Vision Circle

The Old School

I don't know why, but yesterday I was thinking about "old school thought".

So, here's what it means to me:

• Taking a belt/switch/brush/shoe to a kid when they get too far out of line. That kid could be your kid, a relative's kid, or a friend's kid.
• Giving a "stern" lecture to kids, anywhere, when they are "out of order".
• Throwing an adult party that has lots of food, folks in one area, playing cards, and talking trash, and having music playing in the background.
• Having your extended family attend your church when your kid is being baptized or dedicated.
• Family secrets.
• At the family dinner, someone in the family telling the truth that threatens to set things off.
• "Handling your business".
• Pragmatism.

  Updates below:

• Family taking care of family.
• While never stated like this, this is what it is: Not letting your situation define the person you are.

  To show what I mean, here are some examples of sayings I grew up hearing:

  • Just because we don't have much money, it doesn't mean we can't be clean.
  • Just because a person is poor, it is no excuse to be a criminal.
  • Just because your friends are jumping out of the window, it doesn't mean that you have to jump out of the window.
  • No matter where you are, if you dream it, you can do it.

Marsalis, New Orleans, and Noble Sounds

Wynton Marsalis writes about New Orleans in this week's New Republic. His ideas about sustained intensity resound with me. If I could only leave my kids with one skill? One trait? It'd be that of sustained intensity.

As an aside, one of the worst aspects of the blog as a form is that in most cases it detracts from sustained intensity.

But that's another discussion.

Bennett, Cosby, and Barnes Pt. 3--The Fakelore of White Supremacy

In pt. 1, I deconstructured Cosby's comments. It should be clear, if it wasn't before, that Cosby's comments reveal a significant degree of disdain for black poor citizens. In pt. 2, I talked about the distinction between enslaved Africans, and black slaves. A simple way to think about it is grammatically as far as adjectives and nouns. In the one case the adjective is "African" in the other case the noun is "slave".

Steve's response can be found here. In my short comments to his post, I noted that by not asking how whites were damaged by slavery we fall into the fakelore of white supremacy. In his response, and his first Bennett Cosby quote, Steve argues that one way to see negative conditioning is by looking at the way blacks took to white standards of beauty, preferred straight hair to kinked (or "natural") hair, left black communities, and took being smart to mean "acting white."

A lot to cover here.

Contradictions In Black

Black Americans have to be the most internally questioning people in the U.S.

The idea that Blacks "speak behind closed doors" is a farce. Things are mentioned on Black talk radio. Things are mentioned in Black print media. The idea about Blacks "speaking behind closed doors" rests on the idea that it's "behind closed doors" because media appointed "Black leaders" aren't QUOTED as saying certain things. Then, critics of the American Black community, white and Black, say that because those "leaders" aren't saying things, it isn't being said.

False.

Then those same critics will say that those "Black leaders" don't speak for all Blacks.

True.

Then those same critics will say that the Black community, in general, is being "lead" by the "Black leaders".

Then those same critics will point out where the "Black leaders" are not sychronized with the general Black community.

Ummm.... Ain't there some contradictions there somewhere?

The "Free Thinker" Challenge

Based on an intentionlly provacative post from LaShawn Barber, and the comment thread I've become a part of, I've come up with the following questions.

For those who want to label themselves conservatives, and for those who believe that conservatives are "people who think vs. feel", I want you to think about the following questions:

1. It's well known that the membership numbers of the NAACP has been steady since about the 70s. Given that the American Black population has grown, essentially, the NAACP membership has fallen. If the NAACP is a group that "leads thoughts" of Black people in the U.S., how is it that its membership numbers are steady with the average age of NAACP members rising?

2. With question #2 in mind, how is that public Black conservatives only point out the membership troubles of the NAACP, but never publically point out the criticisms of the NAACP by "non-conservative" Blacks?

3. With questions #1 and #2 in mind, why is it when it is reported that Blacks who have been polled favor "conservative" ideas like vouchers or support heterosexual marriage only, none of the conservative critics of said "leaders", try to find out other areas of disagreement?

4. With #3 in mind, do you believe that the images of Blacks, by "news media" is accurate?

5. With #4 in mind, if you do NOT believe the images of Blacks are totally accurate, have you ever wondered why conservatives, of any race, have tried to give a more complete picture of the Black community.

6. To go further, if there is indeed a "silent conservative Black population", why are there no efforts by conservatives to profile the everyday "conservative Black population"?

7. If you believe that "standard" conservative image of Blacks, do you believe that Earl Graves, publisher of Black Enterprise is someone who is castigated or cheered?

Bonus questions:

1. Why is it that the biggest critics of the NAACP, Jesse Jackson, and Al Sharpton, are not white conservatives or Black conservatives, but the general Black population?

2. Why is it that the biggest critics of Blacks in the U.S., are Blacks?

3. If the media distorts the picture of Black conservatives, and the media distorts the picture of progress of American Blacks, why trust the picture of Blacks following "Black leaders"?

Black America: My View

Cobb wrote this about his view of the Black Political Spectrum.

I put the following in the comment section.

Thinks a bit...

I think my relation to society is that I am part of a society that has set high goals for itself, but has only historically recently, really started to live the goals that it has set for itself.

There are definitely problems that still abound, but some of those will always be around: crime, poverty, deviency. Society sets the standards and society addresses those that live outside of the standards.

"As Black folk", we are a part of the society as a whole, even though there are many who view us outside of society and still not willing to be a part of society. For "Black folk" in general, that view is garbage. And, IMNSHO, speaks to the ignorance and bias of those who think so, regardless of race.

Thinks...

But racism or other's ignorance ain't our greatest foe, though it is one that can beat down those who aren't prepared. Our own ignorance is greater. But I'm hard pressed to think of something that IS our GREATEST foe.

After writing that, I'll add some more thoughts.

There are those who will say that morality is our greatest issue. I understand that point as well and have some sympathy for it, but if you go strictly by the Bible, most of America is immoral. If you don't believe me, look up the statistics on out of wedlock sexual activity of those under 21 and ask yourself if it moral to have sex outside of marriage.

Education definitely is a problem as well as business creation. The latter is improving, the former has some bright spots and some bleak spots.

Now for the big "DUH" moment: it's not one thing is the combination of all things that provide the biggest challenge.

But African-Americans are Americans, and most Blacks know and understand this. I say to you, question all of those who say otherwise. Question all of those who say Blacks are not part of the mainstream. No matter what they tell you to support their idea, the are shoveling muck.

On Cobbs analysis, it breaks down in my view because it doesn't take into account the role of government. Despite what the critics state, the view of Blacks toward the government is more complex than "depending on the government for everything." Welfare doesn't define Black America, neither does "depending on the government."

Liberal, conservative, progressive, whatever. Trash those labels. Blacks can't afford to be a part of that nonsense.

What Is It All About?

My daughter working for the summer, seeing her way over the rough spots called college/university life.

The wife feeding "D.S. 2.0" with a look that tells me there's nothing between the 2 of them but pure love.

Standing over a grill, puttin' my foot in salmon steaks, chicken, lamb chops and grilled veggie kabobs.

Love and life baby. That's what it's all about.

Yeah....

Queue up Change and other Luther old school records.

Searchin' searchin'
For so longggg...
Searchin'

Tomorrow, the youngest of the family sees the family matriarch, again.

Love. Right. There.

My wife. My daughter. My son. The family matriarch.

Love. Right. There.

Life is good.

I'm blessed.

Mo' Black Leadership

So a comment on Cobb has me somewhat torqued. And the comment can't get past a filter, so I'm putting it here and trackin' back.

I think he did answer your question, DarkStar; he simply declines to be constrained to answer it in a manner demanded by you. Because the question includes a presumption he doesn't accept, right?

Wrong, but thanks for playing.

Look at all that I wrote:

Why is that that "Black conservatives" and conservatives in general, in denouncing "Black leadership", never promote the people and organizations like those listed here, as being "Black leaders" or being representative of the Black community or the strengths of the Black community?

Note the bolded part?

I'm not pulling this question out of thin air. It's based on LONG TIME observations as well as taking part in a past "Black conservative email list" where they, THEMSELVES, were asking each other the same thing.

Look, I saw a dang near civil war over the 1st Trent Lott and CofCC association mess on that email list. What blew me away was a list of self proclaimed Black Republicans saying the same things about themselves that Black Democrats say about Black Republicans. When "sellout" was flying between them and when the phrase "Black CON-servative" was used, from a Gingrich staffer no less, I took notice.

So back up. I'm not constraining anyone. And I don't ever expect a straight forward answer from Cobb, based on experience. And that's not a bad thing, that just is what Cobb is.

I don't accept that Blacks are not mainstream. I've traveled outside of the country enough to know that line is garbage.

A separate nation is foolish. A separate agenda is NOT foolish but will never happen because the Black community is not monolithic; radicals, conservatives, liberals, apathetic, all have a place in the mix.

I recognize and say that the civil rights battle has been fought and won and the next needs are economic and moral. You pick the order of importance.

Straight up, the questions about Black politics are annoying on all sides. I'm not being wishy washy or a "stick my finger in the air and see which way the wind blows" or whatever slander some conservatives place on those who proclaim the "moderate" label. BTW, I proclaim no label.

Straight up, it's all b.s. and I call 'em all on it. "Both sides" are equally pessimistic, negative, and degrading of the Black community. Neither show the positives going on. And as a parent who has one on the cusp of standing on her own damn 2 feet, and another just on the breast, I don't have the patience for the garbage being spewed.

When a proclaimed liberal calls a man like Clinton a brotha and gets cheers, and Fox News proclaims a semi-literate, race pimp reverend named Jesse Lee Peterson a "Black leader" while at the same time denouncing the label "Black leader" and the need for such, some Blacks need to stand up and call people on their b.s.

Yeah, I called Jesse Jackson a punk some years ago. And I just called Jesse Peterson a race pimp. What other man of God would say that if a person wants to get saved, they should not go to a Black church? No, he didn't say a particular type of Black church, but any Black church.

Yeah...
I'm pissed.
I'm sleep deprived 'cuz the new baby has "cholic", plus the ish is hitting the fan on the "9-5".

It took WHITE CONSERVATIVES to point to good goings on in urban schools across the country. Something REEKS about that.

Breathe....

Presumptions my fanny...

New Life

So you are in the operating room, sitting at the head of your wife, while behind the curtain, two doctors and a medical student are working on doing their thing on your wife's "stomach".

A nurse, with a white towel with red and blue stripes drapped across both outstreached arms, comes to the side and waits. And then all of a sudden, you see a "big head" covered in wavy black hair appear from behind that curtain and placed on the towel. They announce, "There he is!" and rush off to do some things.

Later, while the doctors are still doing their thing behind the curtain, they bring him back, tightly wrapped in towel.

They place the boy in the father's arms, and as he gazes down, he looks over at his wife to introduce the two, and the husband sees the look on his wife's face that says it all: the bond between the mother and son will never be broken. Dad, the love your wife has for you is nothing compared to the love your wife has for her son.

And that thought is a wonderful realization.

"DS, 2.0" -- Thanks George! -- welcome to your life!
I'm your dad. I'm charged by God to guide you through your life.
This is your mom. She's charged by God to guide you through your life.

We will do as God commands, in the best way that we know how.

God first, us second.

I proclaim here and now, that God has great things in store for you. "DS, 2.0", prepare for the time of your life!!!!

Dad, mom, and big sis love you.

"Let's get it started!
Let's get it started in here!"

"Wisdom"

Wisdom. One definition:

Wisdom comes when you are old enough to have made quite a few mistakes and have learned from those mistakes so that you don't make them again. You know that if you see situation A, last time you reacted by doing B, but you learned that C was better. So next time, situation A comes along and you go for C, instead of B.

Given that the youth aren't joining the NAACP, and the membership is getting older, isn't the NAACP reacting from their learned experiences, hence "wisdom", when the come out against vouchers?

For those who care to look into the history of vouchers, vouchers first came about in reaction to school desegregation rulings. For example, in Virginia, private academies were created and public funding when to white parents to send their children to private schools.

So, when critics, rightly, say that they seem to be stuck in the past, it may be because, collectively, they are reacting to situations that they learned from yester-year.

That's what I find interesting about the "Black liberal" vs. "Black conservative" sham that the Black community -- me included -- has allowed ourselves to be sucked into.

By targeting the "under 40" crowd of Blacks, the focus is being paid to those without the institutional memory to help form a basis for making some decisions. To put it more bluntly, and probably grammatically correctly, the "under 40" crowd is being targeted because of their "ignorance".

That is not an attack this is just an observation.