KENNETH

1 hour ago, Delano said:

I think I have not been clear.  Perhaps I should make an addendum to clarify my statement. Upon conception, the following is not known, gender, sexual prefernce, or nationality. What is known is colour. And Systematic racism is concerned with that unborn colour primarily. I am well aware of intersectionality being exposed to by circa 1986. Intersectionality is not an unknown topic to me. I feel that racism is just a cover for class warfare. There's a quote by a Black Women Rapper. She said being a Black Women is like being Black twice.

Blacks are discriminated against by skin color more so than any other attribute. Since skin color is obvious the choice of criminality, sexual preference, dialect are used a s secondary or tertiary demarcation of disapproval. Although it is a weaker argument color is harder to hide than sexuality or gender. However there are men and perhaps women who are sexist but not racist.

Thanks Delano for responding . I  would like to hear more about your views regarding class warfare and racial unity.

16 hours ago, ProfD said:

White folks are unified in the maintenance of the system of racism white supremacy. They enjoy the privilege and benefit of it. 

Systemic racism is a powerful force and lots of white individuals help keep it in place. I think we agree on that.

However we shouldn't see racism as monolithic. American history is replete with examples of whites who opposed racism and worked with blacks to secure justice and equality. Think about the collective and individual progress we have made since the 1960s. White people doing the right thing  including those activists and politicians who fought the system are numerous and important.

I would go as far to say that present controversies over cancel culture, critical race theory,  the Black Lives Matter Movement,  and wokeness  are as much disputes among whites themselves as between blacks and whites.

On 12/24/2022 at 9:51 PM, Delano said:

Blacks are discriminated against by skin color more so than any other attribute. Since skin color is obvious the choice of criminality, sexual preference, dialect are used a s secondary or tertiary demarcation of disapproval.

 

Is Richard Pryor, Dave Chappelle, Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, Frederick Douglass, Miles Davis, Alvin Ailey any less black or down for the cause because their partner wasn't  a Black women

 

I have no interest in discriminating against people who already being discriminated against for whatever reason unless they are a$$h0le$

I think you underestimate the ways in which black women and gay people face racism, sexism, and homophobia all at once by straight white men and even among black people too. These things intersect.

Think about it this way....

In the late 19th and early twentieth century there were Black men who wanted racial barriers to the vote eliminated but opposed women's sufferage the same as most white men

Black people have been vocal opponents in many localities of LGBTQ Rights ordinances.

All this occurs within a wider social context of white male domination that is racist, sexist, and homophobic too.

Thanks, Pioneer, for replying and your compliments.  The emphasis on Black Unity to counter supposed White Unity can keep us from being pragmatic or dealing with problems among ourselves. This is especially true when talking about economic issues or class. Think about it. We wrongly think about economic development in terms of buying black through service and industrial firms. Such thinking is outdated. Blacks need to be involved in growth industries like technology and healthcare where we can get anybody and everybody's money. Moreover, we need to recognize that rich black people and Capitalism isn't always good for majority of black people who are workers. Secondly, black unity can blind us to sexism and homophobia within black communities. We often talk about liberation only to elevate black men to an equal place with white men while women of both races are subordinated and unjustly treated. How many of us in the name of black unity and opposing racism gave R Kelly a pass for raping and abusing young black women?  The same thing is true with Culturally conservative Black Nationalist rhetoric that denigrates black LGBTQ people as acting white and being immoral at the expense of black families, manhood, and community. Lastly, we need to understand that white people are not all the same. Some of them past and present are allies in the fight for freedom and justice. Others can be persuaded if we are willing to make the effort. The idea of white or black unity can blind us to the possibilities for change.

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. 

Everything in LA depends on how Bass uses her position to help the working and poorest people regardless of race or ethnicity. It's not all about Liberal, Conservative, Democrat, or Republican. Ultimately it doesn't matter if you have rich black people or blacks wielding political power if that power is not used to improve the material wellbeing of the least among us. Racial inequality that undermines us as a people is compounded by this current predator Capitalism that hurts all working people. Black Capitalism and self-help are fine. Electing blacks to public office is fine too. But all this is meaningless if we don't see concrete material change for the black masses.  We need activists, thinkers, elected officials. and businesspeople who recognize this if we are going to rise collectively. Is former Congresswoman Karen Bass this kind of leader?  We can only hope.

On 11/27/2022 at 9:33 AM, Pioneer1 said:

Chev

 

I have even heard once that country music came about as a result of Black music.

 

It did.
What we call "Blue Grass" is probably authentically White music from the Hillbillies of places like Tennessee and Kentucky and those mountainous areas.
But what we call "Country music" today is a mixture of that and the R&B of Black singers and guitar players who used to perform at a lot of old southern "frolics".
White folks saw and heard it and started copying it and incorporating it into their subculture.

 

Evidence of this is how most Country music consists of singing about the "blues" and how much the singer loves and misses his woman or enjoys being with her.
That's not a "White man" thing...singing about women and sex.
They typically sing about violence, getting drunk, or some disaster in society...but not much about women and sexual relations.

The only time they do it is if they're trying to imitate BLACK MEN doing it.

 

 

 

 

Well, please forgive me if I am wrong about this, but i don't really keep up with everything going on today. However, 

doesn't Orpah Winfrey have her own media company or something?

 

Well, luckily you're NOT wrong....because if you were I WASN'T going to forgive you, lol.

But yeah, Oprah does have her own channel and atleast one magazine that I know about.

It's a start, but not nearly enough because her media publications aren't nearly as mainstream as they should be.

Her magazine "O" get's more publicity than her channel, I see it often in supermarket stands.  But she doesn't really dive deep into racial issues and expose the hidden agendas the way they need to be exposed.  Her magazine seems to carter more to White women and a small group of Black women than the larger Black community as a whole.

 

Tyler Perry has a movie studio in the ATL.
 

It's also my understanding that Byron Allen owns The Weather Channel.
Not sure how much information relevant to the Black community he can disseminate on THAT, lol.

 

We need to own a major network the size of NBC or CNN.
And it should be BROADCAST...not accessible only by cable, satellite or the internet.
We need a Black owned and managed television and radio channel that you can access worldwide simply by plugging in the television and flipping the channel to get OUR truth.

 

 

 

 

 

Stefan

Alliances can't be formed between a DEPENDENT and INDEPENDENT people.
One will end up taking advantage of the other.

Latinos in the U.S. are more INDEPENDENT than our people so trying to form an alliance with them will lead to our causes and agendas being put on the back burner, even if on the stove at all.

This is REALLY gonna ring your bell but.....
If Black Conservatives and Sell Outs really wanted to do something and cozy up to White folks, they should spend their time trying to convince them to push the Latinos out of power, increase deportations, and give their "loyal negroes" here in the U.S. their number 2 spot again.

 

           "Say WHAT?????"

 

Yes...
Despite all of the wishful thinking, White folks are still in control of the U.S. right now and Latinos know it and are trying desperately to take it and don't mind being second fiddle as long as they're over Black folks.
We should atleast not let THAT happen.

Latinos are a large and diverse group that includes blacks, whites, indigenous, and multiracial peoples. But I'm not interested in working with white folks to hurt nobody. Yeah, some Latinos are white racists who don't give a damn about blacks. However non-Hispanic White male racists with money are still the power elite so I'll work with the most enlightened and forward-thinking Latinos and Asians any day to fight for positive social and economic change. And by the way there are plenty of well off and powerful black people who only care about themselves and other people like them. Don't be fooled. Not everyone different from you is the enemy, and not everyone like you is a friend.

41 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

Kenneth 

Thanks for the insightful posts that stimulate me to comment on....lol.

Well I'll say something that may sound shocking but in THIS nation poor people....collectively...ARE primarily to blame for their condition.

Yes they are being exploited and the wages are being kept low and they are being manipulated and hammered with one distraction after another but most of them don't seem to CARE even when these injustices are brought to them for their attention.
In the old days, men used to get together and MARCH and PROTEST and even RIOT to demand hire wages.
They'd be all over the streets demanding hire wages and more benefits.
That's when it was a man's responsibility to take care of his wife and children....no excuses.

But now when it's primarily women's responsibility to support themselves and any children they have and most men only contribute what they want or what the court ORDERS them to contribute....the pressure on them to earn more simply isn't there.
If the average man in the lower socio-economic sector is getting (notice I didn't say "earning"....there's a good reason for that) just enough to keep his bills paid, some food in his stomach, and can maintain his supply of liquor to drink and weed to smoke -he thinks he's doing good.

Who cares about a LIVING WAGE?

Who cares about SAFE WORKING CONDITIONS?
Who cares about a PENSION PLAN?

Who cares about eliminating this "right to work" crap that is getting people fired all over the nation for the simplest of reasons by egotistical managers???

Until the POOR and WORKING CLASS people put their differences aside long enough to decide ENOUGH IS ENOUGH....don't expect much to change.


Personally, I'm no longer riding for the poor.
I'm working class and trying my best to GET OUT of that class and into the upper middle class and eventually WEALTHY class.
Not only is it nicer but because the people tend to be more selfish...they actually CARE ABOUT THEMSELVES.

Hey there's never anything wrong with improving yourself. I know I come off sounding like someone who hates Capitalism and rich people. I can assure you that's not the case. But I think we've broken the Social Contract between labor and business that paid people enough to live comfortably and secure. Labor offered a chance to improve yourself. Never mind it was mainly for white men not blacks or women. At any rate I hope you make it brother. If you do just treat workers better than you've been treated. 

check out my blog AALBC Black Capitalism and Black Freedom - Race and Beyond - AALBC.com’s Discussion Forums

1 hour ago, Pioneer1 said:

Kenneth

 

 

 But unless we revive organized labor and forge a multiracial working class struggle then nothing will change.

 

We're long over due for another organized labor movement, but one of the problems is most poor and working class people themselves aren't upset enough over their wages and benefits (or lack there of) to motivate them into action.

 

Too many poor and working class people are busy smoking weed and getting deeper and deeper in debt trying to live like the upper classes they see on television or online.  
The idea that they could be getting shafted and actually could acquire far more wealth on their jobs if they'd only organize and demand it is a thought that rarely enters the minds of most.

Just bouncing from one low wage job to the next; getting just enough money to keep the lights on, buy some marijuana, pay the child support......oh and some pizza, tacos, or ramen noodles.

As far as a "multiracial working class" struggle......forget about it.

Most poor White folks don't mind being poor.
They KNOW they're being exploited and agree with it.
It's a sacrifice they're willing to make to maintain the system they're upholding.
Their only demand is that the Black and Brown POORER than them and are beneath them socio-economically.  


 

Poor and low wage workers don't have a monopoly on moral imperfections or dysfunction. Middle class people who are also being clobbered by this rigged economy have their issues too. Perhaps part the problem is Americans do not blame the system or its wealthy corporate benefactors. People blame themselves and other working people for gross inequality and the harm that goes with it. Therefore no activist or political challenge can come about.

Thanks so much for responding and keeping me on my toes.

It's not going to harm rich people or the economy to make them pay more. When you consider the super rich who make money off stock only pay around 13% in taxes I don't pitty them at all. As for the IRS oppressing ordinary people - show me the evidence. The Inflation Reduction Act is fairly modest compared to the original and more ambitious Build Back Better Act that was scrapped.

Don't believe the tax and spend hype either. Unless you want to cut Medicare and Social Security we've always had government debt. The real question is who really benefits from all that Federal spending?  I'm not convinced that it is needy people or programs that advance the general welfare.

Ultimately you can't avoid the need for some kind of political reset of this economy that went wrong for working people years ago. That old economy never did enough for black people either. But unless we revive organized labor and forge a multiracial working class struggle then nothing will change.

So glad to see something substantive being done about racism and policing. There's no sense or reason for Breonna Taylor to be dead. This didn't have to happen. If DOJ can put the officers away like Chauvin it might make up just a little bit for Congress's failure to pass the George Floyd Police Reform Act.

1 hour ago, Pioneer1 said:

That's the problem brother, our people HAVEN'T made more progress since the 60s....it's gotten MUCH WORSE.

Before the 60s there was less crime, less broken families, less of our people incarcerated (including percentage wise) and more of us own our own businesses, banks, hotels, ect.....
Wnen was the last time you even SAW a Black hotel let alone stayed in one?

The only people "integration" helped was White people. Living around us more helped them by teaching them how to cook better, make better music, and dress better by giving them a sense of style.
White men were NERDY AS HELL before learning how to act and dress by watching Black men.

They benefit by living around us because we have CREATIVITY and they try to steal it and emulate it.
That doesn't help US though.

Integration made our people LAZY to the point that you no longer have Black banks, Black supermarkets, or hotels....most Black neighborhood do good to have a few Black barbershops and restaurants.

Like I said we CAN live together as a nation....as long as Black people keep themselves separate in our own communities and demand that the Federal resources go to those communities instead of trying to "integrate" everything into a White controlled general society.

SEPARATION...not SEGREGATION.
Under Segregation THEY kept us apart and controlled things, but under SEPARATION we have the power over our own separate communities.

We need OUR OWN schools controlled by us with OUR OWN curriculum to teach our children how to operate OUR communities inside America.
That's the ONLY way it will work with us living with them.

You try it that "melting pot" crap and you're gonna have THEM in charge with a lot of Black folks going to jail, unemployed, getting fired from their jobs for wearing dreads, getting cancer and diabetes, and many other problems that come from TRYING to get along with and live with and imitate them and their poisonous civilization.

Western civilization works for WHITE FOLKS and their nature, but their civilization and ways are POISONOUS and DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED to our very nature as a people and we need to be able to develop and control our own communities and culture to not only thrive but just survive!

Blacks own more businesses today than ever check out the stats. We are better educated than ever. Some of the differences are:

1. All black people no longer live together in segregated neighborhoods, so class divisions are clearer 

2. We always had crime and drugs in the larger urban areas and things were getting worse in the 1960s thru the 1970s

3.  We never achieved real integration because racism just became more subtle despite some real progress made

4.  Black people were hurt by the change from an industrial to service economy that ruined urban areas we mainly lived in

5. Our economy is more unequal for all working people than ever and for the poorest blacks who never got ahead things are worse

6.  Racial and economic inequality that marginalize all black people and the poorest most of all will undermine love, dignity, self-esteem, marriage, family, and all kinds of achievement.  

We also have to stop laboring under the myth that American is made up of self-sufficient groups of people living completely apart who can thrive that way. Most of us work every day for someone else who gets rich off our labor. The elite capitalist class is mainly straight white male and cisgendered. But there are elite class members who don't belong in this configuration. Some are black men and women. That's capitalism. It can be good or awful, so we have to be engaged in politics and activist struggle. Cultural pride, creativity, community building, being a good individual, or strong families aren't a substitute for engagement to shape the politics and counter the powers that be. So much of Black Nationalism and Afrocentrism are escapist not militant or revolutionary modes of struggle for black liberation. 

1 hour ago, Pioneer1 said:

Kenneth

It's true that a lot of LGBT are Black....I contend that the REASON you have so many Black LGBT today is because of our proximity and closeness to White people and their strong influence on our community.  Especially since so-called Integration.

If we weren't so close to them with them constantly influencing our culture so much and introducing different perverse ways and lifestyles to our people, there wouldn't be NEARLY as many LGBT and sexually confused people in our community.  You'd have some, but not NEARLY as many.

We need to SEPARATE from White people....not get closer to them or unite with them.
That will help us much more than trying to get along with them....which most of us can't anyway no matter how hard some of us try.

The problem with getting along with White people isn't with us....it's with them.
Most Black people (including myself) WANT to get along with White people and try very hard to do so even when it goes against our very nature to do so, but so many White people DO NOT want to live with or get along with or even work with Black people even when they're forced to.....it just doesn't happen.

I want a nation that works for us all too.
I think America can be that nation and I think all races CAN get along....as long as we have the freedom to express ourselves and our culture without the interference of others.  When Black people are ALLOWED to be ourselves without White people trying to dictate and control us, we EXCELL.
Most White people instinctively know this, which is why they love to constantly interfere in our development as a people.

Forget about trying to unite with White people and even other races for that matter and let them do them.
Focus more on uniting BLACK PEOPLE with eachother under a more righteous and progressive agenda by strengthening the families, cutting the crime, and innovating technology and medicines to heal our people from the problems they've encountered living among a poisionous White civilization.

Black people are TOO UN-ALIKE White people to call ourselves trying to live under their civilization.
The very FOODS that work for them often times don't work for us and gives our people various problems.

Let's SEPARATE from them and build OUR OWN.

I gave up on the idea of black people having our own country in North America a long time ago. And it makes no sense to live in the US and self-segregate either. We can build our community and be ourselves if we fight to make a less racist more economically just America. Despite our continuing problems look how far we've come since the 1960s. More work needs to be done, but I won't discount the progress made.  America is as much ours as anyone else, so I don't think in terms of " their civilization."

1 hour ago, Pioneer1 said:

 

Kenneth

Ok, thank you for answering my question and clarifying..........

Well, I can say that I DON'T WANT TO  unite with most Wht people or most of those in the LGBT community.
Infact, working class White men are THEE most racist demographic in this society.

I can get along with them as long as they stay in their community and away from me and mine, but as far as uniting with them and working with them....I have little desire to do so.
Which is why I prefer a SALAD BOWL type of society where we each can keep out separate communities and sub-cultures instead of a melting pot that blends us.

It's hard to say I blame you because white men support Trump and oppose all kinds of policies that might benefit them just because blacks would also be helped. As for LGBTQ people many of them are black. Furthermore, white racism cuts across class, income, and education. I want a country that really works for us all, and we have to work together within the political system to get it.  To the extent we can prevail good things like individual freedom and genuine pluralism are possible. These two things would greatly benefit black people, our culture, and community.

5 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

People like Cynique is keeping the nation from moving forward.


Kenneth

I have a couple points and questions about your topic.

1.  When you ask what's keeping "us" from moving forward, who is the "us" you are referring too specifically?

2. Whether you're talking about the nation in general or the Black American community in specific....you should know that many are ALREADY going forward and will continue to go forward as individuals.  They aren't relying on or waiting on the group.

I'm referring to black people, working class people, women. and LGBTQ people. Anyone who works every day and isn't monied, straight, white, and male. In so many words the majority of Americans. Yet I wanted to center on black people and move outward because it's important to deal with race as much as the other issues. I think we often talk about individuals or individualism outside any societal context. This becomes meaningless when discussing politics or issues. In some ways it becomes evasive. There are always individuals in any society or group who may be doing well even if those around them are not. 

Think about it like this. Slavery was no less problematic or unjust simply because some slaves were treated well, or some blacks were free. Legal and DeFacto segregation were the same way. There were black businesses, civic institutions, and decent areas in black neighborhoods. But the situation was bad. It had to be challenged. I would make two final points:

1. No individual can continue to thrive in an unjust social or collective setting.

2. If every black person is to be free as an individual then we must work collectively to challenge racial and economic inequality. 

Whether it's race, class, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity our society is troubled to the least. It doesn't matter which party controls Congress or the Presidency either. Getting any significant political reform to benefit working people or ensure a more free and equal society for all seems impossible. So, what's wrong? What keeps us from moving forward? Consider the narrative of a center-right political consensus. Secondly, the role of so called moderate centrists especially in the Democratic Party; and lastly the role of wealthy people and big corporations. 

Politicians in both parties more or less uphold the idea of less government, lower taxes on upper incomes, corporations, economic growth over fairness. All this helps the rich and big business. It's why we don't have paid leave, a higher minimum wage, reduced greenhouse gases, or affordable healthcare for all. The media features pundits, commentary, and analysis which claims the public is against major reforms to ensure economic and social justice. They claim America is a center right country of conservatives and moderates. The media conveys the notion so called left liberal "elites" are pushing an agenda that ordinary people won't accept. Also, popular culture in all forms vilifies those fighting for positive social change. They are portrayed as aloof, weird, pushy, overly sensitive, flighty, and foolish. They aren't ordinary people raising legitimate concerns. They are extremists who cause trouble. They disturb the peace, threaten free speech, thought, and keep us needlessly divided with their " causes." 

Meanwhile it's politics as usual. The political right becomes more extreme especially in states where they dominate the government. On television they use Fox News and Am talk radio to cater to their base and pick up just enough moderates or undecided people to build a power base. At the national level moderates mainly, Democrats spend most of their time criticizing liberals and leftists especially those within the Democratic Party trying to advance a reformist political agenda. They claim it's things like Single Payer health insurance, the Green New Deal, or stopping racist policing are not politically feasible or desirable. What's worse is these moderates will go along with the Republican Right in Congress to reform. They have done it on police reform, voting rights, and Build Back Better. The original legislation included paid leave, free community college, and more investment to reduce carbon emissions. Don't forget Moderate Democratic Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona.

Wealthy people and corporations fit into all this using lobbyists, political action committees, and campaign contributions to influence political leaders. They don't want a more equal economy that benefits workers because it means wealthy investors, owners, and executives would have less wealth and income. They depend on a less democratic country and a less responsive government to safeguard their power and ultimately wealth. To the extent almost all of them are straight, white, men discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity is rampant in business and social circles among these monied elites. However, some of them don't care who you are. Some rich people and corporate executives are fine with token progress towards social equality. But they don't want major change alongside economic justice. 

We must forge a politics that is grassroots and electoral to change America for the better. It must be built on the idea that capitalism should benefit working people along with wealthy owners and investors. Furthermore, no one should be excluded because of their race, gender, national origin, or sexual orientation. If you think race is the only thing that matters, remember black people are male, female, gay, straight, transgender, and queer. Furthermore, most of us work for a living too. We must strive together to arrive together. 

BTW that last line is not my own...lol!
 

Hey thanks to everybody for your feedback and encouragement. It means a lot. On the lighter side of this topic. I would like to see a black romantic comedy about a left leaning black man and a conservative rightwing black woman who manage to stop fighting with each other long enough to fall in love. Maybe a movie for streaming on Tubi or Vudu. It might be a good vehicle for Taye Diggs and Nicole Parker. It might be lighthearted way to explore romance, intimacy, politics, and serious issues from a black male-female perspective. Just thinking out loud.

Black people are not monolithic.  There are political differences among us like anyone else. Moreover Conservative Black Republicans have become more visible and vocal since the Reagan Era in the 1980s. But I wonder if differences extend to dating and marriage among black people. Can two black people with very different political views have a relationship, and even be in love?  I know from reading this is rare among white people who tend to date, marry, and socialize with those holding similar political views. What about us ?

22 minutes ago, Greg said:

You clowns want to see fascism, read up on hitler. Liberals with no brains like to throw around the word fascism when they have no idea what it even means.

 You're wrong on that point. The political right is pushing us towards authoritarianism. And with Trump and his followers Fascism comes next. 

Abortion is not a Constitutional right that's the ruling handed down by the Supreme Court in a 5 to 4 decision today.

Does it matter to black woman who bear the dual burdens of racism and sexism ?

Perhaps black people are more tradititraditionalist and concerned with taking care of their children in a confusing, conflicted, and unstable world.

Does this matter to us ? Or is this the white man's fight ? I have my own views, but I'm interested in others' thoughts.

On 6/21/2022 at 9:52 AM, Greg said:

Are blacks just a bunch of puppets for fake compassion liberals both white and black? I think yes. Are we really that damn stupid and gullible? Look at the fake outrage and phony compassion at the hands of the left especially on cnn and msnbc. Do any of you actually believe they care about blacks? They spend half their time telling blacks they are victims and the other half spending all the money they make by telling blacks they are victims. They now moved on to asians and trans as well.

You are all just a bunch of ignorant puppets and please dont think you are smart just because a few blacks use some BIG WORDS.

So here you go:

Low sat scores- You dont need to take the sat’s to get into college because you are a victim.

low grade point average- you are a victim.

violent crime- its not your fault, you are a victim.

no impulse control- you are a victim.

Having babies you cant take care of- you are a victim.

They want us to embrace rap music and dress like thugs- its perpetuates our victimhood.

 

THE TRUTH —-Many liberals are jewish and they feel they were singled out during nazi Germany. They never want to be singled out again so they control the media and CREATE MORE VICTIMS so they are’nt singled out again. Jews want to expand their homeland ( zionist interest) and they brain wash blacks with propaganda and use them like puppets. They use blacks to riot, commit violence, and create civil unrest. Jews look at themselves as the brains and blacks as brainless muscle to do their dirty work. Think about that ! Lets be real, many blacks dont like jews and jews know this. So why do jews create the appearance that they care about blacks? For all the aforementioned reasons. Jews need blacks to feel like victims. Behind closed doors they look at us as a bunch of ignorant neanderthals that use a couple big words every now and then. White Christians want to teach us to fish so we are fed for life. 

Listen to the song “ master of puppets” by Metallica . Its not about jews but it fits though.

Whats absolutely amazing is that Blacks continue to fall for this time and time again! Are we that stupid ! There are even some successful blacks that know the truth but because they line their pockets with cash, they keep quiet and keep the lie going. A lot of wealthy blacks know the truth and they keep quiet because they “be makin da money !”. 

 

 

 

 

This is Rightwing Antisemitism plain and simple. But people on the Right complain about the Left and wokeness. Nonsense. Black people are not pawns lacking agency. We have fought racism and economic exploitation long before there was an American Left or reformist Liberalism. 

What is Conservatism doing for us ? Nothing. Black Conservatives are helping themselves not us in any collective sense. I won't be " drinking any of that. Kool Aid."

It's refreshing to see us talk about solutions that should make up a political agenda. Too often we leave that to whites. I would add a few things. I'm no expert these are just opinions.  

1.  Fully fund and expand the power of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to address widespread employment discrimination.

 2. Pressure the Senate to pass the George Floyd Police Reform Act which among other things removes qualified immunity for police officers in civil suits.

 3. Do the same with voting rights legislation like the John Lewis Voter Rights Act and the For the People Act that would stop voter suppression. 

  When it comes to community development let's empower local governments and community groups by tying the amount of Federal funding for transportation, infrastructure, and block development grants to plans and progress towards poverty reduction, creation of living wage jobs, and reducing racial disparities. The cities, states, and towns, that have plans and meet goals are favored with funding. Furthermore, let's create and fully fund Federal/ Local partnerships to find and implement solutions to racial and economic inequality that fit unique circumstances. Lastly, fund community-based groups and programs with a track record of results. `

 All these things will require a more effective and better coordinated black politics that combines propaganda, lobbying, voting, grassroots organizing, street protests, research, internal discussion, and debate. This will be long-term process with many of us never seeing the results. But that has always been the nature of our struggle. Will white people support any of this?  No. Many of them will oppose us. But others will join us. More importantly we must continue to fight disrupting the normalcy and tranquility of this society until the powers that be meet our demands. 

Too often we talk about personal possessions and private property with only rich people in mind. We put the economic wellbeing and political priorities of these elites of everyone else who works for a living. At the same time for most ordinary working people especially blacks it is a struggle to make ends meet. Inadequate wages, higher costs for everything, and the constant threat of climate change put homes, savings, family farms, small businesses, and communities in jeopardy. We need a broader view of private property and economic liberty that takes the interests of workers into consideration not just monied elites. 

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.   

7 hours ago, ProfD said:

@KENNETH, black filmmakers should definitely be taking advantage of alternative outlets.

 

However, instead of relying on Hollywood, YouTube or Netflix, black folks need to develop an ownership mentality to invest in and build our own platforms.

Urban One founded by Cathy Hughes owns Interactive One and other online formats is this what you mean by ownership ?

I don't want to deny or downplay the importance of the film industry or Hollywood in particular. However people who make movies especially blacks exist in a different technological and distribution landscape than even twenty years ago. There are all kinds of black films made outside the Hollywood system. Moreover the ability to stream movies even on platforms like YouTube is making the traditional studio system and movie theatres almost obsolete. There may not be as much fame or fortune doing things outside Hollywood, however there is a degree of freedom unlike anything black filmmakers have experienced before. Moreover don't forget Tyler Perry who has his own studio in Atlanta. I think Stefan has it absolutely right.