When hearing about devastating racial injustices, like Hurricane Katrina, and the James Byrd of Jasper, Texas dragging, one would say "I can't believe this shit is really still happening?" We all know racism is still alive and well. Of course throughout the present and future days of our time, there will always be a story of some idiot making racial, sexist, and misogynistic epithets (Don Imus, Isiaha Washington, Mel Gibson, Paris Hilton, Kramer-Michael Richards... ring a bell).
Depending on the severity of the racism and whether the actual accused racist is a celebrity or public figure, the media pics and chooses what is news worthy at times. It has been said prime time media doesn't have access to cover stories in small towns due to the archaic technologies of communication in said small town...that's baloney. If we "bloggers" can find these stories..why can't "they"-the media broadcast these issues on a broad spectrum across the world.
With that said, where do many of the heinous racially charged crimes take place?...Usually in small, po-dump, boondocks type of towns like Jena Louisiana... So one would think the folks at the white house or wherever would try to keep a special probe on these racially flagrant towns.
Hence the reason I'm posting this story. As I sit at my little cluttered desk, munching on Ramen noodles, I can forget about how crazy the world is, especially in our beloved country we call America. Check out this independent news clip about the Jenna 6 in Louisiana, you would be...well surprised.
On another note*
I hear people casually mock the phrase "the revolution will not be televised" or "we need to start a revolution up in here"...Yeah Right! If folks really understood the real meaning of revolution...they for sure wouldn't be casually claiming it. One has to be ready to literally die for the cause in order to start a revolution. I ask this question- is there any cause you would die for? Seriously!
I wouldn't know the first thing about a revolution...that's why I never play around with that word or phrase...because it actually meant something. I guess I'm too comfortable. At least I vote.
"Revolution is based on land, land is the basis of all independence, land
is the basis of freedom justice and equality. The white man knows what a
revolution is. How do you think he will react to you when you learn what a
real revolution is? "- Malcom X
For more info on this story visit colorofchange.org
7 Vain Comments:
corporate media is big business now. relaying relevant information to the masses about the world at-large is a distant second to making a profit. when mainstream americans (read: middle-class white folks) see stories on cnn about unjustices being done to blacks they change the channel cuz they have no vested interest in the matter. if nobody is watching, cnn aint making any money. i'm from chicago and everyday there's blacks being killed but it happens with such regularity that the deaths hardly ever make the front page of the sun-times....its like they're just used to it. mainstream media is just the same..."something bad has happened to some blacks? where's the story in that?" black folks aren't absolved of guilt either. when the hip-hop generation (read: young blacks) sees these stories they say pretty much say the same thing....."some more brothers getting done up by the system" and that'll be the end of it. but when you talk about who in the industry is fucking who, or who sold 100,000 records in their first week out then you'll get a 100 comments about it. this leads me into the revolution part of your post....there won't (can't) be a revolution if that's all that our youths care about. i think that there is some hope though....the blogging game is becoming really big and this has the potential to spawn a new generation of revolutionaries who can take up the cause. the internet has surpassed newspapers in readership and if you pay attention you'll see that these news channels are reading blogs too and piggyback off of what generates the most hits on these blogs. so to you and your contemporaries i say keep it up and continue posting stories like these cuz its the only outlet(s) we have.
Part of me really think we are seeing things in this country do a backslide. I wrote a post that talks about how things are sliping. I think our generation does not know its History and could care less about our collesctive image.I think I need to link this story.
Everytime I hear "the revolution will not be televised" I get a little upset. I think it can and will be televised. As you said, if we as bloggers can find and post the information, then we need to start circulating it through whatever mediums we have at our disposal.
"The power of the pen is mightier than the sword", and we should use that to our advantage.
We can bloggervise the information, reach out to local media, college campuses, corporations that reach out to communities; there are many ways to get the word out.
Furthermore, we as a whole and a community (blacks) need to start taming ourselves, taking care of ourselves and our neighborhoods, and move toward healing/helping each other. The more we get that into action, the better off we'll be. We can't do for others when we're not doing for self.
Unfortunately, we all are guilty of feeding into the race game nonsense. When we learn that our history in this country extends far beyond the voyage made by Colombus. Then and only the will we be able to really talk about a revolution. We don't know who we are, some think they know but, they have no clue. The laws of this land were created by our forefathers in conjunction with their forefathers for the indigenous people of this country. Those who truly knew what was meant by "The revolution will not be televised" knew that the revolution is going to happen in the court room.
Every comment made on this post has been of poignant concern. I thank God every day for making me black...but we have so many concerns that we should speak and protest about. Maybe there is room for a movement, maybe not a revolution. I feel that in the pre 70's era, we as "blacks" had more at stake. We were all on the same level. There were no black billionares and moguls. We fought and died for pride, equality, and integrity...that is definitely worth dying for. Now we have opportunities and have gained some power, which is great, but there is so much more to be done. So with that said we still have more at stake as a viable living member of the AMerican society because we have pushed ourselves back 10-20 years due to the foolish uncohesiveness of our community and leaders. We are all jaded in a way...but we can open our eyes and try to make a difference.
great post......and that quote stuck with me I had to make it the daily quote on my blog.
eddie nicole said: "...We fought and died for pride, equality, and integrity...."
We begged, we prayed, petitioned and demostrated
Just to make another generation - black zombies
Nas-Black Zombies
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