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  1. (Manhattan Beach, CA – January 18, 2023) – At this year’s Independent Book Publishers Association’s annual conference, IBPA Publishing University, the conference will explore the theme of what it means to “Navigate, Innovate, Elevate” within the independent book publishing industry. The theme is a meaningful reference to IBPA’s 40th anniversary, which the association is celebrating in 2023, and its role in the past four decades advocating for, and helping independent book publishers to build long term, successful businesses. With this theme in mind, IBPA is excited to announce that one of the three keynote presentations at the conference taking place May 4-6 in San Diego, CA, will feature a panel of highly respected industry leaders whose publishing businesses have spanned decades and have overcome every type of challenges along the way. The keynote panel “Legends of Black Independent Publishing: Learning from the Best” will invite onto the stage: Dr. Haki Madhubuti, founder of Third World Press Foundation; W. Paul Coates, founder of Black Classic Press; Kassahun Checole, founder of Africa World Press and The Red Sea Press; and Wade Hudson and Cheryl Hudson, founders of Just Us Books. The panel will be moderated by Troy Johnson, founder of the African American Literature Book Club (AALBC.com). With a combined industry experience of 150+ years, these publishers will answer the question, “What do you do when your community is under-served, under-represented, and under-published?” You serve, represent, and publish! The complete conference agenda can be viewed at https://www.publishinguniversity.org/schedule. In addition, registration is now open for IBPA Publishing University ### To moderate this panel is truly an honor. When I first sat down to start AALBC, in 1997, all of these businesses were firmly established, but I did not know anything about them. I soon learned about all of them and their significant impact on Black books and by extension our culture. If you are a book publisher, you really need to attend IBPA Publishing University It is not often you'll get these icons in the same room.
    7 points
  2. greg consistently does this one thing and it confirmed my suspicion early on that he's a white nationalist in a digital blackface. greg writes white with an uppercase "W" and Black with a lowercase "b." Black people wrote Black in uppercase long before it appeared in the AP style guide. So, if this were a game of poker, that would be his tell.
    7 points
  3. I hope (and believe) this generation of boys can figure this out for themselves. Because too many generations in the past have brainwashed them into thinking they are good for nothing. Those who don't know their strengths aren't necessarily physical will always fail themselves, the Black community, and ultimately society. Custodial mothers, fathers, and even two-parent households who are wise enough to know what we don't know have reached out for help from those in the know. (not opinion-givers) And we have educated our children, especially boys, to know physical strength isn't enough in a society that requires intellect and problem-solving. Those children are our communities' success stories. Still, civilization requires Hypermasculinity coupled with hyperintellectuality in battle. And as history shows, it can occur in any sex when necessary and as needed. Sankofa. If you don't know your history, go back and retrieve it. Check out Nyabinghi. We, as a species, adapt to our environment for survival. It doesn't require anyone's approval. Those who don't adapt perish. The last woman Dahomey warrior died in 1979. According to historical records, Dahomey's army fought against colonization until 1892, that was about 200+ years of women and men fighting off European colonization. When the French colonized them, they made sure to subjugate women. Because subjugating women is an Anglo thing. Because - No Nation Can Rise Higher Than Its Women.
    6 points
  4. Recently an article was published on the Oprah Magazine website, “119 Black-Owned Bookstores in America That Amplify the Best in Literature.” While I was not attributed as a source of the list, I know I was because my bookstore list contains at least one bookstore that is not a bookstore . But the list was widely copied so who knows where they sourced the info (including my rouge “bookstore”). Unlike many of the other sites which used the list, Oprah Mag at least included AALBC as a store, so I’m good. Oprah Magazine also created another article, "12 Authors Share Their Favorite Black-Owned Bookstores." This is was an really cool thing to do too! One of the 12 authors, Mitchell Jackson, even cited AALBC.com as his favorite bookstore! But here’s is the thing, and it is a big deal, when mentioning the author’s books, the Oprah Magazine did not send readers to a single Black-owned store. Instead they linked to a white-owned business (bookshop.org), for the book sales — missing a tremendous opportunity to direct those sales to Black-owned bookstores’ websites! It is fine to say how much you support indie booksellers, but the biggest thing supporters of Black-owned bookstores can do is to send book buyer to our stores and websites. Far too many “supporters” send book buyers link to Amazon, and now increasingly, to Bookshop, while voicing support of Black owned bookstores (read more on why linking to Bookshop.org does not support Black-owned Bookstores). Several authors have told me that they don't want to show favoritism for one Black independent over another. However these authors easily show favoritism by linking to Amazon or Bookshop. In 2020 no one needs to be told they can buy a book from Amazon, and Bookshop gets free promotion that really was intended for Black-owned stores If you want to support Black-owned bookstores, stop promoting Amazon and promote a Black-owned bookstores instead! I know most supporters of Black-owned bookstores simply don’t know this, and this is why I'm writing the message. I didn’t know either; While I've been selling books, on the web for almost 23 years, most of that time I was selling books as an Amazon affiliate. Despite my advocacy for Black owned bookstores, I was completely unaware of how my affiliation with Amazon was undermining independent booksellers. Once I started selling books directly, boycotting Amazon just made common sense. However replacing Amazon with Bookshop is only a marginally better solution. Amazon pays affiliates 4% and Bookshop pays 10%, far less that what an indie bookseller would make on a sale. You have to actively support Black-owned stores if you believe they are important. The idea that Amazon has the best prices is often not true, so that argument no longer holds. Often books sales on Amazon are actually fulfilled by third parties anyway, so Amazon is not really adding any value. Indeed, they are reducing value by acting as an intermediary who make money on every transaction with zero risk. The American Booksellers Association (ABA) used to tout an solution called Indiebound.org which allowed supporters of indie bookstores to provide book links without showing "favoritism" to any particular bookseller or linking to Amazon. For example, if someone wanted to provide a buy to Mitchell S. Jackson's book, Survival Math: Notes on an All-American Family they could use a link like this: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781501131707. Once the book buyer reached the indiebound site they could enter a zip code, say my local zip code 33647, and a list of local booksellers would be shown. Indiebound would send readers to local indie bookseller sites to complete the sale. It seems like the ABA is pushing the Bookshop solution which is a mistake in my opinion, but again I advocate for independence. Reliance on Bookshop or Amazon to process our book orders and take most of the profit, is the opposite of Independence. Clearly Amazon wants us to be dependent upon them. I doubt Bookshop is any different. Now I understand that some brick and mortar booksellers are unable to sell books on the web and the pandemic has only made things worse by closing some — not all — physical stores. But imagine if the Black independent booksellers, who can handle the sales, got the business that we are sending to Bookshop. Support Black-Owned Booksellers.
    6 points
  5. AALBC. Was. Created. In. 1998. ..25. Years. Of. Troy. Bringing. Black,Books. By. Black. Authors.....Poetry. ,And. Black. News, ,Culture ,,Discussions. .....Congratulations 25 years......Church. ,Sunday. The. Black. Christians. Will. Go. To. Church. Helping. The,Snake. Preachers. Pay. For. Their. New. Cars. ..Amazing........
    5 points
  6. By no means am I underestimating white power or it's destructive impact. And we know how large numbers of whites can be galvanized by racist appeals, But the monolithic notion of white unity is a fallacy. Talking and thinking about whites as a unified group ignores whites' self-perception as individuals. It also fails to take class and gender inequality into consideration. More importantly, it disempowers black people fighting for positive social change by focusing on some kind of unattainable " black unity" to counter racism and economic injustice. Because white people are so numerous and relatively well off in most ways as a group compared to black people it's easy to think they are constantly motivated by some sense of racial consciousness. Of course, discrimination against us makes it seem that way. But whites think of themselves as individuals first and foremost. They come together only to the extent that certain individuals see mutual benefit in doing so. They compete and they conflict in all kinds of ways and whiteness is never a consideration unless or until black people come along. However not all whites are racist, nor have they ever supported it. White people do things for each other out of moral consideration or self-interest not whiteness. But it's important to recognize economic inequality and the class divide. Rich white capitalists past and present have often exploited and undermined all workers regardless of race. So radical and reform minded whites have fought to tame Capitalism or Socialists have called for its abolition. By reforming the socioeconomic system (think - center left liberalism) through the New Deal America became a better place mainly for white working people. None of this excludes male domination and sexism against women. White men felt justified as men denying women regardless of color the right to vote or do anything else in society until women mostly whites fought for social change. Even in that endeavor race complicated things. Black men and women fighting against racism also challenged gender inequality. But many white women fighting sexism past, and present are racist too. The challenge is for black people who oppose racism, sexism, and economic injustice to build mass support for social change among other blacks and non-blacks. It is important to recognize that black people differ among themselves too. Some oppose activist struggle for change. They believe in adaptation or accommodation. There are wealthy blacks who don't want the economy changed. Other blacks believe in male domination over women black or white. Black people have all kinds of views. We are Black Nationalists, Socialists, Conservatives, Moderates, Democrats, and Republicans. Some of us think improvement is collective while others are individualist. Ultimately unity in some monolithic sense is not possible.
    5 points
  7. 'Discharged from hospital to recuperate at home after a bout with covid flu. That was no fun. Interesting hospital experience, however. Tended by a flurry of nurses, many of whom were effusive gay men, along with Hispanic cha-chas, misled by my Spanish first name. Indian and Asian doctors, of course. Sistas shuffling round, tellin' me, "you gonna be OK, momma." A very interesting pecking order at this state of the art medical center right around the corner from where I live. Prognosis is OK, all things considered which means my age is a factor. Whatever. If anybody watched the Girot Awards on CBS last night, as black folk, we should've been encouraged! Hope everybody had a nice Thanksgiving. 90 is a lot of months away but, I'm tryin to hang in. Luv ya all! Jeeze, this really came out big!
    5 points
  8. In another thread @Mzuri wrote: Anyway, Merry Christmas to you all and your families!!! And stay safe everybody. 2022 is going to be GREAT! Whatever one chooses to celebrate or not, I hope that everyone is having a safe and happy holiday season. Looking for 2022 to be a better and brighter year for everyone.
    5 points
  9. When @Pioneer1 mentioned taking a break in that thread, I asked him to return ASAP. As far as forum participation goes, there seems to be folks who enjoy reading it based on the view numbers. Maybe they're enlightened and/or entertained by the regular contributors. I joined because of the ongoing dialog between @Pioneer1, @Cynique, @Troy, @Mzuri, @Delano @Chevdove, @daniellegfny to name a few. I know folks get tired of reading some of the same ole rhetoric or grievance or whatever. But, the conversations are still interesting and entertaining in proportion to participant perspectives. I'm enjoying my arm chair around here. So, even if I'm one hand clapping, I'll keep bringing up topics, adding my 2 cent narrative and looking forward to reading everyone else too. Come on back to those I mentioned above and anyone lurking. The forum can be as lively as we make it.
    5 points
  10. Here in the US, folks are mainly divided into two camps politically...Democrat or Republican (GOP). On the surface it looks like the two parties have different platforms (liberal or conservative). Yet, they share the same ideology which is the maintenance of white supremacy. Both parties are juggling balls i.e. platform issues. While folks are pre-occupied with the balls in the air, they're not watching the sleight of hand tricks happening below. i've never been under the illusion that either party has ever given a d8mn about the peple. Both parties make decisions based on what's good for business. That is the business of maintaining white supremacy. Regardless of who occupies the White House, they are two sides of the same coin. Follow the money. POTUS PJB (Papa Joe Biden) is the flip side of the same coin once occupied by Agent Orange. Different agenda. Same paymasters.
    5 points
  11. Cynique writes, "Tell all of my AALBC 'frienenemies' I said, "stay well." I know we all (at least I have) have been jonesing to read something from Cynique about the passing scene: “Welcome to 2020! I always knew things would catch up with this country, but I never imagined that I would be around to see it. Unlike some, however, i don't believe a conspiracy theory is at work via the new world order; the inevitable has just come to pass. I don't think the USA will ever be the same after this pandemic, and the shit is really gonna hit the fan come election time. But, whatever. I'll be doing good to even be around in November. So far, i haven't exhibited any corona symptoms and like everybody else, I'm social distancing myself on voluntary quarantine. If the virus doesn't get me, my intense loathing for Trump might bring me down. I.DESPISE.HIM. I can't believe how the Universe has put him in place as a leader during this time of crises. But with his luck, he might just emerge smelling like a rose when this new flu proves to be much ado about nothing and that the real disaster was our overreaction to it. Me and my cynicism do find the way the media is handling it to be a bit much. Yet, I have mixed emotions. In addition to the radiation being emitted by cell phone towers being the origin of the virus, another one of the theories out there on FaceBook is that if your ears are ringing, you are getting signals from unseen forces about to take over Earth, and my ears are really picking up a lot of static! Oh, well, i always did think I was an alien. And the bizarre supernatural activity that continues to occur within the walls of my bedroom in the middle of the night are very unnerving... “
    5 points
  12. Hello All, No, I'm not dead yet! Just happened to come across this thread because every once in a while i check out this site and VOILA! this time I see this headline. So, yes, I am alive! Well? Not so much. I'm tired and burdened with impatience over not being able to figure LIFE out. Too much for me. And the eventuality of the Cyber world is very scary. In the physical world it's like i'm suspended in a surreal supernatural limbo of para-normalcy. Like I'm shifting between 2 parallel universes. Too weird to go into.. My grandson's dog is my now my faithful companion, a mixed-breed mutt who is a canine version of me. We hang out together, both of us being too lazy to exert ourselves very much. I think he can read my mind. i look into his big soulful eyes, and i swear, it's like there's a human in there somewhere. If it wasn't for my Smart Phone and my TV i would just be a vegetable because i have no interest in pursuing wholesome senior citizen activities or in being a doting grandmother to a bunch of krazy Milllenials and GenZers. My kids are so old they, bore me, too, and FaceBook is the same ol, same ol. I haven't gotten my Covid shot yet, but will probably get around to it soon. Still take walks around the neighborhood, weather permitting, and still go out at night and commune with the Universe and confide in the Moon. Still hate right-wing Retrumpicans and all of the lies they are trying to convert into the truth. Still sick of niggas killin' each other. Chicago has become a combat zone, kids gettin' caught in gang cross fire, road rage drive-bys,car-jackings and police chases. So disheartening. I continue to be intrigued by quantum theories especially a new field of speculation called Biocentrism which proposes, among other things, that human consciousness imagined the universe into existence because unless something is seen it doesn't exist. Whatever. Trying to hang on for my 88th birthday on August 18th. After that all bets are off. Nobody asked for an update but there was this blank space here, so thought I'd fill it.
    5 points
  13. @Troy I can't remember disagreeing with @Cynique @Chevdove or @zaji in any way that would cause me to want to express that disagreement. I may have a different opinion about something but their presentation allows for me to consider their perspective. I've even found myself doing some research and keeping an open mind for more information to possibly advance the discussion. But I don't disagree with them. Even if you can find where I said "I disagree" know that I misspoke. I believe most women are socialized to have a perspective that is built on a foundation of evidence. Unfortunately, here in America women are often dismissed as NOT having knowledge about a topic. Even In your thread about instagram - you decided I didn't have knowledge of world wide web and its commercial activities. You didn't even ask me, first. But that's the world women live in - so when we express an opinion or subjective observation, trust most of us have a mountain of evidence to back it up. I don't bet on stuff. Aside: I used to bet on horses but racing horses is cruel and inhumane so I don't do it anymore. I would absolutely miss Cynique if she leaves the board - but I saw that in my email and I had to stop what I was doing to respond to this thread. I really appreciate you @Cynique ! You add the je ne sais quoi to this forum that allows so many of us to think and consider your words, experiences and thoughts. You are a magus and beautiful philosopher!
    5 points
  14. @Niccolo Machiavelli, Leader of the black community. Do you need directions?
    4 points
  15. Okay, I just broke down a begin my first foray into TicTok. Everyone is telling me I need to be on the platform. So I'm starting in earnest today. I still can't image it helping, but I hope I'm proven wrong. My goal is to post a short video several times a week. I'm open to any suggestions. The video is raw, I did not bother to shave or wear anything special -- if I did it would be too much work. I figure I could invest 15 minutes a week to post a few sub-two-minute videos to the platform.
    4 points
  16. This crazy video showed up on my channel and caught me off guard. I thought it was pretty funny though. Grandma gave the Jada Pinkett glare and off went her grandson...
    4 points
  17. Racism and Poverty .....Inadequate Legal Representation - Prison Industrial Complex While Black people make up just 13.6% of the U.S. population, they accounted for 53% of exonerated people. Similarly, of the approximately 240 people the Innocence Project has helped free or exonerate, 58% are Black.......Five years ago, the organization found that innocent Black people were seven times more likely to be wrongly convicted of murder than innocent white people. The new report found that those odds have worsened slightly since, with Black people now being 7.5 times more likely to be wrongly convicted of murder and eight times more likely to be wrongly convicted of rape than white people. https://innocenceproject.org/nre-national-registry-exonerations-report-2022-racism-criminal-system/ Racism , Alienation and low teacher expectation.. in the educational system of the United States, students are dependent persons, and educators are independent persons. The system creates expectations and evaluates outcomes based upon ideas, beliefs, and values generally accepted by the dominant culture of the school......More than any other time in U.S. history, Black students are being educated by people who are not of their racial or cultural background......Research on effective teachers of Black students emphasizes, among other things, the teachers’ collective belief that Black students’ potential will not be realized in classrooms where teachers view Black students from a deficit perspective.......Compounding the problem of some White teachers’ cultural misunderstanding or indifference, additional research suggests that the gap between White teachers and Black students is exacerbated by powerful social conditioning that cultivates actual negative attitudes towards Black students https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ839497.pdf Please post a link to those stats as I am unable to find a correlates...so that I may properly address your query Black communities are both over policed, targeted, and under police .....Prison Industrial Complex Below is an example that is replete throughout the USA Criminal Justice System 1) In Ferguson, race had everything to do with who was stopped by police, and whom they used force against African Americans made up 67 percent of the population, but between 2012 and 2014, they made up 85 percent of the people pulled over by police. Between 2012 and 2014, black drivers were twice as likely to have their cars searched, but they were 26 percent less likely to have contraband. Between 2010 and August 2014, 88 percent of the documented use of force was against African Americans. Every time a person was bitten by a police dog, the person was black. The FPD brought certain charges almost exclusively against African Americans. For example, in 2013 black residents made up a full 95 percent of manner of walking in roadway charges, and 94 percent of all failure to comply charges. Between 2011 and 2013, African-American drivers got 72 percent of the speeding tickets when radars or laser verification were used, but when tickets were based on officers' personal observations, they got 80 percent of the tickets. 2) None of this could be explained by any differences in the rate at which people of different races violate the law It's not just that black people commit more crimes. "Our investigation has revealed that these disparities occur, at least in part, because of unlawful bias against and stereotypes about African Americans," the report concluded. https://www.vox.com/2015/3/4/8149337/doj-ferguson-report-police-racism I have seen both black and white moms lose their kids for Neglect and or Abuse.
    4 points
  18. @Rodney campbell Russia's military does not want to overthrow Vladimir Putin. And the main reason are the grotesque and horrific penalties for failure. Putin is a vicious dictator. The news of his many outrages are muted in the news media, Western as well as Eastern. What manages to eke out are rumors, parts of the truth and old news. When Putin first assumed power, ordinary Russians and emigres adored him. The world was forced to reckon with a KGB-trained ruler who knew how to scare people. Finally, Russia was great again! Their country mattered once more. But everyone forgot the old adage: Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely. And slowly but surely, those who preferred Free Thought and Human Rights and Independence were intimidated and eventually silenced or eliminated. I bet most don't realize that Free Thinking rejects authority and established beliefs, which includes any Dogma associated with Religion. Unless the person being discussed is noted and many worry about their safety and well-being, you will not hear what happens to them. What I wrote about Putin's initial popularity in Russia and elsewhere could also be said of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. They were both beloved. Hitler was idolized. There are people living today who still want to be like Hitler or promote his nonsense. You could probably input the name of any modern military-fascist leader and the foregoing sentences would apply to them.
    4 points
  19. For me, hands down, (pun intended) Bridge is my strategic game of choice. I've been playing Bridge for 70+ years, dating back to my Freshman year at the University of Illinois, during the 1950s. Back then. Bridge wasn't just a pass time, it was what students stayed up all night in their dorms playing, or cut classes haunting the Student Union lounges huddled around tables, deciding which suit to bid. It was the favorite after dinner activity at Sorority and Fraternity houses, a fanaticism that jeopardized the scholastic standing of a whole lot of students, - included myself. So Bridge is my thing and when it comes to being a strategic game, there is no substitute for just plain old gut instinct and good judgement as opposed to the crazy "cue bidding" compiled by so-called experts who have diluted the purity of the game. I've been asked by people to teach them how to pay Bridge. But i always refused the request, telling them I can't teach you Bridge. You learn by playing it. You have to have what is known as "card sense". After all this time, I'm still learning the game. Although complicated, Bridge is also simplistic. No bells and whistles, just a 52 pack of cards to deal out to 4 people for whom nothing is more fulfilling than bidding and making a grand slam - unless it's throwing your cards across the table at your partner for making a stupid play! This is why down through the years Bridge clubs always topped my list of recreational activity. But those days are gone, along with all my old buddies who have ascended to that big card table in the sky. Bridge, itself, was dying out because it tended to be an "old people's game" but it is making a come back, and I go on line and play it every day with computerized robots. And if ever anything cast doubt on the reliability of "Artificial Intelligence", it's the game of Bridge. Robots make terrible Bridge players! They lack human instinct and are unable to establish rapport with their partner or to observe their opponents style of play and sense whether a queen-ace finesse will work. So my fascination with this game continues but, of course, the day will come when instead of bidding, I will pass...
    4 points
  20. Here! Hi lovely! Nope! I have no patience for gender issues. I’ve grown tired of some men trying to dictate a woman’s partnership choices. It’s a waste of time. If those men were so concerned. They would simply show up be present and stay put. Anything less, is lip-service, bitchin’ and moanin’.
    4 points
  21. Fortunately for me The storm passed far enough South of me that i was largely unaffected. There was rain and high winds but nothing coming close to what we have all seen on TV. Terrible. At some point we will have to come to the realization that we can’t live right on the beach any more. Every new weather event is now the “worst ever.” closer to home St Pete, Clearwater, and Tampa bay dodged a bullet, but it seeming is only a matter of time. The same goes for places like NYC, Miami, Houston in fact all along the gulf coast from TX to FL. Side bar: people always say their prayers were answered because they avoided disaster, but they never think about the prayers of those not answered, people who lost their homes and even their lives…
    4 points
  22. Men and women will typically disagree along the lines we see here. I tended to agree with Prof and Pioneer for most of my adult life, but we were reared in America and are from the same generation. As a kid, if I cried while getting whipped my mother would whip me longer and tell me that she'd give me something to cry about. My mother also told me if someone hit you you better hit them back, harder -- I don't care how much bigger they are than you. She was old school, and she raised me in a way people raised boys back then -- Don't let anyone one punk you, and you better not let me see you cry. Buy today's standards that might be considered child abuse . But it is how men were raised. My own children (girls) have never been in a fight. I don't think anyone my age (especially men) escaped childhood without being in several fights or even catching a real beatdown. This is why Will Smith's slapping of Chris Rock actually angered me -- and I usually could care less about the shit celebrities do. What Will did to Chris was a profoundly offensive -- bitching slapping a man in public. My gut instinct would have been kick Will's ass or die trying. Today I the best reaction was exactly what Chris did. I imagine if Chris started weeping that would have been acceptable, by today's standards, too. Chris is from my generation so I know his reaction and composure took a lot of heart. I know some men considered Chris weak, but I disagree. Today we live in a different world; we have little need for "real" men. Todays "warriors" drop bombs from drones they control with a joy stick from some trailer out west. What few real gladiators we have now can play football or box, but these sports are being frowned upon because too many men are getting hurt. Men are indeed different from women. I do feel that the culture is trying make men and women that same. I think this is wrong. We should use our resources to understand those differences rather than making believe none exist. One simple and easily observable difference is that men are stronger than women. Of course there are some women who are stronger than some men, but on average men are physically stronger. This fact makes a difference in how men and women behave and the roles they might place in a culture. In 2022 technology has rendered the need for physical strength obsolete, but this change is brand new compared to he 100's of thousands or years humans have been on earth. Our genetics and attitudes will not change over night. Maybe it is technology that has "pussified" men. Maybe some men see women exerting equal rights as a treat. Maybe some men do not like effeminate, gay, or any aspect of manhood that does not conform to the traditional standard of manhood elevated in any way. Men are different than women and those difference should be explored and understood in the context of a modern society rather trying to make men the same a women. Men will always reject that -- even if they can not articulate, or understand, exactly why. Women, on the other hand, don't seem to mind making men the same as women. This may be another manifestation of our differences. More likely women see these changes as getting the same benefits, rights, opportunities men get, something they deserve.
    4 points
  23. @GregSMH You are so dense and dumb - the total captive of your one-track mind. The "superior race" headline is a play-on-words pun referring to a sporting event (race) which because the members of one team ran faster than its opponents, their team proved to be the best (superior) one by coming in first. Your stupidity apparently extends to your eyesight, making you unable to see that 2 of the runners on the team that won the race were "white". Once again your lack of critical thinkin skills makes you mentally inferior and just plain stupid.
    4 points
  24. I think "Greg" is a troll tag team made up of a 1 white racist and 1 black fool. These 2 alternate with their scripted comments which sometimes overlap, and one is a little dumber than the other.
    4 points
  25. When it comes to something I don't know, I'll admit it if asked a question that I either don't know and/or cannot find the answer. Otherwise, I enjoy a good discussion and will give my opinion regardless of my knowledge or ignorance especially if I can find humor in it.
    4 points
  26. Don't forget Jazz and gospel. There is zero musical culture that white people have created without the influence of Black Americans. You seem to have forgotten whites would have starved with help from the indigenous Americans. Which they repaid by slaughtering their hosts. Here's a hint Hidden Figures. White people all over the world are successful because of stealing and genocide. Read the real history of the Untied States. The suggestion that you either read or think is rhetorical.
    4 points
  27. Greg, You do know this is a literature website?... Despite your low opinion of black people, you know we learned how to read, right? And guess what? Over here, we read A LOT! So let me gift you this article - - https://wapo.st/3HQOf9L Dude may have given out some checks, but the lion's share of forgivable loans, $6.6 Billion and counting, went to white folks.
    4 points
  28. I wish the 'right-to-lifers" would be willing to exert the same energy and passion to preserving the lives of those who have actually been born. Support for quality universal health care would be a good start. To answer your question directly, anything that is bad for American people in general is almost always worse for Black people in particular. That said, this decision transcends race. It effects everyone.
    4 points
  29. Regardless of how the media tried to criminalize the victim, George Floyd did not deserve to be murdered. While George Floyd may not have set out to become a martyr, his murder put a bullseye on American police brutality. In fact, I think George Floyd's execution date should be another federal holiday to commemorate all of our brothas and sistas wrongfully murdered by race soldiers.
    4 points
  30. I usually block/mute bots in black face on twitter because they are easy to spot. They are easy to spot on AALBC too because they spew the same rhetoric as the " the greys" trying to claim supremacy. Unfortunately there are so few of us that participate in these discussions, I feel like we're playing a game of whack a mole when they pop up. Anyway, this is an oldie but goodie report from Black Enterprise on the rise of blackface bots
    4 points
  31. The left is not hurting black people and the political right is not helping us. Most black people are moderate or reform minded in their politics they don't go for socialism or anything radical. The problem is conservatives wrongly conflate moderate and liberal black Democratic politicians with leftists. This is only a tactic to scare and discourage people whether it's blacks or working class whites from supporting any kind of forward thinking political reform that might lead to a fair economy that benefits us all with equal rights and opportunities for all. Make no mistake about it the agenda of the political right whether it's white people or blacks is to insure a stable, orderly, society built on tradition that is skeptical and generally opposed to change. A society like that especially in the US has never been or can it be conducive to the economic, social, and political wellbeing of black people. We don't benefit from unregulated capitalism, a government that is unresponsive to social problems, or using the state to impose so called traditional values. All these things are advocated by the political right. Does any of this mean that black people should be passive or uncritical supporters of the left or moderate to liberal Democrats ? Absolutely not. We must think, organize, and challenge anything or anyone who does not offer a plan or platform that advances our struggle against systemic racism which also encompasses economic inequality.
    4 points
  32. At this juncture in black history, i find the questions "what types of leaders do back people need?" a rhetorical one, not rising to the level of seriousness, Sorry, Del. America is the origin of the "rugged individualism" ideal, as I'm sure you know. Which begs the question, who leads the white masses? The Asian ones? The Hispanic ones??? Why do black people need leaders?? Why must they be on an eternal quest for a captivating man on a white horse to lead them?. Why, among blacks, is there always a yearning for a savior? if Jesus can't get the job done, then who can? When are America's step children going to grow up and become independent? When are they going to realize that when they do unite. it becomes a matter of misery loving company and never reaps permanent results, done in by the egos of mortal men and the seductive corruption of power. Prominent figures are, of course, worthy of being respected and appreciated but I find myself raising an eyebrow at the idea of Miles Davis, in particular, being a black leader. This ill-tempered, wife-beating, heroin addict may have been a great trumpet player who took jazz to another level but that wasn't enough to land it in the mass popularity zone. Yes, he played by his own rules and defied white convention but he died of sickle cell anemia, being nursed by a rich white female patron. A dubious role model. Barack Obama achieved the epitome of leadership but never commanded the unanimous approval of black folks because they are multi-faceted and are not of one mind, black men being among his harshist critics, accused by some of being driven by jealousy. Many older blacks remain mired in the slavery mentality that keeps them congregated in churches, praying for a Moses to lead them to the promised land. But upcoming generations pay homage to the almighty dollar that this Capitalistic society promises to those who learn how to "play the game". The black diaspora grows more diversified by the year, and the idea that individuals can command the loyalty of this multitude of non whites is wishful thinking. The answer to the perennial question about "what black folks need to do" is: Aspire to live your best life and, along the way, each one teach one. But always keep in mind that - the Universe doesn't give a damn about you.
    4 points
  33. Just dropped in to get a whiff of what's going on here since I made my last departure, an exit that deferred to my aversion for being around those I can't stomach. And what a good decision that was. OMG! I can only gasp at how the vibe here has become even more irritating. 'Felt like I had stumbled into a FOX "News" echo chamber, reeking with the gospel of right wing half truths, and rampant with hysterical conspiracy theories involving the ubiquitous "they". But - before I provide further material for possible rebukes from Mzuri in her self-appointed role as the Sergeant-at-Arms of this forum, ever ready to lecture those who don't conform to the protocols she has taken the liberty to put in place, - let me assure that i am aware no one really gives a damn what I think. (And I don't give a damn that nobody doesn't give a damn.) Now, as I was saying... mulling over what's going on here, i've reached the conclusion that this mind boggling phenomenon called CIVILIZATION, in its infinite journey, lurches forward doing what it has always done in an environment teeming with natural and manufactured marvels; visible and invisible dangers. And because it is the nature of the bi-ped beast evolution has spawned, humanity engages in an eternal conflict that pits the "have's" against the "have-not's", and the "already-are's" against the "wanna-be's", dumping them into a horde of "never will-be's", leaving everyone to expect freedom and justice for all. Foolish dreamers - idiots upon whom the abused Earth will eventually take its revenge. Welcome to the real world. Ah, but every poster here clings to their own version of the truth about the "real" world where the ongoing clash between the bad "them" and the good "us" wages on. And each opinionated contributor is eager to advance political narratives or embrace deep state conspiracy theories. As if a government controlled by an evil cabal has to plot something that Mankind naturally does on its own, as if what is happening now is not just another rehearsal for the highly anticipated Armageddon extravaganza, as if there was never a bubonic plague, no unrest nor revolts among the masses, no power hungry despots nor upheavals of the status quo. As if there has never been the fall of Great Empires, as if societies and cultures don't recycle and go through eras and periods wherein the more things change the more they become the same, all under the direction of a Universe with a wicked sense of humor! Ha-Ha. The joke's on us as Fate mocks our hopes and Father Time yawns, bored by the repetition of the proverbial phoenix rising from its ashes. And Life goes on as Civilization survives. But all is not yet lost on this site, and in spite of it having become a haven for Democrat bashers, and a coop full of paranoid "Chicken Littles" beaned by acorns and panicked into thinking "the sky is falling, there is a calm voice of reason in this cyber wilderness, a someone exhibiting logic, and balance. Thank "goodness" for my boy, Troy, who neutralizes the histrionics and relegates others to wallow in the factoids of their misinformation. Happy New Year, ol buddy. Hang in there. And, oh yeah. Fuck Retrumpican obstructionists!
    4 points
  34. @Mel Hopkins I miss you, too! @ChevdoveGlad you still show up occasionally to disperse the pollution @Troy i'm glad you haven't lost patience with me when it comes to my squaring off with my female antagonists. @Del and ProfD. i appreciate your two having the broad minds to keep things in perspective. 'Hope my reappearance annoys the right wing lackeys who slither around this forum.
    4 points
  35. With NYC Central Park Condos going for nearly $10 million, imagine how much Seneca Village would be worth today? Descendants of the Lyons family may know the dollar amount but they probably will never see a penny. I shared this NYT article from my account it should be open to read. Their Land Became Part of Central Park. They’re Coming Back in a Monument. A new sculpture will honor the Lyons family, black activists and property owners who once lived in Seneca Village, a community destroyed by the creation of the park. A double ambrotype portrait of Albro and Mary Joseph Lyons. The city is planning a monument depicting them, along with their daughter Maritcha, in Central Park.Credit...Smith Collection/Gado, via Getty Images Also, check out the book Black Gotham |A Family History of African Americans in Nineteenth-Century New York City  by Carla L. Peterson, "an academic who wrote a book on investigating her own family history. Dr. Peterson is a great-grand-niece of Maritcha Lyons."
    4 points
  36. Those who have rarely been the target of organized police gangsterism are once again lecturing those who have about how best to respond to it. Be peaceful, they implore, as protesters rise up in Minneapolis and across the country in response to the killing of George Floyd. This, coming from the same people who melted down when Colin Kaepernick took a knee — a decidedly peaceful type of protest. Because apparently, when white folks say, “protest peacefully,” we mean “stop protesting.” Read the entire article by Tim Wise. https://medium.com/@timjwise/violence-never-works-really-e0af884c03b4
    4 points
  37. The first 24 hour Black News Channel is expected to launch November 15, 2019 @6:00 AM. The cable network is the brainchild of J.C. Watts, Jr., former U.S Representative (R-Oklahoma) now BNC chairman and Veteran Journalist Bob Brilliante who will serve as the cable network's CEO. BNC Newsroom management made their rounds at the National Association Black Journalists Job fair in Miami, FL earlier this month. The news channel, headquartered in Tallahassee, Fl, will broadcast to 33 million households nationwide with a major presence in Los Angeles, Atlanta and New York. ~MH You can read the release here: https://blacknewschannel.com/wp-content/uploads/BNC_NABJ-Press-Release_2019.pdf
    4 points
  38. I am the same way. I typically try to merely express my opinion/views, not launch into outright disagreement, as though in a war. Additionally, if I have ever used that language (I disagree), it is not hard and fast disagreement. I am always open to discussing anything, regardless of my personal views. I know one fundamental thing, no human (including myself) knows everything. No human has a monopoly on truth. I try to carry a sense of humility around things/ideas/knowledge, as long as the thing isn't so overboard that it can do great harm. Then humility or not, I must do everything to stop the verbal harm being done. Generally, however, I will discourse to a point. If I see there is no balance, I stop talking.
    4 points
  39. I do my best to focus on the idea- if I’ve veered from this aspect in debate charge it to my head - not my heart.
    4 points
  40. Thank you for posting. I believe tat it's fine to attack and idea but not the person. I have been guilty of that more than once. I publicly apologised and felt quite contrite. It's great to be passionate however when it becomes aggressive, that's problematic. I don't think unity is possible amongst Black people. And I have used the dynamics that play out here as an example. I have been angered and saddened by the vindictiveness of of statements made to make a point. The Dove is an appropriate moniker. I have said you are so nice that I can't argue with you. I have also tried to change my debating style. Some perceptions of me are so ridiculous that I don't respond. And recently there seems to be an agitation or irritation that members display. Usually it towards one person. I want to do less of that venomous personal attack. It creates a negative vibe. At times I have found it so frustrating that I have gone on hiatus, or have not responded to statements.
    4 points
  41. The last i head, this is supposed to be a free country. And black people above all, are constantly striving to exercise their freedom. Because blacks are not all of one mind, some blacks have a problem when it comes to freedom of appearance. They are luke warm about diversity and want to dictate, judge, and criticize the choices of certain other blacks who resist the herd mentality of black brain washing that can be as restraining as white control. These Afro-centric vigilants, awash in their patented rhetoric, have taken on the role of deciding how black women, in particular, are obligated to look, and they are perfectly comfortable with imposing their standards, totally resistant to change because they are mired in the swamp of the past. They drone on and on about how deceived those are who don't accept their standards, mistaking the indifference of those they wish to reform, attributing it to ignorance, thinking they have to educate them about the hazards of European standards. It never occurs to them that what they are preaching is a stagnant gospel, and the are obviously unable to appreciate the idea that individuals are free to exercise a choice when it comes to how they want to present themselves to the wide world of reality. The same crowd frets about colorism which is, indeed, an unforgiving fact of life and, as such, subjects some people to unfair and insensitive rejection. This being the case, it is then nobody's damn business if some choose to get their color out of a jar, an innocuous procedure that is in a category with plastic surgery, liposuction, contact lenses, wigs, teeth braces, eyebrow-arching, acryllic nails, and gym work-outs. Ahh but the au naturelle nazis remain a constant voice of condemnation and when not disapproving of independent black women, they devote their time to harboring suspicions about ongoing secret conspiracies existing to do - what? Keep blacks down? Whoooo what a great revelation! Enough to make blacks sacrifice what little enjoyment they derive from life in order to concentrate on worrying about something they are not supposed to be aware of. Them. Discrimination is also a fact of life. Obese people, for instance, are discriminated against, so losing weight is a choice some make. Racial discrimination is something that is a constant challenge, one that involves ingenuity to circumvent. This cruel world does not adjust to the individual. The individual is charged with the task of adjusting to it, of carving his own path and going which ever way she wants. For black people this can call for tuning out the "Greek chorus" chanting the same ol message of revering Africa, the great land mass which doesn't give a damn about its American diaspora, and can hardly sustain it own people, prompting many to immigrate to this country and enjoy the fruits of the civil rights struggle they played no part in. Of course these are controversial concepts that will go in one ear and out the other of those who don't think outside the box. Those who'd much rather stay in a comfort zone free of critical thinking and just go along with the same ol litany of cliches that black have been mouthing for years in an effort to bolster their morale, huddled in the night of yesterday, reluctant to wake up to a new dawn where a person weighs his options and thinks for herself. This mind-set is not really revolutionary. Great numbers of blacks have already made the decision to do their own thing not even aware of how they have liberated themselves from the dictates of others, all the while supporting the common cause of racial injustice. And so it goes.
    4 points
  42. @Troy, I didn't agree with everything you wrote in the full comment where I pulled this quote from but I put a "like" on it because it was thoughtful. As for the quote, I hear a lot of people say and write this sentiment. I wonder, however, why some believe that it's up to someone outside of us to provide for OUR emotional and physical needs. Biologically, I understand the need to procreate with more than one person - women have been doing it since females began mating with males... but sex for pleasure has nothing to do with variety... (and no, I'm not speaking from ignorance - I've had my fair share of sex partners and lovers). And variety definitely has nothing to do with satisfying an individual's emotional needs. When I hear this, I know that the person has not matured to the level necessary to engage in a fulfilling relationship with another person. Our parents choose to provide for our physical and emotional needs and if they do their job right - we learn how to engage in loving relationships with others. We can have successful relationships without expecting others to do the job of our parents. Maybe that's why polyandry, polygamy, and polyamory appeal to so many "first world" citizens. We've been raised to believe others are supposed to do our heavy lifting whether it be physical, emotional, financial or spiritual. I can testify while we may thrive in a nurturing community - the aforementioned is an inside job.
    4 points
  43. K2 I've deleted a portion of your comment for the reason previously discussed. Again the rule applies only to this to this conversation. Cynique makes a good point if the barbs witty and clever AND written in jest it is all good -- indeed desirable. And the fact she stopped reading the posts was what I was afraid of happening. If she is not reading them why would someone, who is new, read them? @Chevdove, waded through the morass and made some excellent contributions only to inquire why did the conversation go south? Her question was part of the motivation for this discussion Mel, K2 as far as a vote down button. I'm sure that would not have any effect. Indeed Pioneer does not even use the like feature. Generally, if I disagree with something I express that disagreement with words. But I'll check to see if the software has a dislike or down vote options. You can currently block a posters comments, allowing you to completely ignore another poster. That approach is pretty heavy handed, but it has been used by some. Well, I look forward to more comments.
    4 points
  44. You all bring so much passion and fire to your posts! I appreciate ALL of your words and look forward to seeing many more thought provoking posts such as the ones I've read. I really do mean it when I say I appreciate ALL thoughts, not just some. Watching the opposition between ideas sharpens me and makes me even more desirous to fall back and detach from views that could be debated all day long. Bottom line, 99% of what we know we get from methods we cannot personally confirm. It's a sad truth. But it is what it is. I lay wait like a lion in the bushes for new information to guide us to truths. Stay lively and keep bringing the fire! Thanks for having me here!
    4 points
  45. I'm gonna go, grab a glass of wine, plop myself in front of a big screen and watch this video Good night y'all
    4 points
  46. Hi Everyone -- thanks for engaging in this conversation. And thanks, Troy, for kicking it off. I'm the publisher for The Mantle. I came up with the headline and the mailing that Troy distributed. For me, the use of "shithole" (or a censored version, like "sh*thole") was a way of co-opting the unfortunate (SAD!) phrase uttered by the president. It was an attempt to take control of the conversation by using the president's own words against him. One of the replies Troy received to the mailing said as much: Just this morning I received an email from a friend who lives in Haiti, who referred to the island as "my shithole country" with a mix of irony and pride. The journalist and iconoclast Chris Hedges used the phrase repeatedly in his piece, "No Telescope Needed to Find a 'Shithole Country,'" to recount the many misguided American policies toward Latin American in the past 50 years, and to declare that the U.S. is the real shithole in this dialogue. Weeks later the phrase continues to be used on Twitter to describe all kinds of political arguments and claptraps. Elsewhere, the women's movement has made a similar play in turning Trump's words against him by proudly proclaiming "pussy grabs back," in protest to his sexual abuse. Anyone who opened the email and read the content beyond the subject line would see the anger I felt in having to even write such a message: All of that said, this was a piece of marketing. The headline was deliberately provocative. I'm a book publisher, not a charity. I need to sell books so my writers can earn money to keep doing what they love, and so I can continue to bring emerging and under-heard voices to the American public. And if it takes a shitty headline to get your attention, I'll use it as thoughtfully as I can. Peace.
    4 points
  47. Not necessarily in the order given, the following books are the most valuable information, I think, because of the real world issues they discuss or their metaphorical message(s) by both Black and White authors. Souls of Black Folk Up From Slavery The Fire Next Time Sharing Wisdom Metamorphosis The Great Gatsby To Kill a Mocking Bird If Americans Knew Critical Issues in Policing The Republic
    4 points
  48. Best Wishes,Respect For All The Black -Mothers,Grandmothers,Aunts, On Mothers Day..It Has Been -Said That Black Women .Are The Strength Of,The Black -Community...Extra Respect For Black Mothers Raising Children -Alone And For Black .Mothers Grieving Over their Sons --,Murdered By Nazi Terrorist Police And Street Gangs...I Think --,Cynique Is A Mother And Grandmother..A Perfect Song For -Black Mothers And Girls Is Black Pearl,By Sonny Charles -And,The Checkmates.....
    4 points
  49. It doesn't necessarily follow that monogamy leads to a happy home life. Being polygamous is not the same as cheating. I have known and met people who have open relationships. Otn one instance the adult child was more upset than the partner. What is moral, ethical and good is another debate. I also knew a couple where the woman was a leabian. However that was more of a business situation. Plus she did use sex as a weapon. But he didn't care. I also had a coworker that said certain sex acts her partner should see a prostitute. There's what works and what works for you. They are not always the same. Interesting. Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher had an open relationship. But it broke yp when he hid one his lovers. At that point he was cheating. Its not cheating if the other person knows about your lover.
    4 points
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