Are Blacks Frenemies or Mortal Enemies Of Each Other?

I really want to know. When the majority image you see of us beamed around the world shows: 

1. Criminals

2. Anti-Intellectuals

3. Overbearing, loud people of both genders

4. Children that can't make it until they're inspired by a great white father (or mother)

5. Overweight people

6. Schemers

7. Lack of morals

8. Represented Black women as the most racially ambiguous or

9. A total exaggeration of a sexual image

10. Men who are "hard" and thuggish 

Have I missed anything up there? Shucking and jiving? I have also noticed a trend of an increase in violence against children...and women (see 99.999% of the entries at WOAD). Now I'm going to point out that these acts of violence are being committed by SOME Black men - just so that we're clear I'm not saying ALL behave this way. Some people get so riled up over the mere mention of the misdeeds of others that they don't actual DO anything to stop this madness. They're just trying to provide COVER. 

Shouldn't a group of people, particularly the MEN be outraged that a group of other men are spreading mayhem and destruction even though THEY THEMSELVES aren't? Or are they expecting WOMEN to put themselves in harm's way and try to wrangle a lion's share of trouble ALONE? Talk is cheap baby.

Speaking of women, have you ever entered a room and seen another Black woman and either a) gotten excited on some internal level and reacted positively or b) sucked in your teeth and mumbled "she's not all that" under your breath. Would the appearance of that woman determine your response, i.e if you thought she was "cuter" than you would that be a permanent mark on her record or c) just looked at each, offered cursory smiles and quickly parted ways. You know how some people act as if they can't get away from others fast enough.  

I was having a conversation with a male someone on Twitter and about my posts from this week. He tried to claim that I was being "negative" against Black men by pointing out examples of unacceptable behavior. I do re-read my posts once they've been published and tweak them if necessary. He was directly implying that I was (mis)labeling a majority which I clearly was not. He was very quick to comment about what he'd read "other Black women do on their blogs" - not clarifying that he meant (some) which I brought to his attention. Since we don't know each other I replied that if he knew himself to be the exception why was he more concerned about the criticism of the guilty rather than the real-life negative impact to innocents? 

Why do so many get upset about Bill Cosby or even Barack Obama as was the response after his Father's Day speech last year? Remember that? Is there a legit grievance or do people just NOT want to stop behaving badly? Are we that ashamed of ourselves that we'd rather continue to allow that wound fester? We must know who are in order to move forward powerfully.

We also have to recognize how accurate the phrase, "skin folk aren't always kin folk" is. If there is a particular segment of people that are behaving like the lowest common denominator being allowed to flourish aren't we all a little bit responsible? This makes it easier for those who are posing as our friends to use these situations against the majority and align with the descendants of the oppressors.

Isn't it true that specific Black women have been fed a false bill of goods whereby they were told to put race loyalty above everything - even their well-being? Those women would always be thinking about other people - who can never seem to get out of peril by the way - letting themselves fall apart mentally and physically. They're being told they're not worthy, they have an attitude, feminism is for white women, having a child out of wedlock is okay because they're "strong" and hey can you cough up another lung for me and my interests while you're at it!

Isn't it true that a group of fatherless children would have a near insurmountable task before them to become productive citizens? If a woman is shrill or a "gold digger" might that be because she had no one protecting her growing up? Young boys can't be taught how to be men by women. Anyone with working organs can produce offspring but it takes a specific effort to be a (good) parent. 

Ethnicity is one more thing that can divide us. Class privileges are not always generated from the simplicity of choice. Just as every criminal is not prosecuted. The contempt that some of our people have for each other needs to be addressed. Everyone is NOT looking out for each other or wants to come together for a common purpose of empowerment or uplift.

This is why we have been able to find allies from different races many times more often than those of our own. There’s no pride for those who aren’t part of our “club”. It’s like an overweight woman trying to overcompensate. She may think she’s still attractive, she may find clothes she likes, she may have friends/family/love but until she admits the extra pounds REALLY bother her AND does something to address it she is not going to be able to really BE ALL SHE CAN BE. Likewise some women in her situation DON'T care and can live a full life, but another woman will not and may spend a lot of time trying to justify why she doesn’t. Other people can pick up on it and may not be as receptive to her. Some will be outright hostile. Some may insist they ALL feel x,y and z because that's the agenda they're pushing to make the women feel bad about themselves. 

It could be about needing to create an "image" by leasing a flashy car, speaking a certain way, having an entourage, bragging about something you did five years ago like it just happened yesterday - or it’s like when an insecure person latches on emotionally to a romantic interest. The attention may be flattering at first but then it becomes stifling. You don’t want to have to be responsible for that person’s entire happiness, but they’ve made it so that what was given freely becomes an obligation. Suddenly you don’t want to be near or have anything to do with that person. You may like or even love them but they need to “get it together”.

If we’re all Black with separate identities (ethnic, class, birthplace, religion, gender, orientation) coming together against the evils of forced enslavement and discrimination, why do so many fragment so quickly when white supremacy offers them an escape hatch from the “collective”? It’s the light skin/field negro scenario all over again. And we need to make sure for all of our empowerment/get over it discussions that we don’t forget that.

If there was still a certain amount of affinity for each other Blacks wouldn’t be out killing other Blacks in a race to outdo the 400 year head-start whites had.  What is that other than intense hatred? So the question is, are people becoming more depraved or was a bad situation allowed to get worse until it became too big of a problem to ignore? Are we going to heal rifts or continue to dance to the beat of destruction? I haven't even touched on the rampant homophobia!

Do We Create or Regurgitate News As Bloggers?

This ongoing investigation regarding the racist attacks against Dr. Yolanda Pierce at Princeton Seminary begs the question how blogs - especially those hosted by female bloggers with empowerment themes - have evaluated their processes for generating posts and in discussing this. What do we consider newsworthy? Who do we use as sources for stories? Why do some bloggers base their posts on things they read in the newspaper or watch on the television almost exclusively? Why are those sources considered "credible" when we know the information we get is tainted and controlled by conglomerates with an agenda? What others sources are we reviewing for inclusion as a story idea generator? Do we even need to do so as "non-professionals" and push any limitations? After all, I heard a failed Vice Presidential candidate say that bloggers are 'liars' who live in their mother's basement.

Prosecutors have tried murder cases on circumstantial evidence or even without a body when they believe a crime has been committed. In a local case Hans Reiser eventually took a plea deal after such a conviction in exchange for revealing the location of his mudered wife's remains. He had claimed his innocence the entire investigation and trial. People don't demand "proof" from children who tell an adult they've been sexually abused. They are questioned of course, but the general consensus is that they are credible witnesses to their own abuse and telling the truth. Why should someone who claims a racial attack against a Black woman has occurred have to jump through hoops to establish their claim beyond a shadow of a doubt to those that would deny them no matter what? Why does someone need conditions met when a distinguished witness first brought it to the blogosphere's attention before believing such a claim and/or taking action? Are we less likely to take someone's word if they are non-white and female? 

Some of those in the blogosphere consider themselves activists against social injustices, while others want to strictly report on celebrity happenings. Blog posts can be very personal.  Others talk politics and choose to focus on local or national issues. Still more just want a catalog of their personal journeys through life or swap recipes and baby pictures. Each blog has its own voice, can capture a particular audience and encourages active participation from a variety of readers. They can also face the scorn of those that oppose their voice and will argue with them ad nauseum. 

It can certainly be productive to hear many sides to an issue but the boundaries have to be drawn somewhere. People tend to forget these are public forums and can lose all methods of decorum when they post anonymously or with a nickname. A fly in the soup can derail a conversation quickly if the blog administrator doesn't control who they allow in their space or set the rules for engagement.

I find many so-called progressive blogs (kos, Open Left, etc) just as caustic an environment as the staunchest of right-wing sites because I feel the same level of intolerance, sense of entitlement and exclusionary attitudes from those that claim to be on opposite sides of the political spectrum and stick to their viewpoint. The readers easily fall into group-think and try to police out dissent - even if it's coming from those who offer constructive criticism.

Running a blog requires that you put a bit of yourself out for public consumption - that is if you are to have any impact or level of authenticity. The purpose and intent behind starting a blog of course has as many reasons as there are people running them. Not everyone who blogs is a so-called journalist and those with prior media careers have steadily switched to blogging in addition to their traditional work. There are many excellent writers who've used this form of technology to bypass the gatekeeper walls of exclusion. Corporate media has seen a 15% decrease in non-white journalists just this year alone when they were already underrepresented to begin with.

The only caveat with blogging is that anyone can start a blog. That is the great equalizer but there are certain skills those trained in journalism/writing use to investigate stories and produce content. They're also paid to do it. For most of us blogging is a side gig and labor of love. As Web 2.0 continues to offer new technology and people gain access to and comfort with the internet we need to look at ways of combining our collective voices into sustainable ways and increase our audience - and influence over the narrative. 

We need to start looking outside the 'mainstream' white middle class Americuh for Americans corporate media where George Bush is just misunderstood and the United States never does anything wrong. Depending on the impact of media coverage that day I can go to several blogs for their perspective on the same news story. Now that perspective may certainly be vital and interesting but it isn't exclusive - especially if you're like me and you read several blogs more than once per day. Telling lesser known stories certainly has value and can positively shed light on issues ignored by corporate media. We just need to decide if we - as bloggers and readers of blogs - will continue to wait for others to deem them worthy before we do.

White Racism Continues to Hit the Wall

So I am continuing this conversation I started with my post Excusers, Deniers Enablers and Accomplices Pt. 1.  This post was about the students who published racist writings in the "Foreskin" newsletter at Princeton University targeting President Elect Obama and Professor Yolanda Pierce amongst other acts of racial arson. I was 'asked' by a Princeton student how I determined whether what was written was racist and whether I'd actually 'read' it. With rolled eyes I replied I am not under any obligation to 'explain' myself to them or anyone else, particularly when I could tell the person had not even bothered to read my post and they wanted to make excuses for their 'friend' who wrote some of it. 

See, I'm calling for academic censure and expulsion wouldn't be going too far in my opinion. If you aren't taught values and consequences for your actions how would you ever be a responsible citizen of the world? None of this BS fake "diversity training" where you watch a tape for an hour or two and answer multiple choice questions either. It's especially galling coming from theology students. We've all heard of circumstances that allow for people with money or connections getting away with murder - literally. Particularly when you have white skin. So I really have zero tolerance for willful ignorance.

I'm continuing my reading on the efforts to ignore all Black people gay or straight by the Gay Rights Industrial Complex so they can push their marriage agenda without us - well they're gonna try. Try and fail, but that's another fight for another day. Eventually they'll wear themselves out enough to realize they need allies and they have to be an ally first. They have to acknowledge the Black and Puerto Rican drag queens that were marching and staging protests that lead to and continued after Stonewall. They have to engage people as people on their own turf and stop being condescending and trying to have everything at their time and at their convenience. Does this sound eerily familiar? 

So I found this very great comment from Jim Toevs that I thought was appropo to this situation and thought I'd copy it over here (emphasis mine):

I am a 67 year old White American gay male, whose Privilege in our culture is exceeded only by that of White American Heterosexual males. Most of us white folks don't have a clue concerning how our "whiteness" impacts our privilege, behavior and attitudes: not only towards people of color but life in general.

To most of us white folks, "white" is "just the way things are" and life would be so much easier and less complicated if everything and everyone were simply "white". (This may be subconscious, but it is reality for most white people, none the less.)

People of Color confront their POCness every day of their lives. White folks seldom, if ever, consider their "Whiteness"; again, because white is simply the way things are.

The first step in becoming a White Anti-Racist Ally is for a white person to acknowledge and come to grips with their Whiteness.

Step two is to understand that while we may not harbor any personal racism, we unknowingly often collaborate with institutional and cultural racism.

Step three is LISTENING. No "yes, buts"! Listen, and take it in. Consider what is being said with an open heart and mind. At this point, there is no need to respond except with two words, "Thank you."

There is lots more that we white folks need to do, but the above three steps are a good start.

Anyone wishing to personally pursue this subject further is welcome to contact me off list.

So there you have it. I made my effort, when I DID NOT NEED TO! I threw down the gauntlet. Now what are you gonna do "Chris"? NO MORE EXCUSES!

h/t Pam's House Blend

Excusers, Deniers, Enablers and Accomplices Pt. 1

It's time for Black women who get it and our allies to start drawing a definitive line in the sand. On November 20th students at Princeton University published what can only be described as racist, sexist, hateful material in the "Foreskin" newsletter where they trashed President Elect Obama. To add further insult to injury they targeted Dr. Yolanda Pierce, a Black woman who's an Associate Professor at Princeton Theological Seminary. 

Yes, let me repeat that: the attack was generated by students against a Black woman. So false religiosity trumps racism, common sense and actual MORALITY yet again. So far Princeton has done nothing but issue a punk ass blurb about how they're going to 'hold a committee' to discuss this. Oh really? Here's what will happen unless we take action:

Well we know they misspoke about a few things and were maybe a bit over the top, but they're good kids. Things just got a little out of hand. Why can't you rise above this? You're just overreacting. After all, your people know a little something about facing obstacles. Everybody deserves a second chance. Why do YOU want to punish some kids for a little ol' prank?

This sounds like a cross between the rape defense of blaming the victim and trying to excuse attempted murder by reason of mental defect. The perps know the difference between right and wrong. The end! Prosecutors are trying to charge 12 year olds as adults so what's their excuse? How many other times have these perps gotten away with inappropriate behavior growing up? Their sense of entitlement to privilege must be addressed. Princeton must take responsibility for fostering an environment where racism flourishes.

Why is it when Black people are attacked we are expected to take a breath and let someone else evaluate the situation and tell us how we should feel? Where is the outrage that harm has been caused to an esteemed Black woman and the community at large? You'd better believe if this was a white professor being attacked somebody would have been expelled already no investigation or conversation necessary. I'd also like to know what action - if any - Dr. Cornel West will take on this matter. He just loves to pontificate to hear the sound of his voice - does it extend to a fellow colleague? 

So now the administrators think they can allow a few teachers and students who weren't attacked determine the fate of the perpetrators? Not this time. This will be tried in the court of public opinion. By the way we still don't know who they are because the school has been shielding them. They don't deserve the protection. Let free speech reign  - but you had better be prepared to take full responsibility for the consequences when you throw a Molotov cocktail to start racial arson.  Just ask former Police Chief Johnson of Palo Alto. 

How many times has the word un-American been bandied about since after 9/11 for anyone questioning the effects of our militarism and the ongoing blowback? How many times are Black girls called 'fast', which is a convoluted way of saying they're inherently promiscuous after they've been sexually assaulted and some would try to deny accountability?  

I am tired of hearing twenty ways how a situation is not that situation when it's slapping you upside your head. I have loads of compassion. The gun fired at me is just as lethal whether it comes from a friend or a foe, whether it was intentional or an accident. Somebody might like to offer an apology or an excuse why the gun was discharged but that won't make me any less dead.

Contact the administrators and let them know nothing less than full public disclosure will be acceptable. The perpetrators need solid disciplinary action and make amends in a way satisfactory to those violated. They also need to do community service with populations they usually insulate themselves from to get an idea of what life is really like for the less privileged. I'd say they should be evaluated prior to their graduation, have a permanent note in their student records and still face possible expulsion if they do not meet the requirements set forth. All of this addresses the students but we must focus on cutting the head from the body and follow the money trail of the school. 

I'd also recommend lodging protests with the NAACP as well as the Governor of New Jersey but making sure we don't leave things to the benevolence of others to speak on what's important to us. Princeton gets money from the Federal Gov't and any Civil Rights Violations and racial attacks should be brought before the Feds and the State of NJ. If they're gonna be gangsta and want to harbor racists and spread hate speech they should have all gov't sources of funding and taxpayer money revoked! 

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Future research and continued efforts should include acquiring:

• Lists of endowments
  
• Lists of those serving on Boards
• Alumnae (see my sidebar for new link)
  

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Nancy Lammers Gross
Dean of Student Life
Princeton Theological Seminary
210 Templeton Hall
Princeton, NJ 08542
Email: nancy.gross@ptsem.edu
Phone: 609-497-7880

Iain R. Torrance
President
Princeton Theological Seminary
132 Administration Building
Princeton, NJ 08542
Email: president@ptsem.edu
Phone: 609-497-7800

NAACP Trenton Branch (looks to be the closest)

Phone: (609)392-6772
Fax: (609)392-7742
Address: P.O. Box 1355 Trenton, NJ 08608

New Jersey Governor Jim Corzine

Office of the Governor

PO Box 001

Trenton, NJ 08625

(609)292-6000

New Jersey Dept. of Education

Office of the Commissioner
100 River View Plaza
P.O. Box 500
Trenton, NJ 08625
Telephone (609) 292-4450
Fax (609) 777-4099
Lucille E. Davy, Commissioner

Update: We are monitoring the uptick in traffic from New Jersey as well as logging all IP addresses. Those of you monitoring this and other sites for activity are duly noted.

For continued action see my next post: When White Racism Hits the Wall 

Update: Princeton Seminary has a new Diversity Initiative with an email address. Let them know we don't need "healing" we want the gavel of justice with swift action and punishment. Talk is cheap - because people lie to get what they want all the time. In this case the perps want to be let off the hook and Princeton continues to allow hate crime perpetrators to walk around. 

Make no mistake: words have meaning. There is a breath of difference between hate speech and hate violence. One proceeds the other. This is NOT the time for puppy dogs and smiles. This is the time for dismissals, firings and expulsions so people know there are CONSEQUENCES for spreading hate!!!! 

Additional update 12/21 Princeton has previously engaged in allowing their student newspapers to be used for hate speech in attacking people of color - and used other non-whites to do it so they could claim it wasn't racism. They didn't PUNISH THE GUILTY and tried to let it go - and we can see where less than 2 years later the SAME THING happens AGAIN!!! 

Salon's 1-2 Hit Job on Michelle Obama

The mis-education about the Negro continues.  Now that Michelle is slated to be our next First Lady she's being set up to represent all Black women and our fortunes may rise or fall with her. We can argue against it (we are individuals) or deny it (she's working class and not a socialite) but I'd rather tackle this head on. Of course we're responsible for our own lives and having Michelle as FLOTUS isn't going to wave a magic wand and turn us all into Cinderella at the ball. This should be just the beginning of many First Ladies of Color. This should be the realization for Black women that we can remove all barriers for any who doubted. This should be the established precedent for those that would think less of us. That time is over. She has been positioned well and isn't a creation of the entertainment industry. She will be an icon! 

Now comes the maintenance. We can try to ignore the media coverage at our own peril. There's discussion about whether the Obamas sending their daughters to private school is a good thing. As if putting them in substandard schools is an option. Now Salon is taking it's cues from Fox News. 

Last week Salon writer Rebecca Traister poo-poo'd that poor Michelle has to give up her career to be a 'mere' mother and wife in the "Momification of Michelle Obama":

"In all the worrying about how Sasha and Malia will adjust to having their lives turned upside down, in all the fretting about how Obama will move his Chicago-style shop to Washington, why is there so little curiosity about how Michelle will adjust to the loss of her own private, very successful, very high-profile and very independent identity? How will Michelle Obama feel as she becomes what she has long resisted -- an extension of her husband?"

What loss of identity? The Obamas are in a very unique position. As for the rest of us, it's my understanding a lot of women would love to stay at home and raise their children but can't for financial reasons. Other women want to pursue a challenging career path. It's not about the 'right' choice it's about being able to make the 'best' choice as you see fit, not society. This is one of the arguments for those that oppose feminism in theory as being a cause for the destruction of the family structure. Individual pursuit at the expense of everything and everyone else. That in no way fits Michelle Obama.

Besides the majority of Black women have not had these options historically. We were feminists before the term was coined, not from a need to be 'liberated' from oppressive men and not to follow our bliss. It was for survival and it was not fun. Also can I add that raising children is not easy.  The writer is thinking from a prism of white female privilege and a particular class structure to lament another woman's choices as if she were the rightful authority on how Michelle (and other women) should live.

Michelle is not interested in using her husband's political currency to cash in on her own. She will not try to insert herself into his administration. Barack has shown solid moral leadership so far and has not embarrassed his family with public indiscretions. Though they may share a political party, the Obamas are not the Kennedys and they're certainly not the Clintons. As anyone with two eyes can see Barack and Michelle adore each other. I don't think she's suffering, lol!

To add insult to injury, now it's all about her boo-tay. In an article by Erin Aubry Kaplan titled, "First Lady Got Back" (no - seriously) she writes:

"But what really thrills me, what really feels liberating in a very personal way, is the official new prominence of Michelle Obama. Barack's better half not only has stature but is statuesque. She has corruscating intelligence, beauty, style and -- drumroll, please -- a butt. (Yes, you read that right: I'm going to talk about the first lady's butt.)"

Somehow because she's a Black woman we're supposed to give her a pass for writing this drivel?! I don't think so. Imagine if a man had written this, a white man. Would all of you who think this is nothing still be okay with the article as is? You're not gonna convince me. Why? I have two words in response: Hottentot Venus. It will never be okay to reduce a woman to her body parts - and definitely not the First Lady - but if you're a Black woman any such deference goes out the window of course. This is the epitome of raciallized sexism. I can recall Salon contributor Joan Walsh made it a point to decry sexism during the primary season and state it was the most virulent form of oppression out there. 

So we can see the newest tactic to be deployed in racial arson will be not just come from whites but will also include other Blacks (pseudo-intellegentsia, haters, contrarians, slave catchers and lawn jockeys). We will use social media to bring light to and counterbalance any attacks. Why? It's for our own good. We need to join together and not just protect what's going on with the First Family but pool our resources to determine our futures collectively so they are the best they can be.

In case you disagree and think this is harmless here's the response from Joan Walsh.

"I have loved Erin Aubry Kaplan’s writing since before I joined Salon, and I’m proud of this piece. If having a black president and first lady is going to narrow what we talk about, wow, that would be sad. But I promise it won’t — at least not on Salon." 

So there you have it. Joan Walsh already wrote a piece earlier this year where she called Barack "uppity". It's open season on the First Family. If we ignore it we can expect further denigration of Michelle and by extension other Black women. Up yours Joan Walsh and Salon. I'm not going to stand by and let the most prominent woman in the country be reduced to a someone's idea of a misguided cowed woman or a body part.

The Very Meaning of Our Lives

It was in a scene from Matrix Reloaded where Morpheus was giving his latest pep talk/call to arms to Niobe and the rest of the humans fighting to be free from machine domination.

"All of our lives, we have fought this war. Tonight I believe we can end it. Tonight is not an accident. There are no accidents. We have not come here by chance. I do not believe in chance. When I see three objectives, three captains, three ships. I do not see coincidence, I see providence. I see purpose. I believe it our fate to be here. It is our destiny. I believe this night holds for each and every one of us, the very meaning of our lives."

****
Despite my misgivings about how not only won't it be like Christmas everyday with an Obama Presidency, but we may have to fight off a giant whitelash, lol, I have to tell you how much I'll be looking forward to standing in the freezing cold in D.C. for the inauguration. It just might happen. I'd just like to see a certain Green Party Presidential candidate with a seat at the table victorious in surviving the knife put in her back. Which I can't help but wonder if it was put there partially because she was a Black woman and betrayed by other Black people in leadership positions.

Anyhoo, I would be equally if not more giddy at a certain Michelle Robinson Obama as First Lady. That would forever put the nail in the coffin to the Daughters of the Revolution don't you think? The degrees and careers of the Obamas outside of politics are not so unique when one doesn't play into the "Black People Are Inferior" indoctrination that continues to be force-fed to this day. Actually they are not even close to being elite despite the corporate media and Rethug lying about it. Growing up poor with no pedigree one can hopefully see a trend of hard work and determination forming but certainly no white-version of affirmative action [corporate bail-outs, legacy admissions to schools, the original receipients of the GI Bill and pardons for committing crimes].

You do realize the billions of dollars that the gov't spends on helping out its 'friends' is a mere pittance compared to the few millions it spends on say Food Stamps and other social welfare programs [the bulk of which go to, you guessed it, white people]? It also shows how little they actually know about Black people in this country and the world. Or perhaps they do know but they persist in keeping the lies going and the masses just don't ask enough questions.

It's 11 weeks and counting. What will you stand for?

****
R.I.P. Rep. Tubbs-Jones.



P.S.
Here's a great video from MoveOn that touches on this.

NetRoots Nation: Is It the Latest Approximation of Them Vs. Us?

I've been sorting through my thoughts and feelings since I got back from Austin. I am new to blogging afterall and must do the work of defining this blog and my goals for participation. I had a very distinct impression of my time spent at NetRoots Nation, but I wanted to sit on it for a spell. I've come away with mostly positive thoughts but I am troubled by the lack of representation of PoC who attended and topics covered. I had the opportunity to speak with the outgoing Executive Director and to the Daily Kos founder. I know, I know officially these are separate entities. I am certain a more detailed review of the money trail and relationships would yield a very close involvement between the two and other parties of interest however. I was angry that after 3 years I saw less than 20 Black people in attendance. One was a campaign advisor and sponsor and two were/had been elected officials. Not everyone was a blogger. I had posted a diary about how bored I was and got 237 responses, mostly negative, from people who were not even there and ignored the crux of my complaint. Link.

It wasn't that I was bored, per se but I didn't have a sense of recognition and acknowledgement. It's not that people weren't nice. I made some valuable contacts even. Donna Edwards nearly had me screaming from the rafters her speech was that good. But something was missing and I just wasn't feeling it.  There was a distinct lack of participation by PoC who support PoC and who were in fact calling the shots. How could I tell? What was missing was sincerity and commitment. 

You don't open a restaurant, accept reservations only to serve vegetables without indicating you're a veggie-only establishment. Using a term such as "NetRoots" is rather generic and all-encompassing, no? The potential for misleading others is right up there with using the words 'hope' and 'change' in one's campaign. There are people who show up expecting to order a dish containing meat. Or perhaps they just want a dessert and coffee. You don't say, "Well anybody can eat here we don't stop people from coming". You don't tell someone it's up to them to show up but not offer a proper full-balanced meal! You don't serve wine to a thirsty alcoholic and tell them it's their choice to not drink it but not offer any water. You don't get offended by dissenting voices - you address those concerns.

It's not just about number of attendees. It's about content, inclusion and full participation. You can't go basking through life enjoying your privilege telling yourself you're a good person while stepping over that homeless person lying in the gutter. Or your neighbor who's getting evicted. Or the young girl that's afraid to leave the house for fear of male aggression. Or a potential ally who's trying to get your attention if only you'd stop looking at your reflection in the mirror.

Some of us may decide we won't be relegated to standing by the bar when you say your restaurant is overbooked and we want a table. We'll start our own restaurant. 

5:35p  -  Have Black bloggers been approached by the Obama campaign and what has that outreach produced? Those that have been approached have been given tremendous access but the response time and breadth needs work. We should not rely on the campaign for setting the agenda when we are better able to approach the campaign with solid advice and a perspective. For example with regards to the recent New Yorker cover being correctly labeled racist and egregious.   

One of the weakness of the Obama campaign is not having enough surrogates and specifically Black surrogates with stature and aplomb. The Black blogosphere can be extremely helpful in getting a message of importance [i.e ongoing Katrina fatique, public housing demolition and replacing them with million-dollar condos that are not selling] out. 

5:27pm  -  Topic of conversation is how Obama's lifestory and history of not being a descendent of slaves and is there a cultural disconnect between his experiences and the average African-American voter. How the Obama campaign has served as an impetus to take ownership in the political process. What he looks like has had an impact on how people see him. It informs our own individual walk in life and how we're treated.

5:17pm  -  Open discussion: Race issues and how it relates to the Obama campaign. How a lot of white progressive blogs may not know [care or understand] how to frame this discussion. The importance of the concerted voices of POC. How dangerous John McCain's campaign is to POC and his continued free ride in the corporate media.

Live Blogging from African American caucus at NetRoots

500pm - We're doing introductions. We have some cool people here!!!! This panel is being monitored by Cheryl Contee from Jack & Jill Politics - one of the go-to blogs and James Rucker from Color of Change. Pam Spaulding is here. Black kos. Pantagone.net. A great mix of involved people.

Live Blogging from African American caucus at NetRoots

443pm - While waiting for the panel to start I was interviewed by someone who wanted to get perspectives from NetRoots attendees regarding Obama's FISA vote. I think it was someone working with the Obama campaign but the introductions flew by quickly. I had to emphasize that I enthusiastically support the "Michelle Obama for First Lady" political endeavor. If Barack gets elected that'll work too, but I have my priorities lol!  Seriously though, I think the entire idea of government monitoring individuals has gone of before he decided to run and will continue long after we've crossed over. This was not a breaking point for me, but I may post more on that at another time. I didn't want questions posed to me with a particular intent so I made it clear that one vote is not the sum of the existence for this country. This isn't a popularity contest and if anyone thinks the government won't find a way around any such laws they are delusional, but anyway..... 

Live Blogging from Women's Caucus at NetRoots

I arrived at the Convention Center and was approached by Greenpeace members at the building entrance requesting support for HR1590 regarding Climate Change.

3:14 pm So the room is cozy with about 30 participants, some of whom are repeat attendees. There are quite a few women who are computer programmers who started in the industry 20 years ago. It's an informal setting and everyone is introducing themselves.