Don Imus: I Ain't Forgivin' and Forgettin'

Don Imus: I Ain't Forgivin' and Forgettin':

The Dec 3rd "Moment of Silence"

Min. Paul Scott

Some dude named Alexander Pope once said "to err is human but to forgive, divine."

Whatever, homie.

I bet ol' Alex was the kid who got his lunch money taken everyday at school.

For the record, I, vehemently, oppose Don Imus's 12/3 return to radio. Just because one Civil Rights leader may have given Imus his blessing does not mean that he's getting a pass from the other 38,699,999 black folks in this country.

After all the ruckus that jumped off last April, I suppose that we are just gonna let him waltz in and sit his racist behind in that big cushy chair behind the microphone...

(Scratch that)

In order to lure Imus to WABC, along with the mega bucks they are paying him, they probably had to throw in a golden throne.

And we're just to suppose to accept that without a mumblin' word?

Seems like folks think that after a nine month, 20 million dollar paid vacation courtesy of his old employer, CBS, Imus has somehow paid his debt to society for the "nappy headed ho" comment, last April. Yeah, I know that Imus was real apologetic and even submitted to an hour long interrogation on Rev. Al Sharpton's radio show. Seems like he's done everything but hire a black gospel choir, go on a nationwide tour of black mega churches and sing "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot."

Now, I know that some of ya'll are thinking how noble it is that he is using his big comeback to raise money for a children's charity. Well drug dealin' Tyrone gave out free turkey's last Thanksgiving, does that excuse his behavior?

These people don't think that black folks know the difference between genuine goodwill and a cheap public relations trick.

To these PR people, the black community is an easy sell. After all, we have let marketing firms convince us that sneakers that cost 10 dollars to make are worth $200 dollars. And that thousand dollar gold teeth and spinnin' wheels on a 1988 Honda, somehow make you a better human being.

I can see Imus's handlers back doing the days of slavery squashing a slave rebellion:

"Don, babe...Just give them an extra chicken wing and a slice of watermelon. Trust me. I know these people..."

We must not forget that the conversation on race in the aftermath of the Imus fiasco which should have been about white male bigotry and the disrespect of black women quickly turned into a conversation about Hip Hop, the "N" word and saggin' pants.

So, if the NAACP and the other Civil Rights groups that buried the "N" word last July don't fight tooth and nail against the Imus comeback, they should go to the grave yard, dig up Mr. "N" word and give him a public apology. And if the black bloggers don't speak out, they need to nominate BET's highly internet protested show "Hot Ghetto Mess" for an Emmy Award and send host Charley Murphy a thank you note.

Fair is Fair.

But then again when was the race issue ever fair?

Is it fair that although many people are bringing up the "Freedom of Speech" issue, many black entertainers have been persecuted for much less? I don't remember rappers such as Sister Souljah and Professor Griff being rewarded with million dollar record deals after they made comments that some folks found offensive. Nor, do I remember any support groups being formed for the then "King of Pop," Michael Jackson, when he was forced to remove "They Don't Care About Us" from his 1995 HIStory CD. As the old saying goes, when it happens to someone else, it's a comedy but when it happens to you, it's a tragedy.

So should WABC and its parent company be held accountable for hiring Don Imus when he should still be in exile on his ranch in New Mexico?

You're darn right!

WABC hiring Imus is like a renegade employee crossing the picket line when you have been protesting out in the cold and rain for two weeks. Unless, you whop the traitor upside the head with a picket sign, you can rest assured that there will be a long line of scabs coming behind him.

So we must stand our ground.

On December 3rd we need to have a 4 hour "moment of silence" from 6AM to 10AM and turn off all stations and programs owned by Citadel Broadcasting and ABC Radio Networks.

http://abcradionetworks.com/article.asp?id=341544

While this company is mostly known for conservative talk shows, it also depends on African American audiences to support its "multi-cultural" programming.

Sometimes it takes great sacrifices to make change. Sometimes it takes a large 10,000 man demonstration to make a point. Sometimes you have to get on a bus and travel 12 hours to a protest. But sometimes you can make a change by doing something as simple as turning off your radio.

Min. Paul Scott's blog is http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/ He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 info@nowarningshotsfired.com

The Changin' Face of Racism

The Changin' Face of Racism:

Julie Myers's Big Mistake

Min. Paul Scott

Used to be a time when you could easily spot racists. They were the group of good ol' boys hanging (excuse the pun) by the tree with the white bed sheets on their heads or the portly, southern sheriff spittin' tobacco and patting his police dog, Rex. But today the face of racism is changing.

Seems like Julie Myers, head honcho of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) got a lot of people p.o.'d when she ingeniously, helped give the "most original costume" award at a Halloween party to a "bronzed up" white dude in fake dreadlocks and a prisoner suit.

(Earth to Julie, there is nothing original about racial stereotypes.)

Although, some of her more PC supporters may want to grab her by the collar and yell "Jules, what were you thinking," I'm sure that when Myers first saw the shocked looks on the faces of some the party goers her first reaction was:

"What?"

That's because the foul winds of racism are a' changin'.

In 2007, it seems that racism has become chic. Even funny to some.

Many folks thought that the "nappy headed ho" thing was down right hilarious. Especially, since Don Imus is about to make his triumphant return to radio in a few weeks. Even the World Wide Wrestling Entertainment folks recently used the phrase as a punch line for one of their recent shows. Then again, this is the same company that gave us Crime Tyme, a black tag team that would steal televisions and pick pocket wallets before every match.

And not to mention Fox News's Bill O'Reilly's well publicized blunder when he said how shocked he was to find ouut that black people are just as civilized as white folks, which was easily smoothed over when he had a couple of civil rights leaders in the No Spin Zone for a chummy chat.

What is actually funny is the excuses that these racially numb-skulls come up with when they get caught with their hands in the fried chicken bucket.

According to news reports, after the incident, an ICE spokesperson said that although the goober wore blackface (uh, bronzer) the crowd didn't realize that he had on makeup.

"Gee Bob, there sure is something different about you. Have you lost weight?"

However, they did have the foresight to get rid of the pictures of Myers posing with the "convict." Heaven forbid that they would wind up on TMZ.com or worst on Ku Klux Klan Christmas cards.

I forgot to mention that the costume party was part of a charity event. I wonder what charity it was for, the...(Naw, too easy.)

Anyway.

What is scary is that these are the people that we want to be in charge of guarding our borders.

I wonder if Myers has the boys from the border patrol using sombreros for target practice ?

As ticked off as I am with Myers, I don't know with whom I'm more upset, the racially insensitive folks or that ever present group of African Americans who they always call on to accept their weak apologies on behalf of black folks everywhere.

In this case it was a group of black employees called the National Association of African Americans in the Department of Home Security. (Yeah, that mighty group of black power militants, the NAAADHS).

I can see them now cowering together in their overalls with straw hats in hand...

"No sur. Miss Julie ain't no racist. Her been good to us's."

Where do they find these people, the Apology Acceptance Temp. Service?

What is most disturbing is that these are just the incidents that get reported. Can you imagine the stuff that goes on that we don't know about ?

Somewhere, I think there is an old Christmas party video with Julie "Cool J" Myers and the homies from Immigration and Customs Enforcement in blackface and dressed up like gangsta rappers, lip syncing Vanilla Ice's old rap song:

"ICE ICE, baby!"

Min. Paul Scott's blog is http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/. He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 info@nowarningshotsfired.com

The Rise of Radio Revolutionaries

The Rise of Radio Revolutionaries:

March on Washington 2007

Min. Paul Scott

"We need to raise up our readership so that our children can grow up and freely lead without readin' a script"

KRS from X-Clan's "Speak the Truth"

The other day I was listening to Malcolm X's classic speech "Message to the Grassroots" and his critique (OK, diss) of the "Big Six" Civil Rights Leaders after the 1963 March on Washington.

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/malcolmxgrassroots.htm

I wonder what Bro. Malcolm would say about the March on Washington 2007.

"Oh, I'll tell you, Brothers and Sisters. They were gathered to do some damage. They wanted some action! Yes! They wanted change, not tomorrow, not next week but today! But just as soon as the crowd was about to get busy and really take care of business, some DJ yelled for Juan D to play some old Hip Hop record and the whole crowd stopped marchin' and started doin' the 'crank dat soldier boy.' I'll tell you, you've been had, tricked, bamboozled..."

Don't get me wrong. I ain't mad at anyone takin' a stand against injustice, miseducation or even why gas is so darn high. But anytime that entertainers get thrust to the front of the black leadership line. I have to ask some questions.

Now, I never claimed to be a straight A student in school but even I know the difference between a radio host and a revolutionary.

This is not to say that you can't be both. Local radio hosts were often the catalyst for change in communities across the country. They saw it as their civic duty to wake the people up with information as soon as their alarm clocks went off at 6AM. There are many stories about radio hosts who have sacrificed their jobs and risked their lives by bringin' on guests or discussing topics that were too hot to handle.

But that was an era long gone, before the corporate take over of local radio, as thoroughly broken down by Glen Ford's article at http://www.blackagendareport.com/

I know this ain't 1969, the height of the Black Power Movement, when black folks were gettin' their heads cracked on a daily basis and many of us are too young to remember that period. So, the point of reference I am using is the Hip Hop version of the Black Power Movement 1988-1992. That is the closest, in the last 20 years, that entertainment and activism have come together for collective change.

Now some may argue (and rightly so, in some cases) that all that period produced was a bunch of paranoid black folks who were too scared to go to protest rallies because they thought that government satellites would beam death rays down from space and vaporize them. Or a bunch of middle class Buppies who "used to be conscious" in college who now justify their comfortable, apolitical, corporate lives by endlessly talking about "The Spook that Sat By the Door."

But that ain't everybody. Some are still fighting the fight like the "Cease the Fire" Movement.

http://www.myspace.com/freeallpoliticalprisoners

What is most disturbing is when this new commercial radio radicalism (which came as a direct result of the powers- that -be realizing that black internet bloggers could put heat on racists like Don Imus without "Civil Rights" leaders) takes the place of grassroots community based activism.

According to Kenneth O'Reilly in his book "Black Americans: the FBI Files," in 1966 Atty General Nicolas Katzenback wanted to create a militant but peaceful organization which could compete with SNCC around the same time the organization was becoming pro-black under the leadership of Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael)and then Jamil Al-Amin (H. Rap Brown).

Kinda like revolution-lite.

Now am I suggesting that the radio hosts should should arm the marchers with machine guns and swear them in as members of the Black Panther Party.

No.

But the key is to play your role. Stay in you lane. Or as George Clinton would say "Don't fake tha Funk." (Shout out to the Ol' School)

I just don't think that a DJ who won't even break format to play "Behind Enemy Lines" by Dead Prez will be the first one to toss a Molotov cocktail. Maybe that is why many of them spend more time assuring their corporate sponsors that a demonstration will be "nonviolent" than they do explaining to the people why they are marching.

We all know that there is a line of demarcation that entertainers dare not cross. A place where DJ's fear to tread: a land of taboo topics and banned Afrocentric scholars and researchers. They know that just beyond that line of demarcation is where the "real" fight begins.

And they know that they have crossed that line when they begin to raise the collective consciousness of their millions of listeners and their corporate sponsors begin pulling commercials.

When you have millions of listeners that don't know who George and Jonathan Jackson are and think that COINTELPRO is the new cell phone that Verizon has coming out next month , therein lies the problem.

Until we replace the "Joke of the Day" with the "Fred Hampton Speech of the Day," no matter how many marches we have,to quote Chairman Fred we will be left with:

"Answers that don't answer, explanations that don't explain and conclusions that don't conclude."

For more information on the Books or Bullets Movement go to http://www.booksorbullets.com/

Min. Paul Scott's blog is http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/ He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 info@nowarningshotsfired.com

Duane "Doggie Dogg" Chapman

Duane "Doggie Dog" Chapman

OK, I admit on one of those nights that I had nothin' better to do better to do, I have watched Dog:The Bounty Hunter on A@E. After all, ain't too many "hoods" in Hawaii so my racial Spidey sense wouldn't start tinglin' like it would if I was watching Cops. Plus, I thought the dude was kinda funny in a retro "Macho Man Randy Savage meets Chuck Norris" kind of way. Plus he would always give the person he arrested a cool public service announcement-type lecture before he dropped him off at the slammer. But that was before the infamous phone call that landed him a permanent spot in my "Racist Bastard Hall of Fame..."

For those one or two people who haven't heard the clip of Chapman dissin' his son's black girlfriend, let me give you the Cliff Notes version...

Seems like tha Dog's son taped a phone conversation and sold it to the National Inquirer with him rantin' about the N-word being a household word in the good ole wholesome Chapman crib and he was worried that the girlfriend (known affectionately as the N-word) would one day reveal the mystic secret of the Chapman place that the man of the house was (once again) a racist bastard...

What really ticked me off was the "cry me a river" explanations that followed that sounded like a lesson in Snoop Dogg apologetics without the "supposed" cultural justification and political "sophistication."

He went on to follow the instructions on page 101 of the (again) "Racist Bastard" handbook in the chapter "What to Do When You Stick Yo' Foot in Yo' Mouth."

Simple...Talk to your PR people...Go on TV and cry like little .....um...punk...and find the first black "leader" you see to vouch for your not being (and I say again) a racist bastard..

Sadly, with Black folks, this formula works more times than not...

Once some black "priest" pardons the person from his sins, he goes his merry way and all is forgotten...

Plus the new post Michael Richards/Don Imus trick is to put the blame on Hip Hop. So, I'm just waitin' for tha Dog to say that he was just practicing for the new Hip Hop album he has coming out just in time for the holidays called (I can't resist, just one more time)

"Diary of a Racist Bastard."

Although A@E cancelled production on the show, look for it to return around the the first week in December when Don Imus returns to radio.

Will I be one of the people protesting the return of Don Imus...

Yep...

Will I be calling on folks to email A@E with the email title in all caps "FIRE THE RACIST......" (OK, I promised)

Yep...

You have to draw the line somewhere if not you will forever find yourself forever dissed.

Far as I am concerned Duane Chapman : The Hawaiian Hatemonger can find a short volcano cliff and take a long walk...

Min. Paul Scott can be reached at (919) 451-8283 info@nowarningshotsfired.com

Cut the Bull: The Man Who Would Be Mayor

Now I had no grand delusions about being mayor of Durham. Mayor Bell winning, especially after gettin' props from Obama, was a no brainer for everybody. (Except for maybe Councilman Stith.)

Even if I would, by some miracle, have won the election, ya'll know that I would have been impeached before the next council meeting.

(Holding up the Black Power Fist at the inauguration wouldn't have set to well with some folks)

But what I hoped to do was raise the issues and maybe put all of that "get tough on crime" talk into a proper perspective.

I wonder do the citizens of Durham know how close they had come to living in a police state?

Although there has been a lot of talk about gangs in Durham, in reality, there are really only two gangs that run America, the Democrats and the Republicans and they ain't sharin' power with "nobody."

What is unfortunate is that black youth and the less affluent are still pretty much in the same boat they were in before the election.

The poor will still be poor and the voices that aren't heard, still won't be heard.

Yeah, I was able to raise some issues in the media and on a couple of debates but for the most part I was the victim of a media black out.

As usual, as far as the News and Observer, Independent, News 14 and WRAL go, I am the invisible dude.

"Maybe if we ignore him, he'll just go away"

But it's not really about me, it's about what I represent:

The Black man who is not afraid to point out the obvious: In 2007 Black folks still ain't free.

My hope is that maybe I inspired some young black brother or sister to get involved in this community and not accept second class citizenship. Maybe I inspired somebody to speak out against injustice and things that they see are wrong in Durham.

No, I didn't win but at the end of the day is Durham a better place because of people like me who raise the tough issues?

You're darn right!

So I conclude the 2007 Cut the Bull Campaign with my new rap...

"In Durham they say we gang bang

Herald Sun/Observer it's the same thang

'less we're shootin' they don't know our names

Guess that's the only way we gain fame"

Word to tha mother.....

The Hip Hop Howard Beale has left the building....

Iz Blak Peeple Stoopid?

Is Blak Peeple Stoopid?

Min. Paul Scott

When I first heard Nobel Prize winner, Dr. James Watson's comments about African people being intellectually inferior to other folks I was outraged! I immediately jumped up, ran to my lap top and got ready to organize a boycott, uprising or a million man march through dude's living room. But then I thought about BET's game show "Take the Cake" and went back to playing Madden 2007...

For those who no longer watch BET, let's put it this way, while white folk's game shows are asking questions like "which continent has the largest amount of natural resources just waiting for us to finish exploiting."

"Take the Cake" trivia goes somethin' like this:

"Hello caller:

For $1,000 what Civil Rights leader whose initials are MLK once said "I Have a Dream?"

"Was it Dr. Dre, T.I. or Dr. Martin Luther the King?"

The question of black inferiority has been an issue since before the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. Many a white enslaver posed the question "if Black folks weren't intellectually challenged, how did we so easily trick them into getting on those slave ships?"

Now this would be fine and dandy if it wasn't for names from African history like Imhotep, cities like Timbuktu and those big triangle-like things in the middle of the desert known as pyramids.

So were our enslaved ancestors a little slow or were they victims of a foreign imperialist culture to which they were not accustomed?

Although, some folks point to the fact that lacking the resources of warmer climates the European had to develop devious ways to obtain resources, does that make white folks inherently evil or just products of their environment doing what they had to do to survive ?

While it is easy to look at our present media portrayals and want to give Ol' James a high five for his excellent analysis of the obvious, it just shows a lack of historical research backed by a system of institutionalized and globally accepted white supremacy.

During the early 90's, this statement would have been met with an onslaught from our top Afrocentric scholars challenging this theory in bookstores and in college lecture halls across the country. Unfortunately, Drs John Henrik Clarke, Amos Wilson and Asa Hilliard have gone on to the ancestors leaving behind a black intelligentsia more skilled at deciphering rap lyrics and arguing the social ramifications of saggin' pants than historical scholarship.

Plus, this ain't 1992 and the lectures that used to pack student union rooms are now attended by four or five brothers and sisters with dashikis and afro picks quoting Curtis Mayfield and eating bean pies.

While one may be quick to point the finger at Hip Hop.....

(Wait a minute, I forgot my point)

Oh yeah....but Hip Hop can not be totally to blame. Just think back to the late 80's when many of us picked up The Autobiography of Malcolm X for the first time courtesy of a Public Enemy song.

What is most frustrating is the failure of the younger Hip Hop Generation to maximize their opportunities to effect change given technological advances.

As many people question how much more effective the Garvey Movement would have been with the internet and Kinkos, one can also ask how much more effective the "edutainement" of the Stop the Violence and Blackwatch Movements would have been in the late 80's with youtube and myspace. I mean, if a whole nation can learn to "crank dat soldier boy" off of youtube...We'll you get the point.

Back in tha day we use to have sayings like "Knowledge is Power" but today's anti-illiteracy anthem is called "Read a ******* book." Now I understand the concept but if we don't tell our youth which books to read they are still left in the dark.

I can imagine my 12 year old daughter trying to justify reading Superhead's new book by sayin'

"Daddy, the man on BET did tell me to read a ***** book, so technically..."

Also, our T-Shirts used to have slogans that said "Warning: Educated Black Man." Today the most popular shirts have a gold toothed Pillsbury dough boy shootin' dice.

So while the rest of the world is moving forward many of us seem stuck on stupid.

Contrary to what you see on the Maury Povich Show, when those scientists talk about DNA they are referring to stuff like genetic engineering and evolutionary theory not who Shaquana's baby's daddy is.

So what do we do to make knowledge fashionable, again?

I am starting a new "Books or Bullets:The Choice is Yours" movement: http://www.booksorbullets.com/

This is an aggressive attempt to prove once again that knowledge does really reign supreme. We will use every venue from barbershops to bus stops to raise the consciousness of our people.

Although some may believe that Black folks have achieved Freedom in this country, as Dr. Amos Wilson would say

"the oppressed feel that they are the most free when they are the most oppressed."

So we must not equate the ability to act ig'nant on TV with economic, social and political equality.

Or to borrow from Chuck D "Freedom does not mean "free to be dumb."

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott's blog is http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/. He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com

Cut the Bull: Response to Barry Saunder's Column

Just read News and Observer's star columnist, Barry Saunders, piece about the NAACP forum last Monday. Yeah, he referred to me as a "no shot" candidate.

Councilman Thomas Stith has raised over $100,000 and with today's Mayor Bill Bell/Barak Obama connection. I definately am the underdog, to put it mildly.

But the kick in the teeth is that Saunder's story is my first "real" mention in the metro News and Observer in about two years. Not to mention the virtual "blackout" of my campaign by the paper. Not that the N@O is known for covering too much in Durham that doesn't include dead bodies and bloodshed...If I put on a red and blue bandana, pull my pants down and start callin' myself Killa P-Dog, maybe I would at least get an honorable mention...

However, that ain't as bad as WRAL virtually yankin' my mic out of the speaker at the NAACP debate. While Bell and Stith were able to wax poetic about their visions for Durham, WRAL just briefly showed me moving my mouth. (Guess the camera man couldn't find a way to block me out of the shot since I was sitting in the middle so he did the next best thing; cut the sound.

But it ain't over 'till it's over..Never under estimate the "none of the above vote."

But back to Saunders...Ya know, I ain't really a politician, I'm a writer...

And Saunders strikes me as a gamblin' man, so let's do this...

We have an old fashion rap....I mean writer's battle...Saunder's column vs No Warning Shots Fired.com ...Old School vs New School...Corporate vs Underground...and if I win I get his spot at the News and Observer...

It'll be fun. Kinda like Kanye West versus Wonder Mike from the Sugarhill Gang....

OK , I'll kick it off with a KRS One lyric:

Ya know what ya need to learn
Ol' school writers don't always burn
You're just another writer who's had his turn
Now it's my turn!

Cut the Bull: TRUTH Minista Paul Scott in Mayoral Debate

There will be a forum involving the Durham mayoral candidates at the downtown Durham Co. Public Library this Monday Oct.29th at 7PM. TRUTH Minista Paul Scott will make a rare appearence, along with the other candidates Mayor Bill Bell and Councilman Thomas Stith.
Please come out and show your support.

Cut the Bull: Durham's Mayoral Wrestlemania

As the "candidate non grata" in Durham's mayoral
election I have a few quick observations based on the
Wrestlemania-like performances of Mayor Bell and Councilman
Stith.

There is an old African proverb that says "when two
elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers." In
Durham, the elephants are Bell and Stith and the grass
is the citizens of Durham, especially the children.

I sit back and observe this fighting and I ask myself,
"Weren't these guys playing on the same team?"
It's like Jake Delhomme and Steve Smith getting in a
slugfest on the field after losing a game while the
fans are screaming that we need a new team.

Maybe, tomorrow's headline should be " Bell and Stith
Clobber Each Other with Fiddles, while Durham Burns."

Alas, in the end, this election fued is just like professional
"wrasslin.'" As much as Nature Boy Ric Flair and the American
Dream Dusty Rhodes would yell at each other and smash each
others heads with chairs, at the end of the day it was just a
show to dupe the gullible fans into buying more wrestling tickets
or in this case, getting the people of Durham to vote for them...

Cut the Bull: TRUTH Minista at People's Forum 10/21

I will be on the panel with the other Durham mayoral election candidates at the "People's Forum" to be held at Ebenezer Misionary Baptist Church, Sunday 10/21 at 4PM

Sorry, Sarah: Blackface Still Ain't Funny

I never watched Comedy Central's the Sarah Silverman Show until today. Somehow, a show featuring a white chick who kinda reminds me of a cross between Mary Hartman and Pippy Longstocking doesn't seem all that funny to me. But I was curious about the "Black Face" episode so I bit the bullet and suffered through it.

For the millions of people who actually have lives, let me hip you to what happened. Seems that Sarah felt that she was the victim of a hate crime because she wasn't allowed to join a tennis club because she was Jewish. When a black waiter overhears her moanin' , he starts cryin' about how hard it is being black and challenges Silverman to walk a mile in his shoes. So after a friend hooks her up with some charcoal makeup she begins her adventure thinking that she looks like Queen Latifah. (Yeah, I know Latifah is light skinned but I suppose that was part of the humor.)

Now, maybe I'm still a little upset about the whole Jena 6 thing or the video being circulated on the net with the 16 year old black girl getting pommelled by the big white security guard has me a overly sensitive, but I did not find the show amusing.

Not only was the whole Aunt Jemima thing over the top but it trivialized our experience as black people in this country.

Now, I know that a lot of white folks are reading this sayin' ,

"It was only a TV show. You neg.., I mean, colore...I mean...well, what ever you call yourselves these days are just soooo sensitive!"

Yeah, so sue me!

I don't remember too many Jewish people rappin' along with Public Enemy after the Professor Griff /Washington Times interview or moonwalkin' to Michael Jackson's banned song "They Don't Really Care about Us." Also, while many people are up in arms about Halle Berry's recent nose joke, I haven't heard too many people taking Silverman to task.

Black people will no longer allow our culture to be belittled by Hollywood or anyone else. We are facing some real Funky issues in 2007 and we will not allow anyone to make a mockery out of our historical suffering.

So, You think that hate crimes are funny?

Ask Megan Williams who was recently tortured by a gang of white folks in West Va...

I doubt if she will find it amusing.

Min. Paul Scott's blog is http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/ He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 info@nowarningshotsfired.com

To watch the clips click http://sarahsilverman.comedycentral.com/videos.jhtml?cat=season_2

NWSF Bullet: Books Not Bullets

By now, I'm sure that you have heard about rapper TI getting arrested before the BET Hip Hop Awards, last Saturday. Seems TI or TIP was busted trying to buy some machine guns via his bodyguard.

Not sure why TI needed the extra ammo...

Maybe he was going to avenge the torture of Megan Williams, the sister from W.VA.

Or...Maybe he was going to go down to Jena, Louisiana to bust Mychal Bell out of the slammer...

Naw, in all likelihood, he was just stocking up to prove how gangsta he is just incase Ludacris decides to diss him on his next CD...

While the Black Panther Party "blackenized" Mao Tse Tung's "Politics grows out of the barrel of a gun" ideology, and Malcom X talked about the "Ballot or the Bullet" Hip Hop artists have at least gotten the gun and bullets parts right...

One of America's biggest fears has been that the thugz on the streets would one day become politically minded. What would happen if Snoop Dog woke up one morning and started telling his young homies that CRIP stands for "Community Revolution In Progress" or if The Game started quoting Marcus Garvey and said that the red that the Bloods wear stands for the blood of their African ancestors that was spilled for their FREEDOM?

Would they still have the same access that they do, now to go on TV and promote the genocide of a young black generation?

Probably not. They would probably be reduced to cameo appearences on "Dancing With the Stars."

What is more feared TI with a gun or TI with Robert William's book, "Negroes With Guns?"

Back in the late 80's Public Enemy used to rap aboout "Fightin' the Power", but today's youth have no idea what "the power" is much lest how to fight it....

I can see the "powers that be" sitting back in their war rooms smokin' big cigars and sayin'

"Yeah, let's take the books out tha hood and replace them with guns!"

It is said that a fool and his money are soon parted. So, I guess a similiar saying would be "a fool and a gun will shoot innocent bystanders."

No wonder the school system doesn't teach black children about their history...

Maybe we need to start a "Books not Bullets" Campaign ?

TRUTH Minista on Cathy Harris Show 10/16

I am scheduled to be a guest on the Cathy Harris Show Tuesday October 16th at 6PM

You can listen online at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thecathyharrisshow

Cut the Bull: Street Manifesto

As a write in candidate for Durham Mayor, I am releasing my platform in the form of a "Street Manifesto"

Street Manifesto

We want all the people in Durham to have an equal role in charting the city's new direction and not just the privileged few.

We want an end to crime.

However, we realize that as long as there is poverty, hunger and unemployment, there will be crime. So,the city should do more to eliminate the root causes of crime. Locking up young black males and deporting Latinos is not a solution to crime.

We want an end to violence.

However, the city is not doing enough to promote peace and unity.

We want an end to the drug dealing on city streets.

However, young black males are not the ones responsible for bringing the drugs into this country. Unfortunately, it is more convenient to point the finger at the youth instead of those who are really responsible for the death and destruction on the streets of Durham.

We want an end to the stereotyping of black and Latino youth as criminals and gang members.

We understand that the criminalization of black and Latino youth has been overly hyped by the media and many jobs are created as the result of sending our youth to prison.

We want an end to youth idleness.

The city must do more to provide positive activities for our young people.

We want an end to the attempted division of the black and Latino communities.

The problem in this country is not too many "illegal aliens" but too many greedy, rich people with "out of space" ideas that don't match the current demographic makeup of America. There are enough resources to go around.

We want the faith community to become more involved in solving Durham's problems.

Church should be more than a once a week happy hour.

We want an end to homelessness.

The city should be involved in renovating abandoned buildings and turning them into homes for the homeless.

We need to take the power out of the hands of the traditional politicians and PACs (Political Action Committees) and put it in the hands of the people.

Control of Durham neighborhoods must rest in the hands of the masses and not the classes.

NWSF Bullet: Eyebrows Don't Lie ?

I went to a forum today organized by Karen Daniels, mother of Erick Daniels who was convicted in 2001 for a robbery that his mom says that he didn't commit. Daniels was 15 at the time.

Now I know some of ya'll are saying that a mother always thinks her child is innocent. Even if there was surveillance film of a dude with his face in the camera lip syncing old Michael Jackson jams with an arm full of stolen jewelry, many a mom would still be up in court all loud and unruly shoutin'

"NOT MY BABY!"

But that's what mothers should do. If they aren't out advocatin' for their kids who will? Some overworked, underpaid public defender who spends his court time daydreamin' about old Baywatch episodes?

What made today's forum so interesting was not just the teary-eyed testimony of the mom, but also that of reporters Demorris Lee and Mosi Secret as well as Attny. Carlos Mahoney.

Seems like some real funky "Law and Order" type stuff went down with the case.

I was sittin' in the back of the room but from what I could make out:

Demorris Lee got arrested for "harassing" the alleged victim by calling her for an interview, Ms. Daniels got threatened by the judge for makin' funny faces in court and somebody swiped Secret's camera man's pictures of the crime scene....

See, real funky stuff!

According to Atty. Mahoney the court seemed to feel that if Daniels didn't actually rob the lady, hey, he must of done something else illegal in his lifetime.

"Hey aren't those Durham guys all gangbangers, anyway."

For my two cents, I think that the case should be reopened. Should a young man be forced to spend most of his teen years and a good part of his young adult life in jail because somebody recognized his "eyebrows."

(Personally, I always thought that Groucho Marx was responsible for the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa, but that's just me)

As I take a good look at the kid's eyebrows in a picture in the Independent newspaper...

You know, they look a lot like mine did at that age......

To read Mosi Secret's story go to:

http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A121382

NWSF Bullet: TRUTH Minista on DC Radio

I'm scheduled to be a guest on Todd B's Talk Show on Washington DC's WPGC 95.5 FM to discuss Hip Hop vs America vs Hip Hop at around 6:30 AM this Saturday 10/6.

You can listen online at http://www.wpgc955.com

Cut the Bull: Politicians Bling Blingin' More than Rappers

Cut the Bull:Politicians "Bling Blingin'" More than than Rappers

Call me politically naive, but I just can't see politicians raising all this money for their campaigns when you have all of these poor, hungry families in Durham. The local media are reporting today, that Councilman Thomas Stith has raised a whoppin' $107,885 for his campaign . Now I know that I have never been the caviar eatin', champaign sippin' fund raiser type and I still drink my kool aid out of a mayonnaise jar but am I the only one who sees something wrong with this picture?

With all the money that the politicians are raising, couldn't this go towards actually solving the poverty problems in Durham?

Personally, I am not accepting any campaign donations.

Here's a novel idea, instead of giving money to my campaign, why not take that money and buy a homeless person something to eat?

So, I guess my campaign motto should be, "Ask not what Durham can do for you but what you can do for Durham.

No Ghetto Pass For Bill O'Reilly!

No "Ghetto Pass" For O'Reilly:

Time to Put Bill on Blast

Min. Paul Scott

Enter the Bill O'Reilly twilight zone. Late one night, on his way home from the Republican Convention , a hungry Tom White mistakes Rufus's Chicken and Ribs for a Cracker Barrel. His worst fears are realized when a major riot breaks out after Tyrone Jackson slips on a watermelon slice and knocks over Mack da Knife's bottle of malt liqour. Running through a hail of bullets, hot sauce bottles and other assorted weapons, Tom barely makes it back to his Volvo alive. Good thing that the bullet proof vest that he wore under his Brooks Brothers suit also protected him from spears...

A few days ago, Bill O'Reilly was chillin' with his ace boon...um.. "main man" Rev. Al at Sylvia's restaurant in black Harlem. According to media reports, he was shocked how civilized the black folks there behaved.

"Is this Harlem? I could have sworn that I was in New Hampshire!"

Much to Bill's surprise there were no shoot outs, no chicken sacrifices and no cannibals runnin' around with bones in their noses. Just folks sitting around dining on fine cuisine that I'm sure included, but was not limited to fried chicken.

Well, at least O'Reilly didn't tell that worn out joke about being afraid that he was "on the menu."

I never liked Bill O'Reilly, so excuse me for being a little..OK alot biased. Over the years, Bill O'Reilly has been the self -appointed Hip Hop hitman, the Right's cool, conservative crusader, dedicating his life to preserving..well, whatever ever it is that Conservatives preserve.

This great avenger is responsible for almost single handedly getting the infamous gangsta rapper Snoop Dogg kicked off the Muppet special, getting Ludacris canned by Pepsi and blowing the whistle on Whitewater. (No, that was someone else but you get the point)

Although, O'Reilly has not been totally off the mark in all of his criticisms, as Grandma would say "if you throw enough stones, you're gonna eventually hit somethin'."

What gets folks about O'Reilly is hyperbole. He blows things way out of proportion.

Recently he tried to paint Nas as the most notorious "gangsta rapper" that ever picked up a microphone.

Problem is. Nas ain't a gangsta rapper.

Now if I had Bill O'Reilly's flair for the dramatic, at this point, I would start calling him the most disgusting, hateful, venom spewing hatemonger that ever walked the planet. But I ain't him, so I'll stop with "a right wing intolerant bigot."

Of course, Bill is busy spinnin' in his No "Spine" Zone trying to paint himself as a victim of some Left wing conspiracy probably led clandestinely by Al Franken.

Since when has O'Reilly given any rapper or non right winger the benefit of the doubt ? He sees an opening and goes for the jugular, full throttle.

And since O'Reilly has been so quick to shut Hip Hop down, Hip Hop should shut O'Reilly down, pronto !

Now, I know that some of ya'll are asking "didn't we just go through this with Imus?"

Your point?

If I had my way, I'd get rid of all the right wing venom spitters: O'Reilly, Boortz, Hannity (Alan Colmes for sitting next to Hannity), Coulter, Savage, Malkin...

(Hold up, I started hyperventilating,)

...and I'd replace them with Kool Mo Dee and the other political rappers of the late 80's. That way we would have black folks expressing black outrage instead of white folks speaking for us while we sit on the sidelines sayin' , "Yeah, what the white guy said!"

Not only should Hip Hoppers stand up and "impeach" the Right's talking heads, but the anti-war activists, progressive movements and others who are tired of the Conservative's dominance of the media should stand up, too.

Remember, they may come for Nas today but it'll be Bono and the Dixie Chicks, tomorrow.

To join the movement and to hear the official anti- Bill O'Reilly anthem "Drums of War" log on to http://www.hiphopstrikesback.com/

Min. Paul Scott's blog is http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/ He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 info@nowarningshotsfired.com

Hip Hop vs America or America vs Hip Hop

Hip Hop vs America or America vs Hip Hop:

Tale of Two Trials

Min. Paul Scott

Hip Hop was on trial twice last night. One was Hip Hop vs America Pt. 1, a prerecorded attempt by Black Entertainment Television to appease its viewers after years of complaints which came to a broil after last Summer's ill advised "Hot Ghetto Mess" Reality Show. The other was "America vs Hip Hop," sponsored by the Subcommittee of Commerce Trade and Consumer Protection of the Committee on Energy and Commerce . The first one was catered towards a predominately young, black teeny bopper audience who had just finished watching videos on "106 and Park" and wanted to to see if Nelly had gotten any new gold teeth since his last CD. The other was for the rest of mainstream America who have grown sick and tired of a bunch of young black "thugs" ruining "their" country.

The BET special was pretty much what you would expect from the company, a weak attempt at self criticism with bumpin' videos and applause signs. Perhaps Part 2 will get "deep" but Part 1 did little to elevate the "rap" beyond the realm of where it has been since C. Delores Tucker dissed Pac back in the early 90's.

"You don't understand Hip Hop!"

"And you, young man, need to pull your pants up!"

You still have the same panelists from the older generation trying to to be a parent/buddy friend to 30 somethin' year old millionaire Hip Hop artists. Dr. Michael Eric Dyson did the Biggie rap thing that he has been showcasing since the mid 90's and rappers, Nelly and T.I. proved once again that loud "don't" make it right.

T.I. kinda lost me with the whole "I have to trick my fans into learning" logic. (or lack thereof)

Not to mention his brilliant theory that the problem with Hip Hop is "you got fake thugs rappin' about being real thugs who never were thugs instead of real rappers rappin' about being real...."

Oh, never mind.

And then Nelly came with the "it's not fair to judge me based on a four minute rap video with credit cards being slid through a black woman's booty" defense.

What else can we judge you by Nelly? Your PH.D dissertation on "The Juxtaposition of Capitalism and Marxist Leninism?"

Down the way in DC, "From Imus to Industry: The Business of Stereotypes and Degrading Images," hearing called together by Senator Bobby Rush featured Master P and David Banner along with activists and industry big wigs such as Edgar Broffman and Doug Morris.

Needless to say, the theme of the hearing was problematic in itself.

Although Hip Hop activists have raised this issue over the last five months, it cannot be overstated that this current national discussion on the state of Hip Hop is a diversionary tactic in the aftermath of the Michael Richards/Don Imus controversies to take the focus off of institutionalized racism and white male bigotry and replace it with a focus on dirty dancin' and baggy pants.

While the efforts of former Black Panther Bobby Rush may be commended, would his time not have been better served making sure that a thorough congressional hearing on Reparations for the descendants of enslaved Africans takes place. Or hearings on COINTELPRO, for which groups like the Jericho Project have been advocating that could result in the exoneration of his former Panther comrades and other political prisoners still locked in jail and in exile ?

Also, it must be also noted that if we look at the emphasis that America has put on Hip Hop compared with the coverage of stories like the Jena 6 and the black woman that was tortured in West VA, the comparison is troubling.

What is unfortunate is that many of us do not see this current Hip Hop controversy in socio-political terms. While the kiddie converation on BET may have had a better looking stage, the meeting in DC could set public policy for generations to come.

Did anybody think to ask where the Hip Hop discussion fit in the agenda of the Subcommittee of Commerce Trade and Consumer Protection on a highly compartmentalized Capitol Hill?

Did anyone notice that the committee is in charge of dealing with some Homeland Security related matters? So which part of Hip Hop are the feds really concerned about; the "misogynist" lyrics of a Nelly or the inflammatory political rap of a M1 of Dead Prez?

http://energycommerce.house.gov/

At the end of the day , were we any closer to improving Hip Hop than were were before the BET program and congressional hearing?

BET promised another earth shakin' sequel to Tuesday night's show (So what are they gonna do for a grand finale, have TI punch Rev. Al in the mouth?) and the people in DC came to the consensus that censorship ain't cool, def, or funky fresh.

Is there really a difference between gangsta rapper, "Killa T" grabbin' his crotch and yellin' "I'm just keepin' it real for the homies in tha hood" and Viacom head honcho Phillipe Dauman sitting before Congress and saying with a straight face, "We have a responsibility to speak authentically to our viewers ?"

What we need is a clear analysis of the Hip Hop problem based on facts and not prejudiced by political bamboozlin' and hero worshippin' of rappers.

With a clear analysis we could raise the level of consciousness of the Hip Hop connosiers so high that neither Hip Hop hearings nor censorship would even be necessary.

Min. Paul Scott is a writer and activist in Durham NC. For more info visit http://www.hiphopstrikesback.com

(919) 451-8283 info@nowarningshotsfired.com

Hatin' The Skin I'm In: Response to Stanley Crouch

Hatin' the Skin I'm In: Response to Stanley Crouch

Min. Paul Scott

I remember back in the day, when I was a kid, I used to watch those sitcoms like Happy Days. Once in a while, during Black History Month, they had to deal with the "dreaded" race issue. From out of nowhere some lone black dude would show up in a lily white town , get picked on for being black only to have his honor defended by some "Fonzie" kid that would deliver a tear jerkin' speech about racial tolerance and universal brotherhood. Just before the funky music would play for the closing credits, the black dude would make some overly emotional apology about how he "couldn't help that he was born black." The seeds of self hatred are planted early. I wonder if Stanley Crouch ever stared in one of those sitcoms?

I was reading Stan's piece in today's NY Daily News and seems like ol' dude wasn't feelin' the piece that I did on Jodie Foster's new vigilante movie "Brave One" and my analogy about "a t'd off Rosa Parks bustin' cap's in tha fools that made her sit in the back of the bus."

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2007/09/24/2007-09-24_reel_like_story_is_no_substitute_for_a_r.html

Now I've read Crouch's stuff before about his hatred of Hip Hop and all things black.

(OK Stan, we get it Hip Hop = Bad. Now keep it movin')

The problem with Crouch is that he seems to dwell on the issue ad nauseam.

Now, I am far from a Hip Hop apologist and have taken many stands against the negativity in "some" Hip Hop.

But unlike Crouch, I realize that Hip Hop is really a code word that the media use for black youth and the degree of separation between the average rap dude and me isn't as much as you might think.

I also know that "black folks dissin' black folks" is a hot commodity. Just look at Bill Cosby's career. I mean, America hadn't thought about Cosby for over a decade until he became the official Hip Hop charm school headmaster demanding that young black men pull up their pants and talk proper English.

"Let's see if "we" say it, it will be considered racist but if we can pay a black guy to do it..."

So, many black folks have jumped at the chance to be the black Charlie McCarthy to the white power structure Edgar Bergen.

I bet Stan is somewhere, right now" in some editor's office buck dancin' to "Crank that Soldier Boy."

Until today, I was willing to live and let live and let Crouch get his hustle on. (We all got to eat, right ?)

But then he decided to diss me and I really wasn't feelin' that line about:

"Fortunately, there is ample proof of the universality of insipid thinking to discourage all except the most devoted bigots from concluding by reading blogs that black people are no more than the upright monkeys they were always thought to be in more informed times."

Not sure what all that meant, but I'm pretty sure that it was a diss...

Like my dude, Bugs Bunny used to say:

"Of course, you realize, this means war."

So Stan, I'm calling you out, homie. You wanna debate? Anytime, anywhere...

To borrow from the old school EPMD jam:

"So if you're thinkin bout battlin you better come prepared/
Come witcha shield and your armor gear"

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott can be reached at (919) 451-8283. His blog is http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/

"Cut the Bull" Mayoral Campaign

OK, as the local folks already know, your's truly has thrown his baseball cap in the ring for the race for mayor of Durham, the Bull City as a write in candidate. So, I will be starting an official "Cut the Bull" (CTB) section on this blog discussing local issues.

Durham has the usual hot button topics poppin' off this election season.

The first, of course, is what to do about these "murderous gangs that are plaguing our city, hiding behind every bush just waiting to dive on some unsuspecting citizen out for a nightly stroll..."

Yeah right...Cut the Bull !

You can read about my feelings about this "get tough on crime stuff" on my entry from weeks back "Mayberry Goes Gangsta"
http://nowarningshotsfired.blogspot.com/2007/07/when-mayberry-goes-gangsta.html

But I will say that you all need to stop depending on "Eyewitness News" and go out and get some "I witness views" about what's really going on in Durham.

Maybe if we stopped trying to fight "gangs" which are legal and fight "crime" which is illegal that may make a difference...

Ya think?

Next, the " illegal alien" issue...

Don't know about you but illegal aliens from South of the Border no more effect my livelihood than "illegal aliens" from outer space...

For most poor folks we "ain't never" had it so they can't take it.

Unemployment was a problem for poor folks long before the brown brotha's came and if they were all shipped back today, unemployment would still be a problem. The problem in this country is not too many illegal alliens but too many greedy rich people hoggin' all the resources and too few people who are willing to say it.

But if it makes you sleep better at night to think that the only thing standing between you and that six figure salaried job out in RTP is Julio Rodriguez, What can I say?

Lastly, a couple of points on the Herald Sun stories...

So, the paper called me "Smith" in the paper last Saturday and retracted it on Sunday.

No biggie, it was probably an honest mistake (wink, wink) I'm sure they will call me worst names between now and Election Day.

Not sure how Mike Ashe from the Durham Election Board was "misquoted" as saying in Saturday's paper that a write- in candidate did not have to file papers with the board unless he/she was going to spend more than three grand and then have it flipped the next day to say if a candidate spends "any money" he/she must file? I thought that you were free to write any name on the ballot in a Democracy. (That's why they leave a blank space.)

No worries, Mike. I ain't gonna spend a dime. I got my own printer for fliers and my own burner for my election song CD's.

I never understood how spending 15 grand on those annoying signs ever helped anybody get elected anyway.

"Let's see, I've never seen this guy in my 'hood, don't know what he stands for but he's got some real pretty signs, so he gets my vote!"

Are people really that shallow? So, no donations please. You wanna do something, give the money you were gonna give me to the next homeless person you see. It's about to get cold and they need it more than I do...Or download my "campaign theme" from the website, burn it and blast it in your ride.
http://www.hiphopstrikesback.com/

Lastly, that last quote in Sunday's paper about my homie "J-Dub" (Jackie Wagstaff) was not supposed to be a diss about our campaigns being different because I am in touch with the street.

It was kinda taken out of context. I was referring to my role as primarily a Hip Hop activist...

I have nothing but respect for Ms. Wagstaff...

Well, I'm signing off for now...

So just chill, 'till the next episode...

Min. Paul Scott
The Hip Hop Howard Beale
"Mad as heck and not takin' it anymore"

Durham is Truly A-Maze-ing

Durham is Truly A-Maze-ing

Min. Paul Scott




It started off as an easy task, last June. I just wanted to go to
the post office, check my mail and go home.

Simple, right? Not in Durham.

What started off as a simple trip to the post office
ended up being a journey through the streets of
Durham. Anyone who entered into the
matrix formerly known as downtown Durham, last Spring can "feel me" on this one.

However, for those critics who are asking
"why in the world would I want to go downtown." Let me
hip you to the facts.

If you have dared venture east of Brightleaf Square
earlier this year you would have found yourself bombarded with detour signs; signs that lead you from one detour to another.

Although, I have lived here for more than 20 years
and thought that I knew every nook and cranny in the
Bull City, last June I found myself following a
little old lady with out of state tags who for some
strange reason I assumed knew where she was going.
After taking a few wrong turns, we found ourselves
exchanging confused looks in the parking lot of the
used bookstore.

As I sat in the parking lot drawing a makeshift map to
sell to out of towners, I thought about how the detour
ridden downtown area is similar to the City of
Medicine's political scene.

Durham is one of those cities where old south
conservatism often clashes with new south progressive
idealism. Many times, this is a good thing, as by
nature a culturally diverse community needs a
diversity of ideas.

Historically, Durham politics has been dominated by a
handful of powerful and smooth talking public
interest groups all claiming to possess the best
solution for the city's problems.

While the grouping of political ideologies is standard
practice in any Democracy, it becomes problematic when
these groups only represent the powerful few and no
longer represent the aspirations of the struggling
masses.

Although, these organizations are very visible when
election time comes around or when it is time to put
another face in a high place, they are rarely seen
addressing the needs of the everyday citizens in the
off season. The representatives of these groups give
grandiose stump speeches about how their organization
is best qualified to lead the masses of Durham folks
through all the detours into the proverbial promise
land. However, the underlying issue always seems to
be what group's crony gets the fat contract to paint
more detour signs while the everyday citizens remain
as lost as ever.

This is not limited to Durham, however, as there is
alarge segment of the population who identify with
neither the Republicans nor the Democrats. Yes, there
are people who's views are neither represented by the
highly conservative Fox News nor the liberal National
Public Radio.

Locally, you might say that neither WPTF nor WUNC
"rep the hood nor the trailer park.”

Durham, like the rest of this country, needs a new
voice that speaks for all the people of Durham, not
just the chosen few. Someone who speaks for the
average Joe who only wants to put food on his
family's table, a roof over their heads and have them
live in a safe neighborhood. Although Durham's
political groups seem overly sympathetic to my
concerns during election time, I doubt if any of them
really cared that my million dollar check from Ed
McMahon might have been waiting for me in my mail box while I was
lost at the corner of Main and Roxboro.

As we enter into the upcoming political season you
will hear, ad nauseam, these groups trying to sell you
on the promise that they have a new direction for
Durham and how one group is good and the other the
epitome of evil.

But when all is said and done , I think that most
people are just like me.

We're just trying to get to the Post Office.

Min. Paul Scott will launch his "Cut the Bull" Campain Saturday September 22

For more information conatc (919) 451-8283

NWSF Bullet: Why America Needs OJ

Let me say this from the jump. Most black folks couldn't care less about OJ Simpson. After all the tears that we have cried over political prisoners like Mumia Abu Jamal and Jamil Al-Amin (formerly H. Rap Brown), not to mention Uncle Willie who still claims that he didn't knock over that liqour store back in the day, forgive me if we don't have any Kleenex's to waste on a man best known for always running through airports for no apparent reason in the old Hertz commercials.

However, why does white America feel the need to pull out "OJ in a Box" every couple of years, especially when there is a major story circulating around the black community with the smoking gun of white racism.

Seems that anytime that the media want to divert our attention they just go get OJ, dust him off and place his smiling face in front of the camera. It's almost like they have him trapped behind a "break in case of emergency" glass.

Or anytime they need a black bad guy to counter some white act of racism, they get OJ. I wish that I had a dollar for everytime over the last decade, I've heard a white person who was trying to justify white bigotry say...

"Yeah, but what about OJ!!!!"

Black children harrased for sitting under a white's only tree and a black teen gets unjustly sentenced...

No problem, get OJ ....

Black woman tortured and forced to eat poop...

um, OJ...

White comic launches a N bomb tirade at black patrons at a comedy club...

Ditto ..

OJ goes to court tomorrow..I can just see him leaving court doing that scene from the movie Scarface...

"You need people like me so you can point your ***** fingers and say 'that's the bad guy."

So until the next episode of white racism...

Say goodnight to the bad guy.

Min. Paul Scott http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/ (919) 451-8283

NWSF Bullet: Give Us Gangsta Rap!!!

Funny thing happened today. Last week, I sent my press release for Hip Hop Strikes Back's controversial new track "Drums of War" that puts Bill O'Reilly and the rest of the Hip Hop Haters on blast to my friendly local paper, the Durham Herald Sun.

Seems like it was given the go ahead until I called today to see why "Drums of War" had not graced the front page (or at least honorable mention at the bottom of the gardening section.)

I was now told that the song ,for some reason, did not fit the format for even the Arts and Entertainment blog.

No problemo...

I admit that "Drums" is a little hardcore, even though it contains none of those dirty four letter words...(OK, we were tempted to call Sean Hannity a no good "bleep...bleep....bleep" But we didn't!!!)

And I can see it not really fitting in under a story about "Big Bubba and his Amazing Banjo."

Plus when a newspaper decides to label you persona non grata, you can put on a clown suit and set yourself on fire while singing Yankee Doodle Dandy and the reporters will do a front page story on the fireman's boots that put your fire out....

But out of curiosity I went to the entertainment blog and what were they promoting on the 8/29 entry?

A local group's myspace page featuring a song about N***** rollin' dice on ho's!!!

(Really, I'm not making this up)

Don't believe me? Go to the Herald Sun's website (http://www.heraldsun.com/) and under "Entertainment" click on the A&E blog and scroll down to 8/29....

I had always said that if given a choice the media would choose the smooth gangsta stylings of a Snoop Doggy Dog instead of the political and well thought out rap of a Public Enemy...

Now we know and like they used to say on the old GI Joe cartoon...

"and knowing is half the battle...."

"Ms Goetz" Gets a Gun: Is The Brave One Racist?

“Ms. Goetz” Gets a Gun:
The Brave One and Black Male Bashin’

Min. Paul Scott



Peep this scenario. Timid lookin’ white lady sittin’ alone on a dark NY subway when all of a sudden two black dudes who look like they just stepped out of a 50 Cent video come all the way from the back of the train and pull a knife on her for no apparent reason. Little do they know that they are about to go heads up with the psycho chick from hell...

What I have just described is the trailer from the new movie, “The Brave One” which opens in theaters September 14th. The plot of the film, as I understand it from the previews, is Erica Bain (played by Jodi Foster) and her fiance are out walking “Sluggo” when some bad dudes kill the man and kidnap the dog, which drives Foster’s character over the edge and she transform herself into...drum roll please ... “Bad News ” Bain, hardcore vigilante and defender of the defenseless...Dum Dum Dum!!!

“It was one thing to kill my man but when you mess with the dog...Prepare to meet your maker, buster !”

What bothers me about the film is not the plot per se, after all anyone who has the nerve to shoot someone’s significant other and kidnap the pooch deserves a beatdown. But what gets my goat is the not so subtle racial overtones in the previews.

A trailer is supposed to be a lightening quick, 60 second synopsis of a two hour movie so the flash that I got from the Brave One preview was black thugs, Latino gangs and loud creepy music. Now if I missed the scene with drunk, white college frat boys chasing Jodie Foster through a keg party armed with Super Soakers, blame it on bad lighting.

Another case of anti-black male propaganda by Hollywood.

While this is nothing new, what is never discussed is the socio-political ramification of black male bashing in the media.

Have you ever wondered why after all the ill stuff that has happened to black people over the centuries that you rarely see a black vigilante movie striking back at white folks? This is because the movie makers know, full well, the power they posses to shape public opinion. So don’t ever expect to see a movie about one day when Rosa Parks gets tired of being told to sit in the back of the bus , she starts blastin’ fools with her pistol.

The film industry has a history of portraying black men as violent beasts dating as far back as 1915 with DW Griffith’s “Birth of a Nation” which featured a blood thirsty former slave named Gus who had a taste for white women. The movie was used as a Ku Klux Klan recruiting tool and a high number of lynchings were also recorded after the film’s release.

During the early 70's it can be suggested that Richard Nixon’s “get tough on crime” policy was not hampered by the blaxploitation movies of the era that portrayed black men as hustlers, dope fiends and pimps.

Moving into the 90's, how much of a role did movies like “Menace to Society” have in the development of stricter drug laws and anti-gang legislation disproportionately effecting young black men?

Politically speaking, did movies like 1993's “Falling Down” and it’s portrayal of the angry white man taking back his country help rally the troops for the 1994 Republican takeover of Congress in a post LA Rebellion America that was becoming increasing “multi-cultural?”

Many of us will never admit to how much we are effected by the stereotypical images we see on the big screen and how these images effect our judgement, especially when we are forced to make split second life or death decisions.

When Bernard Goetz put holes in some black teens on a NY subway or Soon Ja Du murdered 15 year old Latasha Harlins in a Korean grocery store in LA, were they reacting to real threats or imagined threats based largely on media images?

Either way, as a result of their very real actions one black teen lay paralyzed and the other dead.

Call me a modern day Don Quixote chasing windmills at every turn thinking that they are racist dragons but as Thomas Jefferson once said, “The price of Freedom is eternal vigilance.”

So, sometimes does that mean making a mountain out of a molehill?

Perhaps.

But what if there was a movie about an evil slum lord and the first man shown in the preview just happened to be wearing a yarmulke ?

Or if the next release by Warner Brothers was a flick about child molesters with a cameo appearance by “Father Flanagan ?.”

Would Jews and Catholics be wrong to be a little miffed?

Only black folks have to write a doctoral thesis defending why they are P.O. ‘d; other cultures’ concerns are taken at face value.

If it wasn’t for the fact that black males make up a disproportionate number of inmates in American prisons and at this very moment six young men in Jena Louisiana are facing long prison sentences, I probably wouldn’t bother bringing up this issue.

But these are the facts and fighting against the negative stereotypes of black men has become my raison d’etre.

You know , they say a picture is worth a thousand words, but to a young black man facing prison, a movie picture is worth a 20 year bid.

Min. Paul Scott is a writer and activist in Durham NC. His blog is http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 info@nowarningshotsfired.com

Scared Spit-less

Scared "Spit" less:
Why Hip Hop Fears the Powers that Be
Min. Paul Scott


The date is September 11, 2007. The conference room of
the Hyatt Hotel is packed as 50 Cent and Kanye West
engage in a debate over who’s CD will out sell the
other. Although, Kanye West has been known to kick a
serious rhyme or two, it’s not about that this go
round. It’s about who is going to get it poppin’ at
the club next weekend and which CD is going to shake
up the world. Half the crowd is screaming G-Unit,
while the other half is throwin’ up the Rock-a-fella
diamond. But in the end who wins the competition for
Hip Hop world supremacy? The Conservative Think Tank
meeting across the street devising ways to silence
black voices....

For the last few months, there has been a buildup
surrounding the same day release of the Kanye West and
Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson CD’s to rivale that of the
Ali/Frazier fight. I am expecting any moment to see
Don King on TV talking about how "magnanimous" the
event will be.

The obvious question is that with Hip Hop being under
the gun since the Don Imus "nappy headed ho" thing
last April, why isn’t Hip Hop more interested in
devising a counter attack?

Am I missing something?

In Atlanta, right now, the powers that be are pushing
for laws banning saggin’ pants at the same time the
talking heads are trying to blame Michael Vick’s dog
fighting rap on DMX.

So why do Hip Hop artists choose to major in the minor
instead of tackling the hard questions ?

The answer is simple. It’s called fear.

Men ain’t supposed to be scared of nuthin’.So in the
larger than life, testosterone driven world of Hip
Hop, of course, this is over exaggerated,

This is not to say that black men don’t have the right
to be a little edgy. Just look back at our history.

It was not unusual for rebellious black men in the
19th and early 20th centuries to be hanged in front of
their wives and children. Not to mention the
COINTELPRO Program of the 60's in which those who
dared to speak out had their lives snatched.
It must be noted that those assassinations were not
for the victims but to plant a seed of fear in
generations to come so that if they even thought about
rebelling against authority, visions of black
mutilated bodies would flash before their eyes.

This is the historical source of our fears. No one
really wants to be a martyr, especially amongst a
people who don’t have such a good track record in
honoring their heros.

Or maybe the rappers are scared of "revolutionary
career suicide" to borrow from a phrase coined by Huey
P Newton.

America has shown very little tolerance for those who
have been blessed with the treasures of capitalism who
use their fame and influence to challenge the very
system under which they gained their wealth.

Do the rappers of today really want to suffer the same
fate as Paul Robeson who was blackballed for being a
"Commie", Billie Holiday who was banned for singing
about that "strange fruit" hanging from southern trees
or Craig Hodges of the Chicago Bulls who was
blacklisted for rockin’ a dashiki to the White House ?

Hip Hop has not been spared the wrath of the
establishment as rappers such as Professor Griff,
Sister Souljah, Ice T, Ice Cube experienced "Hip Hop
high tech lynchings" during the late 80's/early 90's.
Who wants to risk losing a fleet of sports cars and
houses in the Hamptons when it is much easier to bury
your head in a bag of weed and pretend that all is
right with the world?

Recently, it was revealed that the government has a
program called "Talon" that was keeping an eye on anti
-war activists including members of that peaceful,
turn the other cheek religious group, the Quakers.

Now if the Feds kept a file on that dude on the
oatmeal box, what kind of file do you think that they
have on the brotha on the cover of a CD burnin’ a
flag, raising his middle finger and yellin’ F**** the
Police?

Also, while Hip Hop headz were quick to wear T-Shirts
that said "Free Pimp C" and "Free Lil Kim", how many
are going to sport t-shirts that say "Free the Jena
6"?

Despite all the tough talk that rappers spit at each
other, when it comes to speaking truth to the powerful
decision shapers most have a fear of Bill O’Reilly
grabbin’ them by their collars in a back room and
saying:

"Listen, we can handle this like gentlemen or we can
get into some real street stuff...’

But that ain’t everybody. Some of us are not afraid to
speak truth to power in 2007. Durham NC rapper Big
Swagg, hook master Mr. Cox and yours truly, the TRUTH
Minista have teamed up for "Drums of War" a Hip Hop
diss track aimed at those who are dissin’ Hip Hop.
(You can download it at
http://www.hiphopstrikesback.com )

Let this be the "Fight the Power " of 2007! The new
anthem that is going to make Hip Hop stand up! The
song that is going to shake the very foundation of....

OK, I’ll be happy to just give Bill O’Reilly
nightmares about a group of "gangsta rappers" tying
him up and making him watch 48, uninterrupted hours of
BET.

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott’s blog is
http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com He can be reached
at (919) 451-8283 info@nowarningshotsfired.com

New Rap Disses Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Others

Rap has been getting a bad rap as of late. Since the Don Imus fiasco last April, much of America's attention has been focused on the violence and misogyny in some Hip Hop lyrics. Now a group out of NC is fighting back by releasing their own rap response.

Durham NC's "Hip Hop Stikes Back" (Big Swagg, Mr. Cox and TRUTH Minista Paul Scott) has recorded a diss track called "Drums of War" which takes shots at such opinion shapers such as Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Paula Zahan and even Ted Nugent.

Although, much of the Hip Hop coming out of the South is about dancing the group challenges southern rappers to be more politically conscious.

Also, the lack of black and latino faces on networks such as Fox News and MSNBC makes it important that rappers use their songs to give another perspective of world events. Hip Hop Strikes Back does just that as the group tackles subjects from Don Imus, to the Jena 6 to Michael Vick.

Although much of Hip Hop's attention is focused on the upcoming release of the Kanye West/50 Cent CD's, the group is hoping for a million downloads by September 11th to prove that people will support underground southern Hip Hop with a message.

The song can be heard and downloaded for free at http://www.hiphopstrikesback.com/

For more information contact (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com

Why the Right Be Hatin' on Hip Hop

Why the Right be Hatin’ on Hip Hop:
Race, Rap and Republicans
Min. Paul Scott

The crowd sat glued to their seats as Dr. Theodore R.
Poindexter, head of the Moral Maniacs conservative
group, stood before them banging his fist on the
podium. “They are the biggest threat to America since
the Cuban Missile Crisis; destroying America from the
inside out,” he yelled while sweat beads rolled down
his now crimson face. No , he wasn’t talking about
some terrorist cell of anti-American foreign
nationalists. He was referring to the new rap group,
“Hip Hop Strike Force....

Although Hip Hop has put billions of dollars into the
American economy over the last two decades, it is
perhaps the most “hated on” form of entertainment ever
created.

For the hood, Hip Hop at its best has served as the
voice of the voiceless or as rapper Chuck D said the
“the black CNN.” But for the Conservatives Hip Hop
has been the epitome of evil, proof that Armageddon
was near at hand.

Now, the fear of offensive lyrics can be understood.
Sen. Robert Wentworth’s worst fear is to be summoned
to his son’s principal’s office because Lil Bobby
threatened to bust a cap in his 3rd grade gym teacher
for “dissing” him in front of the class.

But “gangsta rap” is not Hip Hop in its totality. Like
most issues concerning black people, the Right takes
Hip Hop at face value without putting it in a
historical nor social context. So their “well
informed” talking heads give the American people an
overly simplistic analysis.

“Tonight on Fox News Hip Hop is bad...Now for our
next story....”

Quiet as it is kept...Conservative America’s fear of
“gangsta rap” is not because of the over abundance of
four letter words; but that these same words could be
used to incite a riot or at the least start young
people thinking critically about making fundamental
changes in society.

They understand that the only difference between the
radical militant Black Power leader of 1967 and the
gangsta rapper of 2007, is content and misdirection of
rage. In other words, the degrees of separation
between Malcolm X and 50 Cent are not as much as one
might think.

The threat of black voices of dissension has always
been a major concern for the “powers that be” in this
country. One of the first things that the slave
traders did to the enslaved Africans was to take the
drum. They found out the hard way that the drums of
war that they heard beatin’ in the distance weren’t
calling the Africans to dance but to rebel.

During the Civil Rights Era the power structure began
to turn its attention to “urban youth violence” and
FBI Chief J Edgar Hoover put his COINTELPRO Program in
overdrive with the purpose of preventing the rise of a
black messiah that could energize the youth.

During the early 70's, the fading Black Power
Movement left as its legacy militant music like the
Isley Brothers’ “Fight the Power” and the OJ’s “Give
the People What they Want” until it was replaced by
the mindless, apolitical Disco music. Despite the
militant overtone of the Tramp’s song “Disco Inferno”
and its challenge to “burn tha mother down” it was
simply a call for drugged up disco freaks to hit the
dance floor.

It was the Hip Hop music of the late 80's and early
90's that brought the content back to black music.
The music of groups like Public Enemy resurrected the
rebellious spirit of a generation.

But that rebirth was not without consequence. America
has always had a beef with those entertainers who have
dared to bite the hand that has allowed them to gain
wealth and popularity.

One can look at the careers of Paul Robeson, who was
blackballed for being a “Commie”, Billie Holiday who
was banned for singing about that “strange fruit”
hanging from southern trees or Chicago Bulls player
Craig Hodges who was blacklisted by the NBA for
wearing a dashiki to the White House.
Although, Hip Hop was still in its commercial infancy,

Professor Griff, Sister Souljah, Ice T, Tupac Shakur
and others felt the wrath of an America scorned at the
hand of the Conservatives and those who courted the
Conservative vote.

Now in 2007 we see a renewed attack on Hip Hop
from a post Michael Richards/Don Imus America aching
for a scapegoat upon which to blame all of this
nation’s problems.

So a few of the homies have gotten together and
recorded a “diss” record aimed at those Right Wing
talking heads who have been guilty of “dissing” Hip
Hop. (And frankly, a few were thrown in just cuz we
don’t like ‘em.) The track, “Drums of War” featuring
Big Swagg, Mr. Cox and yours truly can be found at
http://www.hiphopstrikesback.com

Let this be the song that sparks the revolution! The
Left’s new anthem that makes the Right shake in their
boots! The song that will bring about a wave of
social equality that....

OK, I’ll settle for making Bill O’Reilly have
nightmares about a bunch of “gangsta rappers” bum
rushin’ the No Spin Zone, tying him up and forcing him
to watch 48 uninterrupted hours of Black
Entertainment Television...

Min. Paul Scott is a “gangsta journalist” based in
Durham NC. His blog is
http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com He can be reached
at (919) 451-8283
info@nowarningshotsfired.com

NWSF Bullet: Much A-Doggie-Doo About Nuthin'

The Pit bull Court: Fido vs Mike Vick
Much a-doggie do about Nuthin’

Plaintiff: Fido Age 14 (in human years)
Occupation: Security Guard
Defendant: Michael Vick Age 27
Occupation: Professional Football Player
Verdict: Defendant pleads guilty

Don’t get me wrong. I like dogs. I remember watching Lassie every day when I came home from school and would cheer every time she would save Little Timmy from drowning in the lake.

But all the hoopla over the Mike Vick dog fighting thing is overkill to the third degree.
Let’s keep it real. Besides the die hard football fans in Atlanta who still remember "the Gritz Blitz" from the Jimmy Carter days, how many Americans knew who Vick was before the dog fighting scandal?

Sure, he could run down the field hopping over defensive linemen, jumping tall buildings in a single bound....

No, wait a minute that was Underdog...

But anyway, the Falcons are more or less (OK, more) a mediocre team with one moving part; the man in question. I mean, I was disappointed. that the Falcons didn’t make the playoffs last year but let’s not send the man to jail!!

So, why the weeks and weeks of media hype over Vick and some pitbulls?

Could it be that the media have succumbed to PETA Pressure?

Now when black folks get upset, we may march, picket , have a rally at the courthouse. But those PETA people are known for rollin’ up on celebreties at ritzy award shows and throwin’ pig’s blood on $ 5,000 fur coats...

Now that’s gangsta!

Call me a Hip Hop Conspiracy Theorist, but I believe this is yet another attempt for post Imus white America to find another black boogey man to use as a scapegoat...

"Yeah, pal. We may have done the slavery thing and lynched your ancestors; But YOU guys freakin' kill dogs, man!!!!"

Proof of this can be found in the media’s attempts to connect dog fighting with Hip Hop...

Listen Homies, the pitbull thing really died out with DMX back in the 90's. Today’s commercial Hip hop is about girls and strip clubs...Pitbulls scare girls and aren’t allowed in Strip Clubs; bad for business.

Also, one of the main issues being discussed in barbershops in hoods across America is why is so much attention being payed to animals than the wrongs that have been done to black folks?

Historically, black life has not been valued. Back in slavery times, if a slave and a mule fell in the lake and the slave owner only had time to save one of them...well...

Also, as a side note, it may be noted that during WWII German POW’s got better treatment than black soldiers...

Not to mention the fact that one of Vick's harshest critics, Senator Robert "Barabaric! Barbaric!" Byrd was once a member of the KKK, a group that did to black folks what Vick, allegedly did to pitbulls.

If the pitbull had been accused of biting Michael Vick, all that would have happened is that the kid from the 70's show Benji would have held a press conference with some PETA people and some black "leaders," asked for healing and forgiveness and all would have been forgiven and forgotten. Fido would not have had to spend one night in the pound.

Bottom line is..All of those people who are spending valuable time trying to put Vick in the slammer with all the other messed up stuff going on in the world are really barking up the wrong tree.

Min. Paul Scott http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/

NWSF Bullet: Bill O'Reilly vs Nas

Bill O’Reilly of the infamous Hip Hophobic , No "Spine" Zone has a new target, the rapper Nas.
According to news reports over the past few weeks, Nas is scheduled to perform at Virginia Tech on Sept 6 in a concert for the victims of last semester’s massacre,; a decision that is being opposed by some of the family members of the victims.

Last night, O’Reilly started a campaign to put pressure on not only the president of VA Tech , Charles Steger but the governor of Virginia, Tim Kaine ,as well , to remove Nas from the line up that includes the Dave Mathews Band and John Mayer.
http://www.foxnews.com/oreilly/

Yep, old Billy Boy is pullin’ out the big guns for this one.

O’Reilly even pulled out an editorial from the Va Tech student newspaper that he claimed represented the feelings of "all" of the students at VA Tech, as exhibit A.

Now Bill, you know that any editorial really only represents the views of the person who wrote it.

Also, according to the retraction at the beginning of the same editorial over which O’Reilly gloated, the writer originally accused the Black Student Alliance for selecting Nas, when it was actually the Dave Matthews Band.
http://www.collegiatetimes.com/news/2/ARTICLE/9228/2007-08-09.html

But why confuse the matter with facts, right.

Now, I ain’t gonna defend Nas because he does have the habit of flippin’ from intellectual to thug at the drop of a hat. You never know if Nas is gonna be naughty or nice. Also, I feel the pain of the families...I wouldn’t want to hear Nas’s diss track about "gettin’ yourself a gun" either if my son or daughter had been killed.

However, this is clearly, just another O’Reilly power play. Ever since he got Ludacris canned by Pepsi back in 2002 he has become Fox’s Hip Hop Cop.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,61546,00.html

Does Nas have some violent lyrics?

No doubt...

But is he the "gangsta rapper with lyrics as violent as they come" as O’Reilly claimed?

Nope.

I can give Bill a whole list of lyrics by rappers that make Nas sound like Pat Boone.
And besides that period when he was a little miffed at Jay Z for sayin’ that he slept with Nas's baby's mama and left a condom on the car seat, (which would have made any man wanna pull out a can of whup...) Nas really isn’t known in Hip Hop circles for promoting violence but articulating what goes on in Queens, everyday.

The problem with "High and Mighty" O’Reilly and folks like him is they like to use their platforms to diss Hip Hop instead of having principled, informative discussions..

So, note to Wild Bill...

Listen Ringo O'Reilly...If you're really hankerin' for a good ole fashion, rootin tootin Hip Hop Showdown at the No Spin Zone Corral. ..

I'm your Huckleberry...

To borrow from a Nas lyric ...

To shut O’Reilly up about Hip Hop once and for all:

"All I need is one mic"


Min. Paul Scott http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/ (919) 451-8283

Hangin' With the Homeboys

Hangin' With the Homeboys:
Courtin' the Black Vote '08
Min. Paul Scott


You can set your clock by it. Every election year they show up in front of a bunch of well dressed, college educated, middle class black folks who are supposed to "rep" the entire African American community. The moderator asks the same polite questions that he posed last election and he gets the same, well rehearsed answers that he got last election.

Just once, I'd like to see Tyrone "T-Boogie" Johnson grab the mic and yell,

"What ya gonna do for the hood, homie!"

as the stunned presidential candidates duck for cover under the dais.

Tis the season for political strategists to find new and imagin....

OK... they’re the same old, unimaginative strategies that they've always used; warmed over. It's the same technique year in and year out. Go to a few black mega churches, shake a couple of hands, attend the NAACP/Urban League Conventions and make a lot of grandiose speeches containing promises that you have no intention of keeping.

Simple isn't it?

Conventional wisdom says that if you invoke the name of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. enough times, most well off black folks will follow you through hell wearing gasoline underwear.

But that doesn't apply to "tha hood" where Dr. King, himself, found his harshest critics.

While you may be able to finagle a couple of votes from the black middle class by a nice speech, the hood wants action.

See, the people in the hood have "issues". Middle class blacks have "concerns" but poor folks have "issues."

While the biggest concern of Dr. Horatio Farnsworth Jackson may be the rising taxes on his summer cottage on the lake, Lakesha Johnson is more concerned about how she is going to pay the rent next month.

The irony of a presidential candidate being able to raise more money in an hour at a thousand dollar-a -plate fundraiser than all the folks in the kitchen washing the dishes will make all year does not escape the hood.

This is why many of us choose to spend time relaxing at the crib eating Oodles of Noodles and watching videos on BET instead of going to the polls on election day.

While many of the middle class will start hyperventilating at the thought of black folks not voting and start yelling,

"Your...(huff).. ancestors died.. (huff, huff.)..so that you...(gasp)...could have the right to vote!"

That piece of revisionist rhetoric does not quite match historical facts nor common sense.
Our ancestors died for Freedom and Equality, not to pull a lever behind a shower curtain. Voting was always meant to be a means to an end, not vice versa.

Someone once said that voting is a democracy's alternative to rioting in the streets. So, in that case, it can be said that one brotha with a Molotov cocktail did more for "Civil Rights" then all of Dr. King’s marches put together. I am sure that most historians will agree that if it wasn't for the fiery "militant" threats of Malcolm X, as an alternative to "King's Dream", we wouldn't have a day off work the third Monday of every January to celebrate his birthday.

In reality, voting is a compromise; a peace treaty between the "haves" and the "have nots" that says:

"Despite all of that mumbo jumbo that they taught me in history class about what the "Founding Father" dudes said about fighting against tyranny, I believe that all of my aspirations for Life, Liberty with a can of happiness on the side can be realized by getting up on Election Day, entering a booth and drawing a line with a pen that they will so thoughtfully supply..."

So all that gloom and doom "signifyin'" about the evils of abstaining from the political process may play in Peoria but not in Compton.

Politicians must realize that the suit and ties that they court every election year do not represent all of black America. That room of BMW drivin’ , expensive cuff link wearin' folks at the NAACP function is no more representative of all African Americans than the group of cookie bakin' , soccer moms at the Harper Valley PTA is representative of all white Americans.

If the presidential candidates really want to get down, get funky, get loose and get a real taste of African Americana then they need to come down to the weekly political convention that we have every Saturday morning at Byron's Barber Shop and Beauty Salon.

We'll save a seat for ya....

Min. Paul Scott is a writer and activist in Durham NC. His blog is http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 info@nowarningshotsfired.com