What About Our Children, Again?
Paul Scott
Back when I was in school the blue eyed soul group, Hall and Oates had a song that had the chorus, "you're out of touch, I'm out of time." The song was about some dude who couldn't get along with his main squeeze but it also sums up how I felt while watching the MSNBC special "About Our Children," last night.
The program was promoted as a Bill Cosby Town hall meeting, so like many folks, I tuned in to expect to see Dr. Cosby ranting and raving about how Hip Hop is destroying the minds of young black children especially since he had tons of material following last week's MTV Video Music Awards. I assumed that as the credits were rolling he would still be pointing his finger at the camera and yelling, "Now about that Kanye West fellow...and who told that little girl to jump on the stage with Jay Z !"
But no, as Cosby pointed out during the intro, it wasn't his show; he was just the draw.
That was pretty much the case.
As with most meetings that deal with the plight of "troubled youth," the MSNBC program suffered from the same problem; wrong place and wrong people.
The meeting took place in a nice auditorium at Howard University in Washington DC. I think that it would have been more realistic if it would have been held at one of the many community centers in the 'hoods of DC but I guess that wasn't the ambiance that the producers were trying to create.
On the panel you had a bunch of mostly private school educated folks who would probably wet their pants if one of their students threw up a gang sign during English class. You had the professors professin' about the problem. You had the ,obligatory, lady who looked like she just stepped out one of those movies where the great white hope goes into an inner city school and within the first 6 weeks all of the students become Phi Beta Kappa candidates. I'm still not sure how comedian, Paul Rodriguez wound up on the panel, I guess Chris Rock was busy.
They even showed scenes from a few schools where the children all wanted to grow up to be doctors and teachers. Not one mentioned wanting to be Lil Wayne's hype man or a forward for the Chicago Bulls.
Where were the real people? Where were the community activists that could have told the challenges that they face in trying to change their local school systems? Where were the "inner city" teachers who would have been told where to go and what to kiss if they tried to implement some of the feel good strategies that the panelists suggested? It would, also, have been nice if they would have ,at least, allowed the parents of "at risk youth" to Twitter in some comments even if they couldn't make the pilgrimage to the nation's Capitol.
But instead you had a two hour visit to a fantasy world where the children always beat the tardy bell and the hallways smell like Lemon Pledge instead of stale urine.
I can't really say that watching the program made me a better parent or taught me much that I didn't already know. I can think of a few scholars (Jawanza Kunjufu, Na'im Akbar) that would have kept me from watching the clock hoping that I wouldn't miss the kick off of the Cowboys/Giants game for most of the program.
Maybe it's not all that deep. Perhaps, the problems facing our children can be solved with nice polite town hall meetings where people sit unemotionally, quiet as a panel of really smart folks gives them advice to save their children who step over crack pipes and broken wine bottles on their way to class every morning. Or maybe the solutions are so controversial and advanced that the folks over at MSNBC wouldn't dare allow "real folks" on national TV to discuss the issue.
Or maybe there could have been a good mixture of the two possibilities?
But as Hall and Oates sang , at the end of the program, I think that most of us were left with "manic moves and drowsy dreams or living in the middle between the two extremes..."
Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com. He can be reached at info@nowarningshotsfired.com or (919) 451-8283 He recently launched the Intelligence Over Ignorance Campaign. http://www.ioimovement.com/
Showing posts with label town hall meetings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label town hall meetings. Show all posts
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Marxist on the Mic: Hip Hop Soul-cialism
Marxist on the Mic:
Hip Hop Soul-cialism
Paul Scott
Since the early part of the 20th century the best way to diss a politician was to call him a "Socialist." Even the mere suggestion of a dude being red was sure to guarantee a 20% drop in the polls. This is what the Conservatives are counting on as they continuously sling "Commie" accusations at President Obama. While the president's so called "socialist" programs may not play in Peoria, they seem to be a big hit in the 'hood.
For most middle class Americans who are heavily invested in the system, the mere mention of Socialism is like someone with nine inch nails ,repeatedly, scratching a blackboard but for the black community the promise of a more socially equitable society has been music to the ears of an oppressed people who have been denied the American dream of Capitalism.
We must remember that the African American attraction towards Socialism did not start with the Obama administration but has existed in this country for over 70 years.
Many of the early black leaders were heavily influenced by Socialist theory if not members of the Communist party, themselves. It must be noted that while Dr. WEB DuBois is most known for being a founding member of the integrationist NAACP, by 1934, he was singing the praises of Karl Marx. Also, the head of the Civil Rights movement , Martin Luther King had Socialist theorists on his staff such as Bayard Rustin. Not to mention the fact that that the good reverend's Poor People's campaign raised a middle finger in the face of Capitalist exploitation.
During the late 60's the Marxist -Leninist philosophy of scientific Socialism was used as a blueprint for the Black Panther Party and their many community programs. The idea of the people owning the means of production resonated well with black folks who were tired of the slave-master relationship.
The impact of Socialism has been felt in the world of black entertainment, as well, as performers such as Paul Robeson got "blacklisted" for their political beliefs.
Though less overtly, rhythm and blues artists recorded tracks that favored Socialism over Capitalism as exemplified by the Isley Brothers asking "when will there be a harvest for the world," in 1976.
While many of today's Hip Hop moguls like Shawn "Jay Z" Carter and Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs are, unashamedly, black Capitalists, Hip Hop has challenged the doctrine of Capitalism since its inception. Many rappers have penned Socialist inspired lyrics, whether knowingly or not.
In 1982 Kurtis Blow yelled, "I don't want a lot, I just want enough. So why does it have to be so damn tough?" Later in 1984, rap group Divine Sounds critiqued the pitfalls of Capitalism with "What People Do for Money."
Although more known for run ins with the law than revolutionary ideology, rapper DMX presented a musical manifesto of his own with the 1994 hit, "Stop Being Greedy," when he demanded, "ya'll been eatin' long enough, stop bein' greedy. Just keep it real partner, give to the needy."
Perhaps the most overt disciples of Socialism are "the Black Panther of Rap," Paris who frequently calls for revolution on his cds and the group, Dead Prez, whose People's Army Movement urge followers to "bang on the system."
Also, the fear of a bland, monolithic society forced to dress in matching uniforms that was used to scare previous generations is lost on a Hip Hop Nation whose members wear the traditional "gangsta" gear of white T-shirts and blue jeans on a daily basis, anyway.
So, why is scientific Socialism still relevant to a Hip Hop generation far removed from the days of the McCarthy hearings ?
The reason is simple.
The condition of the masses of black people has not changed since that era nor has Capitalism.
Most black folks still have neither "a pot to pee in nor a window to throw it out of ", so Karl Marx's idea of "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need," is appealing to residents of the 'hood who, constantly, see the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.
This does not mean that Marxism nor Communism has been seen as a perfect fit for African Americans.
It must be remembered that writers such as Harold Cruse (Crisis of the Negro Intellectual) have argued that Marxists underestimated the depths of racial superiority in the psyche of the white working class. It must also be noted that, according to Tony Martin in his book "Race First," the early American Communists were opposed to Marcus Garvey and all forms of Black nationalism as they saw this ideology as a barrier between their movement and the black working class and unemployed (the proletariat and the lumpen-proletariat).
Also, the Marxist rejection of organized religion did not sit well with an African culture based on spirituality, even though the principals of Socialism do not differ much from the "corporate responsibility" of Judaism, the "love thy neighbor" ethic of Christianity nor the "universal Brotherhood" of Islam. All of which are opposed to the amoral nature of Capitalism.
That is why black leaders such as Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael) and ,to some extent ,Dr. WEB Dubois presented Socialism through the lens of of traditional African communalism which predated Marxism by centuries. Dubois wrote in "Dusk of Dawn" that " in the African communal group, ties of family and blood, of mother and child, of group relationship, made group leadership strong." Ture suggested that African Americans look beyond the short comings of the practitioners of Marxism and apply the principles of Socialism to the struggle for black empowerment.
What the Conservatives have not realized is that black folks aren't that endeared to labels. We have always been more concerned with a way to get food, clothes and shelter then getting into a philosophical debate over the merits of opposing ideologies.
We'll save that for the talking heads on Fox and CNN.
For us, be it Capitalism, Socialism or any other "ism," as we say in the 'hood, at the end of the day,
"We're just tryin' to eat."
Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com He can be reached at info@nowarningshotsfired.com or (919) 451-8283
Hip Hop Soul-cialism
Paul Scott
Since the early part of the 20th century the best way to diss a politician was to call him a "Socialist." Even the mere suggestion of a dude being red was sure to guarantee a 20% drop in the polls. This is what the Conservatives are counting on as they continuously sling "Commie" accusations at President Obama. While the president's so called "socialist" programs may not play in Peoria, they seem to be a big hit in the 'hood.
For most middle class Americans who are heavily invested in the system, the mere mention of Socialism is like someone with nine inch nails ,repeatedly, scratching a blackboard but for the black community the promise of a more socially equitable society has been music to the ears of an oppressed people who have been denied the American dream of Capitalism.
We must remember that the African American attraction towards Socialism did not start with the Obama administration but has existed in this country for over 70 years.
Many of the early black leaders were heavily influenced by Socialist theory if not members of the Communist party, themselves. It must be noted that while Dr. WEB DuBois is most known for being a founding member of the integrationist NAACP, by 1934, he was singing the praises of Karl Marx. Also, the head of the Civil Rights movement , Martin Luther King had Socialist theorists on his staff such as Bayard Rustin. Not to mention the fact that that the good reverend's Poor People's campaign raised a middle finger in the face of Capitalist exploitation.
During the late 60's the Marxist -Leninist philosophy of scientific Socialism was used as a blueprint for the Black Panther Party and their many community programs. The idea of the people owning the means of production resonated well with black folks who were tired of the slave-master relationship.
The impact of Socialism has been felt in the world of black entertainment, as well, as performers such as Paul Robeson got "blacklisted" for their political beliefs.
Though less overtly, rhythm and blues artists recorded tracks that favored Socialism over Capitalism as exemplified by the Isley Brothers asking "when will there be a harvest for the world," in 1976.
While many of today's Hip Hop moguls like Shawn "Jay Z" Carter and Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs are, unashamedly, black Capitalists, Hip Hop has challenged the doctrine of Capitalism since its inception. Many rappers have penned Socialist inspired lyrics, whether knowingly or not.
In 1982 Kurtis Blow yelled, "I don't want a lot, I just want enough. So why does it have to be so damn tough?" Later in 1984, rap group Divine Sounds critiqued the pitfalls of Capitalism with "What People Do for Money."
Although more known for run ins with the law than revolutionary ideology, rapper DMX presented a musical manifesto of his own with the 1994 hit, "Stop Being Greedy," when he demanded, "ya'll been eatin' long enough, stop bein' greedy. Just keep it real partner, give to the needy."
Perhaps the most overt disciples of Socialism are "the Black Panther of Rap," Paris who frequently calls for revolution on his cds and the group, Dead Prez, whose People's Army Movement urge followers to "bang on the system."
Also, the fear of a bland, monolithic society forced to dress in matching uniforms that was used to scare previous generations is lost on a Hip Hop Nation whose members wear the traditional "gangsta" gear of white T-shirts and blue jeans on a daily basis, anyway.
So, why is scientific Socialism still relevant to a Hip Hop generation far removed from the days of the McCarthy hearings ?
The reason is simple.
The condition of the masses of black people has not changed since that era nor has Capitalism.
Most black folks still have neither "a pot to pee in nor a window to throw it out of ", so Karl Marx's idea of "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need," is appealing to residents of the 'hood who, constantly, see the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.
This does not mean that Marxism nor Communism has been seen as a perfect fit for African Americans.
It must be remembered that writers such as Harold Cruse (Crisis of the Negro Intellectual) have argued that Marxists underestimated the depths of racial superiority in the psyche of the white working class. It must also be noted that, according to Tony Martin in his book "Race First," the early American Communists were opposed to Marcus Garvey and all forms of Black nationalism as they saw this ideology as a barrier between their movement and the black working class and unemployed (the proletariat and the lumpen-proletariat).
Also, the Marxist rejection of organized religion did not sit well with an African culture based on spirituality, even though the principals of Socialism do not differ much from the "corporate responsibility" of Judaism, the "love thy neighbor" ethic of Christianity nor the "universal Brotherhood" of Islam. All of which are opposed to the amoral nature of Capitalism.
That is why black leaders such as Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael) and ,to some extent ,Dr. WEB Dubois presented Socialism through the lens of of traditional African communalism which predated Marxism by centuries. Dubois wrote in "Dusk of Dawn" that " in the African communal group, ties of family and blood, of mother and child, of group relationship, made group leadership strong." Ture suggested that African Americans look beyond the short comings of the practitioners of Marxism and apply the principles of Socialism to the struggle for black empowerment.
What the Conservatives have not realized is that black folks aren't that endeared to labels. We have always been more concerned with a way to get food, clothes and shelter then getting into a philosophical debate over the merits of opposing ideologies.
We'll save that for the talking heads on Fox and CNN.
For us, be it Capitalism, Socialism or any other "ism," as we say in the 'hood, at the end of the day,
"We're just tryin' to eat."
Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com He can be reached at info@nowarningshotsfired.com or (919) 451-8283
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Right Wingers Riot in Stamford!
With the creation of the Birthers Movement and the Healthcare Reform Town Hall Riots, is the Grand Ole Party becoming the Gangsta Ole Party?
Do the White Thing: Rise of Conservative Militants
Do the White Thing:
The Rise of Militant Conservatives
Paul Scott
Newsflash!
There was a riot in Stamford Connecticut, yesterday. The trouble started on the Crestwood Golf Course when corporate executive Howard "Howie" Thurston III got a call on his cell that his Viagra would no longer be covered under his health insurance policy. Enraged, Thurston slung his golf club, accidentally knocking Charles "Chuckster" Winchester off of his golf cart. This started a melee that quickly spilled into the streets of Stamford as a crowd of mostly white middle class rioters began smashing windows at Saks, grabbing Prada pumps, Gucci handbags and everything else they could get their hands on as African Americans and Latinos sat by their televisions shaking their heads in amazement.
Back in 1989, African American film director Spike Lee did a movie called "Do the Right Thing." The film, featuring Public Enemy's "Fight the Power" on the soundtrack, captured the black rage in America following such events as the Tawana Brawley incident and the Howard Beach racial unrest. The climax of the movie came when a mini riot developed in front of Sal's Italian Pizzeria after black activist, "Radio Raheem" died as a result of police brutality. Though this was the breaking point in race relations, Raheem's death was just the spark that set off the explosion as racial issues had been bubbling under the surface for months, not the least being the fact that an Italian restaurant in the 'hood didn't have any pictures of "brothers" on the wall.
So, it is with the recent mobilization of white Conservatives against the Obama presidency.
All across the US of A, there are groups of Right Wing Conservatives protesting everything from health care reform to whether the President should be deported to Africa.
While talk of "takin' it to the streets because the man is holdin' us down" is traditionally reserved for gangsta rap gurus, the sentiment is now being echoed by Right Wingers , some of whom are now threatening to bust a cap in anybody who gets in their way.
Seems like the GOP is morphing from the Grand Ole Party to the Gangsta Ole Party.
Even the most hardcore rappers are kicking back watching Fox News with note pads getting ideas for lyrics.
"Let's see...rollin' with the homies 'bout to crash the town hall; any sucka in my face is 'bout to fall..."
This is not to say that there are not people ,genuinely, PO'd by Obama's policies but some of the Right Wing militants are just ticked off that a black man is in the White House and fear that their country is undergoing a hostile take over by blacks and Latinos. The town hall rebellions and the birther movement are just convenient excuses for Joe the Mechanic to blow off some steam with other members of his clan.
Now, some of the protesters will place their right hands on the Bible swearing that they have at least one black or Latino friend and declare that their attacks on Obama have nothing (and I mean nothing) to do with race.
It never does.
Remember Emmett Till was not murdered because of racism but because he virtually raped a white woman by whistling at her and Martin Luther King was not attacked by bigots for standing up for black people but for being a "Commie sympathizer."
See, nothing racist about that at all.
The good thing about America is that you can have racism without having a racist.
Therefore, racism exists merely as a philosophical concept and not a socio-political reality made manifest by small minded paranoid people with talk shows.
Finding a racist is like capturing Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster. Although there are people who have documented proof that they exist, to find one and put him on display is a different story.
So, the town hall militias see themselves as merely upholding that oft overlooked part of the Constitution that gives them the right to overthrow the government.
It must be noted that there is a double standard when it comes to the public expression of white rage as opposed to black rage. I just can't imagine a couple of hundred black "militants" banging on the door at the next city council meeting without the city's finest coming out in full riot gear, bustin' heads and giving them some electric shock therapy courtesy of a taser.
Should African Americans be alarmed that there are "lynch mobs" of angry white folks organizing in the backrooms of country clubs across America, plotting, as we speak, diabolical ways to take back their country.
Ya darn tootin'.
In the South, where I reside, we still translate the traditional Southern call of "Yee Hawww!" to mean, "find a long rope and a tall tree."
So yes, there is cause for concern.
I can even see the chronically naive, GOP head, Michael Steele forgetting his wallet and showing up, unexpectedly, one night at GOP headquarters.
"Hey guys, what are you doing here so late and what's with the white bed sheets and kerosene? Somebody throwin' a toga party?"
This looks like it's gonna be a long hot Indian summer.
I'm just waiting for Leonardo DiCaprio to do a movie called "Do the White Thing" with Ted Nugent performing a country western rap, "Fight for White Power" on the soundtrack.
Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com. http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/
He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com
The Rise of Militant Conservatives
Paul Scott
Newsflash!
There was a riot in Stamford Connecticut, yesterday. The trouble started on the Crestwood Golf Course when corporate executive Howard "Howie" Thurston III got a call on his cell that his Viagra would no longer be covered under his health insurance policy. Enraged, Thurston slung his golf club, accidentally knocking Charles "Chuckster" Winchester off of his golf cart. This started a melee that quickly spilled into the streets of Stamford as a crowd of mostly white middle class rioters began smashing windows at Saks, grabbing Prada pumps, Gucci handbags and everything else they could get their hands on as African Americans and Latinos sat by their televisions shaking their heads in amazement.
Back in 1989, African American film director Spike Lee did a movie called "Do the Right Thing." The film, featuring Public Enemy's "Fight the Power" on the soundtrack, captured the black rage in America following such events as the Tawana Brawley incident and the Howard Beach racial unrest. The climax of the movie came when a mini riot developed in front of Sal's Italian Pizzeria after black activist, "Radio Raheem" died as a result of police brutality. Though this was the breaking point in race relations, Raheem's death was just the spark that set off the explosion as racial issues had been bubbling under the surface for months, not the least being the fact that an Italian restaurant in the 'hood didn't have any pictures of "brothers" on the wall.
So, it is with the recent mobilization of white Conservatives against the Obama presidency.
All across the US of A, there are groups of Right Wing Conservatives protesting everything from health care reform to whether the President should be deported to Africa.
While talk of "takin' it to the streets because the man is holdin' us down" is traditionally reserved for gangsta rap gurus, the sentiment is now being echoed by Right Wingers , some of whom are now threatening to bust a cap in anybody who gets in their way.
Seems like the GOP is morphing from the Grand Ole Party to the Gangsta Ole Party.
Even the most hardcore rappers are kicking back watching Fox News with note pads getting ideas for lyrics.
"Let's see...rollin' with the homies 'bout to crash the town hall; any sucka in my face is 'bout to fall..."
This is not to say that there are not people ,genuinely, PO'd by Obama's policies but some of the Right Wing militants are just ticked off that a black man is in the White House and fear that their country is undergoing a hostile take over by blacks and Latinos. The town hall rebellions and the birther movement are just convenient excuses for Joe the Mechanic to blow off some steam with other members of his clan.
Now, some of the protesters will place their right hands on the Bible swearing that they have at least one black or Latino friend and declare that their attacks on Obama have nothing (and I mean nothing) to do with race.
It never does.
Remember Emmett Till was not murdered because of racism but because he virtually raped a white woman by whistling at her and Martin Luther King was not attacked by bigots for standing up for black people but for being a "Commie sympathizer."
See, nothing racist about that at all.
The good thing about America is that you can have racism without having a racist.
Therefore, racism exists merely as a philosophical concept and not a socio-political reality made manifest by small minded paranoid people with talk shows.
Finding a racist is like capturing Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster. Although there are people who have documented proof that they exist, to find one and put him on display is a different story.
So, the town hall militias see themselves as merely upholding that oft overlooked part of the Constitution that gives them the right to overthrow the government.
It must be noted that there is a double standard when it comes to the public expression of white rage as opposed to black rage. I just can't imagine a couple of hundred black "militants" banging on the door at the next city council meeting without the city's finest coming out in full riot gear, bustin' heads and giving them some electric shock therapy courtesy of a taser.
Should African Americans be alarmed that there are "lynch mobs" of angry white folks organizing in the backrooms of country clubs across America, plotting, as we speak, diabolical ways to take back their country.
Ya darn tootin'.
In the South, where I reside, we still translate the traditional Southern call of "Yee Hawww!" to mean, "find a long rope and a tall tree."
So yes, there is cause for concern.
I can even see the chronically naive, GOP head, Michael Steele forgetting his wallet and showing up, unexpectedly, one night at GOP headquarters.
"Hey guys, what are you doing here so late and what's with the white bed sheets and kerosene? Somebody throwin' a toga party?"
This looks like it's gonna be a long hot Indian summer.
I'm just waiting for Leonardo DiCaprio to do a movie called "Do the White Thing" with Ted Nugent performing a country western rap, "Fight for White Power" on the soundtrack.
Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com. http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/
He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com
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