Poor In America'

RISKY INDEED, you tell 'em Melissa!

Drop Squad Black History on youtube.

Africans in America Part 1A - The Terrible Transformation (1450-1750)



I found this video on youtube as a part of;
The Drop Squad History Channel

Check this channel out and enjoy the multitude of cultural and historical material.
Be sure to bookmark and visit this channel often if you value an Afrocentric education.

The presentations here include contributions by esteemed scholars like  Dr. Leonard Jeffries, Dr. John Henrick Clarke,  Dr. Llaila O. Afrika, Anthony T. Browder, Dr. Dorothy Fardan,  Dr. Ivan Van Sertima, Dr. Marimba Ani, Dr. Yousef A.A. ben-Jochannan and many more.
Don't forget to share and discuss this material with your family and friends.

Nov. 3, 2012 March on Washington BREAK THE SILENCE

Every year in early November

The Uhuru Solidarity Movement and
The Black Is Back Coalition organizes a

March on Washington D.C. 

It seems as though this year is no exception. 
 This year's theme

"Break The Silence"
The Unreported Wars and Attacks on Africans Worldwide.

 March and a Rally on  November 3rd and 
a Conference on November 4th.

A previous Rally in D.C.

South African Economic Equality?

This short video gives an impression of South Africa that had not been known in the past. Since I've never been to South Africa, it's difficult for me to say just how true a picture it paints.  I can only imagine the part that was left out. Where we see this black couple struggling to get a good education in the hopes that they might get a better menial job. This, contrasted with this relatively uneducated white family, who didn't need to worry too much about education because they were garranteed to be better off than any black people, by virtue of the fact that they were white. For these people things had to change. While some black South Africans must have benefited from the regime change. I can't see that the richest white people and the poorest black people have actually experienced any substancial changes in their circumstances thus far. How long do you think it will take until the economy of South Africa will level out and all the people will become the benefactors of it's natural wealth?

R.I.P Russell Means (1939 -2012)

Russell Means, departed October 22, 2012



 Russell Means Was Interviewed by BBC Persia Earlier This Year.

BBC Persian's Amir Payam interviewed Russell Means, American Indian Leader in January 23, 2012 at his ranch in Porcupine, Pine Ridge reservation, SD

 I want to dedicate this song written by Willie Dunn ( an old buddy of mine) to Russell Means.

Dr. John Henrik Clarke on organized religion vs spirituality

I'm going to just let Dr. Clarke tell this story.

"The Arabs had no illusions about it! The Europeans had no illusions about it!...YOU WERE THE ONE'S WITH THE ILLUSIONS!...And yet every element that went into the making of every major religion in the world started in Africa!...

Why is it that you are so naive? You let people re-dress something that you invented sell it back to you,and enslave you through it!..."


 part 1




 part 2




 part 3



 part 4

Mark Anthony Neal's - Left Of Black

Left of Black with Mark Anthony Neal

 When I first starting surfing and posting on the internet back in the mid nineties this program is exactly what I was looking for. Needless to say it wasn't available then but I knew the day would come when we would find Black folks presenting high caliber content on line. Now that we've got it, it's time to use it.



Video streaming by Ustream
I want to thank Mark Anthony Neal for presenting this program. Kudos.

R.I.P Samora Machel - A Luta Continua

This video is a must see for all who would like to know something about the part Samora Machel played in the Liberation of Mozambique and indeed Southern Africa. All Africans have a place in their heart for this patriot. He, as many other African patriots, left us much too soon.

A dedicated military man and socialist revolutionary, Samora Moises Machel (1933-1986) presided over the independence of Mozambique from Portugal in 1975 and became its first president.

(to read more click here)

And the music goes round and round.

The Lowrider Band

Well I don't know where I've been but somewhere along the line one of my favorite bands has been reincarnated. It seems like yesterday when Eric Burdon was introducing "War" and now I found out from a friend on Facebook that they are called "The Lowrider Band". At least, that laid back, "Bay Area" vibe hasn't changed. I had the pleasure of seeing these guys live in the Berkeley High School auditorium back in the mid seventies, such a pleasure.

Parents More Influential Than Schools in Academic Success

'Parent Power' Movie Screened Across U.S.

An inspirational video for all parents who wish to influence the direction of their child's educational environment. If you understand that your responsibilitiy for your child's education doesn't end at the front door of a school building then please watch this video. Teachers and school administratiors must be held accountable and must cooperate with parents if our schools are to effectively bring educational levels up to their full potentiel. Community organization and involvement is the key to lasting educational reform. The model  shown in this video potentially demonstrates community solutions for problems that go beyond the educational system.

PASTOR CORY BROOKS ARRIVES IN LA!!!

CONGRATS TO PASTOR CORY BROOKS
Pastor Cory Brooks has completed his walk Across America today. This morning he arrived at the Staples Center in LA.

"On June 5, 2012 I embarked upon on the most grueling assignment of my life.  I started my walk across America in NYC’s Times Square with 10 other people." 

Corey Brooks ‏@CoreyBBrooks The walk is over but we have one more event. The Fundraiser the Bistro on Pico 5047 West Pico Blvd LA 6pm-9pm

Chimamanda Adichie: On Europe's own story of its colonial history.

Chimimanda Adichie tells us her impressions of Europe from her viewpoint, that  of someone from Africa who isn't familiar with Europe. She speaks about her reception in different European countries. She tells us how in her opinion Europe would like to erase their actual colonial history. I think she makes her point very clearly. I think Africans all over the world can relate on some level to that idea of European  erasure of our history, wherever in the world we find ourselves. Listen for yourself and see if her talk doesn't make you want to know even more about the complete history of Africa as well as the truth about the part that Europe played in the present day state of Africa and African people at home and abroad.

Black History for Columbus Day

The following file is courtesy of Jstor where one can find tons of info if you take the time to sift through the miriad of files on hand there.


Africans arriving in The New World with Spanish Explorers

The Mau Mau Uprisings - UK Black History Month

The Mau Mau were a militant African nationalist movement active in Kenya during the 1950s whose main aim was to remove British rule and European settlers from the country.

                 Recent News Development
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UK High Court rules Kenyans can proceed with colonial torture suit
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A history of the British invasion of Kenya from an African perspective

Kenya a White Man's Country Pt 1 of 6



Kenya a White Man's Country Pt 2 of 6


Unfortunately I couldn't find parts parts 3 thru 6 I'll update if I do find them later.





The rise and fall of the British Empire (Jomo Kenyatta and the Mau Mau oath)




Kenyan Mau Maus seek UK damages for torture - 23 Jun 09



Recently

Veterans of 1950s Mau Mau uprising in Kenya seek UK damages
Mau Mau tourture victims

UK Black History Month - Pro and Con

In The UK October is Black History Month, as elsewhere, the discussion of the value and the effects of Black History Month goes on. BHM has it's instigators and it's protractors. Where do you stand?

PRO
blackpresence.co.uk

 CON

Sabotage Times

by Chama Kapumpa

Why Black History Month Is Damaging To Black Culture

Stand Your Ground , Voter ID and ALEC

Democracy Now presentes 
The United States of ALEC:

Bill Moyers on the Secretive CorporateLegislative Body Writing Our Laws

A must see presentation on how laws are being written other than by and for the people.

 

Cowardly Racial Assault /please share and expose this igno/rant.

A disturbing video exposes  racist assault.  I have one question, can you spot the COWARD?





Businessman Josh Jambon of Jambon Boat Rentals really laid into this woman.


Oh and I see he's listed here, I wonder what he's doing for the federal government?

EO 10925

By the time John F. Kennedy was elected President, it was evident that to advance equal employment opportunity federal involvement needed to be broader and more proactive. On March 6, 1961, shortly after JFK took office, he signed Executive Order 10925, opening a new chapter in achieving access to good jobs by requiring government contractors to "take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color or national origin."

Executive Order 10925 gave federal contracting agencies authority to institute procedures against federal contractors who violated their EEO obligations-including contract cancellation, debarment from future contracts and other sanctions.

It also created the President's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity, which upon passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 became the Equal Employment Opportunity Committee. The President's Committee was chaired by Vice President Lyndon Johnson and later by Vice President Hubert Humphrey. The Committee's vice chair was Secretary of Labor Willard Wirtz.

Like its predecessors, EO 10925 gave each federal department and agency Executive Order enforcement responsibility for its contractors, and each developed its own organizational approach to carrying out these responsibilities. The President's Committee oversaw issues of policy and the Department of Labor played a coordinating role.  Read more


For more details see story at The Intersection of Madness and Reality