Ferguson, MO???

Black folks have been a target of white hate since the end of the civil war and slavery. I guess its hard giving up free labor and the ideology that makes Black folks lesser human beings and not entitled to the same rights as whites. Even though we have been free about 150 years we are still being plotted against.

We Black folks are good at sitting back and taking injustice and prejudice quietly. Like the great migration north and west. It was a quiet movement against the caste system established in the Jim Crow south to keep Black folks down and suffering. We did what any other people would do who wants freedom. We left the south. Over the years, we have had to endure various injustices and political plans against us. But now in Ferguson, Mo., Black folks have taken to the streets to protest and riot because of the murder of Mike Brown who was unarmed and shot while his hands were in the air.

Ferguson is a suburb of St Louis, Mo., and St Louis is the headquarters of the Council of Conservative Citizens (CCC). This organization is like the so-called respectable “citizens’ councils” formed in the 1950’s and 1960s to fight integration and maintain the southern way of life. This organization boasts as one of its founders the segregationist Lester Maddox, ex-governor of Georgia. In 1998, the media exposed prominent congressional republicans for their affiliation with this organization. For example, Mississippi Senator Trent Lott, who was Majority Leader, was forced to resign over his affiliation with the CCC. Over the years, the CCC had friends in high places like former senator John Ashcroft of Missouri who fought desegregation of St Louis schools. The CCC openly celebrated when President George W. Bush appointed Ashcroft as U.S. Attorney General with the newsletter headlines “Our Ship Has Come In.” So, can you imagine the decades of the influence of this organization in the state of Missouri. Is this why Ferguson police force of 52 officers and only 3 are Black when the population is two-thirds Black.

Thank God, the Black citizens of Ferguson are not being quiet!!

 

 

The New Indian … Young Black Males

Dick Gregory’s album “Kent State” use the analogy of America being a cowboy and his latest Indian being his own children. Well, I guess its our Black men/boys turn to be the Indian in American society. But, our young Black children are fighting back through social media. It feels like, “I’m sick and tired and I’m not going to take it anymore” via Martin Luther King Jr way of non-violence. I have complained for a while now about the negative way African American men and boys are portrayed on the news. They are labelled as menace to society, violent or dangerous by the media.

 

Our Black children our fighting back through selfies of themselves in two different pictures with the hash tag #IfTheyGunMeDown which picture would they use. The media puts forth the worst light when it comes to young Black men/boys. Meanwhile, there is a push for the media to start using softer words for reporting and describing the news on crazy folks who threaten or do harm to themselves and others. Instead of using crazy person you would use mentally challenged. These folks are officially crazy!! How about trying the same with our young Black men/boys? Put less of a negative spin on the news about them.

 

Police are more feared in our community than admired. I have witnessed traffic stops that have made me cringe and I felt compelled to watch until the person was in handcuffs and placed in the police car. Not out of curiosity but in hopes with someone watching the police will do no harm to the Black man/boy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, there are riots in St Louis because the people are sick and tired and are not going to sit back and take it anymore.

Burn Baby Burn!!

Protect and Serve?

When a Black mother gets a call that her son has been stopped by the police sheer panic takes on a life of its own in her heart. There are so many incidents of white police officer shooting unarmed young Black men/boys nationally that Black folks are starting to protest this injustice by rioting. Is that the only way Black folks can express their outrage? We are helpless and at this point any response is better than no response.

Mike Brown

 

There was Eric Garner last month pleading for his life, “I can’t breathe” and we watched as he took his last breathe with several officers on top and using the infamous chock-hold. Now, we Black folks suffer another lost with 18 year old Mike Brown from Ferguson, Mo. a suburb outside of St. Louis. A witness says he had his hands in the air submissively. How much can a Black mother take?

Is this what my grandparents went through hearing of a lynching in the community? Back in the day, folks had a lot of kids. My grandparents only had two sons amongst their brood of eight. Did they worry about them being murdered at the hands of a lynching mob? As I was watching the morning news, they showed Mike Brown’s mother stating they took something away from her that they had no right to do. I can’t watch anymore news cast on the subject. It’s too painful! Protect and serve has a different meaning for Black folks.

Where are the Black organizations that should be taking the stand, “no justice no peace.” NAACP, Urban League, Black legislators, fraternities and sororities, where are you!!

The Portrayal of Young Black Men And Boys

Young Black Men and Boys Behaving Badly

I remember when my nephew was in second grade at a public elementary school he got into trouble with his teacher for balling his hands at his side after she took something off him.  They, the principal and teacher took this as a threat.  Why??   I didn’t get it then and I don’t get it now.  Can you believe that a school system would have a hearing into the actions of a second grader?  For little white 7 year old Johnny it would’ve been a call home stating that Johnny is having a bad day but for my young Black 7 year old skinny nephew it was a suspension followed by a hearing at the board of education where he will probably be moved to another school because it would be more cost effective to move the child than the teacher.  When this Black man, who was the principal said those words concerning “cost effective” I knew the system was rigged against my nephew being successful.

Unfortunately, young Black boys are not treated like the Johnnys in the world.  Young Black boys and men are portrayed in the main media as criminals, victims and predators. Even Black folks become afraid of our young men and boys because of how they are perceived negatively in the media.  When you hear the police chief refer to someone as a menace to society, you become fearful of such folks because then anyone can could get hurt including yourself.  Below is a picture of young Black man who has done a bad, bad thing.  The sentencing is what horrified me.   I can’t see a young Black man receiving a sentence like his without one of the charges being homicide.

Pittsburgh PA

PITTSBURGH (KDKA)

Pittsburgh Post Gazette — The Homewood man accused of leading police on a high-speed chase that seriously injured two Pittsburgh police officers was in court today for his sentencing.

In June, a jury returned a mixed verdict in the trial of Sean Wright. The 22-year-old was found guilty of attempted homicide and assault charges for running over two detectives during the 15 mile pursuit. However, he faced the same charges for injuries to five other officers, but was acquitted on the attempted criminal homicide charges. But he was found guilty of aggravated assault.

Today in court, Wright was sentenced to 50 to 100 years in prison.  I haven’t heard those type of sentences since the era of the south using imprisonment of Blacks as a way to gain a slavery hold on the prisoners.

It Is What It Is …The morning after the verdict.

As a Black female who is blessed with grandchildren, I feel numb hearing the verdict in the Trayvon Martin case.  My granddaughter woke me up to tell me the verdict – GEORGE ZIMMERMAN – NOT GUILTY.  The jury was made up of 6 women.  I wondered why all women.  Were they all white women?  Are white women afraid of Black male teenagers?  And, one would say, being a southern state, racism is a prerequisite for being white from the south.  Yes, I said it!!  I believe the south is still  racist!   I’m glad there were demonstrations and national out-cry over the verdict.  Maybe we should boy-cot Florida!

Are we shocked as Black folks, NO.  Injustice is part of the American experience for us.  The plots and deliberate actions to further hinder our success as a people are too numerous to mention in this blog.

American society through their legislation has systematically broken our homes apart and now large numbers of our men are in prisons, removed from the community and from the family. Now this verdict gives the ok to kill our un-armed  17 year old sons and get away with it.

I guess it is what it is…. Being Black in America!!  SMH! Where is our Black leaders and what are they doing to address this injustice?

All Eyes on Stubenville, OH …

What a tragedy!  Two promising high school football players, of the famed Stubenville High School “Big Red” football team found guilty of rape in Juvenile Court.  One teenager Trent Mays, 17, white and the other teenager Ma’Lik Richmond, 16,  Black.  Thank God they were not tried in adult court or they would’ve gotten much more time and their lives would’ve been beyond repair. Unfortunately, your juvenile record follows you into adulthood.  I’m sure Trent Mays will recover his life after he serves his 2 years but Ma’Lik will have a different outcome after he serves his 1 year in a juvenile facility.  What’s astonishing to me is the evidence that was used in the trail.  Social media entities like; instagram, youtube, facebook, twitter, smart phones with texting, pictures and video recordings.  Cyber evidence – the new pursuit of evidence in law enforcement.

I got to tell you, my heart broke and I cried like a baby when the verdict of guilty was announced.  I knew that they would probably be found guilty but what I didn’t realize was the emotion I would feel as a mother and grandmother.  These boys did a very foolish thing and hopefully this mistake with dire consequences will make these boys better human beings.  And, more importantly, parents will become better parents because if not for God’s grace there go I.  Yes, this could’ve been your child facing trail or the victim of a rape.  We know are children do DUMB shit!!  They took something that they can’t give back – like this girl’s reputation, self-esteem,  and much more.

Whoever this girl is, I’m sure the community knows who she is, her life in this community will not be the same.  A day after the court case, the victim was threatened on Facebook and twitter.  And, those who threatened her were arrested.  So, now there are other juvenile lives caught up in this.  How will her classmates receive her?  There are those with public agendas that were supporting her.  Is there anyone in her community supporting her?  At this point she will probably suffer isolation from all that’s familiar.  Stubenville is a torn community in the media spot light.  My question is where were these kids’ parents?

There is talk of convening a grand jury to investigate others who were there or knew about the rape.  Also, the parents where the party and rape took place could face charges.  Bravo, for the district attorney because I too would like to know where were the parents.

Black Infant Mortality Rate ……

Why is infant mortality rate among Blacks in Pittsburgh so high?

Unfortunately, your baby is more likely to die if you are Black and pregnant and live in Pittsburgh.  Yes, the Black infant mortality rate in Pittsburgh is 5 times more likely than whites.
What is the infant mortality rate and why is it important?  Infant mortality rate is defined as the number of infant deaths (one year of age or younger) per 1000 live births.  If the child mortality rate is a true indicator of the health of a country, the new report then puts a serious question on the U.S. healthcare system.  Cuba has a better rating than the US.  Is it because Cuba is a socialist country?  Probably.
Black infant death has been happening for a while and there has been no concern.  The government has tried to solve the problem with a program here and a program there but when its time to cut budgets these are the programs that get cut
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Here is excerpt from The New York Times, By Timothy Williams – Published: October 14, 2011
In Pittsburgh, where the unemployment rate is well below the national average, the infant mortality rate for black residents of Allegheny County was 20.7 in 2009, a slight decrease from 21 in 2000 but still worse than the rates in China or Mexico. In the same period the rate among whites in the county decreased to 4 from 5.6 — well below the national average, according to state statistics. Figures for the past two years, which are not yet available, have most likely increased the gap significantly, county health officials said.

Now in 2012, the infant mortality rate is for Blacks is 13.1 double that of whites.  And, it doesn’t matter what your socio-economic background is.  Even affluent black women with college degrees are included in these statistics.  Age isn’t a factor either.  Black mothers across all range of child-bearing years are losing their babies.  Doctors are now pointing the finger at the one thing these women have in common. Race.

The following text is from an online site Roland Martin Reports:
In a 2007 study, researchers in Chicago compared infant birth weights of babies. Low birth weight is a key indicator of infant mortality and a newborn’s health. Infants born to white women had an average birth weight of 7.5 pounds. Infants born to African and Caribbean immigrants new to the United States had an average birth weight of 7.3 pounds. So, the average birth weight of babies in the two groups were nearly identical, but the same study found that babies born to the next generation — the daughters of black immigrants — had dropped to the same average weight as African-American children: about 6.8 pounds, almost a full pound lighter than white babies.
Doctors, at a loss to for a scientific explanation, now believe the everyday stress of being a black woman in a mostly white society is the cause. One researcher said constantly dealing with racism is like revving a car’s engine without easing up on the gas. The stress takes its toll in the lives of unborn children.

Does this mean that Pittsburgh is more racist than any other part of the United States?

Central Park 5

In 1989 we were all held captive by the news of the brutality of New York 5, 4 Black and 1 Hispanic who were accused of gang raping and beating a young white woman who went for a jog in New York’s Central Park shortly before 9 p.m. Hours later she was found near death. In a coma, with 75 percent blood loss, a fierce blow to the head and severe exposure, doctors at Metropolitan Hospital worried that this young woman might not survive. The story seized the headlines, not only in New York, but around the world.

Well it wasn’t long before we heard of the roaming gangs of teenagers whose only goal is to wreak havoc on those they randomly chose, called wilding.  A gang/group of Black teenage boys were quickly picked up and questioned without parents or guardians present.  Unfortunately, these boys were treated like most of our young black males are treated today.  They were held for hours, no water, no food and no calls home.  They were questioned until they gave the police what they wanted, a confession.  These boys were tried and convicted.  Sounds familiar, yes, just like the Scottsboro boys!!  History repeating it’s self.  At this point, I would elaborate on the Scottsboro boys in caseyou didn’t know but I’m sure you do know the story and probably seen the movie.  There are not many racial incidents America is willing to record as part of African American history but the Scottsboro boys was. Now, Ken Burns created the film “The Central Park Five”  in partnership with his daughter Sarah and her husband.
The five teenagers from Harlem, ranging in age 14 years old to 16 years old, who happened to be running around Central Park with a couple dozen troublemakers that night: Antron McCray (15), Kevin Richardson(14), Raymond Santana, Korey Wise(16) and Yusef Salaam(15).  They easily became scapegoats for this crime.  These Black teenage boys didn’t have a chance.  Those of us who watched as these boys were railroaded into a prison cell with confessions spilling from their own mouths now feel guilty that such an injustice could have happened.  But here again we have scenario of a white woman being raped and beaten unconscious and unable to remember anything.  The heart of this white nation ached for her and it sent fear into the hearts of every Black mother, don’t let them chose my son for this crime. 

Unfortunately for these teenagers the contradictory confessions and timeline disparities didn’t matter; neither did the fact that none of their DNA was found at the scene. The teenagers didn’t even know where in Central Park the attack took place. Serial rapist Matias Reyers confessed 13 years after the Central Park rape and was a DNA match. His confession set the boys now men free in 2002.

Ken Burns, known for such television documentaries and mini-series as National Parks: America’s Best Idea, The Civil War, Jazz, Baseball, The War and Prohibition.  I’m sure the partnership with daughter Sarah Burns who wrote the book (The Central Park Five) and her husband filmmaker David McMahon have produced a fantastic film.  In 2003, the men filed a civil suit in the Southern District seeking $50 million each for malicious prosecution and civil rights violations that the city has fought ever since. So, the city of New York may want to subpoena parts of the film because of the law suit. Burns has already said he will fight it!

I employ you to support this film by being a witness to the injustice that is part of our African American experience and vow to protest New York City lack of compassion toward those they have treated miserably and inhumanly.  These were children, black children, they put in prison.

Trayvon Martin

 

I’m still unable to get my mind around the death o Trayvon Martin, a 17 year old Black boy.  What was Trayvon’s crime?  Being Black in America.  The neighborhood watch volunteer, George Zimmerman, decided they didn’t like the way this young Black man looked and started to stalk him by following him in his SUV. In broad daylight, Trayvon was walking home from the store with a drink and skittles for his brother.  But this vigilant said Trayvon looked up to something and he had his hand in the waist ban of his pants.  He looked supscious.

 Trayvon was profiled and executed.  When you stop and think about the young Black men you know who are not here.  The tragedy of loosing another innocent boy is heart breaking.  The heart of every mother, grandmother, sister aunt held their breath on the 911 call and tears welled up knowing Trayvon’s mother recognized her baby crying out for help and then hearing the shot that took his life. How could any human being not protest this injustice?

Three weeks later and still no arrest for Trayvon’s murder.

joseph kony

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