Open Challenge to Professor Jerry Hough

Professor Hough,

   I read your comments regarding the fallout from your recent online comments concerning African Americans. As a Durham NC resident, I take exception to people, such as yourself, taking the liberty to speak with presumed authority on the topic of black culture.

In your comments to WTVD, you seem to be throwing down the gauntlet and issuing a challenge to debate the issue of race outside of the boundaries of politically correct "sensitivities."

As one of the ideological children of Malcolm X, who you referenced in your initial comments, I accept your challenge to a no holds barred debate on race in America.

Having the right to voice an opinion is part of a democracy. But to have ideas go unchallenged is Fascism.


                           Min. Paul Scott
                           Messianic Afrikan Nation
                           Durham NC
                           (919) 972-8305

Rapper Says White Racism to Blame for Black Violence

Although many people in this country are discussing violence, a Miami rapper is claiming that the real cause of the violence that permeates the Black community is not being discussed.

Originally from the mean streets of Washington DC, Yasin360Wiseguy aka "The Enforcer" is claiming that Black on Black violence is directly related to the history of slavery and racism and the violence in rap music is "The Hip Hop Hatin' that Hate Produced." Growing up in the nation's capital Yasin has seen, first hand. the damage that suppressed black anger at white supremacy can cause. Fortunately, he was able to channel his rage into his music. And he is using his music to make a difference.

The artist is on a mission to enforce principals of unity that will stop the glorification of black death that is prevalent in commercial Hip Hop. He believes that if Black youth understood the roots of Black on Black violence, their behavior would change.

"It does no good to take the guns out of the hands of the boys in the 'hood when the bullet of white supremacy is still lodged in their brains."

His latest video is called "What's Gangsta." G.A.N.G.S.T.A. stands for "Going Against Negativity Getting Stronger Together Always."

http://t.co/kxPtDyuV1L

For more information contact.. (202) 239-2929 or dc360wiseguy@gmail.com

Twitter@DC360WISEGUY website http://www.360wiseguymusicgroup.com

The Hostile Takeover of Black History Month

                                                    
                                        *Logo courtesy of Askari Graphics 2012


                        

The Hostile Takeover of Black History Month

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott


“You took my style/I’m takin’ it back”
How Ya Like Me Now-Kool Moe Dee



The annual Black History Month program sponsored by Steppin’ Fetchin’ Sneakers was going as planned. Dr. Thomas “D. W.” Griffin, was giving his usual boring speech about how slavery wasn't so bad, when all of a sudden a group of Black militants bum rushed the stage and started yellin’ about the ancient empires of Africa. The crowd went wild as Griffin headed for the exist , dropping his copy of The Clansman as he made his hasty retreat...

Is it just me or does Black History Month always seem like a bad movie script? There will be the usual programs about slavery and the life and times of Dr. Martin Luther King. We will be bombarded by hundreds of commercials by that same Barry White sounding brotha braggin’ about how some company loves Black people. And somewhere near the end of the month , every city in America will throw some multi-cultural shindig that talks about every issue under the sun except the ones that are relevant to African Americans in 2013.

Although the question is posed every year “is Black History Month still relevant”, the question that we should be asking is whether or not Black History is controlled by Black people ? And if not , is it really Black History or a watered down, white washed version of our culture.?

Back in 1926, Dr. Carter G. Woodson started what was ,then, Negro History Week as a way to save the story of a great people from falling into the dark abyss of Euro-centric falsehood. However, since then, the celebration has been exploited by everything from car companies that want to sell Black people pimped out new rides to restaurants that create a soul food dollar menu every year ,complete with fried chicken, watermelon and red Kool Aid.

What is most disturbing is that many of the companies that will have “Say it Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud” blastin’ out of the intercom systems during February 2013 are the same ones that dissed Black folks in the 90’s.

Although AT&T has commercials playing ‘round the clock on black networks , back in 1993, the company came under fire from African Americans when their employee magazine contained an ad which featured a picture of a monkey representing the people of Africa.

In 1994 , Denny’s Restaurant chain , which takes great pride in its diversity programs ,was sued for racial discrimination. Ironically, it was the Denny’s chain that brought out some of the old “Sambo” restaurants.

Also, the old Texaco gas stations had to shell out some major dollars in 1996 when the company’s top officials were busted for referring to their African American employees as “black jellybeans.” (among other things)

And these are the types of people who we trust to tell our story?

Really?

Under the guise of Black History, they give us just enough to keep “Black leaders “ happy and to ease white guilt. So we get the same old rehashed slavery/MLK/civil rights stories over and over again.

What happened to the great African civilizations of Ethiopia and Egypt? What about those brave warriors who fought against the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.Or how about the thousands of Black people who fought against racism before and after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr?

This version of Black History is considered too controversial for the mainstream.

Although controversy may sell rap cds, it doesn’t sell cell phones. So, in most cases, telling the truth about Black History may be bad for business.

For instance, if more Black children knew about the damage done to the Africa over the scramble for gold and diamonds, maybe“bling” wouldn’t be so popular. Nor would rappers like Trinidad James singin’ about “gold all in my chain/gold all in my ring..” still have a career. Thus impacting both the jewelry and the music industry, simultaneously.

If Black kids got a strong dose of true African history during Black History Month, maybe they would start wearing dashikis and kufis instead of snapbacks and True Religion Jeans. Which would impact the clothing industry.

Also, if our youth learned about the historical origin of Black on Black violence every February, they may be less likely to pick up an assault rifle. Thus, impacting the gun industry.

So, the only ones who truly benefit from true Black history are Black people.

This is why our story must be told and it must be told by us. There must be a hostile takeover of Black History Month.

Black History is more than a way to push a product. It is the tie that binds people of African descent together. So, before we even begin to talk about "taking back Hip Hop" or" taking back our community," we must concern ourselves with taking back our history.

Unlike during the time of our parents, we now have the technology to make it happen right at our fingertips.

The Black By Nature/Conscious By Choice campaign is on a mission to bring back Black consciousness and there is no better time to start than right now. Just as Public Enemy had as its mission to raise up 5,000 Black leaders during the late 80’s, our task today, is to raise up 5,000 intellectual warriors.

For Black History Month we are suggesting the following steps.

Instead of depending on the media to give us the truth about our history, we must use Youtube , Facebook and Twitter to start a “Black History :The Lost Episodes” series where we will post and Tweet information that has been purposely hidden from the masses of Black people.

Hip Hop must also get involved as we are asking rappers to adopt the names of our Black heroes and heroines during Black History Month. If rappers can name themselves after comic book heroes like “Johnny Blaze” and Hollywood gangsters’s like “Frank White” and “Scarface” , why can’t we have , "The King Tut of the Turntables," “The Nat Turner of Rap”,” or “The Harriet Tubman of Hip Hop.? “

Also, we must form Afro-centric media watch groups to make sure that our history is not distorted by the media, especially during Black History Month.

So, the hostile takeover of Black History Month must happen.

Like Malcolm X would put it , we must take back our culture this year, “By any means necessary.”

We can do this the easy way or the hard way..

Or like Biggie Smalls once rapped “the fast way, ski mask way... ransom note....”

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott’s site is No Warning Shots Fired.com. Follow on Twitter @ truthminista For more information about the Black By Nature/Conscious By Choice Campaign contact info@nowarningshotsfired.com or call (919) 972-8305

A Dog Returneth...

As a Dog Returneth...
Colt 45's Controversial Comeback

Min. Paul Scott





Many African Americans of my generation have fond (or not so fond) memories of getting up on Saturday mornings to watch our favorite Hip Hop video show, only to be scared out our wits by the sight of an angry, giant blue Schlitz Malt Liquor Bull bustin' through our tv sets. Even today, if you ride through any 'hood and yell out the window the familiar '90's ST Ides Malt Liquor jingle, "just hit the corner store, you know what I'm lookin' for..." I guarantee that some wino in the alley is gonna yell back, " ST IDES!!!!" There was even an evil scientist who came up with the diabolical formula to mix malt liquor with gen-sing, call it Phat Boy and pour it into giant bottles with graffiti on the label. However, thanks to the tireless and thankless work of grassroots activists, for a decade, the blatant advertising of cheap, high powered malt liquor to the "Hip Hop generation" virtually, disappeared.

Fast forward to March 2011, as the folks at Pabst Brewing Company are getting amped up to send another generation on a one way trip to Alcoholics Anonymous.

In a few weeks, the company is scheduled to launch its latest monster piece, "Colt 45 Blast," a 12% high octane malt liquor that comes in a variety of fruity flavors that would put the makers of Kool Aid to shame. The marketing scheme that Pabst is using is pretty much the same that the malt meisters of the past have used; grab a rapper with questionable morals and a bunch of video babes and, bingo, a match made in heaven (or some other place.)

Although the brew is not officially scheduled to come out until April 5th, the company has already launched a major marketing campaign staring the Doggfather, himself, Snoop Dogg. Ironically, it was Snoop who was one of the first rappers to appear in liquor commercials almost two decades ago. He has a history of getting people to join him in the game of "get to' up 'till you throw up" . So, to borrow from the scriptures, in 2011," the dog has returned to his vomit."

Unlike the marketing schemes of the early 90's, in the 21st century, liquor companies have gone high tech. Already, there are Colt 45 Blast Youtube, Facebook and Twitter pages set up that will deliver the latest booze news straight to your child's smart phone.

One may ask how, in the wake of the Four Loko controversy, can a company come out with a product that so blatantly, targets underage drinkers. The answer is quite simple.

Nobody cares.

Quiet as kept, when dealing with black youth issues, many people follow the sage wisdom from "The Godfather," "they're animals anyway, so let them lose their souls." And if you can make a profit in the process, so be it.

By the owners of Pabst own admission, Colt 45 has been known, primarily, a 'hood drink and as long as they keep it ghetto, they do not have to worry about those underage drinking crusader organizations throwing a monkey wrench in their program. Most of these organizations only seem to get MADD (pardon the pun) when alcohol abuse starts affecting middle class white kids at college frat parties.

I can remember on more than one occasion, going to an anti-teen drinking event and loudly proclaiming with a 40 oz bottle raised in a gesture of moral indignation , " In the name of the 'hood, I have come to warn thee of the plague that is about to come upon thy children" only to receive the classic "deer in headlights" look from a crowd who saw nothing wrong with a rapper bragging about malt liquor giving him super sexual prowess but thought some darn talking Budweiser bullfrogs signaled the coming of the Apocalypse.

Only when Bifffy and Buffy, start passing out in the middle of English Lit 101 will it become a problem. Which brings us to the proverbial question "if black kids start falling out in the 'hood do they make a sound?"

I think you know the answer.

What is, also, problematic is the liquor industry's uncanny ability to buy off voices of dissent within the African American community. Any time you start cutting checks to Hip Hop radio stations, Hip Hop magazines and start sponsoring (Black) cultural festivals, you can almost guarantee that your favorite Civil Rights leaders won't say a mumblin' word.

So, where does that leave the community activists who are going to be the ones picking up the pieces when the Colt 45 Tsunami floods the hood with alcohol? What can be done?

Community activists must demand that the neighborhood stores where their children go every morning, before school, to pick up honey buns and orange juice for lunch not stock the product in their establishments. We must also ask our local Hip Hop radio stations not to take the blood money that will have our children dancing down the road of destruction all summer long. Also, black organizations must not accept the 30 pieces of silver to have a malt liquor company sponsor "cultural" events that are supposed to be promoting the health and the well being of the community.

Finally, Hip Hop fans must stand up and tell Snoop Dogg and the legion of other rappers who will come behind him not to be "Pabst Blue Ribbon Pimps" putting poison in the 'hood.

We must not look for politicians nor underage drinking organizations to solve this problem. No one is going to save us but us .

As former malt liquor promoter, Ice Cube, once said in a classic line from a popular gangsta flick.

Either they don't know, don't show or don't care what's goin' on in the 'hood."



Paul Scott is a minister, activist and lecturer based in Durham NC. He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com Website http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com

Glenn "X" Beck

Glenn "X" Beck:
How the Right Revitalized Black Nationalism

Paul Scott



Someday, a museum will be built in Washington DC to honor those who participated in the Black Power Movement. Of course, there will be a picture of Marcus Garvey and a bust of Malcolm X but holding center stage will be a giant statue of the person most responsible for the propagation of Black Nationalism in the 21st century, Glenn "X" Beck.

The media attention that Glenn Beck and the rest of the Right Wingers at Fox News have given Black Power advocates in recent weeks has done more to spread the tenets of Black Nationalism than any time in recent history.

Until recently, the image of black male machismo was limited to gangsta rappers who had run-ins with the law and athletes who signed multi million dollar contracts. However, last week's extensive coverage of New Black Panther Party chairman, Malik Zulu Shabazz, even eclipsed the camera time of basketball superstar, LeBron James. This has sparked a renewed interest in Black Nationalism.

There have always been two competing ideologies facing Africans in America; Integration-ism (Civil Rights Movement) and Black Nationalism, the former receiving the lion's share of attention from the media and in history books.

The roots of the rivalry between Black Nationalists and Civil Rights leaders can be traced back to the abolitionist movement of the 19th century involving Martin Delany and abolitionists such as Fredrick Douglas. According to Lerone Bennet in his book "Before the Mayflower," Douglas once said "I thank God for making me a man ,simply, but Delaney always thanks Him for making him a Black man." Delany also coined the phrase "Africa for the Africans" which was later adopted by Marcus Garvey,

In 1918, Garvey established his UNIA and ACL (Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League) in America. Also during this period, WEB Dubois and his friends in the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) opposed Garvey's Pan-African-ism. According to Dr. Tony Martin in his book, "Race First" Dubois once wrote in regards to Garvey, "he is either a lunatic or a traitor." This prompted Garvey to reply in third person, " Garvey has no such speculation about Dubois. He is positive that he is a traitor."

Perhaps, the two most popular icons of the dual ideologies were Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X. Their legacies have long divided the black community with one group siding with King's "beloved community" and the other subscribing to Malcolm X's ministry of separatism. This debate continues in the black community today.

Media pundants have always found themselves in precarious positions when covering Black Nationalists. Although, Mike Wallace's 1959 expose' on the Nation of Islam, "The Hate that Hate Produced" was intended to warn mainstream America about it's so-called "gospel of hate," it resulted in making Malcolm X a household name. Fifty years later, during the 2008 election, Fox News used Rev. Jeremiah Wright as the epitome of "black racism" even though most Americans outside of the black church and Chicago had barely heard of him.

So we see the Fox Network taking a calculated risk with the attack on Howard educated attorney Malik Zulu Shabazz; demonizing him but at the same time destroying the myth that Black Nationalists are a bunch of illiterate, uneducated street thugs.

It must be noted that it has never been the "militancy" of the Black Nationalist movement that has frightened the white staus quo but the Black Consciousness/Afrocentric Movement that it spawned.

Let's be real. There are still some historical facts that white folks in power don't want the masses of black people to know. So the idea that "militants" such as Wright and Shabazz may be sending out subliminal messages that are inaudible to the non-melanated ear that will make black folks turn off Tyler Perry's "House of Payne" and pick up black history books may have some merit. Contrary to popular belief, just because Bill O'Reilly and others may have learned to decipher Hip Hop lyrics does not mean that they have a total understanding of the Black experience. At most, the Right Wing knowledge of Afrocentricity is limited to talking points that come courtesy of the great Conservative "group think" which are repeated, ad nauseam.

So, the fear that giving Black Nationalists air time may infect moderate Civil Rights leaders with a severe case of radicalism and also produce a new generation of converts preaching a doctrine of black empowerment, may be realized in the very near future. Just because Black Nationalism is not a hit at lily white country clubs does not mean that it is not resonating well in barbershops in the 'hood.

Matter of fact, we can see the results already.

Recently, the otherwise mild mannered head of the NAACP, Ben Jealous sounded as if someone had spiked his latte with Red Bull during his recent convention speech when he called some members of the Tea Party racists.

Even in Hip Hop, Pittsburgh rapper Jasiri X is quickly becoming a viral Internet sensation with his YouTube Hip Hop version of Tim Wise's article, "What if the Tea Party was Black."

Also, there are movements forming such as the Militant Mind Militia that are arming the Black community with Afro-centric information to fight against the right wing racist propaganda.

So, although Glenn Beck has recently began promoting himself and the Right Wing as the rightful heirs of Martin Luther King's dream, in reality, he has more in common with Malcolm X in spreading the message of Black Nationalism. Who knows. maybe even black Republicans will get the message.

Don't be surprised if you turn on the TV one night and see Republican Party chairman, Michael Steele, sporting an Afro and dashiki, singing, "Say it loud. I'm Black and I'm proud!"

Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com

What if the Tea Partiers Were...Rappers?

What if the Tea Partiers Were...Rappers

Paul Scott




A few months ago, Tim Wise wrote a widely circulated article called, "Imagine if the Tea Party Was Black " which challenged America to take a close look at the hypocrisy of the Right Wing. Now, a Pittsburgh rapper is accepting his challenge in true Hip Hop form.

Jasiri X has released a video called "What if the Tea Party was Black." The Hip Hop artist says that he got the idea when Paradise,a member of the pro-black rap group X-Clan, forwarded him a copy of Wise's article.

"I saw the article and I liked the concept," says the rapper.

So Jasiri hit the studio with producer Cynik Lethal while Paradise grabbed his video camera and they went on their mission to defeat the Right Wing propaganda machine.

"For them it's all about power, perception and how they control the media," says the rapper. "We need to tell our story in the same way."

While some will consider his new video inflammatory, according to X, what he is doing through Hip Hop is not much different than what the pundits on Fox News do every night.

"Glenn Beck is rapping," says X. "He's just not rapping with a beat."

If you listen to the Tea Party apologists there is, absolutely, nothing (and I mean nothing) even remotely racist about the Tea Party ideology. Why, they're just the modern day version of the Dukes of Hazard, " just some good ole boys, never meaning no harm..."

Not so says the X-Man.

"I'm not an idiot, he says. "We see the signs at the rallies."

Like many black folks , Jasiri X feels that the major reason for the current climate of hate in this country is because there are those who just can't stand the idea of a black man in the White House.

"Why hasn't any other president's patriotism been questioned," he asks.

Also, Jasiri is not too thrilled about Glenn Beck's plan to hold a rally next month on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to commemorate the 47th anniversary of Martin Luther King's March on Washington.

"Martin Luther King gave his life to produce an environment of peace, tolerance, understanding and unity, says X. " Glenn Beck's hateful rants are the exact opposite, causing hatred and outright racism. He should be ashamed of himself. "

What seems to tic the rapper off the most is the double standard between the way the activism of the Right Wing is perceived as opposed to the activism of African Americans.

"It's about power; I can make these declarations but you can't," says X.

Although Hip Hop was once called "the CNN of Black America," by political rapper, Chuck D, the silence surrounding the Tea Party and Right Wing racism has been deafening. So, why is a Hip Hop community that was so vocal during the last presidential election now afraid to tangle with the Tea Party ?

"You have a community that was so vocal for Obama...now that he is under attack, where are they, "asks X?

Immediately after the announcement of Barack Obama's election win, radio stations began to immediately adopt Jay Z's , "History" as Hip Hop's official victory song and Young Jeezy's, "My President," was played in heavy rotation. However, unlike the Hip Hop of old, rappers today seem afraid to speak truth to power.

"Who's gonna stand up, Drake, asks X ? " They are marketing him as the most the most uncontroversial rapper of all time!"

Not only have the commercially successful rappers been hesitant to address political issues, most have been silent on issues such as police brutality, including the recent controversy surrounding the "involuntary murder" conviction of Johannes Mehserle, the California police officer who shot and killed Oscar Grant. Jasiri X is not one of the silent majority.

"There is nothing 'involuntary' about a trained officer pulling out his gun and shooting an unarmed, defenseless man point blank in the back, "says X.

Although the Right Wing media moguls seem to have unlimited resources at their disposal, the Hip Hop activist says that social media can level the playing field. That is why he created "This Week With Jasiri X" on Youtube.com, where he does a Hip Hop version of the nightly news.

"Less people are getting their news from TV and are getting their news from alternative sources," says X.

"We are the vanguard of a new movement."



To contact Jasiri X call 412-404-2347 or jasirix@gmail.com






Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com. He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 inf0@nowarngshotsfire.com

Who Me..Racist?

Tonight, the NAACP passed a resolution against the Tea Party 's racism. Of course, the Tea Baggers ,vehemently, denied the accusation.

"Me a racist...forgetaboutit. I brought the first pair of Air Jordan sneakers when they came out and that first MC Hammer album was off the hook!"

As usual when it comes to the issue of race in America, we don't get the right answers because we don't ask the right questions.

Before you call out people for being racists, first you should ask them if racism still exists. Because if they say that racism ended when Lincoln gave his Emancipation Proclamation, or when Martin Luther King told America about his dream. Or when Hallie Berry won an Oscar for Monsters Ball... Then, of course the Tea Party can't be racists because racism no longer exists.

This country refuses to admit that black folks and white folks have different definitions of racism.

For black folks racism means white folks that deprive them from total equality, whether blatant or subtle. For white folks racism means wearing a white sheet in public and carrying around a Nazi swastika rubber stamp in one's pocket. So, unless you get caught with a can of gasoline and two pieces of ply wood in the form of a cross, then you are not racist...

Maybe, the NAACP should have used the word "white supremacist" instead of racist as one of the benefits of being a white supremacist is the power to define "racism."

So, the Tea Partier motto is "We ain't racist cause we say we ain't!. Now, get in the kitchen and fix me a fried chicken sandwich with a hunk of watermelon, boy!"

I'm not quote clear on what the resolution by the NAACP is supposed to accomplish. After all, they have never been known as the most militant group of people. Maybe if the New Black Panther Party passed a resolution at their convention...but the National Association for the Advancement of "Colored" People?

The Tea Baggers probably take the NAACP as seriously as Barney Fife guarding the mean streets of Mayberry with his bullet-less gun..

In North Carolina the resident racist Right Wing radio station, WRDU has made dissin' the state NAACP its raison d'etre and I have yet to see one bullhorn or protest sign in front of the station...

Now that the NAACP has passed the resolution, the obvious question is, "now what?" Are they going to sing "We Shall Over Come" or are they going to pump up the volume and rap "Fight the Power."


Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com. He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com

Race, Reporters and Revolution

Race, Reporters and Revolution:
Editing Out an Era

Paul Scott



"You don't know my kind in your world. Fairly soon time will tell."
Taking it to the Streets-The Doobie Brothers


A few years back, a Kentucky newspaper issued a rather weak apology for, virtually, ignoring the whole Civil Rights Era.

"Oh, we missed the most important moment in modern history..."

"Our bad."

I'm not sure about their rationale for taking a chill pill on a whole decade of bloodshed, murder and mayhem but it probably had something to do with not wanting to rock the boat by disturbing the status quo. Far be it for the press to break up the fine institution of master-slave hegemony.

Unfortunately, this is not much different than the attitude of the Triangle area newspapers in 2010.

Although, we are, perhaps, on the verge of a culture clash that will make the whole Civil Rights period look like the First St. Baptist Church Saturday night bingo game, the newspapers seem content to give us the same rehashed cookie cutter type commentary in regards to racism, class-ism and sexism.

However, this cannot be said for Conservative talk radio, as the airwaves are dominated by commentators spewing racist, right wing venom on a daily basis.

The local press would have us to believe that this constant provocation is not affecting the collective mood of black folks. It boggles the mind that the media don't realize that African Americans who ,unfortunately, stumble upon Raleigh's new Rush Radio morning show, might be a little irritated by their "tired of lazy minorities takin' away the rights of hard workin' white citizens" party line ,which sounds ,suspiciously, like it was taken straight out of the KKK recruiting manual.

In his book, "The Soul of Black Folks," WEB Du Bois wrote that "the problem of the 20th century is the problem of the color line." In the 21st century, this is a line that cannot simply be deleted from an editor's laptop by pressing a button, especially with the Right Wingers raining down racist rants like an April thunderstorm .

The press's down playing of the black perspective on racial issues may well have had its start over 40 years ago.

Following the racial unrest of the mid 1960's, President Lyndon Johnson appointed Illinois Governor Otto Kerner to head a commission to search for the "roots of rising militancy in our country." One of the criticisms of the media was that they were guilty of "giving disproportionate amounts of time to emotional events and militant leaders." So the implication was clear, silence the black voices of descent as they may stir up the natives.

The result of which is what we are stuck with today, the segregation of thoughts and ideas. In other words, apathetic media apartheid.

According to Dr. Devin Fergus in his book "Liberalism, Black Power and the Making of American Politics," "Americans spend their daily lives with people who think just like they do." He goes on to borrow a quote from Bill Bishop and Robert Cushing warning that it is "an ideological inbreeding that is creating a dangerous distance between Americans who hold opposing views."

And what is the destiny of the denial of divergent views ?

One shudders to think.

History has taught us that those in power will only be awakened from their daydreams of plausible denial by the blaring of fire alarms and the screams of fire engine sirens.

Therefore, change must start, now!

Why, we are nothing more than hypocrites if we, constantly ,challenge our youth to be free thinkers and to rise above mediocrity but do not challenge the members of the press to do the same and give us more than mundane, milquetoast malarkey passing as hard hitting journalism.

We cannot wait for the media gatekeepers to make the change. The revolution must be sparked by those citizens who are tired of listening to the same old songs sung by the local press.

We must let the high level corporate execs know that a newspaper that does not challenge us to face the difficult issues of the day, head on and face forward, is not even fit to line bird cages.

Perhaps the media gatekeepers believe the stereotypes that nothing good can come out of the 'hood accept gangsta rappers and basketball players. Maybe they think that the average black dude lacks the intellectual ability to form a political opinion.

I started "No Warning Shots Fired" to be the voice of those who are not willing to wait for their opinions to validated like a parking stub or cosigned like someone with bad credit trying to buy a Mercedes Benz.

There are those will want to shoot the messenger. Those who will consider this the ranting of a member of a small fringe element in this country.

The gamble is yours.

As James Baldwin said in "The Fire Next Time," take no one's word for anything , including mine, but trust your own experience."

And I share the experiences not of the status quo, but of those from the 'hood to the historically black college campus. From the bus stop to the barbershop. The No Warning Shots Fired Movement is for the people.

And there are more like me coming. Despite having an African American in the White House, the hatred that produced the 60's Civil Rights/Black Power movement is 10 times worse today.

Every insult leveled at black folks, whether it be Dan Rather 's recent Obama "watermelon selling" comment or last week's WRDU morning show's berating of the head of the NC NAACP, gives birth to another James Baldwin, another Eldredge Cleaver; another Malcolm X.

As the Doobies sang back in the 70's, you will find us everywhere "Wherever people live together, tied in poverty's despair."

Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com. He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com
"No Warning Shots Fired.com. Join the Media Revolution."

Wake County: Books, Busing and Bigots

Wake County: Books, Busing and Bigots


Paul Scott




My first brush with racism occurred when I was five years old. I was playing with a little white girl at a beach in White Lake, NC when her grandmother motioned for her to get out of the water. "Sally" came back a few minutes later to inform me that she was not allowed to play with (insert "N word" here), as the old hag sat mean muggin' me under her beach umbrella. In retrospect, at least Granny was honest about her feelings, which is more than I can be say about the folks in Wake County.

There has been a big brouhaha brewing in Wake County over the last year. Seems like some folks (mostly white) are fighting for "community schools", while other folks (mostly black) are condemning it as an attempt at re-segregation. The conflict came to a boiling point last week when school board chairman, Ron Margiotta , made a statement about "animals let out of cages," allegedly referring to the anti-segregation protesters.

Of course, most of the good hearted Wake County citizens are saying that there is nothing racist about the anti-busing efforts, they are merely trying to protect the ecosystem by conserving gas. Also, even though Margiotta's statement is committed to the Youtube viral universe, what he really said was " the way those Tar Heels are playing is outrageous."

I'm not sure what ticks me off the most, the Wake County School Board's racial insensitivity or their attempts to insult my intelligence.

I'm sure that Margiotta and the rest of his homies on the school board know that "community schools" is the modern day PC translation of "no Blacks allowed."

Then again, I bet ol' Ron has never been dissed at the beach by an old lady while wearing swimming trunks decorated with dolphins and starfish.

Let's keep it real. For many of the community schools folks in Wake County, it's not really about Lil' Molly sitting next to Tyrone Jackson in homeroom but the idea of her bringing him home for cookies and milk; the age old fear of miscegenation. So, the whole argument is not really about education but the fear of contracting "colored cooties."

Desegregation of public schools has been a controversial issue in this country since the end of the Civil War.

According to Harold Cruse in his book, "Plural but Equal," during the 1880's there was an unsuccessful attempt to pass a bill by Senator Henry Blair that would have required the government to provide $77 million dollars to be spent "equally for the education of all children, without distinction of race or color, " making "separate but equal" a reality.

In 1954, the Supreme Court rendered its Brown vs the Board of Education decision that put in motion the process of integrating school systems across the United States.

It can be argued that if the Blair Bill would have passed, desegregation would not have even been necessary. However, during that period, some black folks believed that integration was some sort of magic elixir to cure all of the black community''s ills. As if, by some sort of telekinetic osmosis black kids would become smarter by simply being in the same classroom with white kids.

It must be noted that not all African Americans have favored integration. According to Dr. Noliwe Rooks in her book, "White Money, Black Power," in 1968, African Americans in the Ocean Hill-Brownsville section of Brooklyn attempted their own version of community control of schools courtesy of a $59,000 grant from the Ford foundation.

Also, black leaders such as Haki Madhubuti have long championed the cause of the creation of independent black educational institutions.

All of these efforts have one thing in common; better educational opportunities for black children.

It must be understood that even within an integrated school system, there still can be educational segregation in the classroom. As the late black psychologist, Dr. Bobby Wright wrote in his essay, "The Black Child: A Destination in Jeopardy," "even sitting in the same classroom, white children will be 'educated' and black children will be 'trained.' "

Many in the black community would have no problem with community schools if it meant that they would be funded, equally. Unfortunately, there is a well founded concern that the lion's share of the resources would go to the more affluent, predominately white schools.

As the controversy rages on, we must be careful not to give black children the false impression that the ultimate goal of desegregation is to earn the love and respect of the white parents of Wake County. It is about securing the necessary resources to insure that they obtain a first class education so they won't be treated as second class citizens; nothing more, nothing less.

Our ultimate goal must be to teach black children how to love and respect themselves and to instill in them the self confidence to know that their self worth does not have to be validated by white America.

No child should feel the way I did on that hot summer day back in 1972.

A boy and his beach ball, standing in the middle of a lake wondering what was wrong with him.


Courtesy of No Warning Shots Fired.com. For more information contact (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com
"No Warning Shots Fired.com, bringing you the issues that the mainstream media are afraid to touch."

Integration vs Segregation

Integration vs Segregation:
Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places

Paul Scott



A few years back I got into a deep discussion with an older gentleman regarding integration. The man asked me how did I know that most black folks wanted integration since we never held a plebiscite to discuss the issue.

Good Question.

I don't think that Grandma ever got a call from the Gallop Poll people asking about her opinion about integration.

I reflected on this conversation while watching the news coverage of the big brouhaha over busing in Wake County.

Seems like some of the white folks over Raleigh way don't like their little angels going to school with the Boyz in tha Hood.

I can see them now kicking rocks all the way through the Board of Education parking lot cussin' that darn Brown vs the Board of education decision.

We'll I've got news for you Sparky, integration hasn't worked out too well for black folks either! For the most part attempts at integration have only been a continuance of the same old master -slave relationship, only in closer proximity. Also, it has been written that because of integration, not only did we lose our cultural identity but many black teachers and principals lost their jobs after the Brown vs Board of education decision.

Some argue that the Brown decision wasn't really necessary in the first place to insure that black children received a proper education.

According to Harold Cruse in his book, "Plural but Equal," during the 1880's there was an attempt to pass a bill by Senator Henry Blair that would have required the government to provide $77 million dollars to be spent "equally for the education of all children, without distinction of race or color."

This would have made the whole Brown vs the Board of education thing, unnecessary. Unfortunately, then as well as now, there are black folks that feel black kids being in the same room with white kids will make them smarter.

Although, it is rarely discussed, there has always been a segment of the black community that thought integration was a bad idea, going as far back Martin Delaney in the mid 1800's. Black leaders such as Marcus Garvey championed black self reliance and Malcolm X once talked about the foolishness of trying to "integrate into a burning house."

Also, black leaders such as Haki Madhubuti have dedicated their lives to promoting the necessity of developing independent black institutions.

Let's face it. At the end of the day the Wake County fiasco is not about kids sitting together in math class, it is the age old fear of racial miscegenation.

That's right sex.

Dr. McGillicutty just can't bear the thought of his little Molly bringing Tyrone Jackson home for some milk and cookies.

I, for one, have never been the type of dude that was in favor of trying to make folks like me.

If you don't like me, I didn't ask you to...

I am in favor of what Harold Cruse referred to as "pluralism." That is when people of different nationalities can come together as equals without compromising their own cultural identities.

But in order to do that black folks must first teach black children to love themselves and not seek affirmation from white America.

Until then, we'll just keep on looking for love in all the wrong places.

Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com

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

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?

Live or Let Die: Should We Save Black Radio?

Live or Let Die:
Should We Save Black Radio?

Paul Scott


"I can't explain why Hip Hop died or the fact that it did and no one cried."

Big Swagg (local artist)




Funerals are funny things, sometimes. Never mind that the dearly departed cheated on his wife, borrowed a small fortune of unpaid loans from friends and habitually kicked his neighbor's dog, according to the pastor during the eulogy, the man was a saint.

I thought about that scenario when I heard folks mourning over the impending doom of black radio.

Radio One's owner Cathy Hughes was on the Tom Joyner Show this morning begging for a black community bailout of black radio because of a proposed bill by Rep. John Conyers that would make radio stations have to shell out some major dollars to stay on the air. The best part is when she mentioned that Conyers turned on his boom box during a meeting with radio execs, drowning out their whining.

She considered it an an insult. I call it karma.

For years, members of the African American community have begged "urban" radio stations to be more responsive to the needs of the community, especially highly impressionable black youth. Unfortunately, our cries have largely fallen on deaf ears. Seems that profit before people has been the order of the day.

The politicians are selling the proposed legislation, HR Bill 848, (the Performance Tax) as a way to put more money in the pockets of musicians who were forced to work at Mickey Dee's after their short careers were over but the radio folks are saying that it is a conspiracy to not only silence black voices but to prevent us from ever hearing good black music ever again.

Let's be honest. For many of us, black radio died a long time ago. We aren't producing any more Marvin Gayes and Stevie Wonders. What passes today as classic Soul music is Jamie Fox's "Blame it on the Alcohol." It's not that the black community is not full of talented, would be musicians singing and rapping on street corners in every hood but black radio is too busy playing Soulja Boy every five minutes to give aspiring artists a fighting chance.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the strong legacy of black radio stations, as the companies were instrumental in not only giving us the latest hits but giving the community critical, need to know info during the 60's and 70's. Ms. Hughes should be especially honored for her innovative approach to black talk radio with WOL in Washington DC.

But this ain't the early 80's and the days of radio hosts like Petey Green have long been replaced by the Lil Waynes of the world.

I find it very disappointing that while the Right wing media moguls are up in arms over the FCC's new diversity committee that could possibly break their vice grip on the air waves, black folks are concerned about whether or not they can get their hourly Beyonce fix.

As my grim faced college professor once told me when I ecstatically told him that I had scored an internship at the local station that would allow me to gangsta-rize the airwaves back in the late 80's.

"What our people need is information."

In all fairness. There are a few black radio talk shows in major cities and the syndicated guys do devote ten minutes or so every day with serious dialogue but these efforts are quickly negated by mind dulling music and slap stick comedy.

I must admit that when I heard Ms. Hughes' impassioned call to arms, this morning I was caught up in the moment as she, convincingly, warned that the end of black radio would totally devastate the African American community . I was just getting ready to grab my protest sign and bullhorn before reality set in.

If Fox News' top dog, Rupert Murdoch decided to start a new network of stations to target the urban consumer, would our children know the difference? Or would they even care as long as they could still hear T-Payne?

I didn't see too many of our people boycotting BET when it was bought up by Viacom. As long as they played the same gangsta videos and kept Comic View, life went on.

See, the execs are expecting the black community to exhibit a degree of cultural consciousness that has not been cultivated by black radio. You can't just push a button and expect the people who you have dumbed down for the last decade to automatically become Afro-centric scholars.

Just doesn't work that way.

What the radio folks have never realized is that we are all in this together and an enlightened community benefits all its members. If black radio had been fulfilling its duty of raising the consciouness of the African American community no one would have dared to even suggest a bill that would cut off their flow of information or good music.

So, do we fight against HR 848?

I say yes, especially since, as activists such as Davey D have pointed out, this could eventually effect the noncommercial stations that play progressive music. Also, the few black talk radio programs that we have are essential to our collective growth and development.

However, black radio must make a commitment to truly be the voice of the people. We must make Cathy Hughes and the rest of them sign a contract with black America that they will put the needs of the community first and foremost. They must immediately change their play lists and give artists with a positive message, both national and local a chance to be heard. They must also make sure that at least one hour a day is devoted to the dissemination of information. Also, they must set up community advisory boards that meet monthly to make sure that they stay down with the 'hood.

If this happens many of us will stand shoulder to shoulder with them as they fight the power.

If not, as the disgruntled airline pilot said as he saw his old 747 plummet to the ground.

Crash and Burn!


Paul Scott writes for No warning Shots Fired.com. He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 info@nowarningshotsfired.com

NWSF Bullet: Slavery is Back in Effect

The Associated Press is running a story about a white teacher, Eileen Bernstein, in Haverstraw, New York who is "sorry" for binding two black middle school girls and making them crawl under a desk during a class slavery reenactment.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gc0c1hB9MlLCLoAjdsaRHOWOraWQD94SR4I81

According the the story, Bernstein was just tryin' to keep it real with the slavery thing.

Problem is it really upset one of the teens who had to miss a day out of school.

Yeah, I guess for some girls being made to crawl around in front of a bunch of teenage boys, who at that age can find humor in a car wreck, would be kinda humiliating.

But I guess that was real authentic since her ancestors who had to crawl around in front of mobs of white men probably didn't like that too much, either.

I'm just glad that the teacher wasn't doing a lesson on pimps and ho's.

Superintendent Brian Monahan did say that "if the student was upset, then it was a bad idea."

Duh, ya think?

The child's mother, Christine Shand, thinks that the teacher should be removed from class but Monahan is not saying how the situation will be handled.

(In other words Berstein will be forced to write "I'm sorry" 100 times on the blackboard and sing, "Let My People Go" in blackface during the Black History Month program.)

Maybe, Bernstein really didn't mean any harm and was just adding a little flava to the lesson. But like Grandma used to say "the road to hell is paved with good intentions."

I wonder what would have happened if black social studies teacher, Tyrone Jackson, had decided to demonstrate the horrors of the Holocaust by marching two little Jewish girls to the ovens in the home economics room?

Somehow, I don't think Mr. Jackson would be getting a paycheck at the end of the month. Nor do I think Ms. Bernstein would have found it enlightening.

6/7 Herald Sun Editorial

Nearly seven years ago, on September 11, 2001, an event happened that would shape American policy for decades to come. The event was the attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon which had Americans looking under every rock and behind ever bush for terrorists. No piece of legislation developed under the pretense of a "war on terror" was too much as long as it allowed citizens to sleep at night. Years later, most would agree, in retrospect, that both the Patriot Act and the Iraq War were dreadful mistakes. Unfortunately, with the NC Street Gang Suppression Act, history seems to be repeating itself.

Don't get me wrong, I like going to get my newspaper out of the driveway every morning without becoming the victim of a drive by as much as the next guy but I believe that the "Hip Hop Patriot Act" is leading us down a long dark path better left untraveled.

I would be the first to admit that Durham like other cities, has a problem with youth violence. However, the gang threat has been blown out of proportion by the media, politicians and others who have various motives for promoting the idea of the great red and blue menace that is supposedly plaguing the streets of Durham and other cities in North Carolina .

While Durham may not be "Mayberry USA", it ain't Compton either. The same kid who is Killer P while hanging on the block with his homies on Friday night is Lil Pookie who sings in the junior choir on Sunday morning.

Thus, the main problem with the new anti gang bill is its failure to clearly define what constitutes being a member of a gang. Now, I'm no lawyer but I have watched Law and Order enough times to know that this bill could lead to unfair profiling and constitutional violations. Just because someone wears an over sized white T-Shirt and has a tattoo of Bugs Bunny on his right shoulder does not make him a criminal.

Every since the mega corporations have discovered that "gangsta chic" is a billion dollar a year industry, they have promoted gangsterism as part of Hip Hop culture. It is not the kids on the street who are making millions of dollars promoting the gangsta style but the owners of major clothing. jewelry and advertising companies.

While some may disregard the fear of Hip Hop profiling, this is a real concern, especially for a black community not too far removed from the Jim Crow Laws and Black Codes of the early 20th century that made it illegal for a group of African Americans to gather on street corners.

While the term "gang" member is not race specific, the poster child of gangsterism as promoted by the media is not a middle class white kid selling meth nor a skinhead with a Confederate cap but a young black male with a bandanna and sagging pants. So in an attempt to ease public fear this is to whom the bill will be targetted.

Also, although the proposed legislation is being sold as a way to get the top shot callers of the gangs, I doubt very seriously if much of the energy actually goes towards finding who actually brings the drugs into the community. As usual, the politicians will turn a blind eye to the root causes of crime such as the stores that sell a disproportionate amount of high octane liquor in high crime areas as well as the easy access to guns in these communities. This is because those who put the guns and liquor into these communities have lobbyists and the gang bangers don't.

The reason that we cannot solve the so called gang issue is that there are some who have already made plans to send their children to college courtesy of the money that "gang prevention" laws generate. There is always a long line of poverty pimps and Hip Hop hustlers standing in line to gobble up government funds, many of whom won't even tell an "urban child" good morning unless there is a grant tied to the salutation.

The challenge is for to come up with new ways to stop youth violence without caving in to the politics of fear and ignorance.

As Stevie Wonder once sang, "when you believe in things that you don't understand, then you suffer."

Minister Paul Scott is founder of the Messianic Afrikan Nation in Durham.