The Presidential election of this year is special. Perhaps this is the most special election for over 100 years, perhaps going as far back as to the Civil War. That is because in this one election multiple events are going to happen that will change America forever, no matter which candidate wins.

Specifically I want to focus on Senator Obama. By his historic nomination he has set off dominoes that continue to fall, and will fall for decades to come. And every one of those dominoes is connected to race relations in America.

I know many people have wondered what are Senator Obama’s chances of winning the election. And I must say that they are pretty bad. And this has little to do with his political intentions. Because if anyone was honest they would admit that in an election year with a President that has one of the worst (if not the worst) approval ratings since they kept these ratings, and a war as unpopular as Viet Nam it is unheard of to not be leading the opposing Party with at least 10 – 20%. The words landslide should be in play.

But what is holding America back? The Congress is Democratic, and ineffective. While this is the hands-down worst Congress ever, with approval ratings even lower than the President, no one really believes that Congress is all that effective even in the best of times. But the Congress is chanting the latest political fads – change, environmentally positive everything, more money in the average guys pocket, and an end to the wars. The Democratic nominee should be swimming in the excess.

But this Democratic nominee is Black. Which means he has Black friends. And Black wife and children. All of them will be in the White House, and not as cleaning staff.

It would be a laughable statement, except this is America land of the worst memory in history. This nation can’t remember that slaves built the foundation of everything. This nation can’t remember that African Americans fought in every war this nation ever had, of their own free will. This nation strives to forget that up until 1922 lynching a Black man was not a crime. Or that the murder of an entire town went unpunished. Or that laws based on skin color were as real as laws from Congress.

Because in America we forget that people of color exist on television, movies, cartoons, and books. We insist on populating news footage with negative images of people of color – to such an extreme that exactly the same photos of survivors of natural disaster portray Whites as foraging for food, and Blacks as looters. It’s because of this complete unwillingness to admit that our past is as ugly as any nation, and that this past was rather recent, that we see many people shun Senator Obama.

I’m sure most have forgotten already that during the Democratic Primaries polls showed that 11% of Democratic voters (who tend to be the most liberal part of the Party) in Pennsylvania and Ohio felt that race was important in selecting a candidate. And in West Virginia there was a large group that were sure that Senator Obama was a secret Muslim terrorist.

But now there is even more proof that not only some Democrats, but the nation makes decisions in Black and White.

The Associated Press, Yahoo, and Stanford University conducted a poll of 2,227 adults between August 27th and September 5th. 55% were between 30 and 60 years old. 52% were women. 86% had high school or better educations. 57% were married, 27% single. 27% had kids. 84% lived in a city of some size. 59% were employed. 71% made $25,000 or more per year. 49% were Democrats, 36% Republican, and 7% Independent. Most importantly 69% were White, 11% were Black, and 13% were Hispanic.

Here are the important results of the poll.

• 54% had a somewhat or very favorable opinion of Senator Obama.
  
• 55% had a somewhat or very favorable opinion of the Democratic Party.
  
• 64% somewhat or strongly disapproved of the job President Bush is doing.
  

Up to this point you would have to wonder why Senator Obama is not doing better in polling results. Both he and his Party enjoy a better than 50% favorable opinion. And President Bush represents Republicans (supposedly) so he should be doing gangbusters against anything that sounds remotely like a President bush policy. Yet we know he is not.

The following is verbatim from the poll (wave 6 is the version of the poll):

[RANDOMLY ASSIGN RESPONDENTS TO RAC3 OR RAC4 OR RAC5 OR RAC6]
RAC3. Please indicate HOW MANY of the following upset you.

• The federal government increasing the tax on gasoline
  
• Professional athletes getting million-dollar-plus salaries
  
• Large corporations polluting the environment
  Wave 6
  0 4
  1 14
  2 31
  3 51
  Refused / Not Answered 0
  
  RAC4. Please indicate HOW MANY of the following upset you.
  
• The federal government increasing the tax on gasoline
  
• Professional athletes getting million-dollar-plus salaries
  
• Large corporations polluting the environment
  
• A black family moving next door to where you live
  Wave 6
  0 1
  1 12
  2 41
  3 38
  4 7
  Refused / Not Answered 0
  
  RAC5. Please indicate HOW MANY of the following upset you.
  
• The federal government increasing the tax on gasoline
  
• Professional athletes getting million-dollar-plus salaries
  
• Large corporations polluting the environment
  
• Black leaders asking the government for racial equality in the work place
  Wave 6
  0 3
  1 9
  2 32
  3 30
  4 25
  Refused / Not Answered 1
  
  RAC6. Please indicate HOW MANY of the following upset you.
  
• The federal government increasing the tax on gasoline
  
• Professional athletes getting million-dollar-plus salaries
  
• Large corporations polluting the environment
  
• A black person serving as president of the United States
  Wave 6
  0 3
  1 11
  2 28
  3 46
  4 10
  Refused / Not Answered 1
  

Notice what is different in each of the above. The numbers jump dramatically when adding in a Black person. Especially if that African American is a leader asking for equality, or is President. But isn’t it nice that there is only a slight increase when a Black person lives near Whites. I guess racism doesn’t exist – as long as we don’t try to do more than live near Whites.

But the pool goes on.

• 60% of the respondents like a little to a great deal Whites (which is funny since 69% are White)
  
• 52% of the respondents like a little to a great deal Blacks
  
• 52% of the respondents like a little to a great deal Hispanics
  
  Do you happen to know the religion of each of the following candidates? If you don’t know, you can mark that too.
  

The key in this response is the fact that 14% feel that Senator Obama is a Muslim. That’s after 16 months of pundits on television, campaign ads, and the actual words of Obama dispelling rumors about his faith. And since 9/11 being a Muslim in this nation can be painful if not deadly.

But couple that response with this next question:

CQ8. Does Barack Obama’s religion make you more likely to vote for him, less likely to vote for him, or have no effect on whether you’d vote for him?
More likely 6
Less likely 18
Has no effect 75
Refused / Not Answered 0

That’s 18% that would be less likely to vote for Obama, and 23% that fail to recognize or believe in his Christian faith – most believing him to be Muslim.

But what about Reverend Wright, a Christian and much spoken about during and since the Primaries?

CQ9. Does Barack Obama’s relationship with Reverend Jeremiah Wright (his former pastor in Chicago) suggest to you that Mr. Obama would be a better president, a worse president, or suggest nothing to you about how good or bad a president he would be?
All Respondents Wave 6
A much better president 2
A somewhat better president 3
A somewhat worse president 15
A much worse president 19
Suggest nothing to you 61
Refused / Not Answered 0

Whites Only Wave 6
A much better president 0
A somewhat better president 2
A somewhat worse president 18
A much worse president 23
Suggest nothing to you 56
Refused / Not Answered 0

The total of all respondents was 34% feel Rev Wright was a bad influence on their vote
The total of White respondents was 41% feel Rev Wright was a bad influence on their vote

Yet 50% said they want Senator Obama as President with or without a Democratic Congress
47% said they want a moderate President but 63% feel Obama is slightly to extremely Liberal

RAC8. When it comes to politics, would you say that each of the groups listed below has too much influence, just about the right amount of influence, or to little influence?

Now I found it interesting that 87% of White respondents felt they had just enough or too little influence on politics. Yet 75% White respondents felt Blacks had too much influence or just enough.

This question really makes me wonder

RAC10. How often have you felt admiration for blacks?
All Respondents Wave 6
Extremely often 8
Very often 18
Moderately often 43
Rarely 21
Never 8
Refused / Not Answered 1

Whites Only Wave 6
Extremely often 3
Very often 15
Moderately often 49
Rarely 23
Never 8
Refused / Not Answered 1

What do they mean admiration? And for whom? Do they mean if Whites admire Tiger Woods for his golfing ability, or Shaq for being able to play basketball, or do they mean Tyler Perry for his business success? And guess which one the average White American knows the name of.

When the poll asked:

RAC11. How well does each of these words describe most blacks?


• Whites responded 57% that Complaining was a moderately to extremely well description
  
• Whites responded 38% that Lazy was a moderately to extremely well description
  
• Whites responded 40% that Irresponsible was a moderately to extremely well description
  
• Whites responded 48% that Violent was a moderately to extremely well description
  

Another question asked how much people agreed or disagreed with a statement:

Generations of slavery have created conditions that make it difficult for blacks to work their way out of the lower class – 51% of Whites strongly or somewhat disagreed with this.

Over the past few years, blacks have gotten LESS than they deserve – 44% of Whites strongly or somewhat disagreed with this

Over the past few years, blacks have gotten more ECONOMICALLY than they deserve – 29% of Whites strongly or somewhat disagreed with this

So in looking at these questions you get this picture – Whites (at least in this poll) feel that Blacks are violent and complain too much, in particular about slavery and Jim Crow laws and the effect being a considered a non-human that did not deserve the right to read and/or write for centuries might have had up until 1965. And that it’s irresponsible for us to believe we deserve anything more than EXACTLY what we have now.

That how I read that section.

Another question of note:

RAC14. How much of the racial tension that exists in the United States today do you think blacks are responsible for creating?

85% of the White respondents believe that Blacks are responsible for most or some of the racial tension in America today. But if you go to your TV right now, and flip thru 5 channels (excluding Unavision and BET) I doubt you will be able to find more than 2 main black characters, 1 Hispanic, and 0 Asians on all the programs combined. But being made invisible on a medium that broadcasts 24/7 wouldn’t make you feel invisible or tense. Just like if no one ever spoke or looked at you for a day or two. Wouldn’t that be relaxing, now imagine that happens everyday of your life.

Another great question:

RAC15. How much discrimination against blacks do you feel there is in the United States today, limiting their chances to get ahead?

81% of the White respondents believe that there is little to some discrimination. Refer back to the example above. Or better yet provide me with a video or link to news about a White man being shot 50 or more times by police.

Now I realize that this has been very long. And if you have followed this to here I thank you. But more importantly I hope you are thinking about this poll, and what it says about America.

There are very real issues about race in this nation. It’s more than the fact that in June of 2007 Senator Obama had to have a Secret Service detail because of the death threats he was receiving – before he became popular and months before any other potential candidate was made a similar offer. It’s more than the fact that fully some 10% of people polled in every state have said they won’t vote for an African American. It’s not even solely about the lopsided justice that the Jena 6, Wesley Snipes, Megan Williams, Sean Bell and the 3 men beaten by 15 Philadelphia police received. It’s that America has issues with anyone of color, and that issue is exponentially greater if that person has or tries to attain a position of power.

Has America improved its race relations since 1965? Yes, because police dogs and fire hoses are not used when a Black kid goes to an integrated school. But that fact, and that 1 Black man is running for the Presidency, does not mean that racism has been abolished.

Not when during the time of this election cycle African Americans have been beaten, killed, and persecuted by the same Government that he is running to be elected to lead. Not when so many believe Blacks have too much power, or are innately violent and/or lazy, and so many have problems with the idea of a Black leader or President.

In that kind of an environment are you surprised that anyone might wonder if Senator Obama can win? Even though he is well liked, his political party is favored, and the current policies and President is virtually despised. Is it really any wonder that this is not a landslide election for the Democrats and Obama?

I mean think about this. Of all the questions asked in the poll, not one mentioned a single political issue. Not one mentioned any change in the government. Not one question focused on a campaign promise that Democrats and/or Obama has made. Yet consistently for reasons revolving around the fact that Senator Obama has an excellent tan every day of his life, he is viewed as a violent, lazy, irresponsible, Muslim, that creates racial tension and complains too much with too much political power for the likes of some 20% or so of Americans.

Please tell me how this does not bode poorly for the nation and our future?

Labels: Associated Press, Megan Williams, Presidential election race 2008, race in America, Sean Bell, Senator Barack Obama, Stanford University, Wesley Snipes, Yahoo

With great joy I can now say that Senator Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee for President of the United States.

As of 5:37pm the total delegates and Super Delegates reached 2123 in a surge as many formerly supporting Senator Hillary Clinton abandoned her. There is no question that comments from Senator Clinton acknowledging her interest in the Vice-Presidency helped to sway at least some of the late breaking delegates.

At the start of this long nomination cycle I stated that I believed that Senator Clinton was the probably nominee, which I was abhorrent to. While I have followed the entire process as neutral as is possible for anyone who is an American citizen (anyone following this election and claiming to not have a position is generally lying as all citizens have a vested interest and therefore a preference of some degree), I have not hidden my dislike and distrust of Clinton and her campaign. More importantly, I have provided ample reasons and examples of why she was not the best candidate for the future of America.

I must admit my surprise that Senator Obama has won. Like many pundits and bloggers in 2006 and 2007 I did not feel America was ready to have a Black President or even candidate. It would seem that I was wrong, West Virginia not withstanding.

But now is when the real issues will appear. The real questions of what are the plans that will improve America. The plans that will unify the nation. The plans that will carry the nation to the future. And these plans will be compared to those of Senator John McCain, with the best becoming President.

Race is still the predominant issue going forward. I still see that as a factor that will secretly withhold votes from Senator Obama no matter what people say publicly. I hope to be proven wrong on that, again.

We will hear about Rev. Wright yet again. There will be calls of the Muslim conspiracy, and the hidden terrorist threat circling the internet among the least intelligent people in America. Information and facts will be misquoted or re-interpreted by those with agendas less about politics and more about prejudice.

That is not to say that any debate against Senator Obama is solely racially motivated. He does have problems. He has less experience, his foreign policy comments are questionable, and his economic plans are arguably impotent. Senator Obama is a huge liberal, and the nation is very much a more central moderate conservative.

But these are questions for the near future.

Today I am simply elated that an African American has risen to be competing fro the highest office in the land, and the most powerful political position in the world. We should not be fooled into believing that this will prevent issues like Megan Williams case, Sean Bell case, unequal legal action – like in Jena – and many others from happening. We cannot think that this obscures or fixes problems like the under funding and poor teaching of students in cities, or lack of representation in corporations of Blacks in the highest corporate levels.

This is one step, both symbolically and in reality, but it cannot be the last. Nor can we allow ourselves to make our decisions based solely on the basis of skin color.

I am pleased today. But tomorrow I will continue the process of covering this election, analyzing the plans of both candidates, and offering my opinion on who seems to bode best for the nations future potential.

Good bye Senator Clinton, Congratulations Democratic Presidential nominee Senator Obama.

(now if he can just make sure she doesn’t wrangle herself into the Vice-Presidency it will be a really good race indeed.)

Labels: 2008 election, African Americans, Democratic Presidential candidate, jena 6, Megan Williams, Rev. Wright, Sean Bell, Senator Barack Obama, Senator Hillary Clinton

So I have recently discussed race in America, specifically the inequality of law enforcement and punishment (at Black Entertainment USA and here). Sean Bell, Wesley Snipes, Megan Williams, the Jena 6 and others are but a tip of the iceberg of failure in some aspect of the legal system. From the failure to prosecute, failure to convict, the rush to presume and proclaim guilt, and the retroactively excessive and (in my opinion) abusive sentencing there is nothing that is balanced about Justice in America.

Now add to that a case I have read about today. By the way, if you are African American and live in Texas, especially Dallas, don’t ever get arrested. Because there is a real chance you will get convicted and in the worst case you will be sentenced to death. Such is the case of James Lee Woodard.

James Lee Woodard is an innocent man, wrongly convicted of murder in 1981. It has taken 27 years and the efforts of the Innocence Project to provide him a DNA test proving his innocence. And if you wonder why he had to wait for them, it’s because the legal system willfully ignored him. Mr. Woodard filed 6 writs with appeals courts and 2 requests for the DNA tests (that would eventually free him). Instead of considering his pleas he was labeled a writ abuser and ignored.

Imagine that. You are innocent, and your request to be proven so is brushed off as annoying chatter.

There was a study by the Justice Department (A Broken System: Error Rates in Capital Cases, 1973-1995) that stated in 22 years there was no proof of a wrongly executed person. Yet 500 were executed in that time frame. Mr. Woodard was convicted in that timeframe. So if he was never given a DNA test, and executed the DOJ would have still claimed no error. Thus the question must be asked, how many have been denied a DNA test and executed wrongly?

Why is the DNA so important? Why is this such an abomination of justice? Because Mr. Woodard was convicted by 2 witnesses – of which one recanted their testimony in court documents and the other is stated as being completely unreliable (now). And Mr. Woodard is not alone.

In Texas 31 people have been found innocent by DNA testing. 18 were convicted in Dallas alone. Both of these are national highs. How many have not been heard because they have claimed their innocence too much? Because the ears of the Justice system close quickly. Especially when the fact is that Blacks, nationwide, are more likely to be convicted of a violent crime than any other racial group in the nation.

In a culture that is rife with cases where African American males are repeatedly targeted for senseless murders by law enforcement officers, and the legal system is prone to handing out the harshest penalties, can we afford to have closed ears? How often do we hear of Black men, convicted by eyewitnesses that are wrong or knowingly guessing and legal procedures that are unbalanced, being released after decades of incarceration?

What about cases like Genarlow Wilson, a young Black youth convicted to 10 years in a case that even the most jaded would call overly excessive. What about Wesley Snipes who was given the harshest possible sentence to make up for the fact the Government failed to get a conviction on felony charges – that a jury of his peers found him innocent of. What about a judge penalizing witnesses for the prosecution for their dress code and attitude by absolving the defendants of guilt without the benefit of a jury or the defendants testifying (the Sean Bell case).

Like politics today, where issues are abandoned in pursuit of the character of individuals not up for election, where is the justice?

America has issues. Many want to hide their heads in the sand or stick fingers in their ears rather than deal with the uncomfortable truth. America is as biased and racist as it was in 1950 or 1860. We just dress it up better.

So what can we do? What is possible for the public? Everything.

Write to your Congressional representative and Senator. Have your friends and family, your schools and classmates, your job and co-workers write. Post up blogs, and speak at community events. Be involved in your community and vocal at public discussions. Write a blog or make a website. Act.

Because if you are waiting for someone to act on your behalf you may wind up like the person in a joke I once heard:

“There is this guy in his house. He hears on TV that a flood is coming and he should evacuate. He prays to God to save him and goes about his day at home. The flood waters start to reach his house when a police officer drives up and tries to get him to leave with him. The man refuses saying – I’m a good man. I pray to God and have strong faith. God will save me.

The waters continue to rise and fill the 1st floor of his 2 story house. A man in a row boat comes up and begs the man to get in. He refuses again saying – I follow my faith. I love God, and pray often. I have faith, God will save me.

The floodwaters rise further and the man is forced to his roof. A helicopter comes by and pleads with the man to grab a ladder and fly off with them. Adamant the man stays shouting – I prayed to God and he will save me! I have faith!

The man dies from drowning in the flood. In heaven he sees God. He asks God why he didn’t save him.

God says, “You are a good man. You have strong faith and lived well. I heard your prayers. So I sent you a cop in a car, a guy in a rowboat, and a helicopter. What more did you want me to do?”

Labels: american justice, Black Entertainment USA, Dallas, Innocence Project, jena 6, legal system, Megan Williams, Sean Bell, Texas, Wesley Snipes

Continued from Preparing for the TV One Heartland Presidential Forum Part 1...

What do I expect the debate to go over today? I think that most people are more concerned about education for their children, the economy continuing to be stable and prosperous – so they know they have job security, illegal immigrants – taking away jobs and receiving benefits funded by taxpayer money (including income taxes which illegals don’t pay). Not necessarily in that order.

Lower on the list are issues like race relations (the inequalities in the law enforcement and justice system that plague minorities as seen via Sean Bell, Megan Williams, Genarlow Wilson, and the Jena 6 as recent examples), anti-terrorism actions to keep us safe in this country (the Canadian border is still my biggest issue), and entitlement programs (like Welfare though not necessarily including Social Security). Again that is not a guarantee they are in that order of preference.

I base this on my conversations with people across this country. Friends, associates, clients, blog readers and authors, as well as polls found on my blogs and corporate website. That is what I think the real America wants to hear answers to. Yet pundits and candidates of both parties have given short shrift to these issues.

Think about it, other than one question in one debate, I don’t recall any candidate speaking about their plans to ensure our kids graduate high school, and are able to read. Yet in the African American community alone dropout rates exceed 50%. I recall one question, early in 2007, that dealt with AIDS and HIV, yet a recent announcement states that AIDS cases in kids 15-19 are up 20%, and those 20-24 are up 22% (according to 2005 numbers which are the most current known). The numbers for African American youth are appallingly higher.

That says nothing about youth pregnancy (in the Black community up an estimated 60+%). And what about other issues that are not as close to home as the abovementioned? Like the Child Soldier Act (which Congress seems determined to ignore) or HR 180 IH which deals with Darfur (now nearing its 5th year of genocide). No, but there has been plenty of talk about green energy (which most regular people don’t even think about as far as I’ve heard) which we could not resolve immediately even if there was an energy source that we could use effectively right now.

I hope that when these serious issues are asked by the regular people in the audience (hopefully not planted by the Clinton campaign which seems like a common practice for them based on recent revelations) there are full real answers.

But don’t be surprised if you only hear 30 second soundbites that sound motivating but answer nothing. I mean I’m not running for any office and this quick recap takes about 5 minutes to read in full. When was the last time any candidate actually took 5 minutes to explain 1 issue without going off on a tangent, blaming Congress or the President (or both), or sliding the discussion into a completely different direction altogether?

But we will see.

Labels: AIDS, Black community, Darfur, HIV, illegal immigration, Megan Williams, political debate, presidential cantidates, race in America, TV One

I am troubled. I could not sleep having read the numbers and thought of the implications they held. The severity of them stands out, with a stark foreboding nature. And I think you will agree.

The numbers I speak of come from USAToday, and the Pew Research Center. Simply stated, African American kids are more likely to make less than their parents. Specifically this is what was found for middle-class Blacks, a group of individuals that is incredibly small and decreasing every day. In that group 70% of the children made less money than their parents, while virtually 70% of White children of middle-class parents made more. And if you are wondering, this is from October 2007 hardly ancient times.

What this implies is very straight forward. Life as an African American is about to get much more difficult rather than better. And this is the situation when there are more Blacks involved with government, business, and entertainment than perhaps ever in the history of the United States. Is it any surprise that when asked 56% of Blacks see things getting worse, or that Whites asked the same question had the same percentage (56%) saw the future for Blacks improving.

I can hardly imagine a more problematic situation for the nation. On one end we have the very real perception that fewer are doing better held by African Americans, and the other is a cheerful belief that life is getting better held by Whites. Is there any wonder that so many question why there is such an uproar when events like Genarlow Wilson, Megan Williams, or the Jena 6 occur? Blacks see things becoming more like the 1950’s and Whites see a hoped for future envisioned in the late 1960’s.

The window dressing looks fantastic. Figureheads like Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Denzel Washington, Bill Cosby and Senator Barack Obama are making strides that my grand-parents could only dream of. Yet, fewer children stand a chance of gaining even a portion of such success in their adulthood. And that means strife. And strife inevitably equates to violence.

The question arises why this is happening. Some will say it’s the fact that Blacks fail to be involved in their community. Others claim it’s a lack of education. There is the question of the loss of the 2 parent family, and the impact of major media promoting base, generally illegal, violent aspects of culture. I believe they are all factors to different degrees.

Given that, why would Whites have an entirely opposite belief of what the current status is? Thinking about it, and speaking with a friend that is in a mixed marriage, I would say that it’s because of the figureheads they see. Because Senator Obama is running for President, and Condoleezza Rice is Secretary of State, and the apparent opulence of a few, very visible entertainers (mostly rappers in this case) the impression is that things must be better in general as 20 or 30 years ago you did not see this. That of course is the assumption of thinking what you see in one is common for all.

While there are dramatically more African Americans in politics today (elected office or in the executive branch) there is no difference in injustices in the legal system (as I am aware). 30 years ago a Black man would get sentenced harsher than a White for the same crime, and violence against a White virtually guaranteed a life sentence or the death penalty. That has not changed. In the 1990’s Rodney King was viciously beaten by cops that were acquitted, last year Sean Bell and 3 Black men were shot (he was killed) multiple times by 5 police officers without cause (no viable proof was ever provided to my knowledge). There is no difference.

Yet many might point to the success of OJ Simpson as an example of the correction in the balance of the law. And I would have to counter that for over a decade he has been hounded by the media with the carefully worded accusation of guilty ever since. And there are the examples I cited earlier, which are a mere handful of cases that show a consistent trend in the media and legal system.

Continued in part 2...

Labels: African American, Bill Cosby, Denzel Washington, Genarlow Wilson, jena 6, Megan Williams, oj simpson, Pew Research Center, Senator Barack Obama, Tiger Woods, USAToday

In light of the consistent reversals of positions, incomplete answers and anything but subtle switches of subject from the issue at hand I was wondering about a couple of questions that the Presidential candidates could answer yes or no to. No trick questions, no bias based on political affiliation. Just something simple that should be able to get a simple answer. And to be fair, I will provide a follow-up question they can answer in any way they wish.

• 1. Do you believe the legal system in America is fair and balanced for all people regardless of their color of skin or economic bracket?


• 1a. What will you do about the obvious media and legal imbalances exemplified by the delay and then subsequent media coverage of the Jena case and the initial criminal charges, the sentence of Genarlow Wilson, and the complete avoidance of the Megan Williams case in West Virginia?


• 2. Do you find that the education system is adequate?


• 2a. How will you improve the incredible failure that is evident in the higher dropout rates and lower reading skills found now in students across the country?


• 3. Do you believe that religious fanatics who create violence are not motivated by monetary or political actions?


• 3a. How can America protect itself, under your guidance, against groups that have the singular desire to destroy the nations existence because of their religious belief?


• 4. Do you believe citizen taxes should be spent to benefit anyone but U.S. citizens?


• 4a. Why should Americans provide anything, funded by citizen taxes, to individuals that have committed a crime by entering the United States without legal documentation?


• 5. Do you agree that the work executed by Slaves in America provided the economic stability and physical labor that are the foundations of modern day America?


• 5a. Are you willing to consider and work on reparations for African Americans, similar to the reparations made to Native American Indians and Japanese Americans interned during WWII?

There are other questions that can be asked. Perhaps in the near future I will. But I would love to hear the simple and direct answer to each of these primary questions, and whatever answers is made for the follow-up. After all the soundbites, and incomplete answers we have heard in 2007 to date, on which the American public is expected to pick a Presidential candidate from each political party, it would be refreshing to have real answers.

I can only speak for myself, but I can have more faith and be more willing to vote for a candidate that gives me an honest and direct answer as opposed to somebody that appears to be playing at fears and polls to get elected.

Regardless of the answers, who do you think would actually answer these questions?

Labels: american taxes, Democratic Party, election 2008, illegal immigration, Japanese internment, jena 6, Megan Williams, Native American Indians, political debate, reparations, Republican Party, social services, WWII

Continued from Facts are not as important as myths Part 2...

Michael Richards went into a racist rant, and was only covered in the news after 2 ½ days of the video being at the top of YouTube. Within 24 hours the story was turned into how this might affect DVD sales of the Seinfeld show.

Don Imus took 3 days before it reached the major news airwaves. Within 2 days after that the question from pundits and news anchors was why certain words were promoted by rap artists. The questioning never addressed the fact that there have been constant debates, arguments and articles against the use of these words for over a decade. The questions also failed to address that corporate executive’s greenlighted the marketing and solicitation of a specific type of music that contains only these words, and that they virtually removed artists that promoted any other form of the genre.

I can go on. There is the month long attention to the death of Anna Nicole Smith, and the scant attention to the death or month long delay of the burial of James Brown. 2 days of conversation about Ellen Degeneres whining about a pet vs. coverage of the above mentioned Megan Williams. I’m just picking major stories; I have discussed all of these individually in blog posts.

The point is that there is a bias in the media. I’ve said it over and over again. The result is that there is the image of all African American males as being stupid, violent, drug-addicted, felons. It’s not true. It’s not even close.

Yet there is no suggestion of White males as being wife killing, co-worker murdering, school mass murdering, hate promoting fiends. If there was a fairness, an equality of the major media, that would be the conclusion. It’s actually more accurate as the numbers show. But the mere suggestion of such a thing evokes anger and cries of lack of education.

Without knowing these numbers I recently claimed that young White males are the most dangerous people in America today. For that I was told I was mentally challenged, a fool, and uneducated (all in far more colorful and explicative laden wording, which is why it was not approved). But having done the numbers it seems I was not only right, I am dramatically right.

Yet for all this information, for all the facts that more Whites are killed in a given year – overwhelmingly by other Whites – over the last 29 years (if not longer) and in every year, Blacks are feared and demonized. African American males, of all ages but particularly the youth, are considered dangerous and animalistic yet without real validation.

Concluded in part 4...

Labels: African American, Don Imus, James Brown, Megan Williams, Michael Richards, news media, racial controversy

Continued from Facts are not as important as myths Part 1...

Then think of this. See how many news stories are followed up when the criminal is found to be a White person. See how quickly stories are dropped when a crime is horrendous or obviously racially motivated by Whites.

I offer these examples:

Megan Williams was tortured, raped multiple times by White males and females, stabbed, choked with a noose, had boiling water poured on her, and perhaps more. The story garnered less than 5 minutes of national news media attention to date (to my knowledge)

The Jena 6 case was on-going for months before the media bothered to mention 1 comment on the injustice there. The fact that nooses were used was ignored as being a hate crime – by definition – and the dozen or so cases of nooses being found around the nation got maybe 2 minutes of attention. The death threats from White supremacists against the 6 Black boys received another minute of attention

The case of the White teen being beaten by 6 Blacks received 1 ½ day of coverage until the exact moment that the police in Norfolk stated on national news that this was not a racially motivated case and that there was provocations made by the White teen. Not another second of the case has aired since.

The Duke Rape case was followed for over a year. From the first day media pundits and news anchors disputed the credibility of the victim. Every step of the case and prosecution was questioned, and every facet about the victim’s life and friends was reported promptly. In every reference to the White males the word innocent was used.

Every week since the OJ Simpson trial ended, a reference to OJ being a criminal and guilty of the murders he was found INNOCENT of (by a jury of his peers that included White jurors) has been made and continues to be made. Virtually every case that involves the murder of a woman, especially if an African American is involved or questioned, brought up references to OJ and claims of his guilt.

Prior to the Bobby Cutts case, a White male killed his wife and 3 kids. He was investigated and was arrested. His arrest occurred at the funeral for his family. He blamed, as I recall, his wife for the crime. The entire case got 1 hour of coverage, most of it occurring prior to the start of the Bobby Cutts case. I doubt most Americans can name the state where the murders occurred in, the family’s name, or the industry that the White male held.

Continued in part 3...

Labels: Bobby Cutts, Duke rape case, jena 6, Jessie Davis, Megan Williams, news media, oj simpson, racial controversy

This is a repost of a comment I made at Black & White Blog where I am co-author. I invite you to see the original post and leave comments on either blog.

With great sadness I have to say that ignorance pervades even at the top of the scientific community. There is no excuse for the words of Dr. James Watson. They are blatant, racist, and ill-informed at the least. But historically, this is an argument that has long persisted.

Perhaps all those that continue the line of ill-reasoning stated by Dr. Watson as

“inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa ... because all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours – whereas all the testing says not really”

should look to a far better known and more quoted figure, William Shakespeare

The lady doth protest too much, methinks - From Hamlet (III, ii, 239)

Or better yet

O, beware, my lord of jealousy; It is the green-ey'd monster which doth mock
The meat it feeds on - Othello (III, iii, 165-167)

I feel the Othello quote is best. Because I have to believe it is the jealousy and constant barrage of statements of superiority that lead to these kinds of statements. It helps those that feel inferior and hold a lack of self-esteem a means by which to leverage themselves up. To bad all fact and observation prove this to be incorrect.

Regardless of the degrees and desire for some to state otherwise, some of the greatest innovations and discoveries were not made by Caucasians of any region.

Mathematics, on which all technology and most sciences are dependant on, was the creation of Blacks, long before any organized cultures in Europe existed. In fact perhaps the earliest mathematics occurred in the Congo.

“The Ishango Bone, found in the area of the headwaters of the Nile River (northeastern Congo), dates as early as 20,000 BC. One common interpretation is that the bone is the earliest known demonstration[7] of sequences of prime numbers and Ancient Egyptian multiplication.”

The earliest Greek mathematicians were not until roughly 600 BC.

But of the thousands of inventions and innovations of Black inventors, not to mention Asians, people like Dr. Watson wish to turn a blind eye. They hope to infuse personal commentary in place of science, history and fact to justify their ludicrous claims.

If there is any doubt, one need only search Google or Ask.com for the facts of who did what when. Dr. Watson and his ilk are refuted right there.

The part that truly worries me is that men of this type are the ones that led the cry for a master race. They ran experiments of the most inhumane nature, in the hopes of creating that race. And now there is Dr. Watson who is researching DNA, and god knows what his ultimate goal for this research may be. I can only hope there are several groups and individuals watching what he is up to.

As for your question:

“What if one race was scientifically inferior to another in terms of learning ability? Let’s say, for example, what if the black race was scientifically inferior and if that could be proved through a trusted scientific trial? Would blacks throughout the world accept it or would it be labeled as a racist trial?”

I cannot imagine how that could be possible. As I have stated above, many of the discoveries in science occurred because of the minds of Blacks and Asians throughout history.

But if I follow that line of thought, the answer would be that regardless of what Blacks would think (or Asians for that matter) the media would disseminate and promote this story above all protests. There of course would be protests, and I have no doubt that the scientific finding would be analyzed by the best Black minds in the world.

As for

“What if the white race was inferior to the black race. Then, who would black america blame their woes on. Of course White America would say, we’re just dumb white folk. Food for thought.”

Actually there are 2 things you are incorrect about. The first is that African Americans do not “blame their woes” but rather highlight injustice and inequality in America that has been created and promoted through centuries of the existence of America.

When bloggers write about the Jena 6 for months, it’s not a woe but an injustice they are writing about. When I write about Ms. Megan Williams, it is not blame or woe, but a recognition that the major news media has failed in their job. It is to ensure that there will be equality under the law. It is to ensure that such acts will not be done again.

When there were riots in America after the Rodney King trial found the police officers innocent of all charges that was not a woe. When media ignored the death of Sean Bell, or breezed past the racial slurs of Michael Richards, or ignored the fact that murderer Jonathan Riches was finally brought to justice, all of this is not woes.

Some may blame White American society on many of the ills that prevail in the African American community today. In part they are correct. In part it is also the fault of the Black community. But these are not cries of misfortune that are baseless.

The second point is that if such empirical fact could be found, White Americans would not hesitate to denounce, discredit, and ignore the findings. The media would not carry the story, except for a few that might phrase it as a bit of silly, misguided, fluff. Bloggers speaking about it would be decried as militant and reverse racist.

Given a bit of time, and the eventual circulation of the story, multiple lawsuits would appear asking for White Americans to receive preferential designation in various programs, like college entrance exams, job placement and so on.

Several of the suits would appear to repeal/end any and all laws or organizations that exist to benefit African Americans and minority groups. The reasoning would be that since White Americans are inferior they need greater protection under the law and that any actions for non-Whites give them greater power and thus is unfair and lop-sided justice.

While this may sound laughable, I would bet that there would be enough concern and fear generated by this fact of inferiority that many of these lawsuits would win. As any honest White American will admit, they generally fear African Americans. That is without reason or causation; imagine when that general fear is given fuel with fact.

And here is another thought to ponder. Why would the thought of ANY group or race being inherently inferior to another come to your mind from the words of Dr. Watson? This is not an accusation just a question.

When I read his comments I was insulted and knew he was wrong. At no point did I think one race is better than another. What caused you to speculate otherwise?

Labels: Black and White Blog, James Watson, jena 6, Megan Williams, Rodney King trial, Sean Bell

It’s amazing what a mere 6 months allow. In this minor amount of time Reverend Jesse Jackson seems to have forgotten, and hopes we have as well, his endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama. That’s funny.

“He has my vote,” the Rev. Jackson told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

“I just have an appreciation of him,” Jackson said.

That was on March 29th of this year. But on Sept. 19th the comments from Rev. Jackson seemed anything but supportive, or the words of a friend.

“Jackson sharply criticized presidential hopeful and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama for “acting like he’s white” in what Jackson said has been a tepid response to six black juveniles’ arrest on attempted-murder charges in Jena, La. Jackson, who also lives in Illinois, endorsed Obama in March, according to The Associated Press.

“If I were a candidate, I’d be all over Jena,…”

Wow. Talk about a reversal of position.

Let’s get a couple of things clear on this. I don’t think that Rev. Jackson really cares about Sen. Obama winning. Jesse Jackson Jr. may but not his father. That presumption explains the comments about the Jena 6 and how Sen. Obama acts.

By the way, Rev. Jackson would be all over the Jena 6 as a presidential candidate, but as a civil rights leader, and a news media declared “leader” of African Americans, he has had virtually nothing to say about this case? I mean though this has finally gotten attention, enough to have been part of questions asked to President Bush in his press conference today (roughly at 11am), it is hardly a new thing. Black bloggers have long been speaking on this, for months. The major news media just ignored all the commentary on the case. And I am unaware of Rev. Jackson, or Rev. Al Sharpton, stepping up and making a national press conference on the matter.

That is not only hypocritical, it’s wrong. Rev. Jackson and Sharpton have the ability to bring many issues to the media that the rest of us have to work 10,000x harder to bring to light. Yet they are quiet on many until they can get the limelight, even if at the cost to others in my opinion. Take the example of Ms. Megan Williams.

I’ve already commented on the horrendous crime inflicted on Ms. Williams. I have already criticized the major news media for their failure to follow this story, especially when they choose to cover nonsense like Britney Spears and every single nuance and footstep of OJ Simpson. I was not alone. Several bloogers, were on this at about the same time and some made similar points about their local and national major news media outlets. I heard nothing from Rev. Jackson or Sharpton. They STILL have not mentioned anything about the case.

So I have to say, with due respect, that Rev. Jackson should stop throwing his stones because his glass house is already massively cracked.

And will the media stop saying that Rev. Jackson and Al Sharpton are leaders of African Americans. There was no vote. No one asked my opinion nor any other Black person in America. The news media made up that claim. The news media wants them to be in the limelight as opposed to others that may well deserve it. Some might say that both reverends are the lapdogs of the news media, which is far worse than being accused of “acting white”.

More on the “acting white” thing.

Labels: African American, Al Sharpton, britney spears, jena 6, Jesse Jackson, Megan Williams, oj simpson, Senator Barack Obama