BLAX News: The Life Pressures Upon The Black Progressives Living On The Southside Of Metro-Atlanta

The counties that make up the southside of metro-Atlanta have an invisible boundary that is understood by most Blacks in the area. The northern border is formed by South-Fulton and Clayton County. South of this boarder is Coweta, Fayette and Henry Counties. Since Black folks so often think in terms of political calculus - these northern counties are solidly Democratic blue and these counties listed to the south of the border are solidly Republican red.

In my constant personal observations about this land mass called "Metro-Atlanta" I can't help but notice how much these invisible boundaries that are identified by the green "Welcome To {Fill In The Blank} County" signs denote the distinctions in concern that the Black communities in each of them have on their minds.


What Black Folks Who Live On The Southern Boundary Of The South-Metro Counties Fear The Most

Throughout the Republican controlled Fayette County are these signs that use the three words that bring angst to many Black Progressives who have their eyes affixed to the grand scheme that will have Black folks back in chattel slavery if we fall asleep and choose to disperse politically and ideologically.

The words "Take Back {Fill In The Blank With A Land Mass}" are to be understood as a secret "Klan greeting" akin to a fraternity handshake amongst White folks that are scheming to "turn back the clock".

While it is definitely true that there has been a large influx of Black Americans into these Republican strongholds of Henry, Fayette and Coweta counties on the south side - as far as I know all of the key county-wide elective seats are still controlled by Republicans.   Thus the words "Take Back Fayette County" are really empty words.  I am prone to ask the same question that I asked of an Atlanta based legislator who said that "poor people in Vine City need protection from the police too"..........'Take Back/Protection.......FROM WHOM?"

I can attest to the fact that Conservative legislators have the same dust-ups that I report upon frequently in Clayton and Dekalb County.  The key difference is that their 'elephant fights' don't seem to trample all of the vegetation in the county, initiating a famine that will place the area in peril for years to come.   It seems to me that these signs "Take Back Fayette County" were put up by a right-wing faction of the country Republican Party which is angered over the initiation of certain road projects that they feel were pushed through by the elected officials without due public consideration.

I suggest that this group calling itself the "Take Back Fayette County PAC" be a bit more sensitive regarding how the words "Take Back" plays upon the fears of Black Progressives who now live in abundance, having performed "Black Flight Progression" from the neighboring progressive counties to the north.


What Black Folks Who Live On The Northern Boundary Of The South-Metro Counties Fear The Most

"Goons United"!!
This poster says it all.
I stole this poster out from in front of "Ritz II" a few weeks ago.  These posters had lined Old National Highway.  Since they were posted in abundance in front of "Ritz I" I figured that these posters would also be in front of "Ritz II".  In broad daylight I pulled up and snatched one off of the pole because of the word "Goon" so prominently displayed as part of the image that the group was attempting to project.

As we ponder about "racial profiles" and resent when other groups assemble a profile of us per their own observations it is stunning to see how many of us are more inclined to go after those who collect the evidence that form a profile than we appear to care about those who project the elements from which a profile is collected.   While we have no direct ability to control the criminal actions of an "independent contracting Street Pirate" (who has no 1099 form) it seems that those commercial artists that make use of this imagery for personal gain should be called to the carpet for their antics.  This imagery merely propagates into the community and provides guidance for the next generation of "upstanding young me" to fall off the cliff and instead become "Street Pirates In Training".

The Net Flow Across The Boundary

Ironically despite the fact that the Black Political Establishment continues to conjure up images today about how there still exists a great threat to the health and well-being of Black people if we don't remain vigilant in cross-checking the antics of the racist right wing - as voiced by the "Tea Party Militia" the migration patterns of the Black rank and file appear to prove otherwise.   Indeed an increasing number of Blacks are taking advantage of the "clearing" that the Civil Rights Movement has afforded them and are moving to live right next door to their ideologically enemies, some of whom might have "Take Back" signs in their yards.  Some "Black Flight Progressives" benefit from the prohibition against yard signs that are written into the home owners covenants.   Without these yard signs they will just have to go on assuming that their neighbors are saying the "N-Word" in their houses without being able to outwardly display their contempt - if it is so.

What many Black Progressive-Fundamentalists are loathed to talk about, however, are the "Klan-like forces" that are in operation on the north-side, Progressive counties that are driving hard working Black families out of their communities as effectively as "Sun-down Town policies" once did.

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So there you have it folks.
The choice between exhibiting fear based upon the threat that "Take Back" signs register upon you per the intentions of an external group OR acting upon the fear that "Street Pirate Goons" have demonstrated upon us as a community.  Them being a threat from within.

I have fully documented which of these two "threats" the Black Establishment is likely to doggedly pursue.
It matters not to them how their viewpoint is so different from the real world actions of those they claim to repersent.


Story Notes:


While I admitted to stealing the "Goon" poster from the lighting pole on Ritz II I have been plotting on how to steal one of the "Take Back Fayette County" posters for more than 3 weeks.   Most of them are planted at busy intersections and it would not be possible for me to nab one during the middle of the day without being caught.   I had plotted to make a late night trek to Wal-Mart, snagging one in the cover of the night but I had slept past my target time.


I found a sign on the south part of the county this past weekend.  I pulled over with my kids in tow and sagged a sign that was planted on the side of a road that was not heavily traveled.  My two kids asked "Daddy what are you doing?  Why did you steal that sign?".   I told them that I was not "stealing it".  I needed it to do a story for the Internet.  I thought that was the end of it.


On the way home from church yesterday my wife asked me "What's this I hear about you STEALING some sign from the side of the road?".  (I am going to kick those kid's behinds when I get home!!).   I told her that it was not a sign from an individual but instead from a political action group.   I then told her the "bit" that I was doing to contrast the concerns of Black people and that "Take Back Fayette County" was a provocative message for some, regardless of what the real meaning of it was.  She told me that this didn't make sense because I was talking about two different groups of people.   I told her "No.  I am not focusing upon the 'Take Back Fayetteville' group.   I am focusing upon how some Black people will interpret the message with suspicion all the while THEY will miss out on the irony that they moved into this environment alongside their ideological adversaries because the areas where they had "won" were a threat to their permanent interests.