Proving Yourself

For some people, your best will never be enough.No matter how intelligent, charismatic, kind, or whatever other positive attribute Unfortunately, such is the case with our current Commander-In-Chief, President Obama. Yesterday, after years of brushing off the "birthers" who refuse to believe that he is a US citizen by birth, he presented his long-form birth certificate.

As if it weren't all verified before he became a serious candidate. As if he owed these birthers something. As if a Black man could not attain that level of power without it being part of some deep-seated conspiracy to change the America "we know and love."

In the words of @JamilSmith, "This reminds me of is a Black man being forced to show his papers proving he's a freed man. It's not equivalent, but reminiscent." 

But of course they aren't satisfied. As I tweeted yesterday, they will never be satisfied because he can never change his skin. And this morning I read a post of 20 examples of Birther/Tea Partiers bitching about the legitimacy of the document, how long it took him to release it, now stating he needs to show his grades from school.... Really? Fuckin really, America?! Have a seat boo, you're bigotry, hatred, fear and racism are showing. And everyone sees it.

I'm too disgusted to finish. Part two when I'm more composed.

Did They Die in Vain?

source

Forty-three years ago today, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, TN. His legacy of fighting for equality and civil rights lives on to this day. He dreamed of a better day for his people and for all people. Some would argue that this has happened, in that we cannot legally be discriminated against based on color, nationality, and gender. Some go as far as to say the fact that President Obama is in office the the culmination of Dr. King's dream. I am not one of those with rose-colored glasses. I know that the dream has not been fully realized, as racial profiling, economic inequality and the "glass ceiling" that minorities face in business is still very real.

But we must take a look inward to see what we have done to either further his dream or hinder it. Have we as a people lost focus of what's truly important? Does equality and the chance to achieve the "American dream" hold as much weight as the latest dance or what our favorite reality TV stars are doing? Do we as a people still have the sense of unity and community that we once had? When we remember the legacy of men like Dr. King, Malcolm X, Medgar Evers, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner, Rosa Parks and countless others--known and unknown--it is not enough to say "thank you." We must show that we are thankful for their sacrifices by living up to our potential, continuing the fight for equality and refocusing on the things that matter most. Every day that we don't, we are saying that they died in vain.

#thingsblackgirlsdo and other self-depricating bullshit

Most of the people I e-interact with know that I'm on Twitter a good deal (although not as much as of late), and while it's definitely not enough to base a thesis on, watching TTs (that's trending topics for you non-tweeters) has lead me to a conclusion that I'd like to discuss.

Many of us have "drunk the kool-aid." We've bought into the negative stereotypes of ourselves. The following are some of the TTs and tweets I've seen:

#doesntmeanyourblack [sic] (I know it should be "you're" not "your" but that was the TT...)
#nowthatsghetto
#blackfolks "want an iPad but haven't paid their car note, rent or child support"
"black people: child support. white people: house note"

The the majority of people perpetrating the stereotypical foolishness are the same ones that these TTs target. The offending TT de jour is #thingsblackgirlsdo. And folks are having a field day with it. Observe some of the tamer tweets:

#thingsblackgirlsdo try to have kids wit a nigga coz he got "good hair"
#thingsblackgirlsdo get emotional on twitter and be wanting to fight over words that disappear smh
#ThingsBlackGirlsDo go to the club lookin like a million bucks but be broke as fuck lookin for a nigga to buy her drinks!
#ThingsBlackGirlsDo get foodstamps sell them for more than they worth
#thingsblackgirlsdo get loud in any public place
#thingsblackgirlsdo drive to a destination to go fight

 Now there are a lot of people trying to put some positivity out there (among my favs: #thingsblackgirlsdo ROCK!!) but overall... SMH. And of course the onslaught of negativity brought about another TT:

#ThingsBlackMenDo With no Job Experience or Education gets pissed cuz they cant find a Good Paying Non Factory Job
#ThingsBlackMenDo could tell u everything about the Lebron decision...but couldnt name one major court decision in American history
#thingsblackmendo sell weed so they aint gotta get a real job
#thingsblackmendo try every way possible to get around the law

#thingsblackmendo hav 3, 4 baby mommas an call all of dem hoesm.. #sideeye [sic]

#ThingsBlackmenDo have side chicks fighting/hating each other and the main chick don't have a clue what's goin on....

My main issue is that it's us dogging us. Of course it would be upsetting to see "others" going in on us, but to me it wouldn't be as surprising. But for blacks to dog each other out for the whole Twitterverse to see is disheartening. Even if it is in jest--after all, there's some hint of honesty in every "joke" someone makes. Some people are believing the things they type. And by no means am I saying that everything is all roses with us as a people. Many of the tweets about what black people do can be applied to any other group of people (because each group is diverse and encompasses both good and bad). But the fact that everyone seems to associate black with the bad traits shows that we have bought into the lie that society has pushed onto us. Black is bad, wrong, negative, ugly, evil. We've been bombarded with that sentiment for so long that it's seeped into our collective psyche and now we are regurgitating it back into the universe. And not just on Twitter, but in our every day lives. So many of our people have a defeated outlook... They believe the negativity that swirls around them and it becomes a self-manifestation.

Instead of falling in line with that, how about we make a conscious effort to represent ourselves, our people, and our culture in a positive light, and then reflect that positivity in every aspect of our lives.

#Thatisall.

Systematic Apathy

Although this post is not really about the mid-term elections held this past Tuesday, that was the impetus for this post. What I'm about to say is not necessarily because of the results of the elections, but the comments I've heard and read concerning them.

Somewhere between the Civil Rights movement and today, we (yes this is a generalizing, collective "we") as African-Americans have gotten waaaay too comfortable. Lax. We "just don't give a f***."

No, let me correct that. We give a f***, but about the wrong things.

On Tuesday, I saw a lot of tweets and Facebook posts about voting. And I saw a whole heck of a lot of posts about not voting. Not just saying they hadn't vote, but boasting that they wouldn't. I'm sorry, when did not voting become the "it" thing? Oh I know, since there were no superstars this election. It was great that the coolest candidate for POTUS eva motivated people to get out and vote in 2008. But like so many other fads, once the celebs stopped talking about it and the "cool" wore off, people lost interest. The proof is in the low turnout by young voters and minority voters.

But this isn't just about politics and voting. It's about a lack of concern and misplaced priorities that seem to be rampant in our community. So many youngsters that I know--and ones that I don't know but have observed--place so much interest and emphasis on the latest dance, what a celebrity is doing/wearing/saying, becoming the next (insert hot athlete here), or becoming a dope boy and so little on getting an education and making a future for themselves. Many are enthralled with being sexy and having sex, without regard to how their lives could change as a result.... But hey, you can't fully blame the kids when many of the adults--the people who should be role models--are acting the same way!

I know this isn't new; the same thing was going on back in my day. (God, that makes me sound old!) But just because it's been going on for years doesn't mean we can't turn it around, does it? We as a people have too rich and too great a story to be done in by our own laziness, sense of entitlement and failure to recognize what is truly important. We cannot let apathy take us back to what we once fought so hard against.


P.S.: For anyone with the urge to say "Well white folks are doing the same thing and you ain't saying nothing about them," lemme address y'all now. No hate towards anyone, but white folks aren't my folks. What they do to their own detriment is not my concern. If you want to follow down a destructive path just because "white folks are doing it," then we're in an even sadder state than I thought.

The Black Card

No, I'm not talking about the AmEx (or is it Visa/MasterCard/Discover? I'm not even "baller" enough to know which is the status symbol ) with the unlimited spending power.

I'm talking about the ambiguous mythological "black card" or "black pass" that is constantly being turned in or revoked amongst ourselves (black people) and issued to non-blacks. Yesterday during "Mayergate" (if you missed it you didn't miss much) @TweetMeBlack had this to say:

We are the only race of people that are FOREVER trying to award people w/
blackness... I've never had an asian, white, award me w/ theirs.



Especially when most times these hood & nigger passes are handed out to
whites for ridiculous behaviors! #Ugotarrested? #ublacknow

Interesting thought, no? What does it really say, the fact that we are willing to give away "blackness" and the reasons we cite for doing so? Of course, many people would say that someone of another race should feel "honored" to be given this "black pass" because it means that they are being accepted, embraced, yadda yadda yadda. I guess I can see what they are saying to an extent. Who wouldn't want to wear the badge of cool, power, and endurance known as BLACKNESS? (In reality, probably more than they'd imagine, but that's the thinking.) But come on, is that really all being black is? Of course not. And the things this pass is awarded for... You know the lyrics to all of Jay-Z's songs? You got multiple baby mommas/daddies? You got the "black girl" neck roll down to a T? You wear your pants off your ass? Whaaat, you speak ebonics, too?! Oh you're down! *in Oprah mode* You get a black card, and you get a black card, and you get a black card!

And what about those who feel the need to pull someone's black card? Members of our race who do not have certain "common" characteristics or don't fit the mold for what's considered Black (for example, Black Republicans) are said to have turned in their black card. I can't count the number of times I've had my black card revoked for random infractions, including not liking soul food or kool-aid, not knowing who certain "it" rappers were, talking "white" (since when does white equal proper? I missed the memo) and not living in the "hood."
Really, is that all it takes to be black or lose out on my blackness? Can I not value my heritage, where we as a people have come from and the contributions of those that look like me because of such frivolous issues? My black experience isn't black enough? These assumptions indicate that we are all a homogeneous people with stereotypical traits, do they not?
Yeah, okay... When I hit that glass ceiling in corporate America or get followed around the store I'm sure I'll be issued an immediate apology once I explain that I no longer have my black card...
I'd venture to say that those who are willing to give away "black cards" to others do not fully appreciate what it means to be black. I'd also state that they are not aware of the value of the ethnicity of the "recipient" of their gift. Think about it: could it be that you don't hear of "Chinese cards," "Jewish cards," etc. because of their love, respect and understanding of their heritage & culture. Of course I understand that we were not able to maintain our own culture as others has, but that's no excuse (and I know you know what excuses are).
I'm all for loving and embracing people of other races, cultures, etc. Open up, be "down" with one another, all that good stuff. But handing out "black cards"? Irrelevant and unnecessary.

Get Over It?

On a message board I tend to frequent, a poster shared something that one of his facebook friends (who happens to be white) said:

"Why do some Young black people who have never experienced slavery, reference it
as a reason to hate the white population? Of course it's not everybody, only a
select few. My opinion is they need an excuse as to why they have no ambition.
They want a handout for something not them, their parents, nor even their
grandparents went through. But what do you think? I know this is a touchy topic.
Please understand I'm not racist. But after so many times of being told "I'm not
welcome here" with some emphasis of slavery, something that the only reason they
have knowledge of is a history book and what their parents tell them, and not on
personal experiences, I want to get to the bottom of this.... We have a black
man as President. Slavery is dead and gone. Seriously GET OVER IT..."

There were several interesting responses, most of which I agree with:

"I think its the same reason why white ppl fear black perpetrated violence even
though they never personally experienced it. You feel a certain way, because
this thing has happened to people just like you. The fear some of you feel...
just multiply it by 100 and let it linger for a couple hundred years and then
come back and ask some black people why they don't wanna be bothered with your
kind. Its not ignorant, because the knowledge of the past is still relevant. The
Germans will suffer the stain of the Nazis for all eternity, the white race will
suffer the stain of slavery/Jim Crow so long as U.S. of America is here."

"Why do some white people think that blacks are mad about slavery, when its
actually the decades of social injustice, hidden racism, widespread stereotypes,
and cultural insensitivity shown toward them and their families that is still
prevalent today?"

Says the great great grandchildren of the owners and shareholders of the LLoyds
of London, Haliburton, and William- Morris Corporations who all made billions
off of the sweat of our ancestor's backs through free labor... Some people think
slavery ended and everyone just went on planting flowers singing hymns. The
effects of slavery carry on, but worse, the social and government actions that
were utilized to successfully implement slavery and oppression based on skin
color still linger on and will have to be fought at every turn in order to
obliterate.

well the Jews do the same thing. They keep talking about the holocaust like it
happened yesterday. So until that conversation ends we can keep talking about
slavery.

So what do you think? Does this guy have a valid point in your opinion? Do we need to "get over it" since we did not experience it ("it" being slavery) firsthand? Is he just ignorant? Or is it covert racism? Speak on it!

Quote(s) of the day

I've been on a quote kick this morning. Partially to keep myself motivated, but mainly to interrupt the mind-numbing boredom at work. I've been on AfricanAmericanQuotes.org, gleaning wisdom from some of our most noted leaders, activists, authors, and entertainers.

I am a feminist, and what that means to me is much the same as the meaning of the fact that I am Black: it means that I must undertake to love myself and to respect myself as though my very life depends upon self-love and self-respect.

June Jordan

Sometimes, I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It's beyond me.

Zora Neale Hurston

Every man has a right to his own opinion. Every race has a right to its own action; therefore let no man persuade you against your will, let no other race influence you against your own.

Marcus Garvey

Deal with yourself as an individual, worthy of respect and make everyone else deal with you the same way.

Nikki Giovanni

I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence.

Frederick Douglass

I do not expect the white media to create positive black male images.

Huey Newton, Huey Newton Interview

A spirit of harmony can only survive if each of us remembers, when bitterness and self-interest seem to prevail, that we share a common destiny.

Barbara Jordan

It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.

Audre Lorde

Action, self-reliance, the vision of self and the future have been the only means by which the oppressed have seen and realized the light of their own freedom.

Marcus Garvey, The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey

You are young, gifted, and Black. We must begin to tell our young, “There's a world waiting for you, yours is the quest that's just begun.”

James Weldon Johnson

Don't be afraid to feel as angry or as loving as you can, because when you feel nothing, it's just death.

Lena Horne

A little learning, indeed, may be a dangerous thing, but the want of learning is a calamity to any people.

Frederick Douglass, Address, Washington, D.C

It is not who you attend school with but who controls the school you attend.

Nikki Giovanni

Salvation for a race, nation or class must come from within.

Philip Randolph

We have to talk about liberating minds as well as liberating society.

Angela Davis

I ain't good-lookin', but I'm somebody's angel child.

Bessie Smith, Reckless Blues

"Dear White Women" (An open letter)

Dear White Women,

Before you begin reading this letter, I encourage you to discard the ghetto, attitude-laced, stereotypical "angry black woman" voice you may hear in your head. This is not that type of letter. Instead, think of it as helpful advice; a sort of "The more you know" moment.

There are several things that I think we need to clear up. Things that you do that come off.... well, a bit racist. Now I'm sure you don't intend for it to seem that way. You probably even have black friends! And that's good for you. However, for those who you don't know, there are some things to keep in mind. Here are a few of them:

1. Nobody wants your cheap, ugly purse. Okay, maybe someone does, but the majority of us, including ME, do not. So if I happen to sit two seats down from you in the waiting room at the doctors office, there's really no need to immediately grab your purse and clutch it for dear life. Even if you had a HOT Prada or something, chances are you're pretty safe in that setting, what with the camera and dozens of people around. That move makes you look like you believe all black people are horrible, violent monsters who want nothing more than to knock you over and take your raggedy bag of mints and tissue. And you don't really think like that, do you? Of cooouuurrse not. So do better, 'kay?
2. Making statements like "It's too many of them" when in a crowd of black people makes you look crazy and will get you all kinda side-eyes. Since this was an elderly lady, I'll try to just chalk it up to dementia or something. But um, get ya Nana when you're out in public.
3. I am not trying to take your black boyfriend/husband/boo/baby-daddy. Neither am I mad that you're with a black guy. That being said, what's with the mean-mug? Next time, unless something is said or done, save it boo.
4. No, you cannot just come up to me and touch my hair!! Self-explanatory.

I hope you find these tips useful. They may just help you get along a little better next time you happen to interact with someone of another race, no matter how frequent that may or may not be. :)

Sincerely,

Tori I was nice this time D.

12 Things The Negro Must Do For Himself

Saw this on a couple of other sites and wanted to share and get opinions on it. After reading this I was anxious to learn more about the author. Click her name for some info via Wikipedia on her; I'm still looking up more.

by Nannie Helen Burroughs

(Circa Early 1900's)

1. The Negro Must Learn To Put First Things First. The First Things Are:
Education; Development of Character Traits; A Trade and Home Ownership.


The Negro puts too much of his earning in clothes, in food, in show
and in having what he calls 'a good time.' The Dr. Kelly Miller said, 'The
Negro buys what he WANTS and begs for what he needs.'

2. The Negro Must Stop Expecting God and White Folk To Do For Him What He
Can Do For Himself.

It is the 'Divine Plan' that the strong shall help the weak, but
even God does not do for man what man can do for himself. The Negro will
have to do exactly what Jesus told the man (in John 5:8) to do--Carry his
own load--'Take up your bed and walk.'

3. The Negro Must Keep Himself, His Children And His Home Clean And Make
The Surroundings In Which He Lives Comfortable and Attractive.

He must learn to 'run his community up'--not down. We can segregate
by law, we integrate only by living. Civilization is not a matter of race,
it is a matter of standards. Believe it or not--some day, some race is going
to outdo the Anglo-Saxon, completely. It can be the Negro race, if the Negro
gets sense enough. Civilization goes up and down that way.

4. The Negro Must Learn To Dress More Appropriately For Work And For
Leisure.

Knowing what to wear--how to wear it--when to wear it and where to
wear it, are earmarks of common sense, culture and also an index to
character.

5. The Negro Must Make His Religion An Everyday Practice And Not Just A
Sunday-Go-To Meeting Emotional Affair.

6. The Negro Must Highly Resolve To Wipe Out Mass Ignorance.

The leaders of the race must teach and inspire the masses to
become eager and determined to improve mentally, morally and spiritually,
and to meet the basic requirements of good citizenship. We should initiate
an intensive literacy campaign in America , as well as in Africa .
Ignorance--is a millstone about the neck of the race. It is democracy's
greatest burden. Social integration is a relationship attained as a result
of the cultivation of kindred social ideals, interests and standards. It is
a blending process that requires time, understanding and kindred purposes to
achieve.. Likes alone and not laws can do it.

7. The Negro Must Stop Charging His Failures Up To His 'Color' And To
White People's Attitude.

The truth of the matter is that good service and conduct will make senseless
race prejudice fade like mist before the rising sun. God never intended
that a man's color shall be anything other than a badge of distinction. It
is high time that all races were earning that fact. The Negro must first
QUALIFY for whatever position he wants. Purpose, initiative, ingenuity and
industry are the keys that all men use to get what they want. The Negro
will have to do the same. He must make himself a workman who is too skilled
not to be wanted, and too DEPENDABLE not to be on the job, according to
promise or plan. He will never become a vital factor in industry until he
learns to put into his work the vitalizing force of initiative, skill and
dependability. He has gone 'RIGHTS' mad and 'DUTY' dumb.


8. The Negro Must Overcome His Bad Job Habits.

He must make a brand new reputation for himself in the world of
labor. His bad job habits are absenteeism, funerals to attend, or a little
business to look after. The Negro runs an off and on business. He also has a
bad reputation for co nduct on the job--such as petty quarreling with other
help, incessant loud talking about nothing; loafing, carelessness, due to
lack of job pride; insolence, gum chewing and--too often--liquor drinking.
Just plain bad job habits!

9. He Must Improve His Conduct In Public Places.

Taken as a whole, he is entirely too loud and too ill-mannered. There is
much talk about wiping out racial segregation and also much talk about
achieving integration. Segregation is a physical arrangement by which people
are separated in various services. It is definitely up to the Negro to wipe
out the apparent justification or excuse for segregation. The only effective
way to do it is to clean up and keep clean. By practice, cleanliness will
become a habit and habit becomes character.


10. The Negro Must Learn How To Operate Business For People--Not For Negro
People, Only.

To do business, he will have to remove all typical 'earmarks,'
business principles; measure up to accepted standards and meet stimulating
competition, graciously--in fact, he must learn to welcome competition.

11. The Average So-Called Educated Negro Will Have To Come Down Out Of The
Air. He Is Too Inflated Over Nothing. He Needs An Experience Simila r To
The One That Ezekiel Had--(Ezekiel 3:14-19). And He Must Do What Ezekiel
Did

Otherwise, through indifference, as to the plight of the masses, the Negro,
who thinks that he has escaped, will lose his own soul. It will do all
leaders good to read Hebrews 13:3, and the first Thirty-seven Chapters of
Ezekiel. A race transformation itself through its own leaders and its
sensible 'common people.' A race rises on its own wings, or is held down by
its own weight. True leaders are never 'things apart from the people.' They
are the masses. They simply got to the front ahead of them. Their only
business at the front is to inspire to masses by hard work and noble example
and challenge them to 'Come on!' Dante stated a fact when he said, 'Show the
people the light and they will find the way!' There must arise within the
Negro race a leadership that is not out hunting bargains for itself. A noble
example is found in the men and women of the Negro race, who, in the early
days, laid down their lives for the people. Their invaluable contributions
have not been appraised by the 'latter-day leaders.' In many cases, their
names would never be recorded, among the unsung heroes of the world, but for
the fact that white friends have written them there.

'Lord, God of Hosts, Be with us yet.'


The Negro of today does not realize that, but, for these exhibits
A's, that certainly show the innate possibilities of members of their own
race, white people would not have been moved to make such princely
investments in lives and money, as they have made, for the establishment of
schools and for the on-going of the race.


12. The Negro Must Stop Forgetting His Friends. 'Remember.'




Read Deuteronomy 24:18. Deuteronomy rings the big bell of gratitude.
Why? Because an ingrate is an abomination in the sight of God. God is
constantly telling us that 'I the Lord thy God delivered you'--through human
instrumentalities. The American Negro has had and still has friends--in the
North and in the South. These friends not only pray, speak, write, influence
others, but make unbelievable, unpublished sacrifices and contributions for
the advancement of the race--for their brothers in bonds. The noblest thing
that the Negro can do is to so live and labor that these benefactors will
not have given in vain. The Negro must make his heart warm with gratitude,
his lips sweet with thanks and his heart and mind resolute with purpose to
justify the sacrifices and stand on his feet and go forward--'God is no
respector of persons. In every nation, he that feareth him and worketh
righteousness is' sure to win out. Get to work! That's the answer to
everything that hu rts us. We talk to o much about nothing instead of
redeeming the time by working.

R-E-M-E-M-B-E-R

In spite of race prejudice, America is brim full of opportunities. Go after
them!

Blacks & HBCUs (Pt. II: Is it the institutions, or is it us?)

Last week I pointed out some of the misconceptions about HBCUs that I have heard purported by blacks. Maybe these ideas were put in their heads by someone who was "guiding" them, perhaps they come from their own experiences or observed experiences or others. More than likely, however, they are steeped in the negative stereotypes that we as Blacks have endured for years.

But what about the numbers? Men lie, women lie, numbers don't, right? *snicker, eye roll*

So do we do worse at our own schools? Well according to some statistics, such as the one from this USA Today article, the percentage of blacks who graduate from HBCUs within six years averages about 37%. Yes, this is a dismal figure. (I won't go into how I don't believe this is a fair or accurate number, since this does not give consideration for students who transfer, whose education takes longer than 6 years for whatever reason, deaths, etc. We'll just roll with the numbers we've got.) However, our counterparts at PWIs don't fair much better. The national graduation rate is only 41%.

So that brings me to another issue: Is it really the institution we attend, or is it us? The "us" that I speak of is the black community as a whole. Those of "us" who have graduated, HBCU or PWI, do we encourage our classmates and those that come after us to continue working towards their degree? Those of "us" who have dropped out or for whatever reason did not graduate, are we planning on pursuing that degree at some point or have we already found gainful (legal) employment? Those of "us" who are in any sort of leadership capacity: are we extolling the importance of higher education and stressing that their are many possibilities and opportunities that become available through education?

How do we encourage young blacks to stay in school? The Root has an... interesting article on "Making School Cool." Is it enough? Is it effective? What more can be done?

And what, if anything, are we doing for our institutions? Many suffer from lack of funding which leads to a myriad of other issues (of which I am honestly just too lazy/sleepy to get into right now). What contributions are we making?

Blacks & HBCUs (Pt. I: Decrying Our Own)

This past weekend I was out with some friends & the conversation turns to someone's boyfriend going to school. The comment was made that her mom "had a fit" when she found out that he originally planned to go to Jackson State. Noses were turned up, comments were made about it being "hood" and "ghetto." (Somehow, I was able to refrain from yelling "Who da f*kk you callin' GHETTO?!?! We're Mississippi's urban university BIIIIITCH!")

Although I basically tried to ignore the comments as ignorance posing as urbanity, I realized that I was somewhat bothered by these comments. No, not just because I happen to be a proud alumni (Go Tigers!!). But because 1) this was not the first time I've heard these particular associates make these comments, and 2) I've noticed quite a few Blacks putting down HBCUs and discouraging young people from attending them. Now, this blog is not to argue the current relevance of HBCUs (maybe another time), but rather to address some of the "reasons" I've heard for the criticism HBCUs.

LOCATION. Yes, many HBCUs are in the "hood." Why? Because they were originally placed in locations where they would be easily accessible to the people who they aimed at educating and assisting. As blacks began to prosper, they moved away, while those who struggled with poverty and the vices that go along with it were left behind. So yes, the neighborhood may be less than desirable. That doesn't make it a scary place. (I wasn't surprised when white coworkers asked me if I was afraid to walk around campus at night; I was surprised when I got the same question from folks who were there on campus whenever there was some big event.) That doesn't even make it a bad place. And if there was really concern about the neighborhood in which these schools are located, why not join in the efforts to revitalize our communities? Oh, it's not your community you say? Your community is gated, huh? Well please note, to some of your neighbors in your gated community, you are still just a nigga with money. Class still has yet to trump race in this country. But I digress.

QUALITY OF EDUCATION. I will admit that some HBCUs do not have the diverse course offerings as PWIs. Shoot, I just made mention of that yesterday when comparing the MBA programs of schools in the Metro Jackson area. However, there is nothing to definitively say that the quality of the classes offered is any better than the comparable classes offered at Black institutions. Where this grossly ignorant statement comes from is beyond me.

DROP OUT RATES. Although I do not have the statistics on this at the moment (but trust, Pt. II with that info is coming soon), I have heard this reason being given as to why students should not attend HBCUs. The whys and hows for this vary, from classes being too hard, to being too easy, to "too many distractions." I don't particularly put too much credence in statistics anyway (because really, you can find stats to support almost any claim you want to make), but I do have a startling statistic for you: 100% of people who don't apply themselves and let themselves get involved in distracting bs DON'T MAKE IT, regardless if the school is predominantly Black, White, Asian or inhabited by some superior alien intelligence. You don't have to be a statistic! What about the thousands of students who graduate from HBCUs each year?

My point is this: Are we so desperate for acceptance and assimilation that we are willing to tear down the very institutions that were established to help build Black people up? In the words of my pastor, "It's a mighty poor frog who can't praise his own pond."

Preach.

From the People: Has the Civil Rights agenda been completed?

I've decided to try something a little different. Since I am trying to get back into the habit of writing consistently but face writers block quite often, I've requested input from my tweeple as far as what topics to write about.

Tonight's topic is from my lovely Soror @BlueDeucex2 who writes:

@KittyPurrfecta Do you think that the civil rights agenda has been completed now that we have a black man as president? If not, what's next?

Loaded first topic (and I'm really no politico), but I'm always up for a challenge!

First, we have to determine just what exactly the Civil Rights agenda was. While I am not aware of an official list of goals for the Civil Rights Movement, I do know that it was a fight for desegregation and equality in all aspects of life. While we do have these things mandated by law today as well as a black man as POTUS, I do not believe the civil rights agenda has truly been completed.

Let's look at some of the facts. Blacks make up about half of the population of all of the US prisons, while only comprising 13% of the total population. Of those in jail, the majority are in jail on drug charges, even though studies have shown that whites are more likely to do drugs than blacks. On top of that, police have even admitted to targeting black and minority areas, especially when enforcing drug laws.
http://ronmull.tripod.com/racism.html

As far as education, black are graduating from high school at a sad rate of only 50%. Out of those that go on to college, even less--only approximately 43%--graduate. And while we all know that a college education does not guarantee success financially or career-wise, a lack of a degree could be a setback in many areas and possibly a barrier to advancement.
http://www.parapundit.com/archives/001959.html
http://www.jbhe.com/preview/winter07preview.html

Add to these the facts that:
* segregation and discrimination are still happening, even where there is no written policy to do so
* blacks and minorities still economic disadvantages in disproportionate numbers to whites
* blacks are still less likely to receive a fair trial or fair treatment by the criminal justice system

We see that there is still much work that needs to be done by way of the civil rights agenda. Yes, the nomination and election of the nation's first black president is a MAJOR step forward. However, this in no way means "we have arrived."

So what's next? Well, if it were up to me, I'd make the next step a two-fold move.
First, we need to turn inward and help ourselves. Let folks know what their rights are and how to recognize when those rights are being violated. Stress the importance of education versus the criminal lifestyle. Assist black entrepreneurs with starting, growing and effectively running a business. Support black businesses. Encourage those in our communities to vote not only in presidential elections, but those that affect us most: mayor, governor, senators, etc.
Secondly, we need to actively defend against any show of discrimination or act of prejudice. There should be devoted watch dog groups to ensure that the court system treats black defendants in the same manner as white defendants and to help victims of discrimination seek justice. (Of course, one could say that's what the NAACP is for, but that's another argument for another night; I just don't have it in me right now...)


Now, let the discussion begin!!

So what do YOU want me to talk about? Let me know! Just hit me up on Twitter (www.twitter.com/KittyPurrfecta) or email me (go to my profile and hit the link).