I think there are two extremes when it comes to the way racism is viewed in America circa 2007.
One extreme represents a stance that all racism ended the day MLK made his legendary speech.
The other extreme is that racism is as bad today as it was 50, 100, 200 years ago, it's not getting any better, and it's never going away.
The reality is somewhere in the middle, where things have indeed improved since the Civil Rights movement of the 60's, are continuing to improve, and hopefully will be a thing of the past 50, 100, 200 years from now.
Right on.
The most important thing about this statement is that the two extremes are looking back at the past, and the reality is that we need to look towards the future.
Hey,I don't about the rest of Black America, but I'm not particularly fond of Al Sharton. I consider him an "ambulance chaser." Black folks need a REAL leader instead of faux ones like Al and Jesse.
Does Black America really need a "LEADER"? I think that's been one of our problems. Waiting for another "messiah" to embody our "collective" ideals. Maybe many leaders on many local fronts working on all levels to help make progress. Al & Jesse have done their share of good thangs and by no means should be expected to be the "voice". The concepy of THEONE" is a antiquated idea that doesnt mesh w/ a Black America that has grown more multifaceted.
Great points!!! The grassroots movement of what you speak would seem to better address the myriad concerns of Blacks folks, rather than trying to advance a singular group agenda. Ultimately, the issue revolves around economic empowerment of our communities which flow, in my opinion, from educational inequalities. I don't think a "one voice" approach, as you've said, would suffice in addressing such problems. And yes, I do acknowledge the work Al and Jesse has done, but also, there appears to be problems with their credibility in the mainstream. In the end, all efforts will have to go through the mainstream to be successful, so there is a need to have the acumen to manuever those waters (sounds like higher education too). This is where Obama shines. Addressing Black concerns and maintaining credibility with the mainstream is definitely a balancing act. Dr. Martin Luther King was the ultimate in this regard.
To me its no different than music. We need local cats taking creative chances that cant be executed within certain corporate spheres. You also need cats on major labels w/ big promotional budgets to push the envelope maintaining the balancing act. And all the in-between cats have to find they're place. Idealistically speaking. From the Promo CD to the Double Live DVD.
I think there are two extremes when it comes to the way racism is viewed in America circa 2007.
One extreme represents a stance that all racism ended the day MLK made his legendary speech.
The other extreme is that racism is as bad today as it was 50, 100, 200 years ago, it's not getting any better, and it's never going away.
The reality is somewhere in the middle, where things have indeed improved since the Civil Rights movement of the 60's, are continuing to improve, and hopefully will be a thing of the past 50, 100, 200 years from now.
I think there are two extremes when it comes to the way racism is viewed in America circa 2007.
One extreme represents a stance that all racism ended the day MLK made his legendary speech.
The other extreme is that racism is as bad today as it was 50, 100, 200 years ago, it's not getting any better, and it's never going away.
The reality is somewhere in the middle, where things have indeed improved since the Civil Rights movement of the 60's, are continuing to improve, and hopefully will be a thing of the past 50, 100, 200 years from now.
I must not have been that wrong. All I know from the clip was that the woman's argument was "it was taking forever to get seated and then get food." Sharpton to the rescue! It gots to be racism if you don't get your food fast. Unless you're white.
A little history is a good thing. Whether or not there was racism in this case is for the courts to decide. But in the past it has been shown that this type of discrimination is common. Remember the case of the Secret Service agents and Denny's Restaurant? === Racism is not something from the distant past.
I seem to always be writing these things here. A person could easily think that I spend my time obsessing on race issues. That is not true at all. It is just that Soulstrut is the only place where I commonly come across people spouting opinions about race that are wrong and often offensive. This does not happen to me as I go about my daily life. Most people I am around know a little history. I rarely come across the attitude that racism ended when MLK gave the I Have A Dream Speech, an attitude that seems to permeate here at Soulstrut. That may be true, regarding "for the courts to decide" but are we to take all matters to court? Or does crying foul necessarily mean you're right?
In any case, I wasn't disputing that discrimination is common. Terribly so. But my point was that Al Sharpton is an attention-loving charlatan. That's all.
I made no commentary regarding whether racism was present in America. Ultimately, I guess, if I were going to bring something to national attention and onto CNN I'd make damn sure I had some kind of damning evidence in my favor.
And Sharpton suing the woman afterwards is just the icing on the cake with respect to my initial point.
And finally, I know personally that racism didn't end with MLK, and a truly astonishing number of fools I know that are restrained in every other respect will occasionally drop some racist shit out of the clear blue sky. And I never, ever let that shit pass without saying something. But none of that changes my point about this case and the Hon. Rev. Al.
And jumping to conclusions about anyone's racism (i.e. mine) doesn't help the cause.
I must not have been that wrong. All I know from the clip was that the woman's argument was "it was taking forever to get seated and then get food." Sharpton to the rescue! It gots to be racism if you don't get your food fast. Unless you're white.
if that's all you know, then why are you voicing an opinion???
you sound ignorant.
Be that as it may, "all I know" was apparently exactly what happened.
I must not have been that wrong. All I know from the clip was that the woman's argument was "it was taking forever to get seated and then get food." Sharpton to the rescue! It gots to be racism if you don't get your food fast. Unless you're white.
A little history is a good thing. Whether or not there was racism in this case is for the courts to decide. But in the past it has been shown that this type of discrimination is common. Remember the case of the Secret Service agents and Denny's Restaurant? === Racism is not something from the distant past.
I seem to always be writing these things here. A person could easily think that I spend my time obsessing on race issues. That is not true at all. It is just that Soulstrut is the only place where I commonly come across people spouting opinions about race that are wrong and often offensive. This does not happen to me as I go about my daily life. Most people I am around know a little history. I rarely come across the attitude that racism ended when MLK gave the I Have A Dream Speech, an attitude that seems to permeate here at Soulstrut.
That may be true, regarding "for the courts to decide" but are we to take all matters to court? Or does crying foul necessarily mean you're right?
In any case, I wasn't disputing that discrimination is common. Terribly so. But my point was that Al Sharpton is an attention-loving charlatan. That's all.
I made no commentary regarding whether racism was present in America. Ultimately, I guess, if I were going to bring something to national attention and onto CNN I'd make damn sure I had some kind of damning evidence in my favor.
And Sharpton suing the woman afterwards is just the icing on the cake with respect to my initial point.
And finally, I know personally that racism didn't end with MLK, and a truly astonishing number of fools I know that are restrained in every other respect will occasionally drop some racist shit out of the clear blue sky. And I never, ever let that shit pass without saying something. But none of that changes my point about this case and the Hon. Rev. Al.
And jumping to conclusions about anyone's racism (i.e. mine) doesn't help the cause.
Sorry I misunderstood your post. You seemed to be doubting that racism could have played into the incident. Instead you were saying that Al Sharpton "is an attention-loving charlatan". I wont argue with that.
Sorry I misunderstood your post. You seemed to be doubting that racism could have played into the incident. Instead you were saying that Al Sharpton "is an attention-loving charlatan". I wont argue with that.
No sweat man. Forgive me for getting all defensive or whatever... racism is a hot topic, particularly on the strut, and it gets combative up in here quickstyle.
Anyway, apologies on the strut are and hence you get your props from me.
And BTW I hope to god Hilary doesn't get the nomination.
If I had to pick right now it'd be Obama, no question.
Comments
The most important thing about this statement is that the two extremes are looking back at the past, and the reality is that we need to look towards the future.
To me its no different than music. We need local cats taking creative chances that cant be executed within certain corporate spheres. You also need cats on major labels w/ big promotional budgets to push the envelope maintaining the balancing act. And all the in-between cats have to find they're place. Idealistically speaking. From the Promo CD to the Double Live DVD.
I'll get into Obama another day.
You're very articulate.
And clean.
A little history is a good thing. Whether or not there was racism in this case is for the courts to decide. But in the past it has been shown that this type of discrimination is common. Remember the case of the Secret Service agents and Denny's Restaurant?
===
Racism is not something from the distant past.
I seem to always be writing these things here. A person could easily think that I spend my time obsessing on race issues. That is not true at all. It is just that Soulstrut is the only place where I commonly come across people spouting opinions about race that are wrong and often offensive. This does not happen to me as I go about my daily life. Most people I am around know a little history. I rarely come across the attitude that racism ended when MLK gave the I Have A Dream Speech, an attitude that seems to permeate here at Soulstrut.
That may be true, regarding "for the courts to decide" but are we to take all matters to court? Or does crying foul necessarily mean you're right?
In any case, I wasn't disputing that discrimination is common. Terribly so. But my point was that Al Sharpton is an attention-loving charlatan. That's all.
I made no commentary regarding whether racism was present in America. Ultimately, I guess, if I were going to bring something to national attention and onto CNN I'd make damn sure I had some kind of damning evidence in my favor.
And Sharpton suing the woman afterwards is just the icing on the cake with respect to my initial point.
And finally, I know personally that racism didn't end with MLK, and a truly astonishing number of fools I know that are restrained in every other respect will occasionally drop some racist shit out of the clear blue sky. And I never, ever let that shit pass without saying something. But none of that changes my point about this case and the Hon. Rev. Al.
And jumping to conclusions about anyone's racism (i.e. mine) doesn't help the cause.
Be that as it may, "all I know" was apparently exactly what happened.
Ignorant? Figure of speech? You be the judge.
That may be true, regarding "for the courts to decide" but are we to take all matters to court? Or does crying foul necessarily mean you're right?
In any case, I wasn't disputing that discrimination is common. Terribly so. But my point was that Al Sharpton is an attention-loving charlatan. That's all.
I made no commentary regarding whether racism was present in America. Ultimately, I guess, if I were going to bring something to national attention and onto CNN I'd make damn sure I had some kind of damning evidence in my favor.
And Sharpton suing the woman afterwards is just the icing on the cake with respect to my initial point.
And finally, I know personally that racism didn't end with MLK, and a truly astonishing number of fools I know that are restrained in every other respect will occasionally drop some racist shit out of the clear blue sky. And I never, ever let that shit pass without saying something. But none of that changes my point about this case and the Hon. Rev. Al.
And jumping to conclusions about anyone's racism (i.e. mine) doesn't help the cause.
Sorry I misunderstood your post. You seemed to be doubting that racism could have played into the incident. Instead you were saying that Al Sharpton "is an attention-loving charlatan". I wont argue with that.
i'm not really considering the other options. As far as I'm concerned, Edwards is Obama-lite
No sweat man. Forgive me for getting all defensive or whatever... racism is a hot topic, particularly on the strut, and it gets combative up in here quickstyle.
Anyway, apologies on the strut are
And BTW I hope to god Hilary doesn't get the nomination.
If I had to pick right now it'd be Obama, no question.