Everyday Struggle

Hey All,

Febuary 5th WE will be able to make the same statement they made out in South Carolina. Be sure you are playing your part in creating the space neccessary for a libeated future. You can start right from your PC or Mac by signing the petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/obamaqns/petition.html Please forward the link to EVERYONE you know.

Before I get into commentary about Febuary 5th and the tatics of the white power structure, I have a couple of quick comments about the blog in general.

I would like to thank all the folks that have followed the blog over the last six months. Thanks to your loyal following and comments I have been able to expand my audience by leaps and bonds. Consequently, I will be changing the format of the blog slightly. There is a new website created by the Russell Simmons called http://www.globalgrind.com/ . I was approached by the content manager of http://www.globalgrind.com/, to potentially write a weekly blog for there website. I agreed, and will begin posting there the first week of February. When better to start with a new platform than Black History Month? I don’t know what http://www.globalgrind.com/ was thinking when they approached me, but you can guarantee I will turn it upside down over there. For all of you who like the long version of the blog at http://www.marvinthinks.blogspot.com/, I will still be writing them. But, I am sure some of you would also like the read a short 250 word column once a week as well. You can check out Russell Simmons talking about http://www.globalgrind.com/ here at about the 4 minute 20 second mark http://youtube.com/watch?v=tbXC46KNo-I .

In the clip Russell Simmons is trying to convince his brother, Rev. Run, to invest in globalgrind.com. Globalgrind.com has asked and they will receive my services. And, in honor of my introduction to globalgrind.com, I will write a brief synopsis on why Russell Simmons needs to get called out for his investments in the diamond trade in Africa. I think it is a very important issue that affects Black people all around the world. A clear picture of the situation around the diamond industry in Africa, needs to be painted. Why not use my introduction to globalgrind.com as a means to step on my boss’s toes in my first article. LOL Before I move on PLEASE fill out and tell others to fill out the petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/obamaqns/petition.html .

Last week I gave the Uncle Tom award to Bob Johnson with an honorable mention going out to Charlie Rangle. My premise in giving them the award was not based on there support for Hillary Clinton, but for there overt attack on Obama’s Blackness. I thought after the Clinton’s pulled out the “boys” to take care of the racial issue with Obama going into South Carolina they would “chill” in the word of Rep. Rep. Clyburn . Check his comments here http://youtube.com/watch?v=rFe3TgmBCl0 .

Of course the Clinton machine didn’t “chill” and continued there assault on the Blackness of Obama. So in defense of Obama’s Blackness, I will send a couple more shots at the “boys” the Clinton’s send out to say what they politically can’t say. My first shot goes out to a man that I respect a great deal. He is a member of the GREATEST fraternity ever to exist on earth, and a pillar of the Civil Rights Movement. Despite his alliance with greatness I, as a defender of the principles of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., must rebut the comments of Andrew Young. Checkout what he said here http://youtube.com/watch?v=breSVtVYSmo&feature=related . On what plant is a white male, more black than a Black man. Only the extremely confused would make such a ridiculous comment. Only an even more confused individual would make a joke about a white man fornicating with numerous Black women. Especially, given the history of white male slaveholders and the women held hostage on plantations. Young’s comment sits right up there with Toni Morrison comment about Bill being the first Black President. (Toni Morrison has since come out as a supporter of Obama you can read about her endorsement here http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/01/28/614795.aspx )Toni Morrison original comments are in sharp contrast to Alice Walker who has come out in support of Obama. Check out her comments about Obama here http://youtube.com/watch?v=W3-9gq_htUo .

What exactly makes Obama less Black than any other Black male? Because he went to Harvard? Because grew up in various place around the world? Because he spent a number of years in Kansas and Hawaii? Because his father is African? What makes Obama less Black? NOTHING!! What makes Clinton Blacker, because he slept with Black women? Because he cheated on his wife? Because he plays the saxophone? Andrew Young comments are a vivid signal of self hate. The comments from all these gentlemen: Rangle, Johnson, and Young are disgusting and a shameless example of how the white power structure will do anything to maintain it position. It also is an example how some Negros will dance, just because "masa" says so.

The Clinton’s need Negros to attack the character of a Black man, as the try to steal Black votes in South Carolina. They use the men to make the most vicious attacks, then use the women to make the subtle attacks. I love and respect Maya Angelo, but check what she said here http://youtube.com/watch?v=T45O9q_BQKA . In comparison to some of the comments coming from the men this OK, but it is an obvious attempt to coerce Black women to vote for Hillary. The Clinton’s are pulling out all there “big dogs” in an attempt to railroad South Carolina. The Clinton's attempts failed and Barack Obama won South Carolina in a landslipe victory, 2 votes to 1!!!!

The media, in conjunction with the white power structure, is trying to spin these attacks by these Negros as some sort of generational gap in the Black community. I believe this to be a farce, and a blatant attempt by the white power structure to divide the community. I believe the only split in the Black community is between field Negros and house Negros. This fact is seen clear in the opposite positions of Alice Walker and Maya Angelou. You can be any age, sex, height, weight, or complexion, to fall on either side of this phenomenon. Check out what Malcolm X says about this issue in the Black community here http://youtube.com/watch?v=znQe9nUKzvQ&feature=related .

I am not quit ready to call Obama a field Negro, but I do know that Obama is more of a Black man than Bill. For some of these house Negro to get that confused is a sign that some of our leaders need to “respectfully” get out the way. I know some of you will read that and grind your teeth, so let me reiterate the fact that I write now because of the work of many of the people I criticize, including Andrew Young. With that being said, it is my duty, based on the work that they engaged, to continue the progress of our people. You can tastefully disagree with Obama’s politics, I do all the time, but to attack Obama’s Blackness makes a mockery of the “change” that the old guard (not old people) implemented. Belittling Obama’s Blackness in the shadow of a white man is clearly the work of the white power structure and anyone, fraternity member or not, that engages in that type of behavior needs to be called out. I don’t write this based on my own knowledge, but on the knowledge of those before me.

In order for the community to move toward a liberated future we need to continue our discussion about our future as a people, and let the people decide the direction we should go. The vote in South Carolina is a sign of the direction the Black community wants to go. A wise man once said the white folks are the cause of our oppression; WE need to be the cause of our liberation. The good people of South Carolina made it completely clear the direction they want to go. Obama may not be the key to liberation completely, but one thing I know for sure is that the LIBERATION that I speak WILL NOT be found in the hands of the Clinton’s and the white power structure.

On to more madness. Another major issue I had this week comes as a consequence of Huckabee saying that he agreed with the fact that South Carolina uses the confederate flag as there state flag. Watch the clip here http://youtube.com/watch?v=DvENHC1pX_8 It is impossibly illogical for anyone to defend the confederate flag, that is not CLEARLY racist. The confederate flag represents an insurrection by section of the United States which in short was designed to overthrow the United States government. The confederate south in many ways is similar to the current position of Al-Qaeda. Not from a religious point of view but in the effect that they are/were both dedicated to the overthrow of the US government.

On top of the flag representing a terrorist organization in side of the United States, the flag represents hate and extreme in justice in the mind of Black people in this country. Why make mention to confederate flag at all, if you were seriously concerned about issues that affect the Black community? He wasn’t asked a question, he interjected his opinion, because he understands quite well the “code words” that we discussed in New Day same Ole Song the last article written on http://www.marvinthinks.blogspot.com/ . (This same reality will be pointed on again when I discuss Bill Clinton) I don’t think anyone was confused about the position Huckabee takes as it relates to the Black community.

Moving on to a “friend” of the Black community Bill Clinton. He is often held in high esteem by the Black community and is campaigning very hard for his wife Hillary Clinton. After writing the article last week about Bill I got some backlash from you Clinton supporters, past and present. You guys mentioned his voting record and all the great things he did for the Black community while he was President. I agree, and even made mention to his relationship with the Black community in my last article. Although he did allow for 2 million Black people to die in Rwanda under his watch and he did create stiffer laws that where and have been used to incarcerate Black/Latino males at an alarming rate, no one is perfect...right? I also understand the President has a lot of hard decisions to make, and is not going to hit a homerun all the time…right? I also don’t think it is a coincidence that our elected officials tend to strike out a lot when it concerns Black people all around the world. With that being said I understand in the overall spectrum of his Presidency, one could make the argument, without sounding completely ridiculous, that he did right by the Black populous that helped get him elected…right? This in no way is a reflection of my feeling on the democratic process as a whole, as it relates to Black/Brown people. I believe we should use the democratic process as a means to a liberated end, not in an effort to create a bigger crumb for us to feed.

With that out the way I can get to why I brought up Bill Clinton in the first place. Last week there was so much controversy around Hillary’s comments about LBJ vs. MLK that everyone would be watching the Democrat debate, and the various MLK events that where going on all around the county. At a televised MLK event Mr. Bill fell asleep. Check the video here http://youtube.com/watch?v=BpEckWHSvXk . If the fist clip isn’t clear enough check this one out http://youtube.com/watch?v=HYpbBWhwcMk&feature=related . What type of respect does this show. How can anyone of you Clinton supporters see this and still hold the Clinton’s in the same regard, especially after all the racial rhetoric that he and his “boys” put out last week. After his wife gets stomped in South Carolina Bill then compared Obama to Jesse Jackson. Check the clip and the commentary here http://youtube.com/watch?v=te6RmXTlhY4 . This goes right back to those code words we discussed earlier. The reporter didn’t even ask him about Jesse Jackson, he like Huckabee, just decided to throw in there own answers. Which in turn contribute to the white power structures attack of Obama. Hillary then has the nerve tell Obama to stop calling Bill racist check the clip here http://youtube.com/watch?v=te6RmXTlhY4 . Why shouldn’t anyone call out someone who is clearly engaging in racist behavior? Is is impossible for Bill to be engaging racist rhetoric? Checkout Obama’s response here http://youtube.com/watch?v=te6RmXTlhY4 . It isn’t a revolutionary answer, but he does talk about differences in “frame of reference” which is code of me that some white folks just don’t get it. There world view is completely different from mine, and that it doesn’t make sense to try to convert these folks regardless of how “down” you believe them to be.

The Clinton are clearly showing their allegiance to the white power structure. There mission is to de rail any momentum Obama will have going into the February 5th primaries. It is clear that they can’t compete with Obama as it relates to politics, so they will resort to race. This is not an uncanny characteristic of the white power structure. We as Black and Brown people need to realize the righteousness in our vote, and understand that the rightness of our existence is the ground in which we politically stand. This terrifies the white power structure (NOT all white people) to its core, and that the attack that we have witnessed is just the start of the attack that we will see. The attack on Obama is nothing more than a reflection of attack that we have seen our entire existence in the Western world. It is up to us to make sure that our history guide or steps toward a liberated future.

Marvo


PS

Don’t forget to visit http://www.petitiononline.com/obamaqns/petition.html in order to sign the petition to get Barack Obama to come out to Queens, New York. You should sign even if you aren't from Queens. Southeast Queens has the largest Black/Latino voting block in the state. This area has all the potential in the world to shave off some of Clinton's delegates that she will win in New York. Since New York is not a winner take all the delegates state, EVERY VOTE COUNTS. Lets help Queens, NY make the difference in New York.

New Day or Same Ole' Song

Uncle Tom is a term I rarely use in a discussion around political issues. In many aspects I believe that people have the right to their own opinion even if I strongly disagree with their opinion. Many that have followed the blog over the last six or so months know that I engaged in an all out diatribe against Bill Cosby and the comments that have consistently come out of his mouth. At no point in the discussion around Bill Cosby did I ever allude to the fact that I thought he was an Uncle Tom. Uncle Tom is a term often used to describe an individual whose political views or allegiances are considered by their critics as detrimental to Black people as a group. I believe this term should be used with extreme discretion, and kept in reserve for times when it really needs to be used to describe an individual. This should be common practice so the community can know that when someone is labeled an Uncle Tom its serious matter.

Yesterday I witnessed one of the worst display of “Uncle Tommism” on a national political stage that I have seen in a long while. Not that there hasn’t been displays of Uncle Tom like behavior on a national level, in fact, it happens on a daily bases. What separated yesterday’s incident from the other Tomlike behavior, which comes along with politics, is the calculated, overt, and shameless display of “Tommism”. There are a couple candidates for the Uncle Tom Award of the Month. Our first nominee is Charlie Rangle, and our final candidate is Bob Johnson. Based on their Tom like behavior this week both of these gentlemen have been nominated for this award. The winner for the 2008 Uncle Tom of the month award goes to… Imagine a drum roll… Bob Johnson. Check the comments out for yourself http://hiphop.popcrunch.com/bob-johnson-barack-obama-slam-video/ .

Let me be clear from the jump, Johnson, and Rangle can endorse Hillary Clinton if they want, even if I don’t agree. The Clinton’s impact on the Black and Latino community has been significant, especially when we put into perspective the twelve years prior to Clinton’s election was pure hell for most Black and Latino people in this country. I don’t say this to over glorify the Clinton years, but to highlight why someone may feel some sense of loyalty to the Clinton camp regardless of how ridiculous it may seem. My beef with Johnson and crew stems from the personal attack against Obama, not their allegiance to the Clinton’s. At first glance this might not seem as dramatic as I am portraying it to be, but upon analyses it is. Let me do a little back ground information as a reference in order to properly display how the Clinton machine is waging a silent war against Obama based on his race not his politics.

The Clinton’s attack began with comments by Bill that portrayed Obama’s presidential candidacy as a “fairy tale”. Check the clip here http://youtube.com/watch?v=K1Ytbr-7VaE . I don’t want to get into the whole "code word" discussion, but white people use them all the time, and Bill has become a master at this practice. Terms like “urban” or “ghetto” are the most obvious code words for Black and Latino people. They also like to use comments like “he/she speaks/writes so well” as code for I am surprised that they are intelligent. It seems like the Clinton’s are pulling out there Tom’s of the month to interject the code language they like to use so much. Check out Charlie Rangel calling Obama “stupid” and “articulate” all at the same time here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHcd0QB2_9k .

Clinton knows very well when he uses the word “fairy tale” he is referring to the fact that you Negros must be living in a dream world if you think Obama has a shot at winning. This is a clear attempt to coheres the 50% Black voting populous that their vote in South Carolina will be better suited with a real candidate versus a “fairy tale” candidate. Visions of the Disney film Songs of the South, where Disney displays a “Happy Negro”, walking through the field singing and shuffling represents the language of a “fairy tale” that Bill Clinton decided to use. With all the controversy Disney caused with this type of imagery last year I am sure the Clinton machine knew exactly what they where doing when Bill referred to Obama candidacy as a fairy tale. Check the Disney clips here http://youtube.com/watch?v=LcxYwwIL5zQ&feature=related & http://youtube.com/watch?v=47ak4vjiNzw and commentary why Songs of the South was controversial here http://forum.gorillamask.net/archive/index.php/t-42125.html .

The second push inside of the Clinton attack came last week when Hillary Clinton made these comments. Check the clip here http://youtube.com/watch?v=v9LhWUsrJnM . Obama wasn’t mistaken when he said that Clinton was trying to down play the significance of Martin Luther King Jr., by passing some of the credit off to the lily white Texas boy President Lydon B. Johnson. Clinton gives credit to the same LBJ who is responsible for the creation of the “Projects” and clearly, based on his previous voting record, was most likely not in favor of the Civil Rights Act. Most people who are familiar with history would agree that the Civil Rights Act was passed because of the intense pressure the Civil Rights Movement lead by MLK (but really run by the women of the movement) put on the white power structure of America. The world was looking at the treatment of Black people in this country and the US government, lead by LBJ, had no choice but to sign the legislation. LBJ didn’t go looking for a Civil Rights Bill to sign into law. LBJ shouldn’t get any credit for being some sort of visionary based on the signing of the Civil Rights Act. In fact if you really look at the picture when the Civil Rights Act was signed MLK looks like he has a smirk on his face solidifying for me that he knew quite well that LBJ didn’t want to sign the Civil Rights Act. Check the picture here http://www.civics-online.org/library/formatted/images/civilrightsactphoto.html and judge for yourself.

The Clinton machine would like to try to make us believe that the Obama camp is trying to interject race into the campaign. But anyone who has been following Obama knows full well that he has not. In fact he has gone out of his way not to interject race. I personally disagreed with Obama’s strategy, but Obama made it clear from the jump that he wasn’t going that direction. So for Clinton to make this argument is crazy! What started this whole MLK discussion came as a consequence of the speech Obama gave after he won the Iowa Caucus. Check the speech here http://youtube.com/watch?v=cNZaq-YKCnE . After hearing the speech many people around America compared the speech to the MLK “I have a Dream” speech. This sent the Clinton machine into a frenzy double time: one because he won Iowa, and two they understood quite clearly that winning Iowa would give him a boost in New Hampshire and South Carolina. Especially in South Carolina, where the voting populous is 50% Black, and that population was looking for signs that voting for Obama wouldn't be a wasted vote.The Obama race attack didn’t move into full swing until after the New Hampshire primary because they understand they would need to throw some type of road block in a 50% Black voting populous. On a side note Obama won Iowa in a 95% white state, why would he need to play the race card in a 50% Black state? Logic says that Clinton if anybody will need to play the race card, in order to divide the Black vote in South Carolina. The Clinton camp is bringing out there biggest Tom’s to make this happen.

In short, if Johnson and others want to support Clinton at least inform us why in a way that doesn’t attack Obama. When they attack Obama, especially around issues of race, it looks like you are siding against your own people. Obama is a Black man, just like you!! In fact Obama is the perfect reflection of what Bill Cosby and the like stand for. Obama in many ways has embodied and stands in support of many of the issues that the “old” Black guard has raised. So while you are going around doing all you can to undermine Obama and his presidential election they are calling both of you boy in the background.

This week did show some promise of reform for Colin Powell, who for many years has been at odds end with many in the Black community. The root of Powell’s disconnect from many in the community stems from his decision not to run for president in 2000 and his decision to serve as Secretary of State in the Bush administration. Many believe that he sold himself out to the Bush administration. When the guilt of starting an unnecessary war got to heavy he decided to back out of the Bush administration. The Bush administration then went and got another “Happy Negro” to take his place, her name is Condoleezza Rice. Subsequent to Powell leaving the administration Powell has come to his senses and has gone on record in support of Obama, and didn’t say one negative thing about Hillary. Check out his comments here http://youtube.com/watch?v=E1MJJFI5HXA It is not surprising that the once the former Republican “Black Guy” says something positive about Obama, the powers that be inside of the Republican party make their own statements about Obama, calling him lazy. Check out Karl Rove’s comments here http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119992615845679531.html?mod=opinion_main_commentaries in the Wall Street Journal. Lazy, has historically been another one of the infamous code words of the white power structure. Karl Rove, like Bill Clinton, knows this quite well the language he is using.

Back to Bob Johnson. Johnson has been on the fence as it relates to Black issues with me for a while. The programming over at BET has always been questionable, and the cancellation of BET Nightly News pretty much solidified BET's political position in my mind. I think that is clear that the Clinton’s are using certain Black figures to try and steer the Black vote the way they want it. I hope they don’t believe the we are “Stupid” enough to fall for their trap. In my family we have had very intense conversations about Hillary vs. Obama especially as it relates to the women in my family. My argument has always been that if you support Hillary because of her politics fine, but if you are supporting her because she is a woman you should re think your position. It is important for all people of color to remember that we were going to be born with melanin before our sex was determined. Consequently, when making a decision solely based on gender or race, your race must come first, it is the natural progression of life. I think the Clinton’s understand this concept quite well and will do anything to find a way to further divide the Black vote, in order to propell their intrest. Which is not the Black community. This can be dubbed as a new version of the Willie Lynch letter. The concept of dividing the Black community is as old as our existence in the Western world. We must stand united on this issue and be clear that we support our community, and that we will not fall victim to the tricks that the Clinton’s and others will try to use to manipulate our vote.

The next stage in the Clinton machine’s attack, which is nothing more than the liberal expression of the white power structure, will be to pit the Black and Latino vote against each other. There are mumbles of this already taking place, but as the western states begin to come into play you will see more of the Black vs. Latino conversation engaged by those who understand the Neo-Willie Lynch ideology. All of this is designed to marginalize us as a voting block, and perpetuate the status quo in both communities, which in many communities around America is the same community. BET, by way of Bob Johnson and crew, will contribute to this as well, but that is whole different topic that will be discussed latter.

IN conclusion, calling out the folks that engage in this behavior is essential to a liberated future. Obama being elected president may not contribute greatly to this liberated future, but it definitely won’t take anything out. In fact, Obama becoming president will open up some space for the conversation of liberation to breath. Anyone who stands in opposition to the space neccessary for a liberated future needs to be called out and BOB JOHNSON is my number one candidate for the week.

Marvo

PS
This may be old to some but many of you may not know about it. Two Black and Latino males where attacked by group of white males, the two men of color where the only charged in this clearly racist attack. The Black male was charged with a felony. Judge for your self. Check out the clip here http://youtube.com/watch?v=fvCl8-WwM8Q

PSS

I heard about an interesting story out in St. Petersburg Fl. Apparently there is a company named Boley that handles the housiong vouchers for the city of St. Pete. The company has decided to target the Black community, and evict a number of people from their homes for "non compliance". A sector of that group has specifically been targeted for there work with the Black community in St. Pete. Below you will find a clip of a young lady speaking about her experience and a clip from Chairman Omali Yeshitela the leader of the Uhuru Movement, which seems to be the direct target of Boley assult.

Clip of young lady explaining the situation

http://youtube.com/watch?v=hP7o2mA4I-M

Clip of Chairman Omali Yeshitela leader of the Uhuru Movement

#1
http://youtube.com/watch?v=2SiiSv71HYQ&feature=related

#2
http://youtube.com/watch?v=V5uuMuicUZA&feature=related

#3 Checkout what Chairman Omali has to say about Uncle Tom's!!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=_Uds1EhIK7s&feature=related