Troy

Cynique this statement right there tells me you have not clue what I'm talking about. Someone with a job at the post office was doing well when I was a kid, those families left the projects and tenements and brought homes in where white people lived (thought whites ultimately fled those communities). Postal workers had cars and full refrigerators. The kids wore the latest fashions and their families went to Disney. You are telling me you work in the post office while your husband worked too--back in a time when one of your jobs could have supported the entire family. No Cynique, I really don't think you truly know what poverty is. You should be glad though, no one should ever have to see this or even experience it.

LOL Mel Agreeing with Pioneer LOL! Mel Black women voted in the presidential elections and voted for Obama like the was the 2nd coming of Christ. But what are we talking about--one demographics lower turn rate versus an even lower rate? There is nothing to be proud about. American participation in the electoral process is pathetic. It looks like these numbers reflect eligible voters not those who bothered to actually register. Still they did not turn out in the midterms (no one did). Maybe if Black folks bothered to show up, Obama would not have taken that famous "shellacking" and loosing both houses crippling his effectiveness for the remainder of his presidency. Bes ure to post a link to your article when it is finished @Mel Hopkins

Hi @B.L. Brown I just added the video to your page: https://aalbc.com/authors/author.php?author_name=B.L.+Brown#video Looks like it was nice event. Would you recommend that authors from outside the immediate area attend this event or is it best suited for local authors?

No Nate, did not mention Dr. King as his inspiration for advising Colin. I seriously doubt Nate knew very much about King's efforts. Pioneer is right, kneeling is the manner in which southern baptists pray. This is the way I was taught. @Cynique, I wonder, are there any other activists (other than Colin) that you support?

Yes he gesture was indeed naused and Colin's intent was honorable. Real Sports is a smart program and appears to have given Colin's efforts a fair treatment--unlike social media. But again the tools of the oppressor will never lead to our liberation. Colin served at the whim of the NFL owners. Having been summarily dismissed his protests has been rendered mute and his original "protest" has morphed into support for the flag. That is until the next shiny object is waved before the media and attention shifts somewhere else. Meanwhile, Black sports fans will continue to watch the game, white fans will continue to fill the arenas expensive seats and buy shitty over priced food. College teams will continue to exploit "student' athletes serving as the NFL's minor league. And those athletes lucky enough to make it can risk brain damage for a 3 year in the NFL. What was Colin protesting again?

@Mel Hopkins, nice I wish there were more Black trust fund kids running around. Like you I'm reinventing myself too. reading and mindset are of course important and change indeed s the only constant. On this we agree. But as I've tried to example to Cynique we can't use our individual experiences and extend them the larger world for they simply do not apply. Why would you expect someone raised in the ghetto to have the same outcome as a smart, attractive, trust fund kid? Sure it is possible not not very likely. Mel why do you continue to say the Black women here are so politically engaged when the data your shared shows that almost half failed to vote? I already know that way than half perhaps 70 to 80% failed to vote in the midterms. I too have been all over the world and to every single state in this country country. But our anecdotes are not proof of anything--obviously not, because we've drawn different conclusions on this issue.

You are right @Cynique , my daughters do not present as if they are heavily influenced by Cardi B. But they had a good education, decent parents, both of whom are college graduates, and did not grow up impoverished, in a ghetto environment. I doubt any of the women in the family for which you are the matriarch would look to Cardi B, as a role model... they have you. But again, you have to get out of your bubble and consider the wider world. Have you ever been to a Black strip club, or any of the after hours spots common in many cities? If you ever spent more than 5 minutes interacting with people in the 'hood, I think you would feel differently. Again, on this issue, continue to believe what you like Cynique, but reality is plainly different. I have not even discussed the impact of the Cardi B. archetype on Black boys... Well we can debate whether the word "fiasco" is appropriate. But you'd have to admit the focus of Colin's original intent has changed--because he never had an ounce of control. This is obvious because the NFL ripped his platform away and 45 has taken the media's attention. As far as "ripping the lid" of the country's loyalty to the flag, that is a bit hyperbolic don't you think? Every war the U.S. has ever fought has demonstrated that. Have you been checking out Burn's documentary on the Vietnam War? Yeah @Pioneer1, yeah colorism is always an issue, as well has the hair, and the voluptuous physiques. If does not seem to matter very much what the men look like, so long as they resent like teenage thugs and use the N-word liberally and gratuitously on the stage--as evidenced by the collection of clips in videos above.

Actually I've listened to a few interviews of Eboni lately she seems to articulate her positions quite well and seems consistent. I was completely unaware of her until Kam sent me a review of her book a few months ago (I did not run it). Eboni reminds be on Mel in many ways. Smart, educated, attractive, and comes from a family of business folk. Eboni said that all of her friends are the same way, and that people need to understand this is the way Black women are. Ebony does consider BIll a "mentor," a term I doubt Mel would ever ascribe to a Bill Reilly. I'm not a fan of Bill, which makes me rather indifferent to Eboni K. But I shared her perspective because she is a Black women with a platform who says Beyonce is doing "more harm than good." Now if she is saying that about Queen Bey, I wonder what she would think of Cardi B. I actually would like to learn what the majority of Black people think about the most popular Black rap artists and how they are positioned in the media. The same positioning I feel that got Biggie and Tupac killed.

Wow this is a such a meaty subject and so many places to comment don't know where to begin :-) Del you gave Mel quite a bit of latitude with the stats she expressed, I know you would not have been nearly as understanding with me ;-) Cynique, sure I made declarative statements, but they were supported by ample evidence. But seemingly social media's impact on the election is like climate change: There can be plenty of evidence, but that is of no consequence as people will only believe what they want to believe. The current social science tells us that people are moved by emotions not wonk. My challenge is that I tend to explain with data, facts, and evidence, which does not move people. Cynique I appreciate the kind words, but I hope you and everybody else think of this forum as much yours as mine. Sure you don't have to worry about the maintenance, the spammers, or expense, but as far as the opinions you all express I trust you all feel free to say what you want. At the same time, I trust folks are introduced to different ideas and perspectives. I know I have been. The bottom line as I've said a number of times. There must be standards, that people generally agree upon, for there to be a cohesive society. We can argue about what those standard might be, but absence any standard means we are in trouble. I also believe that we as a people have given our agency to corporations. Whatever we create is taken from us and perverted. Hip-Hop is a prime example. Finally, since Cardi B. is the top female rapper today (based upon her fantastically successful single), she represents the pinnacle of the musical form right now and perhaps represents the aspirations of many young girls, as a result. Now some of you all may like that--fine. But understand we (Black people) did not put her there. Because we don't choose who is celebrated we can not be served very well. We do not choose which musicians are elevated, we do not choose who are leaders, we do not choice are spokes people. We do not set our own agenda. Today the Colin K fiasco is now about 45 and respecting the flag and a Cardi B is out top rapper... Collectively we can be pretty weak sometimes and it is frustrating that we don't recognize it.

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While researching some basic biographical on Ebony K.Williams, I stumbled across this video of Ebony K. Williams. She made me think about the impact of artist on young people. Interestingly Eboni's mom, a Black woman, is a 45 supporter. She felt 45 would make the change needed. As I get older I wish more women my age got as much coverage as these really very young women do.

Ok then, please describe exactly what standard I'm trying to impose @Mel Hopkins.

This is fascinating. I used the very source if the data you supplied and now you call into question the very veracity of the information, as if it is open to different interpretation. Mel you made a mistake, we all do it, we are human. As far as the voter stat you cited, saying 94% of Black women voted for HIllary, this too would have occurred to me to be obviously wrong. But my motivation was more about getting at the truth. So of course I have to examine and understand your assumptions before looking or even considering your conclusions. Mel I never made a declaration of what the standard should be. I saying there should be standards. You insist on making this about my personal standards. But you will not find them as I never tired to define any, despite your attempt so say I have and am trying to impose them on others. If you want to construe my saying that there should be a standard, and not one defined by Sony, into me wanted into take away Black women's agency. Then I don't know what else to say. Well Mel, I actually do take issue with the way Black male rappers are portrayed too. But the email was about Cardi B. I have to believe that you know in your heart of hearts that when I say we should have standards I'm not excluding Black men. Here too I'm surprised you would suggest otherwise.

Hmmmm, OK @Mel Hopkins I assuming we are at the same place when it comes to interpreting data. A statement that you made, and are vigorously defending, is perceived by me to be obviously false--on its face. I assumed once I made that point clear that you would see the obvious mistake, thank me for pointing out the error, adjust you point, and move on. Instead you've dug in deeper. Mel the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that Black people (male and female) make up 12% of the work force. Do you still think Black women make off 44% of the workforce. No where did you read that I want to deny women their agency--I want them to reclaim it! What I'm saying is that there needs to be standards, and we can't allow corporations to make them for us. Mel do you disagree with that sentiment? @Cynique, You are right about my lack of knowledge about the contemporary music currently available. And you are right I don't watch the awards shows. In fact this was the same point @CDBurns, used to make about rap, you can't judge it by what the major labels are pushing. Indeed I discover Brothers like Gregory Porter, whose music I enjoy, though a post @Mel Hopkins, made here. However, I'm doubt the culture is "alive and well." Corporation have turned radio stations into an oligarchy and control what we hear on the radio. Other corporation make music available for free download, making it virtually made it impossible for all but the most popular artists to make money from selling their music. I'm sure artist will be artists and continue to struggle to do what they do out of love of the craft. I'm in the same camp; I get it. But I also recognize that oligarchies and a lack of government oversight has made the marketplace worse for musicians collectively. As a result we have artists like Cardi B, rising way above all the other great rappers I'll never earn about. Maybe if Educate2Empower shared information about female rappers they approved of rather than questioning Cardi B. that would have been more helpful. I'm going to share this conversation with them. Hopefully the will chime in...

Yes Cynique all you say about our corrupt political process prior to social media is true. However, social media has enabled that corruption to become much more effective, and therefore much worse for us as a nation--not just Black people. The election of 45 should tell you that. Yes Mel, I know you are a pull yourself by your own bootstraps type of person. I was one too. But then I started AALBC.com, read more, met more people outside my successful Black middle class demographic, and my position changed. It is not like I stopped reading books by people who think the way you do. Most notably Brothers like Thomas Sowell (who you'd probably love) makes a compelling case, but some of his views on Black achievement in our current system don't square with reality in my view. I can't see how anyone can continue to blame the victim for their plight given the treatment we have received in America over the last several hundred years. AgaIn I know you and I are doing fine. But again, I'm not talking about us, I'm talking about the millions other Black people trapped in poverty, because the criminal behavior of corporations and a complicit government. Mel, companies like Goldman brought the world to the brink of financial collapse! No one was punished, indeed the were rewarded and Obama is praised for saving the country. At the same time a Brother gets caught with a dime bag and he is locked up for years... It is surreal. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on our ability to deal with the adverse role big business plays in our lives.

I wish we would stop making this about you or I or any individual. The fact of the matter is our electrical process was corrupted with lies and Facebook profited from the activity. Saying people should just no better is naive. Just because I avoided the manipulation does not mean other should have. People should know better not to smoke. People should know better not to eat crappy foods. The fact of the matter is people are actively manipulated to do things are are bad for them, suggesting that they should "Just Say No," ignores all the propaganda people are subjected to. Social media has given propagandists an incredible tool, one that the American government is allowing to go buck wild. Facebook IS the problem. Facebook is not some benign, passive platform being exploited by evil doers, they are active participants and profiting incredibly from the activity. They are no different than big tabacco who knowingly sold cancer causing cigarette to the public, causing millions of deaths, and making billions of dollars...and they are still at it.

@Mel Hopkins you missed my point. Let me be clear: Black women do not make up 44% of the workforce. I do not need to research it. Common sense tells us that 7% of the population does not make up 44% of our work force. That is why I asked you to share the the source of your information. I'm surprised that you would suggest that I'm lazy when it comes to research. Even the source you provided does not say this. Maybe what you meant was that Black women's participation rate in the work force is 44%. Meaning 44% of the women who can work are actually working. but I can't know because the statement you made is simply not factual. I also disagree with what is acceptable dress. There is a time and place for everything, and these decisions are not made by one person, but an entire culture. There should be standards for not just dress, but behavior. When you through these things away you throw away the culture. The problem with Black culture is that we don't define it, corporations do. Motivated by money, they uplift former stippers with limited rap skills over the contemporary Aretha Franklins. This is more than about what a woman should wear. It is abut what we value, what music is supported, and who profits from it. I take it you like the current state of affairs Mel.

Mel you are gonna have to share the source of these stats again. How can it be possible for women, who are roughly 7% of the population be 44% of the work force? Did you find that stat on Facebook My point @Mel Hopkins, is that corporations clearly do not care how Black people are portrayed. If they can get women to rung around scantily clad and cursing like a sailor and make money they'll do it. Do you think these music executives care how Black people women are portrayed? The rest of the post, is what I copied form the email, and they simply pose questions. I am glad however there was a time when they treated Black women with a bit more class. The women dressed like adults, not hookers; and were talented signers, not potty mouth children; and everybody made money. We know what is possible so we can;t say this is what the public wants. This is what they give us, and we can't do anything about it. Where is Nina Simone when you need her?

I don't see how you can draw that conclusion Mel. What about 6% of the Black female voters who did not vote for Hillary? What about the Black female voters, who voted n the last presidential election but did not this time? We know Black voter turn out was much higher in 2012, indeed a record high. Why the precipitous drop--when it was more important than ever? See the purveyors of social media always tout how they help connect and inform people, but any of those benefits, if the occur, are incidental. Facebook is a company that you can pay to help you rile up racists, disseminate lies, and discourage people from voting.

Yes, @Mel Hopkins I agree with Cynique's quote, "This is the age of technology which is really just about enabling people to be more efficient at doing what they've always done and this includes exploiting each other..." I would just make one important adjustment to the statement in that the benefits do not accrue to everyone. Indeed those efficiencies only extend to the owners and those wealthy enough to pay the owners. To suggest that they accrue to the general population is fantasy. As social media grows and indie Black-owned platform die the situation grows worse for us. The distinction of 94% of Black women versus 94% of those that voted is important. It is possible less than 50% of Black women voted for Hilary. Yes Mel I freely admitted that Cynique got me to vote. While I don't like to cite personal anecdotes to make generalization about a population. It was actually that very experience that turned me off to social media. I was constantly being bombarded by messages that Hilary is a crook, some of them patently false. Now those pulling the strings know I would never vote for 45 (my being Black is probably all they needed to know), but they also know I was probably primed for the disillusionment message (as most middle class people would be) and could be dissuaded NOT to vote. Thankfully Cynique opened my eyes. The fact is the majority of millennials on social media did not vote. I can assume this because social media has almost 100% penetration in this demographic and we know much lass than half of them votes. Now one might say that I can't prove a connection between being on social media and not voting. But what I can absolutely say is that being on social media does not get users to vote, and there is evidence to show their are actors working to get us not to vote. @Cynique, OK, I understand that you don't care. Needless to say I do care and have adjusted my behavior accordingly. I consume as little information on Twitter and Facebook (the only two platforms I really "use") as possible. I also use this platform to explain why so that others are not, for example, dissuaded from voting the way I almost was.

Hi @Mel Hopkins, 94% of Black women did not vote for Hillary. Maybe 94% of the votes that were actually cast by Black women went to Hillary. Less than 60% of Black people turned out to vote as reported by Pew. Only 46% of millennials bother to cast a vote! This is the very same demographic that we've brainwashed into believing in the "power" of social media, and they could not be bothered to vote. It is disgusting! See the problem was not just manipulating who someone votes for but whether they voting at all. As you know, our funky electoral college allow people to win with less than the popular vote. So if you can get enough people, in the right locations to self-disenfranchise, you can have a serious impact. As we have seen. @Cynique, Yes, I'm absolutely biased, for what is good for our people. Yes, it is obvious I'm looking at Facebook from a completely different perspective than you are. I tried to communicate that the average Facebook user, like yourself, may not "get it" when I wrote, "why would it matter to anyone who just uses the platform to communicate with friends and to share memes?" Facebook, for you, is exactly what you want it to be. Facebook has brilliantly designed it that way. Your filter bubble is created in such a way that you sound like Mark Z. himself extolling the virtues of Facebook. Now it is not that you are completely unaware of the downside of Facebook, you just don't see it in your daily use of the platform. I'm beginning to think you don't want to see it either. But the point is Facebook has brilliantly convinced their users that all the shit they do is of little or no consequence--indeed they feel Facebook is great. But you can't view from just your perspective. Well you can but don't complain when more than half of our children are swapping 45 memes and expressing moral indignation at his tweets to impress their friends, but don't vote. People don't really understand or care about the destructive force social media can be. The Black community is particularly susceptible because we don't control any powerful platforms. As a result, we are easy prey for anyone wanting to take advantage of us.

“At least one of the Facebook ads bought by Russians during the 2016 presidential campaign referenced Black Lives Matter and was specifically targeted to reach audiences in Ferguson, Missouri and Baltimore, sources with knowledge of the ads told CNN. Ferguson and Baltimore had gained widespread attention for the large and violent protests over police shootings of black men. The decision to target the ad in those two cities offers the first look at how accounts linked to the Russian government-affiliated troll farm known as the Internet Research Agency used geographically targeted advertising to sow political chaos in the United States, the sources said.” —Dylan Byers, CNNMoney As a keen observer of Facebook I already knew troll farms were corrupting the platform. Indeed some of the engagement brands get is generated by fake accounts. Sometime companies pay for the fake engagement to make themselves look more popular, other times you get the engagement from the fake accounts, so that the fake account appear more real to others. Anyone who runs a website knows there are folks out there who will try to use your platform to their advantage. The problem with Facebook is that rather than purging these bogus accounts they actively profit from fake accounts and active trolls. One reason I stopped advertising on Facebook was because I could not trust that the engagement I received from my ad was from real people. Three years ago I shared information about Facebook fake likes. Even a casual observer of Facebook knows many accounts are fake, but Facebook still counts them as users. Okay, this kind of stuff only matters to people who, like me, who uses Facebook to advertise their services (Facebook as already eliminated organic reach); why would it matter to anyone who just uses the platform to communicate with friends and to share memes? The problem is even as a regular user you are subjecting yourself to false information and manipulation by marketers, foreign governments, and even Facebook itself. The CNN video above is proof that there are an attempt to create civil unrest in Baltimore and Ferguson and that Facebook profits from this activity. It is one thing to be uninformed, but we are increasingly becoming misinformed. Misinformation is so prevalent that it is hard to tell the difference between what is true and what is false Why anyone still chooses to subject themselves to Facebook is beyond me. Well it is not really "beyond me;" I get it. I just wish it were not the situation were are in. If current trends continue, and Facebook achieves its goal, Facebook will become the world wide web and our country will be at greater risk.

The eligibility period for all literary submission is a publication date January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017. All entries are evaluated and narrowed to the top five in each category by the members of the NAACP Image Awards Nominating Committees which are comprised of individuals within the entertainment industry (studio/networking executives, actors, artists, managers, agents, publicists, journalists, literary agents, and others) and NAACP Board Members, NAACP Foundation Trustees, staff and key interfaces. Following are the key calendar dates for the 49th NAACP Image Awards: August 1 – Submissions process opens for the 49th NAACP Image Awards October 6 – Submissions process closes for the 49th NAACP Image Awards October 25 – Nominating Committee voting opens for the 49th NAACP Image Awards November 9 – Nominating Committee voting closes for the 49th NAACP Image Awards Week of November 13 – Nominees Announced for the 49th NAACP Image Awards; Final Voting opens for the 49th NAACP Image Awards Week of December 11 – Final Voting closes for the 49th NAACP Image Awards Monday, January 15, 2018 – 49th NAACP Red Carpet and Image Awards Airs Live on TV One Good Luck! AALBC.com will post all of the NAACP Image Award Winning Books.

Move Over Nicki Minaj Make Way for Cardi B!

I just get a kick out of seeing white folks brutally slaughter each other, rather than us, for a change.