Family, friends and others,
This is going to be extremely lengthy so you might want to read a little bit during that ten minutes while you are drinking your coffee in the morning, read some more during your lunch break, and read the rest on your way out of the office. In fact I am going to break this up into two editions, I'll hit you with the "Fire and Brimstone" first and then I will follow up shortly with the "Love and Happiness."
I guess that maybe I've been away too long. Things in the world have just gotten out of control since I last wrote. Of course there is that day last year that no one will ever forget that has been thoroughly dissected in everyway imaginable, so it will not be mentioned here. No, I like to set my sights on the more obscure issues that might have drifted just below your radar screen, but that are all the more important nonetheless. As I said, maybe I was gone too long because people just think that they can do whatever and say anything without any penalty; without anyone raising a voice and saying, "Hey that's unacceptable." But no more, for I have returned and believe you me that there are going to be consequences and repercussions up in this b*!$&. Before I get started I would like to apologize to anyone that may be offended, but you read the title (I didn't call it "Fire & Brimstone" for nothing) and you can stop reading at anytime or just wait and read the more light-hearted "Love and Happiness Edition" to follow. With that said here we go:
1. Wyatt Emmerich, publisher of The Northside Sun. In an article that appeared in the Clarksdale Press Register on January 31st, Mr. Emmerich makes statements that are so inflammatory, so ignorant, and so blatantly racist that I wonder how they ever were published in a mainstream media outlet. I will just give you a few of the highlights from the article. He states:
a. "How can funding be racially discriminatory when all Mississippi students are free to attend any school they desire? There is no doubt that our three largest universities - Southern [USM], Ole Miss and State - have better facilities and better teachers. Any student who wants to benefit from that funding should attend those schools."
b. "Our so-called African-American universities are vestiges of a period of segregation. If the government acted sensibly, many of these schools would have been closed once segregation ended."
c. "Let's leave the predominantly African-American universities as a second-tier alternative to those students who lack the desire or qualifications to our better universities.”
Yes, it is true that Mississippi's "Big Three" institutions have better facilities (a direct result of years of more funding), but as for better teachers that is definitely open for debate. Just because teachers are paid more at a certain institution, in absolutely no way makes them better. You cannot put a price on the caring, the values, and the individual commitment that many teachers at HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) give to their students. Just because a teacher obtained a degree at a prestigious institution does not mean that they know how to disseminate that information in a manner that makes sense to those being taught. I'm sure that you have all been in classes where you just do not understand what the regular teacher is trying to impart. One day you have a substitute teacher or you have a classmate (who obviously hasn't obtained a degree yet) explain it to you and it's like a light goes on in your head. So that rebuffs one argument. Next, the issue about closing HBCUs and having all students attend one of the "Big Three" if they want to take advantage of funding. I propose - strictly for the sake of argument - let's close the "Big Three" shift all the funding to HBCUs and have all students attend them. People would say that idea is preposterous. All of the sudden closing institutions of higher learning does not look so attractive anymore. I'm sure Mr. Emmerich would be the main one championing equal funding then. Next, why does "black" automatically have to be associated with "second-tier" or as is the case here in Florida "third-tier." I cannot speak for anyone else, so I will just use my own personal example. I did not attend Florida A&M University because I couldn't get in to Ole Miss or Florida State. In fact, I turned down both academic and athletic scholarships to all of the "Big Three" schools in Mississippi, Florida State, several Ivy League schools, and to many other "prominent" institutions. I am at FAMU, because in addition to giving me an education in business that I would put up against any program in the nation; it gives me a sense of belonging that I could not get at a "majority" institution being a typical African-American child that grew up in the suburbs. Finally, just to throw in another quick fact, the majority of black students in graduate school come from HBCUs. Next topic, because I'm starting to get heated.
2. Gary Condit. Can this guy not leave well enough alone? He had finally been knocked out of the public eye. His face was no longer being splashed across your television screen every 15 minutes. Yet, he just couldn't go quietly into the sunset and practice law; no, he wants to run for re-election. Maybe he likes the limelight, maybe he is just craves the attention, or maybe he is just plain stupid. You can't say that I didn't try to warn him.
3. Pat Buchanan. In case you all missed it at your local Barnes & Noble or wherever fine books are sold, Pat Buchanan has a new book out entitled - The Death of the West: How Dying Populations and Immigrant Invasions Imperil Our Country and Civilization. The title gives you the quick and dirty synopsis of the book. He basically states that any non-white person is imperiling "our country and civilization." I didn't know I was such a threat. The last time I checked I was born here too. He blames uncontrolled immigration, political correctness, and white working women who have stopped having babies for killing the "God-and-country culture of the 1940s and 1950s." Ahhh, the 1940s and 1950s, an absolute Golden Age for America . . . everybody's doing the twist, drinking shakes at the malt shoppe, and watching Donna Reed, Mr. Ed, and I Dream of Jeanie on television. Yes, my friends it gets no better than that . . . but then like the majority of the population you wake up and realize that you are not a white male. Women who wanted to work were definitely not looked upon with adoration back then. Negroes (used for emphasis) were supposed to know their place. " I-I-I will cook for yaa sur. I-I-I will shine yaa shoes sur. I'll step and fetch for yaa sur." Put me in a Jules Verne time machine and take me back there quick. As for this being "our country," almost nothing gets to me more than hearing those talking heads on the Sunday morning news programs saying "our country." I know when they are saying "our country" they are sure not talking about me. Or better yet remember in school learning how Christopher Columbus "discovered" America. I'm not going to lie; I love getting off for Columbus Day, but what the @#$% did he discover. He discovered that the Native Americans were already getting along just fine without the so-called "civilized" European influence. If this is anyone's country it is the Native Americans, but where are they now, pushed onto reservations. Like Chris Rock said in one of his comedy acts, "When was the last time you just saw a Native American family out just chillin?" I've been to over half the states in this country and I don't think that I ever have seen it. Mr. Buchanan wants to return to an America where the schools teach our children "what to believe, what to value, how to think, how to live." I'm sorry, but I can't buy that brand. Values should be taught by parents in the home. What Mr. Buchanan is talking about smells just a little bit too much like some of the scenarios that are depicted in the classic books 1984 and Brave New World. Instead of returning America to some antiquated system that caused divisions that still reverberate throughout society today; maybe he should look forward to finding real solutions to cure what ails our country. I'm telling you in this edition I'm pulling no punches. To steal a line from a famous song "I'm gonna pull back the curtains and open up the windows. Y'all don't want me to continue." But I am going to do it anyway.
4. The DMCA. You know back in 1998 when the stock market flying and everything was absolutely lovely with the world a small piece of legislation passed which probably didn't even make the back page of the paper. I must admit that never paid any mind to it until last year. You might not know what it is now, but if you love music, movies, or electronic books it affects you, yes you. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 was proposed by motion picture studios, music producers, and book publishers to be a law that stops pirates from circumventing technical protection measures used to safeguard copyrighted works. It is now turning into a law that attacks the "Fair Use" principles, which have been the catalysts for innovation the U.S. for the past 150 years. It has been used to imprison a Russian computer programmer who came to U.S. to give an academic lecture. It has prevented Princeton Professor Edward Felten and his colleagues from publishing the results of their scientific research on how to defeat the SDMI watermarking technology; even though the SDMI issued an open challenge to find someone that could defeat the system. It has been used to prevent a magazine from even linking to a certain website. Basically it is the beginning of the end for your precious First Amendment rights. And believe it or not the courts and Congress thus far have sided with companies with the fat pockets.
5. General Ignorance. Now you all know that out of all people I try to stay away from issues concerning race. When I write this piece, I always try to review and revise it to make sure that I am not being too inflammatory. However, ignorance has just continued to escalate, to run amuck and I cannot turn a blind eye or a deaf ear. Last October, fraternity brothers at Auburn University donned Omega Psi Phi shirts and blackface in what was supposed to be a joke. Blackface and simulated beatings and lynchings are not exactly my idea of a joke. Last month a group of law students over at Florida State threw a "Pimps and Ho's" Party in which they recreated scenes out of the 70's blaxploitation films. Once again this was supposed to all be conducted under the guise of "good clean fun." I'm not saying that this issue is totally one-sided. If you watch a one-hour block of BET during any video show you can see that we (Black people) help to sponsor some of this ignorance with many of the images that we portray of ourselves. I just want to know when does the ignorance stop and when does the healing being on both sides?
I know that I probably ruffled some feathers, but you know it was done without any malicious intent. To my Caucasian brothers and sisters you know that I have much love for you. To everyone out there keep your head up, remain strong and maybe together we can make the world a better place. I'll see you in the next edition. As always, God Bless and take care.
--AIR © 2002
This is going to be extremely lengthy so you might want to read a little bit during that ten minutes while you are drinking your coffee in the morning, read some more during your lunch break, and read the rest on your way out of the office. In fact I am going to break this up into two editions, I'll hit you with the "Fire and Brimstone" first and then I will follow up shortly with the "Love and Happiness."
I guess that maybe I've been away too long. Things in the world have just gotten out of control since I last wrote. Of course there is that day last year that no one will ever forget that has been thoroughly dissected in everyway imaginable, so it will not be mentioned here. No, I like to set my sights on the more obscure issues that might have drifted just below your radar screen, but that are all the more important nonetheless. As I said, maybe I was gone too long because people just think that they can do whatever and say anything without any penalty; without anyone raising a voice and saying, "Hey that's unacceptable." But no more, for I have returned and believe you me that there are going to be consequences and repercussions up in this b*!$&. Before I get started I would like to apologize to anyone that may be offended, but you read the title (I didn't call it "Fire & Brimstone" for nothing) and you can stop reading at anytime or just wait and read the more light-hearted "Love and Happiness Edition" to follow. With that said here we go:
1. Wyatt Emmerich, publisher of The Northside Sun. In an article that appeared in the Clarksdale Press Register on January 31st, Mr. Emmerich makes statements that are so inflammatory, so ignorant, and so blatantly racist that I wonder how they ever were published in a mainstream media outlet. I will just give you a few of the highlights from the article. He states:
a. "How can funding be racially discriminatory when all Mississippi students are free to attend any school they desire? There is no doubt that our three largest universities - Southern [USM], Ole Miss and State - have better facilities and better teachers. Any student who wants to benefit from that funding should attend those schools."
b. "Our so-called African-American universities are vestiges of a period of segregation. If the government acted sensibly, many of these schools would have been closed once segregation ended."
c. "Let's leave the predominantly African-American universities as a second-tier alternative to those students who lack the desire or qualifications to our better universities.”
Yes, it is true that Mississippi's "Big Three" institutions have better facilities (a direct result of years of more funding), but as for better teachers that is definitely open for debate. Just because teachers are paid more at a certain institution, in absolutely no way makes them better. You cannot put a price on the caring, the values, and the individual commitment that many teachers at HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) give to their students. Just because a teacher obtained a degree at a prestigious institution does not mean that they know how to disseminate that information in a manner that makes sense to those being taught. I'm sure that you have all been in classes where you just do not understand what the regular teacher is trying to impart. One day you have a substitute teacher or you have a classmate (who obviously hasn't obtained a degree yet) explain it to you and it's like a light goes on in your head. So that rebuffs one argument. Next, the issue about closing HBCUs and having all students attend one of the "Big Three" if they want to take advantage of funding. I propose - strictly for the sake of argument - let's close the "Big Three" shift all the funding to HBCUs and have all students attend them. People would say that idea is preposterous. All of the sudden closing institutions of higher learning does not look so attractive anymore. I'm sure Mr. Emmerich would be the main one championing equal funding then. Next, why does "black" automatically have to be associated with "second-tier" or as is the case here in Florida "third-tier." I cannot speak for anyone else, so I will just use my own personal example. I did not attend Florida A&M University because I couldn't get in to Ole Miss or Florida State. In fact, I turned down both academic and athletic scholarships to all of the "Big Three" schools in Mississippi, Florida State, several Ivy League schools, and to many other "prominent" institutions. I am at FAMU, because in addition to giving me an education in business that I would put up against any program in the nation; it gives me a sense of belonging that I could not get at a "majority" institution being a typical African-American child that grew up in the suburbs. Finally, just to throw in another quick fact, the majority of black students in graduate school come from HBCUs. Next topic, because I'm starting to get heated.
2. Gary Condit. Can this guy not leave well enough alone? He had finally been knocked out of the public eye. His face was no longer being splashed across your television screen every 15 minutes. Yet, he just couldn't go quietly into the sunset and practice law; no, he wants to run for re-election. Maybe he likes the limelight, maybe he is just craves the attention, or maybe he is just plain stupid. You can't say that I didn't try to warn him.
3. Pat Buchanan. In case you all missed it at your local Barnes & Noble or wherever fine books are sold, Pat Buchanan has a new book out entitled - The Death of the West: How Dying Populations and Immigrant Invasions Imperil Our Country and Civilization. The title gives you the quick and dirty synopsis of the book. He basically states that any non-white person is imperiling "our country and civilization." I didn't know I was such a threat. The last time I checked I was born here too. He blames uncontrolled immigration, political correctness, and white working women who have stopped having babies for killing the "God-and-country culture of the 1940s and 1950s." Ahhh, the 1940s and 1950s, an absolute Golden Age for America . . . everybody's doing the twist, drinking shakes at the malt shoppe, and watching Donna Reed, Mr. Ed, and I Dream of Jeanie on television. Yes, my friends it gets no better than that . . . but then like the majority of the population you wake up and realize that you are not a white male. Women who wanted to work were definitely not looked upon with adoration back then. Negroes (used for emphasis) were supposed to know their place. " I-I-I will cook for yaa sur. I-I-I will shine yaa shoes sur. I'll step and fetch for yaa sur." Put me in a Jules Verne time machine and take me back there quick. As for this being "our country," almost nothing gets to me more than hearing those talking heads on the Sunday morning news programs saying "our country." I know when they are saying "our country" they are sure not talking about me. Or better yet remember in school learning how Christopher Columbus "discovered" America. I'm not going to lie; I love getting off for Columbus Day, but what the @#$% did he discover. He discovered that the Native Americans were already getting along just fine without the so-called "civilized" European influence. If this is anyone's country it is the Native Americans, but where are they now, pushed onto reservations. Like Chris Rock said in one of his comedy acts, "When was the last time you just saw a Native American family out just chillin?" I've been to over half the states in this country and I don't think that I ever have seen it. Mr. Buchanan wants to return to an America where the schools teach our children "what to believe, what to value, how to think, how to live." I'm sorry, but I can't buy that brand. Values should be taught by parents in the home. What Mr. Buchanan is talking about smells just a little bit too much like some of the scenarios that are depicted in the classic books 1984 and Brave New World. Instead of returning America to some antiquated system that caused divisions that still reverberate throughout society today; maybe he should look forward to finding real solutions to cure what ails our country. I'm telling you in this edition I'm pulling no punches. To steal a line from a famous song "I'm gonna pull back the curtains and open up the windows. Y'all don't want me to continue." But I am going to do it anyway.
4. The DMCA. You know back in 1998 when the stock market flying and everything was absolutely lovely with the world a small piece of legislation passed which probably didn't even make the back page of the paper. I must admit that never paid any mind to it until last year. You might not know what it is now, but if you love music, movies, or electronic books it affects you, yes you. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 was proposed by motion picture studios, music producers, and book publishers to be a law that stops pirates from circumventing technical protection measures used to safeguard copyrighted works. It is now turning into a law that attacks the "Fair Use" principles, which have been the catalysts for innovation the U.S. for the past 150 years. It has been used to imprison a Russian computer programmer who came to U.S. to give an academic lecture. It has prevented Princeton Professor Edward Felten and his colleagues from publishing the results of their scientific research on how to defeat the SDMI watermarking technology; even though the SDMI issued an open challenge to find someone that could defeat the system. It has been used to prevent a magazine from even linking to a certain website. Basically it is the beginning of the end for your precious First Amendment rights. And believe it or not the courts and Congress thus far have sided with companies with the fat pockets.
5. General Ignorance. Now you all know that out of all people I try to stay away from issues concerning race. When I write this piece, I always try to review and revise it to make sure that I am not being too inflammatory. However, ignorance has just continued to escalate, to run amuck and I cannot turn a blind eye or a deaf ear. Last October, fraternity brothers at Auburn University donned Omega Psi Phi shirts and blackface in what was supposed to be a joke. Blackface and simulated beatings and lynchings are not exactly my idea of a joke. Last month a group of law students over at Florida State threw a "Pimps and Ho's" Party in which they recreated scenes out of the 70's blaxploitation films. Once again this was supposed to all be conducted under the guise of "good clean fun." I'm not saying that this issue is totally one-sided. If you watch a one-hour block of BET during any video show you can see that we (Black people) help to sponsor some of this ignorance with many of the images that we portray of ourselves. I just want to know when does the ignorance stop and when does the healing being on both sides?
I know that I probably ruffled some feathers, but you know it was done without any malicious intent. To my Caucasian brothers and sisters you know that I have much love for you. To everyone out there keep your head up, remain strong and maybe together we can make the world a better place. I'll see you in the next edition. As always, God Bless and take care.
--AIR © 2002
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