KENNETH

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.

7 hours ago, Troy said:

The notion that "vaccines are dangerous" is ludicrous.  

 

This idea is the raving of people who are no knowledge of the devastation that the diseases vaccines protect us from have caused.  Life expectancies despite pollution, processed foods, and more sedentary modern lifestyles are dramatically higher -- largely due to vaccines.

 

Of course life expectancy have actually been dropping largely because almost 900,000 people have died unnecessarily, because of Covid.  Surely we all know someone who has died from Covid during the pandemic, why is believe the vaccines are a form of population control makes no sense to me.

 

Wouldn't it be much easier to reduce the population -- especially the Black population -- by doing nothing?

 

On another note: I do believe Pharma will push additional boosters for variations of Covid.  But their incentive is purely financial, which is a flaw in how we provide healthcare -- not a diabolical plan of the Illuminati

Thans for saying this Troy. Black people cannot afford to downplay COVID19 or be anti-vaccine. We will die in huge numbers especially those of us with hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. We need to put the Tuskegee Experiment perspective. We can't let that turn us against doctors, healthcare, or government. 

Thanks to You Tube and C SPAN I have been able to hear Professor Dyson speak on numerous occasions. I have read articles by him as well. I'm not sure what's going on with him. I think he was more articulate and insightful in the past than he sounds lately. 

1 hour ago, Troy said:

True, but surely something can be done about it.  The political process is not total useless … is it?

 

a lot of young people want to leave America, so disenfranchised, they feel other countries provide better opportunities. It is sad for people have legitimate reasons to feel this way… 

It is sad that so many young people are giving up. I'm not sure what if anything can be done to reach them.

5 hours ago, ProfD said:

The good news is that I do not live in a tyrannical police state. 

 

The bad news is that n8gglets are killing folks with no regard for human life and committing other crimes. 

 

Road rage or looking at someone the wrong way should not end up in death. 

  

Respect for life and accountability across the board is totally necessary.

 

Black folks need to demand both that n8gglets and police see fellow human beings and not a paper target at the gun range.

 

Real life isn't a video game. Folks don't jump back up when they get shot, stabbed, choked out or beat up. 

We must cooperate with police and stop calling it " snitching. " We need to realize that people who kill and rob along with drug kingpins need to be locked up. More importantly some of us deserve to be put to death for murder. That's not racist or class oppression. It's just a fact. This doesn't mean systemic racism or predator capitalism are not problems that we must address. However there has to be a balance between holding both individuals and society accountable. 

When it comes to racist cops especially those who unjustly kill blacks. The more of them who are prosecuted, convicted, and given long prison sentences will make things better. This might be more important than improved training or defunding. Prison time for bad cops sends a clear message of accountability, and no police officer wants to be put in jail.

1 hour ago, Pioneer1 said:

ProfD

 

 

Facts. As I mentioned in another thread, where I grew up,, the police looked like us. The only time we feared the police is when we were in the wrong.

 

Same as when and where I grew up.

I grew up in a mostly Black city where most of the police officers, as well as the Chief of police was (and still is) Black.

The cop situation in the neighborhood I grew up in was more like the Smitty-Hoppy characters on Sanford and Son...lol.

 

 

 

 

 

Kenneth

 

You're right in what you said.
Black people shouldn't be forced into a catch-22.

The solution to this dilema is to POLICE OURSELVES so we won't be limited in our choices.

 

It's like a person who is forced to either pay three times the price for edible food....or get rotten poisonous foods for a cheaper more affordable price.

If they'd grow and process THEIR OWN food for themselves, then they'd be completely delivered from that dilema all together.Most of our problems as a community come from being too dependant on Caucasians in the first place.

 Thanks so much, 

I see where you're headed with this, and more self-reliance can be a good thing. However. we can't be totally separated from white people and live in the US. It's not possible and most blacks don't want that. We want to preserve our culture, institutions, and neighborhoods. Yet we want opportunities in the mainstream like jobs, business opportunities, and a voice in democratic government. 

I'm interested in what you mean by policing ourselves ? How would it be legal and not subject to corruption. I don't want to replace racism with tyranny in " blackface" either.

17 hours ago, Pioneer1 said:

LaMont & All

I'm addressing this not only to you but to the rest of the posters because as so often is the case, people come on here to rant and rave on ONE post as a guest...then disappear to be heard from no more.
Time out for wasting time and energy on people who don't even bother sticking around to read the responses they get.

I'm not sure when the police killings will "end" because not all of the killings are unjustified.
However the majority of them clearly are.
They'll slow down when AfroAmericans stop being so lazy and start taking more responsibility for protecting our own communities ourselves instead of sitting around on the porch smoking weed day and night and bullshitting while expecting White folks to come in and do it.

If we don't like how Caucasians are keeping "law and order" in the hood.....and I certainly don't....then we need to get off our ass and do it OURSELVES.
Take an example from the Nation of Islam where the men are trained to protect their meetings, temples, and families.

 

 

 

 

Troy

Man is that YOU with the AR aimed and the 9mm laid to the side with the clip emptied looking like Nino Brown?????

You can get a brutha out of Harlem....but you can't get the Harlem out the brutha...lol

Nobody I have ever met is saying that police are racists for killing armed thugs or drug dealers in a shoot out. But these high profile police killings of blacks don't involve violent criminals threatening officers or anyone else. More importantly policies like stop and frisk along with routine verbal abuse and brutality are a constant problem with blacks and police. We just want police to do their jobs and not be racist. The same thing is true about prosecutors and courts. It's not too much to expect.  

The political right, mass media, and a lot of black people want us to make the false choice between policing and racial justice. They want us take whatever racist cops dish out in the name of public safety, but if we complain about abuse police disengage allowing violent criminals to menace the neighborhood. This is blackmail plain and simple. And when certain black people break the law, they realize the situation. Black people shouldn't be in a Catch 22 situation. I know people don't like me saying this because I'm like a broken record playing a song nobody really liked anyway - SELF HELP AND SELF CRITICISM ARE FINE EVEN NECESSARY BUT THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR STRUGGLE

We must keep up the pressure and not give up. Whatever it takes to correct the situation. Let's talk about economic inequality in addition to crime prevention. We don't have to wait for the Federal Government or states. In many cities we have the political power to act. We must push so called " leaders " to act and deliver or replace them. There are too many politicians and activists who don't get anything good done especially for the poorest working -class blacks in urban areas. They're good for their cronies, big corporate interests, and developers. But they don't serve the masses.

Nothing new or unexpected in the Rittenhouse verdict. White people have always dealt violently with black people especially when they merely perceive a challenge to white power. And any white person who stands with black people is fair game too. The simple fact is white people are tired and angry at peaceful black protest not just rioting or looting. For many of them a violent extralegal backlash is appropriate. History just keeps repeating itself. 

On 11/27/2021 at 2:46 AM, Stefan said:

The election of retired NYPD Lt. Eric Adams proved one sold thing:

The Progressives who fronted the failed "Defund the Police" slogan were completely off the mark. Because that is not what they really meant.

What they actually wanted was a shift in police funding priorities to include a social service counseling component.

But as in many social protest cases, the loudest and the most disagreeable of the loudmouths won out.

In actually, most people in this country want and need good police. Blacks just don't want racist or brutal police and I believe many Latinos feel the same way.

Our political side is just horrible at messaging and that Defund the Police slogan cost the Democrats handily. 

This is a good point that is being lost on many leftists protesting against racism and right wingers talking about law and order. Black people don't want to defund the police because they think police won't be available when needed. Any discussion of social spending needs to be separate from police reform.

8 hours ago, Troy said:

 

Abso-feaking-lutely.  

 

You don't even have to leave Detroit to see Black people who, phenotypically, are all over the map. They are still so called Black people.

 

This become even more confusing and scientifically unfounded when you introduce the notion of "race" into the picture. There is one human race.

 

It is best to talk about humans in terms of culture or ethnicity, these matter much more than what people look like.

 

 

I think you're absolutely right about talking in terms of ethnicity and culture rather than race. This would help us challenge ideas and values that underlie systemic racism. But none of this is easy. People don't want to learn or think on a deep level. They want to hold onto familiar and longstanding beliefs about themselves and others that are wrong. People want goods and benefits for their own group not others. Capitalism while not all bad does fuel conflict among peoples which gets worse when race becomes an issue.  

Joy Reid was wrong. And yes more attention should be paid to missing black and Latina women too. None of this has to be mutually exclusive. There's a right way and a wrong way to raise legitimate issues. More pressure needs to be applied to mainstream media outlets regarding this issue. At the same time we need a stronger independent black media for news and talk. Furthermore there needs to be more advocacy on behalf of black women. Sometimes our focus on racial and economic injustice is focused on black males. This is our fault as much as white people's.

I have not seen the online version yet. Is it still black owned ? If so what do we know about the publisher ?

On 9/4/2021 at 7:35 PM, Pioneer1 said:

Just like there is a difference between REPUBLICAN and CONSERVATIVE.....there is a difference between DEMOCRAT and PRORESSIVE.

While the Republican Party is a right-wing party that can rightly be called a Conservative Party because most of it's politicians are Conservatives.....the same can't be said of the Democrats.

Most Democrat politicians are moderate and many are actually Conservative.  Less than 25% are truly Progressive.

Another problem is there is no set solid Progressive Agenda.

I consider myself an AfroAmerican Progressive and many of my values are differnt than most Caucasians who call themselves Progressive also.  We find ourselves disagreeing quite often on which issues we should focus on.
 

Thanks for this...it's a needed clarification

I think your comments are very insightful and correct up to a certain point in history. However I wouldn't overstate the liberal or progressive nature of the current Democratic Party when it comes to social equality or economic fairness. While there is a vocal left in the party concerned about these things the Democrats are dominated by moderate centrists who are " Republican lite " on  economic issues. When it comes to social issues they often pay lip service to race, gender, and LGBTQ rights. Much of the progress on social issues like LGBTQ issues has been made at the local levels with the exception of same sex marriage and the Supreme Court. When it comes to gender Democrats have done little to counter the assault on Reproductive Freedom. The same is true about race especially voting rights. 

On 8/2/2021 at 6:08 PM, Pioneer1 said:

Kenneth

 

I'm gonna give you the solution to solve over 90% of the problems you're listing.

Intelligent and decent Black folks MUST separate themselves from the fools, thugs, and ratchets and build our own separate communities around this nation.

That way we can march towards progress and do a grand RESET for our people.  It's the stupid and immoral in our community who are the biggest threat at this point.

 

 

 

 

Cynique

 

and America is not our country. It was not created for us nor does it return our "love". We just live here.

 

After 400 years of deeply rooted history in this land, I would say America is MORE our country than anyone elses besides the Native Americans.

Certainly AfroAmericans have more of a claim to America than Trump and his German grand parents.

 

Just because we have less power in this nation, doesn't mean it's not ours.  Even a young CHILD has a home whether she has power in it or not.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Troy

 

 

 "They" could have used the MMR vaccine which far more people, including kids

 

According to some they're already using it to increase the rates of Autism in Black boys.

And that's not conspiracy THEORY....according to Dr.Wesly Muhammad that is conspiracy FACT.
 

 

 

In 20 years Trump, Mitch McConnell and the old school racist will be out of office and almost certainly be dead.  

 

And a new generation of racists while rise up to take their place...just like the Reagan generation before them and the Nixon generation before them.

Although I seriously doubt that they'll have anywhere near as much power then as they do now on this planet.
 

Thanks Pioneer for your response....

I don't think black people or anyone else can afford to divide ourselves into good versus bad people. Don't get me wrong there are plenty of us hurting ourselves and others. There are consequences for that one way or another that people have to pay. However we can't write everybody off. Think about it - someone as great as Malcolm X who was a criminal and served time in prison. But his life was changed by the teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and working in The Nation of Islam. To me our problems and struggles are not a zero sum gain. We have do lots of things to better ourselves and this country.