Last night I came across an article that I was so offended by that I reserved comment until I had a full nights sleep. I thought to myself that it was so insulting, so idiotic that it couldn’t be as bad as I was perceiving it to be. I needed to literally go to bed, take a mental break, and come back. That article was Gene Lyons “Obama’s Bridge too Far” on Salon.com. The article, a poorly thought out and terribly executed piece which wasn’t even cohesive as a whole should have been axed in the editorial process. But it wasn’t. Take a look.

This just in: Not all the fools are Republicans. Recently, one Melissa Harris-Perry, a Tulane professor who moonlights on MSNBC political talk shows, wrote an article for the Nation titled “Black President, Double Standard: Why White Liberals Are Abandoning Obama.”

See, nobody ever criticized Bill Clinton, another centrist Democrat who faced a hostile Republican congress. Indeed, he was “enthusiastically re-elected” in 1996. Therefore, “[t]he 2012 election is a test of whether Obama will be held to standards never before imposed on an incumbent. If he is, it may be possible to read that result as the triumph of a more subtle form of racism.”

You can like Dr. Harris-Perry’s theory or not, but 1) its a theory not an etched in stone condemnation and 2) it’s based in reality. It’s based in feelings many in the Black community have wondered when hearing attacks from White liberals. It’s based in issues that have been previously pointed out within the progressive movement. You could make the argument that race has nothing to do with White liberals issues with Obama and I wouldn’t have an issue with that. But to dismiss one of the great Black public intellectuals of our time because it made you feel uncomfortable is completely ridiculous.

And that’s the problem. Dr. Harris-Perry made folks feel uncomfortable.

White liberals enjoy the concept that they are immune to accusations of racism. They’re LIBERALS. They obviously are totally and completely not racist so how could you ever dare even pose the possibility of such a thing? Matter of fact? Since White liberals are so “obvi” not racist they can dismiss this feeling amongst Black folks as silly and tell them to stop it. You can even get all Dave Sirota on us and say how this hurts the civil rights movement. Because questioning the possibility of racism obviously makes equality harder right? Thanks sir!

But Mr. Lyons isn’t done.

The professor actually wrote that. See, certain academics are prone to an odd fundamentalism of the subject of race. Because President Obama is black, under the stern gaze of professor Harris-Perry, nothing else about him matters. Not killing Osama bin Laden, not 9 percent unemployment, only blackness.

Furthermore, unless you’re black, you can’t possibly understand. Yada, yada, yada. This unfortunate obsession increasingly resembles a photo negative of KKK racial thought. It’s useful for intimidating tenure committees staffed by Ph.D.s trained to find racist symbols in the passing clouds. Otherwise, Harris-Perry’s becoming a left-wing Michele Bachmann, an attractive woman seeking fame and fortune by saying silly things on cable TV. (emphasis mine)

Lyons actually wrote that. To question possible racism is to be the photo-negative of the KKK. To dare question White folks who were nice enough to treat you almost fairly is to be the Black equivalent of the KKK. And to possibly question race is only helpful in gaining tenure–because you know. Blacks and tenure at colleges? We gotta play that race card right? And PHD’s find race in everything. It’s not that they might have studied history and race long enough that they actually understand the systemic problems within our society based on race and privilege–they just see it in EVERYTHING. Silly educated people.

Lyons compared the Scholar Harris-Perry to the publicly mocked known idiot Michelle Bachmann. How did Lyons think that was going to work out? You mock the concept that as a White man you might not always understand everything about racism, then you degrade a brilliant Black mind and compare her to a wilful White idiot who has said websites full of dumb shit. Oh yeah. You’ve just won me over. White Liberals are sooooooo not racist.

I’d like to point out that I know Dr. Harris-Perry. She’s been a supporter of my work and even appeared on my show. I also have worked with Salon, where Gene Lyons wrote this trash and they’ve allowed me a platform for This Week in Blackness. Fact is, my working relationship with Salon probably influenced this article. Because of it I deleted all of the instances of “Muthafuckas” in this piece out of professional courtesy. Referring to a place you contribute on occasion as “These Muthafuckas here…” is probably a good way not to contribute there anymore.

But seriously. These Muthafuckas here need to stop it.

Whoops.

But you probably didn’t hear about that. You probably heard about “CBC Week” and the CBC PARTIES.

Admittedly, I had been a bit skeptical of heading to what some folks refer to as “Political Freaknik.” I had heard lots of commentary on CBC Week but hadn’t experienced it myself. Having gone to a lot of other non-Black conferences in the past, I felt that I would be remiss not to attend CBC Week when the opportunity came along. Even as the event was coming closer I found myself criticizing the CBC. But after  hanging out a bit at the conference I had a weird “Aha” moment.

More coverage of the CBC Convention here.

While on-air, a young lady came by the Blacking It Up Booth and gave me a button with a QR code and the CBC logo telling me all of the events that were going to be happening. I casually mentioned this to the Jomo K. Bellard, the senior communications consultant of the CBCF.

“I’m sorry,” Bellard said. “Can I see the button?”

After a few moments he said: “This isn’t us at all. I have to sue these people.”

Soon after having a few more conversations with him and checking out the events that were happening I realized that the CBC had nothing to do with what even the hip hop radio stations were calling “CBC Week.” The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation does three things: a Conference (which does not include parties); a scholarship/internship program (the largest of its kind on the Hill); and publications dealing with the the mission of the CBCF. I was corrected even when I mistakenly referred to the CBC and the CBC Foundation as being the same.

I had to take back a lot of my random outsider commentary.

Now there are various critiques to give the CBCF conference as a whole. But there are also a lot of kudos to give as well. The platform given to allow for this type of national conversation with members of congress is great. The attempt to have varied panels with experts and wide range discussions focused on action is great. And now — although a bit late — an attempt to engage an audience that isn’t already indoctrinated into the CBC way via social media and independent media platforms (such as my own show) is great. And honestly, the Conference is only as good as the folks that come to make it it good. Those who come for Political Freaknik aren’t helping make the difference. Those who show up simply to hear themselves talk isn’t making a difference either (because there were quite a few of those). The CBCF Conference is a platform for change — not the actual change itself or the problem with everything.

A lot more of us should use it

Elon James White co-hosts \ the widely popular podcast Blacking It Up! which airs live Mon-Thurs 1:30pm ET. Follow Elon James White on Twitter  @elonjames

A lot of Blacks working in corporate or other professional fields do too.

It’s not a complaint… I’m just stating my reality. But there’s something that happens when you deal with a lot of non-Blacks and then jump back into Black surroundings. I make references that I know other Negroes will have a much higher chance of understanding. I speak in terms of “we” and speak of a shared ancestral struggle that brings on occasion a familiarity and sense of camaraderie that doesn’t automatically come when dealing with non-Blacks. It’s something I almost didn’t take notice of until I recently saw President Obama speak at the CBCF Gala in Washington, DC.

The 44th President of the United States is nothing if not a gifted orator. He takes queues from all the great performers; from presidents to preachers to stand up comedians. The President understands timing and the milking of a moment for maximum effect. But for all his amazing skill it seems to only amplify when he is surrounded by an audience of Black folk.

Not African-Americans. Black folk

The President has a way about him when dealing with other Black folks in various situations. (Remember when Obama saw Queen Latifah a few years ago and greeted her with a “What Up, Queen?” in a Chicago style drawl?) His speech at the Congressional Black Caucus Gala was no exception. From facial expressions to heavy preacher rhetoric and pacing — Obama dropped a hot 16 for the Caucus Gala attendees (a friend asked when he finished his speech “Did he just drop the mic?) and they responded with cheers and applause.

For a President who is supposedly losing his “Black base” he sure seemed to have them eating out of the palm of his hand on Saturday night.

More coverage of the CBC Convention here.

President Obama, who has been traveling  the country on his “Pass This Bill” tour hit all his major talking points at the Gala. He mocked the GOP for being “pro” many of the things in the Jobs Bill right up until he suggested it. “Y’all used to like building roads.” Obama delivered with attitude and a rare sense of authentic annoyance that seemed less rehearsed and more unleashed. He continued his supposed “class warfare” by pointing out the rich should pay their fair share. But Obama hinted at the troubling time that he’s been having with the CBC. “I listen to some of y’all…” he said with a defiant look in his eye.

Obama walked in the room with what seemed to be a frustration at the questioning he’s received about his policies when it comes to Black Americans — which as of late has been coming directly from the CBC. His method of dealing? Spelling out what he’s already done but SAYING “African-American” when he did it.  This came with applause and screams of “That’s right.” He pointed out the 17% unemployment rate amongst Blacks and that this Jobs Bill would help Black Americans and all Americans — but he needed help to get it passed. This was a direct response to some of the Black caucus members, like Rep. Maxine Waters, who specifically stated at the conference that it wouldn’t/couldn’t pass

“I expect all of you to march with me and press on. Take off your bedroom slippers, put on your marching shoes. Shake it off. Stop complaining, stop grumbling, stop crying. We are going to press on. We’ve got work to do, CBC.”

That wasn’t aimed at Black People as the Associated Press claimed. That was for the CBC itself. If the members weren’t happy about his commentary they probably didn’t want to say it to the audience that was screaming with glee as he delivered those parting words. Obama spoke to the audience not simply as a President to the nation–but with the comfort of one speaking to family. When he said “we” it wasn’t as in “We, Americans…” it was “We, Black Folks…” bringing a sense of camaraderie that not only did the audience need, but Obama probably needed himself.

Elon James White co-hosts \ the widely popular podcast Blacking It Up! which airs live Mon-Thurs 1:30pm ET. Follow Elon James White on Twitter  @elonjames

White speaks about how “the drug war has failed,” Attorney General Eric Holder, and “The Wire,” and the ever increasing  incarceration rates for African-American men.

Watch the video below.

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Over the years, Elon James White has been steadily building a following for his always-impactful, always-funny video blog, This Week in Blackness. We have loved posting Elon’s videos revolving around politics, race, and entertainment. Today, we at NewsOne are proud to announce our official partnership with Elon and TWiB!

In this week’s episode — his first for NewsOne — Elon dons his “Black History Month glasses” (which look curiously like he grabbed them off of Malcolm X’s end table), and goes after those kindly white conservatives who care so much about unborn Black people, but lose interest after those sweet little Black children actually get born…

Elon also hosts a radio show that you should check out called “Blacking It Up” at TWIB.ME/LIVE.

Elon James White is a Brooklyn-based comedian, writer and host of the web series “This Week in Blackness”; a satirical look at race, politics and pop-culture in a so-called “post-racial” America. Follow Elon on Twitter at www.twitter.com/elonjames and visit him online at ElonJamesIsNotWhite.com and ThisWeekinBlackness.com.

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NewsOne contributor Elon James White tackles what to do when you’re stopped by the police in this video.

The video, which was featured on the ACLU website, is based on the ACLU’s know-your-rights card, What to Do if You’re Stopped by Police, Immigration Agents or the FBI.”

Click on the link and read about your rights during law enforcement encounters.

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This Week in Blackness Elon James White

As we prepared ourselves for the ridiculousness that was proposed by the newly elected Republicans of the 112th congress–the reading of the Constitution in full–some were wondering how far they were willing to go? Although many conservatives and tea partiers look at the Constitution as an infallible piece of awesomeness, others remember a key section within it that was a little less than the spectacular rainbow laden orgasm that they pretend it was. Perhaps three fifth’s less.

‘Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.’

Oh dear. That’s awkward.

In this ridiculous piece of theater that house conservatives drummed up to appease their Tea Party base, they forgot about the reason why we have amendments. The Constitution and by extension the founding fathers weren’t the saints that conservatives try to make them out to be. They were rich white males. The constitution was written for and by rich white males. Even Justice Scalia as recently as this week said that our amendments didn’t offer equal rights to women. But don’t worry–the Republicans didn’t want to have to deal with the awkwardness of reading about when I would’ve been considered three fifths human. They’ve compromised and read the amendment for that part.

Sigh.

The Constitution isn’t, wasn’t and never will be perfect. Trying to govern by a a few hundred year old piece of paper isn’t going to work. Even as we fix–which we have been doing–it still falls short and doesn’t take into consideration things that will occur. Hell, it didn’t take into consideration the human rights of people that were probably in the next room when it was being written. Governments all around the world are taking better care of their citizens than we do ours but forget that. If it ain’t in this shit right here–this shit right here? Forget it. The Constitution–and America–has to grow with the times (which, again I say, it HAS but it has to continue.) To create the inane resolution that every bill that is now introduced on the floor of congress has to show its basis in the Constitution is absurd. And to allow this farce to continue we once again find ourselves having history Photoshopped because it wouldn’t go over so well sticking by exactly what happened. Reading the document as amended clearly shows the fallacy of forcing the reading of the document in the first place.

As we prepared ourselves for the ridiculousness that was proposed by the newly elected Republicans of the 112th congress–the reading of the Constitution in full–some were wondering how far they were willing to go? Although many conservatives and tea partiers look at the Constitution as an infallible piece of awesomeness, others remember a key section within it that was a little less than the spectacular rainbow laden orgasm that they pretend it was. Perhaps three fifth’s less.

‘Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.’

Oh dear. That’s awkward.

In this ridiculous piece of theater that house conservatives drummed up to appease their Tea Party base, they forgot about the reason why we have amendments. The Constitution and by extension the founding fathers weren’t the saints that conservatives try to make them out to be. They were rich white males. The constitution was written for and by rich white males. Even Justice Scalia as recently as this week said that our amendments didn’t offer equal rights to women. But don’t worry–the Republicans didn’t want to have to deal with the awkwardness of reading about when I would’ve been considered three fifths human. They’ve compromised and read the amendment for that part.

Sigh.

The Constitution isn’t, wasn’t and never will be perfect. Trying to govern by a a few hundred year old piece of paper isn’t going to work. Even as we fix–which we have been doing–it still falls short and doesn’t take into consideration things that will occur. Hell, it didn’t take into consideration the human rights of people that were probably in the next room when it was being written. Governments all around the world are taking better care of their citizens than we do ours but forget that. If it ain’t in this shit right here–this shit right here? Forget it. The Constitution–and America–has to grow with the times (which, again I say, it HAS but it has to continue.) To create the inane resolution that every bill that is now introduced on the floor of congress has to show its basis in the Constitution is absurd. And to allow this farce to continue we once again find ourselves having history Photoshopped because it wouldn’t go over so well sticking by exactly what happened. Reading the document as amended clearly shows the fallacy of forcing the reading of the document in the first place.

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Welcome to the continuing Post-Racial-izing of America.

EW.COM
What is a word worth? According to Publishers Weekly, NewSouth Books’ upcoming edition of Mark Twain’s seminal novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn will remove all instances of the “n” word—I’ll give you a hint, it’s notnonesuch—present in the text and replace it with slave. The new book will also remove usage of the word Injun. The effort is spearheaded by Twain expert Alan Gribben, who says his PC-ified version is not an attempt to neuter the classic but rather to update it. “Race matters in these books,” Gribben toldPW. “It’s a matter of how you express that in the 21st century.”

So in attempt to deal with a story of the tumultuous racial past of our country the best thing to do is censor the word “Nigger” from the book? In order to have the book be more palatable we have to erase the historical context of the usage and the word? Are you kidding?

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Twain himself defined a “classic” as “a book which people praise and don’t read.” Rather than see Twain’s most important work succumb to that fate, Twain scholar Alan Gribben and NewSouth Books plan to release a version ofHuckleberry Finn, in a single volume with The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, that does away with the “n” word (as well as the “in” word, “Injun”) by replacing it with the word “slave.”

“This is not an effort to render Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn colorblind,” said Gribben, speaking from his office at Auburn University at Montgomery, where he’s spent most of the past 20 years heading the English department. “Race matters in these books. It’s a matter of how you express that in the 21st century.”

Yes, because in the 21st Century we need to clean up some the bad habits we used to have right? We can’t have people reading the word Nigger 219 times in a book! I mean sure, say it on the radio 11 times–but that’s just freedom of speech then. So what if thats how they spoke! So what the book was making a point via its usage? So WHAT? People’s sensibilities are being shocked. We can’t have the sensibilities of people shocked. This word is never used. Never, ever, ever. It’s only used by crazy people, Rappers and Black Comedians. But at what point do we stop? With people currently trying to separate slavery from the South’s succession at some point the word “Slave” will be a bad thing right? Then what will they edit Huckleberry Finn with? Black Guy? But Black seems so harsh you know? It’s like–completely not White–Oooh! We can say Beige Gentleman. Then when we get around to censoring the music of the late 20th century we already know what to use.

Think about it:

“Beige Gentlemen With Attitudes.” BG. W. A.

What up, My Beige Gentlemen?

Real Beige Gentlemen Do Real Things.

The word Nigger was used in this country quite liberally at one point. To try to edit work that uses the word in order to appease idiots is ridiculous. The book is a part of American history and on top of that its a piece of ART. Maybe The Mona Lisa’s smile offends people because they don’t know what she’s smiling about. MAYBE SHE’S THINKING ABOUT SEX! Are we going to change it to a frown? If at some point the Tea Party gets really powerful and decides that they don’t like the concept “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses” will we just delete that off of the Statue of Liberty? The problem is not, and never will be reading the word Nigger. The problem is the response. Acknowledging your history isn’t not reveling in it. And those who forget–or never even fricken learn–about the past are doomed to repeat it.

_________________

Elon James White is the editor-in-chief at This Week in Blackness. You can also follow him on Twitter.

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And no, it wasn’t any of the death or heartache that occurred during it and THANK GOD, because that would have been a downer…

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Host Elon James White discusses the republican/tea party candidate Al Reynolds and his thoughts on minority men and education. Brought to you by Giant Life.

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It was hard to finish that. My fingers kept catching spasms due to the unexpected rise in bullshit that I was typing.

For those of you paying attention (not to this post, but to life in general), you’re fully aware of the 2 years of rising racial tensions in the country. From the arrest Professor Henry Louis Gates, the horrendous grilling of now Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor, Joe Wilson’s infamous yelling of “You Lie” in congress, questionable immigration laws all the way to the firing of Shirley Sherrod. The United States of America is covered in race like Christine O’Donnell is covered in unexpected irony and absolute contempt from people with common sense.

The latest in race-related craziness comes courtesy of last week’s Gallup poll giving the breakdown percentage wise of the approval ratings of President Obama:

At first glance this isn’t shocking. Southern Old White Republican Men arent big fans of Obama. Shocker. Democrats and Blacks? All on board. completely reasonable right? Well obviously you aren’t a Republican.

SOURCE:

SOURCE:
“Allow me to suggest that a look of the President’s approval numbers may suggest the opposite, African Americans are 65% more likely to approve of President Obama than Hispanic Americans, twice as likely to support Obama than the general population and 2.6 times more likely to approve of the POTUS than Non-Hispanic Whites. That suggests that if there is Racism in Obama’s approval numbers, it is coming from the African-Americans who support him, rather than the Caucasians who do not.”

SOURCE:
“…Bush only enjoyed an average of about 32 percent approval amongst black voters two years into his first term. And we haven’t even mentioned Bush’s historic cabinet level appointments of blacks or his unprecedented AIDS funding in Africa. Much to Kanye West’s chagrin, it turns out President Bush did, indeed, care about black people.

Still, some argue that black support of Obama is merely a function of “black solidarity”; that birds of a feather flock together. But that in itself is racist. After all, can you imagine white voters lining up 9 out of 10 to stand in “racial solidarity” with an elected official who was the equivalent of a wrecking ball slamming through their lives?”

SOURCE:
Which brings up the question of why. Why do blacks continue to support the president in such unprecedentedly high numbers? It is a question no pollsters seem to have asked, so the answer is open to pure speculation at this juncture.

One possibility is unvarnished racism. It is possible that blacks’ unwavering support for the president is based on the color of his skin rather than on the job he has done in his twenty months in office.

Hmm. Are Negroes racist for approving Obama when 36% of White’s don’t? These numbers are FACTS right? If the majority of White Americans aren’t pleased with the job he’s doing yet Blacks are then something must be a foot!

Or we can look at the numbers.

Only 36% of White’s approve of Obama. The first question that should be asked is what’s the breakdown of Dems/GOP in this sampling? I went to Gallup and they didn’t say. I would argue that using the rules that Gallup does (spreading polling phone calls across the country) the odds of it being more Dems than GOP would be terribly slim. Are they using half Democrats and half Republicans? If so, Republicans who we KNOW don’t like Obama, would obviously be in the “disapprove” column. Also, they would be overwhelmingly White. Another recent Gallup Poll stated that the Conservative base of the Republican party is primarily White. So if you ask 100 white people, 50 Democrats, 50 Republicans, you’re going to most likely get a 40% approval rating (creating an 80% approval rating from Democrats). The GOP don’t often break rank. The Democrats do. The 36% White approval rating isn’t shocking and definitely doesn’t call into question the approval given by Blacks.

Black people support the Democratic party in very large numbers. 80% to 90%. The numbers simply make sense. Now if you want to argue about why Blacks lean towards Democrats so much, that’s another topic for another day. But I’ll leave you with 2 phrases to think about for that discussion: The Lily White Movement and The Southern Strategy.

Do the pundits (Republican and Liberal) understand how insulting it is to imply that Blacks are so stupid that they would support an incompetent POTUS simply because he was Negro? The media (as seen from the above clip) is trying to make it a solidarity argument. “Blacks are for the Black guy!” I’m sure some are (just as much as I’m sure that some are against Obama because he’s Black) but that isn’t the way Blacks and politics work. We’ve seen Black candidates before who were NOT supported by the Black community. Hell, Obama wasn’t supported by the Black community early on in the primaries. As much as everyone wants to be able to categorize the Black vote by some weird rule book their writing even when you guess what we’re voting for you probably don’t know why.

]]> http://newsone.com/newsone-original/elonjameswhite/ninety-one-percent-of-black-people-supporting-obama-is-racist-apparently/feed/ 186 http://newsone.com/newsone-original/elonjameswhite/the-how-to-guide-on-pandering-to-white-america/ http://newsone.com/newsone-original/elonjameswhite/the-how-to-guide-on-pandering-to-white-america/#comments Fri, 08 Oct 2010 21:14:26 +0000 Elon James White http://newsone.com/?p=799865 I had the misfortune of running across an article in The Guardian from one of the most vocal and visible Tea Party members out there because...well...it really helps when he’s onscreen. In this magical article, Lloyd Marcus lays out a personal story in order to explain why he’s just so darn awesome. “A urine sme... Read more..]]> I had the misfortune of running across an article in The Guardian from one of the most vocal and visible Tea Party members out there because…well…it really helps when he’s onscreen. In this magical article, Lloyd Marcus lays out a personal story in order to explain why he’s just so darn awesome.

“A urine smell permeated the stairwell. In the darkness due to smashed light bulbs, the sound of broken wine bottles underfoot echoed off the concrete walls. I was nine years old. With the elevators out of service half the time due to vandalism, I was forced many times to take the scary trek into the shadow of death up the stairwell to our sixth-floor apartment in the projects of east Baltimore….All I kept hearing was that everything was the “white man’s fault.” Even at the age of nine, I sarcastically thought to myself, “how can we stop these evil white people from sneaking in here at night peeing in the stairwell, leaving broken wine bottles, smashing the light bulbs and attacking people?

“So, my early experience living in the government project taught me that some folks simply have a ghetto mindset. I also witnessed the trap of government welfare. And why were so many around me angry and violent—despite getting free housing, food and healthcare?”

This is playing into the worst of what some people believe when they think of blacks and welfare. And now they have a Negro co-signing all of their thoughts and fears. He says that story was happening in the ‘50’s but doesn’t acknowledge any of the socioeconomic ripples of a horrendously oppressed people. He acts as if being on public assistance created some sort of Negrotopia where everything you could ever want was provided for you and people should have been ecstatic about it.

“Several of my cousins stayed enslaved to the system and the bigotry of low expectations. Because true self-esteem comes from personal achievement, they possessed very little. They lived angry and bitter lives, consumed with serial impregnating, out-of-wedlock births and substance abuse. An outrageously high number died prematurely.

“So, when I hear politicians, such as Barack Obama, pandering to the so-called poor of America, it turns my stomach. I’ve witnessed the deterioration of the human spirit, wasted lives and suffering that happens when government becomes “daddy.”

Yeah, scared white folks, that’s what happened. The government became daddy for the “so-called poor” and everyone just destroyed themselves.

Or not.

The idea behind Marcus’s messaging here is as silly as it is egotistical. He’s a black Tea Party member because he sees “THE TRUTH.” He’s not like us brainwashed black folk who want nothing more than to suckle at the tit of the government. He’s so enlightened he would join a questionable political movement with the diversity of a gallon of vanilla ice cream. The government providing assistance destroys lives, according to Marcus. Once the government helps, you go around making babies and doing drugs!

Funny thing, though: When I was growing up my family had moments when we were on public assistance. I grew up in the middle of Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, during the crack epidemic of the late ‘80’s and early ‘90’s. I was surrounded by four different projects that ranged from across the street to about four blocks in distance. I knew a lot of people on public assistance or “welfare.” Some folks decided that was how they were going to live their lives, but a lot of other people didn’t want that for themselves at all. It wasn’t a sign of pride that you were on public assistance.

I remember going to the store and having to pay for food with food stamps and the absolute embarrassment that came along with it. But I lived surrounded by mostly projects and people receiving government aid. According to Marcus, all of our spirits had been deteriorated. Why would anyone care about how they were perceived?

Why was my family on welfare, you ask? Obviously we enjoyed living off of the government! At the age of fourteen I was shot (while attending school in the affluent neighborhood of Turtle Bay in Manhattan, NYC) and my mother had to look after me with hospital appointments and such. This caused her to lose her job and she couldn’t immediately get another one, hence she went on public assistance. The government didn’t act as “daddy.” The government provided help when the situation was dire.

But that’s not a good story to sell the whole “evil government” and “brown folk are taking your tax money.” Lloyd Marcus is a black guy in the Tea Party because he feels he’s smarter than everyone. He feels that he sees the truth and that although most people think the message that the Tea Party is sending is bat-shit crazy and that blacks participating in it is even crazier, he knows better. He’s not blinded by pesky things like history and facts. He’s a star amongst them because he legitimizes their inane commentary. He’s a black Tea Party patriot because he needs the feeling of superiority that going against the common sense grain gives him.

Too bad for him that he wasn’t the only Negro to make it out of the hood. There are a lot of us who have no problems calling him on all of his bullshit.

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I ran across a blog post on the Wall Street Journal that was a bit…interesting. Thomas Chatterton Williams expressed what I would imagine a lot of people were a little upset about. In his interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, Barack Obama expressed (as he has before) his tastes in hip-hop. This seemed to draw the ire of Mr. Williams.

SOURCE:
What’s on President Obama’s iPod? A wide range, he told Rolling Stone magazine last week, from the jazz of John Coltrane to the ballads of Maria Callas. And more: “My rap palate has greatly improved,” Mr. Obama noted. “Jay-Z used to be sort of what predominated, but now I’ve got a little Nas and a little Lil Wayne and some other stuff, but I would not claim to be an expert.”

Expert or not, that’s the wrong message for the president to be sending black America.

Does Mr. Obama like Lil Wayne’s “Lil Duffle Bag Boy”? In that song, the rapper implores young black men to “go and get their money” through round-the-clock drug hustling. And with Lil Wayne, it’s not just an act: The rapper is currently serving a one-year term on Rikers Island after being caught in New York with drugs and guns stashed in his Louis Vuitton overnighter.

Wrong message to Black America? WHAT?

Naming thuggish rappers might make Mr. Obama seem relatable and cool to a generation of Americans under the sway of hip-hop culture, but it sends a harmful message—especially when, in black America, some 70% of babies are born out of wedlock.

…

For so many black Americans, Barack Obama is appealing and promising precisely because he represents a powerful, necessary alternative to Jay-Z’s version of blackness.

Wait, WHAT?

So hip-hop is the reason 70% percent of black Americans are born out of wedlock? Is there a hidden subliminal message in “All I do Is Win” that forces baby-making because if there is I’m not hearing it. I can hear Rick Ross’s arteries collapsing but I can’t hear THAT; nor have most of my hip-hop listening black friends who have not had any children out of wedlock (The now universal judging-tone on out-of-wedlock children is a also annoying, but lets save that for another posts). What Williams and many people seem not to understand is that Rap music to a lot of people is just that: simply music.

Entertainment.

I look at gangsta rap music the same way I look at a Harry Potter book. Both wildly entertaining but both, for me? Based in a land of myth. Would I like to bust a cap in a mutha f****’s ass if he steps to me incorrect? Sure, sounds delightful. Know what else I’d like to do? Cast spells. Play a high flying game of Quidditch. A President that enjoys rap music doesn’t send the wrong message to Black America. It actually includes a lot of them in the American narrative in a way that has been completely absent up until this point.

I’ve never looked at a President and thought “I think there’s some things we have in common.” I never thought of it as an incredibly negative thing, it just was. But with a President who name drops Jay Z, I feel connected to the White House and the whole American story in a way I didn’t even think was possible. I didn’t receive a message of “It’s okay to sell drugs.” If anything the idea that our brilliant, highly educated President enjoys rap music shows the complexities of Blackness. A little jigga doesn’t make you ignorant.

But I did a little research and found the website for the book Mr. Williams is peddling. Here’s a bit of the description.

Like many young men in America, Thomas Chatterton Williams grew up in awe of Tupac Shakur, Biggie Smalls, and the parade of bling-bedecked rap stars he saw on Black Entertainment Television. Williams emulated their lifestyle – sporting chains and expensive designer clothes purchased for him by his girlfriends, who were themselves little more than accessories to Williams. He and his friends roamed the streets, maintaining their status by intimidating passersby. In public, Williams lived the thug life exalted in his favorite rap anthems, yet at the end of the day, unlike many of his peers, Williams went home to a haven of learning and intellectualism–a safe, enriching environment filled with literature provided by Williams’ father, known as “Pappy”.

Williams describes how he managed to juggle these two disparate lifestyles–”keeping it real” in his friends’ eyes and studying for the SATs under his father’s strict tutelage. Pappy grew up in the segregated South and hid in closets so he could read Aesop and Plato. He envisioned for his son a lot in life greater than his own, and encouraged Williams to read and educate himself, and to embrace the opportunities that had not been available to Pappy’s generation. As college approached and the stakes of the thug lifestyle escalated, the disparity between Williams’ street life and home life threatened to undo him. Ultimately, Williams would have to decide between hip-hop and his future.

Oh, so Williams had some trouble growing up, huh? Apparently all because of hip-hop. So obviously since he was so easily drawn into doing dumbshit that’s why the President’s shout out is so damaging. Guess what? I listened to Biggie growing up too. You know what I took from his songs? Awesome ways to use metaphors. I was a 15 year old kid in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn and instead of “thugging” after listening to hip-hop I wanted to be a better writer. I don’t claim that my story is the overall narrative of blackness and hip-hop but then again I’m not on the Wall Street Journal talking shit about the President.

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Disappointed that Obama hasn’t zapped the Republicans with his magical powers like Harry Potter? Not planning to vote in the upcoming midterm elections in protest? Then you need to watch this video…

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Example of a comment I saw:

“Will.I.Am was in BLACKFACE! He’s setting black people back!”

Um…what? Will.I.Am is a lot of things: annoying rapper, mediocre producer, but black folks setter backer? I don’t think so. Mr. I.Am was trying to be all artistic and he dressed up in “all black everything.” That’s it. It’s not like when Ted Danson showed up to the Whoopi Goldberg roast in blackface. That was over the line which begs the question: Would it be racially insensitive if a white guy did it? I don’t know. Possibly. Depends on how said white guy did it. Will.I.Am, on the other hand, also had a plastic flattop on! He was dressed like the black tin man and folks acted like he wore a sign saying “Obama is a socialist! I want my country back!” It’s not always this deep. Sometimes a costume is a costume.

Then we have Chelsea Handler. A lot of people didn’t care for her racial jokes. I personally wasn’t insulted by Ms. Handler at all. I saw one reviewer note that she said “Let’s look at the big black elephant in the room” when referring to Kanye. So? As a white performer is she not allowed to acknowledge race at all? Perhaps it’s because we’re both comedians. Maybe I’m being more forgiving because I know these are gags. A white girl bringing in guns to an event because security didn’t check her is humorous; it’s based in what a lot of blacks say all the time. Comedians are supposed to say comedic-type-things. She rode off the stage on a moped with cholesterol in a can…I mean, Rick Ross! That’s comedy, people. You may not find it hilarious but it’s obviously not said from a position of bigotry.

If anyone should be offended it should be the cast of Jersey Shore but luckily being referred to as disgusting and filthy is nothing new to them.

Then there’s Kanye.

I’m not sure how to approach this without getting death threats from Kanye fans. I wasn’t really that impressed. I wasn’t disgusted (for disgust see Nicki Minaj’s performance at the Pre-VMAs) but I wasn’t amazed at his magical abilities. I heard some say “HE MIXED A SONG ONSTAGE!” Actually, he didn’t. He had some notes and some vocal ad libs on the mixer and he pressed buttons but he didn’t MIX a song on stage. “HE WAS WEARING A RED SUIT LIKE RICHARD PRYOR!” Yes, and like Suge Knight. What’s your point? Mr. West is good at creating spectacle and that’s fine, but pretending as if he’s a genius because he owned up to his terrible faux pas last year is ridiculous.

So I’m going to go make my aluminum hat and wait for the mothership to come pick me up. I’m hoping wherever my home planet is we don’t have the VMAs. Or a Tea Party. Or okra.

In this week’s episode, we journey into the twisted, entitled mind of America’s favorite repressed, gay-bashing, antifeminist “radio therapist,” Dr. Laura. And what we find is a disease I like to call E.W.P.S., or Edgy White Person Syndrome. And even though Dr. Laura is already slinking away into the media twilight, her dysfunction will live on in every white person who asks the idiotic question, “Hey, you guys say it, why cant I?”

Now you will know how to answer them…

CLICK BELOW TO VIEW…

Elon James White is a writer/comedian/bruncher. Follow him on Twitter and prepare for awesome!

Scaring white people is wrong. I do it—but it’s wrong.

And when I say “scare” I don’t mean I hide in the bushes and jump out and say “boo!” Although hilarious, this isn’t what I would choose to spend my day doing. When I say “scaring” I mean simply by appearing at times. I live in a slowly gentrifying neighborhood in Brooklyn and I was walking down the street late one night and a young white woman who recently moved in was walking in front of me.

Read rest of essay after video:

She was obviously terrified because of the Negro apparently walking behind her for 2 blocks (we both got off of the train and we both lived at least 2 blocks in the same direction.) She turned around a few times very nervously and eventually stopped walking allowing me to walk in front of her so she could know where “I” was going.

See? I wasn’t even TRYING.

I thought about saying “Greetings random White lady. You may not know this but I’ve lived in this neighborhood for years and if anyone should be looking around nervously it should be me because anytime I see a young white woman in this area at 1am I’m terrified. Why? Because very soon my rent will be going up.” I didn’t say that because I didn’t want to be responsible for the young lady ruining a perfectly good pair of underwear but darn it I was really close to doing it.

But I didn’t want to scare her. I don’t benefit from her being terrified. Hell I might have ended up with a can of mace in my eyes and a strong kick to the gut had I really scared that poor girl. This wouldn’t and isn’t the case for the Republicans and the Tea Party.

They’re enjoying scaring the holy hell out of white people. Putting fear into their souls about losing a country that in all honesty was never Theirs (it was stolen and then handed down to them.) They’re profiting off of the fear of negroes and we aren’t even doing anything. When the young lady I was walking behind was scared at least I sort of understood–but the fear mongering that’s being ratcheted up by right wing news outlets is illogical. They’re throwing around the word “reparations.” Yeah, that thing that no one’s talking about BESIDES them.

So if you’re confused as to why middle of the road white folks seem to be a bit antsy just watch an ep or 2 of Glenn Beck. Mystery solved.

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2010=The Blackest. Summer. Ever.

Clueless Is The New Racist

Elon James White is back with another edition of This Week in Blackness, brought to you for the first time by GIANTlife.com!

With Jesse Jackson attacking the Cleveland Cavaliers’ owner, the NAACP fighting the Tea Party’s racism, the NAACP then buying into the racism of a Fox News attack on Shirley Sherrod, Elon says that 2010 has been the Blackest. Summer. Ever.

Elon’s best bites:

• “At this point, Jesse Jackson is just like Black people’s crazy uncle.”
• “There’s a time to talk, and then there’s a time to Shut. Shit. Down.”
• “The NAACP completely sold [Shirley Sherrod] down the river on some bulls**t… It was amazing because all the cool points the NAACP just got [went] completely out the window.”
• “If Glen Beck can go on television and be a d***hole every day, I think I should be allowed to be a little bit of a douche. I’m a douche for Good.”

Check it below [NSFW - Language]:

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Clueless Is The New Racist

From GIANTlife:

Yesterday I was found myself a bit surprised when I saw a tweet that linked to an article on the popular tech site Gizmodo titled “Why I Stalk a Sexy Black Woman on Twitter (And Why You Should, Too).” As a Negro my stomach immediately sank. I hadn’t read the article yet but it’s become a good rule that when I see something with that sort of inflammatory title I can bet money that some sort of ignorance is sure to follow. I tried to keep as much of an open mind as I could when I clicked my friends customized url shortener. I then read Joel Johnson’s “creative” explanation as to why diversifying your Twitter stream is a good idea.

Check out this week’s hottest news photos:

Mr. Johnson gave an example of an experiment he conducted by following a young Black woman. She apparently was Christian, comfortable in her sexuality, and tweets to the Kardashians. After his analysis of her habits he gave us this gem.

“I try not to extrapolate about her culture from just one person’s Twitter stream, but that’s also sort of exactly what makes following a random person so interesting. Are black Christians more open about their sexuality? Young people? Northern people? I’ve just got this single data point, but it’s more than I had before.”

Click here to read more.

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Elon James White is a Brooklyn-based comedian, writer and host of the web series “This Week in Blackness”; a satirical look at race, politics and pop-culture in a so-called “post-racial” America. Follow Elon on Twitter at www.twitter.com/elonjames and visit him online at ElonJamesIsNotWhite.com and ThisWeekinBlackness.com.

Elon James White is a Brooklyn-based comedian, writer and host of the web series “This Week in Blackness”; a satirical look at race, politics and pop-culture in a so-called “post-racial” America. Follow Elon on Twitter at www.twitter.com/elonjames and visit him online at ElonJamesIsNotWhite.com and ThisWeekinBlackness.com.

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TWiB: Keepin’ It Steele, Son!

TWiB: On The Word “Negro” … I Don’t Really Care

Elon James White is a Brooklyn-based comedian, writer and host of the web series “This Week in Blackness”; a satirical look at race, politics and pop-culture in a so-called “post-racial” America. Follow Elon on Twitter at www.twitter.com/elonjames and visit him online at ElonJamesIsNotWhite.com and ThisWeekinBlackness.com.

Episode 1 – Keepin’ It Steele, Son!

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Episode 2 – On The Word “Negro”

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Episode 3 – “Michael Eric Dyson Should Shut Up” & other black musings…

Elon James White is a Brooklyn-based comedian, writer and host of the web series “This Week in Blackness”; a satirical look at race, politics and pop-culture in a so-called “post-racial” America. Follow Elon on Twitter at www.twitter.com/elonjames and visit him online at ElonJamesIsNotWhite.com and ThisWeekinBlackness.com.

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In the brand new season premiere of This Week in Blackness, Elon James White (VH1, NPR, Hufffington Post) comes back to start off 2010 gearing up for Republican National Chairman Michael Steele’s new book “Right Now: A 12 Step Program to defeat the Obama agenda.” Plus White puts up a few theories on how to best explain Mr. Steele…

Elon James White is a Brooklyn-based comedian, writer and host of the web series “This Week in Blackness”; a satirical look at race, politics and pop-culture in a so-called “post-racial” America. Follow Elon on Twitter at www.twitter.com/elonjames and visit him online at ElonJamesIsNotWhite.com and ThisWeekinBlackness.com.

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The Brooklyn Comedy Company proudly presents the 5th Episode of Season 2 of “This Week in Blackness.” Host Elon James White comes back letting you folks know that Obama is most likely the worst President ever. Didn’t you know? We knew. We totally knew.

Elon James White is a Brooklyn-based comedian, writer and host of the web series “This Week in Blackness”; a satirical look at race, politics and pop-culture in a so-called “post-racial” America. Follow Elon on Twitter at www.twitter.com/elonjames and visit him online at ElonJamesIsNotWhite.com and ThisWeekinBlackness.com.

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