New Respect for JT

I have no problem with JT after seeing this.

The Challenge

A couple of weeks ago I was challenged by Jackie Chiles of the Airing of Grievances blog.

He challenged me to prove that the Republican party does not have the interests of black Americans at heart.

Here is the annual Civil Rights Legislative Report Card for the 109th Congress for the year 2005. This resource is designed to provide NAACP members with insight into the general voting patterns of their congressional representatives (Senators and members of the House of Representatives) over the course of the year. The NAACP Civil Rights Legislative Report Card demonstrates how every Member of Congress voted on the bread and butter civil rights issues important to the NAACP.

You be the judge (make sure to scroll down when you hit the link). You won't be too surprised who gets F's.

Long time ago black Americans supported the Republican party but some where along the line there was a shift. I'll sum it up for you in two words. "Southern strategy"

What was the "Southern Strategy" ?

The phrase, Southern strategy, was coined by Nixon strategist Kevin Phillips. Southern states, were traditionally a stronghold for the Democratic Party became key swing states, providing the popular vote margins in the Presidential elections 1960, 1968 and 1976. During this era, several Republican candidates expressed support for states' rights, which critics have argued was intended as a signal of opposition to federal civil rights legislation for blacks. This strategy was largely a success, and the South is now considered a Republican stronghold in national elections.

I blame Lydon Johnson. Now check out this quote.

Bob Herbert, a New York Times columnist, reported in the October 6, 2005 edition of the New York Times of a 1981 interview with Lee Atwater, published in Southern Politics in the 1990s by Prof. Alexander P. Lamis, in which Lee Atwater discusses politics in the South: You start out in 1954 by saying, "N*gger, n*gger, n*gger." By 1968 you can't say 'nigger'—that hurts you. Backfires. So you say stuff like forced busing, states' rights and all that stuff. You're getting so abstract now [that] you're talking about cutting taxes, and all these things you're talking about are totally economic things and a byproduct of them is [that] blacks get hurt worse than whites.

Deep huh??

So here's my theory. It's very indirect. The Republican party doesn't want to keep the black man down they just want to keep him in his place, which in my opinion is much more dangerous. Black Americans aren't a priority. Honestly where is the money in ending racial profiling?

Also I suggest Jackie read White Nationalism, Black Interests: Conservative Public Policy and the Black Community (African American Life Series) by Ronald W. Walters.

Witness to the end of an era.

Recently I went to see a couple of shows at CBGBs in NYC. Two weeks ago I saw Fishbone's last show at CBGBs. Overall it was a entertaining show. After the show people outside mentioned that Bad Brains were going to play in two weeks. I raced home to my PC and looked for tickets. To my dismay the show had already been sold out. Luckily they added a third show. I managed to get tickets to that one. Let me tell ya about it.

Got there early the weather outside was in a word wet. It was pouring down hard but I we were patient. Once I got this feeling of anxiousness. What would they open with would HR act up? They opened up with I Against I after that it was all a blur. I do remember being at the pit toward the end of their set. Yeah I'm guilty of reliving my youth. I had to do it.

CBGBs closes it's doors this month. It was the birth place of punk rock music. On a purely superficial level it's a small venue. But the history is undeniable. I'm sure there will be another CBGBs but it won't be the same.

Hip-Hop reminds me of....

I just finished watching the Decline of Western Civilization: The Heavy Metal years. And in a odd way it reminded me of the state of hip-hop today.

I know it may be painful for some of you but let's go back, way back into time to the days of bands with names like Faster Pussycat, Trixter, Firehouse, Cinderella, Whitesnake, White Lion, Warrant, W.A.S.P., L.A. Guns, Skid Row, Extreme, Poison, Motley Crue, and of course the grand daddy of them all Guns and Roses.

What did all of these bands have in common? (Besides having big freaking hair.) They basically talked about the same damn things; sex, women, and partying. Do you see where I'm going with this? Basically (mainstream) hip-hop is doing the same damn thing. All they're talking about is sex, women, and partying. Compare the way women are portrayed in videos today to how they were portrayed in the mid to late 80's. It's the same damn thing.

So here's my theory, once things become so bloated and blinged out people will eventually start listening to bands that matter. For example when people got tired of Warrent they started listening to Soundgarden and Nirvana. Eventually the mainstream catches up, this usually takes some time but it does happen.

It's already changing when you consider the current landscape of artists out there. Kayne West has, and hopefully will continue to make an impact. Common, Mos Def, Talib Kweli and the Roots have broken out of the underground (to a certain extent). I'm sure in the coming years artists like Planet Asia, Rhymefest, and Jedi Mind Tricks will rise from the underground.

One can only hope.

All apologies...To the brothers who couldn't make it.

I am so sorry for not updating. I've been really busy with work and I've really had nothing to say. But I have been commenting, mostly at the After Party.

Where do I begin? Last week I went to the Alpha Phi Alpha centennial convention, Alpha Phi Alpha is the oldest college fraternities in the country, founded in 1906 at Cornell University by seven brave men.

It's hard to put into words the feelings I had entering the lobby of the hotel that was hosting the convention. The best way I can put it is I had a overwhelming feeling of brotherhood. I met brothers from all over the country but I have to say that being with my brothers from my chapter (Omicron Zeta) and my other New Jersey brothers was the highlight of the convention. I got to meet brothers I had only heard stories about and others that I hadn't seen in years. It's a shame that more brothers couldn't come through. This was a once in life time celebration and I don't think we will live another hundreds years to see it again.

Becoming an Alpha was a defining moment for me in college. First off I'm not really a joiner or a follower. I'm an only child and I like being an individual. So how do I explain joining a fraternity? Easy, I pledged by myself. If you are reading this and you're confused I'll repeat myself. I pledged by myself. Yeah I know I always have to do things the hard way. It changed the way I looked at myself and the way others looked at me. The process alone made me a stronger man and helped me to understand that no matter how hard things are in college the real world is much more harder and challenging. I want to take this moment to thank the brothers that came before me and the ones that followed me. Hold the light high.

Ghetto Saints

First off I just like to say that I've been really busy. Still adjusting to the new apartment post renovations and still adjusting to the new job. Also therapy has really made me less bitter (That usually lasts until I see the bill). But I'll get into that at another time (or maybe not.)

The title of this post is Ghetto Saints. Now what is a "Ghetto Saint"? Glad you asked. Basically a Ghetto Saint is an icon who is celebrated within the ghetto and who's image is often worn on tee shirts. Some ghetto saints are alive (50 Cent) but the most popular ones are either dead (Tupac) or made up characters who are dead (Scarface).

I normally don't pay attention to fashion, I like what I like, and I try not to judge others for their fashion choices (it's something me and the shrink are working on.), but I've just about had it up to here with all this Tupac and Scarface paraphernalia. Seriously. I know I'm preaching to the choir on this one because people who wear Ghetto Saint paraphernalia don't come to my site but, I just had to get this off my chest.

Ok I've seen Scarface (maybe a dozen times) I GET IT, his story is a classic tale of a man who wants his part of the American dream, and he's prepared to kill for it. OK I GOT IT. But why do we insist on glorifying a character who epitomize almost everything wrong with our community? This is a character that wasn't even made up by us. Oliver Stone wrote the screenplay to Scarface and I got news for ya IT'S A REMAKE of a movie that was made in 1932.

The Tupac thing I understand (even though Tupac wasn't really a thug until he got into music, but that's another story.), but this Scarface thing doesn't make sense to me. It's as if some white guy (who never lived in the hood) made up a story about the hardest gangster that ever lived and we all bought into it and said YEAH that's how it is. Wait that's exactly what happened. Why do we feed into sjit that somebody else made up? Why do we glorify sjit that we don't even own. And when I say "own" I mean we had no part in the writing, directing or producing that movie so why do we choose to identify with some exploitation sh*t that was made up.

Now please don't get me wrong I have no problem with an Italian-American playing a Cuban refugee or a white guy writing a screenplay about a Cuban refugee who goes on to become a druglord. My beef is not with the creators of the movie my beef is with the people who buy into that image and think that is something to aspire to. It's cause of sh*t like this that we can't get our act together and why hip-hop culture is looked down upon as something that lacks morality.

Someone help me out here. Comments are welcome.

A Day without Immigrants, were you affected?

I am the son of immigrant parents. My parents are from Guyana, (that's in S. America). They came to this country (LEGALLY) with hopes and dreams of making a better life for themselves. My parents came to this country during a different time (mid-60's) among protest rallies and riots they came face to face with something they had not experienced in their own country (racism).

So now we flash forward to today. Immigration is a huge topic in the news lately, I'm guessing it has something to do with mid-term elections coming up.

It seems that when people talk of immigration the first thing you think about is someone of Latin decent (particularly Mexican). But there are many other kinds of immigrants who are in this country legally and illegally. But you don't see them at the forefront of this movement. Why is that? Let me put a few ideas on the table.

Please note that I have not done any in depth research on this topic and I am strictly giving an opinion and what I've seen on the news. Remember folks this is my blog and I can say what the hell I want to say.

Maybe non-Latin immigrants don't want to be at the forefront of this issue because they have already assimilated to the point where you would not be able to tell if they are here legally or illegally. We have thousands of Irish illegals running around but no one seems to be able to find them. We have thousands of West-Indians who are here illegally but no one seems to be able to find them. Is it because they've managed to blend in to the point in where they would not want the attention?

I understand that Latinos make up the majority of illegals. But does that mean Latinos get to be speak for all immigrants? What do you think?

Tagged

A couple of months ago Nominal Me tagged me. So here goes.

Total number of films I own:
About 12 DVDs.

The last film I bought:
Grosse Pointe Blank and A Solider's Story

The last film I watched:
Sympathy For Lady Vengence - I highly recomend you see it if it is playing in your city.

Five favorite films I either watch frequently or that mean a lot to me:
Pulp Fiction, Grosse Pointe Blank, Citizen Kane, A Soilder's Story, and Jaws.

Oscars Part II: The Winners

BEST PICTURE
Crash - I really can't believe this movie won. I really hope it sparks a national conversation on race relations. Yeah right like that will ever happen.

BEST DIRECTOR
Ang Lee - In all seriousness he deserves this award. It was his time. He said he made this film for his father. Are you trying to tell us something Ang?

BEST ACTOR
Philip Seymour Hoffman - He gave one of the most sincere speeches of the evening. I had no idea he was raised in a single parent home. By the way, Hoffman's mom is a MILF.

BEST ACTRESS
Reese Witherspoon - Seriously I couldn't see this. I don't know why this happened. I am speechless. I hated her speech. Reese you don't matter.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
George Clooney - He deserved this. Too bad Paul Giamatti got screwed again. Clooney's speech was one of the highlights of the evening. He's totally a movie star in the tradition of the old school greats.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Rachel Weisz - I really like her as an actress but I hated this movie. I wonder who knocked her up?

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit": What's up with the freakin bowties?

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana for "Brokeback Mountain": Well they had to give them something right?

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Paul Haggis and Robert Moresco for "Crash": I said it once and I'll say it again: "I can't believe Haggis used to write for Different Strokes."

Overall I thought it was a good show. Jon Stewart did a great job as host. He wasn't edgy and he was the consummate picture of the outsider looking in.

So Three 6 Mafia won. Some of you boughy Negroes out there think it's a bad thing. Personally I think their song fit perfectly with the movie. I don't know of any song in the running whose lyrics tell the story of the movie that it's representing. This win shows that hip-hop is a true force to be reckoned with not only in the music world but in the world of film. I can't hate on them. Their acceptence speech was one of the most realest things the Academy has ever seen.

Here are a couple of highlights in no particular order:

• Lauren Bacall talking about film noir. After all these years she's still got a lot of class.
• Morgan Freeman messing up his lines.
• Jennifer Garner almost falling down.
• Three 6 Mafia winning.
• Richard Pryor being the last name mentioned in the "In Memoriam" segment. It is probably the first time a black man's name has gone last.
• Gavin Hood accepting for the best Foreign language film.
• The cast of Crash's reaction to them winning best film.

False alarms

I've been slacking big time during black history month but I promise that I will make it up to you readers that still come around.

Today's topic is WHEN IS IT RACIAL or Are we too sensitive?

In this post I will put forward several situations that may or may not be racial. It all depends on your perception and your ability to see things for what they really are. You be the judge.

Case 1:
Like many New Yorkers I was affected by the MTA strike back in December. The TWU lead by Roger Tussaint called a strike for all transit workers in NYC. He sited that the MTA has been treating their workers unfairly and that this was not just about money but about their dignity. Talks are still in limbo.

A majority of NYer's thought it was all about the money. And Tussaint's call for a strike was a bit much and he should just make a deal (read roll over and play nice). But Tussaint's pride wouldn't let him.

Tussaint was vilified in the press. Now was it cause he called for a strike that made New York City loose over 10 million dollars. If the president of TWU was a white man would he get bad press the way Tussaint got it?

IMO: I think anyone that makes New York loose money is gonna get bad press. Tussaint being black has nothing to do with him getting bad press. But there were trigger words used in the press (ex. calling the workers thugs) to describe the workers. And let's not forget that the union is a minority run union (meaning there are more black people in the union than white.)

Case 2:

Shani Davis. Is he an angry black man who's not a team player or is he misunderstood?

IMO: Based on what I've read he's a loner and sometimes people can be rubbed the wrong way by that. It looks racial in the way the press has covered it, let's be honest here; it's black guy playing a white sport. No matter how anyone covers the story is going to look racial.

Sometimes black people in America see racism when it ain't there. But that's cause most of us have experienced it for most of our lives.

Yes that's a valid excuse white folks so deal with it. We didn't create racism we just live under it's evil thumb.

So when is it racial? Is it racial when a white man stands up side by side with a black man and says "YES THIS IS RACIALLY MOTIVATED." Or is it a matter of how we perceive things? So in an effort to help my white brothers and sisters I've come up with a guide to help you tell when things are racial.

• When a black person with no criminal record gets shot or beaten by the cops, chances are it's racial.
• When a black person runs for public office and the media wonders what he or she is going to do for the rest of the community, chances are it's racial
• When a black person dominates what we've been told is a white sport and gets bad press chances are it's racial.
• When the sentence is 25 to life for crack while the sentence for cocaine is one year, chances are it's racial.
• When a white rapper sells more records than a black rapper, chances are it's racial.
• When black people loot and white people find, chances are it's racial.
• When a Harvard MBA looses to a High School graduate on a reality show, chances are it's racial.
• When a black TV star runs out on a 50 million dollar contract and runs off to Africa, chances are it's racial.
• When your land gets "discovered" even though you've been there, chances are it's racial.
• When your continent and respective countries gets renamed and borders are changed without you being notified, chances are it's racial.
• If your oil and diamond rich country is in debt to the IMF, chances are it's racial.
• If there is more of your people in jail than in college, chances are it's racial.
• If you can't believe your hair or skin is beautiful without treating it with lye or bleach chances are it's racial.
• If your character dies within the first 30 minutes of a movie, chances are it's racial.
• When you get called a refugee in your own country, chances are it's racial.
• When your neighborhood gets washed away and the gov't doesn't care, chances are it's racial.
• When your church gets blown up with four little girls inside, chances are it's racial.
• When a white person just doesn't get it, chances are it's racial.
• When you get shot for having a dream, chances are it's racial.

I hope this guide helps my white brothers and sisters out there. Have a nice day.

Black History Month 2006

Yes it's that time of year again so before I get into the race ranting I want to open up this post with a quote from my frat brother Carter G. Woodson.

"If you can control a man's thinking, you don't have to worry about his actions. If you can determine what a man thinks you do not have worry about what he will do. If you can make a man believe that he is inferior, you don't have to compel him to seek an inferior status, he will do so without being told and if you can make a man believe that he is justly an outcast, you don't have to order him to the back door, he will go to the back door on his own and if there is no back door, the very nature of the man will demand that you build one."

I guess that is the point behind Manderlay. But I'll get into that later.

Last year I really set the bar high for myself. So my intentions this year are to surpass my work and take it to another level, so let's get started shall we hmmm...

This month I want to hit on a few things that I didn't get to touch on last year.

Some of it is gonna be positive and some of it is gonna be down right ignant. So let the race ranting begin.

First off I want to get this off my chest. My history is not limited to one month out of the year. Black history is AMERICAN HISTORY. This country was built on the backs of black men and women. And I will be damned if my peoples sacrifices and contributions are not acknowledged YEAR ROUND. One month is not enough to talk about the accomplishments of black people in America.

A black man by the name of Carter G. Woodson invented this tradition. But I want my white brothers and sisters to not get it twisted. Just cause we keep this tradition alive doesn't let you off the hook the other 337 days out of the year.

Black history didn't start with Martin Luther King. As great as he was, his legacy stands on the backs of dozens of leaders who came before him.

That being said, as my fellow blogger Panama G. Jackson would say let the Stoned Soul Picnic begin.

Stay tuned.

Oscars Part I: The nominees.

It's that time of year again folks. And the nominees are..

BEST PICTURE
Brokeback Mountain - You can't make me like it. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
Capote - Very cool movie. I liked the pace of it.
Crash - It's always nice to see a race movie in the running. I just wish it was written by a black person, is that so wrong?
Good Night, and Good Luck - Very heavy handed. I got the point after the first half hour. I find that this movie is relevant to today but I think the pace of it was kinda slow.
Munich - I was blown away by this movie. Spielberg's best work since Saving Private Ryan.

BEST DIRECTOR
George Clooney, "Good Night, and Good Luck": He's a better actor than director.
Paul Haggis, "Crash": He's a better writer than he is a director.
Ang Lee, "Brokeback Mountain": From what I heard he does a good job.
Bennett Miller, "Capote": I really liked the feel of this movie.
Steven Spielberg, "Munich": I don't think he'll win but I think out of everyone nominated he deserves it.

BEST ACTOR
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Capote": He totally captured the voice and spirit of the character.
Terrence Howard, "Hustle & Flow": I really want him to win but I know it ain't gonna happen. And honestly who wants to win an Oscar for playing the role of a rapping pimp?
Heath Ledger, "Brokeback Mountain": I guess he was the top.
Joaquin Phoenix, "Walk The Line": He totally captured the heart of the character.
David Strathairn, "Good Night, and Good Luck": See what I wrote about Hoffman goes double for Strathairn

BEST ACTRESS
Judi Dench, "Mrs. Henderson Presents": I didn't see this movie nor do I have any intentions to. If I want to see Judi Dench in a movie I'll rent a Bond movie.
Felicity Huffman, "Transamerica": So let me get this straight. She's a woman who's playing a man who wants to be a woman? Aww just give it to her already.
Keira Knightley, "Pride and Prejudice": Hell no. NO!
Charlize Theron, "North Country": Didn't she win already?
Reese Witherspoon, "Walk The Line": NO. I just can't see it.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
George Clooney, "Syriana": If he doesn't get the award for best director this could be the conselation prize.
Matt Dillon, "Crash": Is it me or did Don Cheadle get robbed?
Paul Giamatti, "CInderella Man": Got robbed last year so he'll probably get it this year.
Jake Gyllenhaal, "Brokeback Mountain": I just don't see it happening for him this time around.
William Hurt, "A History of Violence": Deserves it. But won't get it.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, "Junebug": She's the underdog in this category. I really liked her performance.
Catherine Keener, "Capote": She's a safe bet to win but that being said the competition is stiff.
Frances McDormand, "North Country": I didn't see this movie but I'm sure she turned out a great performance. She's just that good.
Rachel Weisz, "The Constant Gardener": I hated this movie but I really like Rachel Weisz.
Michelle Williams, "Brokeback Mountain": She's come a long way from Dawson's Creek.

BEST ANIMATED FILM
"Howl's Moving Castle": Didn't see it.
"The Corpse Bride": Tim Burton could win with this.
"Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit": This movie should have come out 3 years ago and maybe it would have had a chance.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana for "Brokeback Mountain": I'm sure this movie was in development hell for years.
Dan Futterman for "Capote" : Good stuff.
Jeffrey Caine for "The Constant Gardener": HELL F*CKING NO!
Josh Olson for "The History of Violence": Brilliant. This was the most direct movie I've seen all year.
Tony Kushner and Eric Roth for "Munich": Awesome and telling. I loved this movie.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Paul Haggis and Robert Moresco for "Crash": I can't believe Haggis used to write for Different Strokes.
Grant Heslov and George Clooney for "Good Night, and Good Luck": Who knew Clooney could write.
Woody Allen for "Match Point": Don't ya just love how Woody Allen sneaks in with this movie.
Noah Baumbach for "The Squid and the Whale": Nice title.
Stephen Gaghan for "Syriana" : Hard to follow at times but good idea.

2006 Most Anticipated

X-Men 3 - The return of Jean Grey. Nuff said.

The Fountain - Darren Aronofsky gives us three parallel stories that span over a 1,000 years.

Superman Returns - Bryan Singer restarts this franchise.

Mission: Impossible III - Tom Cruise and Ving Rhames return to the spy franchise.

Inside Man - Spike Lee directs a bank heist thriller staring Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, and Jodie Foster.

Manderlay - From the man who brought you Dogville. It is a story of slavery, set in the 1930s American South.

Casino Royale - Daniel Craig is the new James Bond. We'll see how he does.

The Da Vinci Code - Ron Howard directs this adaptation of the Dan Brown bestseller. Some guy named Tom Hanks is supposed to be in this.

V For Vendetta - The Wachowski brothers adapt the infamous Alan Moore graphic novel.

Also look out for: Miami Vice, A Scanner Darkly, The Return of Zoom, Stranger Than Fiction, Dreamgirls, The Good Shepherd, Eragon