CDBurns

I'm dying laughing at the number one book once I clicked through.

I finally get what you are saying here. I agree that all of this is a response to the overreaction to Morrison's statement. It is good banter though!

I can only hope to capture language and place it on the screen in the way Cynique does!!!!! Troy, complex issues are often very simple. I don't say this lightly. I say this with a lot of life experience in this very short time on Earth. We truly do love to make things a lot more complicated than they actually are. We do it every day. I do realize that there are factors which shape how things happen, but in general we can't control those factors. That doesn't mean it's complex, it just means there are factors we can't control. I don't know West, but I have seen him in action at conferences where he earned 50K to speak about racism. Every man has a right to earn, and I can't say what he does away from the camera, but in front of it he's just another person telling everyone what he feels is correct. The only thing we can agree on here is that the media controls who establishes Blackness in America. There are thousands of intellectuals around. We meet them everyday. They are our college professors, local small biz people and those who allow us to live our lives on a daily basis. Anyone who provides me with information that makes my life more compelling is an intellectual. There has never been a void. There has simply been a shifting figurehead for Blacks in America. Black folks are the inhabitants of the Matrix and the greater society supplies us with The One. We accept it and those of us who don't know how to look for information accept The One without questioning. That is the way it is and the way I think it will always be. I always return to the same spot in these conversations...Real solutions happen at the grassroots level and while West and Coates may describe what is happening and keep Whites happy they ultimately accomplish very little for the people who need it most.

I love Cynique's statement, "making himself the standard by which other pretenders should be measured." That literally sums up my thoughts on this. West may have created a dialogue and he has spent an incredible amount of time building his persona and portfolio, but I don't think for a second that he did so selflessly with only the regard of Blacks as his goal. He may have initially, but his pauper appearance belies and incredibly wealthy guy who has more in common with those he rails against than those he "fights" for. He collects very big checks for his lectures and discussions on race and diversity. When another person encroaches on this area, the alpha will always become defensive to save its territory. Coates is affecting West's pockets. In my eyes it is very simple. Most things in life are really simple, we choose to assign complexities. Race is about control. Racism is about control. It is that simple. West's commentary is about losing footing. It is that simple. Why do I say this? I realize the unfortunate fact that in the Black community only 1 of us is chosen to be the voice of the people. That's how the greater society keeps us in our place and we allow it because we give all of our power to the media. West realizes that as Coates becomes the flavor of the month, his light begins to dwindle. That is all this is about in my view. I won't address the fact that Facebook dominates the conversation. Anywhere the people are will be given importance over everything else all of the time. We can only keep pushing. We are all Sisyphus.

Mosley is right.

Nice to see Taji Mag on the boards here on AALBC. Nay and Troy are both in NYC and should build. In regard to the poem, it's really a statement written in poetic form. I like the sentiment, and power, but as poetry it lacks imagery and a use of the senses. We should always be able to see, feel, smell and touch the poem. A line like "Different sizes, shapes, colors" is telling. A rewritten line like Her shoulders wide enough to carry him Her hair captures combs no matter how careful (see the alliteration) We are different sizes, shapes, colors Actually makes the poem alive and active. (That's the old professor in me coming out.)

Take the time and pick up the Writer's Market http://amzn.to/1f4KUo1 You can use this book to look up books like Darwin's Athletes http://amzn.to/1DJbP4s and find out who the agent is and then submit a query to that agent. That is the traditional path to releasing a book. You can also ask people on this board about self publishing and then advertise with AALBC.com and attempt to get your work directly to readers. Whatever you do, don't just drive by and post this and then disappear. Ask questions and clarify your goal.

"Black on black crime is a Delayed form of abortion." This is easily the most profound explanation of our most serious issue. I agree Troy, Cynique crafts important statements that should be collected.

Troy was mentioning this the other day. I've always told my students not to call a sellout Uncle Tom. Uncle Tom actually sacrificed himself for his people. Sambo was the turncoat and traitor. We really don't get all of the history we should.

This is true, but all of the colleges were funded by White benefactors primarily churches. They were founded to make sure that Blacks were never to integrate into White schools. Blacks were going to be educated, so why not fund the institutions and ensure they are educated according to the guidelines created by the benefactors. I know I keep harping on IM (it's my favorite novel) but the nameless narrator of the text was sent on his "mission" for exposing the visiting White benefactor to the images the Black college was attempting to hide. The ugly brutal truth that the college was only lipstick on a pig.

Great questions Troy. Why not deliver a website and monetize it? Why a mobile app? I guess the easy answer is everyone thinks mobile is the next gold mine. I definitely want to hear the answer from Edwards.

That name (Pale and Male) is a bit offputting... as a fellow Kickstarter I kind of know how to fail at a Kickstarter and succeed. I've backed a lot of projects and immediately upon seeing your project it feels a bit too political for Kickstarter. I wish you luck, but it will be a struggle. On the tech side, I honestly don't see the point of doing something that is inherently flawed. We know these boards are not Black. I love the idea of accountability, I really do, but I only donate to those things I find will actually a) make my life more enjoyable b.) entertain me c) help a small business with a physical product/website. Get to sharing and running ads for that campaign to get the best response. Also join some social media groups to see if they will fall in line with your project. I wish you all the best.

A low level work force. Hence my comparison to Ellison's Invisible Man and the idea of The Founder's (BTW's) letters of recommendation for the unnamed protagonist that read, "Keep this nigger boy running," in essence. We're still running. BTW's desire to relegate Blacks to working class status through vocational training appears admirable, but in essence created the foundation of Blacks in the south today being blue collar workers who don't even explore their own cities. They only attend church, bible study and work. The people who do escape this pattern are often isolated and can't find their way in the White world and are side-eyed by Blacks.

My thoughts on Washington, I haven't read the book either, come from the President of the College the Narrator/Nameless Character in Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man attended. They also derive from the BTW vs DuBois discussion. In my mind BTW toed the line in becoming the first Cointelpro spy. He delivered info to the dominating class, but worked within the system doing the work to benefit his people. I hope that makes sense.

LOL! Really uncomfortable laughter right now.

It's not funny at all, but I'm dying at the "Who has time to assault all of these women?" question. The imagery is powerful because it is in multiples of ten which further cements the sheer number of his abuse. Money is power. Somewhere these women are thinking and saying these words and wishing they could beat the snot out of The Cos.

A great example of the power of a cosign.

I like that song and it really does a decent job of explaining how people look at others only on the surface. I have multiple gaps. I also weighed 260 at one point, so I don't think my gaps have anything at to do with my eating, lol! I just don't see the point in paying for braces other for the sake of vanity. I can understand getting it with the chip tooth though. My son was going to have gaps because I have them so I paid for his braces early. He's in good shape and won't have to overcome the jokes or the self consciousness which gives him a leg up on confidence. As far as glasses, I wear them but I haven't bought a pair in 20 years. I'm a disabled vet and they are free, lol. When I play in a basketball league I don't even use glasses and I've never had contacts. I play damn near blind, but muscle memory is an excellent thing to have. I can still nail threes with blurred vision.

Man I wouldn't want to be you right now. You have a lot of work to do converting the site. If I could help with the coding I would. Keep pushing and you know I'm pulling for you. I'm still waiting on you to build me a package to buy for my books. I just don't know which way to run with this. When time permits let me know what to do and it least I can invest both financially and with my patronage.

Hey, I have gaps in my teeth and although I've had the money to get them fixed, I never have. I was able to find a beautiful wife with these teeth and I'm able to eat at incredible restaurants with these teeth. I have always been self conscious about my teeth and as confident as I am, I still realize that people value "a perfect" smile over an "imperfect" smile. After years I've gained considerable confidence and I smile with the best of them. I now realize that a smile is infectious no matter if it's raggedy or not. According to society I am not handsome because of it, but according to my wife it doesn't matter. You even have rappers who are discussing the perfect smile now. The song also discusses what you guys are going back and forth about. I thought I'd add it here.

I don't care at all. Some might say Jesus hung out with dudes his entire adult life and he wore dresses... sounds kinda suspect to me. Seriously, it amazes me how people care so much about the private lives of other people. A good person, is a good person, is a good person, is a good person. If I'm dying, I just want help. I don't care who my savior cuddles with. I just want to live. I'm sure the same people throwing the bible around are the same, so the hypocritical folks riding shotgun with Jesus, bumping Sylvester's "Mighty Real" and throwing bibles at the gay marriage folks, should first throw a bible at themselves for being judgmental.

Akia... Martin was not killed by a cop, but I feel you.

There it is right there Troy! The problem is we think so little of the power of words that we no longer feel that these words are destructive or that changing the way we speak to each other will do anything of substance/consequence. Once again we always end up where we began, nothing is going to change. People will always use the words that we use in some shape. It's a fight better discussed than fought.

This is very cool that you guys are sharing your info. I wish you both luck on this journey.

The problem is most people assume that changing the way we speak to each other is of little consequence. I think it's a step in the right direction and it's one of the small things we can control.