The fact that city of #Ferguson police Chief Thomas Jackson released a video today displaying
a man engaged in a "strong-arm robbery", while simultaneously releasing the name of Officer
Darren Wilson as the police officer who murdered unarmed, 18 year-old Michael Brown
(#MikeBrown) feels to many of us who live in the area and surrounding areas, like yet another
militaristic attempt at combat.
Blaming The Victim
This sort of shameful blaming the victim has got to stop. There has been neither trial, judge, nor jury for Mike Brown. Unfortunately, I fear that Chief Thomas has gotten protesters riled up in the wrong direction once more. It’s time to remove Chief Thomas from any access to a microphone and decision-making abilities regarding this case and any other regarding our community. I personally call for this and many others concur.
#EvenIfIStole
Employing Old Tactics Anew
The stench of this sort of lunacy is much akin to that of the tear gas that police Chief Thomas ordered upon the citizens of Ferguson, Florissant, and St. Louis. The pain that wells up from the core greatly resembles that of the rubber bullets and bean bags [may as well have been water hoses], S.W.A.T, and militarized environment that Chief Thomas ordered.
Ferguson Military Zone
The fear, anger, and psychological torment that we have all had to endure during this time is reminiscent of what it feels like every day while Black in this area when in the company of the police for so many of us, whether we have stolen cigarillos or not. This is what the world needs to know and is starting to know.
Police Intimidation, Nothing New to Us
Police brutality and threatening behavior in this area is nothing new to us, who live in this area. The fact that Chief Thomas says that he had no idea of the disdain and disconnect between the African-American community and his police force can only be reflective of one of three things;
That this is another one of the numerous lies that Ferguson Chief Thomas has become known for.
That Thomas is absolutely apathetic to the needs and desires of his constituents.
That Thomas is absolutely incompetent and incapable of communicating with, keeping the peace, protecting, and serving a community that has lost both respect and faith in his ability to do his job.
Old White Elephant in Ferguson and St. Louis
I have never committed a crime, never been to jail, and hold several advanced degrees, yet I become very nervous, uncomfortable, and afraid when a police officer pulls up next to me or drives behind me. Although quite sad, this is not unique. It doesn't matter who you are, if you're Black, you can expect to be intimidated.
This has long been the story in St. Louis. It's the white elephant in the room that many in the African-American community acknowledge. We know what streets to go down and which one's to steer clear of, especially at night, especially for men and boys.
Chief Thomas' announcement today was not only late and displayed one more thoughtless lack of compassion on his part, but it was indeed, another shot in the face to the family of the young, deceased #MichaelBrown and his entire family. This is a shot in the arm to the African-American community and to the community-at-large. While masked as a move toward transparency, what this really is, on the part of Chief Thomas, is the protection of a murderous police officer who killed an unarmed human-being.
We have seen this strategy employed far too often and as evidenced by the week-long protest, that we, in the #Ferguson-Florissant, St. Louis (#STL) metropolitan areas, and the entire country, are no longer going for this rigamarole.
What We Want Now
What we want and what we deserve are quite simple. Transparency. Real transparency, not mere moot attempts to justify why a trained police officer, #DarrenWilson, killed an unarmed 18 year-old child in broad daylight, execution style, shooting him as many as six to nine times, according to witnesses. It has been made very clear to us who our allies are and Chief Thomas is NO ally of the people.
Even though we are hurting, even though we are angry, we are strong. We are proud. We stand together. It does not matter if Michael Brown stole cigarillos or a snack bar. He should NOT be dead. He should NOT have been murdered. My question to you is this,even if I stole, should I be dead? #EvenIfIStole
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I am very thankful that Laura Ling and Euna Lee were released and allowed to come home. I have followed Laura Ling’s career for quite some time and have been personally affected by all of this mess. I can only imagine the numerous horrors that they have gone through and the dreadful thoughts that have gone through their minds throughout this whole ordeal.
Over the last few years, whenever I found that a story was being covered by Laura Ling, I always knew that it was a story that I definitely didn’t want to miss. What makes her stories so interesting is the very thing that unfortunately almost destroyed her entire life. The thing I love most about Ling’s stories is that she takes us into dangerous places that most of us are either too afraid to go to or just don’t know about. As a viewer, Ling’s work educates us on injustices in our world. Unfortunately though, her life is often at risk as she seeks to bring peace, justice, and liberation to others.
She takes the viewer to remote locations all over the world, exposing injustice, bringing awareness, and calling us to action. What Laura Ling and Euna Lee do is bring cultures and people together, exposing that which plagues society, and gives voice to the voiceless. This is the valor and gusto of which heroes are made.
This morning, my daughter and I watched a video on CurrentTV’s YouTube channel after we saw that Former President Bill Clinton had landed in North Korea to potentially bring the Americans home. The video is from Ling’s Vanguard segment on CurrentTV called "Prison Power Play." In the video, Laura Ling visits a dangerous American prison and goes so far as to interview gang leaders who are so notorious that they are housed in cages, locked away from the rest of the population.
Later, in my daughter’s absence, I watched two more reports that Ling did. One is on child female sex workers in China that caters to rich businessmen. In the next one, she exposes the gross injustices of illegal slavery in the Amazon of Brazil. It's called “Slaves of The Amazon.”
I imagine that someone wanting to cover this up might lock her up along with anyone working with her. They might even call them spies. I call Laura Ling and Euna Lee heroes. Welcome home Laura Ling and Euna Lee! We will continue to follow this story of heroism as it continues to break.
Watch Laura Ling in "Slaves of The Amazon" below:
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After five months, one-hundred forty days to be exact, of grueling captivity in North Korea, American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee are finally set free on Tuesday, August 4, 2009. In March of this year, these two popular journalists for CurrentTV, embarked upon a mission that has been touted as both humanitarian and political in nature, depending on who’s doing the reporting of the events, which are still unfolding as of this writing. One thing that all parties involved can agree upon is that a series of most unfortunate proceedings have occurred as a result. This is definitely a humanitarian issue.
The Charge and Sentencing
While covering the story for their employer, CurrentTV, Ling and Lee were arrested by North Korean and imprisoned in inhuman prison camps. They underwent what is said to have been a grueling one-hundred forty days of hard labor in a North Korean prison. All of this comes after a secret trial at which the two women were sentenced to an unbelievable twelve years of hard labor in a North Korean prison. It is also said that they were accused of being American spies who illegally snuck onto North Korean soil.
Who Are Laura Ling and Euna Lee?
Laura Ling and Euna Lee are not spies. They are reporters. They are presently working for CurrentTV, a cable news and entertainment channel, which welcomes citizen journalism, covers injustice, politics, social, national, and global issues. Former Vice-President Al Gore is one of the owners of the channel.
Ling and Lee work on the Vanguard news team. Here’s the irony. On the assignment that led the women into the hands of the North Koreans, they were in China, covering injustice in the North Korean legal system.
What we would like to know now is exactly how these women found themselves in the hands of North Korean border guards in the first place. Were they captured in China?
The Road Back Home
Amnesty and pardon are the operative words in obtaining their release, that’s for sure. United States Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton initially offered public words of anger and frustration that we all felt for these women. She later, changed her tune and began to take on a more apologetic tone, a definitive political and smart move on her part, as she then requested amnesty and a safe return for our fellow American citizens.
The questions now surround exactly how Laura Ling and Euna Lee’s release was miraculously brokered. Today we learn that former President Bill Clinton and others have been engaged in weeks of confidential talks with North Korean Communist leader Kim Jong Il, negotiating the release and ultimate political pardon of both Ling and Lee. Former Bill Clinton and others flew to North Korea today, met with Kim Jong Il, issued a formal apology on behalf of Ling and Lee, and their astounding release was, in fact granted.
Both Ling and Lee, along with Clinton boarded his private airplane and left North Korea today and are expected to arrive in Los Angeles, California tomorrow, Wednesday, August 5, 2009. Laura Ling’s father tells CNN News today, “This is one of the happiest days of my life.” They are expected to be greeted by their families and a host of other well-wishers upon their arrival.
Watch Laura Ling and Euna Lee board for President Bill Clinton's private plane headed back home to America here:
More Questions Still Remain
How were they treated in the North Korean prison?
Were they tortured?
Were they treated fairly?
Were they kidnapped in China?
Will they be silenced here at home or will they be allowed to tell their story?
What was their interrogation like?
We will definitely keep you posted on new developments as we find out more about how these two great women are doing.
If you, not unlike tens of thousands of other international viewers, caught a glimpse of The View, popular U.S. morning television show on ABC Network this past Friday, July 19, 2008, your jaw is probably still on the floor. It’s now an entire day later at this writing and I just chiseled mine out from under the rug in my study.
One of the things I enjoy most when tuning in to The View is the friendly and oft-scattered seeming, yet poignant bantering and philosophical rantings of the hosts as they talk over one another. At times, quite honestly, I'm unable to decipher any sign of audible life on the set. (Gosh, I'd love to be on that show, if only for a day!) This explains why, in part at least, I continue to tune in or TiVo new episodes every chance I get. Celebrity co-hosts include (in alphabetical order, of course; I would never want the ladies to think I'd play favorites: comediennes, Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, and newcomer, Sherri Shepherd, former designer and outspoken Republican, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, and perhaps my favorite, internationally-respected journalist, Barbara Walters.
Every Monday through Friday morning, viewers are gifted with interesting celebrity interviews. The roster of past guests reads like a who's who of Hollywood's finest. Among them are Meryl Streep, Antonio Banderas, Gloria Estefan, Tracy Morgan, Laurence Fishburne, and Kim Katrall, just to name a few. At the opening of each show, is the "Hot Topics" segment, during which the co-hosts discuss relevant current events around issues of news, politics, entertainment, media, and culture. Both Whoopi Goldberg and Barbara Walters serve as provocateurs and moderators of the discussions, which often become quite heated, to say the least.
Whether you happen to be a die-hard fan of the program or not, the episode, which aired on Friday, July 19, 2008, probably could have held your interest for one reason or another. If you happen to have seen it in its entirety at its regular airtime, Tivo'd it, pretended not to have seen it on the news peripherally for the millionth time since its first airing, or whether you just couldn’t resist checking it out via the YouTube email link sent from a friend, the common thread among us is that everyone’s chatting about it. Those among you who obviously have more strength than the rest of us, now's the time to just go ahead and admit it. You too, really want to know what all the hubub is all about. NEWS FLASH! Very soon those hidden desires locked inside you have begun to seep out and we all know about it, so here's a clip of that episode thanks to ABC Network. Look away if you must.
The episode in question started out with the ladies discussing Rev. Jesse Jackson's (U.S. civil rights activist) recent comments regarding U.S. Democratic presidential candidate, Barrack Obama, in which he stated, "See Barrack been um... talking down to Black people on this faith based... I want to cut his nuts off." Not only were these comments crude on Jackson's part, but they were also caught on tape, as he awaited an interview on Fox News (U.S.). He later reported that he had presumed his microphone and the cameras to be off, as he awaited an on-air television interview. Jackson went on to refer to Obama as a, "Nigger."
Here's the clip:
A rumble of words began to ensue on the set of The View. Whoopi Goldberg and Elisabeth held their banners up high, presenting their cases and you've just got to see it to believe it. Elisabeth. Elisabeth. Elisabeth. I'll get to this beloved sister in another issue. There's far too much going on with that whole situation to try to tackle it all here.
Well dear folks, the verdict's not quite in yet, nor do I think it will ever be on the, "N Word" It seems as though the word itself has become almost untouchable nowadays. As an etymologist, columnist, and social critic, I'm going to take long, slow sips of chamomile tea as I watch it all unfold. Now of course, I do intend to take an active role in the numerous discussions and worldwide debates around this issue of whether or not anyone should be allowed to use the word Nigger or not.
That's it folks. I went ahead and wrote out the whole word, forcing you to read either silently or aloud, each of its two syllables. For that fauxpas on my part, I've undoubtedly got several things to say. My parents raised me right and I'd like to think that I'm doing my best to rear my daughter to the best of my ability, teaching her best practices, lessons, grammar, etiquette, multi-cultural respect, class, dignity, and refinement. When I offend someone, I apologize, as each of us should, but beliefs should never be compromised as the discussion continues.
So with all of this in mind, I'll begin here with an apology to whom the, "N word" offends. Please accept my most sincere apology. This is no tongue-in-cheek editorial apology here, although I do realize how much emotion a distance-laden (in terms of physical proximity only) written apology can appear. It lacks the prosodic signals that a face-to-face, heart-to-heart verbal conversation provides, enabling people to both listen and share. It is essentially these glorious characteristics that truly make us human and seek to bridge any divide that may exist among us. One bright nation under a punk-rock star!
Next, I would have to say that we should all listen. Listen. Listen. As I listened to Whoopi Goldberg's comments on The View as she shared her very personal life story of how her mother, her very own mother did not have the right to vote, and that some African-Americans still use the word, "Nigger," in order to diffuse a term that has been used against them, it makes a whole lot of sense. In that same episode, Whoopi also reminded us that there are still struggles with injustice in the lives of many.
African-Americans are not the only segment of society that have take terms that have been used to inflict pain and turned them around to attach an entirely different meaning when they use it among themselves. Some "Little People" still prefer to be refered to as Dwarfs." Some people in the gay and lesbian communities across the globe have chosen to affectionately refer to themselves and each other, both privately and publicly as, "queer," a term that would offend many. There are too many words to mention that could be viewed by some as endearing among groups, while causing pain as deep as a wound two centuries old if used by others. Common sense is very important. One of the most popular television shows targeted at the international G.L.B.T. (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered) communy is called, "Queer as Folk." This is what I think Whoopi was trying to say. The show is so wildly popular on an international level that although new episodes are no longer created, it continues to run on Logo cable TV Network.
With that being said, just what are the real issues here? Have we gotten to a place in the world at which intra-cultural practices, histories, and jargon, and individual preferences no longer have a place at the table? By no means am I a proponent of us all using the, "N Word," all the time, in all situations, to all people, or ever, for that matter. The issues are for me, about choice, withholding individual liberties, appreciating culturality, sub-culturality, and individuality, if I may. (By the way, I just coined the words culturality and sub-culturality, attaching meaning to them.)
Who is anyone to declare prowess over anyone? Of what great Zeus-esque power is any group comprised, that could possibly bear the innate right to bury any part of any collective? Shall we just forget about Sarah Baartman, the woman known as "Hottentot Venus", anyone else, anything else, or any other words that are a part of culture and history because it may have been a source of embarrassment for some at one time or another, but that have had an impact on shaping the amoeba that we call pop culture? Should we each lay to rest that part of ourselves or that moment in our own lives that may have embarrassed someone or for which we are still perhaps ashamed, but that has made us who we are today?
Here we stand, empowered, cool, calm, and collected, or not. Choice. Lest we forget. Now is the time for us all to begin the necessary process and move ourselves beyond the valley to that delicious state beyond mere acceptance to the lovely oasis where appreciation resides. We've got a lot of problems in this great big metropolis and taking away word choices or any choice, for that matter, just seems so silly. Our world is global, the implications are boundless, and spew no have-to's or you-better-nots. It is we, the people and pop-culture who attach meaning to words. They have no meaning as stand-alones.
Now let's cut to the chase and just be honest, even some of the most refined, articulate, and learned African-Americans who perform at stellar personal and professional levels still use the, "N Word." Even among the intelligentsia, some have referred to their closest comrades using the, "N Word." This dirty little secret has been out for a long time, but why do we make such a big deal out of it. It's nothing new. Don't we have far greater burdens in the world? It's a choice and truthfully, quite common. Additionally, there are probably just as many who don't use the term. It's a choice. Contextually speaking, the term neither moves mountains, nor sinks ships at this point on an intra-cultural basis among large numbers of African-Americans.
What we've really seen played out right before our very eyes is a clash of technology, media, pop-culture, history, and culture. Jesse Jackson was playing the dirty dozens when he spoke out against Obama. It was just done in a public fashion. This is a game that has long been a part of African-American culture among some children and adults alike, but the difference is, the forum was quite obviously inappropriate and not intended as such. What it entails is quite simple in theory. It's usually done in a manner that is not intended to hurt, but more aptly, to see who can be the funniest.
Doing the dirty dozens is somewhat of a comedic roast. One person says something funny about the other person and then they say something back. We've all heard of the now-popular, "Your mama jokes." This is its origin. Usually it's the smartest person with the most wit and greatest command of the language who prevails, for the game itself requires wit, timing, and insight into the person, so you have to be close to them. If not played among friends, it's deemed as negative. Isn't this what happened with Jackson's comments going out over the airwaves? Other names for the dirty dozens are as follows: the dozens, joaning, capping, clowning. On a personal note, years ago during a joaning session, my cousin called his opponent a troglodyte. After laughing profusely, everyone realized who the winner was, we jetted to the dictionary to look up the word troglodyte. Today, I can tell you what a troglodyte is!
By the way, don't most cultures have such words that are relegated to private quarters, intended for the ears of those with whom they are close, and to whom they are endeared? Why the deep focus on African-Americans' use of intra-cultural words that are deemed derogatory by some and why this one word in particular? This one requires far more dissecting than I have the time to do right now.
Obviously there's so much to consider with this issue of whether or not to use the, "N Word." What about that empowerment piece? Just what is the grave crime in turning around a word or anything that has been used by so many to cause pain and suffering? Should individuals have the freedom to make their own choice in this matter? I do understand the dangers of using words that may be deemed derogatory by some too loosely, especially when young ears can hear and we should be forever vigilant of that, but we should also appreciate individual differences when not used with the intent to hurt, nor received as painful. The soul of the individual is still breathing, kicking, and traveling the world, enriching and inspiring global viewpoints. Long-live the individual! May she forever thrive. What say you?
When the N.A.A.C.P. (National Association for The Advancement of Colored People) went out in a field and held a demonstration and mock ceremony burying, the "N Word," couldn't that time, money, energy, and effort have been far better spent? I could have forwarded them a list of families of all the fallen ninjas I know who could have used their assistance. By the way, can we talk about burying the word, "Negro?" I cringe. Okay, for some of you, it's okay to use it, but just on odd days, on mid-summer nights and only in the company of some. Make sure you cock your head to the left when you say it, but just not when I'm around. That's an order. I think.
With all this talk about a word, did anyone think to comb Jesse's "crib" for knives?! I guess we'll all just have to take the blame on this one.
This clip displays N.A.A.C.P. members burying the, "N Word."
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