Happy Belated Birthday to Archbishop Tutu from Minnesota

Drumbeats came our way from Dibusse Tande blog with some good news on information we shared with villagers earlier this month. It turns out that Father Dennis Dease, president of the University of St. Thomas, reversed his ban on Archbishop Desmond Tutu. He announced the decision in a letter to students and faculty of the university. Here is the full text of the letter:

Dear members of the St. Thomas community,

One of the strengths of a university is the opportunity that it provides to speak freely and to be open to other points of view on a wide variety of issues. And, I might add, to change our minds.

Therefore, I feel both humbled and proud to extend an invitation to Archbishop Desmond Tutu to speak at the University of St. Thomas. I have wrestled with what is the right thing to do in this situation, and I have concluded that I made the wrong decision earlier this year not to invite the archbishop. Although well-intentioned, I did not have all of the facts and points of view, but now I do.

PeaceJam International may well choose to keep the alternative arrangements that it has made for its April 2008 conference, but I want the organization and Archbishop Tutu to know that we would be honored to hold the conference at St. Thomas.

In any event, St. Thomas will extend an invitation to Archbishop Tutu to participate in a forum to foster constructive dialogue on the issues that have been raised. I hope he accepts my invitation. The Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas has agreed to serve as a co-sponsor of the forum, and I expect other organizations also to join as co-sponsors.

Details about issues to be addressed will be determined later, but I would look forward to a candid discussion about how a civil and democratic society can pursue reasoned debate on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and other emotionally charged issues.

I also want to encourage a thoughtful examination of St. Thomas’ policies regarding controversial speech and controversial speakers. In the past, we have been criticized externally and internally when we have invited controversial speakers to campus – as well as when we have not. Rather than just move from controversy to controversy, might there be a positive role that this university could play in fostering thoughtful conversation around difficult and highly charged issues? We also might explore how to more clearly express in our policies and practices our commitment to civility when discussing such issues.

I have asked Dr. Nancy Zingale, professor of political science and my former executive adviser, to oversee the planning for the forum. If you have suggestions regarding either the topic or other participants, please contact her at nhzingale@stthomas.edu.

I sincerely hope Archbishop Tutu will accept our invitation. I continue to have nothing but the utmost respect for his witness of faith, for his humanitarian accomplishments and especially for his leadership in helping to end apartheid in South Africa.

Sincerely,
Father Dennis Dease
President

Wordless Wednesday: Darfur

Today we made a commitment to Blog Against Genocide in Darfur. We shared the details on this global tragedy earlier in the year. Today, I encourage all villagers to Join us in this Day of Action for Darfur.

Mail letter to our Frat Boy (props to Field Negro for this nickname) in the White House. You may need to send him the map so that he knows where to find Darfur. I don't think that Frat Boy knows much about world geography beyond Iraq or Iran.

You may need to remind him that Sudan is the largest country in Africa, located just south of Egypt on the eastern edge of the Sahara desert. The country's major economic resource is oil. But, as in other developing countries with oil, this resource is not being developed for the benefit of the Sudanese people, but instead, for an elite few in the government and society.

One aspect of the conflict that we need to understand is the impact China has on the situation. I suspect that the issue of China's support of the Sudanese government will become much more visible as we get closer to the 2008 Olympics being hosted by China.

Villagers, do you think that it is time to consider a boycott of the Olympic games if China doesn't act on their influence over Sudan to stop the genocide?

Black Blogger Calls Out Civil Rights Leaders re: Obama

Brother Marty is looking for some activists in the blogosphere. He shares a powerful post questioning the resolve of the Black Establishment over on MartyBLOGs.

I encourage all villagers to take a moment to check out the full post. Here is a sample of what Marty had to say:

Well destiny has presented us with the candidate they fought and marched for in the Jim Crow era and now they all want to use the "electability" excuse. It’s now or never and I for one plan on holding our elders (social and political) accountable for their fear and innaction. Finally, Medgar Evers and Martin Luther King’s dreams can be fulfilled. From marching on the White House to occupying it by election. Right here, right now. Not later. This is the 21st damn century and January 2008 is the time to change the complexion of the seat of power. Alright, O.K. Maybe I need to put it musically the way the P-Funk family phrased it a few years ago…time to Paint the White House Black.

And hey, isn’t it the Civil Rights Generation who always spoke about representing the race, being loyal to the race and creating opportunity for the race? You remember this line from your old man or your old lady when you were a kid, right? "…one day you could be president little Black boy or Black girl…" But now in the 21st century, they want to get stuck on some crazy old slavish thinking instead of taking the millenial opportunity to actually make the most historic advance in American history. Bullshit. I will truly be disappointed in our parents generation if they don’t do their duty and create a new legacy for the country and a final substantive legacy for their generation.

Do I sound pissed? Yep, I am and I’m calling out all of alleged leaders for not actually leading. Some of them may have already committed and I just haven’t heard about it yet. To those I’ll apologize when I learn otherwise. Until then, I’m calling out Maxine Waters, Tavis Smiley, Al Sharpton, Kwame Kilpatrick, Andrew Young, everyone in the Congressional Black Caucus, Nancy Pelosi, Jimmy Carter, Ted Kennedy - yeah, white powerbrokers included - John Conyers and others too numerous to list. The old guard can finally make the greatest difference in American history and it would literally reverberate throughout the entire world. Forget the transformation of the American phsyche (yes, the United States does need a psychological enema). I’m talking about the whole damn planet.

Click here to read the full post.

Well villagers, we need you to share your village voice on this matter of national importance. On a side note, have any Civil Rights era leaders, Congressional Black Caucus members or white power brokers in your city or state endorsed Obama?

Blogging While Brown Conference

I have only been a blogger since January 2007. When I first entered the blogosphere the only blogger that I knew was my sister. Over the past few months I have enjoyed the exchange of ideas with bloggers of all nationalities, politics and geography. With one or two exceptions ... every blogger that I've met has been through my computer screen ... out here in cyberspace.

Perhaps it is time for us to meet face-to-face?!

The 2008 Blogging While Brown conference is my opportunity to meet some of these talented brothers and sisters in the so-called real world. The Electronic Village plans to attend this conference next year. Early Registration is now open for Blogging While Brown 2008. In the spirit of Ujamaa I plan to take advantage of the $100 early registration rate. It will never get less expensive!

The purpose of the event is to give Bloggers of Color an opportunity to meet each other for the first time, discuss current issues affecting Bloggers of Color, and learn about the latest technology that will assist them with publishing their work.

Blogging While Brown was created in response to widespread dissatisfaction with the amount of diversity in some of the largest blogging conferences. A critical mass of Bloggers of Color have yet to attend these established conferences, however the initial response from Bloggers of Color to the idea of holding their own conference has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic.

Bloggers of Color are excited about a conference, for, by and about them and look forward to moving beyond the single panel or discussion focusing on diversity that are typically featured at some of the larger blogging conferences.

The conference is in Atlanta, GA on July 25-27, 2008. The host hotel is the Hilton Atlanta Downtown. Pass this on to your friends and readers.

Those of you that share your village voices by posting comments on the Electronic Village are just as important as I am to the growing success of our online community. As such, this invitation to attend the 2008 Blogging While Brown conference is open to any of the active villagers that come here regularly.

Stay tuned! I understand that the Conference Planning Committee will provide guidelines for workshop suggestions and facilitator proposals in the near future. Get on board now because 2008 will be an amazing year for bloggers! Blogging While Brown is the first international conference for, by, and about Bloggers of Color and the readers who love and comment on them.

Will you be in attendance?

Barack Obama Questions Attorney General Nominee

George Bush truly phuqued up the Justice Department over the past six years. The inability of the Justice Department to protect the civil rights of African Americans and others leads to a nation that is rife with examples of hate crimes popping up all over in apparent defiance of authority. As such, it is important that our next president put someone in as Attorney General with a commitment to enhance voting rights, enforce the Voting Rights Act and end racial profiling.

I was pleased to read the contents of the letter that Barack Obama (D-IL) sent to Attorney General-Designate, Judge Michael Mukasey, asking him how he intends to protect the civil rights of all Americans if he is confirmed Attorney General. In recent years, there has been a systematic failure by the Department of Justice to exhibit any significant commitment to upholding civil rights – particularly in the cases of the photo identification requirement for voting in Georgia, the Jena 6 in Louisiana, the death of a young man at a boot camp in Florida, and concerns that Blacks have been steered into high-cost subprime loans.

The text of the letter is below:

Dear Judge Mukasey:

I write to you at a moment in our nation’s history that is fraught with unprecedented legal challenges and constitutional questions – a moment that highlights the extraordinary importance of the position for which you have been nominated. By all accounts, your distinguished legal career reflects a commitment to our Constitution and the rule of law.

Unfortunately, this Administration – and your predecessors as Attorney General – have a poor track record in the area of investigating discrimination against racial minorities, while inexplicably focusing resources on a few, exceptional cases involving white victims. From attempts in Georgia to enact a voter identification requirement to the Jena 6 case in Louisiana to concerns that minorities have been steered into high-cost subprime loans, we have seen a systematic failure by the Department of Justice to exhibit any significant commitment to upholding civil rights.

At such a critical time in our nation’s history, we need an Attorney General determined to protect the rights of all Americans – in particular, those traditionally disadvantaged – and not someone who views his mission as serving as the President’s personal attorney. Since I am not a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I will not have the opportunity today to ask you questions about your views on civil rights.

For that reason, I ask that you provide responses to the following questions:

1. In recent years, the Department of Justice has demonstrated a clear preference for investigating isolated examples of voter fraud, rather than more widespread allegations of disenfranchisement of minority voters. As Attorney General, will you commit to a program of enforcement that is aimed at enhancing, rather than diminishing, the ability of racial and ethnic minorities to vote? Will you commit to applying the Voting Rights Act to challenge voter identification laws such as those attempted in Georgia and other states?



2. The Department of Justice seems to have weakened its stance on the enforcement of apparent racial profiling cases under 42 U.S.C 14141, which allows for civil lawsuits to be brought by the Department against racial profiling by our nation’s police departments. Will you commit to opening investigations and pursuing lawsuits against police departments that reveal a pattern or practice of police misconduct?



3. In recent months, our nation’s attention has been focused on the racial strife in Jena, Louisiana, and the disparate treatment of six African American youths. As Attorney General, will you commit the investigative resources of the Civil Rights Division to ensuring the fair treatment and execution of the law in cases such as the Jena 6, as well as the recent acquittal by an all-white jury of eight prison guards accused of killing a young black male at a juvenile detention center in Florida?



4. Several studies have found that black and Hispanic borrowers were more likely to be steered into high-cost subprime loans than other borrowers, even after controlling for factors such as income, loan size, and property location. Although multiple concerns have been raised in recent years about discrimination in the housing market, the number of housing cases filed by the Housing and Civil Enforcement Section has fallen from 53 in 2001 to 31 in 2006, and cases involving discrimination have fallen by 60%. In 2003, the Justice Department announced that it would no longer file disparate impact cases involving housing discrimination – a sharp break from DOJ’s longstanding and bipartisan policy to aggressively litigate these cases. In light of recent reports of stark racial disparities in the subprime lending market and the sharp drop in housing discrimination enforcement actions, what steps will you take to ensure that the nation's housing discrimination laws are vigorously enforced? Will you commit the Housing and Civil Enforcement Division to investigating whether the practices of the mortgage lending industry violate the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Fair Housing Act, or other federal antidiscrimination statutes?



5. In 2002, the Bush Administration placed political appointees in charge of hiring new attorneys in the Civil Rights Division – departing from the longstanding practice of giving this hiring authority to career professionals. Since then, less than half of new hires in the Division’s important Appellate, Employment Litigation, and Voting Sections have had any prior civil rights experience – and less than a quarter have had any prior experience enforcing the nation’s civil rights laws. The others, according to a Boston Globe analysis, “gained their experience either by defending employers against discrimination lawsuits or by fighting against race-conscious policies.” Will you pledge to restore professionalism and end the practice of politicized hires within the Civil Rights Division? What specific steps will you take to reverse these trends in hiring?



6. What is your opinion of the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act, which I introduced in January 2007 and which recently passed the Senate Judiciary Committee? Do you agree that this legislation is necessary?

I believe that with the proper leadership, the Department of Justice can reclaim its historical leadership role in fighting racial discrimination and ensuring equal protection under the law. I appreciate your attention to my questions, and I look forward to your response. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Barack Obama
United States Senator

Black Governor Wants a Black President

Only about ten weeks until voters in Iowa and New Hampshire make a choice on presidential candidates. Barack Obama received good news this week when Gov. Deval Patrick (D-Mass) ... former Clinton aide ... announced that he endorses Obama for the presidency over Hilary Clinton. He wrote,

"As a Democrat, I am proud that the field of Democratic contenders is so strong. Many are friends and colleagues with whom I have worked over the years. But frankly, I believe the importance of this election transcends friendships and party. I believe we need unifying, visionary leadership. I believe we need a President who will level with the American people. I believe we need Barack Obama."

Hopefully, the political machine that Deval Patrick used to get into the governor's office last month can have a positive impact on Obama's chances in New Hampshire primary.

Villagers, have you settled in on a candidate that you will support in the upcoming elections?

AfroSpear Blogger Field Negro In The News

I was in Los Angeles for the past week visiting with my family. I woke up the other morning and opened the paper to see one of my favorite bloggers in the Los Angeles Times! Click here to see the full article on the Field Negro.

Field (which is how I think of him) disclosed his true identity for the reporter. We now know that the brother is Wayne Bennett, a lawyer in Philadelphia PA. His blog gets over 1,200 hits each day. I admit that I check out the brother's blog each and every day. His posts are on point and usually give me a reason to smile.

Villagers have heard about Field in the past. I've nominated him in the past for a Blogging Star Award and a Thinking Blogger Award. He won the 2007 Black Weblog Award as the 'Best Political Blog' in the universe.

All of this recognition is well-deserved. The brother simply comes correct each and every time ... whether it is with his Coonies Award or his hard stance against the frat boy!

I am proud to be a colleague of Field through The AfroSpear. Field Negro currently stands at #23 on the growing list of Black Blogs that we are tracking each month. If he keeps getting this type of national pub ... he should be riding to #1 with a bullet.

Villagers, what are your thoughts on Field Negro (in particular) or The AfroSpear (in general)?

Nobel Peace Prize Winner Says Blacks Are Talented, But Less Intelligent Than Whites

I must admit that I don't pay much attention to the annual Nobel Peace Prize process. I know that Martin Luther King, Jr won the prize back in the day. Of course, Al Gore was a big winner this year.

So, it is no surprise that I didn't know that an American professor named James Watson won the Nobel prize back in 1962. Obviously, the guy has some book smarts to do the things he did with DNA research back in the 1950s and 1960s.

However, the downside for white guys living as adults in America back in the 1950s and 1960s is that they have some whack ideas about race. So, it was also not a surprise to know that Dr. James Watson harbors racist thoughts. I am surprised that the old guy allowed his inner demons out in public. The old boy was quoted as saying that he is "inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa" because "all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours, whereas all the testing says not really."

Watson also asserted there was no reason to believe different races separated by geography should have evolved identically, and he said that while he hoped everyone was equal, "people who have to deal with Black employees find this is not true."

Of course, he is apologizing all over himself now. Not because he thought the racist thoughts ... but, because he got so comfortable that he said them out loud. His cozy position at a New York university is gone as they suspended him immediately upon reading the article. I imagine that Dr. Watson was feeling good about all the nooses showing up in Noose York and elsewhere in the country ... so he thought it was OK for him to let on that Black folks are less intelligent than whites.

Just goes to show that a Nobel Peace Prize doesn't make you a good person.

More Hate Hanging in Noose York and Noose Jersey

Villagers, this is becoming a recurring nightmare. A 3rd noose incident in Hempstead, NY ... and nooses found hanging in a New Jersey Home Depot.

The Noose Watch continues to grow and multiply.

Finally ... Punishment for Noose Prankster!

Did you see where a Muncie, IN sanitation worker was suspended 30 days for hanging a noose on his trash truck as he went out into the community? The suspension is the longest suspension handed out to a Muncie sanitary worker. Click here to see the full story.

Some of his co-workers think that the penalty was too harsh. Personally, I think that it is about time that we send messages to these punks and pranksters so that they realize that bringing a noose into the workplace is unacceptable. There is nothing funny about this symbol of death, hatred and racism.

I wish that the guy had been fired. More to the point, I applaud the management in Muncie for taking decisive action to nip this deplorable behavior in the bud.

What do you think of the punishment?

Two More Nooses Found in Long Island

Villagers, two more nooses have been found in the Long Island, NY area. The number of incidents continues to grow. The number of perpetrators being caught for these hate crimes is not growing fast enough.

Darren Bryant reported the nooses dangling from the back of a yellow forklift - one with a tarred stuffed animal hanging from the end - said it didn't register as a mere prank.

"I was shocked. I couldn't believe it was happening here in my own community. I don't know what message they were trying to send, but I felt it personally."

Click here for the full story as reported in Long Island newspaper.

Philadelphia Calls Nooses a Joke

AfroSpear blogger Field Negro often rails against the rising murder rate in Philadelphia. However, we see that evidence of hate in our society doesn't always end in murder. All-too-often, it is ending with the appearance of a noose.

Black tradesmen allege that racism is common among the city's building and trades unions and that official statements calling a recent racially-charged incident at the Comcast Tower construction site a bad joke is an attempt to sweep the incident under the rug.

The incident, which took place Oct. 1, involved an African American hoist operator who claimed that a white co-worker allegedly dangled a noose at him threateningly.

"Absolutely, I know it is. I know that's what they're doing. This happens all the time at construction sites," said Anthony Fullard, executive vice president of Millennium 3 Management. Fullard, who was an ironworker for 15 years and who ran his own construction firm, KKAJ Incorporated said he often had racial confrontations.

"You often see racial slurs, usually in the port-a-potties. This is the normal practice and Blacks in the building trades go through this all the time," Fullard said. "I even saw it at sites where my company was working a job. I mean this was coming from people I was paying."

The incident took place when an African American hoist operator, Peter Solomon, engaged in a verbal confrontation with a White construction worker who allegedly dangled a noose in his direction. An investigation by law enforcement authorities from the Philadelphia Police Department told a different story; that the White co-worker was making a joke that the noose was "a new necklace" for his wife.

Solomon said there's no doubt in his mind that it was a racial insult.

"Initially, he said he wanted to hang someone. The wife statement came later and I think it was just an attempt to water it down." Solomon said. "He was looking right at me when he said he wanted to hang someone."

"The statement about his wife came when we were in the elevator. He said he was only playing around but I said, 'Man, you don't play like that.' They're trying to sugar coat this. I know what he said to me and I did not laugh or joke about it. He shook that noose in my face. I think law enforcement is taking this guy's position over mine, but I know what happened. All I can do is report it to the proper authorities."

Click here for more interviews and the rest of this particular story.

Villagers, perhaps it is time for all of us to make plans to support the National March Against Hate Crimes on November 3rd in West Virginia.

Manic Monday: Bat

Manic Monday word for the week is "Bat". It is October ... time for the World Series and my thoughts turned to baseball. I'm proud to know that my ancestors have been playing professional baseball since right after the Civil War. In 1867, the National Association of Base Ball Players rejected a request for membership by the all-Black Philadelphia Pythians baseball club. However, on September 18, 1869, the Pythians did become the first all-Black team to play an exhibition game against an all-white team, the City Items. The Pythians won 27-17. Despite refusal to enter the professional leagues, African Americans fielded their own amateur and professional teams. On of the best known all-Black professional teams were the Cuban Giants.

One of the greatest African American players of the 19th century may have been Frank Grant who played second base for the Buffalo Bisons of the International Association. By the age of 20, he led the International League in hitting, but he was also subjected to constant harassment from opposing teams.

Moses Fleetwood Walker studied at Oberlin College where he started a varsity baseball team with the help of his younger brother. In 1884, Moses Fleetwood Walker was the first Black to play in the major leagues. He played as a catcher for the American Association Toledo Blue Stockings. His own teammates refused to play with him. Threatening letters called for the removal of Walker from the team.

In 1887, Fleetwood Walker, Bud Fowler, Frank Grant, Robert Higgins, George Stovey, and three other Black players went to play in the newly organized International League. Playing in the International League was also difficult for Blacks. Teams were comprised of both white and Black players and the Black players were often treated unkindly by the white players.

Racism in the International League continued to grow. One umpire said he would make calls against the team with Black players. In an effort to avoid the constant confrontation, major league owners made an agreement to no longer sign Black players. The minor leagues followed suite and declared that Black players would no longer be welcome on their teams. Teams stopped recruiting Black players, and they soon disappeared from organized white baseball. Black players would not return to white organized baseball for over sixty years. During the late 19th century at least 70 Black players played some level of organized baseball. Beyond this involvement, Blacks were on the outside looking in on the game of professional baseball.

Andrew "Rube" Foster was one of the most prominent individuals in the history of Black baseball. Born in 1879 in Calvert Texas, Foster pitched for several other teams throughout his career and was considered one of the best of his era.

Following his spectacular playing career, Foster became a manager, at which he greatly excelled; utilizing the bunt, stealing, and the hit-and-run. In 1920, he created the National Association of Professional Baseball Clubs, also known as the Negro League which was comprised of teams from Chicago (Giants and American Giants), Detroit (Stars), St. Louis (Giants), Dayton (Marcos), Indianapolis (ABCs) and the Cuban Giants. There was one exception however, the Kansas City Monarchs - founded in 1920 and controlled by white businessman J.L. Wilkinson. The league was disbanded in 1931 after the death of Rube Foster.

Other great Black ballplayers that you may know include Hall of Fame players Martin Dihigo, James "Cool Papa" Bell, Judy Johnson, Josh Gibson (shown in photo), and Buck Leonard.

Sometimes we think that Blacks in baseball began with Jackie Robinson. I hope that you've enjoyed the journey back into the original heroes of the game. Who are you rooting for in this year's World Series?

Final Call Interview with Megan Williams

Police say 20-year-old Megan Williams of Charleston, West Virginia was held captive in a chamber of horrors while six white perpetrators physically assaulted, raped and tortured her for five days.

"We received a tip that a subject was being held against their will at Big Creek," said Logan County Deputy Jeffrey Robinette.
Deputy Robinette testified during a preliminary hearing that when he arrived at the residence to investigate the "tip," he saw Frankie Brewster another defendant and the owner of the house on the porch. When he questioned her, she stated that she was the only person in the house. It was at that time, Deputy Robinette stated during testimony that victim Megan Williams burst out of the doors with "her arms outstretched sayings ‘help me.’"

A bruised and battered Megan Williams appeared with swollen and blood-bruised eyes, lacerations around her neck and ankles, splotches in her head where her hair had been ripped out and multiple stab wounds on her left leg.

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan sent a delegation consisting of Attorney Abdul Arif Muhammad, editor-in-chief of The Final Call newspaper, Student in the Ministry Abdul Khadir Muhammad of Washington, D.C. and Final Call Contributing Writer Ashahed M. Muhammad to Charleston, West Virginia to determine the facts of the case, and also to minister unto the family of the young woman who was the victim of this heinous and barbaric attack.

The one-on-one interview with Megan Williams is chilling in its detail. Megan Williams is a young woman who experienced something that no human being should ever experience.

What are the lessons that each of us can learn from the crimes committed against her?

Call to Action for Megan Williams: National March Against Hate Crimes

Villagers are encouraged to support the November 3rd National March Against Hate Crimes to be held in Charleston, WV. The march begins in front of West Virginia State University and concludes at the West Virginia State Capitol in Charleston.

The purpose of this march is to bring national and statewide support to Charleston resident Megan Williams, the Williams Family and victims of other hate crimes nationwide. The Jena 6 case, the rise in the hanging of nooses and other current acts of injustices and intimidation against people of African descent will all be highlighted at this National March Against Hate Crimes. Families and victims of hate crimes that are occurring throughout the nation will attend. Black Lawyers For Justice, the Williams Family and organizers are demanding that Federal Hate Crimes charges be brought against the five hillbillies charged for rape, torture and kidnapping. They are also demanding Congressional hearings on hate crimes against African American citizens as well a wide range of actions to combat the growing attacks on African Americans around the country.

BLFJ and the Support Committee For Megan Williams are the primary organizers for this march. This march will be endorsed by at least 100 Black organizations, student groups, clergy and leaders of every stripe. You can reach out to BLFJ by phone (304.657-1493) or email (shabazzlaw@aol.com).

Help Override Bush Veto of SCHIP Legislation

Did you know that Rep. Charles Rangel sponsored the SCHIP legislation? Anyhow, President Bush used a veto on H.R. 976, the recently passed children's health insurance bill. The President objects to the $35 billion increase in the bill and has said that it represents a step towards universal government health care. Others have expressed concern that parents might drop out of private insurance plans and enroll their children in the government program instead.

Bottomline ... more uninsured children will have health insurance if congress overrides the Bush veto. The Senate passed the bill with 67 votes, enough to override the President's veto in that chamber. In the House of Representatives, however, the bill received about two dozen votes less than would be needed to override the veto.

Villagers are encouraged to click here to TAKE ACTION necessary to override Bush. I hope you will take a moment to do so...

Doctor Calls Pleajhia Mervin a Liar

I see that the mainstream media now looks to discredit the 16-year old victim, Pleajhia Mervin, who was beatdown on videotape by a 300-pound security guard in Palmdale, CA. ABC News reports that the young lady and her mother lied about her wrist being broken. Earlier this week the security guard claimed that the young lady lied about him calling her 'nappy head'.

Villager, some things ... like a videotape of the incident ... simply do not lie. Mychal Bell also had bad news when police placed him back in custody on charges unrelated to the Jena 6 case.

Wordless Wednesday: Gift Ideas

Security Guard Calls Pleajhia Mervin a Liar

Security guard Chris Niemeyer responds for the first time to the videotape evidence against him. He maintains that he was a professional who never called Pleajhia Mervin a "nappy head". In fact, Niemeyer claims that the 15-year old threw the cake at this feet and screamed obsencities in his face. The security guard feels that he used "measured force".

"Measured force" resulted in a 15-year old girl having her wrist broken; three young people expelled from school; and four people arrested ... all while the security guard gets paid to sit at home and watch Tyra Banks re-runs.

Niemeyer gave exclusive interview to a local television station. He says,

"I'm not racist and never have been. The issue that occurred at Pete Knight High School has nothing to do with race. I don't see color, I see people. Accusations that were made regarding myself are false. I thought I handled the situation professionally and I don't second-guess my actions. During the incident I remained calm, never jumped out of my character. Our job as security officers is the safety and security of all students and staff on the high school campuses in the Antelope Valley. Security staff at Pete Knight High School has done an excellent job at making the campus safe and will continue to do so in the future."

How hard an investigation does this have to be? It is like the Rodney King affair back in the day ... we saw the tape!

Al Sharpton and Security Guard's Parents Weigh In On Teen's Beat-Down

The wheels of justice turn slowly for Black folks. Pleajhai Mervin is the 15-year old student in Palmdale, CA who had her wrist broken by a 300-pound security guard back on Sept 18.

Three weeks later and she is still expelled from school. Three weeks later and the security guard is still getting paid. There is a video tape showing the beat-down by the guard ... yet he is still getting paid. In fact, his parents are writing editorials to the local paper doing what parents do ... telling anyone who will listen that their child is an angel and everyone that saw the tape misunderstood what they saw.

"This whole incident was caused by students not following the rules of the school. Period. It had nothing to do with race. If the students had followed the rules, no one would be in this situation. Latrisha Majors, her mother, should not have made a rush to judgment. We are parents, too. We understand the need to protect our children. The worst thing she could do was to run to the school and create a situation before she knew all the facts.

"We have watched the video over and over. Chris is not raising Pleajhai's arms behind her back nor is he twisting them. He also does not have her pinned on the table, he is standing to the side. He is not screaming at her, he looks very calm. He did not say the racial slur that he is accused of saying. There are numerous other adults in the video. If Chris was so violent as to break a girl's arm, wouldn't you think one of them would have stopped him or at least said something to him?"

Parents gathered for a 3-hour town hall meeting last week. Al Sharpton flew into Palmdale to show support for the victims of this abusive behavior. The authorities are investigating the security guard ... but nobody appears to be thinking about the negative impact on the lives of the 15-year olds that are the center of the activity.

There is a call for a gathering in Palmdale on November 19.

Personally, I tire of this disrespect by authorities for our children. When will we learn? When will we take matters into our hands and create communities that we control so that mayors, district attorneys and school principals think about Black folks at least as much as they think about the white folks? Here a Jena, there a Jena, Everywhere a Jena-Jena ....

I Love Your Blog Award

There are many villagers that quietly join us to enjoy the posts and comments without sharing their village voice. You never know if your work as a blogger is appreciated by those stealth villagers.

One of our stealth villagers is Tey, a busy working Filipina mom living in Toronto. Tey publishes a blog titled, 'My Daily Thoughts'. We were surprised when Tey presented the 'I Love Your Blog Award' to "Villager for his informative posts about Black people (just love it)."

Tey, I appreciate the love. Following Tey's lead, we want to show a little love for other blogs that deserve it. The Electronic Village presents the 'I Love Your Blog Award' to five others that we read and enjoy often. They are more than welcome to pass along the award to other blogs which they love to read as well and so on.

1. The Field Negro - Field provides the best social and political commentary on the Internet for people of African descent. Period.
2. Too Sense - This brother is part of the upcoming revolution of thought that will free the minds of our people.
3. Eddie Griffin, BASG - Eddie brought Black bloggers into prominence with his work on Shaquanda Cotton case.
4. Dallas South Blog - Shawn went to Jena, LA for the march on 9/20/07. He is becoming the face of Black bloggers for mainstream media.
5. Black and Missing, But Not Forgotten - Deidra breaks the silence on all the missing Black women in America.

Congratulations to all of you and thanks for writing such great blogs. Villagers, who are the blogs and bloggers that YOU love?

Happy Birthday Desmond Tutu From Everyone Except Folks in Minnesota

Drumbeats from Retabile tell us about St. Thomas University decision to ban Desmond Tutu from speaking on their campus. It turns out that having an enemy of the state speak on a college campus is easier than getting permission for a Nobel Laureate who was instrumental in ending apartheid in South Africa. C'mon St. Thomas University ... where is the love?

I thought that the decision to cancel Desmond Tutu from speaking on campus was simply a misguided birthday present of some sort. Today (October 7) is Desmond Tutu's birthday. But, it appears that the university officials were concerned that Jewish contributors might be offended by having a Nobel Laureate on their rooty-poot campus. Can you believe it? Who knew that Jewish power brokers held such power in Minnesota. I wouldn't be surprised if these same jerks at St. Thomas University aren't found regularly in Larry Craig's stall at the Minnesota airport.

I hope that some other major university will seize upon the opportunity to invite Desmond Tutu to speak on their campus since St. Thomas is too afraid of the dark to do so. Villagers, any thoughts you care to share on this issue?

Lyrics Anger Jena Mayor More Than Nooses Ever Did

Drumbeats from Kristi told us about flap between John Mellencamp and Jena mayor. I saw Mellencamp in a movie called Falling From Grace back in the day. Earlier this year he wrote a song called 'Jena'. Mellencamp's song opens, "An all-white jury hides the executioner's face; See how we are, me and you?"

As he sings, images of Jena, the high school and the tree are followed by video from the 1960s, including civil rights marchers, police beatings, and President John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King speaking. Still images include one of a protest sign reading, "God demands segregation," a stylized drawing of people in Ku Klux Klan robes and an older image of a black man in shackles, begging.

The mayor of Jena is pissed off about the song and video. The mayor wrote, "The town of Jena has for months been mischaracterized in the media and portrayed as the epicenter of hatred, racism and a place where justice is denied".

The mayor said he had previously stayed quiet, hoping that the town's courtesy to people who have visited over the past year would speak for itself. "However, the Mellencamp video is so inflammatory, so defamatory, that a line has been crossed and enough is enough."

Perhaps the outrage over Jena never materializes if Mayor McMillin showed this anger about the whites only tree in the local high school or if the Jena City Council didn't feel that nooses being hung in trees were no more than a prank.

Villagers, you be the judge. Click here to see the video or read below to see the lyrics:

An all white jury hides the executioner's face
See how we are, me and you?
Everyone here needs to know their place
Let's keep this blackbird hidden in the flue

Oh oh oh Jena
Oh oh oh Jena
Oh oh oh Jena

Take your nooses down
So what becomes of boys that cannot think straight
Particularly those with paper bag skin
Yes sir, no sir we'll wipe that smile right off your face
We've got our rules here and you must fit in

Oh oh oh Jena
Oh oh oh Jena
Oh oh oh Jena

Take your nooses down
Some day some way sanity will prevail
But who knows when that day might come
A shot in the dark, well it just might find its way
To the hearts of those that hold the keys to kingdom come

Oh oh oh Jena
Oh oh oh Jena
Oh oh oh Jena

Take those nooses down

Oh oh hey Jena
Oh oh Jena
Oh oh Jena

Take your nooses down
Take those nooses all down

Villagers, what say u?

Noose Threatens Construction Worker in Pittsburgh

A worker at a construction site in the Pittsburgh area found a noose on the second floor of the site in his work area. The construction company, Zambrano, turned the incident over to the O'Hara Township police and the FBI. This is the third similar incident in the Pittsburgh region this week.

On Wednesday, a Verizon worker said someone left a noose around a doll's neck with a note saying she didn't deserve a promotion. The doll was left on her desk in an inner-office envelope at the Verizon Wireless complex in Cranberry. Verizon is still investigating.

On Monday, a doll bearing a racial slur was found hanging in the hallway of the Port Authority's East Liberty garage. Officials said the threat was not directed at a specific person. Police are investigating, but no arrests have been made.

Villagers, it is more and more evident that the three child 'pranksters' in Jena, LA that hung those nooses on the white tree at the local high school have unleashed a virulent form of racist behavior in our country. Law enforcement officials need to catch some of these fools before the stakes are elevated by an actual lynching attempt. We see more and more incidents ... however, we are not seeing anyone getting arrested for these hate crimes. What's up with that?

Noose Investigation at Coast Guard is Re-Opened

Villagers, you may recall that a 6-inch string tied as a noose was found in an African American cadet's sea bag in July while he was serving aboard the historic tall ship Eagle. And during race-relations training in August -- set up in response to the first incident -- a white female civil rights instructor found a small noose in her office at the academy in New London, Connecticut. Neither incident became public until last week. Initial investigations failed to discover who was responsible.
The Coast Guard Academy has about 980 cadets, about 14 percent of whom are minorities, compared with 16 percent in 1991. African Americans make up about 4 Minorities comprised only 7 percent of the faculty and staff, and fewer than 1 percent of captains on active duty are Black.

Last week, after the incidents became public, the Coast Guard agreed to investigate further. The head of the U.S. Coast Guard, Admiral Thad Allen, and Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) spoke to cadets at the Coast Guard Academy about the discovery this summer of two small hangman's nooses on Coast Guard properties.

Click here to see video of remarks by Allen and Cummings
The noose, to African Americans, is a symbol of hatred and it takes us back to the times when Black folks were being lynched regularly. Villagers, we need to keep our eyes open about this disturbing trend that is flowing through America since the three young 'pranksters' hung those three nooses on the so-called white tree in Jena, LA. If justice on those three had been swift and severe ... we may not be in our current deteriorating race relations climate.

Villagers, what say u?

Swastika, 'KKK' Written on Deaf Black Student

Drumbeats from Boo Goo Doo Boom informed us that hate crimes occur in the deaf community as well as in Jena, LA. We have posted in the past about the struggles experienced by African Americans in the deaf community.

Now we learn that a group of white and Black students got "angry with each other" over the weekend on Gallaudet University campus. Six white students and one Black student -- all between the ages of 15 and 19 -- took a Black student into a dorm room and "held him there against his will." The seven bullies in this case used markers to write 'KKK' and draw swastikas on the Black student.

Click here for the full CNN article
All seven of the teens engaged in the attack have been identified and expelled from school. They could face criminal charges with enhanced penalties because it is a hate crime. The school is a residential high school on the campus of Gallaudet University, a higher education facility for deaf and hard of hearing people.

Villagers, what do we need to do in order to have a safe and supportive learning enviornment for our children? The words of Jim Clingman are ringing loudly in my ears -- 'Here a Jena, There a Jena, Everywhere a Jena-Jena'.

I am left to wonder what we can do to protect our children from these overtly racist behaviors? And what was that Black child thinking when he wrote 'KKK' on one of his nubian classmates?

Sixth Grade Students Defend Slavery

Villagers, do you remember when a prominent republican downplayed the significance of slavery last month? The slippery slope leads us to Caldwell, NJ where we learn over 100 sixth grade students at Grover Cleveland Middle School have been asked to take part in an assignment where they defend slavery. Students were told that they needed to come up with a "catchy" name for the plantation and list at least three reasons why slave labor is a good idea.

Click here to see video news report on the situation.
One student noted in his paper that "slavery is the way to go". Now we have over 100 young people who can conceive of slavery as a good thing. Whatever the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve.

That is a scary thought for our nation. It is sad when we have people ready to joke about lynching in Facebook videos or hang nooses in public places. Lynching and slavery are not joking matters.

When will President Bush speak out against this nonsense? Why are the two teachers at Cleveland Middle School still working as educators responsible for molding the minds of our future?

Villagers, what say u?

Blog of the Day Award Winner

The Electronic Village honored with Blog of the Day Award on October 2, 2007. I must admit that it feels good to be recognized by others in the blogosphere for the time and effort that is placed into creating our village. Thank you to anyone that helped us receive this award. I encourage you to nominate others that you think worthy of this award. None of us are paid for the time we spend on these blogs ... so, it is nice when people take time to nominate or select us for these online honors.

Asante Sana!

Racism At Work Leads To Jail Time

Villagers, did you see where a bigoted supervisor was sentenced to jail recently in a rare federal prosecution involving civil rights violations in the workplace.

U.S. District Judge Janet Hall sentenced 43-year-old Stephen Judge on Tuesday to six months in prison and ordered him to pay a $3,000 fine. The bigoted supervisor lost his job and his home as a result of his racist actions towards a member of his workplace team. The victim of his intimidation - a slight, black engineer named Allyn Wright, 32 - sat stoically in the first row of the courtroom, revealing none of the pain he poured into a letter to Hall in advance of the sentencing, and no relief or happiness at Judge's fate.

Tuesday's court proceeding was a lesson in zero tolerance of racial discrimination and intimidation.

Click here for the rest of the article
I imagine if we had a few more courageous district attorneys and federal judges like this one we would have less nooses being hung around the nation. I wonder if Judge Jane Hall was a Bush appointee?

Megan Williams Trust Fund

Not all of us could attend the candlelight vigil last night in West Virginia. However, all of us can participate in the TRUST FUND has been set up by Chase Bank for Megan Williams. A spokeswoman for Chase Bank said that donations to the trust fund for Megan can be made at any Chase Bank.

The donations can also be mailed to:

Welana Megan Williams Trust Fund Donation Account
707 Virginia St. E.
Charleston, WV 25301.

View source - Link to Charleston GazetteMail

Students in 'Blackface' Re-enact Jena Six Incident

The 'New South' appears to be endorsing the 'new Jim Crow'. Is there any other conclusion you can come to when you find educated folks making fun of the racial turmoil that is boiling just beneath the surface here in America? Some students down at the University of Louisiana of Louisiana posted a Facebook video reenacting the stomping incident in Jena, LA. The footage shows three students in blackface, playfully acting out the racially motivated assault on a fourth white student. In the background others can be heard yelling out racial epithets.

Shot on the banks of the Ouachita River, the minute-long video and a number of photos of the white students covered in mud and showing the number "6" with their fingers was posted on the Facebook page of Kristy Smith.

Ms. Smith is quoted saying "I'm not racist," but things "got a lil out of hand." However, she had time to think about it. It was a few days after the taping that she was bold enough to title the video, "The Jena 6 on the River".

Villagers, I just do not understand the mentality of people that think that race relations is a joking matter? When will we learn?

Declaration of Black European Women's Network

One of my colleagues in The AfroSpear is Adrianne George. She writes a powerful blog, Black Women in Europe, that is currently #48 on the list of Top Black Bloggers. She won the 2007 Black Weblog Award as 'Best International Blog'. Adrianne is a powerful sista.

She gathered with nubian sisters from 16 European Union states and Switzerland in Vienna on Sept 27-29 to create the Black European Womens Network (BEWNET). These sisters seek recognition of crucial role played by Black Women economically, politically, culturally and socially in the European context. They are determined to implement and mainstream Black Women´s Empowerment in Europe as a core policy issue.

Check out the five recommendations issued by BEWNET to the European Union leaders.

Villagers, take a moment to share your village voice about the five recommendations, BEWNET, Adrianne or Black women in general.

Audio: Mother Of Girl Assaulted & Arrested For Dropping Cake

Alex Jones interviews Latrisha Majors, the mother of Pleajhia Mervin, the high school student who was attacked by school security guard after dropping a piece of birthday cake. The youngster was arrested for battery and littering.

In the radio interview we learn that the police handcuffed the 16-year old to take her from the schoolyard to the police station. She had a broken wrist. How insensitive must you be to place handcuffs on a 16-year old girl with a broken wrist?

Anyhow, Ms. Majors provides a full and complete interview of the situation.

I was surprised to learn that a school assistant principal was caught on tape watching the violence by the security guard. Another oddity is that Ms. Majors called 911 to request police support when the school would not take her to Pleajhia. The police come to the school and end up arresting the parent, child, student that filmed the incident and that student's sister.

Villagers, this is an enlightening audio of radio interview with Latrisha Majors. The beat down by the security guard occured less than a week ago. Protest by parents and community leaders held last Friday in front of the school.

Are we over-reacting to this story? Is there a racial element to the violence by the security guard? Check it out and let us know what you think about this story.

Barack Obama Gains Momentum in Iowa

I was pleased to see the recent Newsweek Poll showing Barack Obama in the lead with likely Iowa caucus voters.

Newsweek asked, "If you were attending a Democratic caucus TODAY, which ONE of the following eight presidential candidates are you most likely to support?"

The poll results for the top three candidates were:

1. Barack Obama (28%)
2. Hillary Clinton (24%)
3. John Edwards (22%)

The inevitability of a Hillary Clinton nomination is blown away when Obama wins the Iowa primary in January 2008. Anyhow, this was the first time that I've seen Obama leading in any poll.

I wonder if the people talking to the pollsters will follow their convictions and pull the voting lever for a Black man?

Top Ten Black Bloggers (Oct 2007)

We reviewed 73 Black blogs last month. Based on that review we audaciously published our list of the Top Black Bloggers in September. Our list this month includes almost 300 blogs from across the diaspora. One impact is that the bloggers at the top of the list are much different in October than we had them listed last month.

The only qualification is that the blogger needs to be of African descent. The blogger does not have to be a member of The AfroSpear or the Afrosphere Bloggers Association. Of course, we invite all Black bloggers to join either (or both) of those fledging organizations. These Top Ten Black Bloggers are influential role models for the rest of us out here in the afrosphere.

The Technorati authority and rank numbers are shown in parenthesis. The authority indicates the number of blogs that are linked to this blogger over the past six months. The rank number indicates how many blogs are between the person listed and the #1 ranked blog in the world. Here are the Top Ten Black Bloggers for October 2007.

1. Pam Spaulding: Pam's House Blend (Authority: 1,097 / Rank: 1,953) - The blog won the 2006 Web Log Award as the Best LGBT Blog. Pam has an opinion about most anything in the political realm.


2. Angel Laws: Concrete Loop (Authority: 1,041 / Rank: 2,145) - This is a black celebrity entertainment blog with gossip, music, celebrity interviews, pictures and such.


3. Natasha E: Young, Black & Fabulous (Authority: 930 / Rank: 2,570) - Natasha provides you with all the hot gossip in Black Hollywood. Her blog focuses on the fabulous side of Black pop culture, trends and music ... all from a young, Black, and fabulous perspective of course.


4. Oliver Willis: Oliver Willis (Authority: 890 / Rank: 2,745) - Oliver began this blog in April 2005. His tag linke says that he is kryptonite to stupid. He posts regularly on politics.


5. Paula Mooney: Paula Mooney’s Tips (Authority: 822 / Rank: 4,001) - Paula is a powerful source of ideas for any blogger looking to increase their visitor traffic. She is very enthusiastic about the power of blogging. She works on blogs with both her husband and her father and she was recently a featured speaker at BlogHer in Chicago, IL.


6. Fresh Crunkjuice: Crunk & Disorderly (Authority: 788 / Rank: 3,331) - This blog was created in August 2004, however, it didn't get serious until May 2005. This is an active entertainment blog.


7. Sokari Ekine: Black Looks (581/ 5,328) - This blog began in June 2004. It is primarily about issues that impact our brothers and sisters in Africa. Sokari is currently in South Africa. Her posts cover a range of issues such as gender violence, racism, sexuality, HIV/AIDS and cancer. Black Looks is not for lightweights!


8. Darla Mack: Darla Mack News & Reviews (503 / 7,027) - Darla is a sister with a technology blog that has a unique niche of Nokia devices, S60, Nseries, Eseries and Symbian. She focuses on mobile technology and nokia phone reviews.


9. Terrance Heath: Republic of T (489 / 7,321) - Terrance lays it out for you. His blog reflects his life experiences as a Black, gay, liberal, buddhist, vegetarian dad.


10. Patrice Yursik: Afro Bella (398 / 9,487) - Patrice is a reformed tomboy from Trinidad. Her blog is dedicated to product reviews, ruminations about style, and interviews with women all shades of beautiful. Expect honest opinions about products, advertising, and entertainment specifically targeted to African American and Caribbean women.

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HONORABLE MENTION (11-25): How To Split An Atom, Taking Place, Entre les Lignes de Jo Ann, Keith Boynkin, Sandra Rose, BlackProf.com, Truth & Opinion, The Angry Black Woman, What About Our Daughters, Where The Hell Am I?, Rod 2.0:Beta, Angry Black Bitch, The Field Negro and Stereotyped.

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Our rankings lean heavily on the Technorati Authority and Rank score for each blog. We figure that if your content is strong enough for others to link to ... that is a strong indicator of your influence. I am very open to hearing from you on other factors that should be considered in future monthly Top Ten Black Bloggers listings.

You can post a message below if you want to know the ranking of your blog or find out if we have a listing for a Black blog or blogger that you respect. If our list grew 4-fold in the first month, we know it can continue to grow as we move forward.