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 For
the Bush men, life’s Holy Grail is The Market – the place where morality
and eternal truths, reside. Taiwanese immigrant David Chang,
a 28 year-old acolyte in the Church of the Living Dollar, has
learned well the tenets of free market Americanism: blessed
are the profit-takers. Chang’s calling led him to bring forth
Ghettopoly – a cardboard and plastic talisman
that, for $30, reveals the demonic, subhuman
nature of
those darker
Americans
who have been rightfully banished to a place
of iniquity: the ghetto.
The continuing vitality
of White Supremacy is evidenced by the fact that even non-white
immigrants are invited to assimilate American culture through
rituals of Black-bashing. Since America is a frivolous society
in which culture can be purchased by credit card, its most
authentic rituals often arrive by mail, in a game box.
“Somehow I doubt that
Chang’s father left Taiwan so his son could profit off the
misery of people trapped in desperate poverty,” wrote Tim Wise
in his Guest Commentary, “Ghettos
are Not a Game: Making Money off the Misery of Others.”
Chang’s
biggest offense is in reinforcing the notion of the ghetto
as a free-standing entity, with an inherent culture, separate
from the rest of the society. But in truth, the ghettos of
this nation are the product of deliberate decisions made
by political and economic elites. Whatever culture springs
up in such places is not some intrinsic pathology unique
to the urban poor, but largely the consequence of institutional
racism and economic oppression.
Chang’s
game allows us to continue ignoring the most important
issue: namely, how did the ghetto become the ghetto in
the first place? Answers are easy to find, though apparently
Chang wasn’t interested in discovering them, seeing as
how doing so might have cut into his video game playing
and MTV viewing schedule.
An
anti-racist writer and activist, Tim Wise is chronically
overworked in the U.S.A.
His job is made more grueling when evangelical race-baiters
like Chang, moved by the spirit of hate-hucksterism, find boutique
outlets for their WMDs (Weapons of Mass Defamation). Chang’s
retail distributor, Urban Outfitters, caters to the “postcollegiate
slackerati” through “51 stores in North America and flagship
locations in London, Dublin and Glasgow,” according to Philadelphia
Weekly magazine. The chain’s president, Richard Hayne, “turned
a few hippie beans into a hip $700 million empire.” Apparently,
former hippie Hayne believed that Ghettopoly deserved a place
on his empire’s shelves. Hayne’s former wife and Urban Outfitters
co-founder, Judy Wicks, is a self-described “diehard liberal
activist.”
How
resilient American racism is! In the New American Century,
Taiwanese immigrants and diehard white liberals feel no shame
in hawking racist parlor games, proof that their piece of
the nation has truly gotten over the “pain” of the Civil
Rights and Black Power Movement era.
Urban
Outfitters was the target of Black protest in a number
of cities. NAACP President Kweisi Mfume gave Chang a personal
tongue-lashing, reported the October 12 Washington
Post.
Mfume
said Ghettopoly's images "represent the worst stereotypes
that anyone can conjure up." The Organization of Chinese
Americans, Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.), the National Coalition
for Civil Rights Under the Law and other groups also have
condemned Chang.
Chang's
Web site promises the release of four other games: Redneckopoly,
Hoodopoly, Thugopoly and Hiphopoly. Now, he said, those
releases could be in doubt.
"I'm
not a racist person," Chang said. "That's not
my intention. My intention was to show America that stereotypes
are ridiculous. I never knew it would be like this.
"It
does take a toll on you, reading mail after mail," Chang
said. "What have I learned from this? I don't have
time to think. I've been so busy."
Then
he paused and said: "For every bad mail I get, I get
10 orders for the game at the same time."
Tim
Wise didn’t like that picture, so he worked on the big fellas
of the board game business. We got this email from Wise,
last Friday:
Good news. I received
a notice from Hasbro/Milton Bradley that not only are they
highly disgusted by GHETTOPOLY, but they have made clear
to Chang their intention to sue him if he does not cease
and desist from making it and selling it. Here is their
statement:
PAWTUCKET,
R.I., October 10, 2003 – Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:HAS) yesterday reiterated
its demand to David Chang, manufacturer of the highly offensive
game “Ghettopoly,” that he immediately stop selling this
game to retailers worldwide.
“We
want to make it clear that Hasbro has absolutely no connection
to the reprehensible ‘Ghettopoly’ game,” said Frank Bifulco,
President of Hasbro’s U.S. Games. “Mr. Chang’s game violates
our MONOPOLY game intellectual property rights and Hasbro
plans to bring suit against Mr. Chang if he does not immediately
stop selling the game.”
Hasbro
is a worldwide leader in children’s and family leisure time
entertainment products and services, including the design,
manufacture and marketing of games and toys ranging from
traditional to high-tech. Both internationally and in the
U.S., its PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS,
TIGER and WIZARDS OF THE COAST brands and products provide
the highest quality and most recognizable play experiences
in the world.
Hopefully,
Hasbro will squish Chang like a bug – finally, a beneficial
social role for a corporate monopolist.
Roslyn Ferguson, of
New Haven, Connecticut expressed her appreciation to Mr. Wise.
Thank
you for your article in the Black Commentary. Just today
(October 10th) the local NAACP, here in New Haven successfully
forced a local branch of Urban Outfitters on Yale University
campus, (apparently, Chang's intended audience is white,
affluent, elitist college students) to take this so-called
game off its shelves. It was only in today's paper (The New
Haven Register) that I became aware of this latest nasty
piece of work.
Several
friends and I have been attempting to telephone David Chang – it’s
impossible, the line is constantly busy, so we've sent individual
emails.
Again, thank you Mr.
Wise and Black Commentator for giving you the forum.
Urban
Outfitters must learn that insults can be costly, writes
Makemba:
I
say we should never use this store again. We don't
need to give someone a second chance in this day and age
to prove they are not racist. The first time out
the Black community should make them a loser. Stop
supporting Urban Outfitters!
From Plainfield,
New Jersey, high school student David Marcus Rutherford writes:
That
Ghettopoly game is sick. After reading the article, I saw
how disgusting it was, but the online visual (ghettopoly.com)
made it worse. It looks disgusting and savage, like somewhere
where animals live. I guess that's how he views black people.
I will never understand
how people's struggles could be funny, though it's only one of
many elitist views of a lot of white Americans that I can't understand.
How could this humor be worth $30.00 dollars plus shipping?
The
Ghettopoly web site is no longer active, but the racist entertainment
market flourishes. According to a self-selective poll by
the Miami
Herald, 68 percent of respondents consider Ghettopoly
to be “harmless satire,” while only 32 percent rate the game “racist
and offensive.” Opportunities abound for the free market
faithful.
Poet
Arthur Flowers cautions that Urban Outfitters and Mr. Chang
aren’t the only folks dealing in African American denigration.
He titled this piece, Ghettopoly Follies:
Blackfolk
up in arms about that ghetto monopoly game
Forcing us to face the perception of black culture today
Apparently
he got his ideas of what black culture
is like from watching MTV and BET
Hard to get the indignation up to critical mass
When we are the biggest perpetuators of these images
For the same reason Chang did it.
Because
it sells.
Who’s
pimping who?
 readers
may note that we seldom use the term, “conservative.” American
politics is so permeated by racial subtexts, eighteenth century
capitalist icon Adam Smith would find few sensible openings
to join in the conversation. Besides George Bush, the loudest
voice in that profane discourse is Rush Limbaugh, currently
undergoing de-drugging treatment. Limbaugh works hard to
be hated by Black folks, since that makes him beloved among
a huge audience of whites. This singular talent has made
him a multi-millionaire. Big corporations fatten his accounts.
Last
week, Guest Commentator Reynard Blake, Jr., sent a “Message
to the Programming Pimps Who Hired Limbaugh at ESPN.”
When
he decided to criticize Donovan McNabb’s performance this season based
on race, implying that the National Football League had an
affirmative action program for quarterbacks, he went too
far….
Ok,
ESPN… You have had your day in the sun, with increased ratings;
despite the clear disrespect you have shown your somewhat diverse
on-air talent (that has few, if any, Asians, Latinos, or Native
Americans – but I digress) and viewers by hiring Rush Limbaugh. You
knew what you were getting with Limbaugh, and you got it. You
pimped him to get more money. He was a willing “ho.” However,
if you hire someone like that again (like Michael Savage – sorry,
I did not mean to give you any ideas) not only will I not look
at any of your programs or any other programs affiliated with
the Disney conglomerate, you will probably lose hundreds of
thousands, if not millions of fans that just want to enjoy
quality sports programming (ok, cut the log chopping competition
programs) that you create. Don’t do it again!
Paul
Whalen suspects that Limbaugh’s success is rooted in mass
psychosis.
Mr.
Reynard Blake’s
commentary was up to your excellent, cogent standards. Prior
to the assault and invasion of Iraq, Norman Mailer wrote
an article positing that the reason for the hostilities was
to provide a balm to soothe the descent of the white male
ego from its privileged position. Mailer opined that especially
distressing to the white male ego was its diminishing role
as sports star, with even an African-American besting the
country club set at its last stronghold.
Thus
the question is begged – is Rush a Mailer devotee?
No,
Mr. Whalen. Limbaugh is an Oxycontin devotee.
Freedom
Rider’s
debut
Margaret
Kimberley’s
weekly Freedom Rider column debuted in excellent form in The
Black Commentator, October 9. Kimberley, a New Yorker born
in Ohio, keyed her column to the sins of omission committed
in the September 28 60 Minutes piece on the arrest,
imprisonment, and final exoneration of 10 percent of the Black
population of Tulia, Texas.
Tom
Coleman, the undercover, unrepentant, perjuring cop who
framed 46 Tulia residents on drug charges, provided
the title for Kimberley’s piece: “I’m
Proud of What I Did in Tulia.” Coleman’s personal racism
is self-evident on the tube – but, then what? The CBS news
magazine danced around the obvious: “The sad truth is, these
convictions occurred because of white supremacy,” wrote Kimberley. “The
words white supremacy are so loaded, and conjure up such
horrible images that it is no surprise most people aren’t
willing to own them… We acknowledge racism but don’t dwell
on it too much because we want to live our lives without
anger and bitterness.” Kimberley
continued:
But
we are still angry and bitter. We waste time asking questions
that more often than not have an obvious and simple answer. “Why
am I followed around in the store?” Answer: white supremacy. “Why
does the world stop brutality in Bosnia but not in the Congo
or Liberia?” Answer: white supremacy. “Why doesn’t Angela Bassett
get more and better roles?” Answer: white supremacy. I could
go on with important and unimportant issues alike but you get
the idea. When these questions arise we should take a deep
breath, count to ten and then say, “White supremacy.” The initial
discomfort will be overcome by a feeling of freedom. Our circumstances
may not be any different, but the willingness to tell the truth
will be liberating.
D. Ray Ellis sent
Ms. Kimberley his greetings, and some background on Texas justice.
As a reader of Black
Commentator, Welcome!
Speaking of Coleman
and what happens in the South, maybe this will add to the
picture.
Charles W. Williams, who was the chairman of the Texas
Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Education
board, was appointed
to head this14
member board by then governor Bush for a six-year term. The board’s
purpose was to set guidelines for training and standards for all law enforcement
officers in this state (including Tom Coleman).
See following standard
statement of the commission.
“As
professional law enforcement officers, we commit to a zero
tolerance for
racial, sexual, gender or religious biased behavior.”
Mr.
Williams did not consider the word nigger to be offensive,
but as a term
of endearment. Giving testimony in 1998 at a discrimination
lawsuit (he was chief of police in Marshall, TX) filed by
one of his officers, he stated that " porch monkey" was
not a racial slur and that blacks did not mind being called "niggers."
So
it seems those standards above did not apply to him, the
chief standard-setter in the state.
From Birmingham, Alabama,
Farook Chandiwala writes:
I
am an Asian American of Muslim faith. I can and did
empathize with the plight of our black brothers who were
unjustly targeted in the Tulia drug case. Here we are
trying to bring order from chaos in Iraq, and here we have
chaos created in the lives of our very own innocent citizens. Of
course, justice did eventually prevail, and I am glad it
did. Power to you for doing a good story on this in
the Black Commentator. I was very disturbed viewing
this program on 60 Minutes. I hope we eventually
get over this race and ethnicity bias, and learn to live
as decent and fair human beings, children of Adam and Eve.
Deborah D. Clanton
is an insurance company product manager. She also welcomes
Margaret Kimberley to these pages.
Great
article on Tulia. Welcome to my favorite spot on the
web. I look forward to reading more of your columns.
Kenneth
Nunn specializes in the study of systematic injustice. He’s
a professor at the University of Florida’s College of Law,
in Gainesville.
Loved
your column on the travesty in Tulia, TX and how it was caused
by white supremacy. You are right on the mark. I
have addressed the root causes of African oppression through
the criminal justice system in a recent law review article, "Race,
Crime, and the Pool of Surplus Criminality: Or Why the War
on Crime was a War on Blacks," 6 Iowa Journal of Race
Gender and Justice 381 (2002). It is available on Lexis-Nexis.
Keep up the good work.
For
more of Ms. Kimberley’s work, go to her Freedom Rider blogspot.
She adds new items throughout the week.
Clark vs his own book
With
the publication of his second book, Winning Modern Wars,
in late September, retired general Wesley Clark revealed
himself as a man not to be trusted to tell the truth – about anything,
at any time. Clark waited nearly two years, from November
2001 until just weeks ago, to announce his personal knowledge
of U.S. plans to launch a five-year campaign of warfare “beginning
with Iraq, then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Iran, Somalia, and
Sudan.”
During
that period, Clark used CNN and numerous other national podiums
to raise his own political profile, never once revealing to
the public that the Iraq invasion was to be Act One of a seven-war
play. Now, he claims to have been “deeply concerned” the entire
time about Bush administration policy – as well he should have
been! What a different light Clark’s knowledge might have shed
on the Bush men’s lying orchestrations, had the general been
kind enough to have shared the facts of the larger game plan.
It is just possible that the Iraq war might have been aborted.
Clearly,
Clark was betting that the invasion and occupation would
be successful; he feared that going public would put him
on the wrong side of history. Now that Iraqi resisters have
wrecked the Bush plan, Clark allows the public into his confidence,
and expects to be welcomed as a seer and a certified member
of the Democratic opposition. What amazing logic! And yet,
Clark has hordes of admirers, including among Black voters.
The
corporate media – as well as, to date, the other eight Democratic
candidates – have chosen not to nail Clark to the wall with
his own, published words. We shall see how long that gaping
hole in the political conversation can be avoided. In the
absence of a spotlight on Clark’s “revelations,” he appears
as simply one among several candidates scrambling to distance
themselves from the Bush war. However, as we wrote in last
week’s Cover Story, “Wesley
Clark: Dishonest to the Core, and Probably Nuts,” Clark’s
sins are of a rather different kind.
There
is a fundamental difference between the retired general’s
claims and the pleadings of presidential candidates Rep.
Dick Gephardt and Sen. John Kerry. Both now claim they
did not intend that their votes for the War Powers Resolution
in October, 2002 would lead to a unilateral U.S. invasion.
Both charge Bush misled them, the nation and the world
about the facts and rationale of the war.
But
in his book, Clark purports to have known all along (or
at least
since Bush’s “Axis of Evil” speech) that the Iraq invasion
was “locked in concrete,” to be followed by wars against
six additional nations that presented no imminent threat
to the U.S. Far from being another victim of bamboozlement,
Clark claims to have possessed an insider’s knowledge
of multiple wars in the making.
Did he scream
to high heaven, Stop the madness? No, Clark assumed the
pose of mildly skeptical CNN analyst, occasionally picking
here and there at the edges of Bush policy, as if trying
to fine-tune and perfect it.
Edward
Schaffer is largely in agreement with us, but supports Clark,
anyway.
The
incredible article "Two
Civilized Men" is as good and truthful as any I have
read. If my choice, General Clark – as the only candidate
who can beat the miserable BUSH – wins, his feet must be
held to the ideas of your writers.
Wesley
Clark's life seems to be a frenzied dance (foxtrot) to the center
of the ballroom. His feet don't stand still long enough to be
set afire.
At
some point, Clark
will self-combust.
Gail
Swan is one of Clark’s African American supporters. Her position
seems to be, Bush is a bigger nut than Clark.
I
read with interest your article about Gen. Clark. Please
tell me what politician can we believe and who isn't a
little nuts to go into politics in the first place.
Once
again, the African American community is divided and George
Bush will be reelected.
In
my opinion, George Bush is not about telling the truth,
especially to the African American community who he is
afraid of and yet knows how to handle by getting us to
not focus on voting Democratic for President.
If
Wes Clark is the nominee, I will not split my vote as the
Republicans want us to do. I will vote for the Democratic
Nominee.
It
would be great if the nominee could be Al Sharpton
but unless something magical happens, that will not be
the case.
And,
speaking of nuts, George Bush is at top of my list for
NUTS and yet there
were and will be African Americans who will once again
vote for him because they have been brain washed to believe
that the Democrats have not done anything for them. My
question is... "and what have the Republicans done for
us lately? " Oh yes, they have given us Colin and Condi – who
feel they have to lie for their boss and master.
I
continue to be shocked and awed that so many African
Americans want to "split their vote" or " vote
their beliefs" or " believe that it doesn't matter
who we vote for…no one cares what happens to us" or " the
Democrats take our votes for granted so we will punish
them and vote for the Green party."
The
only ones that will punish us will be us!
Wes
Clark for President!
Kathleen O'Connor
Wang writes from an intriguing address: Diamond Bar, California.
Good
article. Thanks for publishing all Clark’s remarks about the War. Like we
need a man who oversaw the bombing of Kosovo to take over
where Bush left off. Like we need a man who thought our soldiers
swarming over Baghdad after the immoral and brutal Shock
and Awe campaign was a wonderful sight, to be Bush's successor.
Hell No!
Al
Buono recoils at the scent of spit and polish.
Excellent
read on Clark. I wonder at this country's fascination with
generals – Washington to Jackson to Grant to Eisenhower;
we'd probably have elected Custer if Sitting Bull hadn't
saved us the problem; which makes me think of Charles
Bronson's famous last line in 'THE DIRTY DOZEN": "I
could get used t'killin' generals."
The “top tier” is
oblivious to the obscenity of their Social Security retirement
age debate. Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean is in trouble
for having once suggested that the age be raised to 70, to
ensure the continued “solvency” of the system. However, Dean’s
sin is worse than the rest of the media-favored pack only
in degree – they all discuss Social Security retirement
in insurance company actuarial terms, morbid calculations
that fail entirely to address the basic questions: why are
people expected to work hard for much of their lives, and
what is the value of life after one’s time in the workforce
is over? These are the logical, natural and civilized questions
with which societies grapple once there is enough wealth
to provide acceptable standards of food, clothing, education
and shelter for all. It is at this point that human populations
can envision the larger possibilities of existence, as individuals,
as nations, and as a species.
Sarah
Santora works with the Hartford Area Habitat for Humanity. From
Manchester, Connecticut, she writes:
Bravo
Black Commentator! Your article on Sharpton and Kucinich
gives me hope that
not everyone in America is delusional! Isn't it ironic that
Sharpton and Kucinich consistently draw standing ovations
from their audiences, yet are mocked by the media as "bottom
tier" candidates. As a volunteer for the Kucinich 2004
campaign I talk to people every day about the coming elections.
Those who are not already completely brainwashed are more
open to change than ever before. We must remember that we
are not alone in this struggle. All across the rest of the
planet, eyes are focused on our next election. Other nations
now realize with stunning clarity that it MATTERS who is
running the USA. It can have a direct and swift effect on
their quality of life and health.
Dennis
Kucinich will have a book published next month titled "A
Prayer for America" and Rev. Sharpton's book "Go
And Tell Pharaoh" has been out for some time. Let's
renew our dedication to humanity and make these two books bestsellers
both here and abroad! It is time for us to evolve to the next
level as humans and stop solving our problems by dropping bombs
on other humans! Barbarism does not have to be our destiny!
Doc
James Menton was
among the swarm of new visitors to this
past week, introduced to us through Alternet.
This
was my first intro to The Black Commentator via Alternet.
I read “Two Civilized Men,” and feel like I can breath again. Refreshing
and challenging, poetic and pithy dancing around an ever
expanding spiral of truth and clarity unfettered by the tidal
wave of ignorance that pervades our times. Thanks for
the light.
We
got light-headed reading that one – while spiraling, expanding
and dancing.
Irwin
Wingo is also a newcomer.
Just
today I became aware of Black Commentator on Alternet. I greatly appreciate
the refreshing and innovative approach taken by Glen Ford and
Peter Gamble in their assessment of the Democratic candidates.
The part about our lack of a social contract in this country should
be a required preamble to any American history course.
In which case, we
would gladly forgo royalties.
We were pleased to hear from Marla Crites, an ESL teacher at
Shasta Community College, California.
A
million thanks to Glen Ford and Peter Gamble for their insightful
and intelligent analysis of the Democratic candidates' positions
on the important issues facing us as well as to The Black Commentator
for publishing it. I absolutely agree with them that Kucinich
and Sharpton are the only candidates who make any sense. They
are both so denigrated by the media that it is truly heartening
to read an honest and "civilized" assessment. We
need to see more of this kind of press if America is to be
saved from its own worst tendencies.
George Bush claims to see light at the end of the Iraq tunnel.
Jeff Richardson sees the light over the exit door.
This
article was well-written and truly inspiring. You have
touched the heart of what sets these men apart from the pack. "Cut
and run" is exactly what we should do, leaving the money
we can afford to go to humanitarian purposes and rebuilding
efforts instead of "security".
Mr.
Richardson is referring to Carol Moseley-Braun’s insistence that the U.S.
not “cut and run” in Iraq. The former Illinois Senator went
on to say, “it's going to be important for us to come up with
the money to make certain that our young men and women and
our reputation as leaders in the world is not permanently destroyed
by the folly of preemptive war.” We fail to grasp the meaning
of this sentence, and appeal to Ms. Crites, the politically
astute English teacher from California, for assistance.
Dr. Lora Chamberlain
is having a good time reading in
Chicago.
Thank
you for such a thoughtful article about Kucinich and Sharpton. I
have been saying for some time now that these two men are stealing
the show. I wonder sometimes if the rest of them are just virtual
candidates, holograms of the men they used to be, because of
their plastic demeanors! It is certainly obvious that Kucinich
and Sharpton are the MOST passionate about what they are saying
and Sharpton also appears to be having the most fun!!! Civilized,
intelligent, passionate and with good senses of humor, what's
not to like about these two! Please give them as much press
as you can.
Kucinich
supporter Carla Herwitz is quite protective of her candidate – be
advised to watch your mouth in her presence.
"Two
Civilized Men Against the Barbarians" was almost perfect. There's
just one little thing that I think you might want to re-think.
You termed Dennis
Kucinich a leftist. This not only is likely to make
him less electable in this country if too many people hear
it, but is inaccurate as well.
Kucinich, whom
I support and am campaigning for, is not a leftist. He
is an old-fashioned, American liberal. We have come
so far from the basic liberalities of the United States
Constitution, that pure liberals can look like leftists
to us. I'm hoping you'll make a correction to that
one sentence and publish it soon.
Other
than that, I think you were right on.
is,
of course, not written for people who shun "leftists," and
we will not shape our language to suit those who do. Kucinich
would be a centrist in the (ruling) Swedish Social Democratic
Party. Here in the U.S., that puts him decidedly
to the left of the spectrum. This is also the political space
where most African Americans are clustered. In the African
American spectrum, Sharpton is a man of the Center. We explored
this subject in depth in our November 21, 2002 analysis, “Poll
Shows Black Political Consensus Strong.”
Sharpton
and Kucinich share positions on most matters. They are both lefties
in the general American scheme of things – a political landscape
dominated by racism and reaction.
As
discussed earlier in this column, we try to avoid the terms "liberal" and "conservative," since they
have become devoid of meaning in American discourse. We prefer
to order people and tendencies from left to right.
Writer Al Buono
cited Charles Bronson on General Clark. George McCalip is
a more peaceful correspondent.
Your
wonderful article, "Two Civilized Men Among the Barbarians," reminded
me of a quote from Mahatma Ghandi, when asked what he thought
of Western civilization: "I think it would be a good
idea."
Keep
up the good work.
Putting out a political
journal involves more than words and attitude. Alana Lea understands.
As
an avid Kucinich supporter, I received the URL to your
cover article this
last week from someone in our network. The first thing I
noticed was the fabulous graphics – but I was too busy to
read the article until just now. What wonderful journalism
lies within these fine clothes! And certainly, I agree wholeheartedly
with the opinions of the writer. But then there's more...
You have created
the most outstanding online magazine I've seen to date. I'm
the Art Director of American
Northwest Vintage Homes online magazine, and recognize
the beauty, ease and simplicity. It's absolutely elegant.
Cheers,
cheers and more cheers!
Design credit belongs
to our art director, Susan Gamble, who also designs gardens
and whose background includes creating beautiful environmentally
friendly clothing for women.
Julian Vigo likes
our work.
"Two
Civilized Men Among the Barbarians" is one of the most
beautiful critiques I have ever read! Wow! When
I read this I thought: "I want to meet these two humans!"
We assume that Ms.
Vigo means Kucinich and Sharpton, rather than Ford and Gamble.
The former are much better company, although not as good looking.
The Un-American
French
At
the time of this writing the United Nations Security Council
appeared set to vote on another U.S. resolution on Iraq. As we pointed
out in our September 18 Cover Story, “What’s
Up With the French? The Not-American Strategy,” France “speaks
for world, not just European, opinion” when it
upholds the principle of national sovereignty for Iraq.
But of course, France
was a global colonial power, itself, and remains a neo-colonial
actor in the world. It is the U.S. lunge for planetary domination
that has placed France in the forefront of international order
and legality. We wrote:
One
million white Frenchmen lived in Algeria in 1956 when the
U.S. thwarted French-British-Israeli plans to seize the Suez
Canal from Egypt. The British soon acclimated themselves
to the American shadow, while the French later developed
their own nuclear weapons capability and withdrew from the
command structure of NATO. Believing themselves peculiarly
conversant with Third World perceptions and sensibilities
(based largely on the intimate Algerian experience), and
determined to preserve French business interests and international
stature, successive governments positioned Paris as an “alternative” Great
Power. What the blustering, bulldog Americans mistook as
French pretension was, in reality, a sophisticated strategy
that played against crude, racist American bullying tactics
in the Third World. Yes, the French are imperialists, but
at least they are not Americans.
Akili, a writer
who prefers one name, sent us his analysis of the American
predicament:
Much
like Cinderella, the true state of our natural condition
has been laid bare for all to see.
While our venerable
leaders were indulging in childish chest beating, and creating "Freedom
Fries" on Capitol Hill, America quietly fumbled the torch
of world leadership to an opportunistic France who probably
couldn't believe the new fortune that just befell them. Those
of us who are more than consumers of corporate potato chip
news, and actually read books and have familiarized ourselves
with history should know, that the white folks will never advocate
a position that is counterproductive to the goals of their
friends and allies, unless it is to decide who should rule
the world. Over that small matter, white folks have no problem
spilling each other's blood.
BushMob
Inc. truly over reached themselves and never even knew
it. The Transatlantic buddyship that America has enjoyed
over half a century, was borne of the blood shed in W.W.II
and the communist threat that followed shortly thereafter.
Maybe someone should have broken it to the Bushites that
the Berlin Wall came down in the late Eighties, and communist
Russia not too long after. The very need of NATO's existence
crumbled along with it.
The learned were
shocked that WE were shocked when Europe refused to heel
like the well trained dog it pretended to be when the Russian
Bear was prowling and prancing about. The only world body
that was relegated to irrelevance in this new little war
against Saddam was NATO, but my position is, if it wasn't
this, it would have been some other crucial matter. Europe
has placed its bets on a new vision: the European Union.
France
seeks
to
establish
itself
as
a
point
of
leadership
in
this
new
vision.
America
has
served
Europe's
purpose,
and
their
need
of
us
is
virtually
extinct.
Ironically,
we
were
in complicity
with
this
last
minute
conspiracy
of
our
own
making.
We
traumatized
the
world
as
they
recoiled
in
horror
as
we
broke
international
laws,
overstepping
many
a
boundary
that
we ironically
helped
to
create,
and
against
fierce
international
opposition,
rained
fire
on
poor
brown
folks.
WE,
in
the
collective
subconscious
of
the
international
community
have
shown
ourselves
to
be
no
more than
the
polished
gangsters
and
thugs
they
always
suspected
we
were
but
couldn't
truly
prove,
although there
have
always
been
rumors
of
covert
proxy
wars,
coups,
and
the
propping
up
of
brutal
dictatorships
run
on
the
behalf
of
the
American
taxpayer,
in
far
away
lands
where
poor indigenous
folks
who
are
not
white
and
therefore
cannot
be
trusted
with
democracy
in
its
truest
sense,
reside
in
death
and
misery.
The
PR
campaign
that
we've
run
for
decades
to
prop
up
the
mirage
of
our
idealistic
leadership,
that
purportedly
seeks
to
bring
the
pursuit
of
happiness
to
all
peoples
on
God's
green
earth
has
now
become
moot,
and
the
world
now
whispers
behind
our
back
in
fear.
They
will
seek
new
alliances,
with
good
reason,
to
solve
the
problems
of
their
peoples,
and
France
is
falsely
shining
the
torch
to
the
EU.
When
empire
eventually
comes
to
the
EU
(and
mark
my
words
that
empire
will
come),
and
reaches
its
apex,
they
will
prove
to
be
cut
from
the
same
cloth
of
the
phantom
empire
they
just
replaced.
I
do not understand why we people of color are more than
content to leave our social, cultural, economic, and political
future in the hands of an openly hostile majority (that
would probably be happier to see us still swinging from
trees), and the ready-made-for-TV, microwaveable black
political leaders and role models they plant for our viewing
pleasure.
That...is reality.
The pivotal Indian vote
We
haven’t had the
opportunity to do a piece on the ascension of Arnold Schwarzenegger
and the demise of Ward Connerly’s Racial
Privacy Initiative, in California. So writer Joseph Osorio,
from Oakland, filled us in on the essentials.
The
day following Tuesday's California Recall, a close friend commented
he'd spent the evening watching lemmings run off the cliff
on his local news channel. The demographics I read indicate
that among all voting groups, Schwarzenegger had by far the
least support from Blacks. Although the data I read had no
mention of how Indians voted, I conducted an exhaustive poll
within my own household. With five of us representing three
tribes and all voting, NONE of us voted for Ahh-nold !
Maybe
our respective people just instinctively realize we have
the most to lose.
Ahh-nold says California Indians "aren't paying their
fair share" of casino profits. Somehow I don't feel
too bad about lacking gratitude for all the White man has
done for us.
On a related subject,
and following Columbus Day, a gentleman named Pedro wrote to
us from London, to point out a repetitive and embarrassing
error.
Dear ,
I
keep reading the same misspelling in different US publications,
including yours:
"For a start, recommends
Trinicenter.com, from which the December 26 article was reprinted;
Narco News, the best, daily coverage of the U.S.-financed, cocaine-fueled
war in Columbia, which has been disastrous for the Black population;
and AfroCubaWeb, an excellent cultural and political source.”
It
should
read
Colombia. Columbia
is
your
NY
University.
Thanks to you, too.
I love very
much. It’s simply great. Thanks for mentioning our site (www.afrocubaweb.com).
We
did a search of our archives and found that we had misspelled
Colombia scores
of times. We’ve fixed them all, and apologize for each one.
We cannot begin to
apologize to the unknown number of readers whose mailboxes
were filled with multiples of our October 9 Issue messages.
The barrage was caused by a software problem at the company
that sends out our weekly notifications. They assure us it
will never happen again.
Fortunately
for Charles Birchwood, the glitch passed over his address.
He’s not mad
at us, one bit.
What
beautiful analytical insight. I am going to spread the word
among my friends to join up and give support to your magazine.
Finally, we have a vehicle that stimulates our thought processes
and provokes us to action. Thanks.
And
Pam Shorey, in Willimantic, Connecticut, makes us feel – almost
redeemed.
This
is the best online magazine I've seen! Keep it coming!
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