The Threated Existence Of HBCUs: Morris Brown College Is Not Under Attack From A Republican Governor And Thus Receives Less Attention

AJC: Morris Brown continues fight for survival

 At the foothills of the Black mountain of wealth and political power in Metro-Atlanta resides Morris Brown College.  While still a member of the "Atlanta University Center" complex which has educated hundreds of thousands of Black people over the last century - MoBrown is a mere shell of itself today.   The buildings still stand erect yet most go underutilized.  While there is a great pinned up demand and need for the services that the school delivers - the harsh financial realities of its situation has rendered this HBCU near death.  

Earlier this year a massive water bill that was due to the City of Atlanta nearly proved to be the final nail in the coffin.

At Morris Brown there is no Republican governor around to operate as the villain who threatens to blow up the bridge upon which Black people who seek opportunity walk across to the other side and gain access to enlightenment and opportunity.  Instead MoBrown's fate is nearly 100% self-inflicted. As such the "public outrage" within the Black community about the situation at MoBrown has been muted.

Years of financial mis-management and the expansion of its physical plant (its buildings) that was beyond its financial means brought this proud institution to its present state of affairs.

There has never been a better time for the Black community to prove that it values education of our young people above all else.

(For the record - despite not being an alumni of the school I have donated more money to it over the years than has the average graduate who has a direct connection to the school. )

AJC Story:

The historically black school has nearly $30 million in long-term debt. Acting President Stanley Pritchett estimated the college would need as much as $50 million over the next five years. It costs about $350,000 a month to run the college.

“The only thing standing between Morris Brown applying for accreditation is fiscal stability,” Pritchett said. “We need money, desperately. We need people to understand that an investment in Morris Brown is a good investment.”

Accreditation shows that a college meets widely accepted standards and makes students eligible for federal financial aid.

While Pritchett and other Morris Brown officials remained confident in the college’s future success, others were unsure whether the college could or should continue.

NY Times: Racism In Employment Of Degreed Blacks

NY Times: In Job Hunt, College Degree Can't Close Racial Gap

In a previous post I noted the propensity of people to make the White male with a college degree as the key reference for the employment rate that should be for Black men.  They are our "1.0" of perfection, if you will.   The argument is that only "RACISM" could describe the reason for the gap between the 4.4% unemployment rate among degreed White men and the present 7.8% for Black males who are similarly degreed.

The NY Times follows the typical review.  Detail the gap then interview Black people who say that they have been victims of racist hiring managers, many of whom were shocked when the voice they liked on the phone had "brown skin" in person.  From this sight the interview went down hill.   No one, certainly not me, is arguing that there is no preference for one's own race that gives the White male a leg up in employment.  In addition there are existing stereotypes that are negative against Black people many of which don't prove to be true.

Despite all of this my argument stands.  The facts that document the employment differences between Black males with degrees, Black males with high school diplomas and Black males who don't have a diploma at all blow all other "gaps" in employment that can be made based on purely racial terms.

In seeking to dislodge all racial considerations in the hiring process the task is expansive.  Beyond the elements of human and group nature that is detailed above there would need to be an expansive regulatory effort to achieve a few percentage point gains.  From my experience in insuring the uptime of computer systems - the more "9's" that you purse in the "99.999%" uptime standard the more expensive the task becomes for diminishing returns.  

In as much as the New York Times is prone to engage in "advocacy journalism" I don't look to them for dispassionate strategic development.  Instead I choose to lay out the facts.

The fact is that the biggest gains for the Black unemployment  problem reside in improving the high school graduation and literacy rates amongst Black males.  The past 50 years of political advocacy and struggle has delivered the public school apparatus where Black people live into our hands (or at least being run by 'favorable people').

It is clear to me that instead of constructing a regulatory framework around all corporations that reside largely outside of  our communities so that they hire sufficient numbers of African-Americans the larger "green field" opportunity resides with realigning and redefining the key academic (and cultural) institutions that are closer to home so that they might produce better results amongst the people who they service.

In this world people are inclined to focus upon gaining access to the "finished opportunities"/"finished goods" that they see before them which others have and they don't.  This defines the dimensions of the marketplace within which they operate.   All the while there remains an abundance of "raw materials" that are scattered amongst their feet.  These materials are awaiting the application of human intelligence to refine them into "finished goods".

Many of the job opportunities that are not present will be developed within the architecture of this locally focused framework.  At present opportunity has vacated our communities as other people departed the space and took their framework along with them.   Marcus Garvey tapped into the dual need for employment and a purpose and as a result was able to deploy thousands of African-Americans into his UNIA organization.   Today we enjoy an environment in which this same spirit can be made more sustainable in the absence of an oppressive national government that would seek to destroy such an organically productive venture to develop our communities AND leverage the millions of Africa-Americans who have education and professional management skills to overcome some of the mismanagement and "thuggery" that was reportedly associated with the original movement lead by Marcus Garvey.

 There is little question that today's environment is more accommodative of such a consciousness movement.   There are more "favorable" people are in place over our local institutions and more openness is enforced via the national media and Internet.

The challenge is to keep the movement focused upon developing organic potential rather than have it be "against" any particular force (White Supremacy).  The rhetoric must be focused upon lifting our communities to their full potential not resentment of the past events in this country.

Today's actions will be the "history" for our people living decades in the future.
















Once again - we need to turn the picture of an aggrieved Black man as shown above into a "happy Black man" who's capabilities are more fully utilized:

BLAX News: Which Of These Pictures Have Been Called "Inappropriate"

(Note - The BLAX News Network's purpose is to make use of video and images to highlight the gross ironies that are present in the sensitivities and appetite of the BQPFRC community as it relates to the subjects that they most frequently talk about on their blogs and other media outlets.)

This picture was taken from an AfroSpear propaganda web site.  It is done in the context of the OVER-REPRESENTATION of "Black Conservatives" in the media beyond what can be justified in our population numbers.   (Note - while most of these people likely self-identify as "Black Conservatives" they may or may not be Black Republicans")

If I had to guess the Black Quasi-Socialist Progressive-Fundamentalist Racism Chasers that have long complained about the dearth of "Black voices" in the media would actually prefer that THESE "Black voices" not be heard.  It is none too surprising that when they talk about the need for more Blacks on TV, talk shows, radio and the movies they are talking about Blacks who have ideological views that THEY support as the prevailing ideological majority.

Mind you they have claimed that "Black people" in general have been kept off of the "Sunday Morning Talkshows" because the prevailing powers seek to retain this power.  The key means of retaining power is to control the agenda and who is allowed to comment or criticize the agenda.  It is very clear that if the BQPFRC had "green light" powers - they too would repress dissenting voices.

Despite all of this commentary above - none of that was the main point of this post.  After all the BLAX News Network is into showing irony.

Thus as you peer at the picture above what do you notice?
Answer: All of the "offending conservative Blacks" are on the Fox News Channel.  If there was ever a litmus test among Black Progressive-Fundamentalists gathering a Black person's opinion of any element of the Rupert Murdoch/News Corporation empire is such.  If a Black person does not trounce Fox News/NY Post etc then their racial loyalties are questioned.  If a Black does appear on Fox News - he had better be a leftist who is debating against O'Reilly (Dr Hill, etc) or calling Juan Williams a sellout (Warren Ballentine).

Now to the comparison.
Have you ever heard the people who seek to snatch the "Slave Catchers"  (a slanderous name for Black Conservatives - despite it not making much sense) demand that other forces that do far much more damage to our cause and integrity?

Here we have a picture of RNC chairman Michael Steele that was called "inappropriate".
 

Before I go on please allow me to translate the "offense".
A man in authority, being pictured with others while doing "inappropriate" gestures.  (Note: We can't say "racially stereotypical gestures" because the 'fist bump' would have to be attacked as such - and we know that if this is done against Michael Steele we'd also have to attack..........................
Thus it is clear that ONLY "approved Blacks" are allowed to have some levity in such a manner.  Michael Steele works for the "enemy" and he is not allowed to do this.




Now let's fast forward.
Recall - "A man with authority" who SHOULD KNOW BETTER is the operating theme.
Now let's go back to about one year ago.   Obama had won the White House and the increased turn out of Black folks in November 2008 afforded a White liberal candidate for Georgia's senate seat who otherwise did not have a chance in Hades to draw a runoff in December 2008.   The White liberal Democrat, Jim Martin realized the importance of the "Black vote" and needed it to turn out.

He, like other Democrats know that Black folks need "Get Out The Vote For The Democrats" drives more than we need "Issue Ads" to prompt us into making a DECISION on a candidate.  Sadly they believe that our DECISION is to stay at home or go to the polling place, close the curtain and do what Blacks are known to do.

Remember the theme is "they should know better"

Here is a picture  of the "Get Out The Blacks To Vote For The Democrats" rally from a year ago held by Jim Martin - the liberal Democrat.
Some of you are not familiar with Atlanta politics so allow me to detail who the people are via the numbers.

1. Present inmate and convicted felon Clifford Harris - known as "TI"
2. Pusher of Drugs and Ignorant Lyrics into the Black Community - Young Jeezy
3. A Man who has called Black women more derogatory names in one CD release than Rush Limbaugh has done in his entire career - Ludacris
4. REVEREND Durley of the Providence Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta
5. Sheriff Brown Of Dekalb County
6. Liberal Democrat Jim Martin

Which of these forces don't belong together?
They all dropped their "hatred for law enforcement" on the one side and their "hatred of criminals" on the other side to come together to advance what they like in common - a Democrat in the Senate.  The question is - "WHAT DID THE BLACK COMMUNITY LOSE IN THE PROCESS"?

Here we have City Council President and former mayoral candidate Lisa Borders and US Rep Hank Johnson shared the stage and clapping for Drug Dealer - Young Jeezy.

Now I ask you - which is more offensive to your sensibilities?
When will certain ESTABLISHMENT FIGURES in our community WALK OFF STAGE and not stand shoulder to shoulder with the "Voices Of The Street Pirates"?

The schools that allow T.I. and Young Jeezy in to speak to their students are the very schools that "Black Flight Progressives" are desperately seeking to exit. The invitation is indicative of the quality of the school and the standards there in.

The most distressing picture of all to me was the sight of this little Black girl being indoctrinated into the acceptance of "potty mouth rappers" as a legitimate draw upon her parents and other Black people to the polls.

Between the "Fox News Black Republicans" or the "Potty Mouth Rappers" who are "the voice of the street pirates" - which would you prefer to have speaking to your young daughter?

Why then am I the only known person to point out the fatal alliance between the Democratic Establishment and "Street Pirate Hip Hop"?  
How much does the Black community want the Democrats to win?

The Strategic Flaws Of The Black Progressive-Fundamentalists - The GOP Had Better Change So It Can Get Our Votes

The Strategic Flaws Of The Black Progerssive-Fundamentalists - The GOP Had Better Change So It Can Get Our Votes

There are few points that are more angering to me than to hear a person who has no clue start spouting and then remove all doubts about the questions of his logic and rationality.

Near the top of the list are those who strategize about the impact of continuing demographic changes in America.

Before I go on I ask that you develop awareness of the two perspectives that are present as we make such a consideration but then make note of the perspective that they key upon.
The two perspectives are:

• What will the changing demographics in this nation mean to the Republican Party?
• What will the changing demographics in this nation mean to the Black Community?
  

(Note - this blog focuses upon the Black community and thus I will limit my analysis to this specific domain rather than the entire nation)

As you listen to Black Democratic loyalists detail the Democratic Party romp in this nation due to:

• A constant growth in the Hispanic population
• The loss of the "White Majority"
• More liberalized culture (ie: smaller church crowd, fall of cultural norms)
  

They inevitably spout a message "Hey Republicans you had better CHANGE and become more attractive to more Blacks and Hispanics or YOU are going to go extinct".

Note again that they set up the "if-then" upon the Republican Party.   Their assumptions are that "IF the Democrats are in power THEN the Black community thrives".

WHERE THE PROGRESSIVES ALREADY DOMINATE

 When I read such analysis as above I am stunned at the person's incapacity to make note of the present and make inferences based upon that.    Today there are a number of places where Black people live and there is a "one party town".  Having all Democrats in power has not:

• Brought universally quality education to Black majority school systems 
• Allowed us to reset safely and securely in our homes knowing that the "Klan threat" has been abated
• Saw the new establishment partnership between government and the business community bring abundant employment that normalizes the unemployment rate 

What about that which has not borne fruit for you locally will start growing in abundance once you have control at the national level? (Seriously- answer the question).

At this point in time "the Chase" that you have been on against your ideological and racial adversary will come face to face with the "Pacific Ocean".  There will be no more expansion.  Instead you will be forced to double back and start to GOVERN the institutions that you now have control over and MANAGE the human resources that are demanding a better living standard.

In summary their belief is that merely by attrition and the ascension of favorable politicians to their present biases will we be shown "the Promised Land" once this new political and ideological order comes about in this nation.


The Strong Headwinds Before Us That Will Destroy The Dream

The year 2042 will be an important year.  Two things are predicted to happen in this year.

1. The Social Security Trust Fund Will Be Insolvent, Requiring Present Government Money To Meet The Payouts 
2. The White Population will no longer be a clear majority as Blacks and Hispanic populations number more when combined together 

Sadly #2 is of more strategic importance to those who believe that political attrition will win them the game.

If  our national debt is expected to reach $21,000 billion by 2021 I can only imagine what it will be in the year 2042.  The federal government will be less able to deliver upon their promised national entitlements then than ever before.  To the progressive who has his ideology based on "resource distribution" improvements rather than increased productivity at the periphery - a harsh reality awaits you in the future.

Imagine the provincial fight for resources that will take place.  Some believe that the Hispanic/Black alliance will remain intact as a run against the "White establishment".   The key flaw in this strategy is that it purports (again) that resource reallocation, rather than organic productivity, is going to make the difference as the new found population and political growth is had.

It also assumes that those who have resources will stay put and be allowed to get picked apart.  In all likelihood the same "flight" that was seen locally and at the state or regional level will be done at the international level.   One can take over a factory or a corporate high rise.  The question is can they reproduce the product that was of envy?

THE SOLUTION

I have sat through countless number of dinner banquets in which the speakers told of the need for an "educated workforce" in the future to address the mass retirement of the baby-boomers.  Clearly we are going to need more skilled practitioners to take the place of those who are in these seats today.

Unfortunately as we look at the "land that has already been conquered the matrix of the schools, community culture  are failing to produce sufficient quantities of the needed outputs required to maintain our national productivity and standard of living.

So frequently these speakers tell of the need for the PRESENT establishment to put aside any BIGOTRY that they have as it relates to the face of this new work force and instead "do it for America".
The unspoken demand that must compliment this request from the establishment is for the "Permanent Opposition" to start adopting more rationale pathways forward and thus align their actions promoting "change" in with the need for young minds to become disciplined toward a set of "directed outcomes" rather than PROTESTING for the sake of being contrarian against the system.

If the establishment is asked to be more tolerant and accommodating - what is being asked of the "Permanent Opposition"?

When is it made to prove that a society can actually sustain itself off of its social, cultural and economic policies?

New Series - The Strategic Flaws Of The Black Progessive-Fundamentalists - Part 1 - We Need To Like You To Listen To You

The purpose of this new series is to document the (tired) arguments made by many of those who I engage in debate with on a frequent basis.  It is all too clear that some of their assumptions which they are using in the hopes that one day the Black American will receive "salvation" after the struggle are flawed.  Not only will they not work - if we look closely enough at the recent past we will make note that they haven't worked.  It is the cloud of apparent progress as seen by the increased number of "portraits hanging on the walls" - representing the number of Black Progressive Democrats that have been elected which they make use of as evidence that their plan has been working.  I have the audacity to instead look WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY and force them to provide evidence that their agenda is not only "working" but also that they have an agenda that does anything more than strengthen the entrenchment of the "left-wing/progressive" ideology into our culture, government and community institutions.

Claim #1: How Are You Going To Convince Black People Of Your Message, Constructive Feedback, If You Can't Find A Way To Communicate Effectively To The People You Are Trying To Convince?

The key flaw in this question is that the listening audience has an above board and honest intent to be convinced in the first place.  That their PERMANENT INTERESTS reside supreme above all else.

First of all I am one Black man with one "Black vote" in the context of our community.  It is strange to me why someone would place as my duty to 'CONVINCE' other Black people that there are problems AND that the present prevailing course is not working.   We have been listening to salesmen for far too long.  Now it is time to employ more scientific controls upon which to organically seek out a solution AND to purge the assumptions that have failed and retain & seek out those which have proven to work.  I agree that I have the duty to submit an "RFP" of my ideas.  The bigger problem, however has to do with a hijacked evaluation process which protects the incumbents and allows more of the "same ole same" failed strategies to proceed forth unabated via an above board process.

Though people are bothered by the reference - the use of the "All White Jury" of the past proves to be a compelling one.   As a Black defendant stood before them, accused of a crime - were there any people within the Black community who were foolish enough to believe that the only thing that the Black Defendant and his lawyer needed to do was to MAKE A COMPELLING CASE TO THE BIGOTED JURY who listened to the testimony and thus the facts at hand would allow the brother to go free?

Of course not.

The classical "all White jury" walked into the jury box, jury summons in hand with a certain set of prescribed views on Black people and the need for them to defend the present establishment.   The specific details about the Black man's case proved irrelevant to them.   They had a certain model in their mind about how things are supposed to be and that the "Negro is a criminal".  Thus when they told of their "100% conviction rate" - they had the audacity to make use of this high success rate as their proof of their sound judgment AND the criminal nature of the Negro.

Now of course - it took an outside third party to step in and finally break up this racket.  This outside party at least attempted to make use of the US Constitution as an independent reference for justice and they began to implement procedures and defenses to insure that a more transparent judgment could be rendered.

With respect to the claim that I must convince the "ideological bigots" who happen to be Black of an alternative plan before they will open their minds is similarly preposterous.

We only need to consider the places in America where their ideology is most entrenched within the Black community and consider the results obtained.   Only a group of people who are indeed focused in on actually obtaining their "Permanent Interests" rather than defending the present establishment will dare speak out about the obvious.

What is present within the Black community, however, is an overlay force.  They control the messaging into the "Black Rank and File".   The most proven effective way by which they can thwart grievances over the results that this establishment has rendered, despite controlling the institutions is to keep driving home details about how the amorphous, ubiquitous radiation from "White Supremacy" has thwarted Black people's efforts toward development at every turn.   Even when "favorable people" control the school systems, for example, you will hear them talking in terms of some EXTERNAL, suppressive force that is weighing down upon the results.

The goal is to keep Black people "chasing" outward.  Most certainly if I am an INCUMBENT force who is at the steering wheel but I also control the messaging - I would be inclined to frame the cause of my failures in a way that keeps me entrenched and keeps "my flock" directed where I need them to be.

Thus, coming back to the original point of this post - One must accept that there is no open and transparent quest toward our "permanent interests" where people who are "sick and tired of being sick and tired" are fully open to a well articulated alternative plan.......as long as it is wrapped up in a nice box with perfume spritzed upon it.  This is not the case.

THE SOLUTION
I have stated endlessly that unless some objective entity within the Black community steps force and inserts an architectural element that pushes the ideologically based operatives OUT OF OUR RACIAL NUCLEUS and is there as a firewall to transparently measure how far a proposed methodology that was later adopted has advanced the cause - nothing is going to change - regardless of the apparent political advancements that have been made.

 Thus instead of considering my apparent "belligerence", confrontational style, wordiness, run on sentences or how askew my views are from the "prevailing standard"  - the real challenge for those who are really interested in more effective change is to temporarily put aside their ideologically provincial biases and have all involved submit to a higher order and thus accept such transparent measurement.

Ironically some of the same demands made by "oppressed Black folks" against the national establishment are present today with respect to the Black Establishment which is progressively biased and arrogantly unwilling to submit because they play by "majority rules".

In summary - I do not have to "convince" Black people of anything - talking nicely so that people will accept me.  It is astounding how despite the ignorant language in Hip Hop - the same people who are 'offended' by my tone are able to abstract the message and "translates the tongues" into plain English.  Some people desire respect from me.  I give RESPECTABLE people "respect".    My "disrespect" of an individual is not "disrespect" of the entire Black race as YOU do not speak for the entire race of my people.  Only in your hijacking attempts do you try to leverage this notion for the protection of the establishment order.

Instead it is the job of the Black community to adopt a better model which produces better results than what is presently entrenched.

Street Pirates Kill More Police Officers In 09 Than In 08

MSNBC Story: ‘Increasingly desperate population’ of criminals, says one expert

 One wouldn't know it from the antics of the various actor-vists entities that portray the uniformed policemen as the biggest criminal threat to their community but the statistics are clear:   The people who commit themselves to keeping our communities safe, enforcing the law and entering into dangerous situations where mere civilians are able to run the other way are coming under increasing assault today.  This is partially due to the harsh economic times that we are living in.  No doubt there is also a decreased lack of respect for the law based on the prevailing culture in some communities.

These police often stand in the breach between a civilized community and one where the Street Pirates rule via their own laws of intimidation. 


MSNBC Report:

NEW YORK - A police officer is gunned down in his patrol car in Penn Hills, Pa., while waiting for backup. Near Seattle, four officers starting their day at a coffee shop are ambushed by an ex-con with a handgun. Another four officers are shot to death in Oakland, Calif., after a traffic stop gone awry.

Across the nation, 2009 was a particularly perilous year for officers involved in gun disputes.

The number of officers killed in the line of duty by gunfire increased 24 percent from 2008, according to preliminary statistics compiled by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, a national nonprofit organization that tracks officer-related deaths.

As of Saturday, 47 police officers have died nationwide this year after being shot while on duty, up from 38 for the same time in 2008, which was the lowest number of gunfire deaths since 1956, according to the data.

Over the past decade, small spikes in gunfire deaths have been common, but experts say they are surprised by the number of officers this year who have been specifically targeted by gunmen.

Yet Another Black Establishment Bloger Looks Past Who Is Running Our Community To Hit Upon The Black Conservative

The Loop 21: Are Black Conservatives Sellouts?

Another day - another Black Blog site that focuses more on Black Conservatives, Republicans and Rush Limbaugh than they care to focus on who is actually running the Black community and the grievances that our people still have.

Remember the model that I have documented folks:

The "Black Blogger" is a part of the "Black Press" and thus this piece is merely executing upon their duties to refract our attention in a way that they favor.

My response to the hit piece:

Devona Walker - Do you notice that the focus of your critique of us
"dastardly Black Conservatives" focused on Dick Cheney and the
"International domain"?

Why not come back "Within the Black community", make note of who has the
dominate power within, the results that we are receiving from these key
institutions that we receive our civic services from that they control and
WHO HAS SOLD OUT our "permanent interests" on the way to political power
building?

Of the key issues that we suffer from in our community:

* Quality Education
* Safe Streets
* Thriving Local Economies
* Healthy Lifestyles

WHICH ideological faction has proven most deleterious to our cause as a
people?

Do you find it ironic that the same story that said that we Black
Conservatives are "minuscule" in number also did not bother to talk about
the force that is abundant in number?

Why are so many Black blogs focused more on Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh,
and Sean Hannity? IF "proportional representation" is your concern with
regard to Black Conservatives - you should make note that the views of the
people listed above have already been purged from WITHIN THE BLACK
COMMUNITY - and possibly you would benefit by doing some introspection on
the prevailing views and if they are in fact working for us?


I have previously analyzed and dismissed the passage from Cornel West:
http://withintheblackcommunity.blogspot.com/2009/10/from-mind-of-cornel-west-out-of-mouth.html

He too suffers from the inclination to obfuscate as you do.

Constructive Feedback
withintheblackcommunity.blogspot.com

Sports Extra: White Head Coach Fired At Notre Dame - No Racial Ruckus As A Result

Its that season again.  Notre Dame had a poor showing at the end of the college football season and as is so often the case - the head coach is given his walking papers.  Such was the case with Charlie Weis on November 30th.

But something is very different this time as compared to when Coach Weis' predecessor was given his walking papers.   There is no tumultuous race laden conversations going on regarding the motivations for the dismissal.

Charlie Weis record at Notre Dame: 35-27   (Winning Percentage: 56.5%
Tyrone Willingham record at Notre Dame: 21–15 (Winning Percentage: 58.3%)

(As a reference point - the last wildly successful N.D. Head Coach who did not get fired - Lou Holtz - 100-30-2 which is a winning percentage of 75.6%)

It is clear that Notre Dame is desperate for a national championship (or at least a bowl game) and that they don't tolerate disappointment too well and thus they take it out on the skipper.


Report: Kelly to be named next Irish coach

According to a report from the South Bend Tribune, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish have a new coach.

And his name is -- surprise!!! -- Brian Kelly.

Citing two university sources familiar with the search process, the paper reports that Kelly will be named as Charlie Weis' successor in South Bend.

It's expected that Kelly will meet with his players ahead of the Bearcats' award banquet tonight to inform them of his decision.

No further details, such as when the official announcement will come or when a press conference will be held, are available at this time.

Tyrone Willingham

This is not an attack on "Tyrone Willingham".  I actually like the guy.

Instead this is an observation of the fact that all too often when a "Black guy" is hired - the team or company typically has a whole lot of unpaid "assistant general managers" who second guess the decisions of team management regarding whom will be their leader.

Those who were "praised" as being visionaries on the racial opportunity front can quickly become "honorary Klansmen" when they do something that the "assistant general managers" don't like with reference to "the Brother".

I don't think that we will be hearing much about the new coach Brian Kelly either.

The Strategic Consequences Of "Racism Chasing" - Black Male Unemployment

Field-Negro Blog:Sorry, he doesn't quite fit our corporate image.

I am learning that the best way for me to make my argument about certain issues is to allow the objective reader to make note of the arguments made by others who have a differing opinion than the one that I have and them provide compelling evidence per my analysis of the strategic impact contained within each.

At present there has been a large quantity of debate over the issue of Black unemployment.   The link above and the picture on the matter was lifted from my friend Filled-Negro (Field-Negro) from the "Field-Negro blog" - an AfroSpear affiliate blog.

Staying true to from of a "Black Quasi-Socialist Progressive-Fundamentalist Racism Chaser", my friend Filled-Negro brings up the issue of the gap between the unemployment rates between college educated Black men and White men of all other stripes - with or without degrees.  Thus his goal was to contribute to the "Racism Chase".

As I read Mr Negro's argument on the issue I was brought back to a post that I did last week that made use of an interactive unemployment chart from the NY Times in which various demographics could be evaluated. 

The following charts appear to support the claims of Filled-Negro in part:

White Male - With and Without College Unemployment Rate 8.1%

Black Male w/ College Unemployment Rate:  7.8%

Filled-Negro is effectively arguing that the Black male with a college degree (7.8%) is not receiving the employment bump that is much greater than what an average White male has, regardless of his educational status (8.1%).

The next chart which depicts the unemployment rate of the degreed White male is the key reference that Filled-Negro is pegging the Black College graduate to:

Why is it that the White male college graduate has an unemployment rate of 4.2% yet the Black male college graduate's rate of 7.8%?   For my friend Filled-Negro the task was placed upon the blogging community to EXPLAIN why this is and what other force but RACISM is the cause?

STRATEGY

When confronted with this discrepancy we have two main paths to take in the way of a resolution.  The most common course of action is to take the "Racism Chasing" approach.  This has its roots in the "Boil The Ocean" approaches that are ideologically based.  Failing a clear explanation from the  "consumers of labor" as to why this gap exists - RACISM is the defacto cause of it.

Thus the Black Establishment (ie: Civil Rights Activists) get reactivated, proclaiming that their job is not done despite the political advancements that have been obtained  We need to be resolute with our constant struggle against the White racist companies that see our qualified Black men and allow their racism to deny them employment.  Their purpose is thus renewed for yet another generation of "struggle".

The second pathway will not likely be taken because, more than likely the baseline data won't even be brought to the table for consideration.

Let's consider some more data points:

The unemployment rate for the Black High School Graduate:  16.2%

When I ran the numbers from the interactive unemployment map tool - the following line of thinking came to mind.  Instead of using the college educated White male (4.2%) as my key point of reference - I made reference to how much of an employ-ability boost was received between the Black High School gradate (16.2%) and the Black college graduate (7.8%).

Furthermore lets run one more set of numbers:

All Black Male Unemployment: 16.3%

These numbers are quite revealing.   If all Black males have a 16.3% unemployment rate while Black male college gradates have a 7.8% then this tells me that there is an inadequately small number of Black males with college degrees in proportion to the total and thus their inclusion into the mix of "all Black males" only drops the aggregate unemployment rate by "0.1%".   THIS IS THE PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE FOCUSED UPON!!!!  We need more Black college graduates, insuring that those who get derailed along the way stay on the tracks.

Just for completeness:

Black Male w/o High School Diploma Unemployment Rate:  30.9%

This rate it totally unacceptable by any measure.  In this population you are looking at likely candidates for incarceration, Street Piracy, or an early death while working in the drug trade which murders the competition as it takes over corners.  Out of all of the present activist movements that we engage ourselves in - the more effective use of our educational establishments appears to be the one that a coordinated Black community could address as it works to develop a future that looks different from today.


LEVERAGING THE INSTITUTIONS THAT WE CONTROL

These charts point to one thing:
The control that is present by the Black Political Establishment over the Public Schools (and social/cultural institutions and influences) need to be more effectively applied to insure that:

• Black Males are made to graduate high school.  This cuts their unemployment rate in half
• Black Males are made prepared via these public schools to attend college or some trade school - further improving their employment rates
  

I am a frequent critic of the worship of the "Portraits Upon The Wall" of our elected officials.  Here is a clear cut case where the presence of "favorable people" in office over our key local institutions must be fused into the support of a greater strategic purpose of these same institutions.

The point is incontrovertible.  Indeed there is the force of "racial preference" in which people prefer to "hire their own kind" whom they feel most comfortable with.  At present, however, the population of Black college graduates who might scale their unemployment from 7.8% down to 4.2% pales in comparison to the far larger populations of Black males with high school diplomas or those who don't have one to speak of.

My knowledge of the sensibilities of our community tells me that more people will be interested in going after the "White Racism" in employment than they are inclined to do the more "introspective" course which has far more tangible benefits as it puts our people in a better starting position prior to entering the work force.

The gains in employment, the gains in salary, the gains in the familial stabilizing effect of sound employment, the gains in community retail outlets which trade goods and services for this new income stream are all worthy outcomes from this new consciousness and alignment of the fruits of the political struggle that the Black community has been engaged in.

The desired outcome: A happy Black man who has maximized his potential by being adequately prepared to handle all that comes his way in business. He is more fully developing the potential in his own communities.  He is an "employer" and not just an "employee".

Notice the happy face.

President Obama: What Is A "Capital Gains Tax" On A Small Business?

As I was driving on Tuesday I listened to President Obama detail his next round of policy initiatives that were targeted at stimulating job growth.   I was quite stunned when I heard from his mouth the words "Capital Gains Tax Cuts".

My first response was "Hey - isn't this a Republican talking point?  They incessantly talk about cutting capital gains taxes".   I figured that these must be desperate times for Obama to start agreeing with the GOP on this fundamental issue.

Then I noticed that he had qualified his statement.  He said "Capital Gains Tax Cuts.....on Small Businesses".   At the time the irony of this did not hit me until I kept running this notion through my mind.

Typically capital gains are recognized in association with stock trading.  If your stock holdings significantly appreciate beyond their original purchase price the government demands that you enumerate these gains and thus pay taxes upon this increased value.

From Wikipedia

A capital gains tax (abbreviated: CGT) is a tax charged on capital gains, the profit realized on the sale of a non-inventory asset that was purchased at a lower price. The most common capital gains are realized from the sale of stocks, bonds, precious metals and property. Not all countries implement a capital gains tax and most have different rates of taxation for individuals and corporations.

For equities, an example of a popular and liquid asset, each national or state legislation, have a large array of fiscal obligations that must be respected regarding capital gains. Taxes are charged by the state over the transactions, dividends and capital gains on the stock market. However, these fiscal obligations may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction because, among other reasons, it could be assumed that taxation is already incorporated into the stock price through the different taxes companies pay to the state, or that tax free stock market operations are useful to boost economic growth.

Since most small businesses do not have a stock market listing it is rather improbable that Obama is seeking to relax gains on the stock trades associated with them.

For small businesses capital gains are most often recognized when the business is sold to another firm.  The owner or partner makes a profit off of the sale and thus this net income is recognized as such.

Thus I am puzzled as to how capital gains tax cuts on small businesses can be seen as a short term stimulus for jobs creation.  (I am working hard to be fair here)  I do agree that if a private investor injects capital into a small business that this infusion could spur job growth.   However his ability to enumerate the net change in the value of the business and thus pay the taxes upon it becomes far more problematic than what is possible with a publicly traded company that has a price which is determined by one of any stock exchanges in existence.

I am not saying that there is no benefit to this policy.  Certainly if this is one more barrier removed from an investor's decision to inject money - this is a good thing.  I only question its value in relation to immediate or even short term job creation.  

Also the nuanced choice of small businesses only undercuts the dogged opposition to capital gains taxes in general that is usually heard fro progressives.  If a targeted tax cut has a stimulative effect why wouldn't a general tax cut have the same or greater impact?

Many Progressive Blacks On Immigration: THEY Don't Want Either Of Us Here

THE MO'KELLY REPORT: The Racial Hypocrisy of Univision?

It is clear to me that certain Black people are able to redirect any concerns that they have about the impact of unchecked illegal immigration upon the Black community by focusing upon the perpetual enemy: THEY.

As I noted from a few weeks ago on the show "Washington Watch", the guest made a comment that was similar to this blog's title:  "We should make sure that we keep an eye on the immigration debate because if THEY had it their way WE would not be here either".  This was enough, it seems, to disarm any negro that might be inclined to demand better control of our border to the southwest and the southeast - as Haitians come that way and we should support the Haitians. 

It is clear that the same mental force that allowed the NAACP's Ben Jealous to talk about some celestial "THEY" when he talked about those who are allowing public schools to fail is this same amorphous force that is seeking to do the illegal immigrant wrong, unable to consider the desperate situation that he finds himself in.

In as much as there is no enforced "ownership" construct where people who pontificate as such are made to see how their theories bear down directly upon their own standard of living - they will not be forced to change their views from the present "morally superior" entrenchment.  As long as they figure that there is some unsettled land to the West for them to expand their theories to they will not make note that they have reached the metaphorical "Pacific Ocean" and thus need to double back and actually begin to MANAGE the affairs within.

I know of no MANAGER who escapes being called a "no good scalawag" but someone somewhere.  It comes with the job when one if faced with economic reality and thus has to make tough decisions about scarce resources.  To those with no such consciousness they see themselves as being a greater person by allowing that 25th person onto a life raft that was built for 15.  If the vessel capsizes and all perish but him - he are inclined to file a lawsuit against the manufacturer of the raft for failing to accommodate 25 or 30 souls. 

The actual story that triggered this post focused upon the cultural insensitivity of some Spanish language television shows piped in from Mexico.  As the writer details the "human level" connectedness between Black and Brown he fails to note that in LA County - the most frequent occurrence of "Racial hate crimes" is between Black and Brown.  The "THEY" that is so frequently referenced as a unifying force is not found in this equation.

Beyond this tenuous common fate must be the consciousness of your own ultimate interests which can't always be hoisted upon someone else as the reason why you remain as you are.


The article

For all the talk as to how this country should or should not effectively deal with both illegal and legal immigration to the United States, less has been discussed as to how we Americans are doing thus far on a human level. Congress can legislate policy, but it can’t outlaw ignorance and insensitivity.

My concerns as an African-American man lie more with Black and Brown relations on a day-to-day level and less with one’s immigrant status. The tension between African-Americans and Latinos has been well-documented and exists on varying levels from the gang-infested streets to the progressively integrated corporate suites. Ostensibly African-Americans and immigrating Latinos are more similar than disparate, given the African diaspora and the historical issues of race in America. And that’s saying nothing of Cesar Chavez and the Farm Workers Movement. You’d think we’d be brothers-in-arms in 2009, yet reality suggests something else.

“We have fought hard and long for integration, as I believe we should have, and I know that we will win. But I’ve come to believe we’re integrating into a burning house.”

- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

One could make the argument that immigration in 2009 is “integration 2.0” where once again America in a legislative sense deals with the realities of the evolving hues of her citizens. Dr. King feared that African-Americans were integrating themselves into a society that did not understand the plight of the disenfranchised and poor, disproportionately made up of people of color.

He was right.

I would submit the question today in relation to the immigration/integration conundrum confronting Black/Brown relations in 2009 is whether Black/Brown relationship-building must begin far in advance of those wishing to cross the U.S. border; not after we’ve been thrust together.

Jesse Jackson Asks The Poor To "Unite" - Speak Truth To The POWER That They Put Into Power

Have you ever wondered what happens when you get to the edge of the universe and you find that it "doubles back upon itself"?

This is the challenge facing the "Black Progressive Establishment" in America.
They are living in the days that they have long advocated for - Total Democratic/Progressive control over the places where they live in their highest concentrations. This power extends vertically. Most assuredly locally and nationally. In many cases they also have a clean sweep in the state.

Sadly despite having all of these "portraits upon the wall" their spirit is still uneasy. Having operated so much upon grievances to gain power they are now still grieving but they have an array of favorable forces in power and thus their "attacks" must turn to "gentle nudges".

I suspect that Jesse Jackson and other operatives will STILL be talking about the "Recession that Bush handed to Obama".....even if Obama receives a second term in 2013. There will be no inclination for Jackson to talk about what the president who occupied the office in 2009 to 2012 handed the next office holder - even if it is Obama.

Out of all of this talk we never seem to hear anything about the power of the US Congress and the force of the local political establishment has rendered with respect to he places in America that are suffering from hyper unemployment.

We are more inclined to hear about the "intransigence of RACISM that allows certain areas populated with Black folks to have unemployment that is 20%+. Never will we hear the "self-prognosticators" express any intellectual curiosity about the possibility that the aggregate policies that have been hoisted in these places upon the ascension of their own favored ideology might have set into motion the large gap between the "sellers of labor" and the "consumers of labor" that seek to employ them.

I am actually quite surprised that Rev Jackson did not more explicitly call for a "Protest March for Jobs".

BY JESSE JACKSON

On the day the "jobs summit" convened in Washington, I was in Toledo and Detroit. The Washington confab considered many ideas for job creation but served mainly to put jobs back on the national agenda. On Saturday, the president pledged to "focus every single day on how we can get people back to work."

He might have begun by convening the summit in Toledo or Detroit, instead of inside the Beltway. The world looks much different from here. Detroit is devastated, an economy that has descended from the Big Three automakers that offered good jobs with good benefits, to one featuring casinos, the tawdry, neon-glittered way to legally stiff the desperate. In Toledo, the shelters are full, often with nicely dressed families, working people stunned to find themselves there.

I met with high school students and urged them to study. One lad, a football star named Carlos, said, "I don't study." His teacher sadly confirmed that. I met with him separately. "We live in a shelter," Carlos explained. Where is it? I asked. I'd like to talk with your parents. "We aren't in any one place," he said, "we move from week to week, from place to place."

No home, no security, no hope. We need action now.

We lost more than 8 million jobs, many of which aren't coming back. According to the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, the number of homeless Americans is up by 61 percent since the Great Recession began in December 2007. The number of people in poverty increased by 2.5 million in 2008 and has continued to rise. Some 49 million Americans experience what the government calls "food insecurity," otherwise known as hunger. More than 36 million now use food stamps, up by about 25 percent in the last year. And, given "welfare reform," only about 5 million parents and children get any cash assistance.

This reality is ruinous to the poor and to the country. People lose their jobs, and then default on their mortgages. As foreclosures keep rising, housing prices stagnate and decline. Neighborhoods are devastated. Local and state tax revenues plummet. Teachers and police are laid off. Businesses cut back. A vicious cycle continues.

Most of the deficit -- as the president pointed out at the jobs summit -- comes from the structural deficit inherited from Bush or the fall in revenue and rise in costs associated with the deep recession. The recovery plan added the least amount -- and that is spread out over three years. Given the cuts in state and local spending, it was too small, not too large.

We need a bold program to create jobs, starting with direct public service employment, particularly of young men and women in our inner cities and rural areas. We need aid to states and localities to avoid deep cuts. We need to weatherize homes and rebuild parks and put people to work. We need both short-term and long-term commitments to rebuild America. Once the economy gets going and people go back to work, we can figure out how to reduce the deficit.

What we can't do is allow poverty to spread, a generation to be lost. But at this point, the White House is said to be considering only small, "targeted" programs.

That won't do. Those hit the hardest by this crisis must organize. It is time for mass, disciplined collective action, for poor people's campaigns to mobilize in cities across the country. Dr. King understood the importance of direct action. By acting collectively, the poor express their humanity. They create a forum to tell their stories. Collective action demonstrates not just their desperation, but their discipline. It will mobilize allies. The poor do have power -- but unlike the wealthy, to exercise it, they must act collectively, not individually; in the streets, not in the suites.

Today, the malnourished children, the homeless, those families forced from homes to shelters are largely hidden from sight. It is time to act, to come together and march together. Human lives are being crushed by this crisis. They need bold action now. People of conscience must join their call. We must act together to make their voices heard.

Blacks In The Age Of Obama - A Tale Of Two Cities - NY Times

Blacks In The Age Of Obama

This article must be placed in the context of:

1. Barack Obama has a 90% Approval Rating Among Black Folks- STILL
   
2. Where Blacks Live In Our Highest Concentrations the Machine That Barack Obama Sits Atop Of ALSO Controls All Of The Key Institutions Within
   

I struggle to understand why this author and so many others fails to DARE and ask "Is the exuberance that was felt by many Negros as to what Obama's presidency would mean to them anything more than an extension of the very same unrealistic and disconnected set of ideological and political beliefs that have been engendered within their own local communities?

HOW DARE THEY believe that what has not been delivered by this same machine as it swept in LOCALLY would be any different once these same forces began to leverage this control nationally?

WHY is it that the low popularity ratings of Barack Obama in the "racist" South evidence of racism yet the artificially high popularity ratings of Barack Obama in the Black districts where the Democratic machine is the super majority NOT an example of the same "ideological bigotry" that is condemned elsewhere?

The only question that remains to be asked of the Black man is "WHAT, IN FACT, ARE YOU LEVERAGING YOUR POLITICAL ACTIVISM FOR?"

No amount of evidence can prove that this is being done to advance the interests of the Black community in the areas of:

• Safe Streets - you now govern them
  
• Quality Education - you now operate them
• Thriving Local Economies - you are now on your own to make the people productive
• Healthy Lifestyles - yours is the message which the average Black person guides their life's decisions upon

The present disconnection between the "popular activism" and the PERMANENT INTERESTS is the problem.

By CHARLES M. BLOW
Published: December 4, 2009
NY Times

A hundred and fifty years ago, Charles Dickens opened “A Tale of Two Cities” with the now-famous phrase: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. ...”

Those words resonated with me recently while contemplating the impact of the Obama presidency on blacks in America. So far, it’s been mixed. Blacks are living a tale of two Americas — one of the ascension of the first black president with the cultural capital that accrues; the other of a collapsing quality of life and amplified racial tensions, while supporting a president who is loath to even acknowledge their pain, let alone commiserate in it.

Last year, blacks dared to dream anew, envisioning a future in which Obama’s election would be the catalyst for an era of prosperity and more racial harmony. Now that the election’s afterglow has nearly faded, the hysteria of hope is being ground against the hard stone of reality. Things have not gotten better. In many ways, they’ve gotten worse.

The recession, for one, has dealt a particularly punishing and uneven hand to blacks.

A May report from the Pew Research Center found that blacks were the most likely to get higher-priced subprime loans, leading to higher foreclosure rates. In fact, blacks have displaced Hispanics as the group with the lowest homeownership rates.

According to the most recent jobs data, not only is the unemployment rate for blacks nearly twice that of whites, the gap in some important demographics has widened rapidly since Obama took office. The unemployment rate over that time for white college graduates under 24 years old grew by about 20 percent. For their black cohorts, the rate grew by about twice that much.

And a report published last month by the Department of Agriculture found that in 2008, “food insecurity” for American households had risen to record levels, with black children being the most likely to experience that food insecurity.

Things on the racial front are just as bad.

We are now inundated with examples of overt racism on a scale to which we are unaccustomed. Any protester with a racist poster can hijack a news cycle, while a racist image can live forever on the Internet. In fact, racially offensive images of the first couple are so prolific online that Google now runs an apologetic ad with the results of image searches of them.

And it’s not all words and images; it’s actions as well. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 2008 hate crimes data released last week, anti-black hate crimes rose 4 percent from 2007, while the combined hate crimes against all other racial categories declined 11 percent. If you look at the two-year trend, which would include Obama’s ascension as a candidate, anti-black hate crimes have risen 8 percent, while those against the other racial groups have fallen 19 percent.

Blogger's Note: The author fails to note that Hispanic On Black "racially motivated crimes" are outdistancing "White on Black" crimes in areas such as Los Angeles - where Black/Hispanic conflicts are greatest.

This has had a sobering effect on blacks. According to a Nov. 9 report from Gallup, last summer 23 percent of blacks thought that race relations would get a lot better with the election of Obama. Now less than half that percentage says that things have actually gotten a lot better.

The racial animosity that Obama’s election has stirred up may have contributed to a rallying effect among blacks. According to a Gallup report published on Nov. 24, Obama’s approval rating among whites has dropped to 39 percent, but among blacks it remains above 90 percent.

Also, this hasn’t exactly been a good year for black men in the news. Plaxico Burress was locked up for accidentally shooting off a gun in a club. Henry Louis Gates Jr. was locked up for intentionally shooting off his mouth at his own home. And Michael Jackson died after being shot full of propofol. Chris Brown brutally beat Rihanna. Former Representative William Jefferson was convicted. And most recently, the “personal failings” of Tiger Woods portray him as an alley cat. Meanwhile, the most critically acclaimed black movie of the year, “Precious,” features a black man who rapes and twice impregnates his own daughter. Rooting for the president feels like a nice counterbalance.

However, the rallying creates a conundrum for blacks: how to air anxiety without further arming Obama’s enemies. This dilemma has rendered blacks virtually voiceless on some pressing issues at a time when their voices would have presumably held greater sway.

This means that Obama can get away with doing almost nothing to specifically address issues important to African-Americans and instead focus on the white voters he’s losing in droves. This has not gone unnoticed. In the Nov. 9 Gallup poll, the number of blacks who felt that Obama would not go far enough in promoting efforts to aid the black community jumped 60 percent from last summer to now.

The hard truth is that Obama needs white voters more than he needs black ones.

According to my analysis, even if every black person in America had stayed home on Election Day, Obama would still be president. To a large degree, Obama was elected by white people, some of whom were more able to accept him because he consciously portrayed himself as racially ambiguous.

In fact, commiserating with the blacks could prove politically problematic.

In a study to be published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences this month, researchers asked subjects to rate images of the president to determine which ones best represented his “true essence.” In some of the photos, his skin had been lightened. In others, it had been darkened. The result? The more people identified him with the “whiter” images, the more likely they were to have voted for him, and vice versa.

The Age of Obama, so far at least, seems less about Obama as a black community game-changer than as a White House gamesman. It’s unclear if there will be a positive Obama Effect, but an Obama Backlash is increasingly apparent. Meanwhile, black people are also living a tale of two actions: grin and bear it.

Strategic Flaws Run A Mock

I have one key problem with this story and it is encapsulated in this paragraph:

However, the rallying creates a conundrum for blacks: how to air anxiety without further arming Obama’s enemies. This dilemma has rendered blacks virtually voiceless on some pressing issues at a time when their voices would have presumably held greater sway.

This logic is encapsulated in the rather ignorant statement that I have heard several times: "We as Black people need to make sure that Obama is a successful president BECAUSE if he screws up THEY will never vote for another Black for president again."

Does anyone get the feeling that this same logic was deployed at the local level with various Black city councilmen and mayors, school board representatives, state reps and county board leaders?   What exactly has it brought us but more "portraits on the wall"?  

By definition it is an ANTI-COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT strategy.  It fails to place the politicians and, more importantly the THEORIES that they possess on trial as proof of their efficacy in addressing the problems.  Instead this is merely an example of group defensive behavior.

The truth is that a substantial portion of the disparate burden faced by the Black Community during this economic crisis resides in the fact that in the "in between time" those who took the lead failed to implement adequate infrastructure development WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY necessary to leverage the human resources - employing them, educating them, having them as the primary service providers to these same communities.

If the "Southern Bigot" should be judged on the negative impact of his aggregate decisions to cleave to policies that were ultimately delirious to his interests SO TO must the Black Ideological Bigot be held accountable.  Both need to change in the same measure.

Congratulations AfroSpear On Their "Stop Electrocution While Black Protest Day" Dec 4th

I realize that far too often there is frequent beef between various members of AfroSpear (or their ideological compatriots - cough, cough RiPPa) and me.

At times the compelling evidence of a successful engagement forces even me to refrain from my admitted conservative bias and admit that "AfroSpear's 'Police: Stop Electrocutions While Black' Protest Day" on Friday December 4, 2009 was a success.

On that day and the days following I have heard of no news that a Black man, anywhere in the entire nation was killed by the police after having been tasered.

After having dismissed all other rational justifications in which I could explain away this fact - I am prepared to give credit and honor to AfroSpear.   They showed how an activist movement should be executed.

• Define The Offense That Will No Longer Be Tolerated - Executions By Taser
• Define WHO Is The Key Threat To The Black Community - The Police
• Mobilize An Information Movement By Which The Terms That You Demand Are Made Clear: The Electrocuted While Black Web Site 
• Define A Day Of Protest In Which All Forces Can Be Directed Toward The Problem:  December 4th 2009

Now that I have  put aside my own ideological bias in support of the progressive-fundamentalists who dominate AfroSpear I ask that they support my effort:    The "STOP THE STREET PIRATE ATTACK MOVEMENT" - December 5, 2009 through December 3, 2010

As you see in the link below: In just one city - Atlanta,GA the Street Pirates nave chosen to not respect the cease fire related to the anti-taser movement.

AJC: Bloody weekend in metro Atlanta

Here is my proposal to deal with street pirates:

• Of those who do carry firearms - Mandatory marksmanship training.  Since so frequently the shoot into crowds and kill innocent bystanders (see the murdered Spelman student from this past summer) at least if they are going to kill a fellow pirate they may as well be accurate.
• Offer the Street Pirates training in non-lethal weapons along with the police.  Whereas it would be unrealistic to expect them to go unarmed - at least if they were provided with tasers they could fight it out with less deadly results.
  

The Jobless Rate for People Like You -

NY Times: Not all groups have felt the recession equally.

The Chicago Reporter Blog: Labor department numbers don't reflect real economy

Chicago Reporter - Elkhart IN Looks Like Chicago Southside

The forgotten Elkharts

By Alden Loury
Publisher

Elkhart, Ind., has become a symbol of the devastation wrought by the nation's economic downturn. But the South and West sides of Chicago have endured even harder times economically--and for a much longer period of time.

From December 2007 to March 2009, the unemployment rate in the Elkhart-Goshen metropolitan area soared from 4.8 percent to 18.9 percent. The unemployment rate dropped for three consecutive months from March to June where it landed at 16.8 percent.

Those current numbers mirror the unemployment rates found on the South and West sides of Chicago--the highest in Illinois. And the extreme rates of joblessness in those communities have persisted for decades.

Collectively, the South Side community areas of Auburn Gresham, Englewood, Washington Heights and West Englewood had an unemployment rate of 22.4 percent, according to a Chicago Reporter analysis of employment data from the 2007 American Community Survey. Those four communities are grouped together in what the U.S. Census Bureau defines as a public use microdata area--or PUMA. And that PUMA owned the state's highest unemployment rate in 2007.

The South Side communities of Pullman, Riverdale, Roseland and West Pullman suffered from a 19.7 percent unemployment rate. Things weren't much better on the West Side where East Garfield Park, Humboldt Park, North Lawndale and West Garfield Park, collectively, had an unemployment rate of 17.3 percent. In Austin, unemployment checked in at 16.9 percent.

Among the state's 87 PUMAs, the six highest unemployment rates--at 13.4 percent or higher--were found in predominantly black PUMAs on Chicago's South and West sides or in south suburban Cook County.

However, unlike Elkhart, Ind., these economic conditions have been in place for decades on the South and West sides of Chicago. In 1990, the unemployment rate in the Elkhart-Goshen metro area was 3.7 percent. In East Garfield Park, Humboldt Park, North Lawndale and West Garfield Park, collectively, the unemployment rate was 23.6 percent. It was a collective 19.8 percent in Auburn Gresham, Englewood, Washington Heights and West Englewood; 18.2 percent in Pullman, Riverdale, Roseland and West Pullman; and 17.9 percent in Austin.