Playing Your Cards Right

I'm a debater by nature. I love to engage in intelligent discussion with people who share my views, but I think I get a bit more excited when I'm engaging with someone who doesn't share my views. Not because I'm trying to pull them over to my side of thinking, though. Okay, maybe a little. It's because I love learning about other people's perspectives.

But, nothing irritates me more in a discussion than a comment that abruptly halts a discussion. A great example of that particular irritant? Five words:

"Not everything is about race."

I swear, it's like the go-to phrase for the average racially squeamish cat. It is fast becoming such an epidemic in our so-called progressive society that it has the potential to not only replace the race card, but far surpass it. And though President Obama's win has created joy, hope, and many opportunities for Blacks to use "My President is Black" as a comeback to The Man, it has also revived this monster. "Post-racial America", anyone?

Much too often I am engaged with a person (whether face-to-face or on the internet) in a conversation such as this one:

Cheekie: You know, I truly believe that even though Barack Obama won, the fact that he had to overcome the amount of obstacles he did in the first place lends validity to the claim that we aren't as "post-racial" as everyone would like to believe.

Racially Squeamish Cat (RSC): Well, I think that since he was elected, that means his race didn't matter.

Cheekie: But, you have to ask yourself, what did it take? People losing their jobs, people losing their lives in a prolonged war, people losing their homes, etc? I wonder if those circumstances were the primary factor in choosing him even if it meant setting aside their prejudices for a bit. Prejudices that are so ingrained, they can't just disappear with one election.

RSC: You know, not everything is about race.

Cheekie: *DEAD*

Yeah, way to completely cut off what could have been a very enriching conversation with one of the safest cop-outs known to man today. That convo might as well have went like this:

Cheekie: You hear about those Klansmen that burned a cross in front of that Black family's yard? Racist pricks.

RSC: I don't know, not everything is about race.

Trust, I recognize those of us who completely abuse that race card. Case in point:

But, ya know, most of us ain't her. First off, we don't sport mullets. Second, a lot of us do have enough brain cells to write off certain situations and give people the benefit of the doubt, but please believe we can also identify valid racism and call them on it. Just because some abuse the race card doesn't mean it shouldn't be used at all. That's like saying that there are people who abuse alcohol, so alcohol should be completely banned even from those who "drink responsibly".

Anyhow. Point is, yes, not everything is about race. But, some things are. Hell, a lot of things are. There is no way we will be able to progress against racism without clearly identifying it as as a valid problem. Discussions on race are uncomfortable, no lie. But, there is nothing to be accomplished from ignoring it. You can't fix a cracked glass and only bring the glue. You have to bring the glass. Holla.

Love ya like Al Sharpton loves his perm,

Cheekie

What Will It Take...

...for justice to be served?

Amongst the joy felt with the charging of Oscar Grant's murderer is a step back. Apparently, there is another officer, Tony Pirone, who punched Mr. Grant several times without cause. The District Attorney states he isn't prosecuting that particular officer. *sigh*

Looks like we gotta get our voices out there again. 

Ridiculous. We already know how much of an impact our voices have due to the action taken prior to this most recent event. Watch the video and see for yourself. And please "sound off" at Color of Change. It only takes a couple of minutes at best. Speak on it.

Love ya like Howard Dean loves screaming,

Cheekie

This is the Day

This, is our president, my people. Beautiful.

Love ya like I love my first family,

Cheekie

UPDATE on Oscar Grant: Ya'll Have Spoken

Just droppin' by to let you know about this:

BART cop transported to Bay Area jail, charged with murder

My sister (Chyna) tipped me off just now and I had to run over and post the news. Obviously the outrage expressed (in many forms: internet, protesting, etc) had a hand in this or this would have been dealt with in a more prompt matter. Just wanted to say thanks to those who did use their voices for justice and to keep on the lookout for how this is resolved.

Love ya like Blago loves himself,

Cheekie

Racism Resurrected...

...except it never died.

You may or may not have heard about Mr. Oscar Grant. He was shot exceution style by a transit police officer on New Year's Eve. His physical position while heartlessly gunned down? Lying down. That's right he was at his most non-threatening when he was killed. The officer, Johannes Mehserle, has not been arrested or charged with any crime at the time of this posting. So, before you pull a Dubya and declare victory way before its time, please believe that racism is very much alive and thriving. And it's a helluva beast to tame. But tame it we must. Together.

Warning: The following video is disturbing. Please view it at your discretion.





After you're done watching, please head over to ColorofChange.org and add your name to the petition demanding California Attorney General, Jerry Brown to take over this case from the Alameda District Attorney (who hasn't bothered to question Mehserle) and arrest Mehserle promptly. In addition to lending your voice to this particular case, your name on this petition will also voice and appeal to the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the ridiculous pattern of BART police and the Alameda District Attorney refusing to hold officers accountable for their killings.

Sign Petition Here: Oscar Grant Petition

And when you've signed, make sure to pass it on to your friends and fam. Spread the word!

Love ya like Obama loves change,

Cheekie

Thoughts for Thursday

***ADMIN NOTE***: We haven't been posting as often as we'd like, but we should be getting to regular posting soon. Of course, life got in the way, and unfortunately, this blog was not a part of said life. We need to make it so. Holla. In addition to that, instead of a regular post we will have a special feature on Thursdays uncreatively beautifully entitled "Thoughts for Thursday". It might just be a question, simple statement, or observation. All of which encourages discussion among you fine people.




Today's Thought: Why is sex (meant to create life) censored at a higher level than violence (meant to destroy life)?

Speak on it!

Love ya like Hollywood loves censoring man parts,

Cheekie

The Cookie Syndrome

I think it’s safe to assume that every African-American person in this country understands the term “Oreo” as it is used to describe a certain “kind of Black person”. In a nutshell, it’s a black person who is perceived by another black person or other black people as one who attempts to “be white”. But, what does that really mean…to me?
Well, I think it certainly goes beyond how one dresses, wears his/her hair, where a person lives, or whether a person’s speech is inundated with strings of wanton slang. What the hell did he say???? And, I’m black. I’m good and in my thirties so I have had considerable time to mull over my perception of things; situations, people, and the one thing I’ve concluded for myself is that using correct grammar is not “talking white”, however, changing your entire accent, or voice inflections, pitch, etc, so that you sound like your white counterparts is “talking white”. Blacks who pay attention can usually tell when you’re trying too hard.

If I’m on the phone with a black woman, I don’t care if she has a law degree from Yale, a medical degree from Harvard, and an MBA from Vassar, for the most part, I can still tell that I’m speaking to a black person…..or maybe I believe that I should be able to tell she’s black. Thing is, I don’t automatically equate the use of grammatically correct English by a black person as their trying to “talk white”. I mean when black people accuse other blacks of that, do they realize that in contrast or what they’re saying, by default, is that “dumb speech” is automatically equated to being black? And I say that because what’s really being thrown at a person is “you’re trying to sound smart”

I think trying to be white calls for a more stellar psychological performance than is necessary simply for the black boy who actually shops at Abercrombie & Fitch. I recall how Ice Cube’s pronouncement about “Black police showing out for the white cop” resonated with me in the 80’s. I had no negative experience with law enforcement on any personal level yet I understood fully his accusation.

I think acting white is more about the things Blacks do to other Blacks that scream their undying commitment to showing whites how much like white they really are than it is about whether they surf, or play hockey, or go to the Opera. It is a black person who not only mimics white culture, but attempts to denigrate and retreat from their own. Thing is, whether you like it or not, we’re not all just a mass of CBS Afterschool Specials. We don’t all have these stories about our mothers and/or fathers being crack heads, or living in the inner city projects. We didn’t all have to share two coats between eight siblings or sleep eleven to a room. Sometimes we have parents who were actually professionals; they may have spent summers on Martha’s Vineyard, dined at fine restaurants, and wore clothes whose prices didn’t end in .99. So hey, maybe they picked up playing golf and skateboarding with the white kids in their neighborhoods; or….. Communities if you will. I guess if some of their friends wore tie dyed shirt and khakis, well, they would follow suit. I mean isn’t that what we all do? The point is, none of this means he doesn’t want to be black.

Personally, I believe it’s more about a black person who may or may not have experienced the latter lifestyle, but has an overwhelming desire to mentally remove himself from their very real reality in this country. A Black person who may have much, or not, has actually convinced himself that by acting as his white counterparts act, and doing what they do, he will receive some special pass from being black in America because he did the smart thing in disassociating with “those black people”. He now feels equal in their circles and believes that he has their backs so they’ll have his. Then one day, inevitably, the thing that was once a reality in his mind becomes fallacy. Because eventually, at some point in their lifetimes; perhaps more than once, something or someone will happen to Mr. or Ms Sellout, that will remind them that they’re still ….well you know……. Damn! ….you know, like OJ.

Holla at me!

Chyna