Looks like the NC Carolina GOP has revealed its latest masterpiece...
An attack ad attacking Rev. Jeremiah Wright for...
No, that's not it...
An attack ad attacking Obama for...
No, it's actually an attack ad attacking gubernatorial candidates Bev Purdue and Richard Moore for not attacking....
Rats!
Anyway, the Gangsta Ole Party has this clip on youtube beggin' folks to give money to keep a 40 second commercial that says that Obama is "too extreme" for North Carolina on the air ...
(I'm not sure if I'm more upset over the attack on Obama or that they just called me and the rest of my Tarheel homies a bunch of punks...)But it looks like the GOP is up to their old scare tactics again. The ad, which features the new black boogey man, Rev. Jeremiah Wright delivering one of his firey speeches is supposed to start airing April 28th.
Now, I know that the GOP has deep pockets and could probably have the ads in heavier rotation than those darn Chad Alltell commercials that come on every 5 minutes...
So, what's an average dude who's tired of the dirt to do...
I have a novel idea. I'm gonna start a one man "Black Out" Protest and turn off my TV for 40 seconds every time the "extreme" ad comes on...
Surely, I can think of better ways to use my 40 seconds. (Like maybe pondering real issues facing our children?)
Now, I'm not saying that this little act of defiance will clean up dirty politics forever, nor does it compare with the March on Washington...
But it's just my way of sayin'
"I'm mad as heck and I'm not goin' to take it anymore!
Hollywood Racism and Black Anger
For the past few weeks, in the wake of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy, the question that keeps poppin' up is why are Rev. Jeremiah Wright and other black folks so angry ?
Sometimes we may even question ourselves.
For instance. This is a quiet Easter Sunday morning so I'm relaxing at the crib watching a little television. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the little kiddies are running around in their Easter bonnets getting ready for their Easter egg hunts.
"Who could be angry on a day like this," I thought as I engaged in a little channel surfing.
But as soon as I started humming the chorus from "We are the World," this popped up on my TV screen.
http://www.tcm.com/video/videoPlayer/?cid=16957
Tomorrow, night, 3/24 the movie "Trader Horn" is going to be show on Turner Movie Classics. This is the first non-documentary film shot in Africa.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trader_Horn_(1931_film)
Apparently, the folks over at Turner Classic Movies are proud of that fact.
According to the promo, the movie is about a trader's encounter with "hordes of blood thirsty cannibals" and a white goddess that rules over savage pagan races.
Now, this is not the only movie that has portrayed African people in a negative light, it has always been a tradition in Hollywood. From the cannibals of "the dark continent" to the thugs and gangsters on the dark streets of the "inner city," Hollywood has always been racist.
I wonder if Dr. Wright saw movies like "Trader Horn" as a child? Maybe that can explain his "rage."
Unfortunately, the same white folks who have a problem with the Rev. Wright's of the world have no problem with movies like Trader Horn still being shown in 2008, as it is a part of historical "American culture."
I guess what black folks call racism, white folks call history.....
Min. Paul Scott's blog is http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/ He can be reached at (919) 451-8283
Confessions of Fox's Black Boogeyman
Min. Paul Scott
As the spotlight beamed down on my face, I could hear the producer counting down. Ten seconds to Armageddon; my first encounter with Fox News' epitome of evil, Sean Hannity. As I sat there waiting for the big showdown, I asked myself,
"What's a militant, Afrocentric, radical dude, like me, doing in a place like this?"
It started off on a whim. I had watched Hannity and Colmes a few times and developed a strong dislike (OK, bitter hatred) for Sean Hannity before he even opened his mouth. (Something about that permanent smirk on his face makes me wanna slap him.) So, one morning in 2002, I called ABC radio and asked to speak with the producer of his talk show.
"Hold on," the receptionist said. "Too easy," I thought. "She must be new."
I was expecting to talk to an answering machine but, to my surprise, someone picked up the receiver!
Being a seasoned community activist, I new the drill. You get 10 good seconds to pitch a story idea before a snooty producer, who is up against a deadline, rudely cuts you off midstream and tells you to fax him your info at (212) 555 -"click..." So, before the producer guy could finish saying hello, I had already given him my entire bio.
"Good, no click, yet. Now for the story pitch..."
"I wanna tell Sean Hannity, that Jesus was black !"
After a second of awkward silence, the producer said that he liked the idea and would get back with me soon.
I told myself that I wouldn't hold my breath.
Two weeks later, the phone rang. It was a producer from the Hannity and Colmes tv show who had run across my info. She wanted me on the show that night.
"Let me check my schedule," I said, pausing to shadow box with the giant poster of Sean Hannity with scripto horns drawn on his head that hangs on my living room wall.
"Cool." Ready for prime time.
A few hours later, I was rollin' through the 'hood in an expensive town car with a white chauffeur, courtesy of Rupert Murdock on my way to some secret Fox News bat cave satellite studio.
As I got mic-ed up, the producer made small talk while he adjusted the audio.
"Say, someting in the microphone, please."
"Sure, Sean Hannity is a no good, son-of-a....."
"What?"
"Never mind..."
Then it was show time, just me, Sean, Alan Colmes and 10 million Conservatives who would soon learn hate my guts.
The show is pretty much the same every night. They do their classic good cop/bad cop routine. Alan Colmes asks you a few polite questions to butter you up and then ...BAM!!! Hear comes Hannity, the Hitman.
"You, know Pauuuul, he sneered in that arrogant, northern drawl that only a bigot could love, "it's racists like you...."
The show always goes pretty much according to script. Hannity hits you with a couple of patented conservative one liners. You make a quick rebuttal, then Colmes thanks you for coming on the show. The show generated so much controversy, Colmes wrote about it in his book "Red, White and Liberal."
I wasn't on Fox News again until January of 2006. I baited them with an email about "boycotting Black History Month because it was too white."
That morning, I got calls from most of Fox's shows, all wanting me to discuss the issue. At that point, I became Fox's big black boogeyman, appearing on the network 4 times that year.
It's no secret that Fox News has an agenda. They are there to ease white guilt and make Right Wing white folks feel that their bigotry and heightened sense of ethnic paranoia is justified. So, anytime some racist, Michael Richards/Don Imus type guy says something totally ignorant, they bring on a black "militant" so they can say...
"Look, ma..There are "black" racists, too !!!!
If they are not doing that, they are busy trying to play one black "leader" person against another.
I remember hearing a Fox producer quietly, sobbing in the background, when what he thought was going to be a knock down, drag out fight between an African American lady professor and myself over black history, turned out to be a respectful, enlightening conversation.
So, in 2006, any time there was an incident of white racism, anywhere on the planet. I could count on my cell phone ringing.
Now, I know that many of you are asking why, knowing the nature of Fox News, do people like myself even go on the network. After all, its kinda like walking around with a big "kick me" sign, on purpose.
To borrow from the controversial rapper Jadakiss, we do it because " we need air time."
Our hope is that between Cynical Sean's sneering and Wild Bill O'Reilly's "holier than though" finger pointing, maybe, just maybe, we can get one or two good punches in. Also, the appearances lead to other opportunities to clarify our positions that were distorted by the network. In my case, I would go on Alan Colmes' radio program, even interacting with callers, following the show which was a more principled discussion.
Sure, sometimes I felt like kicking myself for even doing the show. (I should have known it was a set up , when they sent a stretch limo with flashing party lights to pick me up for the last encounter.) But hey, they can't all be gems.
As an activist, I always ask myself if my seven and a half minutes of fame helped to raise the consciousness of the country. Did I put an issue before the public that would have otherwise gone unheard ?
Because at the end of the day, that's all that counts.
Min. Paul Scott is an activist, writer and lecturer. His blog is http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/ He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 info@nowarningshotsfired.com
Fear of a Black Jesus:
The Politics of Religion
Min. Paul Scott
Senator Barack Obama has been taking a lot of heat, lately for his ties the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, pastor of the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. Seems like some folks are a little miffed that Rev. Wright's church is a little too "afro-centric."
The nerve of that man!
Imagine that. A black pastor of a predominately black church preaching the Gospel from a black perspective. This man should be defrocked immediately!
But what is afro-centric theology and why does it attract so many black Americans and disturb so many white Americans? What is this fascination with or fear of a "black Jesus?"
The issue of the color of Yeshua (misnamed Jesus) has always been a controversial topic in this country, evoking strong passions both pro and con. With the demographic makeup of America becoming more culturally diverse, many people are questioning the Euro-centric religious icons that America has cherished since she was founded.
The Euro-centric icons are especially problematic for the millions of descendants of slaves, whose "owners" saw no contradiction between being "good" Christians on Sunday morning and gathering for a hanging on Sunday afternoon. The legacy of this contradiction is so strong that even today many in the white community refuse to even contemplate the idea that the "Jesus" whom they serve was the same color of the people that their forefathers put in chains.
This has produced what is referred to as the "Fear of a Black Jesus" syndrome.
The evidence of Yeshua (Jesus) being Black is overwhelming. Many in the Black community believe that the Messiah was black because of the area of the world in which he lived. The so-called Middle East is actually part of Africa divided from the rest of the continent by the man made Suez Canal. Many believe that the Hebrews living in this area two thousand years ago were people of color as it would have been virtually impossible for anyone to live in Northern Africa and have a pale complexion.
The image of Yeshua that is in many homes and churches is not historically correct but came out of the minds of European artists such as Michelangelo, who was commissioned in 1505 by Pope Julius II to paint certain biblical pictures. Many believe that these pictures were used to justify the African Holocaust (the Trans-Atlantic slave trade) and to create an inferiority complex in African people that would be passed down from generation to generation.
The effect of this image being so devastating that even after the physical chains of slavery were removed, the mental chains would still be in place, causing some black Americans, even in the 21st century to reverence the white man as God. African Americans have been taught since birth that nothing good could come out of Africa and that African people have not contributed anything to humanity, worthwhile. Therefore, it is impossible for some to conceptualize the Messiah being anything but white.
However, nowadays, many younger African Americans are challenging the traditional religion that was forced upon their ancestors. They are posing questions that can no longer be ignored.
How can the theology that was used to enslave and persecute you on Friday, be the same one to free and resurrect you on Sunday? Was it not the Euro-centric version of Christianity that endorsed the murder and enslavement of over 100 million African people? Was it not the Euro-centric version of Christianity that put its stamp of approval on the hanging of Black men from trees? How can this possibly be that same form of Christianity that will make African Americans free ?
Many have asked why we are preaching this Afro-Centric Theology and why now? I ask if not now when and if not me who? Someone has to pick up the torch that has been handed down by Bishop Henry McNeal Turner, Rev. Gabriel Prosser, Denmark Vessy and Marcus Garvey. Somebody has to stand up and declare the right of African American religious expression.
Although, some refuse to admit this truth and others seek to hide it, as the old saying goes, "Truth crushed to the ground will rise again!"
Minister Paul Scott is founder of the Messianic Afrikan Nation ministry based in Durham NC. He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 info@nowarningshotsfired.com
His blog is http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/
In the Black community, historically, we have had one cardinal rule that has been passed from generation to generation...
Family First...
You don't go dissin' your "family" to please other folks...
That is something that Senator Obama should remember...
One of the hot news items today is "Obama Denounces Farrakhan" (For the second, third....Oh, I forget..time)
From news reports the candidate is denouncing Min. Louis Farrakhan's support?
What tha....?
How can you "denounce" someone's giving you moral support?
Now, maybe I am a little biased as my articles have appeared many times in the Nation of Islam's newspaper, the Final Call..
But the question still remains, why do black folks always have to feel that they have to denounce other black folks to get ahead ?
People have been denouncing Minister Farrakhan for years and 99% of the people have no idea why...
As rapper Chuck D once said,
"Don't tell me that you understand, until you hear the man..."
Every time that Black folks are about to do something big, here comes the Farrakhan question....
"Well, buddy..We know that you have been feeding the homeless in your community for the last 10 years and we heard about you rescuing that little girl's cat from that burning building....But tell me...How do you feel about Rev. Far-a-can...?"
(And for the last time! It's Farra-khan. You know, like "Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan !"
Let's keep it real...
As much as some black folks want to complain about Min. Farrakhan, if you looked outside your window tonight and saw that your crib was surrounded by an army of skin heads and dope dealers, who you gonna call to come to your rescue, Bill, Hillary and Chelsea or the Fruit of Islam ?
That's what I thought...
So, why are we in 2008, still letting outsiders define who are friends are?
Now, I know that Obama feels that he has to say some things just to get in the White House but he's taking things too far...
Just like all the hoopla over him wearing traditional Kenyan garb during his trip to Africa...
What did you expect him to wear, a baseball cap and a baggy pair of jeans exposing his underwear?
He has also seemed to be distancing himself from his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright who some are accusing of having a church that is too "black."
(If you think his church is "black" you otta hang out with me sometimes....I'll show you black !!!)
So, Black folks have always had kind of a code that says "If you turn your back on your own kin folks, how can you expect me to trust you."
We as a black community have to show Senator Obama that you don't have to denounce other black folks to be successful or turn you back on "family," whether it be Rev. Wright, Min. Farrakhan or Uncle Junebug down the street.....
Min. Paul Scott's blog is http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/ He can be reached at (919) 451-8283
