The Big Gorilla

LeBron James is the first black man to grace the cover of Vogue Magazine. Shaft can’t even claim this accomplishment, and he was by all accounts DA MAN! These days all it takes is to be liked or disliked by the establishment to get attention. Not that Mr. James does not garner attention. He does on the hard wood and while he soars through the air like an agile freak of nature. Actually, he commands respect from the best players playing around in our new Hip-Hop National Basketball Association.

LeBron, one of America’s most recognized sports characters, has become an icon. He is well on his way to cementing his place in sports history. This April he proves to the world again that he is versatile and willing to crossover like Sean Combs. However, Combs has not been called King Kong by his critics.

Gracing the cover of Vogue, I am sure, was never a goal of LeBron’s while he drove a Hummer to high school - and I am certain he never thought taking a picture with a top model would cause such a stir. His immaturity and naivety more than likely prevented him from realizing his historical moment in time would offend and/or generate pride. He just didn’t know! Remember, LeBron James is a basketball player – not a social activist.

There are a few pro black loud mouths and a couple white liberal heart liberals who are shouting he should have known the ramifications of such a picture:

"The photo is perpetuating racial stereotypes. James strikes what some see as a gorilla-like pose, baring his teeth, with one hand dribbling a ball and the other around Bundchen’s tiny waist.”

“Images of black male athletes as aggressive and threatening reinforce the criminalization of black men."

Is this another case of 'black hypersensitivity/white guilt empathy' or is this cover/picture purporting stereotypical images with a bit of racist overtures?

Below are three links to articles covering the story. The second link has several reader comments. They are insightful. The third link will take you to the Vogue cover story.

I must say that Lebron James somewhat resembles the Big Gorilla: King Kong!

What say you?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/25/lebron-james-vogue-cover-_n_93252.html

http://www.cavsnews.com/20080324-1061.php

http://www.style.com/vogue/feature/032508/page2.html

Written by Muata. Inspired by this:

"I am black; I am a woman and I’M SICK OF THE COMPLAINING!!! I see a magazine cover of two human beings with great bodies." -Proud Black Woman

Complaining??

Jeremiah Wright: What He Said Years Ago May Derail Barack

It was only a matter of time. Barack has had to aggressively denounce Jeremiah Wright's, his church pastor and spiritual advisor, statements: "I vehemently condemn the statements of Jeremiah Wright...in sum I reject his statements". That is a snippet of Barack's enhanced reproach.

Believe me; I certainly understand why Obama has come out with a more forceful statement. We all know to win the presidency candidates have to script what they say, and also distance themselves from individuals who may utter words that his/her voter base may consider inflammatory. So much for being yourself! In this case, Barack is more concerned by what this means to his white constituency, and not the black voters since we pretty much agree with Wright’s “anti-American” rhetoric. But, who am I to criticize, Barack Obama is running for the president of Babylon, and not the chairman of the local Black Panther Party. I guess he understands that we are in a country where being yourself is costly, and certainly not respected.

It is not ironic Barack Obama cannot stand behind what he believes, and it is obvious what Jeremiah Wright believes about America could be part of Barack's belief system considering he has been a member of Trinity United Church of Christ for over 20 years; and there is nothing wrong with that in my opinion. Even if Barack does not believe we should "God Damn America" Barack has been associated with a controversial biblical theology and radical teaching that alarms white America.

Isn’t it interesting that these white folk, the Rush Limbaugh and Bill O’Reilly types, are surprised that a few of us (black folk) are actually disgusted with this bias and corrupt system that governs Americans. They actually expect us to be porch monkey happy and tap dancing thankful to be apart of this 'great nation'. They still don't attempt to understand our plight while we are steadily and FOOLISHLY trying NOT to see the world in a black and white scenario.

Black people, America is viewed in BLACK AND WHITE - HAVES and HAVE NOTS by those in power, so why are you black people trying to see in the reverse? Are we just being good ole blacks...again? We, in all our efforts, need to see the United States for what it is: Us against Them. Black vs. White. Rich and Poor. Educated and Uneducated. Do we really believe white people who control this nation want a melting pot? Common on, people!

Jeremiah Wright is not far from being RIGHT. Most of us, black and white people, know this. Unfortunately, in America the truth hurts. It is a troublesome sore that will not heal for those persons in control. They are only interested in a superficial healing, and those of us who understands something about the truth knows that the truth is not flimsy.

View and listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2EVd9WDio0

Listen only: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfNEfEBYIZs&feature=related

"Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian" - http://www.tucc.org/pastor.htm

Written by Muata. Inspired by sermons that were delivered almost five years ago – but most definitely TRUTHFUL. Too bad Barack Obama can no longer publicly applaud the truth.

White Girls Killed and Blacks Say NOTHING - Another case of Black Hypocrisy?

"More than half of the nation's annual homicides of about 15,000 are committed by black men. Not only is a black man much more likely to commit a homicide, but he is much more likely to die by homicide. And the killer is likely -- almost certain, in fact -- to be another black man."

It is apparent the black man has a deadly issue with hating himself. However, the recent murders of America’s southern debutantes, Eve Carson and Lauren Burk, may indicate that black men are well on their way to finally repudiating their salient allegiance to white folk. The allegiance I am speaking of is connected to the way murderous black men have valued a white life over a black life for the past 200 years.

Typically, if a white person is killed by a black person we can expect that darkie to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. This is the way our judicial system functions, and not too many people have questioned it. Including black people. Inconsequently, for years now I have wondered why there is some sort of soul immunization among black people when a black person murders another black person. It is like we expect it. A routine occurrence that black people read about in an urban city’s newspaper Metro section without the slightest of concern. I believe I am even safe in saying that whiteys are unalarmed too. It’s just another dead nigger. Right?

Carson and Burk were beautiful white girls. They were everyday white chicks who more than likely did not associate much with black people. Their encounters with a few black folk were probably horrible memories that they wanted to forget. Like the countless young adult memories I have related to white men: uncomfortable, scary, feelings of insecurity and ignorance. Lacking some level of knowledge probably did not play a role in the brutal killings of Eve and Lauren. They were well aware that black men are dangerous. They saw how explosively volatile we are on television. No doubt! They may have also been reminded by momma and daddy to ‘stay away from those animals’. This would not surprise me because in most cases when watching the junk tube black men are portrayed as ruthless, stone cold, tough, and/or non-caring mammals. Or, perhaps as cross dressing buffoons - thanks to Mr. Tyler Perry.

While we are thought of as criminals before we go to jail and punks when viewing so called black movies, I wonder when the mindset shifts to one of complete black self-hatred to hating white people too? Literally hating them. I can perfectly understand why we grow to detest ourselves if we constantly bombard our psyche with images of those 50 Cent types – but how have we gotten to this place of empathetically hating white people? Our view of them has always been one of superiority: Yes ‘um Boss - and envy. Right? Haven’t we been trying to be Eurocentric? (Yes, you have. Stop lying! You know staying African was not an option).

Has our hatred spilled over? Perhaps, some of us now understand that white people can be hated too: The hating of ourselves can be extended to John and Cindy. Some black people, those wearing grossly oversize jeans and baseball caps with the price tag dangling, don’t have to hide how much they hate them anymore. We, decent acting black people, don’t have to keep the hatred behind barber shop doors any longer. It’s actually okay and evidently ‘cool’ to let the world know by killing innocent white people. Eve Carson and Lauren Burk are some of the first causalities of this new (or is it improved) hatred. They were gunned down while attempting to obtain something most black women are trying to acquire: a college education; while countless black men are roaming the streets searching for white and black prey.

If I was white I would be scared as HELL. These new type of Negroes don’t care about themselves at all and they APPERANTLY don’t give a damn about Mr. Bernstein or his children any longer.

Written by Muata. Inspired by that black suspect posing for the ATM camera while driving Eve’s SUV. Inspired by Black Hypocrisy: Where is the outrage from the black community?

Chasing the American Dream, Becoming a Loser

When I was a kid living in a two bedroom house with five adults and two siblings I did not realize that I didn’t’ have any privacy. Having this overly cherished preference and American commodity was not important to me because I wanted to be in the middle of things anyway. I was one of those kids who always had to say or do something to get some level of attention. At times that attention was not welcomed by me because it was given with a belt or that dreaded switch. But, I must admit despite the unnecessarily earned whippings I received, sharing a terribly uncomfortable sofa bed with my grandmother was a treat. This way, I was always coddled by grandma since she was the one who encouraged me to relentlessly chat and show my behind. She enjoyed my displays of foolishness because she needed something to laugh about. I was her joy!

The house on Small Street was full. Really full. Nevertheless, that box for a house was our home. It was something we were proud to own. We cleaned it religiously every Saturday morning prior to the airing of Soul Train. Spotless is what that house was. So fresh and so clean! After the lengthy cleaning session we, my brother and sister, were permitted to escape from the confines of that box. We were permitted to roam the neighborhoods freely until the street lights came on. That was something we could count on: Illumination of the Hood. For a few families down the street this was the only powered light they would experience sometimes considering their lights, and ours here and there, would be turned off by Duke Power, the notorious utility company – but turning off our electricity was of no consequence for us. We still lived. Life did not stop because we still had our home. It was ours. No one could take it. Not even those banks that people from my neighborhood did not trust. For us our money was safer in a shoe box or under a cheap mattress; and there was no way in hell our house was going to be seized because of a bank foreclosure.

Part of the American Dream is to be a home owner: Marriage, kids, then a home with a white picket fence. This is what was drilled into my head while in elementary, middle, and high school. Even in college, this dream was reinforced. The dream permeates our culture. It is so powerfully persuasive that many of us feel like losers if we never acquire something we can call home sweet home. That structure that has us saying, ‘I have to pay my mortgage this week’; instead of saying ‘I have to pay my RENT this week’.

I can honestly say what motivated me to purchase property was the fact that my friends and colleagues were buying condos and houses to live in. There was simply not a drive for me to own a home at the time – but the feelings of being left out and inadequate encouraged me to ‘follow behind’ my friends, so I became a homeowner. It is evident many of the homeowners today did what I did: Succumbed to peer pressure. The only difference with me was I, thankfully, was able to afford the overpriced condo I selected.

It is estimated that thirty percent of Americans will be financially upside down with their mortgage loans by the end of 2008. That’s a staggering 15 million people! These people will lose what the American Dream describes as success. They are now among the fold who listened to our government: ‘Invest in a home. Become a home owner.’ But, they soon will become filers of bankruptcy. Something, in many ways, our thoughtful government touted as an “option” for individuals who would remain financial stable when Chapter 13 was filed. Now, we have the average Joe on a sinking ship, and feeling the pinch. A pinch that many say could have been prevented if only Mr. and Mrs. Joe would have made a sensible decision: Continued to rent until they REALLY could afford a home.

In retrospect, perhaps paying rent was the smart option. Expecting people, from all walks of life by the way, not to cave after being told repeatedly by Uncle Sam to buy a house - and later preyed upon by un-federally regulated loan companies was a failed financial recipe for a market that has literally tanked. And, now our government leaders are claiming that they are concerned. Even the President is involved. With this level of ‘concern’ from the highest authorities on earth, there are well-to-do pundits and every day judgmental citizens who are placing all the blame on the facing-foreclosure homeowners. Homeowners who were only chasing the American Dream. A dream that some of us have acquired or trying to attain. All these ARM (adjustable rate mortgage) takers wanted was what I had on Small Street: A Home.

Who is responsible for the current mortgage crisis? Should the government bail the Mr. and Mrs. Joe out?

Written by Muata. Inspired by black, brown, and white people on the verge of becoming homeless.