The counter-protest to Al Sharpton's march on the Justice Department made national headlines in the mainstream media today. Villagers, we told you about this counter-protest called by Shane Johnson (shown in the photo to the left) and Gina McCauley in an earlier post. This is an example of the evolving influence of the afrosphere.
The USA Today article provides a quote from Al Sharpton acknowledging the Dun
bar Village victim. However, I found two other things to be most interesting. First, I was surprised to learn that the leader of the National Urban League was unaware of the Dunbar Village rape of a Black woman and her young son. Second, I was disappointed that the focus of the headline was "Black-on-Black crime". I simply don't like that overt racial slant on crime in our country. We never called the IRA conflict with England "white-on-white crime". We never talk about the fact that over 90% of crime committed against white people in our country occurs from other white perps/criminals.
In my view, the issue is crime against Black women that appears to be accepted ... regardless of whether the perps are Black, white or purple. Anyhow, the key point is that the counter-protest reached a national audience by being published in the USA Today.
The USA Today article provides a quote from Al Sharpton acknowledging the Dun
bar Village victim. However, I found two other things to be most interesting. First, I was surprised to learn that the leader of the National Urban League was unaware of the Dunbar Village rape of a Black woman and her young son. Second, I was disappointed that the focus of the headline was "Black-on-Black crime". I simply don't like that overt racial slant on crime in our country. We never called the IRA conflict with England "white-on-white crime". We never talk about the fact that over 90% of crime committed against white people in our country occurs from other white perps/criminals.In my view, the issue is crime against Black women that appears to be accepted ... regardless of whether the perps are Black, white or purple. Anyhow, the key point is that the counter-protest reached a national audience by being published in the USA Today.
11 comments:
"Johnson and a modest band of supporters are pushing back against the outpouring of black support for black male offenders, such as the Jena 6, saying it comes at the expense of female victims of black-on-black crime."
See this crap is the problem right there. Pushing back against? It's either or? We're going to piss on the Jena 6 to help Dunbar Village; that's the movement y'all won't?
I didn't do all this hustlin the last few months (and really before) so Black folks could fight Black folks and diminish one anthers suffering.
This is sad! This is a “black on black crime”
Yobachi - You are allowing the white-controlled mainstream media frame the argument for you. My understanding is that Shane Johnson is in favor of the Sharpton march against hate crimes. He simply made a tactical decision to use Sharpton's silence on the Dunbar Village crime to gain awareness both from Sharpton and others (including the MSM) about the atrocity that took place in West Palm Beach. I respect the brother for stepping out on faith. I imagine that Dunbar Village is now on Sharpton's radar, where before it was not.
There are a multitude of issues for us to address -- Jena 6 was one; Shaquanda Cotton before; Genarlow Wilson before; Megan Williams after; Asia Adams after; Dunbar Village after; other unnamed ones to come.
There are many tactics ... Shane used one. The AfroSpear used others. You created the 'Day of Blogging' concept as another.
In my view ... they're all good! We must keep our eye on the goal .. elimination of mistreatment and injustice for Black people. Period.
According to Gina herself, including in the Janjaweed in America video displayed prominently on her site; Dunbar Village has been or his radar. He knows about it already.
But as I asked in the AfroSpear, what power does Al Sharpton have over Dunbar Village? If Al Sharpton does stand up for something Negroes say, "go sit down and get out the camera". If he doesn't "then he's evil Al ignoring his responsibility”; as if one person could be at every crime scene involving Black people.
“You are allowing the white-controlled mainstream media frame the argument for you.”
From Shane and Gina’s own press release:
"It is the height of hypocrisy that Black leaders have remained silent for so long about the Dunbar Village Rape tragedy. Black leaders remain silent about victims of Black on Black crime."
Looks like the white-controlled mainstream media just copied and pasted their own words.
You don’t like the slant of the phrase “black on black crime” and I don’t either. But Gina and Shane are the ones who framed it that way; which again goes to my point.
“He simply made a tactical decision”
Yeah, and it’s a bad tactic. This pissing match is unproductive and counter-revolutionary. Just providing ample fader for the enemy’s divide and conquer strategy; and discouragement to our own from having it always come down to Negro infighting.
Even after years of referring to Integrationist as “Uncle Tom Negro Leaders”, even Malcolm X at the end recognized the nproductiveness of always railing against other black leaders who didn’t go about things as he thought they should (though in my estimation it was most often true when he said it, and what he said about them).
How does starting a fight with Al at a march against race crimes bring attention to both issues? It diminishes both by concentrating all the attention on the fight.
I noticed there’s no post on USA Today about the Hate Crimes March itself, just this article they gleefully post about the blacks tearing each other down again.
And Oh, speaking of framing the issue, it’s called a “Counter Protest” by the organizers. Counter means against. So when the author of that article says, “push back against”, he’s taking his Qs from them.
Why didn’t they have a Parallel march? Why did they make it about an in fight instead of just harnessing the attention for dual sub-causes within the greater cause? Why didn’t they just do a parallel march to HUD while their in D.C., and the media is out paying attention; since HUD has power over the projects as the Justice Department has power of race crimes; or just march with the other folks to DOJ while highlighting Dunbar Village with their signs.
They could have had a megaphone and given side speeches, hell that was done in Jena. People had their own particular points to get across and they did, but it didn’t detract from the unified purpose we were all there for.
Such a tactical twist could have provided the same positives without the negatives.
Yobachi - Your points are well-thought out and presented. Today will be over soon and we can work together on the next battle tomorrow...
Urban League executive members knew. I emailed them personally and received a response from one who even mentioned some of the coverage he personally saw in the Sun Sentinel (South Florida newspaper).
Symphony - What can we, as Black bloggers,do to support the Dunbar Village movement?
I also wrote, emailed and personally called all of the prominant "black agencies" for months about the Dunbar Village incident. So did hundreds of other black bloggers & our readers.
These agencies are lying; they absolutely knew about it. They just plain didn't care. Now they are being exposed for their commitment to excluding black women from protection if the victimizer is black and male.
I do NOT see the Jena Six and the Hatian woman in the same category, not even close. This woman committed no crime except for being poor, black, and female in America.
And until we understand that refusing to address the increasing and epidemic trend of violence of toward black women (which is being perpetrated by OUR OWN MEN... let's not suddenly white wash this to take heat off of the brothers) - then I will support Shane in his endeavors, even if it means exposing the hypocrisy of the black community.
We will no longer tolerate the excuses for turning a blind eye and even the tacit approval of violence in our communities.
Shecodes - I understand that Al Sharpton is going to Florida this week to meet with the Dunbar Village folks. Is that correct?
Also, do we know what became of the Haitian woman and her young son?
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