What About Our Daughters?

Friday Ruminations 12/12/2008

2008-12-12T05:16:00.001-08:00

Well of COURSE our hosting service would go down one day after What About Our Daughters was mentioned by ESSENCE magazine editor on Cnn.com.

I am wondering if the site didn't go down because the auto bailout "failed" and the universe didn't want me to talk about it.

Today the Down Jones Industrial Average will likely throw a temper tantrum because the bailout failed. I don't care, let it drop. It will come back. To everyone asking "What About Retirees?" My response is that no retired person should have growth stocks as any substantial portion of their portfolio. That's not advice, that's my opinion.

What About Our Daughters.com is DOWN :(

2008-12-12T05:08:00.001-08:00

Hey folks, if all the tampering I did early this morning worked, thosw of you who type in WhatAboutOurDaughters.com should be directed back to our old stomping grounds over here on blogger. Our hosting provider is having "issues" hopefully these issues will be resolved today, otherwise we'll be over here until they resolve. THIS is why you should follow GEM2001 on Twitter. To keep up with what's going on with this blog go to www.twitter.com/gem2001

Michelle Obama at the Democratic National Convention

2008-08-26T06:14:00.000-07:00

As you know, I am currently at the Democratic National Convention. Last night I watched Michelle Obama's speech from the floor of the Pepsi Center. You can find all of our comprehensive convention coverage at WhatAboutOurDaughters.com our new home.
What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. .

We're moving to WhatAboutOurDaughters.com

2008-08-10T06:22:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness. I am not ready yet, but it has to be done. W're moving to our own domain Y'all!!!! WhatAboutOurDaughters.com. There may be some hiccups and stumbling blocks as we move from blogspot, but our time ha come. We have to do some serious upgrades for the Democratic National Convention later this month and this is the first of what will likely be many. I think I might cry, but I won't

So join us at www.whataboutourdaughters.com

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

Bernie Mac Dies: MSNBC Reporting

2008-08-09T06:26:00.001-07:00

Last week Sandra Rose reported that Bernie Mac was in very critical condition, but Mac's publicist said otherwise. Well, MSNBC just put up a headline that comedian Bernie Mac has died. He was only 50 years old.

Folks stop waiting around to find some peace in your life. Tomorrow or even the next hour isn't promised to us.

My thoughts and prayers are with the family.

Black Love: Tamela and David Mann Edition

2008-08-08T06:54:00.000-07:00

We take a temporary pause from all the mayhem and foolishness to put some Black Love on display. I know CNN wants y'all to believe that we have the suckiest lives on planet Earth, but there are some folk sout there who managed to snatch happiness fromthe jaws of despair. Soledad Obrien must have overlooked these two. Another blogger wrote a side-splittingly funny post about one of the actors who frequently appear in Tyler Perry theatrical productions and got me to thinking about one of my favorite singers, Tamela Mann so I YouTubed her and found this clip of Tamela and her husband David talking about the first time they met and what is like to work together. They made me smile. I see couples like this everywhere EXCEPT Television.

For all you ESSENCE.com readers who voted repeatedly in that dadgum "Do Right Man- Gurl Get Cho Ring Befo' Spring" Competition, Black love tends not to be baby oiled down,hairless, and airbrushed within an inch of its life. It looks something like this--Two people who enjoy each other's company.
What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

Kwame Kilpatrick Jail House Vigil Open Thread

2008-08-07T19:08:00.001-07:00

I really don't have anything to say. The man is in jail. I don't believe in kicking folks while they are down and it doesn't get more down than being locked up. So feel free to comment and leave links to interesting posts about Kwame Kilpatrick. This is all very sad. Sad for the city. Sad for the family, and yes, even sad for him. All that talent and all those gifts SQUANDERED!

I have offered some of my pasts comments in chronological order ( that's beginning to end y'all)

Previous Posts:
Wagging Finger of Shame to Kwame and Christine (6 Months Ago)
The Apology/ Non Apology Video
Elliot Spitzer vs. Kwame Kil Patrick- Why Wives Should Get Hazard Pay
Kwame Charged
Detroit: A Love Story- My Interpretation of 18 Pages of TXT MSGs
Kwame K is Career Kryptonite

ESSENCE "Do Right Men" Want to Give us All Diabetes!-Mr. WAOD???

2008-08-07T04:19:00.000-07:00

ATTENTION LADIES ( and some gentlemen- we don't discriminate 'round here), today is your VERY LAST DAY to vote in ESSENCE Magazine's "Do Right Man of the YEAR" Competition.

Since it is almost over, it is now safe to post about ESSENCE's semi-annual attempt to prey upon the paranoia of single professional Black women. Its the semi annual "Sistahs I don't know Why Y'all All Still Single Because there are Plenty of Good Black Men Out Here, y'all just too picky!" psychological warfare.

Y'all know all we unmarried professional Black women are all going to die old and alone and be eaten alive by nine cats! MEOW! I told y'all not to get all high and mighty and go out and get a degree and whatnot--we're all unmarriagable now. Oh and you went out and purchased a home as well? Oh well just pull out the Friskies cat food right now! Tis OVA! All is lost! Sistas run for your LIIIIVES!

For about a month, I have been getting email blasts from ESSENCE.com about this"Do Right Man" competition. My dear friend and I had a hoot when I spotted a few folks she has dated and more than a few of these "Do Right" men ~~are NOT~~may not be single( according to her). But anyway, we had a good laugh about it going through the list to see if there was anybody else that we know. Tis a very . small. world.

But while perusing this list of "Do Right" men I noticed something VERY WRONG....almost every single DO-Right man's most "romantic" gesture involves food:

“I once serenaded a special someone with a song on a yacht dinner
cruise.” The Lawyer

Maree says he once sent an anonymous letter to a woman that he really liked
and asked her to meet him at a four-star restaurant on the
beach. Quite a risk but Charles says, “The evening went very well.” The
Fireman

No seriously, they all mention food. Even the "medical professionals" who should know better:

After she had a hard day at work, “I cooked my girlfriend’s
favorite meal and drew bathwater for her. With Luther Vandross
playing in the background, I washed and rubbed her feet.” Doctor

Here is another doctor:

“A young woman I went to college with was frustrated about not having been
voted homecoming queen. So I compiled [a collage] with several photos of her on
the homecoming court and bought her a cake that read ‘You Are
My Homecoming Queen.’ ” Doctor
I ain't gon' lie, the arts and crafts collage idea was kinda tight.. minus the sugary sweet diabetes inducing cake. No wonder we all got issues with "sugar" and high blood pressure. Oh wait, here is one that didn't talk about food:

“When a woman I was seeing was venting to me about something, I just
listened until she was through. I believe that is the most romantic thing a
man can do. Sometimes a woman just needs to know you’re there.” Dooooctoooor

Too bad at 48 he is just over my 15-year cut off. Tis a shame. Gosh darnit' and there I was picking out a china pattern and bridesmaids dresses. Oh well. Here is another one that wants to clog our precious arteries:

I once surprised a special lady by preparing a romantic,
home-cooked, four-course, candlelit dinner.” Real
Estate MOGUL

Don't you feel your blood sugar spiking right about now. What's with the four and five course meals. Appetizer, entree, dessert. That's it. And it keeps going. R&B "Crooner" Jaheim wants to kill us all too:

Jaheim also likes treating you to some home-cooked comfort
food. Jaheim

Even the athletes want to fatten us up:

“He’ll trade his playbook for a cookbook and work hard to captivate with five
courses. Baby-oiled Down NFL player.

Is he counting the salad and rolls as a course???Now you mean to tell me not ONE person has noticed this pattern? Can a sister get a sonnet? A PO-EM? Nope, but we'll give her some scampi with a side of spare ribs.

If sipping fine champagne on a secluded beach, enjoying mellow music, and sampling delectable nibbles is your idea of a great date,
Ferguson is the guy for you. Another NFL Player I Ain't Ever Heard of

Delectable NIBBLES? Why not just say his idea of a romantic evening is hooking a sister up to a feeding tube? ESSENCE is trying to kill us all one biscuit at a time!!! Run for your lives SISTAS!!! RUN LIKE THE HOUNDS OF HELL AND ~~NIPPING~~ Nibbling AT YOUR ANKLES! With a side of fava beans and potato salad and raspberry tea.

MR WAOD?

So all this has gotten me to thinking, should have our own competition? I don't want to wound the sensibilities of my culinary- challenged male readership. Because here at WAOD, we try not to discriminate based on gender or cooking ability. Do y'all think we should have a MR. WAOD Competition like ESSENCE.com?

We can have men submit videotapes of themselves performing essential functions like:

Cooking on something other than a grill,
Changing a tire/ using a tire gauge PROPERLY!!
Opening a jar of pickles,
Putting down the toilet seat,
Sitting outside the women's dressing room holding some shopping bags and a purse
Assembling some furniture from IKEA (using all the parts that came in the box- No "Black engineering" allowed!)
Other miscellaneous tasks.

We could culminate it with a phone interview on a podcast. Or would that objectify Black men too much?

Brother's let us know, did you feel objectified by ESSENCE.com's "Do Right Man" competition? Was it fair to have regla' brothers go up against baby oiled-down NFL players? Is this REVERSE SEXISM? Can you compete with brothers who are cooking their women "a meal of shrimp and scallop pasta and served on the beach"? (I can just feel the sand grinding away at my tooth enamel as I try to eat sauce laden pasta on a beach.) Can you compete with a brother who bakes oatmeal cookies? Can you perform a tropical fruit-scented massage?

“The delicious feel of a head-to-toe, nice-and-slow massage. The invigorating
scent of warmed botanical oils. The tantalizing taste of ripe tropical fruit...”

Is this fair brothers? I say IS IT FAIR? Can you compete with fresh baked bread and gourmet cheese? And granted more than a few of us are holding it down for the CGU, but really do Black men really think romance = food? No, am serious. Is Black love all about the DRANKS and VITTLES in 2008??

I say we all vote for this guy because he is the only finalist old enough to rent a car at a major US airport.

Y'allz Boy Kwame Kilpatrick Career Kryptonite for Black Women--- ALMOST Brings Down His Mama

2008-08-06T06:51:00.000-07:00

"Pull us from the water when it is clear we are drowning and then after you are sure we've recovered taking us back down to the river and tossing us in and saying "Um don't you think its about time you learned how to swim on your own because I'm not always gone be here to rescue you!" *splash*" Gina on a Mother's Love

First there was Carlita, then Christine, now add Carolyn to the list of Black women who've been singed by the uncontrollable lustful urges of Detroit Mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick.

Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, a seven-term incumbent, found herself fighting for her political life. Why? Because of the uncontrollable lustful desires of her fully grown son:

Early results Tuesday showed the six-term congresswoman trailing both her opponents, but as the night wore on and more Detroit numbers came in, she pulled even and then slightly ahead of former state Rep. Mary Waters at around midnight.

With all precincts reporting, Kilpatrick had 20,888 votes, or 39.1% and Waters had 19,183 votes, or 36%. State Sen. Martha Scott was in third place with 13,280 votes, or 24.9%, according to the Associated Press. FREEP

In a three way race yesterday, she won by 1,700 votes in a race that should not have even been close for a seven term incumbent. Mama K had over a half a million dollars, her closest challenger had $10,000 and if this had not been a three way race, it would have been lights out.

I had an occasion to meet Mama Kilpatrick at an event I was asked to speak at. It was an event with a bunch of rich Black women, many of whom were not all that warm and cuddly towards the fire breathing blogtavist, but Mama Kilpatrick was one of the nicest people I met that weekend. No strike that, she was the nicest. And no, it wasn't the politician thing because I sat at a table with another Black Congresswoman and she wasn't warm and fuzzy at all. AT. ALL. If it wasn't for enabling her fully grown son and his massive lapses in ethical behavior and judgement, I really don't have a bad thing to say about the woman. I don't live in her district.

So far Kwame has taken out Christine Beatty. Now his Mama barely holds on to her job, and yet he still keeps his job despite new allegations that he shoved sheriff's deputies who were attempting to serve a subpoena on one of his friends.

Jim Thomas, the mayor’s lawyer, said Kilpatrick merely told a process server that Ferguson was not there and asked him to leave.“He gently took him by the arm and escorted him off the porch,” Thomas said, adding that Ayanna is married to Ferguson’s cousin, Daniel Ferguson.Thomas said he did not know why Kilpatrick did not ask his police bodyguards, who were with him, to handle the matter. FREEP

In WHAT world do you lay hands on a uniformed peace officer and escort them anywhere? Somebody reminded me that both Kwame Kilpatrick and Barack Obama gave speeches at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Wow how quickly their paths diverged.

Ladies remember this, don't sacrifice your marriage, your life, or your career for an untrustworthy, undisciplined man or you will end up like all of the women in Kwame Kilpatick's life--- Left OUT THERE while he is chillaxin in the Mayor's mansion.

I know about a Mother's love and whatnot, the fact that no matter what you do in life, you'll always have your Mama, but part of being a parent is letting your kids go through the fire on their own. At a certain point, its not your job to keep us from getting burned, only to help bandage a few wounds. Or better yet, pull us from the water when it is clear we are drowning and then after you are sure we've recovered taking us back down to the river and tossing us in and saying "Um don't you think its about time you learned how to swim on your own because I'm not always gone be here to rescue you!" *splash*

On a side note, I about fell out when I read this:

11:15pm, Mary Waters has joined her supporters at Fuddruckers on East Jefferson Avenue. Her supporters are wearing their Mary Waters for Congress t-shirts and keeping a close eye on the results. WXYZ

So that's how y'all roll Detroit? Fuddruckers on East Jefferson is the spot. What? Y'all didn't have any hotel ballrooms available? Did she at least pick up the fries?

PS, Y'alls is spelled Y'all's or Y'allz not "Yaws" its "Y'all's Boy" not "Yaw's"

Ain't She Grand? Michelle Obama Covers Ebony Magazine

2008-08-06T02:41:00.000-07:00

Michelle Obama is covering this month's Ebony magazine. She looks FAB! It is so nice to see a Black women on the cover of a magazine without her g-string clad rear in the air. The issue is out August 12th. here are some quotes from the article .

Michelle on campaigning and the American people…

“It has been a blessing for us to have this opportunity to spend this year traveling the country,” she tells Ebony magazine. “We’ve been in almost every state in this nation—in people’s homes, in their kitchens, in their community centers, and just having the opportunity to be reminded of how decent the American people are and how our values are so closely linked, that gives me hope.”

Michelle on her style…

“I do think what you wear is a reflection of who you are. I love to look glamorous when there’s a wonderful, purposeful event that is appropriate. But when I’m in Iowa campaigning with the girls, I am in Gap shorts and a T-shirt.”

Michelle on being a mom…

“My first job in all honesty is going to continue to be mom-in-chief,” she says, “making sure that in this transition, which will be even more of a transition for the girls…that they are settled and that they know they will continue to be the center of our universe.”

Michelle on being married to Barack…

“Barack and I – as partners, as friends and as lovers– we accessorize each other in many ways,” she said. “The best thing I love having on me is Barack on my arm and vice versa, whether it’s having him standing there smiling at me, or watching him mesmerize a crowd or talk to some seniors in a senior center.”

BARACK OBAMA-On Michelle balancing work and family…

“Michelle believes deeply in the American Dream – because she’s lived it. And as a mother of our two young daughters, she understands firsthand the challenge of balancing work and family. That ability to empathize and understand the struggles that so many hardworking families are going through will be valuable to have as a first lady.”

MARIAN JOHNSON(Michelle’s mom)-On Michelle being driven

“She always wanted to do her best, and I don’t think it had anything to do with outdoing someone else. It’s within her.”

Robin Givhan-On Michelle’s style

“People associate her with Jackie Kennedy because that’s the last time there was a first lady with a trademark style.”

Man, BUMP that Jackie Kennedy comparison. Ever hear of Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King? Lena Horne? Come on! We've always had style.

Looking For Graphic Artist/ Cartoonist

2008-08-05T20:02:00.001-07:00

Finalizing site redesign for Democratic convention and need an illustration. Pretty simple, but beyond my limited abilities. Hit up the gmail in the right sidebar if you are interested. Thanks a bunch!

AIDS is NOT a "Black Disease" and Those Promoting That Foolishness (CNN) have a VERY. SHORT. MEMORY!

2008-08-05T04:19:00.000-07:00

Just because you are mad at your people doesn't mean you stand by and watch as someone, even one of our own, selfishly attempts to throw them over a cliff. We ALL don't deserve what CNN has been doing to us for two weeks and counting.

The fact that Black people are complicit in racism does not make it any less morally repugnant. So I was all fired up and ready to blast an angry letter to CNN when I read another one of their sensational headlines that they have been dropping to promote their propaganda called "Black in America", you know, the show where CNN, with the help of Soledad O'Brien, takes every negative stereotype you can find about Black people and applies it to the entire race and beams it to the world.

Last week CNN's headline writer declared that Black women were an endangered species. Then today I read a CNN headline that asked "Is AIDS an 'Black Disease?". Of course not you ninnies! Then I got to the meat of the article and the blame, for once, does not lie with the high schoolers responsible for the content of CNN.com, but from a Black AIDS activist:

"AIDS in America today is a black disease," says Phill Wilson, founder and CEO of the institute and himself HIV-positive for 20 years. "2006 CDC data tell us that about half of the just over 1 million Americans living with HIV or AIDS are black."CNN.com

I get his point, but I question his marketing methods and that's what he is doing, marketing his message. We live in a country where "separate is inherently unequal." So have these activists thought of the long term implications of labeling ANY disease as a "Black disease"? You can hear the sound of funding drying up as we speak. Drug research. POOF! Compassion- POOF!. Telethons-POOF! Let's get real.

Doesn't anybody remember how much time, energy and money were spent to shatter the myth that AIDs was the exclusive province of White gay men? We had songs, telethons and Oprah shows! Now we are intentionally trying to undo the lesson that no one is immune from this disease. Oh wait, somebody else remembers the 80s and 90s too:

This reminds me of the lies that were told about HIV/AIDS and are still being told. Remember the lie that HIV/AIDS is a gay disease, and that only gay people get it? WRONG!! Remember the lie that you could contract HIV/AIDS from kissing someone with the disease? WRONG!! Remember the lie that you could contract HIV/AIDS by shaking hands with someone who has the disease? WRONG!! Remember the lie that you could contract HIV/AIDS by using the same dishes and silverware that someone with the disease used? WRONG!! Ooh, and the biggest lie of all is told by the Catholic Church, particularly in Africa. They tell people that condoms are laced with AIDS. WRONG!! Condoms can help prevent diseases!! Now we're asking if AIDS is a Black disease? Are you kidding me?The bottom line is, ANYONE AND EVERYONE CAN CONTRACT HIV. It doesn't matter if you're black, white, hispanic, asian, native american, or anything else. You can get the disease.

I'm really sick and tired of hearing that it's this group or that group's disease. It's a disease that anybody can get, PERIOD!!I Wish I Were in Paris

THANK YOU!! How Quickly people forget!

In addition, CNN, as the arbiter of all things Black has followed up with a report that says that Black people are genetically predisposed to developing HIV. They are saying genes increase the likelihood of developing an HIV infection by 40%.

Silence Kills. So raising awareness and public education are necessary, but I question the wisdom of labeling any disease in this country as a "Black disease". When was the last time somebody held a telethon for sickle cell anemia? Y'all let me know when the "high blood pressure" ribbon campaign begins.

I admire what they are attempting to accomplish, but labeling AIDS as a "Black disease" is WRONG and short-sighted. Your temporary headlines on CNN and a possible up tick in funding are nothing compared to the damage that will likely follow if people are able to write off AIDS as a problem for "that other group of people" I thought we already fought this battle. Anybody can contract this disease.

Furthermore, if you are going to label any disease as a "Black"disease, then you have a moral obligation to go beyond getting some temporary news clipping for your cause and providing us an explanation as to WHY.

My frustration with this series is the constant presentation of statistics with little or no time spent addressing how those numbers got so high (or in some cases, low). The question “How did we get to such a place?” should be towards the top of this post, not in the last paragraph. Answer those questions first then let’s engage in conversation about changing the course.Cherisa from CNN.com comments.

EXACTLY CHERISA! Is it because there is something inherent about our BLACKness that makes us susceptible? Or is it poor access to care, a lack of education, gender dynamics, misogyny, poverty, culture, music? Give me something other than this sensational headline to justify trying to turn back the clock 20 years.

The comments at CNN basically prove my point. The LAST thing Black folks need to do is to try to turn AIDS into "OUR" disease. Nobody owns a monopoly on AIDS. ASIA has suffered from its own AIDS epidemics.

Y'all know that if FOX NEWS ran this mess, we would be marching right now. I am so seriously sick of CNN right about now. I mean those ratings must really be worth it to them.

And to all of you who say "Well people need to know the TRUTH!" This ain't the truth.Stop using the fact that Black folks have problems to welcome slander and abuse from internal or external forces. Stop letting the fact that we aren't perfect excuse being brutalized by ourselves and others. Stop letting the fact that you are disgusted by the behavior of some Black people allow you to pardon someone engaging in behavior that has longterm negative consequences for all of us. Just because you are mad at your people doesn't mean you stand by and watch as someone, even one of our own, selfishly attempts to throw them over a cliff. We ALL don't deserve what CNN has been doing to us for two weeks and counting.

This latest example is one man's opinion and mainstream media, with CNN and the front of the pack has run with it. There has to be another way. I remember the 80s and 90s-it wasn't pretty and for the life of me I can't figure out why someone who claims to be an activist would intentionally engage in turning back the clock to the days when people really did think that if they didn't belong to a certain "group" they were immune from the disease. That just isn't true. No one is immune. No one is immune. No. One. Is. Immune.

Black Woman, LaKecious Edwards , Wins Lawsuit Against AT&T

2008-08-04T06:39:00.000-07:00

Hat tip to MTO

Well what are you supposed to do when your coworkers who have less experience and mared disciplinary records get promoted over you and your Black coworkers repeatedly? Well, you certainly don't wait for the statute of limitations to run out your discrimination lawsuit.

AT&T, named one of the 40 "best diversified" companies by Black Enterprise magazine, has been ordered to pay $411,339 to a Fort Worth woman who was one of three African-American employees to file suit accusing the company of racial discrimination at its Arlington call center.LaKecious Edwards received the award from a Dallas jury this week, her lawyer said Friday. FT Worth Star Telegram

Go Lakecious! The reason given for being denied a promotion:

One manager said in a deposition that Edwards was not promoted because she spoke so fast that men couldn’t understand her and because she was too emotional. SOURCE

AAAh yes, "too emotional."

But this was the kicker for me:

"Six other mi- nority employees with simi- lar complaints could not file lawsuits because the statute of limitations ran out while they waited for responses from AT&T’s legal department to internally lodged grievances." SOURCE

LaKecious, please put that money in the bank and live off of the interest.

Black Women "Emotionally Labor" At Work? - "Keep Your 'N' in Check" Study

2008-08-04T06:14:00.000-07:00

We have another "revelatory" study on Black women. At least it isn't declaring how diseased we are like the last few rounds. This one is supposed to have findings that I do believe Dubois pointed out about a kazillion years ago. But anyway, PhDs gotta earn a living. Apparently Black women feel extra special stress at work trying to conform.

Black professionals make extra efforts in the workplace to fulfill what they believe are the expectations of their white colleagues, according to research to be presented today at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association (ASA).

Sociologists Marlese Durr of Wright State University and her co-author Adia Harvey Wingfield of Georgia State University argue that black professionals engage in two types of "emotional performance" in the workplace: General etiquette and racialized emotion maintenance.

"Our analysis of these aspects of workplace behavior reveals that women and men co-mingle etiquette and emotion maintenance to be accepted in the workplace and to fit white expectations," said Durr. "This emotional overtime in the workplace strengthens race/ethnic group solidarity."

Whether it's stressful, inauthentic or downright draining, Durr claims that emotional labor is "a crucial part of black women's self-presentation in work and social public spaces." These efforts to fit in can, in effect, make African American women feel isolated, alienated, and frustrated. SOURCE

Oh, and they couldn't have found a more "professional" way to state the following in their press release

Durr and Wingfield illustrate emotional labor as performance with a quote from an African American woman who says of her workplace peers, "They…are careful to remember…'that's not professional. Remember they got the s[hit] that'll get you bit! Keep your Negro in check! Don't let it jump up and show anger, disapproval, or difference of opinion. They have to like you and think that you are as close to them as possible in thought, ideas, dress and behavior.'" SOURCE

Is it lost on anyone that a study about professionalism at work is entitled "Keep Your N in Check"?? Anybody else see an irony or paradox or whatever? This is stereotyping I don't care what y'all say in the comments. We aren't some our of control beasts who don't know how to behave. That isn't where the stress comes from.

This study implies that we inherently don't know how to act in the workplace and it is extra taxing on us. It fails to acknowledge that we often can engage in the same behavior and conduct as their coworkers and have that behavior viewed through a completely different lens.

Next week I am going to do a study to see if Black women spend entirely too much time in the beauty salon or some other revelatory investigation.

Obama Heckled. Acolytes Slipping?? OH MY!

2008-08-01T16:55:00.000-07:00

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? So I was about to shut down the blogging for the weekend I was watching a feisty Debate between Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick and two other sisters in Detroit. I love the big D they never fail to disappoint.

Kilpatrick, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, said she has brought in $500 million for Michigan and asked Waters and Scott what they know about Congress's budget process.
"How many appropriations committees are there in Congress? How many departments are there in the federal government? What department has the largest bill before the appropriations committee?" she asked.
Waters said, "Anybody who goes to Congress can bring home the dollars."
Kilpatrick replied, "You can't even carry my bra." Detroit News

I Don't care what anybody says, you gotta love "Mama K" because "You can't even carry my bra!!!" has to be the best political sound byte EVER! Only in De-twoi. Somebody get me that t-shirt!

But anyway, So while I am being entertained by Carolyn, Martha Scott and Mary Waters, I see that Obama got heckled.

Now previous I have written that this election cycle Black folks have been forbidden to do anything other than vote. By whom? Well the Obama Accolytes.

There are Obama supporters. There are Obama "stans" ( stalker fans). Then, there are the Obama Acolytes as we fondly refer to them here. The Obama Acolytes are like a paramilitary mercenary force. They work independent of the campaign and take orders from no one in particular. They won't even listen to their candidate. They are friends, relatives, and coworkers. Ordinary, generally well loving people except for one occasional problem, they view anyone and anything that might in anyway get in the way of Barack Obama making it to 1600 Avenue as the ENEMY that must be destroyed at all costs. WAOD July 12, 2008

Those over zealous family and friends that won't let you question so much as Obama's tie color.

So low and behold these Black hecklers from some group I ain't ever heard of and probably never will again, got up and cut up. The acolytes already have an APB out on those three brothers for violating the 11th Commandment. Um did ole boy said "in the face of nunumus attacks?" Y'all know Bernie Mac sent these guys.

Huffington Post provided a transcript of a question to Obama that followed the dust up:

QUESTION: "In the face of the numerous attacks that are made against the African community or the black community, by the same U.S. government that you aspire to lead. We are talking about attacks like the sub-prime mortgage... that was a phenomenon that started in the African American and Latino community, attacks like the killing of Sean Bell... and the Jena Six... and on and on... in the face of all these attacks, why is it that you have not had the ability to speak to the interest and the behalf of the oppressed and exploited African-American community in this country?"

OBAMA: "I think you are misinformed ... Every issue you talk of I did speak out about. I have been talking about predatory lending for the last two years in the U.S. Senate and worked to pass legislation to prevent it when I was in the state legislature. I have repeatedly said that many of the predatory loans that were made in the mortgage system did target the African American and Latino communities.

"Jena Six, I was the first candidate to get out there and say this is wrong, that an injustice what had been done... When Sean Bell got shot I put out a statement saying immediately this is a problem...

"Don't start shouting back, I'm just answering your question. On each of these issues I have spoken out. I may not have spoken out the way you have wanted me to speak out. Which is fine. I understand. On each of these issues you have mentioned I have spoken out and I have spoken out forcefully. Listen, I was a civil rights lawyer. I passed the first racial profiling legislation in Illinois. I passed some of the toughest death penalty reform legislation in Illinois. Huffington Post.

Snap, crackle, and pop. Who went and liberated Black folks and whatnot? You mean we get to heckle just like all the other disgruntled group of people in this country? Wow! Say it ain't so! Today feels like Juneteenth or sumthin'

Baratunde over at Jack and Jill has another perspective:

I don’t think Obama’s above reproach or criticism, and I think he should be called to answer any question any citizen of the country he aspires to lead has. So, by all means, lay into him if you think he’s off base or plain wrong. However, anybody who can say with a straight face that Obama is somehow ignoring the problems of black America, is a liar or incredibly, shamefully, willfully lazy and simple-minded. Check out his Urban Policy Plan, his Poverty Plan, his Civil Rights Plan or any of his plans, and there can be no doubt that they offer solutions to the problems of black Americas specifically as well as all Americans generally. Jack and Jill Politics

So did the Slant Truth:

I really don’t get why some people think that if Obama doesn’t talk all black all the time and only about black issues, then he’s a sellout. His vote on FISA, now that was a sellout, but come on, the man was a civil rights lawyer for chrissakes. There are a lot of valid reasons to criticize Sen. Obama. This is not one of them. Slant Truth

Shay over at Booker Rising thinks this was helpful to the campaign:

Sen. Barack Obama getting heckled by a bunch of hardcore Marxists only helps his campaign. Booker Rising

I LOVE this headline from Black Voices "What the Heckler Happened to Obama?"Oh S.T.O.P! It!

This post pretty much encapsulates what most people think about Black folks this election cycle. You can vote, but don't you dare dissent ( publicly or privately). Just sit down and shut up.:

Even if those three dudes weren't Uncle Tom's and had an honest agenda to challenge Obama's positive yet at times vague rhetoric regarding our people, interrupting the man who has brought together the youth of this generation with optimism & hope was a bit out a line. Iced.com

He's calling some Marxists "Uncle Toms"?? UM wasn't the rap on Uncle Tom that he helped prop up the system- Tom wasn't radical? isn't that the complete opposite of what these rabble rousers are about. They ain't mainstream.

Wow. Is this America? Dissent is "out of line"? Oh well, Dr. King, who knew you were out of line. Rosa Parks head to the back of that bus, You are out of line. Lunch counter demonstrators, out of line. Linda Brown, out of line. Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher, out of line. Harriet Tubman, out of line. Frederick Douglas, out of line. Sojourner Truth; out of line! Thank goodness for all the Black folks who occasionally got "out of line" He's not running to be dog catcher! He is running to be the most powerful man on the face of the planet. He will survive criticism form some random fringe element we will never hear from again.

Don't get me wrong. I don't agree with a thing the hecklers said, but dissent in an era of intolerance for dissent by Black people tis a beautiful thang! I agree, no president can be a panacea for all that ails the Black community. In fact, I think that our biggest problem may be expecting anything at all from a government that has a long history of not necessarily having our best interests at heart. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me over the course of 500 or so years, call me a a complete and total fool.

So I don't agree with this groups politics, but I continue to be disturbed by an environment where black people are told to basically be quiet until November. Nod Nod Wink Wink. As if it is "understood" that a "brotha' "has our back . He is running for President of the United States of America, it isn't his job to have Black folk's backs. Its our job to hold all politicians accountable and that's hard to do in an environment where the slightest sign of dissent gets people branded as race-traitors and Uncle Toms.

I wonder if all of these people swiftly moving to minimize these heckler's concerns would have the same opinion if these folks had heckled McCain. Who am I kidding, they wouldn't have gotten into a McCain event with a sign. If an elderly librarian can get ticketed and dragged off of public property for holding a sign saying Bush=McCain, these three wouldn't have gotten within on mile of the arena

How long y'all think it is going to take the acolytes to catch up with these three? Run fast. Run like the wind. That sound you hear in the distance is the Obama Acolyte woodshed door swinging open. They're coming for you in 5..4..3..2..1. Don't look back

Now let me go finish watching this debate between Kilpatrick, Scott and Waters,> its excellent weekend fluff! I needed this.

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

First Black Disney Princess In Theaters Christmas 2009- Trailer

2008-08-01T02:22:00.000-07:00

According to Young, Black and Fabulous, the Princess and the Frog the first Disney film featuring a Black princess will hit theatres in Christmas 2009. The film stars Anika Noni Rose Here is the trailer.

We are SOOOOO going to have a WAOD watch party!

"Black women are an endangered species"- AIDS and Black Women

2008-07-31T06:38:00.000-07:00

By now you should have heard about the report that one out of two people with AIDS in this country are Black. Well that sounds about right because one out of two people murdered in this country are also Black.

AIDS is the leading cause of death among black women between 25 and 34, and the second-leading cause of death in black men from 35 to 44, according to a report released Tuesday. CNN.com

You can have all of the AIDS prevention awareness programming you want, but what we are fighting here is as much a disease of the mind as one of the body.

"For a lot of young black women, what's putting them at risk is emotion," the 29-year-old iReporter said. "Young women are going to men for security -- you're talking about a fatherless home and a girl looking for approval. That's the kind of thing that puts them at risk." CNN.com

I was horrified and EMBARRASSED sitting in Atlanta's airport at 5:45 in the morning waiting to catch a flight. I was finally forced to watch Soledad O'Brien's "Black PROBLEMS in America" I saw the vignette of the single Black woman who does not use condoms despite the fact that she thinks her "man" is cheating on here. I think every Black person in the boarding areas had their mouth open. One brother looked downright indignant.

I have no solutions to offer on this one, but I doubt that that single Black mother on Soledad's "Black PROBLEMS in America" is likely to change her mind. For some women being without a man, any man is a fate worse than death and it appears that that mentality is costing Black women their lives.

LaVena Johnsons Update:Oversight Hearing on Sexual Assault in the Military This Morning at 10:00 EST

2008-07-31T06:26:00.000-07:00

Watch hearing on webcast

In 30 minutes a hearing Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs will conduct an oversight hearing into the current status of sexual response and prevention within the U.S. military. This hearing seeks to ensure that the Department of Defense has adequate policies and oversight mechanisms in place to prevent, treat, and punish sexual assaults.

LaVena Johnson's case is not on the agenda, but members of Congress will be asking Army Officer's questions so it was a good opportunity to possibly get a few answers on the LaVena Johnson case or highlight it again. I know many of you have written to ask the members of the committee to ask about LaVena's case and some of you are actually gong to the hearing. I would give you advice, but you are probably sitting on the hard floor of the Rayburn Building waiting to get in right now. If you take your laptop, head for the side where the power outlets are and if some high school student intern tries to tel you that the area is just for the media just say "I AM the media!" and sit down. Make sure you stick around for Panel Three were the Department of Defense and U.S. Army, and GAO will provide testimony.

Witness List

Panel One – Members of Congress (Statements Only):

Honorable Louise M. Slaughter, Member of Congress (NY-28)

Honorable Jane S. Harman, Member of Congress (CA-36)

Panel Two – Victims and Family Members:

Ms. Ingrid Torres, MSW, CSW, Washington, DC

Mrs. Mary Lauterbach, Mother of Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach, Vandalia, Ohio

Panel Three – Department of Defense and U.S. Army, and GAO:

Mr. Michael Dominguez, Principal Deputy Undersecretary for Defense
(Personnel and Readiness)

Dr. Kaye Whitley, Director, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, U.S. Department of Defense

Lieutenant General Michael D. Rochelle, Deputy Chief of Staff G-1,
United States Army

Ms. Brenda S. Farrell, Director, Defense Capabilities and Management, U.S.
Government Accountability Office

The hearing is scheduled to begin at 10:00 am in room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building and is open to the public.

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

BWB Roundup Podcast- Clarissa Goodlett from Color of Change and Necole from NecoleBitchie.com are on 8:00PM CST

2008-07-31T06:17:00.000-07:00

Okay. So we are going to give our two lunchtime panelists from Blogging While Brown an opportunity to speak!

We had a panel about new media and online activists and their relationship with old media and old guard civil rights groups and whether there are gulfs between the two groups and whether bloggers and online activists should even bother to try. The panel went off on an unexpected tangent about money so I have invited our two panelists to the roundtable where they will get to talk about what I wanted to talk about at the conference.

Necole will be on at 8:00PM CST and Clarissa will join us at 8:30PM. In addition we will be talking with Clarissa about Color of Change's campaign on behalf of the family of LaVena Johnson.

The call in number is 646-478-4750
8:00PM CST

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

Ludacris Accepts Position With McCain Campaign - Obama Denounces

2008-07-30T18:02:00.000-07:00

“Hillary hated on you, so that bitch is irrelevant,” declared Luda on the track titled “Politics: Obama is Here” Ludacris ( hat tip Sandra Rose)

I saw this earlier today at Sandra Rose. It is a new "song" from Ludacris. Oh this is sure to go over well in the flyover states. Ig'nant. These merchants of misogyny don't have the sense God gave a chicken. Anything for a dollar and a bisquit.

For his part, Barack Obama quickly denounced Ludicris.
“As Barack Obama has said many, many times in the past, rap lyrics today
too often perpetuate misogyny, materialism, and degrading images that he
doesn’t want his daughters or any children exposed to. This song is not only
outrageously offensive to Senator Clinton, Reverend Jackson, Senator McCain,
and President Bush, it is offensive to all of us who are trying to raise our
children with the values we hold dear. While Ludacris is a talented
individual he should be ashamed of these lyrics.”

Sandra pretty much sums up this clear cry for attention:

Expect Luda’s publicist to issue a carefully worded prepared statement apologizing for his “unintended” offensive lyrics in 5…4….3…2 Sandra Rose

Yeah right. Unintended? Its going to be a long hot summer. Folks are we really ready for prime time?

Color of Change Launches Campaign to Get hearings for LaVena Johnson

2008-07-29T15:46:00.000-07:00

SEND A MESSAGE TO CONGRESS! Color Of Change had written the letter for you

Whew, I have been sitting on this for a minute waiting for it to launch. Color of Change has launched a campaign on behalf of Lavena Johnson's family.

Democratic Representative Skelton's House Armed Services is basically twiddling their thumbs on the LaVena Johnson issue although sources say that discussions are still underway, however Color of Change is calling on another committee of Congress with jurisdiction to hold hearings. They want us to direct our efforts to Congressman Henry Waxman, Chairman of the House Government Oversight Committee.

Go to their site to send a message directly to Congress.

Dear ColorOfChange.org member,
LaVena Johnson was a 19 year old private in the Army, serving in Iraq, when she was raped, murdered, and her body was burned--by someone from her own military base. Despite overwhelming physical evidence, the Army called her death a suicide and has closed the case.¹
For three years, LaVena's parents have been fighting for answers. At almost every turn, they've been met with closed doors or lies. They've appealed to Congress, the one body that can hold the military accountable. But, as in other cases where female soldiers have been raped and murdered and the Army has called it suicide, Congress has failed to act.
Will you join Mr. and Mrs. Johnson in calling on Congressman Henry Waxman, Chairman of the House Government Oversight Committee, to mount a real investigation into LaVena Johnson's death and the Army's cover-up²? Will you ask your friends and family to do the same?
http://www.colorofchange.org/lavena/
From the beginning, LaVena's death made no sense as a suicide. She was happy and had been talking with friends and family regularly³--nothing indicated she could be suicidal. And when the Johnsons received her body, they noticed signs that she had been beaten.⁴ That was when they started asking questions.
After two years of being denied answers and hearing explanations that made no sense, the Johnsons received a CD-ROM from someone on the inside. It contained pictures of the crime scene where LaVena died and an autopsy showing that she had suffered bruises, abrasions, a dislocated shoulder, broken teeth, and some type of sexual assault. Her body was partially burned; she had been doused in a flammable liquid, and someone had set her body on fire. A corrosive chemical had been poured in her genital area, perhaps to cover up evidence of rape.⁵
Still the Army sticks by their story. They refuse to explain the overwhelming physical evidence that LaVena was raped and murdered and continue to claim that she killed herself.
For many Black youth, and working class young people of every race, the military is seen as an option for securing a better future. LaVena came from a deeply supportive family, and while the military wasn't her only option, she was attracted by its promise to help her pay for a college education and the opportunity to travel around the world. She also thought that by joining she could continue her lifelong commitment to serving other people in need. She made a decision to serve in the military, with all its risks, and expected respect and dignity in return.
LaVena's death is part of a disturbing pattern of cases where female soldiers have been raped and killed, and where the military has hidden the truth and labeled the deaths suicides.^6,7 In virtually all cases, Congress has been slow to investigate or hold the military accountable in any way. Unfortunately, most families simply don't have the resources, time, and psychological strength to push back.
We can help the Johnsons, and other families, by holding Congress accountable in the LaVena Johnson case and by demanding it investigate the pattern of cover-ups by the military.
Please take a moment to join those calling on Congressman Waxman to investigate the cover-up of LaVena Johnson's death:
http://www.colorofchange.org/lavena/
Thanks and Peace,
-- James, Gabriel, Clarissa, Andre, Kai, and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
July 28th, 2008
References:
1. "The cover-up of a soldier's death?" LavenaJohnson.com, March 6, 2007
http://www.lavenajohnson.com/2007/03/cover-up-of-soldiers-death.html
2. "Is There an Army Cover Up of Rape and Murder of Women Soldiers?" CommonDreams.org, April 28, 2008
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/04/28/8564/
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. "Suicide or Murder? Three Years After the Death of Pfc. LaVena Johnson in Iraq, Her Parents Continue Their Call for a Congressional Investigation," Democracy Now!, June 23, 2008.
http://www.democracynow.org/2008/7/23/suicide_or_murder_three_years_after
6. See reference 2.
7. "2 Years After Soldier's Death, Family's Battle Is With Army," New York Times, March 21, 2006.
http://tinyurl.com/mzcvh
Other References:
"Justice for Pfc. LaVena Johnson," DailyKos, June 30, 2008
http://tinyurl.com/5bh73v
"Rapists in the Ranks, Los Angeles Times, March 31, 2008
http://tinyurl.com/2z2c8l

Lavena Johnson Update: Hearing on Thursday at 10:00 AM Rm 2154 Rayburn Building

2008-07-29T09:33:00.000-07:00

Here is another opportunity for you to get answers from the United States Army in the Lavena Johnson case:

On Thursday, July 31 at 10:00 am, the Subcommittee will hold a hearing entitled, “Oversight Hearing on Sexual Assault in the Military.” The hearing will take place in room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building and is open to the public. Oversight Committee Website

This is a subcommittee of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The full committee is chaired by Congressman Waxman. The hearing will be webcast.

Here is a list of the subcommittee members:

Majority
John F. Tierney, Chairman
Carolyn B. Maloney
Stephen F. Lynch
Brian Higgins
John A. Yarmuth
Bruce L. Braley
Betty McCollum
Jim Cooper
Chris Van Hollen
Paul W. Hodes
Peter Welch

Minority
Christopher Shays, Ranking Member
Dan Burton
John M. McHugh
Todd Russell Platts
John J. Duncan
Michael Turner
Kenny Marchant
Lynn A. Westmoreland
Patrick T. McHenry
Virginia Foxx

Although this is a subcommittee hearing, members of the full committee wil be able to attend. CBC members on the committee are Clay, Watson, and Cummings. But don't limit your inquiry to Black members. You don't care who asks the questions. Republican, Democrat, whatever! You just want answers.

My source said that he could not determine whether Lavena Johnson's case would be discussed specifically, but the members of the committee have the ability to ask questions. Here is your opportunity to tell them what questions you want asked. Due to the lateness of the notice a call or FAX was recommended as every member of Congress is not amenable to the digital age ( it is what it is)

For all of you who are upset burn a few anytime minutes or get on efax and tell your elected representatives what you want to know from the Army about Lavena Johnson and others like her.

This is separate from the organized campaign that some other large online advocacy groups are working on rolling out. When they tell me more, I will let y'all know, but I know some of you who are in DC may want to attend. In particular you might want to ask them about the allegations in this article,Tracey Barnett: Women GIs in fear of the enemy in their army. Including the allegation that three servicewomen died of dehydration because they didn't want to drink water. If they drank water, they would have to go to the latrine where they feared they would be sexually assaulted by fellow soldiers. CRAZY!

For those not famiar with the Lavena Johnson story, here is some background from Jezebel

When LaVena's father finally brought himself to look at his daughter's corpse in 2005, sent home from Iraq with a report that she'd committed suicide by shooting herself in the left side of her head with an M-16 — which, by the way, is not a handgun but a relatively long rifle, he thought there was something wrong.

Private LaVena Johnson's nose was broken, teeth were loose, one eye was concave and there were abrasions over her body. The supposed M-16 hole to the head was far too small for the revolver-sized exit wound, and was on the wrong side of her skull for a right-handed woman to have pulled the trigger. Her genital area showed evidence of acid, perhaps used to destroy DNA evidence. She had white military gloves glued to her burned hands.

Since then, the Army has continued to insist that the LaVena committed suicide by pointing her rifle with her non-dominant hand at the side of her head and set herself on fire, all after she beat herself up and poured acid on her genitals (since their was no apparent investigation into whatever happened there). Oh, and there was a trail of blood leading away from the tent where her body was found.

Her father has been trying for nearly 3 years to get someone — including Congress — to investigate the death of his daughter.

Comment AFTER you have called.

Blogging While Brown YouTube Coverage From Black Interactive TV

2008-07-29T02:58:00.000-07:00

The folks from Black Interactive TV have a sizable number of mini clips from the conference

Brian Willis and Shawn Williams from Dallas South Blog, and Theo from Theo Talks at breakfast.

Gina introduces Jordan from Free Press right before his presentation on net neutrality.

The dynamic duo, Angela Benton and Markus Robinson from Black Web 2.0. All of our workshops rocked!We had some truly talented and gifted people presenting at Blogging While Brown

Blogger Rights Panel - Kristal and Attorneymom

Attorneymom from Character Corner and Kristal from Pocketbook Protest broke down copyright and derivative works, terms of use and work for hire.

Podcasting 101- Fanshen and Heidi from Mixed Chicks Chats

Heidi and Fanshen discuss the benefits and drawbacks of Talkshoe vs Blog Talk Radio.

Luncheon Panel Gone Wild

I hadn't left me seat at this point :) Tamera from Black Life by GLAM Media is speaking.

The Infamous Five Minute Break ( Turned into 15)

Shout Out To All of the Sponsors

Lunch Break

Workshop and Panel Video From Blogging While Brown- Carmen D. Villager, Necole Bitchie, Clarissa Goodlett and GLAM Media

2008-07-28T20:44:00.000-07:00

We're still chopping and slicing and dicing the professional video. There is over 6 hours of footage, but in the meantime, Theo from Theo Talks, recorded about three sessions and streamed it live on USTREAM

Video streaming by Ustream

Panel Discussion - Can New Media Work with the Old Guard and Old Media?
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/586451

Live streaming video by Ustream

Blogging While Brown: Two Workshops in 1
Secrets from a Media Insider - How to Make News and Make the News Work for You by Carmen Dixon
“Umoja” from a Black Blogger’s Perspective by Wayne Hicks
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/586623

YES WE DID!

2008-07-28T02:22:00.000-07:00

Blogging While Brown 2008, Atlanta, GA. Enough said.

Blogging While Brown Mini-Conference Video- Launch of Twitterholics Anonymous

2008-07-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

Untitled from Gina McCauley on Vimeo.

Our incredible conference videographer, Deborah Jones from D. Jones Productions cranked out this mini conference video with some interviews and mini conference highlights. More video coming soon, but she worked long into the night to get this out to us. I appreciate it. If you have a conference or event that you want taped, I highly recommend D. Jones out of Atlanta.

The video features Tamera from Black Life by GLAM, Necole Bitchie from NecoleBitchie.com and The Urban Blogger, AJ from CommonSense Media, Chris Raab from Afro Netizen, Elisa Camahort Page from BlogHer, and James Harris.

Twitterholics Anonymous

I am now forming a Blogging While Brown Twitterholics Anonymous. I believe we got some people hooked on the tweeting this weekend. Why can't I quit you Twitter??? I actually didn't tweet as much as I wanted to, but I have gone back to read other people's twitter streams.

Some of the folks who I know were Twittering:
Shawn from Dallas South Blog
ElisaC from BlogHer
Wayne aka "Villager" from Electronic Village
AT Alien from Straight from the A
Pam from Pam's House Blend
Theo from Theo talks ( he also did Ustream)

Good News Black Women, We Love Internet Technology

2008-07-27T04:56:00.001-07:00

For those of you depressed by Soledad O'Brien's Black Women and Family forever known in these parts as "Black Women It Doesn't Suck to be You it only FEELS that way," I have some news to break the negative deluge, apparently Black women are far more likely to be early adapters of technology than our counterparts.

Black women are more likely than other women to spend time embracing technology, and they view cell phones and the Internet as tools of empowerment and self-expression, a study finds.

Compared with other women, five times as many black women — 36 percent — use cell phones for three or more hours a day, according to research released by Time Inc.'s Essence magazine. Black women also spend more extended time using iPods, computers, high-definition TVs and DVD players. Ohio.com

I know you like your cellphones, but before you pay sprint or T Mobile, make sure you pay yourself first because according to Soledad O'Brien, you are going to need that money in your old age because we're all going to die old and alone and be eaten alive by nine cats. RUN FOR YOUR LIVES SISTAS!!! Like the hounds of hell are upon you.

On a side note, I guess its a good thing the people at Blogging While Brown wrestled me to the ground and refused to let me go until I agreed to allow advertising on this blog.

Blogging While Brown Streaming LIve on Ustream Courtesy of Theo!

2008-07-26T09:37:00.001-07:00

http://ustream.tv/channel/theo-live

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

CNN's Black in America Post Mortem: Let 'er RIP!

2008-07-24T01:31:00.000-07:00

Okay kids, you have finally seen Soledad O'Brien's Black in America Episode: Black Women and Family. So what is the verdict? More Anti-black woman propaganda?
Truly refreshing and insightful?

Wednesday's poll results

4% thought the series would be thought provoking
33% thought it would be pablum
25% thought it would be a regurgitated version of Tavis Smiley's
37% would reserve judgement until seeing the show.

Lavena Johnson Update- Democracy Now Interview-- Imminent Nationwide Campaign

2008-07-23T17:53:00.000-07:00

Democracy NOW has an interview with the parents of Lavena Johnson. Some pretty large new media activists are supposed to be launching a campaign to address Congress' failure to fulfill their oversight responsibility in this case. I confirmed that information this weekend and was told something would be happening on Monday, but you'll know when I know.

A new resource on the Hill has also been in contact with me and I am going to follow his advice and see where it leads. Blogging for justice is great, but the people who have the power to actually get Lavena Johnson's parents answers don't read blogs.

When the campaign is launched, you should be prepared to act and also offer financial support to these organizations because this might be a rather long fight.

STILL CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW WE GOT 43 BLACK FOLKS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, BUT CAN'T SEEM TO GET ANSWERS ON BEHALF OF THIS BRAVE YOUNG BLACK WOMAN.

CNN's Black in America: Profound or Pablum?-- I really Miss Ed Bradley

2008-07-23T02:15:00.000-07:00

Tonight's the night folks CNN will finally air the much-touted Black In America Episode on Black Women & the Family. Y'all know I won't be watching on account of the whole boycotting cable thing, but I am sure YouTube will fill in the gaps.

This is your open thread in anticipation feel free to leave real time comments as you watch. Will Black women be misrepresented yet again? Will CNN try to pull an ESSENCE and depress the heck out of us all or try to prey on our paranoia? Will they scratch beneath the surface and go further than the epidermis or will we just hear the same pablum regurgitated in the tradition of NBC New's African American Women Where they Stand also known as "Black women it sucks to be you!"

Or are Black people inherently difficult to please and all other networks should avoid trying to tell Black folks who they are? Man I miss Ed Bradley. Now HE would have put together a heck of a series on Black people and not just rehashed and reheated the panels from Tavis Smiley's State of the Black Folk's Union presented by Exxon Mobil, McDonald's and Rudy Ray's Rib Shack and Waffles.

I finally got video of what y'all were howling at regarding CNNs' Black in America which aired, in part, on Saturday and Sunday. Hosted by Soledad O'Brien. One woman on the panel and an audience full of women. Now I see why y'all were a bit miffed. Nothing groundbreaking. Nothing monumental.

Now compare that with the discussion from a panel on Black bloggers at Netroots Nation. Notice the complete and total difference in the tone and tenor of the discussion. one group is talking about the future and the other is talking about? ( the first 2 minutes of audio are low, btu the volume pick up after that.)

Disgruntled With CNN's "Black In America"? Check Out Some New Black Voices and New Topics At Netroots Nation

2008-07-22T03:17:00.000-07:00

Um, so I take it, Y'all were not happy with the series that CNN ran on Saturday and Sunday as part of its "Black in America" series. I did not imagine that my post about the series would generate such interest from you.

Well if you are tired of the same regurgitated pablum and the same faces and voices from the CHAT-lin circuit...If you are tired of Black women, ESPECIALLY YOUNG BLACK WOMEN, being excluded from all of these discussions, you might want to check out a panel that was filmed this weekend at "Netroots Nation". Yes, Black people actually went to Netroots nation, about 20. They had a reasonable number of panelists, so everyone got to make their point and they all took their turn and there were two Black women on the panel.

It features

Brandon Q. White (moderator) of SuperSpade,
Leutisha Stills aka" The Christian Progressive Liberal" of Jack and Jill Politics,
Andre Banks from Color of Change

You ought to get excited when Andre starts breaking down how we are going to be able to use technology and data to take on the BEE and the CRIC. He didn't offer that information for that purpose, but it is still useful information. You also might want to pay attention to when Leutisha starts talking about steering wheels. My favorite moment came somewhere abut 32:15. Someone talked about Jesse Jackson being exiled to Europe and the possibility of attaching a "hot mic" to my favorite pompadoured preacher. Black Women were representing!!!!! Its amazing what happens when you let Black women actually talk on a panel *cough* CNN*cough* The audio is low for the first two minutes, but it picks up.

The Moderator and the person who organized th panel ( WITH VERY LITTLE NOTICE FROM NETROOTS NATION) is an young activist out of Michigan named Brandon White who has asked the following:

The panel was extremely enlightening and I want to particularly
thank our panelists____________, Leutisha Stills from *Black Agenda Report* and *Jack and Jill Politics*, and Andre Banks from *Color of Change*. The panel was honest, probing, and forward thinking. We addressed some very important issues I think we need to be considering regardless of what happens in November.
Posting this video (http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/569794) on our respective
blogs will help us and our readers help shape the future strategy
surrounding Black online activism and Black blogging. In particular, I
wanted you all to watch the video and chime in along with the list of
questions I have outlined below. I implore those heading to Blogging While
Brown <http://bloggingwhilebrown.com/> to continue this very important
conversation.
Thanks,
Brandon Q. White
The Superspade <http://www.thesuperspade.com>

There is some random lady on the end of the table that Brandon stopped on the street and asked to participate, but she's bad TV because she talks too much with her hands. I am sure she made some very good points but I was distracted by the fact that she appeared to be conducting an orchestra while speaking.

There is a lot of substance, but moments of hilarity ensue when discussing the CRIC. Andre and Leutisha were truly inspiring to watch. Their mastery of the subject matter and their engaging speaking style should have some television producer with a lick of sense calling them immediately.

Here are the questions Brandon asked the panelists:

1. What is the difference between Black online activists and Black
bloggers?

2. What do Black bloggers talk about when they are not talking about
Obama?**

3. How do you see the ascendancy of online activism impacting the
traditional civil rights infrastructure?

4. Who blogs locally? (hands) More often than not, the hardest place to
organize is where you live. What is your relationship with offline
activists in your local community and what should we do to get to the point
where we can have local versions of Jena 6 and Fox/CBC debate?

5. How can/should Black online activists going to fill the current and
future void of Black leadership?

6. We need more Black bloggers, (burnout) who in this room has
encouraged or developed a new Black blogger

7. How do you envision Black bloggers holding Obama accountable should he
be elected?

8. Are Black bloggers the flavor of the month and what is our obligation
to the community once we have a known voice?

9. There has been much talk about Obama's campaign and possible election as
a sign of America's transcending race. What infrastructure and/or strategies
need to be in place to continue to raise the issues relevant to the Black
community and hold Obama accountable should he be elected?

FEEL FREE TO ANSWER BRANDON'S QUESTIONS IN THE COMMENTS TODAY.

CNN: Black in America: Saturday, July 19

2008-07-19T19:10:00.000-07:00

I am getting negative reviews for CNN's Black in America: Reclaiming the Dream. Here is your open thread to respond. Attorneymom is going to guest post on this one.

CNN anchor and special correspondent Soledad O'Brien moderates an all-star panel to discuss the most pressing concerns and success stories in Black America today.

Filmed at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans over the 2008 July Fourth Weekend, Reclaiming the Dream brought together Harvard University professor Roland Fryer, Black Enterprise's Ed Gordon, actor/author Hill Harper, Bishop T.D. Jakes, economist and Bennett College President Julianne Malveaux, Princeton University professor Cornell West, actress/activist Sheryl Lee Ralph, Chicago Urban League President Cheryle Jackson, Excellence Charter School Principal Jabali Sawicki for a lively, solutions-oriented forum to discuss the state of black families, broken educational infrastructure, the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS on black families, and a look at the next generation of leadership in Black America. CNN.

Y'ALL know I don't have cable! We are supposed to be boycotting.

Dunbar Village Teens Still Wilding Out-- Attack on 3-Year Old baby

2008-07-17T17:35:00.000-07:00

"There's a big difference between security and actually feeling safe."

Not a month ago, the city of West Palm Beach was cooing over the 50% decrease in crime in Dunbar Village. 50% of "entirely too much" is still "too much." This past week the tyranny of violent teenagers returned to Dunbar Village. There were two separate attacks in less than a week. Once victim was a 3 year old boy(um where was his mama?):

Wallson's mother, Jolene La Rose, had briefly left her son playing outside and says the attack started because the thirteen year old wanted her son's scooter. She called the police when she returned outside and couldn't find her son. When officers arrived they eventually found the three year old naked and bloody. La Rose says the thirteen year old repeatedly beat her son in the head with a broom handle. "His face is big, the nose is bleeding, the mouth is bleeding," says his mother. WPTV

The second attack was on a 52 year old mother and her teenage son:

Jocelyne Dieu Juste's eighteen year old son was attacked Thursday night by three other teens, who neighbors say do not live in the housing project. When his mother jumped in to try and stop the fight, the teens started punching her. Dieu Juste is 52 years old and a mother of five. "I don't want this to happen no more. I don't bother nobody, I want nobody to bother me," says Dieu Juste. WPTV

So much for security cameras and security guards. The further away we get from the attack that made Dunbar Village infamous, the more the Tyranny of Violent Teens appears to be returning to Dunbar Village. I think the residents summed it up succinctly:

"I think it's not safe. It's not really, really safe for the people living down there," says Jolene La Rose.

Read about the horrific Dunbar Village attack that brought it to this blog's attention. Someone told me that we've written over 500 pages about this place.

BWB Registration Extended

2008-07-17T16:52:00.000-07:00

Due to the generosity of our sponsors, registration to Blogging While Brown has been extended to July 23, 2008.

Free Press

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The Root

BREAKING:Have Bernie Mac and Jesse Jackson Been Referred to the SCAN Licensing Board?- WAOD Demands an OPEN Hearing

2008-07-17T01:21:00.000-07:00

satire
Pronunciation:\ˈsa-ˌtī(-ə)r\
Function:noun
Etymology:
Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin satura, satira, perhaps from (lanx) satura dish of mixed ingredients, from feminine of satur well-fed; akin to Latin satis enough

1 : a literary work holding up human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn
2 : trenchant wit, irony, or sarcasm used to expose and discredit vice or folly

On Saturday, I wrote a post on Bernie Mac's performance at a Barack Obama event (Bernie Mac Embarrasses the HEY-ELL OUT OF Barack Obama: Acolytes Shut It DOWN! ) Subsequently, I was emailed an intercepted urgent communique indicating that this weekend both Jesse Jackson and comedian Bernie Mac were referred to SCAN (Secret Council of American Negroes).

I have no doubt that the Obama Acolytes *shivers* are behind this. Every Black person that has violated the 11th Commandment has been threatened with having their Black Pass revoked. This is a very serious turn of events to have both of them referred to the Blackness Assessment Committee of the SCAN Licensing Board in the same week. In addition the communique has indicated that Obama Acolytes have finally won a majority on the Blackness Assessment Committee. If this is true, these are perilous times for us all.

SCAN HAS NO JURISDICTION TO REVIEW JACKSON, PER THE COVENANT BETWEEN BLACK AMERICANS

I don't care one way or the other about Bernie, however, Jesse Jackson marched with MLK. Having reviewed Covenant Between Black Americans, I believe it provides that every Black person who marched with Dr. King obtained a Black Pass in for life under Section 567.08(a)2B of the Covenant Between Black Americans. Section 567.08(a)2B provides:

Any person having shown that they were in the vicinity of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during a march, demonstration, sermon or speech shall retain possession of their "Black Pass" in perpetuity. This subsection shall extend to those assembled on sidewalks during said marches, speeches or demonstrations and those who contemplated attending, yet changed their mind at the last minute and stayed home....They MEANT to go.

In other words, they can never have their Black Passes revoked no matter what they may have done or not done in the 40 years since King's death. If they marched with King, as many of them are fond of reminding us, then they are exempt. END. OF. STORY. Therefore SCAN or any of its committees, subcommittees or licensing boards have NO JURISDICTION to review an application to revoke Jackson's Black Pass. In addition to people who marched with Dr. King, it is my understanding that some entertainers, athletes, Black employees of Viacom and Black billionaires are also exempt from SCAN review as well.

Apparently the Obama Acolytes are attempting to have the grandfather clause revoked as it applies to this year's presidential election. They are claiming some kind of exception to Section 567.08(a)2B called the 1600 Pennsylvania Rule which states, in part:

Notwithstanding any other section of the Covenant, in the event that any person of African American descent gets within one mile of the presidency, all other sections of this Covenant shall be superseded by the 11th Commandment.

I do not believe that there is any 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Exception. The Acolytes have made two previous attempts at similar measures with John Lewis and Andrew Young, but this time the communique indicated that they MAY have obtained a majority on the Black Assessment Committee.

How is this possible? Jesse Jackson was the first Black man to win a presidential primary. He coined "I am SOMEBODY."

Do any of y'all remember his David and Goliath speech at the Tendley Street Baptist Church?

What about his keynote addresses at the Democratic National Convention? And who can forget Jackson beating back all of the HATER-AID thrown at Obama during Tavis Smiley's State of the Black Union? Remember back when a whole lot of Black folks were NOT on the bandwagon, Jackson hopped on without PUBLIC reservation.

Despite recent revelations of "improprieties" and "issues." The man made Black history and he coined the phrase "Obamarama" I thought that qualified for a permanent exemption from the SCAN Licensing Board review. This is setting a very bad precedent. The Acolytes are so cut throat. *shivers*

The man is over 50 years old. Thats far too old to have to endure the rigors of a SCAN review. Do the Acolytes have any compassion? NOPE! No one is immune. No one is exempt. There are no accidents when it comes to the 11th commandment.

If this is true, I am going to demand that the hearing be conducted IN PUBLIC via podcast. I know that they are a "secret" council, however there is no room for secrecy from SCAN on this very serious matter. All of America must be able to throw open the doors of SCAN and see this process for ourselves. If the Obama Acolytes have obtained a majority on the SCAN Black Assessment Committee then NONE of us are safe. We must demand some transparency from SCAN on this. It is the only way to insure fairness. I DEMAND AN OPEN HEARING! SCAN's policy decisions and edicts have import on all of Black America and secrecy cannot be used to cloak the Acolytes and their chicanery.

P.S. My people... CALM DOWN. It is a long way to November. Pace yourselves. This thing hasn't even gotten started yet. Wait until October.

Blogging While Brown would like to thank our sponsors

2008-07-16T04:22:00.000-07:00

Blogging While Brown would like to thank our sponsors...

Blogging While Brown would like to thank our sponsors for their innovation, vision and commitment to the development of diverse and engaging new media content creators. They took the initiative to support one of the first international conferences for bloggers of color. We appreciate their support and encouragement. We will always remember that these companies and organizations were there in the beginning.

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Their issues:Media Ownership, Public Media,The Future of the Internet,Quality Journalism, Civil Rights and Media Justice, Building the Media Reform Movement

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CommonSense Media is a web advertising agent built on a foundation of diversity committed to representing premium audiences to premium advertising buyers. We are a values based, progressive advertising agent committed to supporting sustainability and viability for diverse voices in the new online media world, including women, people of color, latinos and LGBT audiences.

We believe that our collective futures are only secure when we go out of our way to work together to build institutions that support out community work on behalf of the disempowered and disenfranchised.

SEIU ( Service Employees International Union)

The Service Employees International Union is 2 million working people and 50,000 retirees united to improve services and our communities throughout North America.

SEIU members are winning better wages, health care, and more secure jobs at home, while uniting their strength with their counterparts around the world to help ensure that workers, not just corporations and CEOs, benefit from today’s global economy.

SEIU is the fastest-growing union in North America.

The Root

The Root is a daily online magazine that provides thought-provoking commentary on today's news from a variety of black perspectives. The site also hosts an interactive genealogical section to trace one's ancestry through AfricanDNA.com, a DNA testing site co-founded by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., who is also The Root's Editor-In-Chief. The Root aims to be an unprecedented departure from traditional American journalism, raising the profile of black voices in mainstream media and engaging anyone interested in black culture around the world.

The Cobbler's Children Have No Shoes: MLK's Kids Sue Each Other

2008-07-16T01:06:00.000-07:00

I think TMZ said it best:

His dream was that one day his children would be judged by the content of their character. Now, two of Martin Luther King, Jr's children say the character of one of their siblings sucks.TMZ

Bernice King and Martin the III are suing Dexter King for "misappropriating funds" also known as stealin':

Bernice King and Martin Luther King III filed a lawsuit Thursday in county court to force Dexter King to open the books of their father's estate. The lawsuit claims that Dexter King, the estate's administrator, is refusing to provide his two siblings with documents concerning the estate's operations. That includes financial records, contracts and other documents, the lawsuit said.

Statement from Bernice and Martin's lawyer:

"This was very heartfelt on their part and very, very taxing on them to have to do this," Smith said. "They are not happy that they had to bring this action. All they're asking for is ... to be included in their daddy's legacy."

Dexter's Response:

"I'm disappointed that our personal family disagreement, as it relates to the family business, has evolved into being handled in a public legal forum," the statement said. "It is my hope that this inappropriate and false claim by my siblings will be swiftly resolved and we can go about the business of focusing on our parents' tremendous legacy.

Dexter turn over the paperwork already. What exactly does Dexter do for a living?

We're in the San Francisco Chronicle Too- Museum of Racist Memorabilia

2008-07-14T21:00:00.001-07:00

I got a call from the San Francisco Chronicle on my way out the door to water aerobics.

*BEGIN OFF TOPIC* My instructor is crazed. She thought it would be "cute" to have us basically tread water for 15 minutes. "Now try doing it without touching the bottom of the pool! You can do it!" Yes I can, but will I be able to walk tomorrow is the pertinent question. We did jumping jacks, cross country skiing, rode an imaginary bicycle forward and backwards, cheerleader kicks and many other things that should only be attempted by members of the US OLYMPIC Synchronized Swimming Team. Water aerobics is not supposed to hurt once you leave the pool. I just thought I would share my pain with others ;( *END OFF TOPIC*

The Chronicle was getting my opinion on Michelle Obama and the New Yorker debacle.

A few weeks ago, McCauley started a Michelle Obama Watch blog to monitor media images and portrayals of the potential first lady. "We're in new ground here with how we deal with two African Americans running for the White House. It will test white liberals in ways that they never have been before. And it will test African Americans, too." Obama will be scrutinized during the campaign, as will African Americans by extension, she said. "It's a process we have to go through, as a country." San Francisco Chronicle

The "theme" of my interview is that I am so tired of Liberals acting as if they don't understand why Black people would be offended by caricatures. Somehow they should be exempt, but the conservatives should be raked over the coals because somehow conservatives are inherently racist and liberals are immune.

You can print whatever you want to but don't feign ignorance. There is a LOOOOONG history of cartoons being used as an powerful weapon to the system of racial oppresion in this country. Any time you dabble in cartooning Black people, you should do so being aware of that history.

I highly recommend that the entire staff of the New Yorker or any other Liberal Elite media outlets that decide to dabble in racial stereotypes take a gander over at the Museum of Racist Memorabilia for something we like to call historical CONTEXT. Black folks aren't just pulling this outrage out of the air. Jim Crow only ended about 40 years ago. Here is a list of the pages of information offered by the museum which is located at Ferris State University and I encourage reporters to call them and talk to someone who can provide some historical context. THAT WOULD BE YOU MR. NEW YORKER EDITOR!!!

Selected Videos	JCM Fundraising Video
Why I Collect Racist Objects	Future Home of the JCM
Our Values	Our Vision
About the Museum	FAQ
Who Was Jim Crow?	What Was Jim Crow?
Related Links Other Information	Jezebel Stereotype
Brute Caricature	Mammy Caricature
Picaninny Caricature	Coon Caricature
Tom Caricature	The Tragic Mulatto
Nigger and Caricatures	Golliwog Caricature
Racist Cartoons	New Racist Forms
JCM Virtual Tour	Nat Caricature
Buy the Award-Winning DVD	Brothers, and Other Essays

We're on CNN.com's Anderson 360 Blog

2008-07-14T18:55:00.001-07:00

The Anderson 360 blog picked up our post about the whole Michelle Obama New Yorker tomfoolery and chicanery.

Don't forget to register for Blogging While Brown. Can you believe it is only two weeks away.

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

Karin Stanford Did NOT Give Najee Ali, EURWEB, or NPR Permission to Exploit Her Child

2008-07-14T15:55:00.001-07:00

~~Someone purporting to be~~ Karin Stanford has responded to our post What About Jesse Jackson's Daughter? Where we expressed our concern about "activist" Najee Ali, using Jesse Jackson's ten year old daughter's name and image in a attack on Jackson. Being the narcissist and control freak that he appears to be, this was his response to our concerns:

I guess people must have forgot the interview that Dr Karin Stanford and her daughter did with Connie Chung on national T.V. with 20/20. Karin wasnt going to hide her daughter and the truth then and wont do it now.Since I speak them to them on a regular basis including today Were all good.Najee Ali

People like you pretend to care about Karin and the welfare of the child but dont know or have never even met them .It was me and others who were there for them and never turned our back on them.But that's not unusual for me.I have a long 15year history of being at the forefront in L.A.of defending Black girls and woman. Sometimes people dont like the tactics but my heart is in the right place is yours?

Notice how excuses his exploitation of young Black girls because his "heart is in the right place."

Well sometime today we got the following comment from ~~someone identifying themselves as~~ Karin Stanford. Her comment is corroborated by the fact that EURWeb has removed the photo of her child although the little girl's full name and the tawdry, unsubstantiated details from Ali remain.

I have just become aware of this site, and I am so pleased that someone took the initiative to challenge the misrepresentations of black women and girls in the media and society. Unfortuately, my awareness is the result of some aggregious comments that I must respond to. I am only responding because of the nature of purpose of this site, of which I hope to contribute one day.

Let me be clear, no one speaks for me. I can do that quite well, if prompted. I had no idea that my daughter's picture was on the EUR website, or any other. When I found out today, I was mortified and demanded that it be removed! My goal has always been to protect my daughter from the vicious comments made about her father and me.

For those of you who express concerns about her welfare, they are greatly appreciated. For those who gain joy from judging other people's lives, then I will pray for you.

In the end, I just want my daughter to grow up respecting her dad and me, for the work we have tried to do to help our community and for loving and protecting her.

I hope this site will be used to promote the well being of black women and girls, not for petty namecalling and personal attacks.

Karin L. Stanford

Well that is reassuring. I was beginning to question the judgement of anyone who would confide in or trust this man appearing to have major deficiencies in judgement. So that basically rebuts Najee Ali's assertions. Najee Ali, the next time you decide to take on Jesse Jackson, do it like a man and have the testicular fortitude not to hide behind the pigtails of a ten year old Black girl.

As far as I am concerned, this discussion is over. The comments are now closed. Move along. EURWEB establish some policy about publishing the photographs of minors without their parent's permission because you can't trust this man.

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

Who is Going to Blogging While Brown? Late Registration Ends Today

2008-07-14T03:58:00.000-07:00

Okay stragglers, today is the end of late registration for Blogging While Brown. Blogging While Brown is the first international conference for bloggers of color. It will take place in Atlanta, GA, July 25-27, 2008. To register for the conference go to the conference website www.bloggingwhilebrown.com

Four Political Forums Added
We have added four speakers. The Green Party, Libertarian Party, Republican Party, Democratic Party and Ralph Nader were invited to have a speaker address what is at stake in 2008 for people of color and how is the internet changing electoral politics. The Greens, Libs, and Republicans took us up on our offer. They will each be speaking for 7 to 10 minutes followed by a 15 minute question and answer session from the conference attendees.

SPONSORS
This week we will be announcing the conference sponsors. If you or your organization are interested in being a conference sponsor, you can contact the Sponsorship Coordinator, Kevin, to see what opportunities remain available. The program book goes to print on Wednesday so time is running out.

Here is a copy of Saturday's Workshop Schedule
Here is a copy of the workshop and town hall descriptions
Here is a copy of the overall conference schedule
Here are the biographies of the conference workshop presenters.

We have several folks that aren't blog readers, but are frequent commentators who will be attending as well. The following list of blogs will be represented:

The Following Blogs Will Be Represented At the Conference

"Liberals" Strike Again: New Yorker Cover Depicts Michelle Obama as a Terrorist

2008-07-13T16:37:00.000-07:00

Oh yes folks, Liberal creatives are having a field day this election season with their depictions of Michelle Obama. Proving that you can revel in racist depictions of Black people as long as you have a really good reason.

We previously showed you a "satirical" piece where Michelle was depicted being lynched by the Klan( Michelle Obama Depicted Being Tortured: Liberal Bloggers Lose Their Ever Loving Minds)

Now they are back at it depicting her as a terrorist rocking an afro and a machine gun. Barack Obama offered his standard response: None at all. (the campaign later issued a statement after his initial non committal response)I am beginning to see the wisdom of his silence, this is going to go on and on and on for the next five months he might as well save up for October:

Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton called it "tasteless and offensive" and, according to Jake Tapper at ABC, another high-profile Obama supporter called it "as offensive a caricature as any magazine could publish." Huffington Post.

Nope, I think the lynching depiction is about as offensive a caricature as any magazine could publish. It is going to be a LOOOOONG, HOT, SUMMER! IF this was on the cover of National Review people would be howling at the moon.

Bernie Mac, the New Yorker just saved your life. Bumped you right off of page B

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

What About Jesse Jackson's Daughter? Acolytes Gone Wild

2008-07-13T09:18:00.000-07:00

Some of you have emailed me copies of Najee Ali's open letter to Jesse Jackson where he invokes the full name of Jesse's ten year old daughter with Karin Stanford. This letter was posted on both Eurweb and NPR. It can't be gossip if its on NPR, right?

In the open letter, LA Activist Najee Ali, invoked the name of Jackson's ten year old daughter in attacking Jesse Sr., provides details regarding the Jackson family's alleged treatment of the child and then throws in a barb alleging that it was Jesse, Jr. that leaked the story about Senior's affair with Stanford. I had suspected that Al Sharpton did it :)

I don't like grown folks using children as weapons in their warfare so I am going to say Ali crossed a line by revealing details of this child's life or the fact that she allegedly has been ignored by Jesse, Jr. This issue should have been about Jesse and Barack, not a ten year old child. We all know Jackson is an absentee father, we didn't need the gory details.

I also have to cry foul about showing a picture of this child on internet websites. The only purpose of this open letter was to hurt Jackson, but in the process you exposed the very private life of a child. Jesse screwed up on Fox, not his daughter. Her classmates don't need to know she's been rejected by her father's family.

You Obama Acolytes need to slow your roll. Its okay to support and defend a candidate, but don't use kids to do it. Whether you like it or not, I suspect that that little girl loves her Daddy, absentee or not. Just because you are mad at her father doesn't give you leave to use her as a weapon against him. Leave her out of grown folk's games. You can't be a champion of the exploitation of Black women and girls and then turn around and use a ten year old child to gratuitously attack her father. You have to lack a great deal of creativity if you could not have come up with unlimited legitimate criticisms you could lob at Jackson without acting as the National Black Enquirer.

Now if her MOTHER has written the letter then MAYBE I would feel differently, but a purported family acquaintance of dubious motivations? Sorry, flag on the play.

Everybody Wants to Call Black Women Hoes.. Including ABC News

2008-07-12T14:18:00.000-07:00

We previously posted on Bernie Mac making lewd sexist jokes at a Barack Obama fund raiser (Bernie Mac Embarrasses the HEY-ELL OUT OF Barack Obama: Acolytes Shut It DOWN!). Well not to be outdone, some clever person at ABC News couldn't resist associating everything dealing with Black women, the butts of Bernie Mac's jokes as hoes. The earlier headline did not read this way, now someone went in a changed it to "Obama Gets Flak for Chi-town Ho-Down" Really cute ABC News.com Really cute. Y'all know if the jokes had been by a White comedian, they NEVER would have even contemplated using the "HO'." You've been successful Bernie! The folks at ABC News agree with your sentiments.

Bernie Mac Embarrasses the HEY-ELL OUT OF Barack Obama: Acolytes Shut It DOWN!

2008-07-12T11:16:00.000-07:00

"Being a president is tough ‘cause you're not just running the county. You got to run your family too," Mac said. "Having a black first lady is different. You're still going have to do the dishes and the laundry and all that …you got to pick up the kids. You didn't pick up the kids? I just came from Korea, talking about nuclear weapons. You were on Air Force One and you couldn't stop to pick up the kids?" Mac also told Obama to be cautious of the rumor mill. “People like rumors. They are going to say things like, you know, you was in the club with Lil’ Kim and you and Kanye West got in a fist fight.” Bernie Mac At Obama Fundraiser

Poor Bernie Mac, he didn't get the memo: THOU SHALL NOT EMBARRASS THE HEY-ELL OUT OF BARACK OBAMA! Because if you do, you will incur the WRATH of..... The Obama Acolytes. *shivers* I'm scared to even speak their name.

There are Obama supporters. There are Obama "stans" ( stalker fans). Then, there are the Obama Acolytes as we fondly refer to them here. The Obama Acolytes are like a paramilitary mercenary force. They work independent of the campaign and take orders from no one in particular. They won't even listen to their candidate. They are friends, relatives, and coworkers. Ordinary, generally well loving people except for one occasional problem, they view anyone and anything that might in anyway get in the way of Barack Obama making it to 1600 Avenue as the ENEMY that must be destroyed at all costs.

Now Barack Obama tried to play it all off and smooth things over:

"We can't afford to be divided by race. We can't afford to be divided by region or by class and we can't afford to be divided by gender, which by the way, that means, Bernie, you've got to clean up your act next time," Obama said. "This is a family affair. By the way, I'm just messing with you, man."

Later the campaign offered a sterner rebuke to Bearnie not knowing how to behave at a $2,300/plate political fundraiser:

"Sen. Obama told Bernie Mac that he doesn't condone these statements and believes what was said was inappropriate," spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement after the event.

Bernie, you remember growing up when your Mama would take you to the store and you would think about acting a fool and your Mama would smile as she give you "The Look" that said " I ain't gone beat you in front of all these people and embarrass myself further in a public setting, but when we get home IT'S ON!?" And you would try to be really quiet in the car hoping that she would forget you acting a fool and embarrassing her in public, but she never forgot. Well Bernie, Barack Obama might have tried to be genial about it, but the Acolytes will remember... poor Bernie he didn't get the memo: DO NOT EMBARRASS THE HEY_ELL OUT OF BARACK OBAMA... OR ELSE!

Unlike the candidate that appears to be a genial enough fellow, these acolytes can be down right mean and even scary. Everybody knows one. Right now, the Acolytes are giving Bernie "the look."

If you are viewed as an obstacle standing in between the Acolytes and 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, you better be prepared to be plowed OVER. We've battled a few Acolytes in the comments section of this blog. They usually throw out a few "Uncle Toms", "Self- hating House Negroes", "race traitor" attacks before they head out the door.

I understand the Acolytes. Heck I am related to some of them. They think the dream is so close yet so fragile that the faintest breeze might blow it all away and thus they have designated themselves sentries of that dream and will attempt to annihilate anything that they think get in the way of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. I admire their zeal, but at times it is also disturbing, until I saw this... perhaps the Acolytes may be useful for some things?

For a moment I was getting nervous with all of that cutting up the Entertainment Industrial Complex was doing at the BET Awards. They were giddy about all the mischief they will be able to create in an Obama administration. I mean after all, he's playing Jay Z at campaign events:

During Obama's victory party in Iowa, Jay's "99 Problems" was played over the loud speaker. Some imply that the line "99 problems but a bitch ain't one" was a thinly veiled shot at his political rival.

Much to my dismay, they've already started putting his name in misogynistic, drug infused, violent Hip Hop lyrics.

It Goes Hilary Clinton, Barack Obama
Made The Moral Trap Or Die Ask DJ Drama
It Goes Freak Big Meech
And MuthaF@!k Osama (Yea)
An He Aint Talm Bout Nuttin So Wassup Lil Mama? (Aye)
I Think Ya Girl Want Me
And if She Don’t She Should (Should)
Three Of Four Bl*nts a’ Make The Sex So Good (Woo)
I Just Roll Em So Fast
We Just Blow Em So Fast (Fast)
Before I Even Know it We done Blew a whole Half (Yea)
Young Come Through Nightime Like A Burglar
Type O N*gga Leave His Skully On While He Service
Type O N*gga take a phone call While he Service
So What He at The Back Door?
What Chu Think Im Strapped For?

In fact last year CNN predicted as much

"More than anything his name is a nugget of lyrical gold," said Kweli. "It sounds like a gunshot going off ... Obama rhymes with a lot of things." CNN

Oh just great, his name rhymes with a lot of things. Could we survive 4 or 8 years of the Entertainment Industrial Complex running wild? Would they be embolden by his victory to take their minstrelsy to new lows, seeing the regime of Bullets, Booty and Bling as somehow more mainstream with a Black family in the White House. That certainly seemed the case at the BET Awards. AP

No you didn't want Barack Obama anywhere near that foolishness. Why? There is a new age in America, it is the age of the Acolyte. While Black people may have been reluctant to criticize other Black folks in public, the Acolytes have no such reservation. There is a woodshed with everybody's name on it and they will not hesitate to take you there if you even look like you might mess this 1600 Pennsylvania thing up.

Nothing and nobody gets in the way of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Black folks may have tolerated BET and "Tip Drill", We may have turned the other way when DL Hughley called the Rutger's team the "Ugliest women he had ever seen in his life." We might have turned a blind eye to "Flavor of Love", "I Love New York", and "Bad Girls Club". We may have let our children dance to "She's a very freaky girl you don't take her to Mama, first you get her name then you get her number then you get some @^%#$ s the front seat of a hummer" We may have let our kids chant "Do the Superman on dat 'ho," but the the acolytes won't tolerate ANYONE or ANYTHING that they think jeopardizes 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and they certainly will not tolerate anybody EMBARASSING THE HEY_ELL OUT OF BARACK OBAMA. So much so that when Bernie Mac brought out the standard fare of Black Comedians, sexism and raunch, people in the audience stood up and SHOUTED HIM DOWN!!! I died and went to heaven when I read this:

As the joke continued, the punchline evoked an angry response from at least one person in the audience, who said it was offensive to women.

"It's not funny. Let's get Barack on," a man shouted from the crowd, which paid US$2,300 each to support the Illinois senator.

There are new sheriffs in Town and they have one rule: Nobody makes Barack Obama look bad. No one is exempt - not John Lewis, not Jesse Jackson, not Pastor Wright, not Tavis Smiley, not America's first "Black" President, Bill Clinton, and not Bernie Mac. Right now I can just feel the Acolytes giving Bernie "THE LOOK." right before the acolytes drag him to the woodshed.

Entertainment Industrial Complex, you have never faced a foe more powerful and determined that Obama Acolytes. They do not play. They are mercenary and ruthless an no one is immune from their wrath. That is why I feel bad for Bernie Mac ( not really ) He violated the Prime Directive for Obama Acolyte-is. Thou Shall Not EMBARRASS THE HEY-EL OUT OF BARACK OBAMA. There are no excuses. There are no ACCIDENTS! Your intentions are irrelevant.

I am going to have to reassess the Acolytes. I had been disturbed at times by their methods and myopic zeal, but the prospect of Acolytes grabbing members of the Entertainment Industrial Complex by the scruffs of their necks and telling them to have a seat OR ELSE warms my heart. A movement of acolytes shutting down foolishness from coast to coast.

Is it possible that if Barack Obama makes it all the way to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue that the Black Community will become less tolerant of the Ministers of Minstrelsy and the Hip Hop Industrial Complex? Will we be shutting the foolishness DOWN. Will the charge be lead by the acolytes?

Watch your back Bernie, you done messed up now. That noise you are hearing? That is the sound of the woodshed door. They are coming for you.

Lavena Johnson Update

2008-07-11T16:12:00.000-07:00

Before you send me another email, you need to call three people; your two US Senators and your House member and don't let the high school student answering the phone blow you off.

I have been getting a fresh wave of emails about the Lavena Johnson story. We posted about the story here last week. From Jezebel

When LaVena's father finally brought himself to look at his daughter's corpse in 2005, sent home from Iraq with a report that she'd committed suicide by shooting herself in the left side of her head with an M-16 — which, by the way, is not a handgun but a relatively long rifle, he thought there was something wrong.

Private LaVena Johnson's nose was broken, teeth were loose, one eye was concave and there were abrasions over her body. The supposed M-16 hole to the head was far too small for the revolver-sized exit wound, and was on the wrong side of her skull for a right-handed woman to have pulled the trigger. Her genital area showed evidence of acid, perhaps used to destroy DNA evidence. She had white military gloves glued to her burned hands.

Since then, the Army has continued to insist that the LaVena committed suicide by pointing her rifle with her non-dominant hand at the side of her head and set herself on fire, all after she beat herself up and poured acid on her genitals (since their was no apparent investigation into whatever happened there). Oh, and there was a trail of blood leading away from the tent where her body was found.

Her father has been trying for nearly 3 years to get someone — including Congress — to investigate the death of his daughter.

I have a few calls out on this story. I've called the office of the Chair of the House Armed Service Committee, the Congressional Black Caucus office, both of my US Senators and the House Armed Services Committee. I am waiting to hear back from the Armed Services Committee Communications staff. I gave them a pass because of the 4th of July holiday.

In the interim, according to my US Senator's office, you should go to the website of your two senators and House member and click on constituent services and have them open a case for you. The page may read like this:

Help for Solving Problems with Federal Agencies
Sometimes dealing with the federal bureaucracy is a challenge. My office can help when you run into problems on federal issues like Social Security, Medicare, Veterans Administration claims, student financial aid, Small Business Administration loans and the I.R.S. If you are experiencing a problem with a federal agency, please write to my Texas office, outlining the problem and requesting that I look into the matter on your behalf.
We ask that you fill out a privacy release form giving permission for Congressman Doggett to make inquiries on your behalf. You should also include any other documents or correspondence that you think may be helpful to my office in pursuing your case. My Texas office will contact you after receiving your letter.

Does not matter what party, you need to send your inquiry to all three of your federally elected representatives. You have two senators and one house member. Do the same thing for all three. Your senator's/house member's staffers will then make an inquiry to the Army on your behalf. You will likely have to fill out a privacy release form, but you do not have to provide your SSN or some of the other information on the form, that's for people with Social Security benefit dispute issues.

UPDATE: One of my readers got a meeting with staffers from their congresswoman's office EIGHT HOURS after doing what I told them to do. He says that the privacy release form is only for ties when they are searching for information about YOU on your own behalf. But do everything else anyway. Tell us your results.

Both of the political parties will be having platform development meetings and one of the platform issues you may want to propose is that they add the investigation of allegations of systematic sexual assault of service women to the platform. In addition, you need to call the House Armed Services Committee and inquire as to when and whether there will be a hearing. In addition, go to your elected representative's website and see if they are having a town hall forum. Take your supporting documentation with you and ask a question. All politics is local. You might also contact local victim's rights groups and tell them her story and the story of other service and see if they will join you in making your inquiry.

When I called the Congressional Black Caucus last week. The staffer I spoke with had never heard of her case and three of their members sit on the House Armed Services Committee. I had him pull up her case on Google while we were on the phone and was told he would be taking the matter to the three CBC members on the committee. If you do call the office and they have not heard of her case, then ask the person on the phone to Google her while you are on the phone and also be prepared to tell them her story in 90 seconds or less.

John McCain, the Republican nominee is on the Senate Armed Services Committee and so is Senator Hilllary Clinton, however your first step should be to speak to your elected representatives directly and in writing. Even if they stonewall you, somebody is going to have to take time out to write you a letter. When you make your official request for assistance, you should give some background of the LaVena Johnson story. Provide copies of the newspaper articles related to her case and the case of other servicewomen and tell them what you want from them. Tell them that you are concerned about Lavena, but also about allegations that servicewomen are dying of dehydration because they are afraid of being raped by other soldiers if they go to the latrine.

In 2003, three women died in their beds of dehydration because they had stopped drinking in the 50-degree heat late in the day for fear of going to the latrine at night. Camp generators were so loud they would muffle the sound of women's screams as their own soldiers jumped them and dragged them to the Port-a-Johns to be assaulted. NZ Herald

There are also allegations of a disproportionate number of servicewomen who are raped and subsequently murdered are being classified as having committed suicide. If these allegations are true, you want to know. If these allegations are false, you want to know. If they don't know whether the allegations are true or false, you want to know why they don't know.

When I follow up with a phone call to the Committee next week, I will formulate how I plan to go forward from there. YOU can always take another path. There has been a three year public awareness campaign, but somehow the only people with the power to do something in this case, CONGRESS, seem to be unaware of the Lavena Johnson story at all. At least by making a request, they cannot plead ignorance. I'll keep you posted. If you get different advice from somewhere else, feel free to post it in the comments.

You are not helpless, but you will never get more than what you demand. Before you send me another email, you need to call three people, your two US Senators and your House member and don't let the high school student answering the phone blow you off. Tell them you are a constituent and you want the Army to answer whatever questions you have and tf Army can't answer them, then make them tell you and your elected representatives why they can't answer those questions.

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

You can Vote for Citizen Journalist Faye Anderson to Replace Tavis Smiley

2008-07-11T13:17:00.000-07:00

I think my feelings regarding Genarlow Wilson's enabler, Tom Joyner, have been well documented, but the departure of Tavis Smiley has left an opening an apparently there is some kind of contest to replace Tavis. A fellow blogger and citizen Journalist is running to replace Tavis and asking for your support. She is Faye Anderson from the blog, Anderson at Large:

Dear Friend,

I am one of eight candidates who are competing to be the next Commentator on the “Tom Joyner Morning Show.” The next voice “to elevate, educate, entertain and inform black America” will be announced in September.

The TJMS is heard by over 8 million listeners in 115 markets. You can also listen to it for free online at BlackAmericaWeb.com but you must register in advance at <http://insite.blackamericaweb.com/registration/signup_request/?goto=http%3A//www.blackamericaweb.com>.

I would greatly appreciate your vote and help in getting the word out to your friends, family and coworkers to tune in on Tuesday, July 15 at 8:10 a.m. ET for my five-minute audition. The broadcasts are archived at BlackAmericaWeb.com so you can tune in at your convenience.

Listeners will be asked to go to my page after my commentary and rate me. If you have a scheduling conflict and miss my commentary, you can still vote. Voting will be open from 8:00 a.m. ET to 8:00 p.m. ET on July 15.

If there are any questions, please send me a message. I thank you in advance for your support and assistance in getting the word out.

Best,

Faye

Since there is a dearth of African American women's voices, especially on NATIONALLY syndicated radio dealing with political issues, I wish her luck. Maybe she can ask him why he didn't provided full scholarships to the two girls who were in that hotel room with Genarlow Wilson.

Green Party Poised to Nominate Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente

2008-07-10T20:40:00.000-07:00

While the nation was obsessed with what Jesse Jackson wanted to do to Barack Obama's private parts, the Green Party is poised to nominate the first woman and African American to head their presidential ticket.

The odds-on favorite to claim the nod is Cynthia McKinney, who represented a Georgia House district for five terms, surprisingly got knocked off in the 2002 primary, reclaimed the seat in 2004 and then lost the primary two years later -- in part because of the furor over a scuffle she had with a Capitol policeman.

If she triumphs in the delegate balloting over three rivals, McKinney would be the first black and the first woman picked for president by the Greens. LA TIMES

Here are her issues:

She has campaigned since last fall for the Green Party nomination, traveling to 30 states with a small entourage, with little money, a slogan of "Power To The People" and a "10-Point Manifesto" for change that includes the immediate withdrawal of American troop from Iraq and Afghanistan; universal health care; the establishment of a Department of Peace; and paying reparations to blacks who are victims of discrimination and economic disparity. AJC

Her running mate is Rosa Clemente:

Rosa Clemente was born and raised in the South Bronx, birthplace of hip-hop music and culture. She has degrees from the University of Albany and Cornell University. Her academic work has been dedicated to researching national liberation struggles inside the United States, with a specific focus on the Young Lords Party and the Black Liberation Army. While a student at SUNY Albany, she was President of the Albany State University Black Alliance and Director of Multicultural Affairs for the Student Association. At Cornell she was a founding member of La Voz Boriken, a social/political organization dedicated to supporting Puerto Rican political prisoners and the independence of Puerto Rico. IPR

There was some erroneous information that this was the first time a national party had nominated two women of color. That would be Lenora Fulani and Maria Elizabeth Munoz

Actually, in 1992, 2 women of color, Lenora Fulani and Maria Elizabeth Munoz ran for Prez on the New Alliance Party ticket in 40 states. Also in 1996, the Workers World Party ticket was Monica Moorhead and Gloria La Riva. Zentronix

Why Jesse Why? ..."Cut his !#$ Off?" - Jesse Jr. Calls Daddy "Reckless", but Jesse MAY have a point ( GASP)

2008-07-09T19:01:00.001-07:00

The Rev. Jesse Jackson apologized Wednesday for saying Barack Obama is “talking down to black people” during what Jackson thought was a private conversation before a FOX News interview Sunday.

Jackson was speaking to a guest at the time about Obama’s speeches in black churches and his support for faith-based charities. Jackson added before going live, “I want to cut his nuts off.”

What in the hot crispy heck? Come on Rev. Jackson Come on! Now I interviewed Jesse Jackson for ESSENCE.com. He AIN'T stupid. I don't care how many of y'all think he is. The man is intelligent, don't let that Green Eggs and Ham fool ya! But let's see, you're on the set at FOX and you're whispering? With a mic on? And that was an accident? I'm sorry Rev. you need more people.

Jackson apologized:

"Any hurt or harm I caused his campaign, I apologize, because I have such high regard for him," he said. "I cherish his role -- the role he's played in making the nation better and making the world rejoice."

Jackson Had a Point

And for the record. I TOO am not happy with Barack Obama's penchant for pulling out cousin Pookie and Popeyes in front of Black audiences. This post Obama's "Tough Love" For the Black Community" basically chronicles what Obama says anytime he gets in front of a Black audience:

The black audiences at which he directs his “tough love” almost always respond with approval or applause, and his support among black voters has been rock-solid, regularly racking up 80 to 90 percent of the black vote during the Democratic primaries. Meanwhile, Obama is partaking in what’s basically tantamount to a long-running Sista Souljah campaign, demonstrating to white voters that he’s not beholden to the black community nor scapegoating whites for its ailments. So it’s ultimately a win-win. New York Magazine.

A win win for whom? So Black people get a good speech that they agree with, but what else do we get? What's behind door number 2 or 3? When he takes some other groups to task, in thier faces, then he can issue lectures to us. Its not the lecture I disagree with, its who gets a lecture vs who gets political pandering and campaign promises. He's running for President for all of America. There are plenty of lectures to go around.

So Yes, I have to agree he is talking "down" to Blacks. Sorry Obama acolytes. I'm calling it. Not because we don't need a-talking-to, but because he is running for President of the United States and I suspect his concern has more to do with using us to appeal to White voters than correcting our shortcomings. In other words, don't make me your "Sister Souljah" moment. He was not talking to US in that Father's Day speech. Sorry. He wasn't. His goal between now and November is to collect votes and appeal to "swing" voters. Black folks aren't swing voters... we've already swung to the tune of 90%

If you want to use that bully pulpit, use it for some other purpose than reinforcing stereotypes in the White community. For example, on Father's Day Obama could have easily used that opportunity to talk about the love of Black fathers. For example, Lavena Johnson's Father. His daughter went off to serve this nation in the US Army and her body was shipped back with signs of having been tortured and the Army appearing to have concocted a "suicide" to cover up her rape and murder. Talk about her father fighting the US government for answers three years after she is gone.

To be clear, some Black folks need a talking-to, but in the context of a political campaign where he has 90% of the Black vote, Barack Obama ain't talking to US. I don't have a problem with a lecture, but I have a problem with Black folks serving as his Sistah Souljah moment. If he really wants to "challenge" the Black community how about giving a speech on sexism and misogyny. I mean he has chastened us about homophobia, Popeyes Chicken, littering, and anti-intellectuallism... WHY NOT SEXISM??? I sure wish he would use one of those speeches to throw in a couple of lines about BLACK WOMEN AND GIRLS being exploited, ignored and abused, but we all know those Black audiences would probably stop clapping if he started speaking out about violence against Black women and girls. Obama is from Chicago, what's his thoughts on R. Kelly being found "not guilty"to the cheers of Black women?

That being said.... Why Jesse Why? Cut his ^%#$ off? You're smarter than that. I hope. I mean you could have given us a better soundbyte than that. I hope this was not a cry for attention because this is not the kind of attention you need. And Jesse had been doing so well. Al Sharpton has been running around acting a fool, but Jesse has been a trooper in stoic silence. Oh but my cynic-o-meter is going off. I just don't think this was an accident, but if it was intentional, why not give a better soundbyte.

Jesse's own SON had to issue a statement repudiating his own father:

"I'm deeply outraged and disappointed in Reverend Jackson's reckless statements about Senator Barack Obama. His divisive and demeaning comments about the presumptive Democratic nominee -- and I believe the next president of the United States -- contradict his inspiring and courageous career.

"Instead of tearing others down, Barack Obama wants to build the country up and bring people together so that we can move forward, together -- as one nation. The remarks like those uttered on Fox by Revered [sic] Jackson do not advance the campaign's cause of building a more perfect Union.

"Revered [sic] Jackson is my dad and I'll always love him. He should know how hard that I've worked for the last year and a half as a national co-chair of Barack Obama's presidential campaign. So, I thoroughly reject and repudiate his ugly rhetoric. He should keep hope alive and any personal attacks and insults to himself."

WHOA. Um can I come to Thanksgiving dinner? Cause they ought to sell tickets. Pass that cornbread dressing!!

You Chicago people are off the chain. Rev. Wright. Father Pfleger. Jesse Jackson. Who else representing Chi-town wants next?

Michelle Obama Watch on CNN

2008-07-09T18:50:00.000-07:00

First of all what are y'all doing watching cable? We are supposed to be boycotting cable, remember? HAHAHAHA. Anyway, the Situation Room apparently mentioned Michelle Obama Watch. We covered the reaction to Malia Obama being on Access Hollywood. So if you haven't visited recently, you might want to head over and join the fray.

I am too busy with Blogging While Brown to keep up with anything so if you see something send an email.

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

Black Women, What's Our Political Agenda?

2008-07-08T18:56:00.000-07:00

So the Democratic party is purportedly opening up their political platform making process to the American public. Apparently there will be meetings all over the country where ordinary folk will be able to bring their "issues" to the party and if you are lucky, they may take your issue all the way to the Platform. hmm hmm. You can find out more here. There will be meetings all over the country and you can type in your ZipCode to find one. As soon as I find one near me that is not at somebody's house, I will put the event on my calendar. But you can host a meeting with your friends.

I actually think Black bloggers ought to each encourage their readers to either go to a meeting or help develop issues to present. Maybe we can host one online? Its a thought! here is the agenda format. No reason why it couldn't be done on a conference call and Lord knows we like to write.

It may be a big monumental waste of time or with Black people all over the country pursuing the same agenda items, a few might make it on to the party platform. We've complained at length about issues disproportionately affecting Black women and girls being ignored here is a "chance' to be heard.

Whether you are a Republican, Democrat, Green or Libertarian, I think you ought to attend:

From July 19 to July 27, everyday people all across America will hold Platform Meetings in their own communities. From Atlanta, Georgia to Muncie, Indiana, from Bangor, Maine to Eugene, Oregon, Americans will meet to talk about what issues are most important to them and what should be at the heart of the Democratic platform for change.

The results of these Platform Meetings will be incorporated into the formal process that culminates in the adoption of the platform at the Democratic Convention in August. A few participants may even be invited to appear and testify at the National Hearing and at the Convention! LEARN MORE HERE.

So what are our "political issues" and do you plan on attending?

I know violence against Black women and girls pops to mind immediately.
For example inadequate funding for security in housing projects funded and overseen by HUD.
The disproportionate number of service women like Lavena Johnson having their rapes and murders classified as suicides.
The failure of federal law enforcement to pursue child pornography charges against men who film African American girls engaged in sex acts ( looking at YOU Genarlow and Kels).
CABLE CHOICE!
Net neutrality.
Gas Prices
Bailing out large financial services companies who engaged foolishness and now want me and you to pay for their losses when they did not share in their massive profits.

What other issues stand out to you? We can't keep just voting over and over and not ask for something in return.

Look at the 2004 Platform

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

I Won't Be Covering the Republican National Convention, But You Could Win an ALL EXPENSE PAID TRIP TO DENVER!!

2008-07-07T19:51:00.000-07:00

As, y'all know, this blog is nonpartisan. We don't endorse and we don't hold racial loyalty litmus tests around here based on who you choose to vote for. Plus, I know I have a ton of readers from every political party or no party identification at all. Black women need to have a seat at the table no matter which party is in power. So, I applied for credentials to the Republican National Convention at the same time that I applied to the DNCC.

I'm sorry to all of my Republican readers who have been emailing me asking me to cover the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis, but I was not granted credentials :(

Dear Special Press Credential Applicant:

Thank you for applying for credentials to cover the 2008 Republican National Convention. We appreciate your interest in covering this historic event.

Unfortunately, due to the overwhelming interest in covering our convention, we are unable to accommodate your request for Special Press Credentials.

We hope you choose to follow our proceedings through other means, including our live-stream at www.GOPConvention2008.com.

Sincerely,

Special Press Credentials Office

2008 Republican National Convention

I tried y'all. But alas, twas not meant to be . So don't email me about a lack of coverage, you can go to www.GOPConvention2008.com to watch the live stream, I know I will be. I am sure some other Black bloggers who don't run a website called Michelle Obama Watch will be there. BWAHAHAHA! I'll be sure to let you know who they are because for all the talk about protesters at the DNCC, the platform fight at the Republican National Convention is lining up to be off the chain.

But seriously, I am one of those people who will be watching the conventions on every night regardless. I'm a political junkie. Political conventions are like the Olympics for political junkies. Doesn't matter which party, we just enjoy watching the sport being played. This only happens once every four years and even if it is a large production of the political parties, it is still an important part of our political process and we should all know more than ever that elections have consequences.

With gas approaching $7 a gallon, the stock market looking as if it is about to head sub 10,000, foreclosures headed up and last I heard, one dollar was worth 2/3 of a Euro ( the last time I was in Europe I want to say 1 Euro was like $0.95), who we select to be our next president is a very important decision. So whatever your choice, let it be an informed and wise choice because I might have to break out a bicycle if gas prices go as high as is being predicted... and did I mention that we have not made it through hurricane season yet?

But on another note.... I'LL BE DENVER!!!! On the same day that the Republicans gave us "THE HAND, " the Democrats, announced that Barack Obama will be giving his acceptance speech at INVESCO Field in front of about 75,000 people. It is the first outdoor acceptance since JFK in 1960. The speech will be given on the 40th anniversary of MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech and each and every one of you will have a ring side seat... hopefully, I haven't heard how this will affect press logistics, but wherever I am, YOU ARE!

If you want to enter a lottery to get inside of INVESCO Field, you can enter for $5. The Obama campaign will select 10 people who contribute at least $5 to the campaign between now and July 31, 2008. They are going to fly you and a guest to Denver AND you get to meet Barack Obama backstage.

At the Democratic National Convention next month, Barack will deliver his acceptance speech in front of 75,000 people at a free, open event in Denver, Colorado.

Make a donation of $5 or more between now and midnight on July 31st, and you could be one of 10 supporters chosen to meet Barack backstage and watch his acceptance speech in person.

Each of the 10 selected supporters can bring a guest, and will be flown to Denver to spend two days at the convention, culminating in Barack's speech on Thursday, August 28th. Barack Obama.com

Now that right there is a heck of a deal for $5. $2.50 per plane ticket. I am assuming they are throwing in hotel as well because hotel room rates are a MILE HIGH in the Mile High city and I got what is supposed to be a "deal" through the housing block. Let me know if one of y'all is chosen. I can be your "guest" and save a grip on airfare. Let them know WAOD sent you!

I am also happy to announce that we will be bringing a photographer with us to Denver as photography not one of my strong points. Keep hitting that PayPal button!

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

Sister Please!: Lauren London - Ignorance Personified

2008-07-07T02:25:00.000-07:00

Continuing on our theme over the past few weeks of Black women behaving badly. Sorry folks, but the hits keep coming.

This time courtesy of Lauren London.

I love guys who are street. I won’t even give soft guys a chance. Menace II Society is my shit! Caine was like my first crush. Actually, O-Dog was my true dream guy. I was in love with him, from that opening scene where he pops the convenience-store worker. He had me from that gunshot [laughs]. He was ’hood, and I loved that. Sandra Rose

And miles to go before I sleep. Miles to go...So shooting someone in the head is attractive? You know that Caine dies at the end of the movie right? Ignorance Personified. So what is being produced to combat the likes of Lauren London? If Menace II Society is what she wants her mate to model himself after, which movies offer the other alternative?

So of course because demonizing Black women and blaming us for all that is wrong in the world is par for the course, somehow Ms. London's Ignorance has been imputed on all of us and we have been blamed for being witches and enchantresses who force Black men to break the law and commit murder. Who knew Black women had such power? I mean if we had mind control, surely we'd use it for something far more important.

As ticked off as I am at Lauren London spreading her ignorance with the masses, I do not accept the idiotic argument that Black women who love thugs drive men to engage in crime and violence as has been suggested by critics of Lauren London (Sgt. Willie Pete). Don't try to paint all Black women with the same brush because black men would be the first to howl at the moon if we tried to say that they were all like the characters in Menace II Society. All Black people, men and women ought to be rising up against the entertainment industrial complex. This tiny group of people in LA and New York get to dictate the narrow range of Black humanity that gets displayed to the world and the slice they choose to show got scrapped from the bottom of the barrel.

Ignorance knows no gender and Lauren London's is being used as a strawwoman to unlease a flurry of Black woman hatred over at Satan's Playground, YouTube:

What happens if a black man like myself
1. Have a job
2. Have 3 college degrees and working towards a PH.D
3. Have no kids
4. Have a nice car
5. have his own place
5. have a vision for his future
answer 0% chance in attracting a black woman! conqueror2001

I would not be surprise if the figures show 80% of black women single in the nxt 10 years. The African American female mentality is f#@ked up, ever from since Slavery, black women do not value the greatness of good EDUCATED black men, if they did, why is the black community so fucked up? Yet they are the Rock the foundation. So if they dating thugs and call educated black men losers, so what the f#@k is she? a princes a Queen right? Type in @ss shakin on youtube, tell me how many Queens you see. NYTHUG11226

That's why i don't even f#@k with black women anymore. Damn near every black female I come in contact with has that same damn mindset. I know all you are going to hate but this man is speaking the truth. Get a white girl like Tiger Woods or 75% of the n#@gas in the NFL.iramaj

Yep. YouTube is still the Devil.

22 y.o. Black Woman to 11 year-old Black Girl Gang Raped By 20 Men and boys: "That girl, knew What She Was Doing"

2008-07-02T15:45:00.000-07:00

."Five years? Ten years? That's ridiculous," said LaToya Bell, 22, sitting on a porch with four others who nodded in agreement. "They (are) getting time for nothing. That girl, she knew what she was doing."
LaToya Bell, 22 speaking about the gang rape of an 11-year old by up to 20 men and boys.

I have mentioned a case out of Milwaukee several times on this blog. It is the case of an 11 year old girl being sexually assaulted by up to 19 men and boys ranging in age from 13 to 40 in the presence of a 16 year old girl and an adult woman.

Well the final defendant has been sentenced in this case. A teen who was 14 at the time received 5 years. The sentences of those convicted range from 3 years in juvie to 25 years for the 40 year old man who said that an 11 year old girl “looked grown.”

Seventeen-year-old Terrell Jefferson was the 14th person punished for his role in the Labor Day 2006 assault. Authorities said as many as 20 men and boys engaged in sex acts with the girl over several hours. A 16-year-old girl was accused of helping get the younger girl to take part.MSNBC.com

The prosecutor in this case was horrified to hear from the families of perpetrators that this, the gang rape of underage girls, is a common occurrence in the neighborhood.

Matthew Torbenson, an assistant district attorney who prosecuted the juveniles, said he hoped it was a one-time aberration."The really scary thing is, during court proceedings I heard members of the perpetrators' families saying this kind of behavior is not uncommon," Torbenson said.

Well I used to be outraged and think that some of the vile inhumane things I have covered on this blog were aberrations too. I thought that there were more good decent honorable people on the planet than bad and that crimes such as this were the result of a few bad apples. I was wrong. I suggest this prosecutor read “Getting Played” by Jody Miller.

This isn't uncommon at all and horrors like this aren't the result of a few bad demonic individuals. Its structural and as in Jody miller's book, Black women play a major role in maintaining that structure.

A number of women in the girl's neighborhood said the males involved were good people who made bad decisions."Five years? Ten years? That's ridiculous," said LaToya Bell, 22, sitting on a porch with four others who nodded in agreement. "They (are) getting time for nothing. That girl, she knew what she was doing."

Perpetuating the belief that an eleven year old child is wholly and completely responsible for navigating the perils and predators she encounters from fully grown men and women. If you read Miller's book the statements of the 22 year old woman aren't shocking at all

The more rocks I turn over, the more creepy crawlies come slithering out. I don't know which is better, blissful ignorance or the burning light of truth. If we were just dealing with bad apples, we could build bigger jails, but how do you put an entire community in the slammer? How do you incarcerate structural inequalities which encourage, promote, and reward demonstrations of “masculinity” involving brutalizing young Black girls as a matter of course?

I have no solutions to offer you today. I've got nothing for you. Nothing.

LaVena Johnson

2008-07-01T05:44:00.000-07:00

I have gotten your emails about LaVena Johnson's article on Salon.com. I will be posting on it ~~tomorrow~~ when I finish drafting. After three years, I think this issue is worthy of something more than a post as I am running out the door.

To learn more about LaVena's story, you can go to her memorial website.

Blogging While Brown Registration Ends July 14th- NO ONSITE REGISTRATION!

2008-07-01T05:42:00.001-07:00

This is a reminder that registration for Blogging While Brown ends July 14th. There will be no onsite registration.

To register, you can go to the Blogging While Brown conference workshop.

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

The Juanity Bynum and Tommy "the Hitman" Weeks Divorce is Final

2008-06-30T01:35:00.000-07:00

Ode To the Bynum Weeks,

Roses are red

Violets are blue

Don't call on me,

I'll call on you

...OR NOT!
The Lord Almighty

Our long national nightmare is over.

Yes, y'all the New Face of Domestic Violence, Juanita Bynum Weeks Bynum finalized her divorce from her bow-tie wearing, Satan-blaming charisma-challenged husband, Bishop Thomas Weeks, III. I only comment on this because these two have provided some of the best material this blog has ever seen.

God to Juanita Bynum and Thomas Weeks: "Do I know Y'all?"

Not because of the violence, that was shameful and sad, but because these two publicity hounds turned what should have been a community's tragedy into a publicist's dream.

Indecent and out of order would have been the best way to describe the circus-like levels this foolishness rose to: Sending messages to each other through sermons and YouTube clips ( Yes, y'all Bishop Weeks has a Youtube Channel). Writing books, retracting books, requiring new $250,000 threshing floors because you can't use the one at your own home, going on every Black syndicated radio station in the country.

These two had me torn because I believe that domestic violence should come out of the shadows. I don't think it is a "private" matter. I think everybody ought to know. Victims should not be isolated. If one spouse is using the media to wage war with the other, I think the other spouse has a right to respond. On the other hand, people who hold themselves out to be shepherds ought to at least make some minimal effort to conduct themselves in a manner befitting the station they believe they've been called to.

If WWJD was the standard of conduct, I can't help asking if Jesus would set up a YouTube channel to send messages, make threats, and spread lies. Would he ask the sheep to contribute $250,000 for a new threshing floor or announce to advertisers that his new website was receiving 40 million hits due to the attention created by news of the abuse. Something just seemed unseemly about this whole mess from the time that Bishop Weeks blamed Satan for making him lay hands on his wife. A charge Satan vehemently denied.

This comment from Black Christian News just about summed up my sentiments:

Positive proof some preachers are just as daffy as their congregations or the people that follow them. These people aren't perfect, but have been duped into believing they have to be. Use your own head and stop this deification of celebrities. Preachers and Pastors are mailmen and women who bring the Word- they are not the Word. Self evaluation is the hardest task to perform. If we spent more time straightening ourselves out and less time worrying about who is going out with who, we might find ourselves living own lives a lot more abundantly. But wait, what would the reporters do then? Figure it out or perish.

So in the end, Juanita Bynum hot a gig working as a "consultant" on Divorce Court and a gig on ABC Family's Lincoln Heights. She got to go on Good Morning America, got a cover of ESSENCE and Thomas Weeks now has a YouTube Empire, $40,000 in attorney's fees and a 2004 Range Rover... With these gas prices??? He should have demanded a bicycle.

I have written a po-em in honor of the occasion because y'all know how the Bynum Weeks inspire my creative side:

So we bid adieu

to the marriage many of us never knew

yet ended up knowing more than we would care to

Before it was through

About these two

Couldn't tell who

was lying or true

about that parking lot milieu

I challenge you to sum up this situation with a Rhyme of your own.

More on the Gun Control Debate and Black Women

2008-06-29T07:38:00.000-07:00

We're having a very interesting debate about a post I wrote Friday about a woman being gang raped while her neighbors listened to her scream and do nothing. In that post, I mentioned a comment from Black Women Vote that pointed out the recent Supreme Court Decision finding that the District of Columbia's absolute ban on guns in private homes was unconstitutional. She mentioned the option of Black women arming themselves.

Now in the original post, I mentioned two alternative options including self defense classes and meeting your neighbors, but apparently including the option to arm yourself was controversial to some people. It wasn't an endorsement one way or the other. Well Angry Independent offered this very disturbing video of a home invasion of a single Black women and her son. Hmm where have we heard that before?

4 teens or young men were caught on tape trying to get in her house through windows, the garage door, and kicking in the front door as well. They went so far as to cut her phone line.

Just thought I would add this clip to the discussion.

Another Black Woman Gang Raped While Neighbors Listen to Screams...and DO NOTHING!

2008-06-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the Supreme Court of the United States made plain that the right to bear arms is an individual right under US Constitution. In other words, you have the right to protect yourself in your own home. The court's ruling comes just in time apparently because there's been yet another case of a Black women being gang raped while her neighbors listened and did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!!

Over at Black Women Vote, they are reporting on a case out of Philadelphia where a Black woman was gang raped while her neighbors listened.

The next door neighbor says she saw the victim enter the building and immediately heard screaming..
Benite Sangare told Action News, "She got in the hallway, slammed her door shut and screamed. I didn't pay any attention to it. I thought she fell over something, and that was it. I went to bed."

Police say the trio of thugs wore green and white golf gloves. They stayed in the apartment a total of 4 hours before stealing money and fleeing. One of the intruders was referred to as "Gary". The victim eventually walked a mile to the 39th police district to report the attack. A number of neighbors reported hearing her screams, but no one thought to call the cops.

That was no next door "neighbor." That was an Immorally Indifferent Apathetic Neighbor who said this:

"I heard her scream 'Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my God.' Then I didn't pay attention and laid back down." ABC

And this person had the nerve to give a news interview so that they could document her indifference on camera. Watch the Video to see it for yourself.

Our Tour of the League of the Immorally Indifferent "Neighbors"

We've actually done a few stories like this where neighbors hear or in some cases watch a woman being raped and don't bother to dial 9.1.1.

A security video from an apartment hallway shows at least 10 witnesses ignored a woman's cries for help for more than an hour as a man beat and sexually assaulted her, prosecutors in Minnesota said.

The surveillance video clearly showed men and women looking out their apartment doors or starting to walk down the hallway before retreating as the woman was assaulted for nearly 90 minutes, police spokesman Tom Walsh said. CBS News

You would think that SURELY neighbors would intervene if they knew a child was being raped. Uh uh. Not for a little Black girl they won't

A 13-year-old boy with no previous record was the latest suspect to be charged Monday in the brutal sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl on Labor Day by as many as 19 males.New details revealed in the complaint included:
• An adult woman was in the house during the assaults, knew what was happening and did nothing to stop it. JS Online

And who could forget Dunbar Village Resident Paticiea Matlock's comments upon learning that her neighbors, a single mother and her child had been raped and tortured for three hours while the neighbors listened and did nothing:

"So a lady was raped. Big deal," resident Paticiea Matlock said. "There's too much other crime happening here." SP Times

I think that was one of the most disturbing aspect of the Dunbar Village crime, the way everyone around there from the residents, to the housing director, to the Mayor of West Palm Beach seemed numb or indifferent to it all.

Last but not least on our tour of Immoral Indifference is Romondo Jack, the man who saw a broken, beaten, raped and tortured Romona Moore and then walked away to attend.... A BABY SHOWER and GO SHOPPING!

Ramondo Jack and Romona Moore were raised three-tenths of a mile apart in East Flatbush, Brooklyn. The last time Mr. Jack saw Ms. Moore, on a visit to the old neighborhood, he said, she was lying on a basement floor, stripped to her underwear and chained by the neck and arms. Her eyes were blackened, her face swollen and bloodied, her voice weak from crying.
Mr. Jack walked out of that basement, joined his family across the street, shopped for a new outfit, attended a baby shower and then drove back to his new home in Maryland, he testified in State Supreme Court in Brooklyn yesterday.He never called the police, he said. New York Times

We should all know now is that these are not aberrations in fact, you are foolish not to realize that looking the other way is apparently common. seeing as how 80 % of us will be growing up old alone and childless according to ESSENCE, y'all had better think about what youa re going to do when something goes bump in the night.

Essential Presence did a post on the need for Black women to engage in self defense:
In Miami Beach after a female jogger was raped by a gang of teens (three are still on the loose) the police department was inundated by inquiries from women desperate to know how they could prevent becoming a victim. The police responded with a two-hour self defense class.

Many police departments conduct free classes through college campuses, try that if you're a college student or work on a college campus. Type in your city and "free self defense class" to get started. (If you're in a small town like mine, type in the county or the county seat).

Every Black female in the blogosphere seems to be a determined, strong woman. Take charge. Here's something you can do. In fact, we can do it together.Essential Presence
Another commenter over at BWV suggested another option in light of the Supreme Court's recent decision, she suggests arming yourself.

It is interesting that as I read this, the US Supreme Court has ruled that individuals do have the right to own firearms to protect themselves in their homes.

When you can't rely on anyone else to protect you or even call for help, only one avenue is left open. We all know what that avenue is and as long as things are the way they are, we should act on what we know and protect ourselves. Deborah

I could not find any websites promoting gun ownership for Black women ( I'm shocked!), but I did find Black Man With a Gun: and apparently there is something called the Urban Shooters Association. The site has a pretty interesting history of gun control. Read and make your own decisions.

Before you run out and become a Second Amendment Sistah, you might want to start by having a conversation with your neighbors that says "If you hear me screaming at 1:00 in the morning, kindly call 911, please and I will do the same for you!"

This story out of Philly will not be reported in any major news outlet. So do pass this latest episode of immoral indifference to the screams of Black women along.

BET Awards Ratings Down 14%

2008-06-26T16:25:00.000-07:00

Seen at Sandra Rose

The African-American targeted network’s annual awards show, which honors the best performances in music, sports and movies, drew 5.8 million viewers—the smallest viewing audience for the eight-year old franchise since 2004, according to Nielsen Media Research. Last year’s show, which featured performances by Beyonce, 50 Cent and TI, drew more than 6.3 million viewers. Multichannel News

What? You mean T Pain and Lil' Wayne couldn't pack them in this year? Congrats to the 500,000 Black folks found something else to do with their time this year. "The best performances in music, sports, and movies???" I thought that was the NAACP Image Awards. It doesn't matter, they are both the same.

More Deluded Rantings of ESSENCE.com Readers in Support of R. Kelly

2008-06-26T01:29:00.000-07:00

Let me assure you that these deluded women prostrating themselves before the golden throne of R. Kelly would have been the first in line to chuck some stones at Mary Magdalene.

As you know, last Friday Allison Samuels of Newsweek wrote an article indicating that Black women all over the web were praising the R.Kelly verdict:

African-American blogs such as Young, Black and Fabulous, What About Our Daughters and Essence quickly filled up with letters from women exclaiming their joy over Kelly's freedom. Newsweek

Please read our open thread on the Chester's acquittal, I don't recall anybody "praising" that verdict over here. However, I did not quibble about it. Well NPR followed up with a blog post called "" Why Did So Many Black Women Support R. Kelly" They highlighted the petition written and signed by Black men. I previously posted about the petition on this blog. They also quoted this blog directly:

As Samuels points out, blogs like What About Our Daughters fielded a huge response from women following a jury's acquittal of Kelly on child pornography charges.

For her part, What About Our Daughters blogger Gina McCauley says:

"You bet things are beginning to change. Black women are giving up sacrificial lamb duty and we no longer have to rely on mainstream media and the Black Elite Establishment to have a voice."

What do you think?

We did get a huge response, but it was NOT supportive of Chester and I don't think the folks at NPR made that clear, but again, I let that slide too. But I did read your emails complaining.

So anyway, I happened to be over at ESSENCE.com again ( I know. I know) and I see that there is another story about the petition called "R. Kelly Rebuked" by Eboni Barnes. The story was about the petition written by Professor Cobb that we posted about least week on this blog. The petition apparently has about 1000 signatures.

The petition started by 19 black male writers was written by journalist Kevin Powell and William Jelani Cobb, an associate professor of history at Spelman College. The petition claims African-Americans have taken to the street when Black men are victims of injustice, but stay silent when Black women are abused. ESSENCE.com

So I said to myself "Let me see what these loons in the comments have written." As usual, they did not fail to disappoint. Sure the petition is not a panacea, but in a world where BLACK PEOPLE are more than willing to stay mum while Black women and girls are raped, tortured and killed, it was kind of refreshing to have Black men open up their mouths and SPEAK!!!! To acknowledge what happened.

Do you know that the comments on ESSENCE.com have the nerve to be trying to criticize these BLACK MEN for standing up for Black women?? Here is a sampling:

Let God be God...I'm sure if R Kelly was the guy on the video tape GOD will make him answer for it! ...Don't make R Kelly the 'oil crisis' of Black America...look in the mirror!
-MoniqueMcdowell.com

Once again...who are we to judge anyone? My question however is this...what ever happened to the word NO? I truly believe that it starts at home...if these young women started saying NO and realized that they are worth so much more than a video, a night or minute or hour of passion. We (women) are the one's that allow men to treat us any old way - Stand Up and say NO you will not treat me like that, you will not degrade me like that, YOU Will respect me. Not saying that we should be vigilantes, but asimple word works.
-Miss J in Maryland

We all talk about God when r kelly is concern but God is a forgiving God and he never condems anyone about anything instead of putting him down pray that he gets help with his problem.Make sure we educate our young woman about enjoying their childhood and spending time with their family and people around their ages and make sure you know where your children are at all times dont give them to the street or make them look to other people for care and support.If we all can do that it would really make a bigdifferent and teach
-Talk with children its important (dc)

JUDGE NOT YET YE BE JUDGED!

Simply turn this and all disturbing issues over in the hands of our SAVIOR. And allow him to change it for HIS glory.

But we have to teach our daughters that they do not have to give themselves to define themselves!

-Anonymous [they didn't even get the quote right]

No I haven't sign the petition... 1 because I am a women and 2 becuase its ridiculous. Who are we to judge....I haven't seen the video. Don't want to see the video. But whatever the case is rather he is guilty or not he will have to answer to that. No petition or protest can equal the what God has in store.

For those of you who believe he is so guilty, what is it based upon. Is it from you seeing the video, if so that means you need to be prosecuted as well for viewing/buying child porn.

-Ms. Angie

This is a publicity stunt for some poor black mens group....If r-kelly is guilty then he has to deal with God and no petitions no one not buying his music can compare to what God has in store for him

-Only God can judge me

This sounds like a group of men who is jealous of someone fame and they are trying to get everyone else on the band wagon. . . .

-Gloria, Dallas, TX

Can anybody tell me why these Bible-quoting sisters are praising a man who's claim to fame is producing raunchy sex songs.? Where did the Apostles talk about "bumping and grinding?" In the Book of Raunch, Second Chapter, Verse 69?? Y'all telling on yourselves!

As far as what would Jesus do? The last time I checked, he didn't have a problem with turning over tables, casting out demons, asking folks why they were tripping, and stepping in to aid the most vulnerable in society as opposed to the rich and the powerful. But then again, maybe they read a different Bible. Nobody is condemning R. Kelly to Hell! Go back to that Christianity Correspondence School you got your bible learning from and demand a refund! Your Bible study teacher should have their credentials revoked.

Black women, heal thyselves ( is "thyselves" a word?) This is some disturbing mess right here. Not only do Black women appear to be willing to openly defend this man, but they are invoking the name of God to do it. Once again, these intellectually challenged individuals over on ANOTHER WEBSITE appear to be placing the responsibility on a 13 year-old girl as opposed to a fully grown man. Seriously, whenever I get through with whatever, I need to write a book.

Let me assure you that these deluded women prostrating themselves before the golden throne of R. Kelly would have been the first in line to chuck some stones at Mary Magdalene.

Please note, THESE ARE NOT WAOD readers. I don't want my readers to be lumped in AGAIN with these no-Bible-reading/understanding, celebrity-idol-worshiping, sacrificial-lamb- wannabees over THERE Whatever foolishness other folks tolerate in their comments section, we have never praised Chester on this blog. EVER!

CBS NEWS: Black Women Business Owners Gain Market

2008-06-25T02:47:00.000-07:00

WOW! A report about Black women's success that isn't couched in terms of the failures of Black men or how Black women's achievements amount to a crisis. Are you watching NBC Nightly News?

So CBS's Byron Pitts did a segment on the growing number of Black women who own their own businesses.

Between 2002 and 2008, the number of firms owned by African American women increased by 19 percent - twice as fast as all other firms, according to the Center for Women's Business Research. And they generated $29 billion in sales nationwide.

What's driving these women into entrepreneurship?

"There's this disillusion in the corporate world," said Beverly Holmes of the Center for Women's Business Research. "It's the fact that this glass ceiling is still there." CBS News. CBS NEWS

Notice how he didn't feature women lamenting how owning their own business will affect their marriage and dating prospects. That's the good news, the not so good...the average annual revenue for black women business-owners is $37,787, while Black men $107,720 a year white women earn $155,000. We've got to close the gap ladies!

Thanks Byron!

You can compare this review of how CBS handled the issue of Black women entrepreneurs with the hack job NBC Nightly News did on us.

Dunbar Village One Year Later

2008-06-24T04:44:00.000-07:00

Last week marked one year since the brutal attack on a mother and her child in a place called Dunbar Village.

Now the city officials are reporting that after the addition of lighting security cameras, and security patrols the crime rate has been cut IN HALF.

The prosecution is pretty much in the same place it was a little under a year ago. Four suspects are in custody, the four they have physical evidence on. One of the four has plead out and will be deposed by attorneys in the coming weeks.

You don't want to rush a prosecution because the state only gets one shot to get a conviction in this case, but it looks like there is a possibility that the remaining attackers may not be prosecuted anytime soon.

Belohlavek also says there are other potential suspects in the investigation, but so far detectives have no physical evidence linking them to the crime scene.CBS12

The victim said that there were up to ten and I spoke with someone who we have mercilessly criticized on this blog and they claim that the masterminds aren't even in custody. I'm beginning to believe them.

Mr. Shadow, who frequently comments on this blog did a post Called DUNBAR VILLAGE: One Year Later, Part Two.

This atrocity led me to become a blogger and has truly opened my eyes to the violence that Black women and Black girls are subjected to by Black males. So this has become a crusade for me and a story that I will not be letting go of. Ever. Universal Blackness

It was an atrocity, wasn't it? Not just the HORROR of the details of the crime, but that these Black women and children were left to rot and die. Nobody cared if they lived under the tyranny of gang violence. The city was building high rise office buildings and tourist promenades instead of purchasing light bulbs and security cameras.

The fact that they have cut crime in half and gotten conditions to the point that people feel safe being outside their own homes is an indictment of the City of West Palm Beach and the Housing Authority. Why did a Black woman and her child have to be sacrificial offerings for the LANDLORD to provide fit and habitable housing?

One year later, how has hearing about the Dunbar Village gang rape affected how you view the world? Did it impact you the way it impacted Mr. Shadow? Feel free to share in the comments.

Dunbar Village PSA's
Janjaweed in America
Immoral Indifference
"Crickets"
Answer the Call

Yeah They Said IT!: Michelle Obama's "Slave Blood"

2008-06-23T20:18:00.001-07:00

File this one under foolishness and chicanery, courtesy of that bastion of the Civil Rights Industrial Complex, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and their president, Dr. Charles Steele:

He said that Michelle Obama has had rougher treatment than her husband because she has ancestors who were slaves, and Barack Obama, whose father was born in Kenya, does not.

“Why are they attacking Michelle Obama, first lady Michelle Obama, and not really attacking, to that degree, her husband?” Steele asked. “Because he has no slave blood in him. He does not have any slave blood in him, but Michelle does.” Atlanta Journal Constitution

Yeah he said it. MLK would be so proud. What? Was Andy Young unavailable?

So OF COURSE because this chicanery was too tempting to resist, Rush Limbaugh had a field day with “Slave Blood” on his show.

Folks, I want to get a little prediction to you here. It won’t be long, it may happen tonight, it may happen tomorrow, but somewhere in the Drive-By Media there will be a story, probably Associated Press, and it will be picked up and amplified from there. One day after Obama warned that his critics would play the race card, Rush Limbaugh jumped right in and did just that by talking about how his wife, Michelle, has slave blood, but he ain’t got no slave blood. Keep in mind that when they do this, it was some guy that runs the Southern Christian Leadership Conference who said that. They’re going to say, Limbaugh jumped right in, Obama warned us, the Republicans are going to play the race card, and Limbaugh plays the “Magic Negro” song, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I can predict these people. RushLimbaugh.com

He kept going…

CALLER: Yeah. Hi, Rush. Yeah, the reason I’m calling is, I… You know, I’m not a big supporter of John McCain, but one of the things that’s kind of getting me to think about voting for him is my concern that Michelle Obama will be the next Hillary Clinton.

RUSH: Not true, because Michelle Obama has slave blood. Hillary doesn’t. RushLimbaugh.com

Thanks A LOT Dr. Steele! For another take on Dr. Steele’s comments, you can head over to Black Political Thought.

Cross posted at Michelle Obama Watch. (Y'all see why we need a blog?)

WAOD In the News: R. Kelly, Michlle Obama Watch, and We're Internationally Known!

2008-06-23T03:41:00.000-07:00

Well, I have been so swamped, I haven't been able to keep you abreast of the latest blog related developments.

Blogging While Brown
For those attending Blogging While Brown, the discounted hotel rates end on June 24th. Even if you haven't registered, you might want to reserve the hotel and your flight.

WAOD/ Michelle Obama Watch in the News

Newsweek
One Friday Allison Samuels wrote a piece on R. Kelly asking why so many Black women were supportive of Chester. I was a bit taken aback that she indicated that many readers of THIS blog were voicing support for R. Kelly:

African-American blogs such as Young, Black and Fabulous, What About Our Daughters and Essence quickly filled up with letters from women exclaiming their joy over Kelly's freedom.

Thanks for the link Allison, but I don't think that reflected the overall sentiments expressed in the comments section of our R. Kelly open thread. The quotes I supplied in the post were from ESSENCE.com featuring comments supporting R. Kelly. The foolishness occurred over there at ESSENCE.com, not here. I don't recall anybody here expressing joy. But that is neither here nor there. The article near the end made clear that IIIII didn't support Chester, so I didn't parse details.

That may be beginning to change. The site What About Our Daughters posted a strongly worded petition this week urging black men to stand up for black women and to stop supporting anyone who exploits their daughters, sisters and wives (the site is run by women, but the petition was written by a man). "I would have to say," the site points out, "that during this entire R. Kelly ordeal, it was Black women and not Black men who acted the most disturbing in their defense of R. Kelly."

You bet things are beginning to change. Black women are giving up sacrificial lamb duty and we no longer have to rely on mainstream media and the Black Elite Establishment to have a voice.

The Guardian
I wrote something for The Guardian about Michelle Obama's "makeover." It was called "Michelle Obama's makeover:The media is transforming Michelle Obama from a classy, accomplished woman into a cookie-baking robo-wife".

I had a lot of fun with it and the editor let me be me. For those of you who miss my fabled rants, I think you will enjoy the piece I did for The Guardian. Feel free to join in on the discussion in the comments section over there.

Michelle Obama Watch
Michelle Obama Watch has been all over the news and new offers of assistance roll in everyday. Salon did a piece on us when we were less than 24 hours old. We got a mention in the Wall Street Journal on our second day online. and Howard Kurtz of the Washington Post also mentioned us.

In other words, I have been swamped and am exhausted. Thanks to all of the contributors over at MOW. I really didn't do anything to promote the site other than post about it on this blog and it is kind of taking on a life of its own. We're still getting our sea legs but it should be an interesting summer or an unmitigated disaster.

Don't forget I am still covering the Democratic National Convention in August. I also applied for credentials to the Republican convention, but I haven't heard a peep yet. Help me get there by hitting up the PayPal button in the sidebar or the banner at the top of the page. It doesn't matter whether is is $5 or $50, every little bit helps. Thanks in advance for your support.

Stanley Crouch: Your V-Chip Does not Work on MTV and BET

2008-06-23T03:39:00.000-07:00

Remember that you read it on THIS blog first. Stanley Crouch has written an article on direct action aimed at defunding the Regime of Booty, Bullets, and Bling. He also spoke with Tim Winter of the Parent's Television Council that dropped a little tidbit about the usefulness of the V-Chip for programming on BET and MTV:

But it is, just like the fate of pimps, getting hard out here for a black businesswoman. Especially since Procter & Gamble, Pepsi, Wal-Mart and General Motors have just pulled ads from BET rap programming.

Most importantly, perhaps, is the fact that Winter noted with the exception of one program on BET, neither BET nor MTV carried content descriptions that would work in conjunction with the V-Chip to block the programs from coming into the homes of parents or warn them about the presence of sexual content, suggestive dialogue, violence or foul language.

I'm shocked.

The point is not denying sex or violence or brutal, even hateful, language. We know they have all been used by serious artists to tell us true and sometimes disturbing things about ourselves. That is very different from pretending that the freedoms artists have gained against the puritanical censorship of work intended for adults should be irresponsibly applied to work intended to do nothing more than exploit or titillate our children by pushing them into areas that they are not mature enough to handle.

New York Daily News

In a phrase...Stop Funding Foolishness! Sometimes all you have to do is ask. It ain't THAT complicated.

Don't Forget the Floods

2008-06-22T21:32:00.000-07:00

Don't forget that the middle of the country is undergoing a massive disaster. Yet I can't seem to find a single reporter tackling the two candidates running for high office regarding how they would have handled the federal response differently. I really want to know. If the levee system in this country is a complete and utter failure, and the nation's food supply is imperiled, I think that is something the country should know.

MSNBC and NBC News recently reported that the floods in the Midwest have left the Red Cross in the Red. It was reported that the charity's "domestic Disaster Relief Fund had been wiped out by flood relief expenses that had reached $15 million by Monday[, June 16, 2004]." It was further reported that "[w]ith a balance of zero in the fund, the Red Cross will now seek loans to support its 2,500 staff workers and volunteers on the ground in Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Missouri, the officials said." Nonprofit Law Prof Blog

This isn't even on CNN.com's front page anymore and MSNBC.com has a tiny square off to the side. The Red Cross is using Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, RSS and Wordpress.com in their disaster response efforts.

You Ought to Know:Eleni Gabre-Madhin

2008-06-22T12:18:00.000-07:00

Another woman who believes in using the power of the capital markets to engage in social change.

Economist Eleni Gabre-Madhin has ambitious vision -- to found the first commodities market in Ethiopia, bringing rates and standards (not to mention trading systems, warehousing and data centers) to the trade of crops.

Gabre-Madhin left her earlier job, as a World Bank senior economist in Washington, DC, in part because she was disturbed by the 2002 famine in Ethiopia -- after a bumper crop of maize the year before. With prices depressed, many farmers simply left their grain in the field in 2001. But when the rains failed in 2002, a famine of 1984 proportions threatened the country. Her dream: to build a market that protects the African farmer, who is too often living at the mercy of forces beyond his or her control.

The director of the International Food Policy Research Institute, Madhin studies market reforms, market institutions, and structural transformation in Africa, and works to create "a world free of hunger and malnutrition."

If you have 20 minutes, here s the speech she gave at TED ( Technology, Entertainment, Design)- The annual conference brings together the world's most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes).

It isn't a panacea, but it is a tool that is often overlooked. Governments can't fix everything and incompetent government officials often make things much worse. The International Food Policy Research Institute works towards developing sustainable solutions to world hunger.

MSNBC Contributor Wants Oprah Winfrey to Go Away

2008-06-22T08:57:00.000-07:00

Don't we have this discussion about Oprah about once every five years or so where people ponder if this is the end of the Oprah empire? Well ever since she endorsed Barack Obama, there has been keen interest in whether that would spell DOOM, DOOM, DOOM for everything O.

MSNBC Contributor , Michael Ventre wrote an article,Enough’s enough: Oprah is oversaturated-Media magnate is on verge of ruining a good thing by being in everything

"It wasn’t the candidate she picked who’s the problem, even though she’s African-American, he’s African-American, and therefore such an endorsement — her first such public declaration — caused the racist goobers in our society to crawl out from various rocks and offer their ugly blather.
The issue is more about saturation. Oprah has her hands in just about everything these days, from publishing to reality shows to humanitarian efforts to spirituality. And she’s not a phony. She’s helped a lot of people and has had a colossal impact on the communications landscape." MSNBC

BTW, they are saying the same thing about Martha Stewart. Slate wrote an article called "Why Martha Stewart's Company is Doomed."

Ain't I A Woman PSA

2008-06-21T14:34:00.000-07:00

Hat Tip to Michelle Obama Watch Contributor MelodiousZ from the blog, From the Battle Field.

It is from a campaign called "We Are More."

I want to encourage all of you to start being creative. It doesn't just have to be a book or poetry or a song. IT does not have to be a blog. I mean if it is stick figures or macaroni art. I don't care. Those who wish to exploit and degrade Black women have no compunction about using "art" to push their message of misogyny. It is great to critiques and criticize, but the real battle is taking place in the hearts and minds of African American women, men and children. We're not going to win that war with a lecture. Every little bit helps. Just do something. Draw a stick figure today!

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

Is this Funny to You? Gun Toting Michelle Obama

2008-06-20T06:44:00.000-07:00

They are SO OBVIOUS in wanting our attention over at 23/6

From the Huffington Post's parody site, 23/6. Oh there's more! They have photoshopped her on the cover of the Advocate announcing that she "experimented" in college, on the cover of Cosmo offering sex tips, Golf Digesst magazine saying "Hey Whiteys' View the rest. Oh this is SURE to go over well. Um when is this election over again? Do you think I can get accepted to some kind of foreign exchange program on another continent so I don't have to watch all of the foolishness between now and November? A clear cry for attention. They are about to get all they can handle.

Cross-Posted by Gina at Michelle Obama Watch. Comment over there.

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

17 Girls Pregnant in Teen Age "Pregnancy Pact"

2008-06-20T04:01:00.000-07:00

Seriously these kids these days. I don't care what anybody says, these kids are scarier than we EVER were. Can you believe this?

A Massachusetts city is investigating an apparent teenage "pregnancy pact" that has at least 17 high-school girls expecting babies, four times more than last year, including many aged 16 or younger.

A high school health clinic in the city of Gloucester became suspicious after seeing a surge in girls seeking pregnancy tests. Local officials said Thursday nearly half of those who became pregnant appear to have entered into a pact to have their babies together over the year.

"Some girls seemed more upset when they weren't pregnant than when they were," MSNBC

THIS is what your modern day education system is cranking out. IDIOTS!

Selfish little twits! IDIOTS! Creating a new innocent life as part of a pact. IDIOTS!

Some of the students, upon hearing the news, started talking of plans for baby showers, Sullivan told the magazine.

Selfish. Selfish. Selfish. Those poor babies.

local officials said at least some of the men involved in the pregnancies were in their mid-20s, including one man who appeared to be homeless. Others were boys in the school.

Idiots! Selfish Idiots!

How many of you even speak to a handful of the people you kicked it with in high school with any regularity? Idiots!

When you have a toddler screaming at you at 2 Am in the morning, we'll see how much FUN babies can be. Healthcare, food, diapers, daycare. These poor babies being born to a bunch of selfish idiots!

If you want meaning for your life or are directionless, join a club, volunteer after school, get a hobby, read a dayum book, join the NAVY, they'll take you at 17. I mean has teen age life changed THAT much? Idiots! Having a child for all the wrong reasons. Nw they want to hand out contraception, but these idiots would not have taken it. The greatest contraception is sometimes common sense and these folks had none.

A child is not a letterman's jacket.

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

I was on NPR Today

2008-06-19T17:31:00.001-07:00

We were on NPR today talking about Michelle Obama Watch.

News & Notes , June 19, 2008 · As the presidential election season marches on, the spotlight has also fallen upon the candidates' wives. Gina McCauley of the Web site Michelle Obama Watch and Judy Muller, a professor of journalism at USC's Annenberg School for Communication, talk with Tony Cox about how they are being covered.

Statement of Black Men Against the Exploitation of Black Women

2008-06-19T06:25:00.000-07:00

I'm posting this because several of you ( A LOT) have been emailing this to me. So I am sharing with everyone else. It is refreshing to see Black men speaking up Loud and clear in defense of Black women. I would have to say that during this entire R. Kelly ordeal, it was Black women and NOT Black men who acted the most disturbing in their defense of R. Kelly. Maybe WE need to draft a statement.

Statement of Black Men Against the Exploitation of Black Women

Six years have gone by since we first heard the allegations that R. Kelly had filmed himself having sex with an underage girl. During that time we have seen the videotape being hawked on street corners in Black communities, as if the dehumanization of one of our own was not at stake. We have seen entertainers rally around him and watched his career reach new heights despite the grave possibility that he had molested and urinated on a 13-year old girl. We saw African Americans purchase millions of his records despite the long history of such charges swirling around the singer. Worst of all, we have witnessed the sad vision of Black people cheering his acquittal with a fervor usually reserved for community heroes and shaken our heads at the stunning lack of outrage over the verdict in the broader Black community.
Over these years, justice has been delayed and it has been denied. Perhaps a jury can accept R. Kelly's absurd defense and find "reasonable doubt" despite the fact that the film was shot in his home and featured a man who was identical to him. Perhaps they doubted that the young woman in the courtroom was, in fact, the same person featured in the ten year old video. But there is no doubt about this: some young Black woman was filmed being degraded and exploited by a much older Black man, some daughter of our community was left unprotected, and somewhere another Black woman is being molested, abused or raped and our callous handling of this case will make it that much more difficult for her to come forward and be believed. And each of us is responsible for it.
We have proudly seen the community take to the streets in defense of Black men who have been the victims of police violence or racist attacks, but that righteous outrage only highlights the silence surrounding this verdict.
We believe that our judgment has been clouded by celebrity-worship; we believe that we are a community in crisis and that our addiction to sexism has reached such an extreme that many of us cannot even recognize child molestation when we see it.
We recognize the absolute necessity for Black men to speak in a single, unified voice and state something that should be absolutely obvious: that the women of our community are full human beings, that we cannot and will not tolerate the poisonous hatred of women that has already damaged our families, relationships and culture.
We believe that our daughters are precious and they deserve our protection. We believe that Black men must take responsibility for our contributions to this terrible state of affairs and make an effort to change our lives and our communities.
This is about more than R. Kelly's claims to innocence. It is about our survival as a community. Until we believe that our daughters, sisters, mothers, wives and friends are worthy of justice, until we believe that rape, domestic violence and the casual sexism that permeates our culture are absolutely unacceptable, until we recognize that the first priority of any community is the protection of its young, we will remain in this tragic dead-end.
We ask that you:
o Sign your name if you are a Black male who supports this statement:

http://www.petitiononline.com/rkelly/petition.html
o Forward this statement to your entire network and ask other Black males to sign as well
o Make a personal pledge to never support R. Kelly again in any form or fashion, unless he publicly apologizes for his behavior and gets help for his long-standing sexual conduct, in his private life and in his music
o Make a commitment in your own life to never to hit, beat, molest, rape, or exploit Black females in any way and, if you have, to take ownership for your behavior, seek emotional and spiritual help, and, over time, become a voice against all forms of Black female exploitation
o Challenge other Black males, no matter their age, class or educational background, or status in life, if they engage in behavior and language that is exploitative and or disrespectful to Black females in any way. If you say nothing, you become just as guilty.
o Learn to listen to the voices, concerns, needs, criticisms, and challenges of Black females, because they are our equals, and because in listening we will learn a new and different kind of Black manhood

BET Bans Michelle Williams Because She's Not Black Enough

2008-06-19T04:32:00.000-07:00

We all know that the executives over at Black America's Shame, love to tell u that they are on the pulse of "Black youth culture." FYI over at Black America's Shame, Black Youth culture is synonymous with the Regime of Bullets, Booty and Bling. Well not that I care, but according to Sandra Rose , former Destiny's Child member Michelle Williams has been barred from the channel for not being URBAN enough.

“A lot of you guys are wondering why it’s not on BET!!! Well how can I say this without starting any drama……..it may not be “urban” enough!!! Whatever the hell that means!!! (this is the political foolishness we artists go through on a daily basis)” SandraRose.com

Ain't this a MESS. They will jump up and down not to have to pull content degrading Black people of all kinds, but have the nerve to censor material of a Black woman not in a G-string riding a pole and being sloshed down with champelle.

I bet BET has that annoying "Lollipop" on ad nauseum. If you want to use a video to turn children's candy into a sexually explicit song BET is all ears. Michelle, put on a G-string and start cursing and dropping it like its hot, they'd love to have you on then.

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

WAOD Weeps: Black Woman and Child Brutally Killed By Teens..With a Television

2008-06-18T06:24:00.000-07:00

I've stopped asking why and have started asking when. When will it end.

According to the criminal charges, Brian Lee Flowers, 16, and Stafon Edward Thompson, 17, knew both Katricia Daniels and Robert Shepard, the two victims who were found by Daniels' boyfriend in their south Minneapolis home last Thursday. Police found three knives, a golf club and a television at the scene of the crime, all of which they believed were used as murder weapons.Court documents say blood was splattered all over the house and a toddler who was in the home at the time of the brutal murder was also splattered with blood. Police say Daniels was stabbed more than 100 times, Shepard died after being smashed in the head with the television. WCCO.com

The authorities have called it "complex homicidal violence." What made these two young men so angry that they would kill a woman and her child in front of a toddler. This wasn't about money. 100 stab wounds. Bashing her in the head with a television set? SHM.

We have ALWAYS had violence committed against Black women and children in the country. Unspeakable violence. When will we stop looking away and acknowledge a pattern? Don't expect this to be on CNN or MSNBC. I am so glad that a WAOD reader was not able to look away and sent me this link. It's bloody, gruesome, and depressing, but we have to acknowledge that this is real and its happening all around us and it is happening on our watch.

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

WAOD Reader Challenge: "Find the Non-Angry" Black Women

2008-06-18T05:37:00.001-07:00

Cal Thomas said on Fox News that there are no NON-ANGRY Black women on TV. He might have a point. So today we have a reader challenge. A scavenger hunt if you will for those of you who actually watch television. Name as many non-Angry Black women on national television as you can. The woman can be real or a fictional character. You must name the show, the network and the show times.

Just to make this harder, y'all cannot use Oprah as one of your choices. Lurkers, y'all can just email the list. No reason to leave you out.

The person who can name the most non-Angry Black women on NATIONAL television will receive an award.

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

Fox News: There Are no "Non Angry" Black Women

2008-06-17T18:37:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry y'all we posted about this over at Michelle Obama Watch early this morning and someone reminded me that folks over here might not know. Fox News of all channels was attempting to have a conversation about the portrayal of Michelle Obama in the meid and in the discussion about her being branded an Angry Black Woman, Cal Thomas, a contibutor basically said that there aren't any Black women who are not angry. His examples were Maxine Waters, Cynthia McKinney and Black mothers whose children have been killed and appear ANGRY on the evening news. now whose fault is it that that he had so few examples? Here is the transcript and a link to the full video.

THOMAS: I want to pick up on something that Jane said about the angry black woman. Look at the image of angry black women on television. Politically you have Maxine Waters of California, liberal Democrat. She's always angry every time she gets on television. Cynthia McKinney, another angry black woman. And who are the black women you see on the local news at night in cities all over the country. They're usually angry about something. They've had a son who has been shot in a drive-by shooting. They are angry at Bush. So you don't really have a profile of non-angry black women.

(CROSSTALK)

PINKERTON: Oprah Winfrey.

THOMAS: Oprah Winfrey. Yes, there you go, Oprah Winfrey.

Dear Fox News,

Please hire more Black folks or something because I don't know if y'all are going to make it to November at this rate. Terrorist fist jab, Baby Mama, There are no Black women who are not angry? I mean seriously. It isn't even July yet.

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

Did Proctor & Gamble, Pepsi, Walmart and GM pulls advertising from BET? Maybe, But Don't Tell Nobody!

2008-06-17T05:40:00.000-07:00

I've been hearing for a couple of months that some large advertisers were "shifting" their advertising from BET's afternoon video/ anti-black woman, man, and child programming.
Last night I got an email entitled "Procter & Gamble, Pepsi, Walmart and GM pull advertising from BET!!!" The email cited the recent Parent's Television Council report, "The Rap on Rap."
I don't know if that means BET will still get their money and just move their ads around or if that means the money has been yanked completely.

Purportedly, part of the deal to pull the ads was that the deal remain secret. I didn't write about it because I've been SEVERELY burned before related to this issue, some of the parties involved, and back room dealing. So I said, "let me know when they issue a press release." But I am interested in secret arrangements getting made between "advocates" and large corporations. That sounds too much like the shenanigans of the past.

The New York Post is reporting that Al Sharpton and his National Action Network group squeeze money out of corporations by threatening to march on their businesses and boycott their services if they don't pay up. EURWEB

When there is no transparency, it makes me wonder what is being given in exchange for what? Has any money changed hands? Will any money change hands? Were any additional promises made? What is the cost of the silence? Because around here, we know that the cost of silence is usually far too high for Black women.

Once again, Black women and children were visible wedges/weapons used against the companies, but when it came time to play "Let's Make a Deal" what Black women had a seat at the table? I don't know and until we know that answer, I ain't jumping up and down that these companies purportedly have slunk out of out of the room in the dark of night.

Why would you be ashamed about ceasing support for the Regime of Bullets. Booty and Bling??

There is no shame about asking us to buy your products. There was no shame about funding the Regime of Bullets, Booty, and Bling. When it comes to tearing the community down there is no shame. When they announce some new "strategic" partnership with the Entertainment Industrial Complex, there is no shame. Maybe its that they don't want to let consumers know that they have the power to affect advertising decisions?

This would be a HUGE story. P&G is the largest advertiser in the world. Wal-mart, GM AND PEPSI.. that's HUGE. It is also newsworthy to know which advertisers have stayed ( Looking at you McDonalds). But I haven't seen a single article about this. So who is the purported secrecy protecting? The advertisers? BET? The advocates? because I know they aren't protecting Black women, men and children.

So for those who are curious, like me. Feel free to call them and ask them point blank. "Did you or didn't you?" and "When will you be making a VERY PUBLIC statement about your commitment to ceasing support of the degradation of Black women, men, and children."

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

More Propaganda?: "Black Women & Family" June 24th on CNN

2008-06-17T04:13:00.000-07:00

Black In America- A CNN Investigation-Airing July 23rd &24th

So I got another one of many promotional emails that flood the inbox for a CNN series called Black in America. I was going to delete it until I saw that Carmen D over at All About Race has posted about it and saw that there will be a special segment about Black women. Soledad O'Brian is behind this. Now you can imagine my trepidation about a mainstream media organization attempting to cover anything related to Black women after last Fall's debacle by NBC called "African American Women Where They Stand" which we here at WAOD have labeled... "Black Women It Suck to Be You." Now I have always liked Soledad so hopefully this series will not be more of the same HOWEVER... Folks tell me if you can spot any storm clouds on the horizon based on the "experts" that are scheduled to appear:

Black in America: Black Women & Family, Thursday, July 24, 9 p.m. (two hours)
In this installment of Black in America, O’Brien, examines the unique and varied experiences of black women and families in America. O’Brien looks at the reasons behind the disturbing statistics on single parenthood, disparities between black and white students in the classroom, and the devastating toll of HIV/AIDS on black women. The Black Women & Family yields insights into black achievements and struggles and perspectives on King’s hopes for progress. The documentary is told through the experiences of the Houston-based Rand family with expert commentary from economist and Bennett College president Julianne Malveaux, Essence magazine editor-in-chief Angela Burt-Murray, Dallas-based preacher and life coach Bishop T.D. Jakes, TV/radio personality Michael Baisden, entrepreneur and activist Russell Simmons, actor Vanessa Williams, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researcher Dr. Camara Jones and others.

I am holding out hope for this one just like I did for "African American Women Where They Stand." Since it is two hours, I think this one qualifies as "in depth." I don't know what that was NBC put on last year.

I think my frustration is that I know that there are some amazing stories out there to be told about Black women. Unfortunately, we tend to focus on reanalyzing the same old stereotypes. "Because many of us were to silly as to pursue higher education, home ownership, or other crazy survival tactics and such, we're all going to die old alone and be eaten alive by nine cats! Run for your lives SISTERS!!"

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

Happy Father's Day Daddy!

2008-06-15T06:23:00.000-07:00

In a culture where we are often occupied with the truly crappy parents of the world, we pause to acknowledge all of those who weren't.

So Happy Father's Day. As the events of the past week demonstrate, daughters need their fathers. Decent, good honorable men, of which there is no shortage, the media just wants us to think it is so.

Obama is supposed to be giving a speech on fatherhood today, let's just hope he leaves out any reference to "pookie" or "Popeye's chicken" as he has been known to do on occasion when lecturing Black audiences.

Some News Articles:
Good Black Fathers?
Difference between father, dad shows in kids' character
Real Men Do Diapers
30 Black Fathers Who Paved The Way
All children need responsible and involved fathers
ED GORDON MAKES A FATHERS DAY PROMISE: T...

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

R. Kelly Verdict Open Thread---No I am not Surprised

2008-06-13T16:48:00.000-07:00

Sorry folks, I don't do any weighty thinking after 5:00PM on Fridays. You will have to wait until Monday. but here is an open thread so you can vent together and post links of ridiculousness. In particular, feel free to post comments you read on other blogs. Like these from ESSENCE.COM. Notice most of the screen names appear to belong to women.

I think justice was served. We have several of our black men in jail for these crimes, that they actually do commit, but without knowledge. The teenagers today look and dress like grown ups, and there parents see this and don't care. I don't think people should do time, when they do not know the person is a minor. Another thing the girl denied that it was her, even if it was her you can only go by what she says. The problem is R Kelly is making to much money doing him and people are jealous. Kelly keep doing you. I'm

-Mona Harris

I know R.Kelly did it but so what! He likes young love oh well!!! She allowed herself to be done like that. Why was she at a grown ass man house anyway.EXACTLY!! She wanted it...they wanted it and it doesnt really matter because he was found not guilty so get over it.Im sure he will do it again i just hope next time he leaves the camera at home...Go R. Kelly!!!yeaaaa

-Queenipoo

JUSTICE WAS SERVED !!!! IT'S PROVEN THE MAN IS INNOCENT...I BELIEVED ALL ALONG THAT TAPE WAS CORRUPT.AND SO WAS THE TESTIMONY OF SPARKLE AND THE LIL MONEY HUNGRY TRAMP WHO JUST WANTED MONEY FROM ANY AND EVERY SOURCE SHE COULD GET IT FROM. THE MOLE ON R.KELLY BACK COULDN'T BE EXPLAINED, WHY IT WAS NOT IN THE TAPE.

-REAL JUSTICE

I think that only God knows what happen.And what does it matter what happened anyway.Its not like R.Kelly forced the girl to have sex and I am so sick of people giving young woman the freedom to do what they want and blame the man for their inpurities. That girl knew exactly what she was doing!Furthermore, not only Kelly should've been on trial, but her aunt and mother should be too. Why is a girl that young at R. Kellys home in the first place???It's neglegence on the parents part as well.So don't blame Kelly for taking a

-Crystal J.

Ignorance personified.

Previous Posts:

"Why Aren't the Lives of Black Women Treasured

Where's the Outrage about R. Kelly and Genarlow Wilson?

Well, it isn't Quite "Flavor of Love": "The Art of Golddigging"

2008-06-13T16:39:00.000-07:00

NO seriously, I know I have a LOT of affluent well- connected readers. Gimme a reality show. No, for real. Because clearly anybody and their grandmama that wants to degrade and dehumanize women of any race can get a reality show. I want to produce a reality show too! Again, the devillishment that is YouTube features yet another "reality" television show where the entertainment industry goes out and corrals the most morally bankrupt, deluded, tawdry women they can find and puts them on display to reinforce prevalent negative stereotypes.
Haven't we beaten the whole "Gold Diggger' storyline into the ground? Show me a reality show about Black women in a race around the world or something. A Black women's geography Bee. Black women in a sweet potato pie competition. Something. ANYTHING! Other than yet another display of women with no self esteem or self worth willing to prostitute themselves out to the first camera that pays attention to them. There is nothing REAL about Reality TV
...Hat Tip to WAOD Reader, John seen at Crunk and Disorderly

"I closed out my browser window at the 1:19 mark when I saw Warren Sapp drinking free champagne and sh*t. I hurt for my gender".Fresh, Crunk and Disorderly

YouTube Is the Devil:"We Gon' Be Killin' These Black B*tches"

2008-06-13T05:22:00.000-07:00

Hat tip to WAOD reader Latresa.

Welcome to another edition of "YouTube is the Devil." STRONG LANGUAGE AND PROFANITY WARNING!

As we all know, YouTube is teeming with videos demonstrating hatred and disdain for Black women. The irony is that most of the anti-BLack woman hatred spewed on YouTube comes from other Black people.

Wow, who knew "You're a Slut" while spewing profanity and quoting the Bible was an effective way to win an argument.

Listen to them say that when the time comes "We're gon' be Killin these Black B*tches!" "We'll be chopping th F*ck Out of them.". Yeah that's biblical.

Thanks Youtube!
What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

Dunbar Village To Be Torn Down: Never Forget!

2008-06-13T05:03:00.000-07:00

A little under a year ago, I began blogging about a horrific crime that happened in a housing project called Dunbar Village. When I first heard about the Dunbar Village crime, I could not sleep. It is one of those crimes that kinds of snatches a little piece of your soul, throws it on the ground, and then does a tap dance on top of it.

It was more than a month before I could even write about the details. When I finally did write about it, I was angry.

Dunbar Village - RAZE IT TO THE GROUND AND SALT THE EARTH SO THAT NOTHING WILL GROW THERE! - How to Help.- Where in the World are the Rev's?

I was mad because the world, in particular the local government in West Palm Beach appeared prepared to act as if there wasn't a serious tear in the fabric that makes up civil society. I don't know if they were in shock or just outright incompetent. My second post was tled

I mean that back then. I mean it now. I know that that is controversial in some quarters, but if the government is going to take it upon itself to hold itself out to be a landlord then it has a moral obligation to make sure that the housing is fit and habitable.

I have no doubt that demolition was one of the reasons why these poor Black women were left to rot and die in the first place. Dunbar Village was abandoned by local government and law enforcement and as a result criminals were allowed to run wild preying on Black women and children with impunity.

According to Symphony from the Dunbar Village blog, the housing project sits on prime real estate, not too far from an ocean view. HUD recently approved the demolition of Dunbar Village:

"While demolishing this housing will not erase the horrible act that took place in this community, we hope it illustrates the housing authority and HUD's commitment to redevelop affordable housing in a safe neighborhood for families," Paula Blunt, HUD's general deputy assistant secretary for public and Indian housing, said in a statement. Sun Sentinel

Laurel Robinson, the most incompetent public official in the history of all time is still on the job, still delusional, and still being allowed to speak publicly for some reason. I want to know who she has photos of, because she has to have dirt on somebody to be able to keep her job:

"The problems at Dunbar are the problems that come from a site that was built 70 years ago and have been subject to changes in public programs," Robinson said.

"I am trying not to use cliches like ghettoization of the poor, disincentives to work," she said. "We have to move forward. You can't stay mired in the past." Laurel Robinson, Incompetent Government Official

Laurel has been minimizing this crime since it happened. As we have previously reported, she didn't even notify the residents that a horrific crime had occurred and that there were ten gang rapist running loose in the community. She is a truly wretched and callus human being who doesn't even attempt to hide it in the press... again, she has dirt on somebody.

They may be able to erase the physical structure, but we have yet to address the issues that would cause a group of teenagers to do this to a mother and her child. Issues that we all now know exist in every part of this country.

A week after my initial post about Dunbar Village, I wrote about the Five Stages of Grief.

The Five Stages of Grief- The League of the Immorally Indifferent on Dunbar Village,Newark, Chauncey Bailey, Stepha Henry... I'm at Stage Two

Almost a year later which stage are you on? For those of you who haven't read about Dunbar Village, you can find out more on the Dunbar Village blog. They have a wonderful chronology in their sidebar. Prepare to be angry, depressed, or both.

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

More Propaganda: "Top Ten Reasons Why Its Hard To Date A Black Woman"

2008-06-13T04:39:00.000-07:00

Hold your pearls. There is a new survey out. This SCIENTIFIC study is the result of interviewing a whopping FIVE African American men.

According to Black State, these are the "Top Ten Reasons Why Its Hard To Date a Black Women" :

1. Black women make black men feel under appreciated, unwarranted and irresponsible and regressive.
2. Black women are too aggressive and no longer patient in waiting on the pursuit of a man.
3. Black women are strong headed, too independent which presents great challenges in relationships.
4. Black women are masculine in that they are controlling and like to run the relationship.
5. Black women expect too much. They are gold diggers who will not look twice at a blue collar black man.
6. Black women are hot headed and have bad attitudes.
7. Black women stop caring about their appearance after a certain age.
8. Black women are not as sexually open as other races, especially in regards to oral sex.]
9. Black women’s tolerance is far too low; they are no longer empathetic to the black man’s struggle in white America.
10. Black women do not cater to their men. Black State.

Oh Really? Somebody has been reading too many back issues of ESSENCE and Shahrazad Ali Don't believe this sexist propaganda. I could come up with my own list, but I don't want to paint all Black men with a broad brush. The list is actually more or an indictment against the men he spoke to than Black women.

I am so tired of Black women being criticized for not being docile, dependent sheep. Unfortunately, Black women can't afford to be dependent, we'd starve! You better go back and read Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman" There has never been a time in history when we've been able to be dependent:

That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man - when I could get it - and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?

I am so over this man shortage propaganda. Just one more thing to beat Black women over the head with because somehow EVERYTHING wrong in the Black community is the fault of Black women. It isn't as if Black men had ANYTHING to do with any of this. I love that this man is a doctoral candidate and thought it would be prudent to put out some type of study/survey after only interviewing 5 people.

Now don't go flame the brother, that would be playing into stereotypes. We don't want him to think we're angry, strong headed, independent or have a bad attitude. BWHAHAHA!

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

Why I'm Not Writing About the R. Kelly Trial Circus

2008-06-13T00:01:00.000-07:00

The R. Kelly case finally went to the jury after FIFTEEN THouSAND YEARS of delay, we will finally get a verdict in this case. I haven't written about the R. Kelly trial very much for the same reason you have never and will likely never read a post about the hurricane Katrina Recovery (lackof)Effort... because it makes my head hurt. The entire atmosphere around this trial has been circus-like as if R. Kelly isn't being accused of being a child molester.

Just how tawdry is this entire situation? Well MTV, a division of VIASLUM, is handicapping the verdict as if this case was a horse race. The victim (whether she acknowledges it or not) in this case has been identified by any number of Black bloggers and called any number of names. We learned that her own family basically sold her down river with her "aunt" literally handing this girl over to Kelly.

We've seen the articles on the idiotic Black women who staged a protest on Kelly's behalf. I will admit to feeling some glee when the judge threw a fully grown Black woman in jail for screaming "Free R. Kelly!" in the presence of the jury and then could not afford to make bail. I've ignored the testimony of Lisa Van Allen, a woman who admitted to having "relations" with both R. Kelly and a purported 13 or 14 year old girl and then preceded to testify that alleged underage victim, wasn't someone "you'd want your son bringing home to dinner." And how would you know Lisa?

I have watched in awe as the masterful defense that I KNEW Kelly HAD to have after successfully getting this trial delayed for FIFTEEN MILLION YEARS never materialized. After over a decade of trial delays, the best they could come up with was "somebody doctored this tape." Yeah right, somebody went frame by frame to insert R. Kelly's head into every frame at the perfectly exact angle. Right. Right. Why would they do that? If I had the ability to do that kind of video editing, I would be making millions in Hollywood or something. None of the cast of miscreants surrounding Kelly appear to have been that bright.

In the back of my mind, it is a real possibility that R. Kelly will walk. My friends have been telling me all the reasons why he is going to the clank, but in this celebrity obsessed culture, no celebrity is toast until they are safely ensconced behind bars. Even then, you end up with cases where they serve ridiculously short sentences... can you say Paris Hilton and even if R. Kelly went to jail, I can assure you, he would be releasing songs from behind bars.

So I have taken an R. Kelly Break in anticipation of the foolishness that will pop off once the verdict is read. In particular, we can anticipate the Black Elite Establishment's particular brand of foolishness where I predict a string of people coming out to say they are "Praying" for Robert or looking forward to working with him when he gets out. The same group of people who facilitated his behavior in the past.

So I'll wait until the verdict gets read. This tawdry affair is worse than being forced to read yet another batch or text messages from Detroit: A Love Story.

Y'all call me when this is finally over... because we all know that if that 14 yar old girl had not been African American, this trial would have been completed years ago. If he is found guilty, that would mean that the state let a predator roam around for years without prosecution.

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

Ashanti Pulls Gotchagram Promotion: Label Issues Statement

2008-06-12T06:13:00.001-07:00

Ashanti has pulled her bloody Gotchagram promotion. As Sandra Rose predicted, despite the "controversy" she only sold 86,000 units and came in 6th place this week on Soundscan.

Here is the statement from her label.

Following discussions with Ashanti, we have jointly decided to remove the thewaytheiloveyou.com, the website that hosts the Gotchagram. Ashanti and her music have always been about self-empowerment and addressing the issues that are most meaningful to her. We stand by our artist and her creative choices.

Tracy Zamot
Senior Vice President Publicity, Universal Motown

Ashanti,

Here is my advice. If you want to sell through the roof. Write an album about something else. Write about politics, the war, the economy. Write about the victims of Black on Black crime instead of glorifying the criminals. Everybody is cranking out the same pablum these days. IF you want to be controversial, do an entirely acoustic live album and play all the dag gum instruments yourself. Go wrestle Lauren Hill to the ground and ask her to give you some of her Miseducation of Lauren Hill Mojo. All the Best!

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

Fox News Calls Michelle Obama "Obama's Baby Mama"

2008-06-12T05:57:00.000-07:00

Folks, this is the reason I decided to go live with Michelle Obama Watch before we were really ready, but the Michelle Obama complaints have been rolling in like rushing water this week so I said "Hey, you have to speed it up."
Via Daily Kos and Salon... Fox News ran a graphic today referring to Michelle Obama as "Obama's Baby Mama."

Comment over at Michelle Obama Watch. We have two new contributors to MOW already. We'll be accepting more as they come in. Read the rules and then post away.

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

Michelle Obama Watch Goes Live!

2008-06-11T20:32:00.001-07:00

The site is not ready yet, but the complaints about the treatment/ depiction of Michelle Obama keep coming in fast and furious. So we are going to go ahead and go live because I can't keep up. Nor do I intend to. I've got a conference to plan.

Michelle Obama Watch is now accepting volunteer contributors. What does that mean? It means that when you see a story or post(s) about Michelle Obama, you log in to the blog and put a brief writeup, a photo, and the relevant links. That's it. You can do it once a day, but you must be willing to chip in at least once a week.

Michelle Obama Watch will become a repository of all of the criticism, praise, and general chicanery thrown at Michelle Obama between now and November. If Barack wins... well we'll cross that bridge when we get to it, but for right now, we are looking at a 5 month obligation. If it has anything to do with Michelle, it will be on Michelle Obama Watch.

If you have not done a google news search on Michelle, she is everywhere right now. So here are some of the ground rules.

1. No electioneering. This site is about the treatment and depiction of Michelle Obama. It is nonpartisan... really a-partisan. Barack has a entire staff of people and $100 million dollars or so to help get him in the White House. This is about Michelle and the media.

2. All posts need to be 150 words or less. This is a news blog, not an analysis blog. If you want to analyze what the media is doing, then feel free to put up a cross link to a longer post on your own blog. This will be strictly enforced. Long-windedness will get you yanked. If you want an example of how much you can do with a few words, go to tvnewser.com.

3. No attacks. Again, just give folks the who, what, when, where, why, and how. I don't have time to try to moderate posts and I will not be answerable for what you say. Again, once you give people the info, feel free to cross link to your own blog post where you let loose.

4. You will need your own image hosting site. If you post images, do not link to an image on another site. That is rude. It takes up their bandwidth and typically ticks them off. You will need to register for one of the free photo sharing sites, flickr and photobucket are popular. I prefer photobucket. Any photos you use will need to be hosted there. You don't need to use photos however, if you do, you need to upload them to your own image hosting site.

5. No you do not have to be a blogger, but you will need to be able to navigate your way around Wordpress. It isn't complicated, but iI will not be doing any technical assistance or hand holding. NONE! I don't have time. Do not send me a single "Gina how do I...." post. Again, do what I did and teach yourself.

6. Give credit to your sources, in particular other blogs. Not only is this good net manners, but it also promotes the blogs when other people see that MOW is linking to their site.

7. Posting, even fifteen times a day, does not grant you any ownership interest in MOW. This is voluntary. You will not get paid. At anytime the site owner ( ie the benevolent dictator) can go in a completely opposite direction and change things up. Again, you can use the site as an opportunity to grow your blog through cross posting and you can feel warm and fuzzy inside for dong good work. That is your only reward.

8. No plagiarism. If you can't come up with 150 original words, then don't post. Be brief and then get the heck out.

9. Don't duplicate. Read before you post. If someone else on the blog covered it already, then leave a comment in the thread. This is your incentive to race to post before someone else scoops you.

10. You are relatively on your own. I don't have time to handhold. If you don't know what your posts should look like, again, tvnewser.com is a pretty good guide. That way we can have a dozen posts a day without the one post taking up the entire page.

11. Link liberally, the more you like to other blogs, the better.

12. The benevolent dictator (that would be me) reserves the right to revise, revoke, alter, expand, change, transform, evolve this list of guidelines at any time, for any reason.

So I have created the site. It is still under construction and I have to add additional widgets and do some fiddling. I thought I would launch this weekend, but y'all are bombarding me with tips so we might as well get started with the posts.

If you would like to be a contributor you can email me at the gmail address in the sidebar and place MICHELLE OBAMA WATCH in the subject line. You will receive more detailed instructions on how to tag and categorize your posts as well as how to make thumbnails appear in the template. Please follow instructions. LET'S DO THIS!

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

weeMichelle's in "Art" Labeled "nappy headed hos"

2008-06-11T06:50:00.001-07:00

I had seen the stories about this art exhibit being shut down in new York, but had not taken a look at the actual work inside on the walls of the exhibit. This is one of the pieces of artwork featuring Sasha and Malia Obama.

Read about the rest over at Warren Ballentine's site including more photos from inside.

I am furiously working on Michelle Obama Watch. I at least got the WordPress template installed now all I have to figure out is how to make it work. BWAHAHAHA!

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

Watch "On Our Watch (Genocide in Darfur)" - Online

2008-06-10T16:22:00.000-07:00

For those of you who missed the PBS special,On Our Watch about the genocide in Darfur and how the world reacted after previously vowing "Never Again," after Rwanda and Bosnia.

The world vowed "never again" after the genocide in Rwanda and the atrocities in Srebrenica, Bosnia. Then came Darfur. Over the past four years, at least 200,000 people have been killed, 2.5 million driven from their homes, and mass rapes have been used as a weapon in a brutal campaign - supported by the Sudanese government - against civilians in Darfur. In On Our Watch, FRONTLINE asks why the United Nations and its members once again failed to stop the slaughter.
Word of the burgeoning crisis in Darfur first came to the newly appointed U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, Mukesh Kapila, in 2003. "A young woman in her late 20s perhaps, who had trekked all the way from Darfur, sat in my office," Kapila tells FRONTLINE. "And she told me her personal story of how not only had she herself been multiply raped but also that her sisters and her family had also been maltreated in that way, and that this had actually been done by soldiers and people dressed in military and paramilitary uniforms." PBS.org

You can watch the entire documentary online. The site also has a comprehensive timeline and other resources.

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. We are asking for your support in making sure that the voices, stories, and perspectives of African American women and girls are woven into the fabric of this historic event!Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

Ashanti "Parodies" Slaughtering Black Folks To Sell Records: Career Officially Over!

2008-06-10T05:04:00.001-07:00

When all else fails, beat up, brutalize or slaughter a Black person. I have never been an Ashanti fan. Apparently I'm not the only one. In a world where there are other people who sing better, write better, dance better, and are just plain better, Ashanti has struggled to remain relevant. With her first week album sales being well past poor ( She'll be #1, but look at the numbers.), Ashanti had to think up a way to get some interest because her talent isn't enough to make people pay attention.

So Ashanti had her idiotic record label set up a fake news video and create a site called Universal Crime Network. The site features a faux news video reporting a string of murders because people listened to her tired, uninspiring, vapid, music. The suspect in the video is male and there is blood all over the walls with the phrase "Black Children Must Die." [to appease Ashanti fans in the comments. The site lets you choose who must die, how they die and why they die- so "Black Children" was a phrase inserted by a user and not the record company. You could have had "Daffy Duck Must Die" of "Mother Teresa Must Die" in blood or any other name you entered.... Yeah, that makes it all better-- The title of the "Wave of bloodlettings fear across the nation" and is titled "Brutal Attack Linked to Music Video"]

In addition, the suspect is supposedly going to take a hammer and beat his next victim in the head . It looks like a real news story except at the end a "Gotcha Gram" pops up promoting Ashanti's New Album and asking you to sign up. They put up an entire fake news site for feature a faux gruesome crime scene.Where the heck is Barry Gordy to let Motown crank out this foolishness? OH yeah, he is off somewhere counting his money.

Ashanti is so ignorant. No, I don't throw that word around willy nily, seriously, someone should tie her to a chair and read her the police reports from the Dunbar Village Case, Romona Moore, Dorothy Dixion, the Hovey Street Killings. Someone should drag her to speak with the families of the more than 20 Chicago school children who were slaughtered during the last school term. Someone should read her a book or two. The idea that she would stoop to this to get more record sales is pathetic and sad, which pretty much describes the current state of her career. Don't believe that #1 record in the country spin her label puts out. She's not moving units in any number that matters.

Just plain ignorant. Ashanti has officially jumped the shark. What's left for her to do to get attention when her "talent" can't quite get the job done? Well lets see...She could marry someone a la Mariah Carey or Britney Spears or Jessica Simpson. She could pose naked for Playboy, have someone "leak" a sex tape a la Paris Hilton. What else could she do? Oh yeah, she could star in a reality show, but we all know no one would watch it.

In an industry that is supposed to be about creativity, why can't the recording industry manage to understand one fundamental truth: Ashanti sounds exactly the same as she did ten years ago. No growth. No Evolution. She isn't selling because her music is mediocre and even when she overtly "tries" to be controversial, she is mediocre. Why not have her cale the New York Times building in New York.

Najee Ali is going to lead a nationwide protest. I am not joining in and I will tell you why. The only reason this talentless "has been" decided to "parody" murdering Black folks was to sell records and get attention. If you decide to demonstrate I suggest nonchalance. Since she likes death and murder, hold a funeral for her career. No I am serious, get some Styrofoam tombstones and write "here lies Ashanti's career." Sing funeral dirges and say that you are praying for her and her career.

So folks how do you respond to foolishness when the entire purpose of the foolishness was to get you to respond???

UPDATE:Clnmike asked "How do we know that she did this?" per her publicist:

Huff said Ashanti did not come up with the Gotchagram concept — which debuted online more than two months ago — but that the singer supported the label's marketing concept. The video was intended to be a "Saturday Night Live"-style parody, Huff said, and while she reported that "95 percent" of the comments Ashanti has gotten so far have been positive, the singer plans to speak to her label in light of the controversy about possibly taking it down.......

In an interview with SOHH.com in February, Ashanti endorsed the violent imagery in the video. "It matches incredibly with the record," she told the site. "It's very cinematic as opposed to a regular music video. I found out my man is cheating on me, and cut to the story, you find him in a bloody tub." The message is simple, Ashanti told the site: "Don't cheat." MTV.com ( "Ashanti's Bloody Online Promotion Sparks Protest)"

Featured Activism: "Cool Girls", Atlanta, GA

2008-06-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

You know sometimes how you come to this site and I depress the crap out of you by telling you all of the devilishment, inhumanity and barbarism being unleashed on Black women and girls in this country? Well I was happy to see a piece about "Cool Girls" on CNN.com. They are based out of Atlanta, GA and they are basically addressing about 80% of the issues we lament about twice a week on this blog. Watch the CNN.com piece on Cool Girls.

Cool Girls, Inc. was founded in 1989 by attorney Dawn Smith and a group of girls who resided in the East Lake Community. At the time, East Lake was considered Atlanta’s worst housing project and was known for its notorious reputation for violence. Interested in tutoring disadvantaged youth, Ms. Smith collaborated with Epiphany Episcopal Church and the Urban Training Organization to form a girls club at the Drew Recreation Center. At the first meeting, the girls chose the name “The Cool Girls of East Lake” for their new club.

From The Cool Girls website:

The work we do here at Cool Girls is unique and effective. It is our vision to create a girls-only learning environment where girls in grades 3-8 are empowered to succeed in academic, social and professional arenas.

Our programs instill the tools necessary for Cool Girls participants to achieve productive futures - confidence, motivation, and good decision-making skills. To this end, we strive to ensure that each Cool Girls graduate:

Believes she can do well academically and is motivated to do so.
Delays sexual intercourse and uses safe, responsible practices if she becomes sexually active.
Practices good health, in particular avoiding substance abuse.
Develops a set of specific skills that will enhance her education and employability.
Is able to identify when she needs resources and support and knows how to access them.

We are able to do this through our five after-school and out-of-school program components - Cool Girls Club, Cool Scholars, Cool Tech, Cool Biz and Girls LEAD, and Cool Sisters. Each program builds upon the other, playing a critical role in the development of our program participants. The Cool Girls

But you know what I love most? The folks at Cool Girls know how to add and subtract. Because unlike certain "five-letter organizations", at the end of the year, they aren't in debt. The publish their revenue and expenditures online . In addition, they have published an evaluation from Georgia State University that charts their effectiveness. That indicates transparency, strong internal controls and fiscal discipline. I love it!

Michelle Obama "Whitey" Tape ... PURE FICTION!

2008-06-09T04:35:00.000-07:00

We asked last week we told you of an infamous Michelle Obama tape that mainstream media had been reporting about, without any substantiation, based on the claims of a blogger. This thing bled over into mainstream media and was ll the buzz on the days before the final primaries. Barack Obama finally shot down the rumors:

A reporter from the respected McClatchy newspaper group travelling on the Obama campaign plane asked him about rumours on the internet of a video of his wife using a derogatory term for white people. 'We've seen this before,' Obama fumed. 'There is dirt and lies circulated in emails and they pump them out long enough until you, a mainstream reporter, ask me about it. That gives legs to the story. If somebody has evidence that myself or Michelle or anybody has said something inappropriate, let them do it.'

Welcome to the media ecosystem, in which 'mainstream' media have discovered that their new symbiotic relationship with the blogosphere sucks them into a downward spiral and an underworld of innuendo, lies and propaganda.

'Frankly, my hope is people don't play this game,' Obama told the McClatchy reporter. 'It is a destructive aspect of our politics. Simply because something appears in an email, that should lend it no more credence than if you heard it on the corner. Presumably the job of the press is to not to go around and spread scurrilous rumours like this until there is actually anything, an iota, of substance or evidence that would substantiate it.'(The Guardian "How the net's political dirt corrupts mainstream media")

Well turns out the whole "videotape ranting" plot line came straight from a novel, The Power broker by Stephen Frey:

Now. Either author Stephen Frey is clairvoyant, writing this book in 2006. Or this is one of the all time amazing coincidences. Or whoever started this rumor got the idea from a novel. Anovelista.com

In the meantime, I think I'm going to start planning the menu for my Election Night party. Black tie, of course! Anovelista.com

You will be happy to know that the Obama campaign is assigning Michelle her very own group of advisors for the general election and have "indicated" that they are gathering a team to help respond to attacks on Michelle:

Recognizing the extent to which Republicans view Michelle Obama’s strong views and personality ["angry Black woman"]as a potential liability for her husband, Mr. Obama’s aides said they were preparing to bring aboard senior operatives from previous Democratic presidential campaigns to work with her, a clear departure from the typical way the spouse of a candidate is staffed. Mrs. Obama’s operation would include senior aides devoted to responding to attacks and challenges to her, particularly if she continues to campaign as much as she has so far. NY TIMES ( ADAM NAGOURNEY and JEFF ZELENY)

It is about time.! Notice how the NY TIMES characterized Michelle "strong views and personality." Are they any "stronger" than Hillary's or Cindy McCain's? You should be able to click on the reporter names and send them an email if you so choose. Ask them to explain what is "strong" about her views. Which ones in particular?

I should have the Michelle Obama blog up by next week. Thanks to those of you who volunteered. I will get back to you soon.

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

Michelle and Barack's "First Pound" Pounded Into the Ground

2008-06-06T05:24:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all of my readers who sent me images of Michelle and Barack Obama doing a fist bump or pound or dap, or whatever in the heck you call that in your neck of the woods, but before you get too giddy, might we pause to address how this simple hand expression is being portrayed in the media. What is cute today will surely become annoying in the not so near future. Here is a piece from MSNBC on the "First Bump"

Its our job to analyze these things so I am not a killjoy, I thought it was cute and a sign that they are friends not just husband and wife, so that's nice, but the media's obsession with that small gesture plays into the fact (IMHO) that the most ordinary of things to Black folks even after being in this country since before its founding, is somehow EXOTIC.

Right now I am rocking braids. While it no longer annoys me, you would be surprised how many non-black folks are entranced by my hair and feel the need to comment on it. As if hair braiding is witchcraft or voodoo.

Be careful about basking in the first pound because if this much attention got paid to the first pound, just wait until the weeMichelles decide they want to take swimming lessons or something and they start rocking cornrows. Just wait until everything that they do that may somehow be "ethnic" gets cooed over and psychoanalyzed. The "First Pound" is cute and all right now, but is every single thing that the Obamas do that is "different" get dissected , it is going to get really old really fast.

BTW, did y'all recognize the reporter that did this video for MSNBC? It is our old friend, Maria, the online/interactive reporter that was involved in the that anti-black woman propaganda NBC Nightly News put out last year called African American Women Where They Stand or as we called it last year: Black Women It Sucks to be YOU!. If you missed our coverage from last year, make sure you visit the archives for the month of November 2007 to read all of the posts (AND THE COMMENTS), the series started running on November 24th or so. To new readers, you will notice that back in those days we were much rowdier than we are now.

Y'all think this stuff is cute today, but I can assure you, it won't be cute after five months of "The First Pound," " The First Cornrows," "The First Relaxer," "The First Braids," I can't wait until Cindy McCain and Michelle start battling over recipe's. If Michelle uses walnuts instead of pecans, is that going to be "Exotic"?

Sampling of blog Reports about "First Pound" or "First Bump"
Barack Obama - A Brief History of the Fist Bump

2 hours ago by blukor08
Michelle and Barack Obama. Barack and Michelle Obama bump fists before his victory appearance Tuesday night in St. Paul, Minnesota. It's a hand gesture normally associated with sporting events and Bud Lite commercials. ...
Daily News - http://blukor08.blogspot.com/

Bump City

10 hours ago by Dan Smolen
But I have to say that the intimacy displayed Tuesday night between Michelle and Barack Obama is, well, the likes of which I’ve never seen. May we introduce you to…the fist bump. Before the presumptive Democratic Party nominee for ...
Fred2Blue - http://fred2blue.wordpress.com

Bump and Grind

12 hours ago by andwhysee
“But by far, our favorite headlines topped the flurry of earnest reports about the “fist bump heard round the world.” Not only does the intimate gesture between Michelle and Barack Obama, exchanged on Tuesday night in front of thousands ...
andwhysee - http://andwhysee.wordpress.com

Mainstream media confused as hell over Obama’s fist bump [Politics ...

13 hours ago by cranberryzero
But when Michelle and Barack Obama exchanged fist bumps at his victory speech in St. Paul the other day, it never occurred to me that it would cause incredible bafflement by most of the mainstream media. I mean, they have young people ...
I Heart Chaos - http://www.iheartchaos.com

Obama Pound: In Historic Moment, White People Exposed To “Fist ...

15 hours ago by Katie
The Obama pound, exchanged between Michelle and Barack on Tuesday night, marked a historic moment. Yeah, there's that whole first black nominee for president thing. But more significant, is the fact that the greeting which has been ...
Katie Halper - Katie Halper Dot Com - http://katiehalper.com

Barack & Michelle's Moment and Generosity

4 Jun 2008 by Cassandra Marcella
Brian Williams showed Barack Obama a still photo of this fist bump, which was so cool, and apparently, he gave a broad smile and Obama said "right there, that right there, that moment is what I love most about my wife. ...
Memos to Mom - http://www.memos2mom.com/

"Pound It" To The People

9 hours ago by Amber
The Daily News suggests it is "a fist bump of hope" which shows the Obama marriage as hip, silly and genuine, while the Washington Post notes it as a nod to black culture. The YouTube video above has been viewed over 110000 times ...
Let Us Go Then, You and I - http://letusgothen.blogspot.com/

The Obama Fist Pound...the beginning of the end...11 hours ago by mekka
I think that Michelle and Barack look like a genuine couple when they interact. Their pictures also look sincere and unrehearsed.... However, as went the way of the 'running man' and 'high five' ...the fist bump...is officially on life ...
talk | baltimoresun.com - http://www.baltimoresun2.com/talk
News Reporting on "First Pound"

Obamas seal the deal with "dap"; knocking of knuckles epitomizes ...
Seattle Times, United States - 4 hours ago
By The Washington Post and Newhouse News Service As Sen. Barack Obama walked onstage in St. Paul, Minn., after clinching the Democratic nomination Tuesday ...

That's a bare-knuckles kiss
Baltimore Sun, United States - 5 hours ago
Gesture by Obama and his wife is 'dap,' short for 'dignity and pride.' It's a black thing, at least for now By Jill Rosen | Sun reporter When Barack Obama ...

In Historic Moment, White People Exposed To 'Fist Bump" for First Time
AlterNet, CA - 5 hours ago
By Katie Halper, KatieHalper.com. Posted June 6, 2008. The Obama pound, exchanged between Michelle and Barack on Tuesday night, marked a historic moment. ...

A small gesture that spoke volumes
Globe and Mail, Canada - 21 hours ago
It was a small gesture that spoke volumes. As presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama took to the podium in St. Paul, Minn., on Tuesday night, ...

Have you seen the Barack Obama fist bump video?
Socialite Report, NY - 8 hours ago
Barack and Michelle Obama made the media giddy with their little fist bump on Tuesday night when Senator Obama claimed victory over the Democratic ...

Barack and Michelle Obama: Cool because they fist bump? (+video)
Gay Socialites, NY - 10 hours ago
It is stuff like this little Obama family fist bump (and ass smack to follow) that has the media and general teen population in love with Barack and ...

The fist pound
WNWO, OH - 12 hours ago
By Rob Packard TOLEDO -- A historic move in the campaign for president has a lot of viewers talking today, it was a first of it's kind moment on a political ...

Barack and Michelle Obama's 'fist bump of hope' shows them silly ...
New York Daily News, NY - Jun 5, 2008
BY LARRY MCSHANE Barack and Michelle Obama show that you don't have to be a teenager or and athlete to look cool while executing a fist bump. ...

Dap Politics
The Plank on TNR.com, DC - Jun 4, 2008
On the lighter side of my earlier post on race spokesmanship in American politics--the accompanying photo has exposed a seam in the almost-smooth transition ...

Obamas do the fist pound
myfoxny.com, NY - 8 hours ago
Last week President Bush chest-bumped an Air Force Academy grad, a moment that was captured on camera and circulated far and wide across the Internet. ...

Bob Johnson, Rich Does Not Make You Relevant:Satan Becomes a Women's Rights Activist

2008-06-04T17:38:00.000-07:00

Am I the only one that thinks that it is ironic that ~~SATAN~~ Bob Johnson, who gladly threw Black women and girls under the bus has been busy advocating on behalf of Hilary Clinton, EVEN WHEN SHE DIDN'T ASK HIM TO!! ~~SATAN~~ Bob Johnson further confirming that he has zero political acumen, other than writing large checks has decided to try to dictate who Barack Obama's VP should be:

June 3, 2008

The Honorable James Clyburn
U. S. House of Representatives
H-329, The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Jim:

Now that you have endorsed Senator Obama as the Presidential Nominee of the Democratic Party; I, as a long-time supporter of Senator Clinton and of the Democratic Party, urge you to do everything possible to unify this party to win the Presidential election in November. For me and millions of other Democrats, I believe that the most important step that you can take now is to encourage the Congressional Black Caucus to urge Senator Obama to select Senator Hillary Clinton as his Vice Presidential running mate.

As a businessman I understand the vitally important role that a Democratic President can play in establishing programs and policies throughout the government that stimulate and support economic opportunities for African Americans. As African Americans [BOB JOHNSON IS AFRICAN AMERICAN??]we agree that the stakes in this election are far too high to take any chances that this party will not be unified from the top to the bottom in our effort to gain control of The White House.

You know as well as I the deep affection that millions of African Americans hold for both Senator Clinton and President Clinton. You also know that Hillary Clinton has been a long-term advocate for racial and gender equality, from her early days as a lawyer with the Children Defense Fund to her prominent leadership roles on these issues as First Lady and as Senator from New York. But most important, we need to have the certainty of winning; and, I believe, without question, that Barack Obama as President and Hillary Clinton as Vice President bring that certainty to the ticket.

Jim, as the highest ranking African American in Congress, I encourage you to follow your commitment to build a unified party by helping to make this a historic election of Senators Obama and Clinton who both have demonstrated that they have the courage and the ability to inspire and lead this nation to greatness today and for years in the future.

Warm regards,

Bob Johnson
HAT TIP TO ROLAND MARTIN

You can listen to Roland call Bob "Beelzebub" Johnson on his foolishness.

powered by ODEO

SO ~~SATAN~~ Bob Johnson suddenly (13:20) becomes a women's rights advocate and cares about we little people paying $4 a gallon on gas and people dying in Iraq. ~~SATAN~~ Bob Johnson, took it upon himself to write a letter to members of the Congressional Black Caucus, urging them to urge Senator Obama to place Senator Clinton on the ticket, if only he had written a memo to his staff saying "Stop degrading Black women." I guess he was too busy counting his Benjamins

I really don't care who the candidates choose as their running mates, gasoline is still going to $5.50 a gallon by Labor day regardless, but it does not make me inclined to welcome Senator Clinton being added to the ticket when her main champion is one of the greatest enemies of Black women in my lifetime. What kind of woman would associated herself with a multimedia crack dealer and exploiter of women and children?. She might as well have Bishop Don Majic Juan on CNN and writing letters to the CBC.

I'm sorry, but Barack we are going to have some issues if you start following the advice of the man that brought the world "Girl What Dat Smell Like" and "P*ssy Poppin." Think of the world this man has helped to create for the weeMichelles.

Why is ~~SATAN~~ Bob Johnson so chatty all of a sudden? Did he have a near death experience? Did he make a deal with Hillary to make him a member of the cabinet? Is he trying to follow in the footsteps of Alfred Nobel?

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Please consider donating by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.

So Will the INFAMOUS Michelle Obama Tape Drop Today???

2008-06-04T03:13:00.000-07:00

Along with that chain email going around that Barack Obama is the Antichrist ( I kid you not)the infamous Michelle Obama "Whitey" video is is supposed to drop today. Conservative talk radio and bloggers have been going on and on about this infamous tape.

Indeed, rumors are swirling on the campaign trail that a new video will soon surface featuring Mrs. Obama appearing on a panel with radical speakers during which she makes more controversial statements. Wall Street Journal

The rumor sweeping the Internet, which I’m sure you’ve heard by now, is that there’s an explosive tape of Michelle Obama ranting about “whitey.” The rumor is being spread most aggressively by Larry Johnson, the former intelligence official who previously “broke” the story that Karl Rove was about to be indicted over the Valerie Plame case. “I learned over the weekend why the Republicans who have seen the tape of Michelle Obama ranting about ‘whitey describe it as ‘STUNNING,’ he writes. “I have not seen it but I have heard from five separate sources who have spoken directly with people who have seen the tape. It features Michelle Obama and Louis Farrakhan. They are sitting on a panel at Jeremiah Wright’s Church when Michelle makes her intemperate remarks. Whoops!!” HARPERS

Hillary/McCain supporters of the “sofa in the yard” variety have long dreamed of a magical trick to destroy Barack Obama’s candidacy — something that would transform the “post-racial candidate” into, of course, that thing racist whites are always dreaming of: racist blacks. The holy grail of this quest is a tape or video or some kind of recording that proves Michelle Obama is The (Black) Devil because she said “whitey,” which is a poisonous slur against whitey because it has kept whitey down for the whole 6,000 years of White Christian whitey’s existence. Wonkette

So the No Quarter Blog has been pushing this Michelle Obama "Whitey" tape. I have difficulty believing that if it existed the Clintons would not have already dropped it by now OR that the Obama campaign would not have already have been doing damage control with a pre mea culpa, but then again that campaign didn't prepare for the Jeremiah Wright National Press Club Wild-out either and that was predicted a year in advance.

Even when Barack walked on water back in pre-Jeremiah Wright days ( y'all remember them?), Michelle has always taken hits in the press and from the right-- Hits far harder than have ever been lobbed at her husband as she's been branded "The Angry Black Woman." There are times when they play more soundbytes of the "I'm Proud of My Country" speech than they do of the candidate. Or who can forget the "lynching party" comment that basically went ignored.

They might bang up Barack ( he can fend for himself), but there is a visceral dislike for Michelle Obama from some quarters and while they may have felt constrained from attacking her husband, they do not have that same restraint with Michelle.

So today is the day. Either the tape drops today or it doesn't exist and a hoax. But it really doesn't have to exist because it has done the same damage in that it reinforces this narrative out there about Michelle that she is somehow not a loyal American and is an angry Black woman moreso than her affable husband... WHATEVA!

Volunteer Michelle Media Monitors
This whole infamous tape stuff is just a sliver of what Michelle Obama is going to face in the media. So because I predict getting a flurry of emails from now until November, I am going to be proactive and start a separate Michelle Obama blog to track every article, blog post, youtube clip that pops up and provide you an opportunity to respond. Because if the past is any indicator, the campaign has no problem with her being turned into a verbal punching bag, I DO! IF you want to volunteer and want to post updates on the blog, send an email to the gmail account in the right sidebar. Its going to be a LONG hot SUMMER!

Whether you support her husband or not. Let's be clear, any and every Black woman that walks in her footsteps can expect the same treatment so we might as well pull a Gandolf, draw a line in the stand and yell "THOU SHALL NOT PASS!" This ain't about Barack, its about every professional Black woman that has had to smile on the days she didn't want to for fear of being labeled ANGRY.

What About Our Daughters has received credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Please supporting us by clicking our donate button in the sidebar.