Thursday, September 25, 2008

From G's To Gallantry


Last Sunday, I was engaged in my usual, sometimes typical, lazy-day sporting event: channel surfing. During this period of relaxation, I came across a program I had been viewing since its premiere.
The program is called From G's to Gents. From G’s to Gents is a MTV reality series conceived by Jamie Foxx that pitches the idea that 14 gangsters would be willing to change their lives and become gentlemen. Hosted by Fonzworth Bentley, the self-styled gentlemen’s gentlemen of hip-hop, From G’s to Gents is in my opinion, an exemplary lesson on meeting the psychosocial needs of urban manhood.
As fate would have it, I watched the final program where the winner was chosen to become a bona fide member of Bentley’s "Gentlemen’s" club. I was beyond amazed to see transformation from such men who called themselves The Truth, Pretty Ricky, D-boy, and J Boogie.
The winner, of the right to join the "Gentlemen’s Club," was Creepa, a roughneck, who came from an unpleasant place called Miami Gardens, Fla. This young “boy from the hood,” dressed in a $1,000 suit, gave a heartfelt speech which testified of his conversion.
Creepa had been completely indoctrinated in the Fonzworth Bentley school of etiquette. Creepa was so committed to secure the title of "Gentleman," he surrendered his braids for a clean-cut look, and threw away his "gold grill,"( gold teeth ), just to show how serious he was about this achievement.

When Fonzworth announced that he was the winner (a guy named Shotta was the other finalist), Thaddeus aka Creepa broke down and cried on the shoulders of his mentor.

I must confess, I cried too.

I cried, because Fonzworth Bentley is a hero. That’s right, a hero. When the male role models of some inner city youth are: gangster’s, ballers, rappers etc, here is a man doing it the right way,making class, manners and proper parlance attractive to young men who are stereotypically not associated with such things.

I cried, because I saw the emptiness of the “gangster lifestyle” in the willingness of a small group of roughnecks willing to leave a life that brings no positive returns.

I cried, because G’s To Gents showed me that anyone can be successful if given the proper mentorship and guidance. And more than anything, inspite of the ongoing diatribe on the state of urban youth in America, mentorship is the key, in my thinking, that can stem the tide of nihilism in the ‘hood.

Finally, I cried, because From G’s To Gents should have been on BET.

In The House,
KJ

Sunday, September 21, 2008

A Blast From The Past


Hey ya’ll, just in case you forgot – old school racism is back. I know many of you reading this blog will say to me “it never went away.” And I might agree with you, however there is proof that America is slowly detoxing from its lingering addiction to its favorite national narcotic: Racism.
Just when you thought we were entering the period called the post-racial era, just when you thought America was ready to sing Ku-Ba-Ya with the possible election of its first president of color- again the insidious hateful problem of our racial past resurfaces.

Somebody decided to put Barack Obama on a box of waffles and sell it(Obama Waffles).
Now, while the website claims to be an expression of humor, political satire and parody, if these individuals had any sense of American history, they would realize this is a throwback to the Jim Crow caricatures of Coons, Pica ninny and Mammy.

Perhaps one needs to check out the Museum of Racist Memorabilia to get a sense of the history of anti-Black images.

Why, you might ask, do I persist in bring up a subject that many think we have overcome because we have the first African American Presidential candidate?
Because I have learned from my Jewish Brethren who live by the motto: “Never Forget.”

Or as George Santayana said it: “Those Who Cannot Remember the Past are condemned to repeat it.”

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Pigs in A Blanket


When the campaign manager for presidential candidate John McCain, Rick Davis, said this election would not be about issues but about personalities – you knew where McCain’s campaign strategy was headed.



It would be about character assassination and the good old Republican playbook of “distract and attack.”

That's what’s happening in the Lipstick on the Pig controversy. Again, the Republicans think the American people are stupid. And maybe the Republicans are betting Americans will be, when they vote in November. However, I hope not! It is clear that if the focus is on the issues that concern Americans—the Republicans would loose hands down.

But if you work to disqualify Obama by derision and charge him with playing the race and gender card – you might cause him to fight defensively and not offensively—changing the main focus of his campaign: Change.

Further investigation reveals John McCain used this same folksy metaphor when he criticized Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on health care.

Someone once wrote: “The secret to success is knowing who to blame for your failures.”
In other words shift the focus. I believe with the Lipstick on the Pig—that’s what the Republicans intend to do.

Beware; the worse is yet to come.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Here We Go Again


Just when you thought Election 2008 couldn’t get more dramatic, here comes something that I feel might affect the election outcome, depending on the resolution. It’s not the budget deficit; it’s not the war, or the economy or the emergence of hockey mom Sarah Palin on the Republican vice- presidential ticket. It’s none of the above.

It’s a mess that has been haunting race relations in this country for 13 years: OJ Simpson. Just when you thought this country was ready for change (McCain’s or Obama’s), the memory of the most racially divisive trial in the history of American jurisprudence comes back to test the American psyche on what I call America’s lingering terminal disease: Racism.

As I write, jury selection begins at the Clarke County Regional Center in Las Vegas. Simpson charged with armed robbery and kidnapping, faces possible life imprisonment. Judge Jackie Glass says to the prospective jurors: “IF YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING TO PUNISH Mr. Simpson for what happened in 1995, this is not the case for you.”
Yeah right! Finding jurors who were not affected by the Trial of the Century, is like trying to find a man who was not aroused while watching the Halle Berry love scene in Monster’s Ball,( I’m not counting those men on medication).

Don't get me wrong—I think Simpson had something to do with the murder in 1995, and he was stupid to try to retrieve trophies in “Sin City.” But Simpson regardless of his contemptuous character represents a conversation that America needs to have about race.

Even if Simpson is convicted this time – racial acrimony is not going away.

Judge Glass says the third Simpson trial will last about five weeks.Beyond
five weeks from now another closing argument will be given, not to a jury in Las Vegas, but to a jury of voters who will decide the fate of the nation.

Time will tell if the verdicts in both trials will heal the sickness America refuses to confront.

Friday, September 5, 2008

Obama, E:60


The presidential election is less than sixty days. Americans will decide a new political destiny for our nation. As it relates to Barack Obama, this election could make American history, if he’s elected the first president of African descent.

Having imagined the amazing possiblies Obama’s election would bring, not just for African-Americans, but for all America- I’m going to act as his political strategist and outline what he has to do in the next sixty days to seal the deal and win over a nation that is desperately in need of leadership.

1. Keep associating McCain with Bush. Just like the Republicans keep pounding on the “inexperience mantra” as relates to Obama, Obama has to keep in the minds of Americans that McCain is another version of President George Bush. Senator McCain voted 90% of the time with George Bush. It’s the George Bush administration that is responsible for high gas prices, astronomical rates of foreclosures and high unemployment rates. Tell the truth that both the economy and foreign policy have been horribly mismanaged by the Republicans and John McCain means more the same. Keep sticking McCain with Bush like starch on rice.
2. Exhibit Pastoral leadership not Pit-bull Aggression. The Republican game plan was revealed by both vice presidential nominee, Gov. Sarah Palin, and McCain campaign manager, Rick Davis: engage in character assignation and the politics of fear, and avoid the issues. Palin’s speech at the Republican National Convention spoke more about Obama than issues relevant to Americans. Furthermore, Rick Davis was quoted as saying “this election would be decided, not on the issues, but on the voters’ views of the candidates’ personalities.” This tells you that the Republicans will use the usual scare tactics to transmogrify the character of Obama. What Obama has to do is maintain the high road. He and his campaign team most avoid at all costs the belittling, dehumanizing ways used by anyone who is afraid and unsure of themselves and short on substance. When people are hurting, they need a pastor and not a pit bull. If America sees the heart of a caring shepherd in the character of Obama, in contrast to the bombastic ways of the Republicans- this will work in his favor.
3. The Bubba Vote. This is shorthand for white, working class voters who often live in rural areas. Obama has to win them over and sell them on the glaring reality that their interests are united with all Americans. He has to attack the notion of the reality of underlying racism that former House Majority leader Dick Armey spoke about. Armey was quoted as saying,” There are an awful lot of people in America… who simply are not emotionally prepared to vote for a black man.” How does Obama transcend underlying racism? Identify with the hurts and pains of small town America and trumpet patriotic values.
4. Grass roots Mobilization. This is Obama’s strong suit, and it has to be intensified: Voter registration, Election Day watch dogs to guard against voting irregularities, campaign advertising on every level.
Election 2008 must be played like a John Coltrane song on Blue note records (you dig the Obama jazz button?). Like poet Sterling Brown wrote, “the strong man keep on com’in,’ that’s what its going to take- a lot of resiliency and fight if Obama is to win the presidency.
In The House,
KJ

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Palin! No Payoff!


Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate, reminded me of one of the most exciting plays in the NFL called the Flea flicker. The Flea flicker is one of those trick plays when the quarterback after the snap, hands off to a running back, who runs toward the line of scrimmage, laterals the football back to the quarterback, who then throws the ball to an eligible receiver, who is wide open.

The Flea flicker is play designed for deception. It freezes the linebacker and safety having them thinking to stop the run- when the play is a pass. In the selection of Sarah Palin, John McCain is running a Political Flea Flicker on those who are gullible to the tactics of subterfuge.

He thinks by selecting a female vice presidential running mate, he can draw in his camp those disgruntled Clinton feminists who feel disenfranchised because their candidate was not selected to be Obama’s second in command. He thinks he can turn America’s attention away from eight years of economic mismanagement by George Bush.

However, I have news for you. Although the play was brilliant, the goal of winning the White House is going to be much tougher than trying to win by choosing a female for V.P.
Here’s what I believe the choice of Gov. Palin says about McCain:

• He’s Desperate. There is no way around this feeling I get that the McCain is in more trouble than what the news media is letting on. This is a desperate attempt to secure the conservative Republican base and woman. McCain’s choice of Palin says to females that he believes they will vote gender before they will vote the issues.
• His Judgment. McCain only met Palin once. He only talked to her over the phone once. Yet, this was enough in his mind to choose this woman to possibly be the next commander in chief. Did I miss something?
• He’s pro Affirmative Action. Yea, I said it! Aren’t the Republicans always belly aching about those affirmative action people of color and females who get hired because they were unqualified. Well, doesn’t Palin fall under this category? And he has the nerve to say Obama’s unqualified. Oops, there goes that argument.

Whatever the outcome of this presidential election, its sure surpasses any drama I’ve seen lately.
In The House,
K J