Rupert Murdoch Ain't My Brother's Keeper
Min. Paul Scott
Recently, many black folk cheered President Obama's creation of his new, nonprofit spin-off of My Brothers Keeper called My Brother's Keeper Alliance.
That's all good and gravy, as I like the idea of givin' back to the hood as much as the next guy. And I kinda dug the President's speech about how so many "young men of color" just don't get the breaks of the more economically privileged...
But before I could break into my impromptu rendition of John Legend's nouveau civil rights anthem from the movie Selma, "Glory," I had to change my tune.
I happened to notice that one of the proud sponsors of the initiative is News Corp, which is owned by the father of Fox News, himself, Rupert Murdoch.
Whoa!!!
Now, I know that if you start marking off everything that Murdoch owns between his News Corp and 21st Century Fox companies, you might as well go back to writing on stone tablets but Fox News is an example of anti-black journalism, if I've ever seen one.
Fox News has been responsible for the most degrading images of black people since, well... BET's Hot Ghetto Mess. Every night, between Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity, the network puts out enough negative images of African Americans to make James Brown stop singin' "I'm Black and I'm Proud." If you see any black person on Fox News (except for Dr. Ben Carson and a hand full of their other homies) , you can bet your last dollar that they are being treated like...dare I say it ...thugs.
Remember it was Mad Money Murdoch, who once tweeted "all the Egyptians I know are white" in response to the almost lily-white Noah movie cast. (I sure hope he doesn't fund the Brother's Keeper Black History Month program, next year.)
This is not the type of person that I want directing the lives of black boys. The last thing we need is a bunch of new black right wing extremists dressed like Will Smith's buppy cousin, "Carlton " from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, dancin' to the ol' school sounds of Ted Nugent.
Nope. We need more Malcolm X's and Marcus Garvey's, not Uncle Toms and Sambos.
My granddad used to say "all money ain't good money." And this is definitely the case with News Corp. Why can't the project be funded by black celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Floyd Mayweather or one of the major Hip Hop artists who spend 50 grand on a good night makin' it rain on naked women in a strip club.
President Obama, should return Murdoch's check with a nice "thanks but no thanks" written on it in graffiti.
That's one brother that My Brother's Keeper should tell to keep his money!
Min. Paul Scott is founder of the Messianic Afrikan Nation. He can be reached at (919) 972-8305 or info@nowarningshotsfired,com Follow on Twitter @truthminista
Showing posts with label Al Sharpton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Al Sharpton. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Sunday, July 28, 2013
We Charge Zimmer-cide
We Charge Zimmer-cide:
Why Our Self Destruction is not Self -inflicted
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott
You’re the one that was tryin’ to keep me way down/
Like the sun you know I found my way back round
Crooked Smile-J Cole
Last week , Wild Bill O’Reilly went on one of his frequent rampages against rap , blaming the genre for all of the problems facing the black community. However, this time the Fox commentator went extra hard, obviously, more than a little miffed by the way millions of black folks are outraged over the George Zimmerman acquittal for the murder of Trayvon Martin. So Bill used his bully pulpit to lecture 40 million black Americans on how to solve “the race problem.” In his twisted right wing logic, he seemed to infer that if there weren't so many Black baby mamas who listen to Hip Hop, Trayvon Martin would still be alive today!
Well , it’s time that somebody put Ol’ Bill on blast.
Now, O’Reilly wasn’t the first person in the last few weeks who blamed the Trayvon Martin murder on drugs, Black on Black violence, rap music etc. But since he reaches millions of people every night, it is fair to say that he is the loudest. O’Reilly’s Fox News team mate, Sean Hannity, has had a field day with the Zimmerman Trial and former "Mr. Party Like a Rock Star," Ted Nugent referred to Trayvon as a “dope smokin’ gangsta wanna be”
From the first day of the trial, the murmurs of “forget Sanford,what about Chicago ?” began to float around the conservative blogosphere. This has produced what is referred to as “Zimmer-cide” - the act of killing innocent Black children with impunity under the pretense of fear, then blaming the black community for the act.”
OK. I would be the first to admit that we have some major problems in the African American community and we do need to have a convo. But I refuse to sit idly by and let the likes of Bill O’Reilly and Ted Nugent define the parameters of the conversation and determine when we are going to have it!
So, instead of talking about what black people have done wrong, let’s deal with the evil that white men do.
Historically, white people have been incapable of blaming themselves for any of the atrocities that they or their ancestors have committed against not only African Americans, but the indigenous cultures of the planet earth.
Some may argue that it is against human nature to blame ones self for one's actions, as philosophers have had endless debates over the subject. Also, in his book, The Great White Lie , Jack Gratus attempts to use Kurt Godel’s theorem to explain the inability of the European to have an honest discussion on racism.
Whether they admit it or not, history has recorded their many acts of genocide that make the southside of Chicago look like Disney World. From the Congo of Africa to the Great Plains of America, the European has a lot more blood on his hands than the “Chief Keefs” of the world have on theirs.
Contrary to popular belief “genocide” does not just mean hauling people off and exterminating them in gas ovens.
According to the 1949 United Nations “Genocide Convention," it also means “deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part. " So anyone who sets the climate for black kids in hoodies who listen to Lil Wayne to be murdered by overzealous neighborhood watch people are also , be definition, guilty of genocide.
Although Bill O’Reilly mouthed off a whole bunch of statistics about the pathologies facing black people , as they say , statistics can conceal more than they reveal. While he named rappers that degrade the black community, what he did not mention is that the top shot callers in the entertainment industry are old white men. (But since we are supposed to be too ig’nant to read books like Fredric Dannen’s , Hit Men, I guess we weren’t supposed to know that.)
Also, while commentators keep preachin' about the gang violence in Chicago, they forget the role that government agencies played in shutting down Fred Hampton’s attempt to stop the gang wars in Chicago as early as the 1960’s when COINTELPRO agents sent fake letters to Jeff Fort of the Black P. Stone Rangers ,claiming that the Panthers had put a hit on him.
Even though they blame drug dealin’ for destroying the hood, they can’t seem to remember Gary Webb’s Dark Alliance accusation that claimed it was the CIA that put crack in the 'hood in the first place.
The list goes on, but you get the point.
What is most insulting about this whole charade , is that they are using their massive propaganda machines to paint the picture that there are not thousands black people across the country who have dedicated their lives to fighting social ills.
There are also many Hip Hop thinkers that O’Reilly , Nugent and their ilk would never face on the intellectual battlefield.
Those who would use the writings of Dr. Amos Wilson and Dr. Frances Cress Welsing to properly diagnose problems facing the black community and not just parrot some Moynihan report from almost 50 years ago.
No matter how much these pundits want to blame black folks for the “race problem,” truth is the problem ain’t the music we listen to or the clothes we wear. It is global white supremacy and all issues we face stem from that fact.
Like Wyclef Jean once rapped “Black on Black crime needs to stop/ya’ll can’t blame it on Hip Hop.
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott can be reached at info@nowarningshotsfired.com Follower on Twitter @truthminista Be sure to check out Militant Minded Radio every Tuesday night at 9PM EST http://blacktalkradionetwork.com/page/militantmindedradio
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Feds Watchin'
Feds Watchin’:
How They Tune In When We Get Turnt
Up Ima be fresh as hell if the feds watchin’
Feds Watchin’ 2 Chainz
Many people across the country are upset over the outcome of the George Zimmerman trial for the murder of Trayvon Martin. And rightly so. The trial was a miscarriage of so called justice if I’ve ever seen one. However, the fact that we can’t sleep on. is that for the past two weeks the whole ‘hood has been on trial.
From the day that the George Zimmerman trial began, most of the focus of the media was not on the death of an innocent 17 year old Black kid, but on how Black folks in Sanford, Florida and ‘hoods across America were gonna react if Zimmerman was found not guilty. While people in this country claimed to be on a nightly “verdict watch,” in reality, they were on a 24/7 “riot watch.” What is interesting is that the tactics the Feds used to monitor black rage in Sanford were the same ones that they have, historically, used over and over again when they think that there is the possibility of “urban unrest.”
The preemptive strike against the hood has gone on for decades. One of the strategies that they used in preparation for the Zimmerman verdict was to call together “local leaders” (preachers/community organizers) in order to get their followers to remain calm after the verdict was announced. They have used this tactic before. During the pre-LA Rebellion in 1992, the Po Po instituted a program called “Operation Cool Response” where they reached out to the same group of folks to keep the streets from gettin’ rowdy. So, since one of the current catch phrases in Hip Hop is “turnt up” maybe they call this ”Operation Turnt Down?”
Also, according to media sources such as USA Today, the Sanford Police Department set up snitching operations called “rumor control hot lines” to keep tabs on the streets. So, if you heard your next door neighbor blastin’ F*** the Police by NWA verdict night, it was your civic duty as a law abiding citizen to call the snitch hot line and drop a dime. This tactic has also been used before..
According to Dr. Patricia Turner in her book. “Heard It Through the Grapevine,” rumor control networks go as far back as World War II as “an effort to prevent potentially adverse hearsay of all sorts from gaining credibility.”
The media has, also, long played a role in snitching on the hood. I’m sure that many freedom fighters during the Black Power Movement were confused as to how statements they made to a mild mannered news person wound up in their court case file. According to Samuel Yette in his classic work, “The Choice: The Issue of Black Survival in America” , in 1969, the Justice Department subpoenaed the “unpublished notes of reporters from Newsweek, the New York Times, CBS and Time Life” who had interviewed members of the Black Panther Party.
I also found it strange that the pre -verdict police predictions of no violent protests in major cities across America was followed by a post verdict CNN map pinpointing protests across the country that they claimed to be nonviolent. So the question becomes, how did they know? There had to be some level of surveillance both pre and post Zimmerman verdict.
What is most ironic is that barely a month ago, white America was all up in arms by the “Prism” revelation by Edward Snowden that accused the government of using social media and cell phone data to spy on American citizens. If there had been an announcement that a Tea Party or a National Rifle Association protest had been monitored because of unsubstantiated threats of violence, you can best believe that there would have been hell to pay. But since many people in power think that Black people are only interested in rap music and reality shows, there was no such outcry.
African Americans did not really need an Edward Snowden to tell us that we're being watched, as researchers such as the late Steve Cokely ,warned us about the intelligence community 20 years ago. We have a long history of being under the microscope via the military or the Feds that goes back to the Marcus Garvey Era of the early 20th century.
And more information is being revealed everyday. One of the most interesting things that came out of the trial coverage was Fox News’ revelation that the US Justice Department’s Community Relations Service, took an active role in the Trayvon Martin rallies, last year. The agency was set up in 1964 and, supposedly, serves as a “peacemaker for community conflicts over race.” But the same question must be posed that was asked of FBI agents during the Civil Rights Movement, “are you protecting us or are you watching us?”
Although the powers that be would like to downplay the outrage in the hood over the Zimmerman acquittal it must be noted that they invested a lot of time. money and resources to keep the hood in check.
The tactics that were used against the Black community during the recent Zimmerman trial seem to have been taken right out of the Richard Nixon playbook on “Law and Order” and anyone one who cannot see that is either blind or stupid.
Like Dead Prez once said:
Can You relate/We’re livin’ in a police state.
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott can be reached at info@nowarningshotsfired.com or call (919) 308-4233. Follow on Twitter @truthminista
Be sure to check out Militant Minded Radio every Tuesday night at 9PM EST
http://blacktalkradionetwork.com/page/militantmindedradio
How They Tune In When We Get Turnt
Up Ima be fresh as hell if the feds watchin’
Feds Watchin’ 2 Chainz
Many people across the country are upset over the outcome of the George Zimmerman trial for the murder of Trayvon Martin. And rightly so. The trial was a miscarriage of so called justice if I’ve ever seen one. However, the fact that we can’t sleep on. is that for the past two weeks the whole ‘hood has been on trial.
From the day that the George Zimmerman trial began, most of the focus of the media was not on the death of an innocent 17 year old Black kid, but on how Black folks in Sanford, Florida and ‘hoods across America were gonna react if Zimmerman was found not guilty. While people in this country claimed to be on a nightly “verdict watch,” in reality, they were on a 24/7 “riot watch.” What is interesting is that the tactics the Feds used to monitor black rage in Sanford were the same ones that they have, historically, used over and over again when they think that there is the possibility of “urban unrest.”
The preemptive strike against the hood has gone on for decades. One of the strategies that they used in preparation for the Zimmerman verdict was to call together “local leaders” (preachers/community organizers) in order to get their followers to remain calm after the verdict was announced. They have used this tactic before. During the pre-LA Rebellion in 1992, the Po Po instituted a program called “Operation Cool Response” where they reached out to the same group of folks to keep the streets from gettin’ rowdy. So, since one of the current catch phrases in Hip Hop is “turnt up” maybe they call this ”Operation Turnt Down?”
Also, according to media sources such as USA Today, the Sanford Police Department set up snitching operations called “rumor control hot lines” to keep tabs on the streets. So, if you heard your next door neighbor blastin’ F*** the Police by NWA verdict night, it was your civic duty as a law abiding citizen to call the snitch hot line and drop a dime. This tactic has also been used before..
According to Dr. Patricia Turner in her book. “Heard It Through the Grapevine,” rumor control networks go as far back as World War II as “an effort to prevent potentially adverse hearsay of all sorts from gaining credibility.”
The media has, also, long played a role in snitching on the hood. I’m sure that many freedom fighters during the Black Power Movement were confused as to how statements they made to a mild mannered news person wound up in their court case file. According to Samuel Yette in his classic work, “The Choice: The Issue of Black Survival in America” , in 1969, the Justice Department subpoenaed the “unpublished notes of reporters from Newsweek, the New York Times, CBS and Time Life” who had interviewed members of the Black Panther Party.
I also found it strange that the pre -verdict police predictions of no violent protests in major cities across America was followed by a post verdict CNN map pinpointing protests across the country that they claimed to be nonviolent. So the question becomes, how did they know? There had to be some level of surveillance both pre and post Zimmerman verdict.
What is most ironic is that barely a month ago, white America was all up in arms by the “Prism” revelation by Edward Snowden that accused the government of using social media and cell phone data to spy on American citizens. If there had been an announcement that a Tea Party or a National Rifle Association protest had been monitored because of unsubstantiated threats of violence, you can best believe that there would have been hell to pay. But since many people in power think that Black people are only interested in rap music and reality shows, there was no such outcry.
African Americans did not really need an Edward Snowden to tell us that we're being watched, as researchers such as the late Steve Cokely ,warned us about the intelligence community 20 years ago. We have a long history of being under the microscope via the military or the Feds that goes back to the Marcus Garvey Era of the early 20th century.
And more information is being revealed everyday. One of the most interesting things that came out of the trial coverage was Fox News’ revelation that the US Justice Department’s Community Relations Service, took an active role in the Trayvon Martin rallies, last year. The agency was set up in 1964 and, supposedly, serves as a “peacemaker for community conflicts over race.” But the same question must be posed that was asked of FBI agents during the Civil Rights Movement, “are you protecting us or are you watching us?”
Although the powers that be would like to downplay the outrage in the hood over the Zimmerman acquittal it must be noted that they invested a lot of time. money and resources to keep the hood in check.
The tactics that were used against the Black community during the recent Zimmerman trial seem to have been taken right out of the Richard Nixon playbook on “Law and Order” and anyone one who cannot see that is either blind or stupid.
Like Dead Prez once said:
Can You relate/We’re livin’ in a police state.
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott can be reached at info@nowarningshotsfired.com or call (919) 308-4233. Follow on Twitter @truthminista
Be sure to check out Militant Minded Radio every Tuesday night at 9PM EST
http://blacktalkradionetwork.com/page/militantmindedradio
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Rapper Says Racism Ain't Dead in America (What U Mean Paula Deen?)
Hip Hop has been alot of things; "gangsta" "pimped out" and even " jiggy." But the one thing that it hasn't been in a long time is "angry." At least not angry about the social and political conditions facing African Americans. But that is about to change.
Frustrated by the new racism facing Black people in a supposedly, "post racial America," Atlanta based Hip Hop artist Sean Barnes has just released a blistering track called "Racism Ain't Dead (What U Mean Paula Dean?). The song captures the real frustrations of 'hood residents who are outraged over recent incidents of racism from the Paula Dean controversy to the George Zimmerman/ Trayvon Martin murder trial.
"Anybody who thinks racism is dead or "accidental" needs to be pimp slapped back into reality, " says Barnes.
Although the subject matter is harsh, the rapper says that he is just reflecting the mood of the everyday people in the streets and what they talk about in barbershops and at bus stops.
"Don't blame me, I'm just the messenger, says Barnes. "And the message is, like activist Fannie Lou Hamer said back in the 60 's, we are 'sick and tired of being sick and tired!"
For more information contact godsaidso@gmail.com (678) 678-3525
Frustrated by the new racism facing Black people in a supposedly, "post racial America," Atlanta based Hip Hop artist Sean Barnes has just released a blistering track called "Racism Ain't Dead (What U Mean Paula Dean?). The song captures the real frustrations of 'hood residents who are outraged over recent incidents of racism from the Paula Dean controversy to the George Zimmerman/ Trayvon Martin murder trial.
"Anybody who thinks racism is dead or "accidental" needs to be pimp slapped back into reality, " says Barnes.
Although the subject matter is harsh, the rapper says that he is just reflecting the mood of the everyday people in the streets and what they talk about in barbershops and at bus stops.
"Don't blame me, I'm just the messenger, says Barnes. "And the message is, like activist Fannie Lou Hamer said back in the 60 's, we are 'sick and tired of being sick and tired!"
For more information contact godsaidso@gmail.com (678) 678-3525
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Streets is Watchin'
Streets Is Watchin’:
Who Speaks for the ‘hood ?
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott
“We Want in/Or let the revolution begin”
Various Shades of Black-Rakim
There was a time when Rev. Cleophus Johnson, head of the Negro League of Colored Black People ,Inc could call for a march and thousands of people would show up. So, he was confused when his latest call to integrate Big Bubba's Beer and Burger Barn was only answered by a couple of elderly citizens on their way to a Bingo game. Maybe it was because, on the other side of town ,Brother Rasheed was leading a march of thousands against police brutality that he organized on Twitter...
For generations, Black activism went, basically, according to script. The designated leader of 42 million African Americans would spend months organizing a mass demonstration. Every Black radio station in the country would promote this event as it was the ultimate place to be. Then ,after the march, the people would go home , not sure why they came and confused as to what to do next.
But now times have changed and the new face of leadership is anyone who has more that 5,000 Facebook friends and a smart phone.
Historically, since the days of Frederick Douglas, White America has only needed one Black leader to be the voice of all Black people. This was perfected with the coming of Booker T Washington and his Tuskegee Machine, as steps were taken to make sure that his voice was the only one being heard by the masses, whether right or wrong.
But what about now, when the playing field has been, somewhat , leveled, and the high school kid with 10,000 Twitter followers and an itchy typing finger may have more juice than a Civil Rights leader with a prime time TV show?
Years ago, a leader would call for a boycott and “negotiate “ for several weeks before getting a sizable donation to his organization and a photo op with the CEO of the targeted corporation. But now, thanks to 5G iPhones, the battle has already been fought and the war won before the leader can pour his morning coffee
This is most evident with the recent, successful, grassroots efforts against Reebok and Pepsico, as activists led successful campaigns against companies that dared to use rappers with disgusting lyrics to promote their brands. While it is easy to pick up Dr. Winstead Williams and fly him to your corporate headquarters to work out a deal to calm the natives, it ‘s another thing, altogether, when thousands of disgruntled customers are on Twitter plotting a Boston Tea Party styled rebellion and, stealthily, organizing to poor gallons of your product in rivers across the country. Or when thousands of high school kids put the word out on Instagram that anyone wearing your company’s sneakers to school tomorrow runs the risk of having a scarlet L painted on his forehead.
This is problematic for those who hold leadership positions in the Black community because no chosen race spokesman can afford to have people launching successful movements without him being at the front of the line directing traffic.
Although, Eric B and Rakim once said “Follow the Leader,” with the popularity of the Internet , seems like the leaders are the ones doing the following, as there is nothing left for them to do but get down with OPIP (Other People’s Intellectual Property).
I found it strange that after Hip Hop activist, Rosa Clemente used the term “rap industrial complex," during the Rick Ross/Reebok controversy, variations of that phrase started coming out of the mouths of more “mainstream” Black leaders and intellectuals.
So, it seems like the day of the HNIC has just about run it’s course.
The changing dynamic has also proven problematic for the media .
There has always been a serious lack of black journalists in the mainstream media. But today ,even the ones who do make it in front of the camera act more like star truck celebrity groupies than hard nosed reporters. These people will walk right past a group of poor Black folks protesting against indecent housing in order to get the scoop on Puff Daddy’s weekend Black tie affair.
But fortunately, there are people like Scotty Reid whose Internet based , Black Talk Radio Network, is challenging the mis-education of Black media. The network is launching Militant Minded Radio which will serve as a legitimate voice of “the streets.”
However, the first task is that we must redefine what is meant by the term “the streets.”
It was once universally accepted that “the streets” was a term used to voice the collective displeasure of those suffering politically and economically at the hands of a common oppressor. However, in the Hip Hop Era the term have been redefined to mean “a group of mindless zombies , who ‘s collective self identification is based on Wall Street marketing schemes, regardless of economic circumstance.”
If it is true that there are eight million stories in the naked city, then there are 42 million stories in Black America, all of which deserve to be heard. We now have the technology to tell our own stories. he question is, do we have the courage?
We must show the masses of the people who are waiting for someone to come along to lead them to the Promised Land, that the power is right at their fingertips.
Funkmaster George Clinton once said that his legendary group , Parliament's, mission was to “reclaim the pyramids. "
In 2013, our task must be to reclaim the streets.
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott’s website is No Warning Shots Fired.com . He can be reached at info@nowarningshotsfired.com or follow on Twitter @truthminista Militant Minded Radio airs every Tuesday at 9PM EST on the Black Talk Radio Network. http://blacktalkradionetwork.com/page/militantmindedradio
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
The Politics of Protest
The Politics of Protest:
Rap, Race and Riots
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott
Only in Cali where we riot/ not rally
California Love-Dr Dre and 2Pac
Recently, in Memphis, the shooting of African American teenager, Thomas Martin King Jr, by George Earl Koontz, a white, off duty security guard at the Loraine Hotel, sparked waves of protests. King was shot while returning from the grocery store with a small bag of Marvin's Mini Marshmallows, which Koontz thought was crack. Days later, civil rights leaders held voter registration and fish fry rallies calling for the prosecution of Koontz and people across the country sent used marshmallow bags to the Memphis Police Department, in protest. Thirty days later, the murder is a distant memory and Koontz has still not been charged with murder. However, the local civil rights organization has new office furniture and the stock of Marvin's Marshmallows has risen 100%. Sadly, the King family is without a son or Justice...
Although it is said that "April showers bring May flowers," this month also seems to rain revolution. Forty-four years ago, America went up in flames following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr (April 4, 1968) . Twenty years ago, LA was almost burned to the ground following the acquittal of the four police officers who, unmercifully, beat Rodney King (April 29, 1992). And 11 years ago a rebellion broke out in Cincinnati following the murder of Timothy Thomas at the hands of a cop (April 9, 2001) . Fast forward to April, 2012 and people across the country are protesting the murder of Trayvon Martin at the hands of a self-proclaimed neighborhood watch captain.
Anybody else see a pattern here?
While people often get caught up in the emotionalism of tragic events, it is critical for us to study how they are, continuously, able to pull off these acts without causing a Revolutionary War.
To remix that Jay Z line from 30 Something, " we respect the one who got shot/ they respect the shooter."
While heavy handed government suppression of "militants" is often seen as the ideal way of countering urban unrest, the most strategic methods are done more subtly.
The blueprint on how to, tactfully, handle racial disorder in America, the Kerner Commision Report, was released February 29, 1968, ironically, six weeks before the King assassination. The report dealt with various strategies on how to prevent urban unrest in America.
A generation later , Dr Brenda Wall in her book, The Rodney King Rebellion, stated that the day of the rebellion the judge in the trial of the LAPD officers gave police officials a two hour notice, "realizing the tension that the verdict might unleash." She also wrote that the LAPD also had a million dollar contingency plan for civil disturbance.
It's no wonder that the Trayvon Martin murder took so long to gain public attention. Somebody must have needed a head start.
According to Kalonji Jama Changa, founder/national coordinator of The FTP Movement and author of the book, How to Build a People’s Army, "The state has definitely adopted improved methods to keep the people in check. They have recruited more buffers between the people and the state to keep the flames low." Perhaps that's why we don't see "militant" rappers and "intelligent hoodlums" addressing social issues like we did in the early 90's.
Back during the Rodney King Era we had Sister Souljah to speak for the 'hood now we only have Sista Soledad O'Brien.
Big difference.
Another tactic that has been used is turning public outrage into a business. Peter Dogget in his work, There's a Riot Going On, wrote about an October, 1968 meeting held by "advertising agencies and entertainment conglomerates," called, Selling the American Youth Market, where attendees learned how to capitalize off the Vietnam War/Civil Rights protests.
Following the LA Rebellion, you could hardly keep track of the videos, books and talk shows that tried to hip a horrified, middle class, white America to the plight of young "urban" males.
In a recent Associated Press article called "Trayvon, Inc," Curt Anderson reported how some people are using the tragedy to hawk t-shirts, bumper stickers, hoodies, posters, etc and are how "pass the hat rallies" are raking in thousands of dollars.
What must be remembered is that the periods of racial turmoil of '68, '92 and 2012, have something in common; they all happened during election years. And in an election year, everything is political. The Republicans need another "black boogey man" in order to push their " blame the victim/get tough on crime" agenda. And the Democrats desperately, need a quick way to energize a disenchanted Black base who are asking themselves " are we really better off now than we were four years ago?" Already, we have seen civil rights leaders and media celebrities try to turn the Trayvon tragedy into a glorified "register to vote rally."
The pimpin' of the people continues, which is easy when the masses don't know what to do when the racial emergency alarm goes off. Do you fill out a voter's registration form? Buy a bag of Skittles? Or do you find the nearest window and throw a brick through it?
A wise man once said that "voting is a Democracy's alternative to rioting in the streets." So it is always in the state's best interest to "keep hope alive" and preach the gospel of "Change." However, history seems to suggest that America won't budge until she smells smoke; as fire has served to be very motivational.
During the turbulent 60's, according to Herbert Hains in his book , Black Radicals and the Civil Rights Movement, the Feds, corporations and philanthropic organizations shelled out major dollars in order to keep the peace.
Lou Cannon wrote in his book, Official Negligence, that after the looting of businesses during the LA Rebellion "RLA (Rebuild LA) promoted perhaps 500 million dollars of development in the riot area."
As of this writing, all of the singin' and marchin' for Justice for Trayvon hasn't gotten us anything but sore throats and calluses.
Apparently, sometimes crime does pay.
How the powers- that- be can successfully contain public outrage in a post Occupy Wall Street Era of Twitter generated flash mob protests and when more young people are getting their news from YouTube and Facebook than CNN and MSNBC remains to be seen.
However, no matter how one chooses to express his sense of moral outrage,one thing is certain. This April you better get your umbrella.
Like Arrested Development once sang:
"It's raining revolution/ It's raining solutions."
This concludes Part 1 of the month long series , Rap, Race and Riots: Hip Hop 20 Years after the LA Rebellion.
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott's weekly column is "This Ain't Hip Hop," a column for intelligent Hip Hop headz. He can be reached at info@nowarningshotsfired.com . His website is NoWarningShotsFired.com Follow on Twitter @truthminista
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Why Are We Still Marchin' ?
Controlled Chaos:
Why We Are We Still Marchin' ?
Paul Scott
I have marched until my feet have bled and I have rioted until they called the Feds.
What's left my conscious said?
"Revolution" Arrested Development
When folks gather in DC for the Jobs and Justice March and the Martin Luther King Memorial dedication this weekend, I betcha a million bucks that somebody is gonna pose the same question that people have been asking for the last 40 years. "What would Martin Luther King Jr say if he was here, today ?" If MLK was at the march, he would probably mean mug the crowd and yell "after all these years, why are y'all still marchin' ?"
While people have accused the Hip Hop generation of being politically, apathetic (many times for good reason) the hardcore truth is that many young folks are just tired of traveling down the same road that has led us to nowhere-ville. They just need for someone to tell them the best way to bring about change.
Unfortunately, most old school cats are still trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together, themselves. They can't answer the basic question, "after all these years of marching and protesting, why are the conditions of poor people, relatively, the same as they were back in 1963?"
The reason is simple. It's called controlled chaos: when things appear to be out of order but they are really being controlled by a master shot caller. There are forces at work making sure that we stay lost in the wilderness and never make it to the Promised Land.
The government's repression of political dissent goes back decades. One can trace it as far back as the early 20th century with the Bureau of Investigation's attack on Marcus Garvey or the House UnAmerican Affairs Committee's attacks on Paul Robeson and others.
While it is known that the FBI's COINTELPRO (Counter Intelligence Program) played a major role in destroying political movements during the late 60's and early 70's, what must be examined in the 21st century is "how" they did it.
According to Ward Churchill and Jim Wall in their book, "Agents of Repression," the FBI used several techniques to disrupt movements, including infiltrating organizations with agents, falsely tagging activists as "snitches" and assassinations. Another strategy was setting up phony, militant organizations or "pseudo gangs" "designed to confuse, divide and undermine, as well as do outright battles with authentic dissident groups." This may even account for the street gangs of today who will kill on sight members of rival gangs but would never consider bangin' on the system.
Also, although politicians praise the strategy of nonviolence, history teaches us that it is only after riots, when people start tearin' stuff up, that the government suddenly is able to "find" money for all sorts of social programs that they couldn't find before the rebellions. This is a technique that President Richard Nixon used as he transformed Black Power into Green Power.
One of the least talked about strategies to stop radical movements did not come from the Feds but from philanthropic foundations. According to Robert W Allen in his book "Black Awakening in Capitalist America," these foundations used their money to co-opt the Black Power movement. The main organization responsible was the Ford Foundation, headed by former US national security advisor, McGeorge Bundy, who's brother just happened to be William Bundy, former director of the CIA. Allen called the Ford Foundation "the most important, though, least publicized" organization manipulating the militant black movement."
Not only did the foundations influence the direction of street organizations but they also manipulated Black studies programs at colleges to make sure they produced "Clarence Thomas's" instead of "Malcolm X's." Noliwe Rooks discusses the efforts of the foundations to take the "black" out of Black studies in her book, "White Money, Black Power."
Later, during the Hip Hop era, we see the role that entertainment corporations played in diverting the rebellious energy of poor and oppressed ghetto kids.
During the golden age of conscious Hip Hop (1988-92) we witnessed a period that best represented how rap music could be used as a tool to organize the masses. This was a time when Hip Hop artists, not only made songs about fighting the power, but also participated in acts of civil disobedience such as when members of the X-Clan were involved in the "Day of Outrage" following the murder of Yusef Hawkins in 1989.
However, after '92, conscious Hip Hop was replaced by a materialistic music that made people want to be part of the system instead of fighting against it. They have made grown men walking around with their drawers showin' the ultimate act of rebellion.
Perhaps the most telling example of the political manipulation of Hip Hop was the 2004 election when, instead of using their influence and resources to politically educate their constituents in the 'hood, Hip Hop moguls created a politically ambivalent marketing strategy called "Vote or Die" that did little more than sell overpriced T-Shirts.
The most interesting political movement in recent history is Occupy Wall Street, as activists have successfully broken out of the box of the Republican/Democratic dynamic and have taken the fight straight to the seat of power. If this movement continues focusing on the source of the multiple problems facing the 'hood ( the multi-national corporations) this could be a major tipping point, effecting the economic balance of this country.
However, we have already seen filthy rich celebrities co-sign what is supposed to be a poor people's movement. And it is just a matter of time before some slick politician tries to turn radical, revolutionists into mild mannered voter registration political reformists good only for putting "Vote for Me" posters on people's front yards.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Today we find ourselves at the crossroads; one way leads to Freedom and the other road leads to perpetual oppression.
We all have a choice to make.
Do we we leave the next generation a movement for real socio-economic change or just sore feet and worn out Air Jordans?
"TRUTH Minista" Paul Scott can be reached at (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com
Why We Are We Still Marchin' ?
Paul Scott
I have marched until my feet have bled and I have rioted until they called the Feds.
What's left my conscious said?
"Revolution" Arrested Development
When folks gather in DC for the Jobs and Justice March and the Martin Luther King Memorial dedication this weekend, I betcha a million bucks that somebody is gonna pose the same question that people have been asking for the last 40 years. "What would Martin Luther King Jr say if he was here, today ?" If MLK was at the march, he would probably mean mug the crowd and yell "after all these years, why are y'all still marchin' ?"
While people have accused the Hip Hop generation of being politically, apathetic (many times for good reason) the hardcore truth is that many young folks are just tired of traveling down the same road that has led us to nowhere-ville. They just need for someone to tell them the best way to bring about change.
Unfortunately, most old school cats are still trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together, themselves. They can't answer the basic question, "after all these years of marching and protesting, why are the conditions of poor people, relatively, the same as they were back in 1963?"
The reason is simple. It's called controlled chaos: when things appear to be out of order but they are really being controlled by a master shot caller. There are forces at work making sure that we stay lost in the wilderness and never make it to the Promised Land.
The government's repression of political dissent goes back decades. One can trace it as far back as the early 20th century with the Bureau of Investigation's attack on Marcus Garvey or the House UnAmerican Affairs Committee's attacks on Paul Robeson and others.
While it is known that the FBI's COINTELPRO (Counter Intelligence Program) played a major role in destroying political movements during the late 60's and early 70's, what must be examined in the 21st century is "how" they did it.
According to Ward Churchill and Jim Wall in their book, "Agents of Repression," the FBI used several techniques to disrupt movements, including infiltrating organizations with agents, falsely tagging activists as "snitches" and assassinations. Another strategy was setting up phony, militant organizations or "pseudo gangs" "designed to confuse, divide and undermine, as well as do outright battles with authentic dissident groups." This may even account for the street gangs of today who will kill on sight members of rival gangs but would never consider bangin' on the system.
Also, although politicians praise the strategy of nonviolence, history teaches us that it is only after riots, when people start tearin' stuff up, that the government suddenly is able to "find" money for all sorts of social programs that they couldn't find before the rebellions. This is a technique that President Richard Nixon used as he transformed Black Power into Green Power.
One of the least talked about strategies to stop radical movements did not come from the Feds but from philanthropic foundations. According to Robert W Allen in his book "Black Awakening in Capitalist America," these foundations used their money to co-opt the Black Power movement. The main organization responsible was the Ford Foundation, headed by former US national security advisor, McGeorge Bundy, who's brother just happened to be William Bundy, former director of the CIA. Allen called the Ford Foundation "the most important, though, least publicized" organization manipulating the militant black movement."
Not only did the foundations influence the direction of street organizations but they also manipulated Black studies programs at colleges to make sure they produced "Clarence Thomas's" instead of "Malcolm X's." Noliwe Rooks discusses the efforts of the foundations to take the "black" out of Black studies in her book, "White Money, Black Power."
Later, during the Hip Hop era, we see the role that entertainment corporations played in diverting the rebellious energy of poor and oppressed ghetto kids.
During the golden age of conscious Hip Hop (1988-92) we witnessed a period that best represented how rap music could be used as a tool to organize the masses. This was a time when Hip Hop artists, not only made songs about fighting the power, but also participated in acts of civil disobedience such as when members of the X-Clan were involved in the "Day of Outrage" following the murder of Yusef Hawkins in 1989.
However, after '92, conscious Hip Hop was replaced by a materialistic music that made people want to be part of the system instead of fighting against it. They have made grown men walking around with their drawers showin' the ultimate act of rebellion.
Perhaps the most telling example of the political manipulation of Hip Hop was the 2004 election when, instead of using their influence and resources to politically educate their constituents in the 'hood, Hip Hop moguls created a politically ambivalent marketing strategy called "Vote or Die" that did little more than sell overpriced T-Shirts.
The most interesting political movement in recent history is Occupy Wall Street, as activists have successfully broken out of the box of the Republican/Democratic dynamic and have taken the fight straight to the seat of power. If this movement continues focusing on the source of the multiple problems facing the 'hood ( the multi-national corporations) this could be a major tipping point, effecting the economic balance of this country.
However, we have already seen filthy rich celebrities co-sign what is supposed to be a poor people's movement. And it is just a matter of time before some slick politician tries to turn radical, revolutionists into mild mannered voter registration political reformists good only for putting "Vote for Me" posters on people's front yards.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Today we find ourselves at the crossroads; one way leads to Freedom and the other road leads to perpetual oppression.
We all have a choice to make.
Do we we leave the next generation a movement for real socio-economic change or just sore feet and worn out Air Jordans?
"TRUTH Minista" Paul Scott can be reached at (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Laura Schlessinger's Crazy Cure for Racism
Laura Schlessinger's Crazy Cure for Racism:
Do We Blame Dr. Laura or Dr. Dre?
Paul Scott
A broken, elderly black man limped into his doctor's office last Tuesday afternoon. His neck bore the scars of numerous lynching attempts and his back the welts of years of severe beatings. Reflected in his eyes was the pain of seeing his mother and sister raped and being powerless to do anything about it. As he described in vivid detail his many thoughts of committing suicide, the physician just sat emotionless in her chair. Finally, she scribbled on her prescription pad, "take two doses of the "N word" and call me in the morning. LOL..."
Last week, talk show host, Dr. Laura Schlessinger, came under fire for using the "N word" multiple times to help a caller get over her racial "hypersensitivity." While the purpose of the conversation was, supposedly, to give the caller life changing advice, in reality, Schlessinger was merely trying to help her predominately white audience get over their collective guilt of harboring white supremacist attitudes as she soothed them with the old standard, "Black Comedians use the N Word, Why Can't I" Therefore, if it's cool in Compton it must play well in Peoria.
Newsflash for Dr. Laura. Not all black men walk around grabbin' their crotches, showing their dirty drawers and dropping the "N bomb" like there's no tomorrow. I, personally, have never made a habit of using the word and have spoken out against its use on many occasions. Also, activists such as Gary, Indiana radio host, Kwabena Rasuliu have led multiple protests against those in the Hip Hop world who have used such ignorance as a marketing tool.
However, folks like "Sgt. Schlessiger" and her Right Wing Storm Troopers, continuously, use black entertainers as justification for their racist rants. The comedians to whom Schlessinger referred do not speak for me nor do they speak for most people of African descent. It is unfortunate that, while folks like Dr. Laura can name black comedians who use the word, they cannot name one Afro-centric historian who has put the word in a social or historical context and can explain how it became a term of black endearment.
So, herein, lies the major problem facing this country in terms of race relations: historical and cultural ignorance.
Although, the use of the "N word" pops up as a topic of discussion every few years, most people, black or white, do not know the historical origins of the word.
The word "nigger" is derived from the Portuguese adjective "negro" which was used by the early slave traders to describe their new found "property." So, when it crossed the Atlantic , "negro" was ,eventually, transformed into the word "nigger;" different spellings but for all intents and purposes, having the same meaning as they both infer that black people are less than human.
Black psychologists have suggested that the use of the word by African Americans is a subconscious response to white supremacy.
In his book, "Black on Black Violence: The Psycho-dynamics of Black Self-Annihilation in the Service of White Domination" the late psychologist Dr. Amos Wilson wrote, " through identification with the aggressor, the subject attempts to magically transform himself from the one being threatened to the one threatening; from powerlessness to powerful: from inferior to superior."
It must be noted that the degradation of black people for comedic purposes started with white black-face performer Thomas Rice's Jumpin' Jim Crow in 1830, predating early black comedians such as Moms Mabley and Redd Fox by more than a century. Not to mention that most black entertainers work for white owned companies.
While comedian Richard Pryor used the "N word" extensively in some of his early stand up routines, later in his career, following a trip to Africa, he publicly vowed to "never call a black man nigger again."
Perhaps, the group most influential in popularizing the word during the Hip Hop Era was NWA (Niggas With Attitude) of the late 80's and early '90's. However, the group was managed by Jerry Heller, a white man, who was also the co-owner of their record label, Ruthless Records. So, there have always been white business men who have supplied white Americans with an avenue to, vicariously, live out their racist fantasies through black entertainers.
While some may make the argument that it is only entertainment, the contradictions within this statement are many.
One example is that although Jewish comedians such as Jackie Mason and Adam Sandler, may make Jewish jokes, none of their stand up routines would ever be used by outsiders to make light of the Jewish Holocaust.
Also, attacks on the black community seem to be the only topics not off limit by the entertainment industry. Black entertainers from Professor Griff of Public Enemy to the late Michael Jackson had their careers negatively impacted by, allegedly, making anti-Semitic comments or songs. Ironically, Ice Cube, one of the founders of NWA was boycotted in the early 90's by the Korean community over a song he made in regards to the murder of 15 year old Latasha Harland, who was shot by a Korean grocer.
So, we see the real double standard at play.
If we are not careful, the controversy over Dr. Laura's statement will go the route of the infamous Don Imus incident as civil rights leaders and right wing media pundits will find a way to put the blame totally on rap music; blaming Dr. Dre instead of Dr. Laura.
In order to stop the Dr. Laura's of the world, this country must engage in a massive reeducation process. African Americans must learn all they can about their culture and pass the information on to future generations. Also, white Americans must be willing to hear the truth about the African American experience no matter how uncomfortable it might make them feel. This will not come from educators who fear backlash from school boards nor newspaper editors who are more concerned with offending their advertisers than serving the public good but will come from Afro-centric historians and scholars who are brave enough to speak truth to power without biting their tongues.
Unfortunately, this cure is too big a pill for most folks to swallow.
Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired .com. For more information about the Intelligence Over Ignorance lecture series on Race, Rap and Revolution contact (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com
Do We Blame Dr. Laura or Dr. Dre?
Paul Scott
A broken, elderly black man limped into his doctor's office last Tuesday afternoon. His neck bore the scars of numerous lynching attempts and his back the welts of years of severe beatings. Reflected in his eyes was the pain of seeing his mother and sister raped and being powerless to do anything about it. As he described in vivid detail his many thoughts of committing suicide, the physician just sat emotionless in her chair. Finally, she scribbled on her prescription pad, "take two doses of the "N word" and call me in the morning. LOL..."
Last week, talk show host, Dr. Laura Schlessinger, came under fire for using the "N word" multiple times to help a caller get over her racial "hypersensitivity." While the purpose of the conversation was, supposedly, to give the caller life changing advice, in reality, Schlessinger was merely trying to help her predominately white audience get over their collective guilt of harboring white supremacist attitudes as she soothed them with the old standard, "Black Comedians use the N Word, Why Can't I" Therefore, if it's cool in Compton it must play well in Peoria.
Newsflash for Dr. Laura. Not all black men walk around grabbin' their crotches, showing their dirty drawers and dropping the "N bomb" like there's no tomorrow. I, personally, have never made a habit of using the word and have spoken out against its use on many occasions. Also, activists such as Gary, Indiana radio host, Kwabena Rasuliu have led multiple protests against those in the Hip Hop world who have used such ignorance as a marketing tool.
However, folks like "Sgt. Schlessiger" and her Right Wing Storm Troopers, continuously, use black entertainers as justification for their racist rants. The comedians to whom Schlessinger referred do not speak for me nor do they speak for most people of African descent. It is unfortunate that, while folks like Dr. Laura can name black comedians who use the word, they cannot name one Afro-centric historian who has put the word in a social or historical context and can explain how it became a term of black endearment.
So, herein, lies the major problem facing this country in terms of race relations: historical and cultural ignorance.
Although, the use of the "N word" pops up as a topic of discussion every few years, most people, black or white, do not know the historical origins of the word.
The word "nigger" is derived from the Portuguese adjective "negro" which was used by the early slave traders to describe their new found "property." So, when it crossed the Atlantic , "negro" was ,eventually, transformed into the word "nigger;" different spellings but for all intents and purposes, having the same meaning as they both infer that black people are less than human.
Black psychologists have suggested that the use of the word by African Americans is a subconscious response to white supremacy.
In his book, "Black on Black Violence: The Psycho-dynamics of Black Self-Annihilation in the Service of White Domination" the late psychologist Dr. Amos Wilson wrote, " through identification with the aggressor, the subject attempts to magically transform himself from the one being threatened to the one threatening; from powerlessness to powerful: from inferior to superior."
It must be noted that the degradation of black people for comedic purposes started with white black-face performer Thomas Rice's Jumpin' Jim Crow in 1830, predating early black comedians such as Moms Mabley and Redd Fox by more than a century. Not to mention that most black entertainers work for white owned companies.
While comedian Richard Pryor used the "N word" extensively in some of his early stand up routines, later in his career, following a trip to Africa, he publicly vowed to "never call a black man nigger again."
Perhaps, the group most influential in popularizing the word during the Hip Hop Era was NWA (Niggas With Attitude) of the late 80's and early '90's. However, the group was managed by Jerry Heller, a white man, who was also the co-owner of their record label, Ruthless Records. So, there have always been white business men who have supplied white Americans with an avenue to, vicariously, live out their racist fantasies through black entertainers.
While some may make the argument that it is only entertainment, the contradictions within this statement are many.
One example is that although Jewish comedians such as Jackie Mason and Adam Sandler, may make Jewish jokes, none of their stand up routines would ever be used by outsiders to make light of the Jewish Holocaust.
Also, attacks on the black community seem to be the only topics not off limit by the entertainment industry. Black entertainers from Professor Griff of Public Enemy to the late Michael Jackson had their careers negatively impacted by, allegedly, making anti-Semitic comments or songs. Ironically, Ice Cube, one of the founders of NWA was boycotted in the early 90's by the Korean community over a song he made in regards to the murder of 15 year old Latasha Harland, who was shot by a Korean grocer.
So, we see the real double standard at play.
If we are not careful, the controversy over Dr. Laura's statement will go the route of the infamous Don Imus incident as civil rights leaders and right wing media pundits will find a way to put the blame totally on rap music; blaming Dr. Dre instead of Dr. Laura.
In order to stop the Dr. Laura's of the world, this country must engage in a massive reeducation process. African Americans must learn all they can about their culture and pass the information on to future generations. Also, white Americans must be willing to hear the truth about the African American experience no matter how uncomfortable it might make them feel. This will not come from educators who fear backlash from school boards nor newspaper editors who are more concerned with offending their advertisers than serving the public good but will come from Afro-centric historians and scholars who are brave enough to speak truth to power without biting their tongues.
Unfortunately, this cure is too big a pill for most folks to swallow.
Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired .com. For more information about the Intelligence Over Ignorance lecture series on Race, Rap and Revolution contact (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Did Tavis Smiley Get "Conference Blocked?"
Did Tavis Smiley Get "Conference Blocked ?"
Paul Scott
Rapper 50 Cent was once notorious for being able to push a rival's CD release date back. If Cam'ron or some other Hip Hop star planned to release a CD in March. 50 could make sure that their fans would not be bobbin' their heads to the latest beat until Labor Day.
I thought about this when I searched, unsuccessfully, for Tavis Smiley's "We Count: Need for a Black Agenda" Conference that was supposed to air on C-Span today and remind the Prez that a whole bunch of black votes voted for him, many of whom feel rejected.
I went to Smiley's website, "Tavis Talks," and saw a message that announced that because of the Health Care debate, the C-Span will tape the event and play it back on March 29th.
A couple of things wrong with that rationale.
First, the Health Care debate is tomorrow. I doubt if the conference would have interrupted coverage too much.
Secondly, C-Span has three channels. You would think that they could bump some shows on C-Span 2 to show the event live. Also, what about the other networks, CNN, MSNBC , BET and even Fox News, which I would think would jump at the chance to hear black folks bashing Obama.
Lastly, it's not like C-Span was bumping a Hip Hop awards show. It would have been good to show America that collective black thought is not monolithic.
Back during the Booker T Washington age in the late 19th-early 20th century, Washington was known to manipulate the media to silence his critics like WEB DuBois. I am not suggesting that somebody from Rev. Al Sharpton's (Smiley's chief rival for black leadership supremacy) camp pulled a Booker T but history points to the fact that tactics like this have been used to silence opposing voices.
More likely, since this is perhaps the most important weekend during the Obama administration, the producers at C-Span didn't think black political idealism was important at this stage in American history. Or maybe they did not want to upset the hegemony of dominant white thought.
Perhaps they feel that black people can only discuss basketball and Hip Hop?
Who knows?
Funny, I don't hear about anyone trying to push back the NCAA basketball tournament...
Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com
Paul Scott
Rapper 50 Cent was once notorious for being able to push a rival's CD release date back. If Cam'ron or some other Hip Hop star planned to release a CD in March. 50 could make sure that their fans would not be bobbin' their heads to the latest beat until Labor Day.
I thought about this when I searched, unsuccessfully, for Tavis Smiley's "We Count: Need for a Black Agenda" Conference that was supposed to air on C-Span today and remind the Prez that a whole bunch of black votes voted for him, many of whom feel rejected.
I went to Smiley's website, "Tavis Talks," and saw a message that announced that because of the Health Care debate, the C-Span will tape the event and play it back on March 29th.
A couple of things wrong with that rationale.
First, the Health Care debate is tomorrow. I doubt if the conference would have interrupted coverage too much.
Secondly, C-Span has three channels. You would think that they could bump some shows on C-Span 2 to show the event live. Also, what about the other networks, CNN, MSNBC , BET and even Fox News, which I would think would jump at the chance to hear black folks bashing Obama.
Lastly, it's not like C-Span was bumping a Hip Hop awards show. It would have been good to show America that collective black thought is not monolithic.
Back during the Booker T Washington age in the late 19th-early 20th century, Washington was known to manipulate the media to silence his critics like WEB DuBois. I am not suggesting that somebody from Rev. Al Sharpton's (Smiley's chief rival for black leadership supremacy) camp pulled a Booker T but history points to the fact that tactics like this have been used to silence opposing voices.
More likely, since this is perhaps the most important weekend during the Obama administration, the producers at C-Span didn't think black political idealism was important at this stage in American history. Or maybe they did not want to upset the hegemony of dominant white thought.
Perhaps they feel that black people can only discuss basketball and Hip Hop?
Who knows?
Funny, I don't hear about anyone trying to push back the NCAA basketball tournament...
Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com
Sunday, September 6, 2009
The Lynching of Van Jones
Back in the day, the lynch mobs used to come like thieves in the night to hang black men from trees. Seems like the Right Wingers are carrying on the tradition.
It's 3AM Sunday EST and my good night's sleep was interrupted by my usual nightmare that Mike Savage and the Savage Nation had overthrown the government and were reinstituting slavery. So, I frantically, went to Yahoo news to make sure that I didn't have to grab my meager belongings and head to Canada via the nearest swamp when I saw the latest headline that green jobs czar, Van Jones, had just resigned.
Who is forced to resign at 1AM on a holiday weekend?
I guess the Conservatives felt that most black folks would be too distracted by family reunions, BBQ and old Marvin Gaye records to raise too much of a fuss during Labor Day Weekend.
What did he do so bad, anyway, record a gangsta rap version of "It's Not Easy Bein' Green?"
Now I knew earlier today when Fox News launched an "unofficial" poll that 97% of their viewers thought that Jones should be fired that this was gonna be a rough ride.
After all, they are still featuring Rev. Jeremiah Wright speeches as breaking news every time they need a black bogeyman.
They also played clips of Jones' alleged "extremist views." One clip had Jones saying that you have never seen black kids doing a "Columbine."
Well....?
It's funny how they attack extremist views but don't explain how the views are extreme.
What happened to "I may not agree with what you say but I will defend your right to say it..."
Guess that saying had as much merit when applied to black folks as "all men are created equal" did during slavery.
Oh well. I guess the only thing worst than being thrown under the bus is throwin' yourself under the Greyhound.
I wish that Jones had stuck to his guns. As the old saying goes, "if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything."
It's sad, they used to lynch black men with ropes now they lynch us with lies.
Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com He can be reached at (919) 451-8283
info@nowarningshotsfired.com
It's 3AM Sunday EST and my good night's sleep was interrupted by my usual nightmare that Mike Savage and the Savage Nation had overthrown the government and were reinstituting slavery. So, I frantically, went to Yahoo news to make sure that I didn't have to grab my meager belongings and head to Canada via the nearest swamp when I saw the latest headline that green jobs czar, Van Jones, had just resigned.
Who is forced to resign at 1AM on a holiday weekend?
I guess the Conservatives felt that most black folks would be too distracted by family reunions, BBQ and old Marvin Gaye records to raise too much of a fuss during Labor Day Weekend.
What did he do so bad, anyway, record a gangsta rap version of "It's Not Easy Bein' Green?"
Now I knew earlier today when Fox News launched an "unofficial" poll that 97% of their viewers thought that Jones should be fired that this was gonna be a rough ride.
After all, they are still featuring Rev. Jeremiah Wright speeches as breaking news every time they need a black bogeyman.
They also played clips of Jones' alleged "extremist views." One clip had Jones saying that you have never seen black kids doing a "Columbine."
Well....?
It's funny how they attack extremist views but don't explain how the views are extreme.
What happened to "I may not agree with what you say but I will defend your right to say it..."
Guess that saying had as much merit when applied to black folks as "all men are created equal" did during slavery.
Oh well. I guess the only thing worst than being thrown under the bus is throwin' yourself under the Greyhound.
I wish that Jones had stuck to his guns. As the old saying goes, "if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything."
It's sad, they used to lynch black men with ropes now they lynch us with lies.
Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com He can be reached at (919) 451-8283
info@nowarningshotsfired.com
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Lil Wayne: Whippin' It like a Slave in Black August
Lil Wayne: Whippin' it like a Slave in Black August
Paul Scott
"Young boys without substance or content.
You better slow your speed stop the nonsense."
The Power Chill Rob G
A flick came out in the mid 90's called "Tales from the Hood," it was kinda like a ghetto version of "Scared Straight;" only with zombies. Perhaps the best part of the movie dealt with a gangsta named Krazy K who was undergoing some heavy sci fi rehabilitation by being forced to relive scenes of the many murders of black folks that he had committed against a backdrop of lynchings and cross burnings. After listening to the latest youtube hit "Whip it "(Like a Slave), I wonder if such a rehab session would work on Lil Wayne? Naw, he'd probably just sit there with that spaced out permanent grin on his face sippin' Sizzurp through a styrofoam cup and mumbling auto tune lyrics as visions of black death flash before his eyes.
This month is known as Black August, a time when activists recognize the August 21, 1971 state execution of revolutionary George Jackson via an alleged prison escape attempt. Not to mention it is a month rich in black history, including the births of Marcus Garvey and Fred Hampton. Unfortunately, it is also a month when Lil Wayne and the America's Most Wanted Tour will be hitting cities across the country.
Unlike other rappers, Lil Wayne aka Weezy has never prided himself as being the "Malcolm X of the Hip Hop generation" and when he has his frequent run ins with the law he isn't all over the TV yellin' that he is "a black man being persecuted in America just for being black" a la Dr. Henry "Skip" Gates.
He is what he is, a thug; a thug with a college education but never the less, a thug. So there is very little that would come out of his gold toothed grill that would surprise me.
However, his new collaboration with Dem Franchize Boyz got my attention on several different levels.
The song, which is the latest Internet sensation, has been generating thousands of hits on social networking sites. While some will argue that Lil Wayne and the Boyz are not talking about literally tying someone to an old oak and pulling out a bullwhip but are metaphorically referring to cooking up crack, that makes the song even that much sicker as it embraces the genocide of black people, past and present.
While some may quickly point to the ignorance of the rappers to blame for "Whip it," the finger should really be pointed at the ignorance of a black community that would allow such a song without protest.
When I say ignorance, I am not talking about the negative connotation of lacking intelligence but the functional definition of lacking proper information in regards to the history of African people in this country.
The major problem when discussing the matter of slavery and race overall, in this country is a lack of a proper point of reference in order to put the discussion in the proper context.
For the last century, the issue of slavery has been glossed over by a Hollywood that was more than happy to give us the happy -go- lucky Uncle Remus type or the mammy who was happy to birth massa's babies. Matter of fact, for most Americans, the image of slavery does not get any more graphic than "Kunta Kinte" getting 40 lashes for not accepting the slave name, "Toby."
Also, the educational system of this country has relegated any discussion of black history to a 28 day period in February and the content of that discussion does not, in any way, seek to explore the depths of the brutality visited upon the victims of the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade confining it to a rosey picture painted of a post Emancipation America that merely substituted one form of slavery (chattel) for another (economic).
It must also be noted that while physical slavery was horrific it was the mental enslavement that has been the most destructive. For long after the physical chains are gone, the mental chains remain.
While many may say that this mentality is exclusive to the ' hood, it has historically been the black middle class that discouraged any identification with Africa, therefore pre-1865 history was a taboo subject for the upwardly mobile black bourgeoisie.
As Dr. Carter G. Woodson wrote in 1933, "the mis-educated Negro joins the opposition with the objection that the study of the Negro keeps alive questions which should be forgotten."
So the severity of the slave trade was lost on future generations.
This is also exhibited among members of a Hip Hop generation who will constantly debate the lyrical prowess of rappers who celebrate the abuse of black women and glorify black fratricide but will shy away from any mention of the heinous crimes committed against black people by Europeans.
So we are left with an overly simplistic understanding of the thought process that allows songs like "Whip It" to be embraced in 2009.
This lack of historical depth is exacerbated by the fact that many perceive that we are living in a "post racial" America where the outrage over thousands of examples of police brutality against black men can can be squashed over beer and pretzels.
As Bruce Bridges writes in his book "Reclaiming the African Mind, "the intent of the system of slavery was to rob the African man of his responsibilities of manhood and emotionally castrate him."
While rappers like Jay Z have dedicated themselves to DOA (the death of the auto tune) we must dedicate ourselves to DOI (the death of ignorance) by raising our voices against 'Whip It Like a Slave."
We must do this in honor of those whose lives we celebrate in August and whose deaths we mourn.
As Soledad brother George Jackson once wrote:
"When I revolt, slavery dies with me. I refuse to pass it down . The terms of my existence are founded on that."
Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/
He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 info@nowarningshotsfired.com
Paul Scott
"Young boys without substance or content.
You better slow your speed stop the nonsense."
The Power Chill Rob G
A flick came out in the mid 90's called "Tales from the Hood," it was kinda like a ghetto version of "Scared Straight;" only with zombies. Perhaps the best part of the movie dealt with a gangsta named Krazy K who was undergoing some heavy sci fi rehabilitation by being forced to relive scenes of the many murders of black folks that he had committed against a backdrop of lynchings and cross burnings. After listening to the latest youtube hit "Whip it "(Like a Slave), I wonder if such a rehab session would work on Lil Wayne? Naw, he'd probably just sit there with that spaced out permanent grin on his face sippin' Sizzurp through a styrofoam cup and mumbling auto tune lyrics as visions of black death flash before his eyes.
This month is known as Black August, a time when activists recognize the August 21, 1971 state execution of revolutionary George Jackson via an alleged prison escape attempt. Not to mention it is a month rich in black history, including the births of Marcus Garvey and Fred Hampton. Unfortunately, it is also a month when Lil Wayne and the America's Most Wanted Tour will be hitting cities across the country.
Unlike other rappers, Lil Wayne aka Weezy has never prided himself as being the "Malcolm X of the Hip Hop generation" and when he has his frequent run ins with the law he isn't all over the TV yellin' that he is "a black man being persecuted in America just for being black" a la Dr. Henry "Skip" Gates.
He is what he is, a thug; a thug with a college education but never the less, a thug. So there is very little that would come out of his gold toothed grill that would surprise me.
However, his new collaboration with Dem Franchize Boyz got my attention on several different levels.
The song, which is the latest Internet sensation, has been generating thousands of hits on social networking sites. While some will argue that Lil Wayne and the Boyz are not talking about literally tying someone to an old oak and pulling out a bullwhip but are metaphorically referring to cooking up crack, that makes the song even that much sicker as it embraces the genocide of black people, past and present.
While some may quickly point to the ignorance of the rappers to blame for "Whip it," the finger should really be pointed at the ignorance of a black community that would allow such a song without protest.
When I say ignorance, I am not talking about the negative connotation of lacking intelligence but the functional definition of lacking proper information in regards to the history of African people in this country.
The major problem when discussing the matter of slavery and race overall, in this country is a lack of a proper point of reference in order to put the discussion in the proper context.
For the last century, the issue of slavery has been glossed over by a Hollywood that was more than happy to give us the happy -go- lucky Uncle Remus type or the mammy who was happy to birth massa's babies. Matter of fact, for most Americans, the image of slavery does not get any more graphic than "Kunta Kinte" getting 40 lashes for not accepting the slave name, "Toby."
Also, the educational system of this country has relegated any discussion of black history to a 28 day period in February and the content of that discussion does not, in any way, seek to explore the depths of the brutality visited upon the victims of the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade confining it to a rosey picture painted of a post Emancipation America that merely substituted one form of slavery (chattel) for another (economic).
It must also be noted that while physical slavery was horrific it was the mental enslavement that has been the most destructive. For long after the physical chains are gone, the mental chains remain.
While many may say that this mentality is exclusive to the ' hood, it has historically been the black middle class that discouraged any identification with Africa, therefore pre-1865 history was a taboo subject for the upwardly mobile black bourgeoisie.
As Dr. Carter G. Woodson wrote in 1933, "the mis-educated Negro joins the opposition with the objection that the study of the Negro keeps alive questions which should be forgotten."
So the severity of the slave trade was lost on future generations.
This is also exhibited among members of a Hip Hop generation who will constantly debate the lyrical prowess of rappers who celebrate the abuse of black women and glorify black fratricide but will shy away from any mention of the heinous crimes committed against black people by Europeans.
So we are left with an overly simplistic understanding of the thought process that allows songs like "Whip It" to be embraced in 2009.
This lack of historical depth is exacerbated by the fact that many perceive that we are living in a "post racial" America where the outrage over thousands of examples of police brutality against black men can can be squashed over beer and pretzels.
As Bruce Bridges writes in his book "Reclaiming the African Mind, "the intent of the system of slavery was to rob the African man of his responsibilities of manhood and emotionally castrate him."
While rappers like Jay Z have dedicated themselves to DOA (the death of the auto tune) we must dedicate ourselves to DOI (the death of ignorance) by raising our voices against 'Whip It Like a Slave."
We must do this in honor of those whose lives we celebrate in August and whose deaths we mourn.
As Soledad brother George Jackson once wrote:
"When I revolt, slavery dies with me. I refuse to pass it down . The terms of my existence are founded on that."
Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/
He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 info@nowarningshotsfired.com
Sunday, July 12, 2009
No Warning Shots News 7/13
No Warning Shots Fired News for 7/13: We all know about the "Good Ol' Boys Club" made up of white men but is there a "Good Ol' Brotha's Club in the black community?
The Good Ol' Brotha's Club
The Good Ole Brotha's Club:
The Manipulation of the Black Mind
Paul Scott
A few years ago, a movie came out called Barbershop that enraged many of the Civil Rights folks. In the film, Cedric the Entertainer's character, "Eddie" went on a tirade and started busting up many myths plaguing the black community such as how Rosa Parks was the first woman to stand up or sit down for Civil Rights and the belief that all black folks thought that OJ Simpson was innocent. Although the scene ticked off some Civil Rights leaders, to me, the moral of the story was very clear; all black folks don't think alike.
I thought about that movie, last week ,while listening to a popular nationally syndicated black radio commentator urging his listeners to bombard Fox and CNN with emails demanding that he and a couple of other guys get more airtime. Sadly, the short list of names that he gave were already the ones that serve as the "go to people" when it comes to interpreting black thought to the masses.
While many black folks complain about a "Good Ol' Boys" Club made up of white males with the same political ideology who have a monopoly on politics, economics and anything else that they wish to control, there also exists a "Good Ol' Brotha's" Club in the black community. This network is made up of a few black intellectuals and civil rights leaders who speak for all black folks.
Historically, white America has believed that all black people have the same collective ideology so they have never really needed more than one official spokesperson.
This goes back to the late 1800's with Booker T Washington, who was considered by many to be the first national black leader. Washington gained national prominence after he delivered his "Atlanta Compromise " speech during the Atlanta Cotton Exposition in 1895.
What was dangerous about Washington leadership was the creation of the Tuskegee Machine which was used to silence and in some cases crush any who were in opposition to his position.
In the introduction to Booker T Washington's "Up From Slavery," Louis R. Harlan described Washington's Tuskegee Machine as "a network of his supporters and lieutenants in every avenue of black life." He goes on to say that Washington controlled "the editorial policies of nearly all of the black weeklies through subsidies and in a few cases, outright ownership."
So you have the seeds planted of the shaping of black thought over a century today that continues with the Good Ol' Brotha's Club and their domination of the press; both black and white.
It must be noted that when one speaks of the "black press" it is not to be misinterpreted to mean those local media outlets that are allowing the grassroots to express their thoughts but the national press that for decades has served as the only "legitimate" voice of black America.
In his book "Black Bourgeoisie, " E. Franklin Frazier says this about the black press in 1957.
"Although, the Negro press declares itself to be the spokesman for the Negro group as a whole it represents, essentially, the interests and the outlook of the black bourgeoisie."
In that chapter, he refers to Ebony and Jet as part of this elite group, two magazines that are still shaping black thought in the 21st century.
As far as the white press, they just need one of the Good Ol' Brothas to measure the temperament of the black community after some provocative action on the part of white America. They just need to be warned when the natives are restless and what it will take to simmer them back down.
Now, I don't mean to knock the next man's hustle, as the members of the Good Ol' Brotha's Club have worked hard to get where they are. WEB DuBois faced this same delima when addressing the power of Booker T Washington in "The Souls of Black Folk" but came to the conclusion that
"the hushing of criticism of honest opponents is a dangerous thing."
It must be noted that what black people need is not spokesmen but master teachers to supply the black masses with information.
This is what has always frightened those in power, not an emotional people but a well informed people.
As much as members of the Good Ol' Brotha's Network claim that they are the most enlightened and "baddest brothers on the block," as Grandma used to say when I got too big for my britches, "as bad as you may think you are, there is always somebody else badder."
There are many scholars in the black community who are experts in their respective fields and although you may hear them online on Internet radio networks such as Harambee.com or LIBradio.com, they will never be allowed to rival the platform given the Good Ol' Brothas.
Why?
As comedian, Katt Williams would say , a Chrysler 300 looks just like a Rolls Royce Phantom until a Phantom pulls up beside it.
It must be noted that the best of us have always been the ones that will bring life changing information to the masses of black people or in other words the bravest among us tell black folks what white folks don't want us to know.
We need to establish more diversity of thought in the black community not for the benefit of white America but to elevate the consciousness of black people.
Even if it means crashing the next Good Ol' Brotha's party.
Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com
He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 info@nowarningshotsfired.com
The Manipulation of the Black Mind
Paul Scott
A few years ago, a movie came out called Barbershop that enraged many of the Civil Rights folks. In the film, Cedric the Entertainer's character, "Eddie" went on a tirade and started busting up many myths plaguing the black community such as how Rosa Parks was the first woman to stand up or sit down for Civil Rights and the belief that all black folks thought that OJ Simpson was innocent. Although the scene ticked off some Civil Rights leaders, to me, the moral of the story was very clear; all black folks don't think alike.
I thought about that movie, last week ,while listening to a popular nationally syndicated black radio commentator urging his listeners to bombard Fox and CNN with emails demanding that he and a couple of other guys get more airtime. Sadly, the short list of names that he gave were already the ones that serve as the "go to people" when it comes to interpreting black thought to the masses.
While many black folks complain about a "Good Ol' Boys" Club made up of white males with the same political ideology who have a monopoly on politics, economics and anything else that they wish to control, there also exists a "Good Ol' Brotha's" Club in the black community. This network is made up of a few black intellectuals and civil rights leaders who speak for all black folks.
Historically, white America has believed that all black people have the same collective ideology so they have never really needed more than one official spokesperson.
This goes back to the late 1800's with Booker T Washington, who was considered by many to be the first national black leader. Washington gained national prominence after he delivered his "Atlanta Compromise " speech during the Atlanta Cotton Exposition in 1895.
What was dangerous about Washington leadership was the creation of the Tuskegee Machine which was used to silence and in some cases crush any who were in opposition to his position.
In the introduction to Booker T Washington's "Up From Slavery," Louis R. Harlan described Washington's Tuskegee Machine as "a network of his supporters and lieutenants in every avenue of black life." He goes on to say that Washington controlled "the editorial policies of nearly all of the black weeklies through subsidies and in a few cases, outright ownership."
So you have the seeds planted of the shaping of black thought over a century today that continues with the Good Ol' Brotha's Club and their domination of the press; both black and white.
It must be noted that when one speaks of the "black press" it is not to be misinterpreted to mean those local media outlets that are allowing the grassroots to express their thoughts but the national press that for decades has served as the only "legitimate" voice of black America.
In his book "Black Bourgeoisie, " E. Franklin Frazier says this about the black press in 1957.
"Although, the Negro press declares itself to be the spokesman for the Negro group as a whole it represents, essentially, the interests and the outlook of the black bourgeoisie."
In that chapter, he refers to Ebony and Jet as part of this elite group, two magazines that are still shaping black thought in the 21st century.
As far as the white press, they just need one of the Good Ol' Brothas to measure the temperament of the black community after some provocative action on the part of white America. They just need to be warned when the natives are restless and what it will take to simmer them back down.
Now, I don't mean to knock the next man's hustle, as the members of the Good Ol' Brotha's Club have worked hard to get where they are. WEB DuBois faced this same delima when addressing the power of Booker T Washington in "The Souls of Black Folk" but came to the conclusion that
"the hushing of criticism of honest opponents is a dangerous thing."
It must be noted that what black people need is not spokesmen but master teachers to supply the black masses with information.
This is what has always frightened those in power, not an emotional people but a well informed people.
As much as members of the Good Ol' Brotha's Network claim that they are the most enlightened and "baddest brothers on the block," as Grandma used to say when I got too big for my britches, "as bad as you may think you are, there is always somebody else badder."
There are many scholars in the black community who are experts in their respective fields and although you may hear them online on Internet radio networks such as Harambee.com or LIBradio.com, they will never be allowed to rival the platform given the Good Ol' Brothas.
Why?
As comedian, Katt Williams would say , a Chrysler 300 looks just like a Rolls Royce Phantom until a Phantom pulls up beside it.
It must be noted that the best of us have always been the ones that will bring life changing information to the masses of black people or in other words the bravest among us tell black folks what white folks don't want us to know.
We need to establish more diversity of thought in the black community not for the benefit of white America but to elevate the consciousness of black people.
Even if it means crashing the next Good Ol' Brotha's party.
Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com
He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 info@nowarningshotsfired.com
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