Garvey's Ghost Responds to Rising Son (The Real One)
Well right after I posted my "taking a break" post I happened upon comments to my last post regarding responses to Common's commentary on "Dreads" with White women. Apparently my post caught the attention of one of the artists whom took issue with Common's words who proceeded to post the following the comments section:
WOW.....i'm lost for words. You think i want to "Eliminate the black man". haha. You don't even know me, and you've not spoken to me to find out what i ACTUALLY have to say about it. All YOU've done is take QUOTES from other sources and formulated an opinion, and in doing so you have managed to label me (not in so many words) as a racist. For a website called "Garveys ghost" you don't seem to have anything positive to say about Rastafarianism, which i'm not sure if you're aware that Garvey revolutionised this in Jamaica. It's why Burning Spear openly pays homeage to the man. To mock the belief that "Selassie is not dead" is almost blasphemous because people say the same thing about Christ and i dont see you being sarcastic about that at all. So already you have made a mockery of what your name represents, not a good start. As you can probably tell from my tone i am far from happy.
I am extemely hurt by the way you have made me out to be some kind of Anti-Black mixed race boy with some kind of identity problems. I know who the hell i am. My mother is white and my father was a revolutionary who did more for the black race than You and probably anyone you know. If i mention some of the names of the people he worked closely with you will faint. Assata Shakur is one of them, do you even know who that is? Allow me to tell you some more about my father.....
He grew up in Trinidad at a time when the americans had pretty much colonised the island. He fought for the rights of Black women to have jobs in Black banks in a Black country. He had to fight for that and they eventually won. He has had guns put to his head, been buried alive and all sorts, fighting for black power. He was also a part of the movement that went down to the american airbase in Port of Spain and burnt it down sending all the americans packing back to america where they stayed. They liberated Trinidad. That means any family you had there at the time was Liberated by my dad and his people. Thats a lot of history there, a history that i am so PROUD of.
So can you imagine now my anger at people like Common when they make comments like the ones he's been making. It's almost like all that history i just told you goes out the window because he went out with my mum, and he becomes a "sellout". Never mind the fact that he was a Black Panther and fought for equality and almost died hundreds of times for Black people. That really hurts. I don't think a lot of people actually get what we're trying to say. You and many others seem to think that we're trying do discredit the black woman by encouraging black men to pay more attention to white women. No WAY. I'm sorry but it's not that. I have NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER (i put that in bold because i want it to be CLEARLY understood) WITH ANY PERSON FROM any PART OF THE WORLD WHO PREFERS TO STICK TO THEIR OWN RACE. i uNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF RACIAL PRESERVATION, AND I THINK THAT IN THE bLACK COMMUNITY ITS EVEN MORE IMPoRTANT DUE TO THE ALARMING RATE IN WHICH YOUNG BLACK MALES ARE KILLING EACHOTHER. However, on the track, All i'm simply saying is that you cant go around condemning people for the people they choose to love. Yoko Ono was married to john Lennon and nobdy Chinese said a God Damn Word, why, because it's not important. I don't hear common telling blacks not to mix with indians or malaysians or anyone else, so to only pick on the white race (and i don't really care what you say) Is RACIST. It's reverse racism. And until EVERYONE IN THE WORLD stops behaving so, there will always be racism and we will keep going round in circles. My dad is NOT a F**king sellout and i will fight anyone who says that he is because he is part of the reason why we are even in england today with the rights that we have. I'm sorry if my defending this has upset you, but quite frankly my dear i don't give a f**k and if you think that i'm a racist you can go to hell. I am proud as hell of my African Heritage thank you very much, so you can take your sorry, unresearched, opinionated review and stick it up your over sensitive ass.
Soooooooo I guess it would only be right for me to respond, though perhaps this discussion ought to be carried out between Rising Son and Common.
So lets examine this post first Rising Son says:
WOW.....i'm lost for words. You think i want to "Eliminate the black man". haha. You don't even know me, and you've not spoken to me to find out what i ACTUALLY have to say about it. All YOU've done is take QUOTES from other sources and formulated an opinion, and in doing so you have managed to label me (not in so many words) as a racist.
Well actually I never said that I think Rising Son want's to "eliminate the black man." I simply quoted the verse off the track he was on which was quoted in UK Magazine in which he is quoted saying:
Rising Son refers to Common as a "racist bitch" and spits, "I predict the future is mixed/ Marking the end of all this racism sh--."
So if Rising Son has a problem with the quote he ought to take it up with UK Magazine. Real PAn-Africanists would never ever have that kind of commentary fall out their mouths anyways. My commentary on the statement said:
So while these MC's think they are on some higher plane than Common, they are found to be repeating the racist commentary of Mexico, Brazile and other counries in which "Lightening up" the black population was/is the ideal.
Thus I was comparing how these MC's, presumable including Rising Son, happened to share the worldview of some racist places. Does that imply that Rising Son is racist? By no means, It implies, well actually states, that Rising Son and his compatriots in thier attempt to address racism have actually fallen into the trap laid by racists by calling for a future of "mixed" humanity which will eliminate racism, just as the Presidenst of said countries in the past ( and perhaps present) believed they could eliminate the "Negro Problem" by eliminating "the Negro." So this is all a matter of history.
Next Rising Son takes aims at my 'Garveyist" credentials stating:
For a website called "Garveys ghost" you don't seem to have anything positive to say about Rastafarianism, which i'm not sure if you're aware that Garvey revolutionised this in Jamaica. It's why Burning Spear openly pays homeage to the man. To mock the belief that "Selassie is not dead" is almost blasphemous because people say the same thing about Christ and i dont see you being sarcastic about that at all. So already you have made a mockery of what your name represents, not a good start. As you can probably tell from my tone i am far from happy.
Well sorry your not happy mate. For the record I have Burning Spear's seminal Album " Marcus Garvey" and Infamous "Garvey's Ghost" dub album. That Rasta think of Garvey as the "Black Star" of Africa does not diminish my issues with Rasta and Rasta ideology as practiced today.
Those interested in the links between Garvey and Rasta ought to read:
Rasta and Resistance by Horace Campbell
Also a reading of Marcus Garvey by Rupert Lewis, would enlighten the reader as to the attitude that Garvey had towards Rasta, specifically the worship of Haile Selassie as God. The latter issue Rising Son falls into. Rising Son, clearly not a regular here at Garvey's Ghost fails to realize I have plenty of venom for Christianity and Islam and am a practicioner of Ifa, a traditional religion of the Yoruba of Nigeria. A religion unpolluted by European ideology I might add. To say that Selassie is dead, because it is true is not blashemous, it's simply true. But truth hurt. Hurt bad.
Rising Son continues to show is "revolutionary bonifides" with the following:
I am extemely hurt by the way you have made me out to be some kind of Anti-Black mixed race boy with some kind of identity problems. I know who the hell i am. My mother is white and my father was a revolutionary who did more for the black race than You and probably anyone you know. If i mention some of the names of the people he worked closely with you will faint. Assata Shakur is one of them, do you even know who that is? Allow me to tell you some more about my father.....
Ok. I'll stop laughing right now, since had Rising Son spent some time reading Garvey's Ghost he would have run across the "Hands off Assata" post from May 4, 2005. I'm not going to get into the "Mixed race" argument since the emotive response here merely underscores the issue as discussed in the original post. Rising Son is here and may indeed do more for black folks than Jonas Savimbi so I ain't gonna go picking at his gene pool. But please don't go assuming to know what I am doing, ask.
In the next paragraph Rising Son tells me about his fathers exploits in Trinidad. I'm not going to discuss that except that I think Kwame Toure, another Trini has a far more impressive record and..ahem.. slept black...ahem....anyway....
Rising Son, apparently very emotional at looking into his past and defending the circumstances of his conception, which he really doesn't owe anyone to do states:
So can you imagine now my anger at people like Common when they make comments like the ones he's been making. It's almost like all that history i just told you goes out the window because he went out with my mum, and he becomes a "sellout". Never mind the fact that he was a Black Panther and fought for equality and almost died hundreds of times for Black people. That really hurts.
Common was just pointing out how "odd" it is that a man who supposedly was so down, couldn't settle down with a black woman. I think it's a valid question. Rising Son really isn't the person to speak to it. We all know, or should know, the great psychological pressure that exists in Caribbean society to marry light, no doubt this was under Rising Son's fathers skull. It was Under Frantz Fanon's and as much as I respect Frantz Fanon, I still think his choice of a mate spoke volumes about his inner conflicts. Are we saying we cannot question the motives of our comrades in struggle? As much as a respect and Honor Garvey, He isn't beyond critique so why does Rising Son, think he or his father should be beyond question for thier choices?
Rising Son starts to close with this, which is in complete contradiction to the record he was on:
I'm sorry but it's not that. I have NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER (i put that in bold because i want it to be CLEARLY understood) WITH ANY PERSON FROM any PART OF THE WORLD WHO PREFERS TO STICK TO THEIR OWN RACE. i uNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF RACIAL PRESERVATION, AND I THINK THAT IN THE bLACK COMMUNITY ITS EVEN MORE IMPoRTANT DUE TO THE ALARMING RATE IN WHICH YOUNG BLACK MALES ARE KILLING EACHOTHER.
This simply is not the case made in Rising Son's response to Common with it's references to Segregation (the album cover reference) and the "future is mixed" commentary. If Rising Son wishes to retract the record, then I think he should and do so publicly, stating it was not reflective of his true ideas and he was spitting out of emotion.
Rising Son points out:
However, on the track, All i'm simply saying is that you cant go around condemning people for the people they choose to love. Yoko Ono was married to john Lennon and nobdy Chinese said a God Damn Word, why, because it's not important. I don't hear common telling blacks not to mix with indians or malaysians or anyone else, so to only pick on the white race (and i don't really care what you say) Is RACIST.
I already discussed the "love" think in my last post so I'll refer right back to it. I ain't talkin' about John Lennon and Yoko. But if I was, Rising Son ought to visit some Asian web boards and see how mad many Asian males are about Asian females getting tagged by white men. Believe me there are some not too happy Asians out there. Also, I can't speak for Common, but I would assume that the reason "mixing" with other POC's (that's People of Color) isn't discussed is related to the shared oppression by white men and women. But do know that even in London, which I've been to many times, There are black women who are none too happy about that kind of mixing too. Now see how Rising Son goes and falls into the "reverse discrimination" trap. " Oh It's racist to critique connects with whites!!!" Still ain't get the point.
Rising Son closes with this:
until EVERYONE IN THE WORLD stops behaving so, there will always be racism and we will keep going round in circles. My dad is NOT a F**king sellout and i will fight anyone who says that he is because he is part of the reason why we are even in england today with the rights that we have. I'm sorry if my defending this has upset you, but quite frankly my dear i don't give a f**k and if you think that i'm a racist you can go to hell. I am proud as hell of my African Heritage thank you very much, so you can take your sorry, unresearched, opinionated review and stick it up your over sensitive ass.
My, my, I don't think I'm the sensitive one here. My original problem with Rising Son, et al. was thier crass "whole world mixed" commentary. Otherwise I think they would have had an excellent retort. This really isn't about his dad and he really shouldn't spend his time speaking for him. His father, and mother should speak for themselves and speak honestly about their circumstances (If they speak at all). As for "rights in England", well given the latest warning about the "Ghettoization" threat in England as well as the incidences that have been going on there, I wouldn't be so quick to give props to England. Especially when the police shoot to kill colored folks because they "mistook him" for a terrorist.
Anyway my suggestiong to Mr. Sun is that he spend less time defending his fathers breeding preferences(or his own) and if he's really that proud of his African Heratage he ought to find a nice brown woman to have kids with and stop getting quoted saying "the future is mixed."
(17 years of informed commentary)
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Silence of the Blog
So if you follow this blog you've noticed that I havent' posted nearly as much as I did in the first year and a half. Reason is, that for the time being it's become pretty repetitive. Kicking the same horse, you know, Black conservatives, White conservatives, White Liberals, Black liberals. Stating the should be obvious. So I need a break. So I won't be posting until mid Oct. unless something absolutely nuts happens. I need a mental break from this and I have so many other things going on in my life that I just don't have the energy to post anything more than links to other peoples writings like most other blogs do. I pride myself in not only pointing to stuff but also giving detailed commentary on the material. Since I can't do that, I don't want to waste anyone's time. So Untiul Oct 15. Peace out.
GG
So if you follow this blog you've noticed that I havent' posted nearly as much as I did in the first year and a half. Reason is, that for the time being it's become pretty repetitive. Kicking the same horse, you know, Black conservatives, White conservatives, White Liberals, Black liberals. Stating the should be obvious. So I need a break. So I won't be posting until mid Oct. unless something absolutely nuts happens. I need a mental break from this and I have so many other things going on in my life that I just don't have the energy to post anything more than links to other peoples writings like most other blogs do. I pride myself in not only pointing to stuff but also giving detailed commentary on the material. Since I can't do that, I don't want to waste anyone's time. So Untiul Oct 15. Peace out.
GG
Monday, September 12, 2005
Common Sense
I've learned a few things. One of them is don't discuss interracial relationships with people who are in them. Bad idea. Biggest reason being that a whole lot of people in them are very conscious about it and get very defensive when the questions come. Secondly, your likely to get the standard "You never know who you'll fall in love with" line which is bullshit. No one falls in love with people they choose not to socialize with In the end, people do what they want to do and should simply own up to it. "I wanted a (pick your group and put it here) (pick your gender and put it here) 'cause I wanted to." Anyways, this is not about my particular position on the subject but on the reaction to none other than the Rapper Common's position. A UK magazine reported:
quote:
in an interview with London magazine, Touch, where he criticized blacks with dreadlocks for dating white women, stating that those men would be "going against what the dreadlock's purpose was."
Three multi-cultural emcees from the UK didn't take lightly to Common's words and have recorded a track in retaliation. Rising Son, Yungun and Doc Brown -- three emcees who are known for the lyrical skills in Europe -- put together "Dear Common (The Corner Dub)," where they respond to Common's extreme views.
Rising Son refers to Common as a "racist bitch" and spits, "I predict the future is mixed/ Marking the end of all this racism sh--."
Britain is known to be more multicultural than America, which Doc details on the chorus. Meanwhile, Yungun says, "Black and white used to drink from different taps/ And you should know 'cause your album had a picture of that/ So when you say that you're showing how a hypocrite acts/ Now I ain't dissing this cat, I'm only spitting the facts."
"I respected Common more as a person before," Rising Son told BallerStatus.net. "I thought he would have been a bit more educated. He's quite a well-traveled person; he's been around the globe with his music, so I expected him to be a bit more clued-up about the world. It's a new day, it's a new era, a new time, and that was so last century -- all that 'stick to your own race' sh--.
Now I find it interesting that the MC's were decribed as "multi-cultural" which would appear to implyu that they were of "mixed" descent. This takes me to my second observation on the subject. It is often the products of "mixed" parentage that make statements about how the "whole world wil l be mixed." or some other variation on the "We are the furture" type commentary. So while these MC's think they are on some higher plane than Common, they are found to be repeating the racist commentary of Mexico, Brazile and other counries in which "Lightening up" the black population was/is the ideal. The elimination of the black being the target. You'd think those with "Lyrical Skills" would have thought a bit harder before calling for the elimination of half thier gene pool, you know, the half that allowed them to exist in the first place. You know, the half that gave birth to the music they make thier living off. But that's off point, as was the entire tirade against Common. Common is quoted as making a very specific remark about a specific group of people. Common was discussing the cultural origins and meaning behind Locks and Rastafarianism and it's roots and aims. He was pointing out, quite correctly, that the gallavanting around with European woman by "Lockmen" is contradictory. Of course the reason why we see such behavior is due to the famed locksman, Bob Marley, who purportedly had women of many hues all over. It didn't help with the commercialization of Locks and the relegation of Reggae music to "feel allright" music, with Bob Marley calling us to come together with "One Heart, One Love, and Feel Allright."
Of course now a days, white women go to Jamaica and get rent a dreds for sex filled vacations and movies in the 90's played up the Jamaican drug dealer angle (Jamaican drug dealers were always "dred") and the roots reggae has been over shadowed by it's dance hall offspring that is/was heavily sexist and violent. A black man with dreads is now cliche with few even adhering to it's origins as a cultural restoration and African liberation movement.
Now, if you listen to the track in question you'll note how these cats discuss how they've seen white women ( and men) join up with Rasta ( the religion) and accept African truth (you know that one where Selasie is not dead.....yah...yeah.. ok) But in the end exactly what kind of African Redemption are they about? The repeated comments (including discussion boards) where these MC's discuss the "Elimination of race" as the final solution should be an alarm for all simply because Rastafari is not for the elimination of the black man (Check Burning Spear). So just how much knowlegde of Rasta do these folks have and how much is the album a knee jerk reaction to feeling insulted because parentage was questioned.
All in All Rising Sun et al. could have sparked an interesting discussion on the topic had they not gone the "eliminate the black man" route. It ain't new and it ain't cute.
Link:
http://www.ballerstatus.net/news/read/id/74526514/
I've learned a few things. One of them is don't discuss interracial relationships with people who are in them. Bad idea. Biggest reason being that a whole lot of people in them are very conscious about it and get very defensive when the questions come. Secondly, your likely to get the standard "You never know who you'll fall in love with" line which is bullshit. No one falls in love with people they choose not to socialize with In the end, people do what they want to do and should simply own up to it. "I wanted a (pick your group and put it here) (pick your gender and put it here) 'cause I wanted to." Anyways, this is not about my particular position on the subject but on the reaction to none other than the Rapper Common's position. A UK magazine reported:
quote:
in an interview with London magazine, Touch, where he criticized blacks with dreadlocks for dating white women, stating that those men would be "going against what the dreadlock's purpose was."
Three multi-cultural emcees from the UK didn't take lightly to Common's words and have recorded a track in retaliation. Rising Son, Yungun and Doc Brown -- three emcees who are known for the lyrical skills in Europe -- put together "Dear Common (The Corner Dub)," where they respond to Common's extreme views.
Rising Son refers to Common as a "racist bitch" and spits, "I predict the future is mixed/ Marking the end of all this racism sh--."
Britain is known to be more multicultural than America, which Doc details on the chorus. Meanwhile, Yungun says, "Black and white used to drink from different taps/ And you should know 'cause your album had a picture of that/ So when you say that you're showing how a hypocrite acts/ Now I ain't dissing this cat, I'm only spitting the facts."
"I respected Common more as a person before," Rising Son told BallerStatus.net. "I thought he would have been a bit more educated. He's quite a well-traveled person; he's been around the globe with his music, so I expected him to be a bit more clued-up about the world. It's a new day, it's a new era, a new time, and that was so last century -- all that 'stick to your own race' sh--.
Now I find it interesting that the MC's were decribed as "multi-cultural" which would appear to implyu that they were of "mixed" descent. This takes me to my second observation on the subject. It is often the products of "mixed" parentage that make statements about how the "whole world wil l be mixed." or some other variation on the "We are the furture" type commentary. So while these MC's think they are on some higher plane than Common, they are found to be repeating the racist commentary of Mexico, Brazile and other counries in which "Lightening up" the black population was/is the ideal. The elimination of the black being the target. You'd think those with "Lyrical Skills" would have thought a bit harder before calling for the elimination of half thier gene pool, you know, the half that allowed them to exist in the first place. You know, the half that gave birth to the music they make thier living off. But that's off point, as was the entire tirade against Common. Common is quoted as making a very specific remark about a specific group of people. Common was discussing the cultural origins and meaning behind Locks and Rastafarianism and it's roots and aims. He was pointing out, quite correctly, that the gallavanting around with European woman by "Lockmen" is contradictory. Of course the reason why we see such behavior is due to the famed locksman, Bob Marley, who purportedly had women of many hues all over. It didn't help with the commercialization of Locks and the relegation of Reggae music to "feel allright" music, with Bob Marley calling us to come together with "One Heart, One Love, and Feel Allright."
Of course now a days, white women go to Jamaica and get rent a dreds for sex filled vacations and movies in the 90's played up the Jamaican drug dealer angle (Jamaican drug dealers were always "dred") and the roots reggae has been over shadowed by it's dance hall offspring that is/was heavily sexist and violent. A black man with dreads is now cliche with few even adhering to it's origins as a cultural restoration and African liberation movement.
Now, if you listen to the track in question you'll note how these cats discuss how they've seen white women ( and men) join up with Rasta ( the religion) and accept African truth (you know that one where Selasie is not dead.....yah...yeah.. ok) But in the end exactly what kind of African Redemption are they about? The repeated comments (including discussion boards) where these MC's discuss the "Elimination of race" as the final solution should be an alarm for all simply because Rastafari is not for the elimination of the black man (Check Burning Spear). So just how much knowlegde of Rasta do these folks have and how much is the album a knee jerk reaction to feeling insulted because parentage was questioned.
All in All Rising Sun et al. could have sparked an interesting discussion on the topic had they not gone the "eliminate the black man" route. It ain't new and it ain't cute.
Link:
http://www.ballerstatus.net/news/read/id/74526514/
Knockin' the Elderly
This morning I had the pleasure of reading the latest from Larry Elder in a "Human Events" online article entitled: The Idiocy of the Race Card and the Hurricane of the Welfare State
In this piece Larry Elder takes a position similar to the Future of Freedom Foundation where he castigates the so called "welfare state" as the cause of the current plight of Blacks in New Orleans. Elders takes a rather circutous route to his point:
quote:
CNN's Cafferty and so-called black leaders refuse to ask basic questions. Since 1978, for example, black mayors controlled the city of New Orleans, with many of the city's top officials also black. What about their responsibility? What about the damage done by the modern welfare state, helping to create poverty by financially rewarding irresponsible behavior? What about the damage to the black psyche by so-called civil rights leaders who demand not just equal rights, but equal results, helping to create a victicrat-entitlement mentality? Maybe someday one of the news anchors will ask one of the so-called civil rights leaders the following question: Doesn't the demand for race-based preferences, set-asides, private sector anti-discrimination laws, social welfare programs, and social "safety net" programs all conspire to say one thing -- "You are not responsible"?
I'm wondering what equal results Elder is talking about? Oh yes "preferences" and "set-asides" Mr. Elder also has problems with anti-discrimination laws, I'll presume he's a part of the 89%of black teens who say they never experienced racism. But his most glaring error is when he equates social welfare programs and social safety nets (probably a euphemism for Social Security) He equates that with the state and society saying "You are not responsible."
It is so sad that these people, THe FFF, Walter Williams and Elder, have their heads so far into their white counterparts nether regions that they cannot see the idiocy of their statements. For example, if Mr. Elder really believes that "safety nets" are in fact means of removing responsibility from individuals to the state or other persons, then they should follow through. By this I mean, If they get into an auto accident that destroys property and perhaps maims someoone. They should not be able to make a claim against their insurance. I mean in all likelyhood they never paid into the insurance the amount they will be putting out so let them take responsibility for their actions. Also should Mr. Elder be a meat and dairy eater and have the misfortune of having a genetic predisposition for Prostate Cancer, I do hope that he pays out of pocket for the surgery,and chemo-therapy.
I don't expect someone of Elder's low intelligence to know that the number one cause of bankruptcy in the US is a medical emergency. That's right, most hard working middle class Americans, yes those heterosexual, 2.5 kid having,played by the rules Americans are one medical emergency from being wiped out. By Mr. Elder's logic the government, to whome these middle class Americans have paid taxes to that have been given to various business interests in Washington. Sent to Israel and Iraq among other things, should not expect sqaut in return. No, They are responsible. Sorry you didn't see the leukemia coming dude!
ANd lets be equally clear here that most "set aside" and so called "quota" programs only really help the middle class who already possess the skills and education to put them into positions to take advantage of such programs. But lets move off of Midle Class Blacks and look at the poor.
Since the poor need to pull themselves up and in order to pull themselves up and since Larry Elder is siting the example of the Irish of the mid 1800's, where are the black businesses that are going into New Orleans Parish and setting up shop and employing the black folks there? hmmmm? I don't hear you Mr. Elder? No, blacks need to beg for jobs from white people (largely) in casinos, hotels and other low paying jobs. Of course if such busineses do not want to hire poor black people for reasons such as perhaps they don't like the way they act or that illegal immigrants from Mexico and elsewhere can be exploited at lower wages without the need to worry about the issues that come with citizenship, perhaps that would explain the level of joblessness.
All in all, Elder's is no better than the so called "Civil Rights" leadership he attempts to critique. He has no plan for alleviating poverty or bringing jobs and industry and tech to those in New Orleans, he is simply another black mouth to white conservative ideas making money off white owned and run radio stations, getting published in white run websites. It is clear what his solution to black problems is: Pimp yourself to White folks.
Links:
http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=8961
This morning I had the pleasure of reading the latest from Larry Elder in a "Human Events" online article entitled: The Idiocy of the Race Card and the Hurricane of the Welfare State
In this piece Larry Elder takes a position similar to the Future of Freedom Foundation where he castigates the so called "welfare state" as the cause of the current plight of Blacks in New Orleans. Elders takes a rather circutous route to his point:
quote:
CNN's Cafferty and so-called black leaders refuse to ask basic questions. Since 1978, for example, black mayors controlled the city of New Orleans, with many of the city's top officials also black. What about their responsibility? What about the damage done by the modern welfare state, helping to create poverty by financially rewarding irresponsible behavior? What about the damage to the black psyche by so-called civil rights leaders who demand not just equal rights, but equal results, helping to create a victicrat-entitlement mentality? Maybe someday one of the news anchors will ask one of the so-called civil rights leaders the following question: Doesn't the demand for race-based preferences, set-asides, private sector anti-discrimination laws, social welfare programs, and social "safety net" programs all conspire to say one thing -- "You are not responsible"?
I'm wondering what equal results Elder is talking about? Oh yes "preferences" and "set-asides" Mr. Elder also has problems with anti-discrimination laws, I'll presume he's a part of the 89%of black teens who say they never experienced racism. But his most glaring error is when he equates social welfare programs and social safety nets (probably a euphemism for Social Security) He equates that with the state and society saying "You are not responsible."
It is so sad that these people, THe FFF, Walter Williams and Elder, have their heads so far into their white counterparts nether regions that they cannot see the idiocy of their statements. For example, if Mr. Elder really believes that "safety nets" are in fact means of removing responsibility from individuals to the state or other persons, then they should follow through. By this I mean, If they get into an auto accident that destroys property and perhaps maims someoone. They should not be able to make a claim against their insurance. I mean in all likelyhood they never paid into the insurance the amount they will be putting out so let them take responsibility for their actions. Also should Mr. Elder be a meat and dairy eater and have the misfortune of having a genetic predisposition for Prostate Cancer, I do hope that he pays out of pocket for the surgery,and chemo-therapy.
I don't expect someone of Elder's low intelligence to know that the number one cause of bankruptcy in the US is a medical emergency. That's right, most hard working middle class Americans, yes those heterosexual, 2.5 kid having,played by the rules Americans are one medical emergency from being wiped out. By Mr. Elder's logic the government, to whome these middle class Americans have paid taxes to that have been given to various business interests in Washington. Sent to Israel and Iraq among other things, should not expect sqaut in return. No, They are responsible. Sorry you didn't see the leukemia coming dude!
ANd lets be equally clear here that most "set aside" and so called "quota" programs only really help the middle class who already possess the skills and education to put them into positions to take advantage of such programs. But lets move off of Midle Class Blacks and look at the poor.
Since the poor need to pull themselves up and in order to pull themselves up and since Larry Elder is siting the example of the Irish of the mid 1800's, where are the black businesses that are going into New Orleans Parish and setting up shop and employing the black folks there? hmmmm? I don't hear you Mr. Elder? No, blacks need to beg for jobs from white people (largely) in casinos, hotels and other low paying jobs. Of course if such busineses do not want to hire poor black people for reasons such as perhaps they don't like the way they act or that illegal immigrants from Mexico and elsewhere can be exploited at lower wages without the need to worry about the issues that come with citizenship, perhaps that would explain the level of joblessness.
All in all, Elder's is no better than the so called "Civil Rights" leadership he attempts to critique. He has no plan for alleviating poverty or bringing jobs and industry and tech to those in New Orleans, he is simply another black mouth to white conservative ideas making money off white owned and run radio stations, getting published in white run websites. It is clear what his solution to black problems is: Pimp yourself to White folks.
Links:
http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=8961
Thursday, September 08, 2005
The Future Of Freedom
If you follow Garvey's Ghost then you've noticed that I haven't said peep about Katrina. There's a couple of reasons for this primary among them is that allmost everywhere you look you'll see commentary on it much of which I agree with, so I wouldn't really be educating anyone about anything. The other reason is kind of the reason for this my 301st post at Garvey's Ghost:
Private individuals should not be or feel compelled to give a single buck to the relief effort.
This particular mode of thought will probably piss not a few readers off, but if you wait a bit I'll explain. This administration has wasted over $200 billion in a fake and unneccessary war in Iraq. The government should be compelled to spend at least that amount on New Orleans without any extra monies from private individuals. In my opinion, monetary and other material donations amounts to a tax on the people for doing what our taxes should be going to.
Let us turn our attention to an article by the Future of Freedom Foundation entitled: The Deadly Legacy of the Welfare State Lies in New Orleans. Here the author proposes that the failure of the government to properly respond to Katrina is evidence that Socialism nee "Big Government (tm)" is bad.
Quote:
Among the most tragic scenes in the Hurricane Katrina disaster was that of the thousands of poor people — almost all of whom were African Americans — who were stranded at the New Orleans Superdome and Convention Center, desperately waiting for the federal government to come and save them.
Why were they stuck there when thousands of others had already left the city? Because they were too poor to save themselves from death and disaster. They lacked the money to drive out of town and get a motel room for a few days before the hurricane struck.
Leftists are now saying that the New Orleans disaster shows that federal-government assistance to the poor and needy is more necessary than ever.
What in the world could leftists be thinking? It is leftist economic ideology — reinforced unfortunately by modern-day conservative “reform” philosophy — that is responsible for the horrible economic plight in which the New Orleans poor find themselves.
After all, don’t forget: The economic situation in New Orleans comes 70 years after President Franklin D. Roosevelt converted the federal government into a welfare provider for the poor and needy. Under FDR, the primary purpose of the federal government became to relieve poverty through the coercive confiscation of wealth from “the rich” in order to redistribute the money to “the poor.” This was the era in which Americans witnessed the advent of Social Security, a bankrupt tax-and-transfer program that ultimately became the crown jewel of the socialistic welfare state.
Thirty years after the New Deal came Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society, in which Johnson declared “war on poverty” all across America. Here we saw the advent of Medicare and Medicaid along with hundreds of other federal programs whose supposed aim was to abolish poverty, once and for all.
Decade after decade, the federal government became a massively growing tax-and-spend engine that sucked trillions of dollars of income and savings out of the pockets of the American people in order to fund ever-growing federal programs to “help the poor.”...
...New Orleans is proof positive of the bankruptcy of leftist economic ideology. For it is the welfare state itself and its 70-year-old FDR–LBJ federal “war on poverty” that have left those tens of thousands of people in New Orleans penniless, waiting for the federal government to come save, feed, transport, and house them. What leftists don’t want to face is that it is their beloved socialistic welfare state itself that has doomed tens of thousands of people in New Orleans — and elsewhere — to a life of poverty and governmental dependency.
To the untutored this argument seems to make a whole lot of sense. The government cannot be expected to help everyone so it should help no one. And If people didn't have to pay taxes, they could save and invest that extra 500 bucks a year. I mean you really have to ignore the fact that the $500 bucks a year won't really amount to much after oh 30 years, only $15,000. I guess the FFF believes you and I can live off of that after we retire, unless we're not to retire. But oh, this is really off point. Katrina demonstrates the deadly falibilty of socialism. Or does it?
Well see, there is this Island called Cuba. On this island is a socialist leader named Fidel Castro. He and the government he runs is, well, Socialist! But it gets better. This island, which has faced as many if not more hurricanes than the U.S. and they have had no where near the numbers of deaths as the US. Lets us not forget that this island is still under an embargo imposed by the U.S. and it has a MUUUUCh lower tax base than the US and yet and still it has what is considered the best system for evacuating residents of areas threatened with flooding and other ills from Hurricanes. So with a single example we show the Future of Freedom Foundation to be full of cow excrement.
While I agree that the black residents of NO should have beem prepared for such an event (perhaps a group of neighbors could have put a stash together for a rental van and a trip to a hotel room for a few days). And perhaps not a few of them need to adjust their belief systems and "Act like they know" and stop acting like an Angel is going to stand up in front of thier home and part the waters. But the FFF is just outg of order to suggest that the residents of NO could not and should not have expected the government to do what it is formed to do: Preserve the common good and provide services to its residents. Services that include disaster recovery and prevention.
Ultimately we see the FFF and other conservative outlets for what they are: They want to cut off everybody under the guise of " Do for self." Like Walter 'Willy" Williams they participate in quasi-socialist organizations such as Health Insurance, Auto Insurance and soon, Social Security. They expect their auto insurance company to pick up the tab for the thousands of Dollars in Damage done to the vehicle they leased, even though they haven't paid in the cost of the car.
They want their health insurance to cover the multiple thousands in hospital bills for their stay, but haven't put in anywhere near that amount.
So yes, the FFF is full of it and a little bit of research would have prevented that article from being posted. But when you only see what you want to see, that's all you see.
Links:
http://www.fff.org/comment/com0509a.asp
If you follow Garvey's Ghost then you've noticed that I haven't said peep about Katrina. There's a couple of reasons for this primary among them is that allmost everywhere you look you'll see commentary on it much of which I agree with, so I wouldn't really be educating anyone about anything. The other reason is kind of the reason for this my 301st post at Garvey's Ghost:
Private individuals should not be or feel compelled to give a single buck to the relief effort.
This particular mode of thought will probably piss not a few readers off, but if you wait a bit I'll explain. This administration has wasted over $200 billion in a fake and unneccessary war in Iraq. The government should be compelled to spend at least that amount on New Orleans without any extra monies from private individuals. In my opinion, monetary and other material donations amounts to a tax on the people for doing what our taxes should be going to.
Let us turn our attention to an article by the Future of Freedom Foundation entitled: The Deadly Legacy of the Welfare State Lies in New Orleans. Here the author proposes that the failure of the government to properly respond to Katrina is evidence that Socialism nee "Big Government (tm)" is bad.
Quote:
Among the most tragic scenes in the Hurricane Katrina disaster was that of the thousands of poor people — almost all of whom were African Americans — who were stranded at the New Orleans Superdome and Convention Center, desperately waiting for the federal government to come and save them.
Why were they stuck there when thousands of others had already left the city? Because they were too poor to save themselves from death and disaster. They lacked the money to drive out of town and get a motel room for a few days before the hurricane struck.
Leftists are now saying that the New Orleans disaster shows that federal-government assistance to the poor and needy is more necessary than ever.
What in the world could leftists be thinking? It is leftist economic ideology — reinforced unfortunately by modern-day conservative “reform” philosophy — that is responsible for the horrible economic plight in which the New Orleans poor find themselves.
After all, don’t forget: The economic situation in New Orleans comes 70 years after President Franklin D. Roosevelt converted the federal government into a welfare provider for the poor and needy. Under FDR, the primary purpose of the federal government became to relieve poverty through the coercive confiscation of wealth from “the rich” in order to redistribute the money to “the poor.” This was the era in which Americans witnessed the advent of Social Security, a bankrupt tax-and-transfer program that ultimately became the crown jewel of the socialistic welfare state.
Thirty years after the New Deal came Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society, in which Johnson declared “war on poverty” all across America. Here we saw the advent of Medicare and Medicaid along with hundreds of other federal programs whose supposed aim was to abolish poverty, once and for all.
Decade after decade, the federal government became a massively growing tax-and-spend engine that sucked trillions of dollars of income and savings out of the pockets of the American people in order to fund ever-growing federal programs to “help the poor.”...
...New Orleans is proof positive of the bankruptcy of leftist economic ideology. For it is the welfare state itself and its 70-year-old FDR–LBJ federal “war on poverty” that have left those tens of thousands of people in New Orleans penniless, waiting for the federal government to come save, feed, transport, and house them. What leftists don’t want to face is that it is their beloved socialistic welfare state itself that has doomed tens of thousands of people in New Orleans — and elsewhere — to a life of poverty and governmental dependency.
To the untutored this argument seems to make a whole lot of sense. The government cannot be expected to help everyone so it should help no one. And If people didn't have to pay taxes, they could save and invest that extra 500 bucks a year. I mean you really have to ignore the fact that the $500 bucks a year won't really amount to much after oh 30 years, only $15,000. I guess the FFF believes you and I can live off of that after we retire, unless we're not to retire. But oh, this is really off point. Katrina demonstrates the deadly falibilty of socialism. Or does it?
Well see, there is this Island called Cuba. On this island is a socialist leader named Fidel Castro. He and the government he runs is, well, Socialist! But it gets better. This island, which has faced as many if not more hurricanes than the U.S. and they have had no where near the numbers of deaths as the US. Lets us not forget that this island is still under an embargo imposed by the U.S. and it has a MUUUUCh lower tax base than the US and yet and still it has what is considered the best system for evacuating residents of areas threatened with flooding and other ills from Hurricanes. So with a single example we show the Future of Freedom Foundation to be full of cow excrement.
While I agree that the black residents of NO should have beem prepared for such an event (perhaps a group of neighbors could have put a stash together for a rental van and a trip to a hotel room for a few days). And perhaps not a few of them need to adjust their belief systems and "Act like they know" and stop acting like an Angel is going to stand up in front of thier home and part the waters. But the FFF is just outg of order to suggest that the residents of NO could not and should not have expected the government to do what it is formed to do: Preserve the common good and provide services to its residents. Services that include disaster recovery and prevention.
Ultimately we see the FFF and other conservative outlets for what they are: They want to cut off everybody under the guise of " Do for self." Like Walter 'Willy" Williams they participate in quasi-socialist organizations such as Health Insurance, Auto Insurance and soon, Social Security. They expect their auto insurance company to pick up the tab for the thousands of Dollars in Damage done to the vehicle they leased, even though they haven't paid in the cost of the car.
They want their health insurance to cover the multiple thousands in hospital bills for their stay, but haven't put in anywhere near that amount.
So yes, the FFF is full of it and a little bit of research would have prevented that article from being posted. But when you only see what you want to see, that's all you see.
Links:
http://www.fff.org/comment/com0509a.asp
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)