The Black American Male’s Extinction: Will Black America Allow it to Happen?

By H. Lewis Smith

In a Comedy Central TV special, comedian D. L. Hughley lobbies the EPA to have Black African-American males declared an endangered species. Although DL Hughley’s “The Endangered List” reduces the severe possibility of the Black man’s impeding extinction to a comedy skit, this is a very serious and weighty matter. The problem with attempting to bring attention to substantial issues using comedy is that the issue will be taken as a joke, fall upon deaf ears and blown off nonchalantly as a fictitious story made up just for kicks. As such, those at the crux of the joke—Black America in totality—will also be taken as a joke. DL’s approach is reminiscent of White America’s belief that Black people are light-hearted fools who are happy with the way things are.

There are many contributing factors which lend to the very real possibility of Black American males becoming extinct. Some of the primary factors include black on black crime that ends all too often in tremendous amounts of bloodshed and death or life-long prison sentences; as well as mediocre to poor health due to unhealthy eating habits; carelessness about or a reactive (rather than a proactive) nature toward tending to one’s health; self-destructive, reckless lifestyle behaviors; and having no or limited access to medical care. Other situations that will effectively sponsor this sad affair include women using abortions as a form of birth control—which further leads to increased reproductive and mental issues; rampant drug abuse throughout the entire race; and same sex marriages. All of these issues are bound to have an adverse effect on population growth.

Speaking of population, grippingly, the United States holds less than five percent of the world’s population, but it possesses almost a quarter of the world’s prisoners. Interestingly, America is supposed to be the most civilized and organized country in the world, operating under the premise of the so-called justice system, yet America’s prison population is the largest in the world.

A number of statistics are available breaking down the make up of the prison population, and a few particularly stand out: The prison population grew by 700 percent from 1970 to 2005. According to the 2010 census and Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), blacks comprised 13.6% of the US population, yet accounted for 39.4% of the total prison and jail population in 2009. Statistics further dictate that one in every 15 Black/African-American men are currently incarcerated, and that, at a minimum, one in every three black men can expect to go to prison at some point in their lifetime. As for other races, only one in every 106 white males are incarcerated, and one in every 36 for Hispanic males are locked up. The prison industry has become big business.

Young men of color have a disproportionate number of encounters with law enforcement, indicating that racial profiling continues to be a problem. This is just one example of White America feeling like it has an unmoving commitment to fulfill its quota of jailing black men, and don’t be deluded about it, the prison cells will be filled by any means necessary. A report by the Department of Justice found that Blacks and Hispanics were approximately three times more likely to be searched during a traffic stop than white motorists. African Americans were twice as likely to be arrested and almost four times as likely to experience the use of force during encounters with the police.

When considering all the emotional stress and the effects it has on the human mind and body, it’s little wonder that young black males have the shortest life span of any group in America—another factor contributing to the group’s human extinction.

Add abortions into the mix and the odds of extinction increase exponentially.Black America accounts for roughly 13 percent of the population and has 37% of the abortions.Eighty percent of Planned Parenthoods are located in minority neighborhoods, and the purpose of its existence is controversial to say the very least.Founder Margaret Sanger’s belief and acceptance of Eugenics has given her the reputation of advocating Black genocide.One thing is certain there is an extermination of black babies taking place, and Planned Parenthood is right in the midst of it all.

So, why these statistics? Why do “experts” speculate and actively pursue this type of continual demise for the Black community? How is that not only does the black man make up more than a third of the current prison population, but even greater, more negative predictions for disaster are made about him before he can even set foot to make a mistake? And if current trends continue the way they have been going, why is it that in the face of this type of report and revolting expectation, Black America continues to lead ill-fated, self-deprecating lives?

First off, causes leading up to the Black man’s ill-fated situation does not strictly hinge on issues of poverty, unemployment, and drug abuse, etc. all of which are prevailing concerns in the black community. Rather, these factors are symptoms, not the cause; but these symptoms have heavily contributed to the state of Black America and Black men. Even further, though, Black America continues to lean on the systemic crutch as an excuse for allowing these symptoms to uncontrollably plague the community, which too, must be addressed.

Blacks are in their current position because they have been socially engineered into their dilemma. Most Black/African-Americans have been systematically locked into a NO-WIN situation.Black people, collectively, DO NOT own a significant amount of anything to be able to control their own lives. Whites in America control almost 100% of the income, wealth, power, resources, businesses, privileges and all levels of government. In knowing this, it seems strongly impossible to compete against such overwhelming odds.

Since 1860, inherited wealth has been locked into the white culture. This means that all the wealth and power in this country for the past 400 years has been systematically piloted into the hands of the majority white society, and, thus, blacks come into the world with 0 per cent wealth.To add insult to injury, mentally-crippled black folks, who account for the majority of the black community, use their poverty or victim card as a free pass to ignorance. They are content with proudly walking around poking out their chest, boasting how they OWN the n-word (n**ga/n**ger), claiming this as their wealth. Such imbecility makes one want to throw up.

Rather than Black America continuing to fall like marching soldiers over a cliff head first into the lifestyles that have been handed them by a system meant to destroy the race, Black America—especially the Black men who are supposed to be the leaders of the community, must come to their senses and find methodical and strategic ways to circumnavigate this detrimental landscape. It is up to Black America to lasso the chaos as much as possible to make sure Black America sups its full portion of life’s glories even though the cards were never dealt with black people in favor.

In many ways, the Black male is thriving (socially and economically) as he never has before, but he faces, at the same time, an assortment of conditions. These conditions, experts say, indicate that the species “is definitely threatened” and possibly endangered. This threat of extinction is real, and, yes, Black America to some extent responsible for its own demise.

Black/African-Americans are the only group on earth who do not think in terms of GROUP survival, although at one time we did.But now, totally consumed by individual successes and “getting my own”, Black America has allowed itself to be blinded by the entrapment of integration which has obliterated all instincts for group survival.

Black America must decide that extinction will not be a truth, move from living in captivity—mentally and physically in jails and prisons, and turn attention and real effort to fixing the root causes rather than wallowing in the symptoms. Black Americans are the only ones who can solidly work toward re-establishing itself as a pure and unified race who refuses to be wiped away from God’s green earth by self, man or any other man-made force. A good place to start is the pursuit of self-respect and respecting each other, referring to one another as n**ga/n**ger is not a sign of respect but that of self-hatred, contempt and acceptance of a diminished image; no matter how use of the term is rationalized laying claim to it in ANY manner is self-defeating.

H. Lewis Smith is the founder and president of UVCC, the United Voices for a Common Cause, Inc. (www.theunitedvoices.com), and author of “Bury that Sucka: A Scandalous Love Affair with the N-Word”. Follow him on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thescoop1.

Wedding of Daughter of BET Founders Bob and Sheila Johnson Stirs Some Social Media Controversy

Newlyweds Dudley Payne III and Paige Johnson
Photo credit:  Matt Blum

Earlier this week, the Reliable Source column in the Washington Post reported on the wedding of Paige Johnson and Dudley Payne III.  According to the Washington Post, their courtship and engagement stayed under the radar because the two have been so busy with other pursuits.  Johnson, 27, who walked the aisle in a Monique Lhullier gown, has been a competitive equestrian rider since she was 5, training in Virginia and Florida, and traveling to competitions around the world.  Payne, 30, has an insurance brokerage business but his real passion is golf; he competes at serious amateur tournaments almost every weekend.

Some controversy was stirred with the following comment attributed to Payne’s father BET Co-Founder Bob Johnson.  Johnson was quoted as saying,  “This guy is the perfect guy for Paige.”  In another quote Johnson said,  “He’s a true gentleman.”  Before proposing last year, Payne took the old-fashioned step of inviting his fiance’s billionaire father to Café Milano to ask for his only daughter’s hand in marriage.

Author Christelyn Karazin wrote an interesting article titled “BET Heiress Marries a Rainbeau! Just Goes to Show Rich Folks Want Ratchet For Eveyone Else EXCEPT Their Own” posted on the website Beyond Black & White.com.

In her article Karazin wrote, “Don’t get me wrong, I’m THRILLED for Paige. I just wish that EVERY little black girl was cherished and protected and married off to a “perfect guy for her,” not just the daughters of rich men who are responsible for advocated a lifestyle that grants the exact opposite to “ordinary” black girls.”

Karazin further wrote:  “This is the ultimate irony. Bob Johnson, co-founder of BET, a vehicle that has single-handedly tarnished the name of black American women all over the world, wants a “gentleman” for his daughter. Funny, because he’s made his fortune convincing black women that thugs, drug dealers, and gold teeth should be the standard of sexiness and allure for us mere-mortal regular black chicks.

You can read all of Christelyn Karazin’s article by clicking here.

 

What do you think?  Do you care? 

Stand by Your Man

By William Reed

CNN contributor Roland Martin, who departs the network on April 6, has been named the National Association of Black Journalists’ (NABJ) 2013 Journalist of the Year. In today’s American media there are a number of Black faces on the screen as anchors, pundits, and hosts. But none represented the views and interests of Blacks as well as Martin. In NewsOne’s poll to select the nation’s Top 10 Black News Pundits, Martin came in at No. 1.

Martin is an “under 50” award-winning journalist. Primarily known for his work with CNN, Martin is a nationally-syndicated columnist, television host, and radio and television commentator. The award follows a February meeting between the NABJ and new CNN honcho Jeff Zucker to discuss concerns over Zucker’s vision for the network. So, as Martin makes his exit from CNN, NABJ’s Board of Directors appear to be making a public endorsement of Martin by giving him their most coveted award, “celebrating the accomplishments of Black journalists and those who support Blacks in the media.”

Many African Americans have reacted negatively to CNN’s failure to renew Martin’s contract, but not all have. Some have said, “good riddance,” citing what they considered his arrogant personality. But among so many in the media that feel obliged to “hide their Blackness” Martin has singularly been front and center on Blacks and their issues. ”No other African-American journalist brought more news and analysis to Black communities about the most important stories than Roland Martin,” said Vanessa Williams, former NABJ president and an editor at The Washington Post.

Martin has enjoyed an enviable career as a multimedia journalist, becoming a respected and trusted voice in print, on air and online,” said NABJ President Gregory Lee, Jr. “He is unapologetic about his quest to provide well-rounded coverage of the African-American community, and to provide unique insights to diverse audiences across the many platforms on which he is asked to contribute on a regular basis.”

Throughout his career, Martin has contributed much for his race. A lifetime member of the NABJ, Martin served as national secretary of the board from 2009 until 2011. Surrounded mostly by Whites in network news settings, Martin is comfortable “being the Black in the room.”  Early in his career, Martin was a radio talk show host for Chicago’s Black Talk radio station WVON-AM. He is the former executive editor and general manager of The Chicago Defender, one of the nation’s oldest Black newspapers. During the 1990s, Martin was a contributor on the BET Sunday morning news program Lead Story.  He was the founding news editor for Savoy Magazine, and the founding editor of BlackAmericaWeb.com.

As he departs CNN, Martin, no longer has a “cross-over audience.” Some African Americans will talk about protesting CNN’s treatment of Martin and rally crowds in front of CNN offices. In reality, more of us need to channel our remotes to the Black-owned network to watch Martin host TV One’s one-hour Sunday morning news show, Washington Watch. During weekday mornings, millions hear him on the Tom Joyner Morning Show.

In what may well be the perception of the majority of Americans, during an interview with Rush Limbaugh, who openly criticized the TV One television network, saying it isn’t worth “salt,” and called Martin, “angry”,  more Blacks should support Martin’s “anger.”  Studies say that network news conveys more stereotyped impressions – a narrower range of positive roles – for Blacks than for Whites.  Representations of Whites in network news are more varied and more positive than that of Blacks. These studies’ findings raise questions about journalists’ ability to “represent” the “reality” of Black America. The reality is that Martin has represented that “reality.”

Black Americans need to recognize news organizations are businesses, and that they can alter the field with their eyes and ears by tuning into Black programming. The more people who watch, Washington Watch, the higher TV One’s ratings will soar and the higher Martin’s chances will be of making the same, or more money, than he did with CNN.  William Reed is publisher of “Who’s Who in Black Corporate America” and available for projects via the BaileyGroup.org

 

The Family Business

By William Reed

In American politics, many object to power flowing through blood rather than through the ballot. A “dynasty” is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Among Blacks, some prominent families regard politics as business operations.

Blacks elected immediately after the civil rights era, gained office as mayors or to the House of Representatives in majority-Black areas. Younger Black politicians are now seeking to win political posts of governor or senator in which they would represent much larger and diverse groups of voters.  In theory, having a parent already in politics provides political base younger politicians can use to reach wider multi-racial constituencies.

Several scions of Black political families that came to high political office by virtue of birthright are on the decline. New York Gov. David Paterson, whose father Basil is a powerful figure in Harlem politics, left his appointed office in disgrace.

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Malik Kilpatrick is now a resident in the Federal Correctional Institution at Milan, Mich.  A former Michigan state representative, Kilpatrick, was recently found guilty on 24 of 30 federal corruption charges. In 1996, Kilpatrick was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives after his mother vacated the seat to campaign for Congress. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick represented Detroit in the Michigan State House from 1979 to 1996 and served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1996 to 2010.

Jesse L. Jackson has a family that has benefited from his impact on politics.  The son that was first elected to Congress in 1995 now faces a prison sentence ranging from 46 to 57 months.  Jesse Jackson Jr., was convicted for spending approximately $750,000 in campaign money on high-end items, including a Rolex watch and furs. The extended Jackson clan includes Jonathan and Yusef. Jonathan Jackson is a business professor and entrepreneur. He owns a Cricket Wireless franchise operation, and is a partner with Yusef, in a Chicago-based Anheuser-Busch distributorship – River North Sales and Service, LLC.

In Memphis, the Ford name became legend as Whites moved from the city to the suburbs. By 1974, the percentage of Black voters had increased enough for three sons of a local funeral director to win an unprecedented electoral victory: John was elected to the state Senate, Emmett was elected to the state House, and Harold became the first African American from Tennessee elected to the U.S. Congress in the 20^th century. In 1996 when Harold, Sr., decided not to seek a 12th term in Congress, Harold, Jr., easily won the race, taking office at age 26. “Junior” was only 30 years old in 2000 when he gave the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. He ran for the U.S. Senate seat but lost. Scandal and corruption followed the Fords ascent in politics.

William Lacy Clay, Sr., was elected to the House of Representatives in 1968. In 2000, Clay, Sr., retired from the seat after 32 years and Clay Jr., known as Lacy Clay, became the U.S. Rep. for Missouri’s 1st congressional district.

Carrie P. Meek was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1978 and to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1992. Kendrick Brett Meek lost the U.S. House seat that his mother had handed him in his 2010 bid for the Florida Senate seat. Kendrick was the U.S. Representative for Florida’s 17th congressional district from 2003 to 2011, after having served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1995 to 1998.

Representative Donald M. Payne, from New Jersey, died of cancer in March 2012 after serving in the House for 23 years. He was 77. His son, Donald M. Payne, Jr., was elected to Congress in November 2012. Brother, and uncle, William D. Payne served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1998-2008.

Black voters have to discern if there’s a disconnect between the agenda of Black political leadership and their constituent communities. Will Black voters ever shun political dynasties revolving among husbands and wives, brothers, sisters and children in the guise of serving the public?

William Reed is publisher of “Who’s Who in Black Corporate America” and available for projects via the BaileyGroup.org

Removing the Veil from Black History Month

SANKOFA: A West African word meaning to retrieve the past in order to live in the future.

February, the nationally-recognized, officially-designated month to observe, celebrate, and praise much of Black America’s achievements and contributions to weaving the fabric of the American civilization has come and gone. It seems that beyond this 28-day stretch, though, the significance of black history is likened to a barely-visible flicker in the dark night, with it rarely being the topic of any on-going conversations and/or daily teachings to present full and balanced truths to the misinformed populous at large.

It further seems as though much of America—including Black America—has been pacified with only this month-long appeasement; however, those who value the black race and understand the significance in Black America’s past, current, and future contributions know too well the benefits all would experience if black history was integrally and fully incorporated into daily life, practices, and traditions at the onset of and throughout one’s life as are Euro-centric ideals. Many claim that Afro-centric ideals are loftily incorporated into daily teachings, but if this were the case, there wouldn’t be a need for Black History Month and Black studies in colleges and universities.

Most black and non-black students alike from kindergarten through college are presented, if any at all, a distorted, slanted and fabricated view of history as it pertains to Black/African-Americans’ contributions to World and American history.   The video Black African History and BLACK Empires You Were Never Told About  addresses the existence of Black Empires that’s generally excluded from the pages of history.

When it comes to an unbiased presentation of history, a monolithic truth problem exists. While unscrupulous White scholars, archeologists, anthropologists, and philosophers paint one picture, Black historian scholars along with the more circumspect White scholars paint another as shown in the above video and in Africa You Will Never See in HIS-STORY books (crucial info).

Black historians are generally discredited not just by White scholars but also by cloned White scholars with black skin. Black/African-American inventors, statesman, professionals, explorers, scientists, architects, artists, writers and musicians— despite their enormous contributions to society—are often times excluded from American history—albeit athletes, entertainers and musicians are generally acknowledged. Cerebral accomplishments, with the exception of a sprinkled few who cannot be denied, for the most part, are conveniently excluded.

REAL Black history encompasses both World and American history, including pre- and post-American slavery days. As such, if blacks limit their perspective, knowledge, and acceptance of black history to the incidences that occurred in America, then the truth is that these blacks sadly do not share in the bounty of having a rich, thriving culture and history founded upon dignity, progressivism, and self-sustenance that existed in Africa prior to the American and European slave trade.

Aspects of American history revolving around Negro, Colored, and African Americans to all intents and purposes began after the Civil War and/or with the debarking of the first slave ship. The terms Negro, Colored, and African American bound and conveniently confine Blacks’ identity to that as descendants of slaves, thus, eternally disconnected from any other past history. They are left without a compass to navigate and return to any geographical ties in the mother land.  There is no such place as “African” America and the terms Negro, Colored do not relate to any land, history or culture other than that of subjugation, strife, inferiority and indignity.

Is there a cover up governed by archaeological, government and historical circles to hide true identities; and if so, why?

Black historian scholars along with some erudite White historians raise interesting and begging questions relative to Black Civilizations and its place in World history. Facts seem to suggest that there is a deliberate attempt to obliterate the contributions of Black Civilizations from the pages of history, but as historians and scholars continue to study past developments, there are factors that cannot be denied or erased that place Blacks on the grand stage of history: The African Moors in Spain and Return To Glory.

Along with many archeologists and anthropologists, notable figures such as Friedrich Nietzsche, Joseph Arthur Comte de Gobineau, Madison Grant, and, most recently, the authors of the book “Bell Curve” published in the mid 1990’s have all influenced minds and help paint a distorted picture of history in their advocating of White Supremacy. If White America does not feel threatened and knows without a shadow of a doubt that they are the most progressive and supreme form of being on this earth, why is there an overwhelming need to build a case for superiority of one group and the so-called inferiority of another? Why is there a need to fabricate and/or hide parts of history?

If there is anything mentally inferior about today’s Black American people, it is their inability to rise to the statuesque of their forefathers ( Great Kings and Queens of Africa) by accepting a baser image of themselves conveyed through the use of the n-word and referring to self as a n**ga/n**ger.  A n**ger is a contrived image that was forced upon Blacks’ enslaved ancestors, browbeating them into acceptance which the naïve and paternalistic modern day descendants obediently and meekly embrace as an acceptance of their downfall from grace.

Society is asked to believe that white people gratuitously developed Egypt and, as an after thought thousands of years later, decided to develop Europe; and while supposedly developing Egypt, they benevolently built a Sphinx with Afroid features, that millenniums later, at Napoleon first laying his bewildered eyes upon the momentous monument ordered his troops to shoot off its nose.  For what ever reason it has been a common practice to deface the Afroid features of Egyptian artifacts and statuettes then later deceivingly create drawings of these same artifacts with European facial features.  The defaced artifacts and statuettes are on display in Egyptian museums today, further contributing to the fabricated lies conceived to smother the existence of a people all in the name of honoring stolen legacies.

Just as clarity to clear up the aforementioned suggestion, the cold facts are such that: Western civilization (Greco-Roman culture) begins somewhere around the 8^th century BC.  Alexander the Great invaded Egypt 332 BC leading to the eventual fall of Egypt. From 5^th century AD (Dark Ages, Middle Ages, the Renaissance on into the 16^th century AD), European culture was in developmental stages.  In contrast, Africa was experiencing its third Golden Age through the civilizations of Mali, Ghana and Songhay. The Great Pyramid and Sphinx were thousands of years old by this point in time.

Eventually, after being invaded by foreigners, Egypt gradually transformed from being a Black Civilization to what it is today. To fully understand such a transformation, one must look no further than America’s own back yard to the Olmec Heads. Though the Olmec Heads are of Afroid features, people are expected to accept the hypothesis advanced by amoral white archeologists and anthropologists that such features, along with other clues, are meaningless and to ignore the obvious as to who the Olmecs truly were.

The reader is encouraged to view the following videos, and thereafter, undertake their own research and apply due diligence to learn how it is that the Mayans, Aztecs, Incans, Hispanics, and Native American Indians are possibly all descendants of the Olmecs: UNTOLD BLACK HISTORY: “Blacks” were the 1st Americans !!!THE Undeniable Evidence  and Olmec Heads 1/5.

Three questions:  When Columbus first set foot on this land who all did he REALLY encounter? And second, would the Moorish American Treaty of Peace Friendship 1787 have anything to do with this encounter?  Third, if so, what were the implications, significance and need for a treaty with Morocco on the behalf of Moors?

The entire Black American population owes it to self and their forefathers to unearth the truth; Black America has been bamboozled and hoodwinked long enough. To determine a real future for Black America, the entire race of people must learn about and embrace their past far back across the water to use that as a foundation and a source of life for future progress. Black America must not wait to learn about Black history when it is convenient for the rest of America, but must remain owners of their own enlightenment, keepers of their own achievements, and missionaries of their own salvation.

H. Lewis Smith is the founder and president of UVCC, the United Voices for a Common Cause, Inc. (www.theunitedvoices.com),  and author of “Bury that Sucka: A Scandalous Love Affair with the N-Word.” Follow him on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thescoop1.

The Official James Brown Channel Is On YouTube

Brought to you by the folks at SHOUT! Factory, a group of people dedicated to preserving the legacy of artists like James Brown.

In a career that spanned six decades, James Brown profoundly influenced the development of many different musical genres.  For many years, Brown’s touring show was one of the most extravagant productions in American popular music. At the time of Brown’s death, his band included three guitarists, two bass guitar players, two drummers, three horns and a percussionist.  The bands that he maintained during the late 1960s and 1970s were of comparable size, and the bands also included a three-piece amplified string section that played during ballads.  Brown employed between 40 and 50 people for the James Brown Revue, and members of the revue traveled with him in a bus to cities and towns all over the country, performing upwards of 330 shows a year with almost all of the shows as one-nighters.   In 1986, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 2000 into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

James Brown is ranked seventh on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time.”  Brown died on Christmas Day 2006 from heart failure.

James Brown Channel

Sisters Start Fundraiser To Help Their Brother with MS

By Gary A. Johnson, Black Men In America.com

We are John’s sisters. We are asking for your help to raise money to pay his medical bills associated with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

John was in training to be a professional football player. His dream! And now that dream is put on hold.

While at work, he experienced pain in his right foot. After a little while, it went away. The next day, he experienced that pain on his whole right side. This time it was more severe. His right side was numb, from his head to his foot. He could no longer stand or walk. His balance was completely gone. His tongue was swollen, which resulted in slurred speech. His vision was blurry and at times, he had double vision. He was admitted into Southern Maryland Hospital. He has never experienced this type of illness before.

After the initial observation, he was transferred to Georgetown University Hospital because we were told they are very good at this type of illness. However, they didn’t tell us what that illness was! The doctors did a CT scan, MRI, heart monitor, spinal tap, and a complete blood work. His diagnoses is multiple sclerosis (MS). This disease is not in our family. He is scheduled to see a neurologist April 1st to receive his medication and further information on how this illness with affect him and us for the rest of his life.

We are raising monies to help him with medication, hospital bills, neurologist visits and physical therapy he needs. He does not have medical insurance. He’s trying to go back to work earlier than what the doctors have told him because he is concerned with the hospital bill. Stress is the silent killer and he was told to keep his stress level down.

I’ve known John Williams for years.  He is one of the finest young men I’ve ever met.  He is of strong moral character and is a hardworking young man and productive citizen.  John hopes to be able to return to work in a few weeks and has already started reorganizing his life.

Your help will give him the peace he needs to stop worrying about the hospital bills and other bills associated with MS.  Whatever amount you give will be deeply appreciated.

Click here to donate and learn more:  http://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/d242/helpjohn#.

Organized by: Salena and Taalibah Muhammad

U.S. Department of Education Announces New Executive Director of White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has announced the appointment of David J. Johns as Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans.

“David’s expertise will be critical in helping to address the academic challenges that many African American students face, and I am delighted to have him on our team,” Duncan said. “His wealth of knowledge and passion will help the Department move forward in its quest to ensure that all children are college and career ready.”

As executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans, Johns will work to identify evidence-based best practices to improve African American student achievement-from cradle to career. The initiative will work across federal agencies and with partners and communities nationwide to produce a more effective continuum of education programs for African American students.

Prior to joining the Department, Johns was a senior education policy advisor to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) under the leadership of Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa. Before working for the Senate HELP committee, under Chairman Harkin, Johns served under the leadership of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass. Johns also was a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Fellow in the office of Congressman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y. Johns has worked on issues affecting low-income and minority students, neglected youth and early childhood education, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). His research as an Andrew W. Mellon Fellow served as a catalyst to identify, disrupt and supplant negative perceptions of black males, both within academia and society. Johns is committed to volunteer services and maintains an active commitment to improve literacy among adolescent minority males.

Johns obtained a Master’s degree in sociology and education policy at Teachers College, Columbia University, where he graduated summa cum laude while simultaneously teaching elementary school in New York City. He graduated with honors from Columbia University in 2004 with a triple major in English, creative writing and African American studies.

For more information about other White House initiatives that specifically involve African Americans visit the White House website at:  http://www.whitehouse.gov/africanamericans.

Top 100 Family, Marriage, and Relationship Blogs for African Americans

Searching for content on the Internet can be a challenging task.  Depending on the topic, you can spend hours just conducting searches.  Well the folks at Best Black Dating Sites have made your job a lot easier by condensing and listing what they believe are the Top 100 family, marriage and relationship, community, relationship and self-improvement blog sites on the Internet for African Americans aka “black folks.”

Click below to visit the Top 100 Sites.

Black Americans Betray Forefathers with use of the N-word

By H. Lewis Smith

When Samuel L. Jackson sat down with film critic Jake Hamilton to discuss Quentin Tarantino’s  Django Unchained, Hamilton had a question that he wanted to ask Jackson relative to the n-word. But Jackson, who plays a Sambo, Uncle Tom prototype in the film, refused to answer the question unless Hamilton actually said the word “n**ger” in its full enunciation—and not a censored, more politically-correct, less offensive metaphor of the term. After Hamilton refused to say n**ger several times, Jackson retorted: “We’re not going to have this conversation unless you say it.” The nervous Jake Hamilton still refused to be coerced into saying the vile and sinister term. Jackson finally relented and asked: “You want to move on to another question?”  A deeply-relieved Hamilton responded affirmatively.

Any self-respecting Black/African American who is proud of him/herself and their ancestry is incapable of seeing him or herself as a n**ga/n**ger, and would become appalled almost (if not certainly) to the point of physical contest if anyone referred to them as such. It is because this type of enlightened, self-dignified individual has transcended such an inferior state of mind, and now, instead, owns the rightful higher perception of self and toys with no one who approaches them at any other affirmed level of understanding. On the other hand, only an Uncle Tom sellout and/or ignorant inferior-minded individual lies fully relaxed and engulfed in the idea of being a n**ger/n**ga, and finds it humorous and acceptable to encourage others to the same.

Lisa Lampanelli, a white stand-up comedian and insult comic known for her racy and controversial style of comedy—same as Chris Rock and Katt Williams, recently tweeted on Twitter: “Me with my n**ga @Lenaham of @HBOGirls – I love this beyotch!!” (sic)

The Black community understandably so was outraged and all up in arms about Lisa’s blatant and contemptible act. But, in retrospect, Black America’s response is also hypocritical, profoundly irrational and infantile.  Black America’s actions, which shall be referred to as the Jackson Syndrome, on one hand unsoundly gives everyone in the universe a pass to use the n-word, but then when someone outside the Black community uses the word, African Americans have the audacity to become indignant. Truly, something unnatural and abnormal exists when it comes to this scenario; this line of thinking is tantamount to an individual throwing a rock through someone’s window, and then when someone throws a rock back into that individual’s window, they cannot understand how something of that sort could have come about.

The stage has been set for some time. Just dating back to as recently as Michael “Kramer” Richards and Don Imus, to currently, nothing has changed.  The alarm was sounded back then, but evidently Black America was not listening, failed to pay attention to the significance of these acts, or was simply indifferent to the matters. Black America must wake up and realize that even small pebbles—if thrown often enough, long enough, and with enough force—can have significant, irreversible effects. Situations that seem to be one-off’s and carry no impact at all will eventually be the exposed Achilles tendon that brings down the black community once and for all.

Black/African Americans continually refuse to hold one another accountable for their own actions—thinking nothing of always pulling a Jackson Syndrome, and continually come up with something asinine to support use of the n-word. They go so far as to say that it’s okay or acceptable for blacks to use the n-word, unacceptable for non-blacks to use it, but then all at the same time encourage others to use it ANYWAY through their own use of the term in daily interactions, music lyrics and other forms of entertainment.  If someone was to create a situation comedy based on the actions of Black America and its use of the n-word, it would make the all-time ding-a-ling list.

This is the 21^st century but yet racism still exists, and it seems as though Black/African American proponents of the n-word insist on feeding the flames of racism by promoting, marketing and commercializing the term. Truth be told, their use of the n-word keeps the hate, inferior-superior mindset distinction, and inequality and racial disrespect at the forefront of everyone’s minds that the term long ago was created to represent. Recently, a white passenger on board a Delta Airline flight was annoyed by a crying black child sitting next to him on his mother’s lap. The irate passenger had the unmitigated gaul to reach over and slap the child in the face, calling the child a n**ger in the process.

Everything about the passenger’s actions was unacceptable, but he did it because he felt he had the right to do so. This proves the point that so long as the Black community continually disrespects itself, others will continue to view the collective black community as inferior and will handle the group of people as insignificant, non-humans they can treat any way they see fit at will…that idea of careless treatment sounds a lot like the real definition of a “n**ga”. The word n**ger/n**ga is linked to a racist past and that is NEVER going to change. To entertain the ridiculous idea that the context of this word can be changed—let alone the desire to want to even try—is ludicrous and asinine at its best. The context of its history is going to forever remain intact.

Many twisted and irrational arguments have been advanced in a feeble attempt to justify use of the n-word.  One of which is that those who fight against its use live in the past and are unable to let go of it, while proponents of the term say they have freed themselves from the past and given the n-word a new meaning.  The truth of the matter is those proponents of the term will go to any length to cover up their act of ignorance for their use of the vile word. Their justifications for use of the term shows that they are in DENIAL about all that took place relative to the sinister baggage that comes along with this word.  If any argument can be made, it should be that proponents of the term are mentally incapacitated and too inertia to overcome their use of it.

Black America’s present day use of the n-word is symbolic of an 18^th century slave mentality and has no place in this 21^st century for liberated-minded people. Descendants of those victimized and dehumanized by this pejorative term who want to keep this word alive in this 21^st century by embracing it are committing blasphemy to the sacred memories, struggles and sacrifices of their forefathers.

As a GROUP, the non-use of the n-word should be a no-brainer. Black/African Americans should ALL be on the same page about this because, collectively, whenever that word is openly used by any person of color, it serves as a reflection on the entire race of people. No matter whose mouth—black or non-black—the n-word idiom flows from, nothing cerebral, honorable, dignified, prideful or self-respectful exists from being submissive to and tolerant of its use.

While many in the Black community work to try to become a once-again united, self-respecting race of people with a positive perception and conviction of self within and without the community, others have sold out at the expense of the collective group. As this internal conflict wages within Black America, slick-teethed businessmen like Quentin Tarantino are laughing all the way to the bank with his highest grossed money-making movie ever. Offering a very veiled perception of slave life and a million and one more ways to allow the n-word term to roll off one’s lips, Black America was left with a feel good moment about a make believe Django’s prowess who rides off in the sunset with his woman after ethereally shooting up a bunch of white folks.  Where was the real homage paid to the Black/African American and his survival of a gargantuan struggle?

Taking its cue from the music industry’s global promotion, marketing and commercializing of the n-word, the door is now open for more such films to be made once again using Black America as sacrificial pawns and all with Black America’s approval.  Black/African American forefathers have to be rolling over in their graves with utter disgust at the behavior of their descendants.

H. Lewis Smith is the founder and president of UVCC, the United Voices for a Common Cause, Inc. (www.theunitedvoices.com),  and author of “Bury that Sucka: A Scandalous Love Affair with the N-Word”. Follow him on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thescoop1