HIV in Swaziland

Joy Magongo, a mother of two whose husband moved out to live with his second wife after the couple discovered they were both HIV-positive, told IRIN: "Men say, 'I've been circumcised. I don't have to wear a condom.' They get infected, and they give us HIV.

"He [my husband] was circumcised and felt he didn't have to wear a condom. When we found we had HIV after testing, he blamed me. He said, 'You brought HIV into this house.' It was because I tested first, when I was pregnant with my second child," she said.

"My husband did not believe he could be HIV-positive because he was circumcised. I did all I could to convince him to test, and he finally did. That was the end. He took another wife and left us," Magongo said. Polygamy is legally recognised in Swaziland.

All Africa

It would appear that a larger issue at hand is the fact that these men are clearly cheating on their wives. It would seem also that this unfaithfulness is expected. Even worse is that the "other wife" is about to be the next victim of this man and it is highly probable that she has no clue that she is soon dead.

I honestly do not believe that this man, or others in his situation actually believe that the wife "brought HIV into this house." Instead what we have is a serious case of denial and projection.

Technorati Tags: Africa, HIV, Pan-Africanism

HRES 194

Late to the table with this one:

110th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. RES. 194

Apologizing for the enslavement and racial segregation of African-Americans.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 27, 2007

Mr. COHEN (for himself, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. WEXLER, Ms. KILPATRICK, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. PALLONE, Ms. LEE, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mrs. MALONEY of New York, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. JEFFERSON, Mr. ELLISON, Mr. AL GREEN of Texas, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Ms. WATSON, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. CLEAVER, Ms. CARSON, Mr. ISRAEL, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. DAVIS of Alabama, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. HARE, Mr. KENNEDY, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. HODES, Mr. FILNER, Mr. HONDA, and Mr. KUCINICH) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

RESOLUTION

Apologizing for the enslavement and racial segregation of African-Americans.

Whereas millions of Africans and their descendants were enslaved in the United States and the 13 American colonies from 1619 through 1865;

Whereas slavery in America resembled no other form of involuntary servitude known in history, as Africans were captured and sold at auction like inanimate objects or animals;

Whereas Africans forced into slavery were brutalized, humiliated, dehumanized, and subjected to the indignity of being stripped of their names and heritage;

Whereas enslaved families were torn apart after having been sold separately from one another;

Whereas the system of slavery and the visceral racism against persons of African descent upon which it depended became entrenched in the Nation's social fabric;

Whereas slavery was not officially abolished until the passage of the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1865 after the end of the Civil War, which was fought over the slavery issue;

Whereas after emancipation from 246 years of slavery, African-Americans soon saw the fleeting political, social, and economic gains they made during Reconstruction eviscerated by virulent racism, lynchings, disenfranchisement, Black Codes, and racial segregation laws that imposed a rigid system of officially sanctioned racial segregation in virtually all areas of life;

Whereas the system of de jure racial segregation known as `Jim Crow,' which arose in certain parts of the Nation following the Civil War to create separate and unequal societies for whites and African-Americans, was a direct result of the racism against persons of African descent engendered by slavery;

Whereas the system of Jim Crow laws officially existed into the 1960's--a century after the official end of slavery in America--until Congress took action to end it, but the vestiges of Jim Crow continue to this day;

Whereas African-Americans continue to suffer from the consequences of slavery and Jim Crow--long after both systems were formally abolished--through enormous damage and loss, both tangible and intangible, including the loss of human dignity and liberty, the frustration of careers and professional lives, and the long-term loss of income and opportunity;

Whereas the story of the enslavement and de jure segregation of African-Americans and the dehumanizing atrocities committed against them should not be purged from or minimized in the telling of American history;

Whereas on July 8, 2003, during a trip to Goree Island, Senegal, a former slave port, President George W. Bush acknowledged slavery's continuing legacy in American life and the need to confront that legacy when he stated that slavery `was . . . one of the greatest crimes of history . . . The racial bigotry fed by slavery did not end with slavery or with segregation. And many of the issues that still trouble America have roots in the bitter experience of other times. But however long the journey, our destiny is set: liberty and justice for all.';

Whereas President Bill Clinton also acknowledged the deep-seated problems caused by the continuing legacy of racism against African-Americans that began with slavery when he initiated a national dialogue about race;

Whereas a genuine apology is an important and necessary first step in the process of racial reconciliation;

Whereas an apology for centuries of brutal dehumanization and injustices cannot erase the past, but confession of the wrongs committed can speed racial healing and reconciliation and help Americans confront the ghosts of their past;

Whereas the legislature of the Commonwealth of Virginia has recently taken the lead in adopting a resolution officially expressing appropriate remorse for slavery and other State legislatures are considering similar resolutions; and

Whereas it is important for this country, which legally recognized slavery through its Constitution and its laws, to make a formal apology for slavery and for its successor, Jim Crow, so that it can move forward and seek reconciliation, justice, and harmony for all of its citizens: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

(1) acknowledges the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery and Jim Crow;

(2) apologizes to African-Americans on behalf of the people of the United States, for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow; and

(3) expresses its commitment to rectify the lingering consequences of the misdeeds committed against African-Americans under slavery and Jim Crow and to stop the occurrence of human rights violations in the future.

Lets See How This Goes Down

Back in 1994, if I recall correctly, when the World Trade Center was first bombed a blind cleric was convicted and sentanced to federal prison for giving speeches that inspired/drove that actual perpetrators to bomb the building. That was called "justice." I have long opposed that particular conviction because it criminalized speech rather than action.

Fast forward and today I find the following in regards to the recent shooting at a Unitarian church in Tennessee:

Adkisson targeted the church, Still wrote in the document obtained by WBIR-TV, Channel 10, "because of its liberal teachings and his belief that all liberals should be killed because they were ruining the country, and that he felt that the Democrats had tied his country's hands in the war on terror and they had ruined every institution in America with the aid of media outlets."



Adkisson told Still that "he could not get to the leaders of the liberal movement that he would then target those that had voted them in to office."



Adkisson told officers he left the house unlocked for them because "he expected to be killed during the assault."



Inside the house, officers found "Liberalism is a Mental Health Disorder" by radio talk show host Michael Savage, "Let Freedom Ring" by talk show host Sean Hannity, and "The O'Reilly Factor," by television talk show host Bill O'Reilly.

Not only that but Adkisson thought that he would have been killed by police. That makes him no different than a suicide bomber. Therefore, by the logic used by the justice system, Michael Savage, Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly ought to be arrested and tried for incitement to terrorism. by the legal precedent provided by the cleric's conviction, this is a clear and easy case to convict.

For reasons I don't think I need to explain here, I don't expect any such actions to be taken against those men.

Happy Birthday Baba Mandela

Just wanted to say that.

More N-words for Jackson

So apparently, true to FOX's claim, there is more on the off the record remarks by Jesse Jackson. Apparently Jackson is on tape saying "Niggas" or "Nigga." We don't know which because neither a transcript or video has been released as of this writing. Jackson has supposedly apologized for the N-word usage but I don't see why. Well I see why, but I think it's foolish. I know a lot of people, self included, who do not approve of indiscriminate usage of Nigga, particularly in public spaces. Many of those same people are not in any way opposed to the usage of said term in private or in historical context. Fact is, that until we see the context of the N-word usage, it is not a controversy at all.
Is there a double standard in the use of N-words. You damn bet there is. Deal with it. Within' all in groups are in group usages of terms not allowed for use by those outside the group. Of course Niggas always need to be told what to do, what they ought not to do and in the case of the Obama campaign, what to say as well. Of course, that may have been Jesse Jackson's point. Until we see a transcript or video we just won't know.

Technorati Tags: 2008 US Elections, N-Word, Jesse Jackson

More With the Insults

Says Obama at the NAACP convention:

Mr. Obama said that government has a responsibility to provide education, employment opportunities and tax breaks for struggling families. In return, parents have a duty to turn off the television, attend parent-teacher conferences and teach their sons to treat women with respect.

Nothing wrong with the above statement, but again, conspicuously absent would be critiques of mothers and daughters in particular. It's the same reason I refused to sign onto the R Kelly petition that went around a couple of weeks ago. I'm simply not having the "shit on black men for votes" go past without comment.

Technorati Tags: 2008 US Elections, Obama

What I Learned from the New Yorker Obama Cover

1) Black folk are scared shitless that white folk won't vote for Obama.

2) Black folk don't mind Obama throwing his reverend of 20 years under the bus but do mind a magazine cover because of item one.

3) Black folk don't mind Obama's about face on the FISA legislation but do care about a magazine cover because of item one.

4) Black folk, because of item one, are ashamed of the Black Panther Party (never mind that the Black Panther Party colors were baby blue shirts under black jackets).

5) Black folk, because of item one, are ashamed of Afros and Angela Davis.

6) Black folk, generally ill-informed on the subject of African Culture, thought that the clothing in the picture on Obama was "tribal African" rather than clearly middle eastern.

7) Black folk, motivated by item one, don't even raise the question of since there are no religious tests to become president, why it should even matter if Obama was a Muslim. But then again, critical thinking has not been in abundance during this election cycle (or much of any other for that matter).

Yep, that about sums it up.

A Blow to the Head

Charles M. Blow offered a weak defence of Barack Obama in an Op Ed piece in the NY Times entitled Talking Down and Stepping Up:

The Rev. Jesse Jackson wants to do what to Barack Obama? Ouch!



And why? Because he thinks Mr. Obama’s speeches on fatherhood have been too hard on black men and not hard enough on The Man? I’m sorry, Mr. Jackson, but that’s just ... what’s another word for crazy?

Well not exactly. Here we have opinion error number one. While I'm not one to speak on behalf of Jesse Jackson, I do know that his issue with Obama predates Obamas speech in that Chicago church on Father's day. Jesse Jackson had issues with brother Barack (as Dr. West puts it) when Obama had nothing to say on the national stage about the noose hangings in Jena La., I also believe Jackson had issues with Obama's absence from the King memorial at the Lorraine Hotel in Tenn. So we see that Mr. Blow is woefully ill-informed on the origins of Jesse Jackson's issues with brother Barack.

But the problems with "brother" blow only start with his opening paragraph. As is typical of those of Mr. Blow's ilk, the stats and charts play a prominent role in his defense of Obama.

According to the United States Census Bureau, black children are the only group more likely to live with a single mother than in a two-parent household. (That’s in part because black men are the least likely to be married and most likely to be divorced or separated.) And, according to a 2002 report by Child Trends, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research group, in 1997 single black mothers were the least likely to receive full child support payments (and most likely to receive none) and only about half of black children had any contact with their absent fathers in 1996.

Poor people are more likely to be on welfare. Wow imagine that. You'll note that in order to get around the glaring number charts at the head of the article, Mr. Blow, like others before him use the term "more likely." It's the same argument about blacks being more likely to commit crime, and more likely to be this, that and the other. While Mr. Blow's statement will possibly be quoted by someone somewhere, the chart above paints a different picture.

Firstly we see that 32.5 million white children live with both parents. By comparison 3.9 million black children live with both parents. Well here's the problem: these aren't percentages these are a straight up head count. By that chart, more white children live with their mothers, by a margin of 1.1 million, that black children. More white children live with their father's, by a margin of 1.5 million, than black children. And there are more than 200,000 more white children who do not live with their parents than there are black children.

As is usually the case, while certain things seem to be disproportionately affect black folk in America, it is usually the case, as is here, that the raw numbers show that white folks lead by far in the numbers. Don't expect Mr. Blow to get this though.

Mr. Blow's next blunder is here:

Are there social ills, racial injustices and economic hardships in the black community? Of course there are. Are there biased judges, outmoded laws and difficult exes? Yes, some. Do these issues excuse child support not paid, time not spent, hugs not given, foreheads not kissed, “attaboys” and “big girls” not spoken? Absolutely not.

Mr. Blow shows absolutely no evidence that the fathers, even those who are not married to the mother of their children or living with the mother does not have contact with their children. Yet there he is blowing off hot air about what he thinks they are or are not doing. But lets go back to the chart on the NY Times page. You'll note the clear disparity of child support payments made and not made but damn, they went as far back as 1997 for this data? Is this some kind of joke? I'm just going to point out NY as an example. The black unemployment rate in NYC in 2003, the same year that the charts in question was published, was 48.2%. by comparison, white men had an unemployment rate of 25%. In 2006 the unemployment rate of black men fell to 40% In some states the rate of unemployment is three times the state average and nationally upwards of 8 times, so Mr. Blow needs to explain how men who aren't working who have reproduced are supposed to magically come up with child support payments. I'm sure Mr. Blow would say that they ought not to have reproduced. Fine. However that fails to address the current problem and we are here to solve current problems aren't we? Or are we here simply to get press for talking junk about black folk (again)?

So really what we have here is a man who clearly knows not what he speaks of. Unfortunately this "dumb in the light of Obama" disease afflicts a great many voter, as discussed in my last blog posting. So let me set Mr. Blow straight here. It is usually bad for a politician to go to a group of people for whom he or she wants votes, to get up and insult them. Obama doesn't go to Appalachia and talk this way to poor white folk who dropped out of High School and are on welfare. He hinted at them being bitter and had his head served back to him on a platter.

You don't go to Texas and tell Hispanics about their illegal immigrant family members and how they ought to stop taking citizen jobs and using fraudulent Social Security numbers and the like. No you don't do that. If black folk had any kind of self-respect, they would have put Obama on notice the first time he insulted them on national tv ( That would be the charges of anti-Semitism, homo-phobia, and racism) that he would not receive our votes if he continued. He would have stopped. But black folk, like Mr. Blow, who clearly have not an iota of self-respect will make excuses for Mr. Obama using Father's day to beat up on black men (calling them boys no less) in order to make a national appeal for white votes.

Anyway, As for the proverbial nuts that Jackson claimed to have wanted to cut off, he would find that those nuts have long since been in the possession of AIPAC. Mr. Blow has another piece of Obama's anatomy in his mouth and I suggest he remove the offending organ from his mouth prior to writing another trash piece for the NY Times.

Technorati Tags: 2008 US Elections, Obama

Why Does Barack Obama Hate My Family?

How would people respond if John McCain (or any person of a different race, nationality or ethnicity) threw out stereotypes like these? What would we say if a white person had stood in the pulpit of a black church, or anywhere else for that matter, and referred to black men as “boys,” in any context?

But since it’s Obama, sounding like Bill Clinton before his fall from black grace, or Bill Cosby speaking out of his own personal pain, the change candidate’s remarks were met with hosannas mostly by a vapid, racist, white-dominated corporate media, the black people who say what their white bosses want to hear, and blacks and whites alike who shout amen even when Obama’s saying something plainly contradicted by their own life experiences.

It was no big surprise that after the speech those critical of Obama were dismissed “as out touch” with the new “post-racial” illusion. Bob Herbert of The New York Times appearing on MSNBC’s Hardball went so far as to say that anyone who disagreed with Obama’s Father’s Day admonition to black men was living in a racial “fog” of the past. Newspapers across the county affirmed the smear with headlines like “Obama tells black men to shape up” or “Obama speaks ‘inconvenient truth’ to black men” or “Obama calls black men irresponsible” or “He's saying things people don’t want to hear” - with the inference that truth was flowing from his tongue.

I saw no headline lead with the word "some" black men.

Playin’ folk on any day is bad enough. But, as a father, grandfather and a black person, I see playin’ black men on Father's Day as even more repulsive. The day is for honoring fathers. We don’t honor the vets on Veteran’s Day by pointing out those who choose not to fight, or the cowards, or even the enemy.

http://counterpunch.org/gray07112008.html

Welcome To Waterville/Blue Rapids

About 2 a.m., the defendants found J.L. asleep on the ground and put him in a lawn chair. He was tied, the defendants directed racial slurs at him and urinated on him. They used a can of spray paint to paint the victim’s arms and legs white.

They told the victim he should “go back home” and go back where he came from before he moved to the Waterville and Blue Rapids area.

Capitol Journal Online

Zimbabwe