Black Women: Support Black-Owned Beauty Supply Companies!

(Thanks, Lipstick Alley!!!)  For additional info, hit up the Black-Owned Beauty Supply Association (BOBSA).

Black Americans handle vast sums of money, but somehow we have been taught to see our-selves as poor people. We are not poor–we just handle money poorly. Out of every dollar we spend, 95 cents is spent outside of our community and only 5 cents of every dollar within our own community….

If, we are in control of our money, we have only ourselves to blame for giving our economic power away. Many of us do not realize how much damage we cause when we choose to spend our money elsewhere. Likewise, we do not realize how economically empowering it can be to spend our money in the community.

Consider that other communities are thriving because they understand this principle. If we continue to choose “lazy economics” instead of “industrious economics” we will succumb to the pressures of the open market. Agressively, capitalizing on economic opportunities and not ALLOWING them to diminish, we improve our communities instantly!”

~From BOBSA

Underappreciated Actor of Another Color #13: T.J. Ramini

Lucky #13 is Tarek Jafar Ramini.  Aged 34, he is a ridiculously beautiful, sexy British actor of Palestinian descent.  I'm watching him right now on Boston Legal and drooling like an idiot.

I won't lie...I'm a sucker for the British accent.  IMHO, the English accent's the absolute best accent for speaking English...surprise, surprise.

His longest running role to date is on 24, but he's got a fairly decent list of credits to his name from before that.  However...I think the film industry could do much better by this man.  I mean, God...look at him.

Underappreciated Actress of Color #31: Tré Armstrong

Stop saying people "talk black", y'all.

After watching How She Move (yes...cliched dance film, moving on now...), a Canadian project, I'm all the more convinced America needs to shut up, open its eyes, and seriously get over itself already.

This sexy young dancer, choreographer, and actress is Tracey 'Tré' Armstrong, and yes...she's Canadian.  And boy...can she move.

She spends most of her time teaching dance workshops worldwide so naturally, that cuts into her acting schedule.  Even so...ain't this bitch fine?

Weave notwithstanding, of course.

Contemplating "Arizona SB1070"

(Thanks, Abagond!!!)

Contemplating "Our President's Blackness"

....In other words, Obama was “black enough” to be the first African-American president, to allow white people to convince themselves of a post-racial society, but not black enough to rock the boat.  To clarify, this is not a criticism of Mr. Obama himself, but of a society that could elect an African-American president so long as he didn’t call too much attention to his blackness.

Godheval

Taken from "The Obama Placebo".

Split Hairs, White Clouds, and the Eightfold Path

There's a commenter on Abagond who goes by the name "Thaddeus".  You remember him.  Like seriously...from even before that.  If you've got a blog, and you need someone to split hairs, cloud your issues, or just overall derail the topic - he's your man.

Splitting Hairs

Now...can you tell me what's wrong his queries and statements where whites and POC discussing race is concerned?  (Quick back history on this guy: he's a white (duh) university lecturer who supposedly lectures about race to white kids.  So naturally, he's more than qualified to come onto a blog like Abagond and lecture POC as well)

How FlashForward Went and Fucked Itself, Part II

Let's get something straight. Zoey Andata is not an emasculating bitch, and Demetri Noh is not a "bottom".  If I were slated to marry John Cho and I found out he was going to die...fuck people's egos, fuck their feelings, fuck e'rybody - you best believe this pygmy would be making damn sure he made it to the church on time!

So let's get started with the first episode since the premiere of Season 1, Part 2.

"Blowback"

Survey says...abysmal failure.  The writing was drab, the acting wooden, and like I said above, I don't appreciate the writers' ridiculous portrayal of Demetri and Zoey.  She just pops into be "confrontational" (yeah, a direct quote) and then vanishes so we can Demetri and Janis - yes, the white lesbian - having "chemistry".  Like I don't see where this is going.

"Better Angels"

Gotta have black men dying needlessly.  Also, it's great to know that African unity and peace are perfectly expendable when whites are writing a story.  Especially when it's prevented because Simon - who rightfully needs killed - gets saved because one black man shot another.

Also good to know that after accepting his fiancee's passionate plea to save his life, Demetri's the type of guy to go out and "offer" to bang another woman.  Great writing, guys.  This is just the stuff to keep POC paying for cable and watching your shit.  Loving the whole "black girl loves her Asian fiancee who wants to tap a white chick who - surprise, surprise - rejects him" part.  Great judgment, guys.

Brandy & Ray J: American Has-Beens

*Warning: fans of this duo may want to skip this post.*

Does anyone actually give a fuck about these two anymore?  'Cause if so...by all means...let me know.

I won't lie; when Brandy first burst out onto the scene with "I Wanna Be Down", I wanted to be down too.  I wanted them braids and I loved reading about her in Jet.  But in my defense, y'all, I was in the seventh grade, and that was - quite literally - another century.

Now, I don't remember her brother being majorly successful - at all.  Disagree?  Okay then.  Count of three, name a Ray J song which topped international charts and sparked an epic worldwide tour which people all over the world couldn't stop buzzing about.  Ready?  One...two...three....

*crickets*

"Clouding the Issue", or White Cognitive Dissonance

First Amendment Violations

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

I was originally going to do a "break down" post of the First Amendment.  But as I was doing my research and prepping my framework, I suddenly realized that the First Amendment wasn't the main point I needed to get across here.

Contemplating "The First Amendment"

Why is it that the people who cry "First Amendment" the most are always so "shocked" when the people they're speaking to invoke theirs?

Ankhesen Mié

Contemplating "Bullets for them Sheets"

Taken from Malcolm X (1992).

Underappreciated Actress of Color #30: Gina Ravera

~ Special Edition ~

Do not.  Bring up.  Showgirls....that train wreck was not her fault.

Besides, her braids were bangin', and she had one of the most fucked-up, trying scenes in the whole damn film.  If that film could've one any kind of positive award, it would've gone to her.  Not Gershon, not MacLachlan, and sure as hell not Berkley.  Mm-mm.  *shakes head*  It would've been my woman right here, and if it didn't, someone would've gotten an earful.

I don't think Ms. Gina Ravera has been given her appropriate due.  When James Spader and William Shatner drooled over her openly on an episode of Boston Legal, I thought, "Mm-hm...better bow down and show some love."  When she donned a suit and got a role on The Closer, I thought, "Mm...that's cool.  Chica belongs on the big screen.  She is too fine for TV."

Underappreciated Actor of Another Color #12: Sendhil Ramamurthy

Why, no...I'm not surprised you're not surprised.  This one's been a loooooooooong time coming.  I mean, you had to have known it was coming.

Despite the ridiculous hotness which comes with his British accent on Heroes, Mr. Thang here is an American, born (Chicago) and raised (San Antonio).

Like a certain chocolate goddess, Sendhil Ramamurthy is Tamil Indian (yeah, I know...it must be genetic or something) and those eyes and lips of his should come with a giant manufacturer's warning label.  Especially after he played a seriously delicious hottie in a Bollywood episode of Psych (which his cousin directed, by the way).

I, for one, am excited he's leaving Heroes; he went from being the sweaty, shirtless, British-accented, love-making Royal Hotness to one of the many underappreciated and underused POC on the show who didn't get axed way too soon.  Seriously, though...Heroes is a lot like the Titanic - an impressive, expensive, and ultimately sinking wonder.

It's about damn time Ramamurthy got a new show.  And he better get shirtless and sweaty in this one too, otherwise you best believe someone will be gettin' an earful from Moi.

Contemplating "Humility"

Humility is an acquired taste.

Ankhesen Mié

Really Quickly: What's With the "Black" Taylor Swift?

Name: Angel Taylor (Yes...Taylor)
Age: 20-ish
City: Los Angeles
Genre: Pop masquerading as "songwriting"
Sample:

Chorus: You're playin' it cool, I know what you do
I feel like a fool
but I would be feelin' it anyway
cause nobody loves me
You're messin around, I figured you out
You're takin' me down
but I would be feelin it anyway
cause nobody loves me
like you do

~from "Like You Do"

Yes...exactly.

Fashion Tip from Moi: "Deny This" & "Get Hit"

Inspired by recent discussions on white people who are to afraid to intervene when people of color are experiencing racism, I've created a few paltry souvenirs to help remind people to always intervene.  Some of the apparel says, "Deny This."  Others say, "Get Hit."

It doesn't matter if you get hit...if you do, your case against the perpetrator becomes all that much stronger.  But risk or no risk, it has to be done.

Exactly...Either hit him/her back or press charges. People forget how easy it is to recover from a bruise or laceration. But 9.5 times out of 10 - you won't have to....  It usually ends up in yelling matches and someone walks away. I just hate that weak excuse to not have to assert oneself. It's particularly pathetic when you're sitting there and witnessing wrongdoing and choose to do nothing. I can't imagine the internal dialogue they have both in the moment and later on that night at bedtime.

~ Victoria

Not risking being hit means you're denying wrongdoing.  You're allowing dehumanization to go on.  You are, essentially, supporting the "-ism".  You then become the person who needs to be hit.

Hence the words of the ultimate Ankhesenological truth: "Deny This...and Get Hit."

Underappreciated Musician of Color #12: WRUST

(Merci, Kymie!)

~Special Edition Post~

Meet WRUST, the Black Metal band - every kind of pun proudly intended - from Gaborone, Botswana in Southern Africa.  No...you're not hallucinating.  No, rock wasn't originated by white folks so yeah...it's allowed.

Now, I'm not usually a fan of extreme metal because so few bands sound good, but damn...they're one of those bands who actually make that shit listenable (talkin' bout the song "Prophecy of Doom", just FYI).

So...why is this a "special edition post"?  If you have to ask, then you must not know me very well.

Underappreciated Musician of Color #11: Blackfire

Blackfire...ON fire.

(Yes, I'm adding bands now...feel free to submit suggestions.)

Formed in 1989, this Diné (Navajo) band of siblings is from Black Mesa, Arizona, and their sociopolitical brand of music fuses Native American styles with punk-rock and "Alter-Native".

Cutie Klee, depicted on the far right, is the lead vocalist and guitarist.  Jeneda, goddess front and center, is an additional vocalist and the bad-ass bassist.  And hottie Clayson is an additional vocalist and - *squeal* - the drummer!!!!

*claps hands excitedly* God...they make me feel like a teenager again!  Check 'em out on Youtube!

Contemplating "White Anti-Racists Who Strictly Prefer to Critique POC"

A black woman and four self-professed white anti-racists are sitting at a table in a restaurant.  The latter four have taken the black woman out for dinner for her birthday.  Before their meals arrive, the First One says, "Happy Birthday; may all your dreams come true.  But I gotta tell you...I was a little pissed about your article today."

"Oh?" the black woman asks.

"Me too," the Second One nods, "I think you were a little harsh on white people."

"Sometimes," the Third One chimes in, "I think you want something from us...more than you're willing to say."

"Remember that we love you, doll," the Fourth adds, "so we're not trying to gang up on you - especially not on your birthday - but we just think you should tone it down a little."

"We're fighting on the same side," the First One passionately reminds the black woman.  "You are our best friend and we do deeply love you.  We've found your wisdom invaluable and we don't ever want to lose you."

The black woman laughs aloud.

Suddenly, behind their table, a strange drunken white man rises to his feet, stumbles from the bar, and starts telling "nigger jokes".  He tells about four or five, while the other patrons and wait staff (all white, by the way) mutely watch in discomfort.  Spying the black woman at the nearby table, the bartender finally orders the drunken man to leave.  He stumbles towards the door.

"Wait," the black woman calls.  Suddenly sober, the "drunken man" straightens up and walks over to her, where she pays him $100 in cash.  He nods, thanks her politely, and leaves the restaurant at once.

The black woman calmly turns back to her four self-professed white anti-racist friends and asks, "So...how come none of you did anything?"

Ankhesen Mié

Underappreciated Actor of Another Color #11: Oded Fehr

I first saw this man in The Mummy franchise.  I've since glimpsed him here and there, and elsewhere...but you always remember the time and place where you first fell for someone, you know?

Oded Fehr captured my heart while playing an Arab warrior descended from royal medjai.  In real life, he's Israeli.  In the films, he played a bad-ass.  In real life, he served in the Israeli Sea Corps for three years so...you know...bad-ass.

He's quadrilingual (is that even a word?) and has studied acting in England and Germany, but is now based in Los Angeles.  He's married with two kids, so we're just going to have to sigh wistfully and let him go.

Which is quite a shame...I mean, the hair, the lips, the voice, the eyes, the skin tone...he can have all the facial hair he wants and it will never bother me.

*wistful sigh*

Contemplating "Seeing Racism"

...[C]ompared to most white people I do seem to see racism in everything. Because they see racism in almost nothing. Because they have narrowed the meaning of the word to just a kind of personal hatred. Because it does not affect them in a bad way. Because they do not want to face up to the racism their lives have been built on.

Abagond

Underappreciated Actress of Color #29: America Ferrera

You had to have known this was coming.  Born in 1984, Honduran-American Miss America Georgine Ferrera is one of the country's most accomplished, and yet underappreciated young actresses of color - both in talent and in looks (whoever "rated" her sexiness and then wrote that bullshit should be executed slowly and painfully in front of all his friends.  "Not in the same league as Salma Hayek"????  *blinks dangerously*  Bitch doesn't need to be Salma 2.0 - Ferrera is fine as hell on her own, pendejo. Not at all Latinas have to look like Salma, who's not even fully Latina, by the goddamn way.  It's no different from you culeros wanting all black women to look like Halle Berry, who isn't even fully black!!!).

Goddamn, y'all...is anybody else having a flashback to our little conversation about Sara Ramirez?

Contemplating "American Superiority"

Thanks, Eurasian Sensation!!!

                             

Jensen's Law

"I have a choice: I can be white — that is, I can refuse to challenge white supremacy or centrality — or I can be a human being. I can rest comfortably in the privileges that come with being white, or I can struggle to be fully human. But I can’t do both. Though the work is difficult, the choice for those of us who are white should be easy."

~ Dr. Robert Jensen

In science, a law is an "analytic statement".  While a theory can contain laws or be inferred from a law/laws, a law is a law is a law...until proven otherwise.

Formerly known as "Jensen's Theory of White Fears", Jensen's Law is an homage to Dr. Robert Jensen, a professor of journalism at the University of Texas in Austin.  In his article "What White People Fear", he sheds light upon four core fears of white people (namely white Americans).  These four main fears are the Tenets of Jensen's Law.

The First Tenet: Some of What White People Have is Unearned

Racism is a social construct with no biological basis in fact.  It is an unnatural system devised by people, maintained by people, all for the benefit of some and the detriment of others.  The exclusive nature of racism is deliberate.  The cost to those it excludes is deliberate.  The benefit to those it favors is deliberate.

In America, racism works in favors of whites, to the detriment of everyone else.  The roots of this racism are in genocide and slavery: the taking of one people's land, and using someone else to build upon it.  Thus what many white people take pride in and feel self-satisfied over, is actually accredited to someone else.

Draptoresponsia Case Study #10: Amongst You

As with Darleen Click, I'm going to just drop the usual "patient this, patient that".  I don't think I'm going to stop doing case files, but for now this brings me to my long awaited 10th case...  so I hereby declare Jensen's Theory of White Fears to now be Jensen's Law*.

The young lady who comments on here as "Kymie" sent me this from Facebook (she's also Kymberly, in case you're wondering) and this is to prove a very important point I'm trying to make here with my blog.

1) Racism is a problem, and it is common.  This tendency whites have to say "there will always be idiots" implies that racist whites are an insignificant minority - they are not.  They are not "few".

Hissa Hilal, Poetess and Idol

I have seen evil from the eyes of the subversive fatwas in a time when what is lawful is confused with what is not lawful;

When I unveil the truth, a monster appears from his hiding place; barbaric in thinking and action, angry and blind; wearing death as a dress and covering it with a belt*:

He speaks from an official, powerful platform, terrorizing people and preying on everyone seeking peace; the voice of courage ran away and the truth is cornered and silent, when self-interest prevented one from speaking the truth. ~ Hissa Hilal, "The Man Who Sold the World" **

Contemplating "Confuckerate Hypocrisy"

Why is it that white people repeatedly tell black people to get over slavery because it ended 150 years ago, and yet have the gall to try to honor and celebrate the army which fought to extend slavery?

And why are these the same people who always say their ancestors didn't own slaves?

Ankhesen Mié

No, No, No...What Do You Want From US?

...Seriously, what do you want from us? It seems that you’ll always be dissatisfied. I know that I’m using a variation of what the Unapologetic Mexican calls the insatiable martyr wite-magik attack. Still, since we will always be wrong if we don’t do as you wish, tell us what you want. You say that you simply want us to listen to you and acknowledge all of our unearned privileges and flaws. I cannot help but suspect that you want far more than that.

~ taken from a comment on Abagond

...you seem to be another complainer who beileves[sic] if it were not for the presence of whites, the world would be a swell place.

~ taken from a comment on Abagond

It's sad that even when WP try to be friends with POC we end up making them feel more alienated. It sounds like just being around us is a no win situation for everyone. It seems like those girls had good intentions but nonetheless contributed to your desire to withdraw to more familiar surroundings. I wonder if there is a way for white people to behave that would be considered acceptable by POC, or if just being white and human at the same time produces a negative effect no matter what.*

~taken from a comment on Stuff White People Do

"What do you want from us?"

Funny...I was just going to ask you the same damn thing.

Underappreciated Actress of Color #28: Bianca Lawson

Bianca's got family in the industry, and yet she's not famous famous, if you catch my drift.  And when having folks in the industry doesn't help you kick ass in said industry...yeah, you've got a bit of a problem.

Born in 1979, Miss Thang here has "appeared" in a lot of stuff, and therein lies the damn problem.  Guest spot here, commercial there...oh yeah, this fine-ass, gifted-ass, ass-whoopin' woman has done more than her sharing of "appearing" in stuff.  Keep in mind she's been acting since the age of nine, hear?

And now she's going to be on a 1-hour drama this summer for ABC-friggin' Family.

*cue fountain of vomit*

Contemplating "Paquita"

On the homophobic statements of ranchera singer Paquita la del Barrio:

Now, I admit that I had never heard of this woman. I’ll add that I believe ranchera music – along with polka and Celine Dion’s greatest hits – will be the tunes that blare over Satan’s Army as it materializes for Armageddon.

The Hispanic Fanatic

Underappreciated Actress of Color #27: Bai Ling

~Special Edition Post~

I'm not really in reality. I'm in my own universe and my mind is a million miles somewhere else.
~ Bai Ling

Y'all had to know this was coming.  Damn...I'm surprised I held out this long (eyes upward, children)!

I've been watching Bai Ling (or, again, Ling Bai...depending on where you're comin' from) for years and I have been a devout fan - all smack-talkers can go to hell.  Pygmy is devout, hear?

To show you a picture of Bai Ling, and then tell you she's sexy is a redundant understatement of insane proportions.  Now, ladies...pay close attention, 'cause this concerns you: if you insist on being skinny, then at least have the decency to look like Bai Ling.

Sarah "Failin'" - S'Gotta Ring to It....

Thanks, Transgriot!!!

                          

Underappreciated Actress of Color #26: Rutina Wesley

(Thanks, chkaran!)

My, my, my!  Will you just look at Miss Thang right here?  Here's a word to consider, children: chocolate.

Miss Rutina Wesley, (whose age I've seen listed ranging from 25 to 31) was born February 1, 1985 in Las Vegas Nevada to a tap dancer and a former showgirl.  She's been active since 2006 (plays, dance film, TV, etc). and her big break, of course, is True Blood.

I don't watch True Blood, was going to, read about Rutina's  character, and now don't want to.  For starters, if I type "True Blood Cast" in Google and hit Images, I don't see a whole lot of POC main cast members.  *shakes head*  HUGE no-no with me.

Comtemplating "The Governator"

My state’s governor said that Hispanics are naturally temperamental and “are all very hot. They have the, you know, part of the black blood in them and part of the Latino blood in them that together makes it.”

It’s an interesting theory of eugenics, but then again, it does come from a man who knows a thing or two about mixing races – or mingling circuitry with human flesh, same thing.

The Hispanic Fanatic

Contemplating "Why Foreigners Say We're Stupid" (On Birthers)

...birthers generally are a bunch of ignorant douchebags. In any case, here are a few online quotes from birthers in the process of wetting themselves behind their keyboards:

"an american president that claims another as his home country. I didn’t think this would ever happen in my lifetime. I’m nauseous. No wonder foreigners say we’re stupid."

(That last sentence, by the way, carries an irony that its writer could not possibly understand...)

Eurasian Sensation*

*Ahem, "borrowed" from a recent post.

Contemplating "The Eye-Opener"

Blaming people of color because they make you aware of the trauma of white supremacy is white supremacy in one of its purest forms.


Olderwoman*, on Stuff White People Do

*Read Olderwoman's full comment on SWPD.

Michelle Needs to Smack Her Husband

I don't know if this some ploy to win over Teabaggers or to get the Right off his jock, but this pygmy right here most assuredly does not co-sign  (fuck whether al-Alwaki is an American citizen or not).  From Salon.com:

Today, both The New York Times and The Washington Post confirm that the Obama White House has now expressly authorized the CIA to kill al-Alwaki no matter where he is found, no matter his distance from a battlefield. I wrote at length about the extreme dangers and lawlessness of allowing the Executive Branch the power to murder U.S. citizens far away from a battlefield (i.e., while they're sleeping, at home, with their children, etc.) and with no due process of any kind. I won't repeat those arguments...but I do want to highlight how unbelievably Orwellian and tyrannical this is in light of these new articles today.

That's right 'Chelle.  Just reach across that dinner table and thwack....

Thank You, McDonnell, for Proving Our Point

Suck on this, Shelby Steele.  Swirl it around in your mouth for a bit and take a good swallow.  Remember the taste of this the next time you go rolling your eyes and talkin' that "no white people actually think like this anymore" bullshit.

RICHMOND -- Gov. Robert F. McDonnell, reviving a controversy that had been dormant for eight years, has declared that April will be Confederate History Month in Virginia, a move that angered civil rights leaders Tuesday but that political observers said would strengthen his position with his conservative base.

[...]McDonnell said Tuesday that the move was designed to promote tourism in the state, which next year will mark the 150th anniversary of the start of the war. McDonnell said he did not include a reference to slavery because "there were any number of aspects to that conflict between the states. Obviously, it involved slavery. It involved other issues. But I focused on the ones I thought were most significant for Virginia."

[...]"Confederate history is full of many things that unfortunately are not put forth in a proclamation of this kind nor are they things that anyone wants to celebrate," he said. "It's one thing to sound a cause of rallying a base. But it's quite another to distort history."

The seven-paragraph declaration calls for Virginians to "understand the sacrifices of the Confederate leaders, soldiers and citizens during the period of the Civil War[...]"

Underappreciated Actor of Another Color #10: Lee Joon

Or Joon Lee...depending on where you're coming from.

If you've seen Ninja Assassin, then you might recognize Mr. Thang right here; he played the younger version of Raizo (sans all that hair, of course), and you know him as "Honey Abs" from MBLAQ.

His face is angelically luminous, rivaling that of even his own mentor Rain.  He displayed exceptional stamina and ability in Ninja Assassin (as he has in performance after performance after performance after performance with MBLAQ), and was willing to shave his head and learn a new language for his first major film role.  That's a lot to ask of a 22-year-old (and at the time he was 21).

As stated in interview, he didn't get to participate in the Ninja Assassin press conference, for which he was kinda sad.  And I'm kinda sad too, because it means less Joon footage.

Mr. Thang here is not an underappreciated musician, however, as you may have noticed (though I think "musician" is a bit too strong a term here), nevertheless I too hope he some day gets his chance to "take his top off" during a performance.

No Tears for Terreblanche, Epilogue...100th Post

Terreblanche supporters step back from revenge threat

The party of murdered South African white supremacist Eugene Terreblanche has retracted a threat to take revenge for his death.

Senior officials from the ruling African National Congress (ANC) paid their respects to the Terreblanche family yesterday.*

Shortly afterwards a spokesman for Terreblanche's Afrikaner Resistance Movement (AWB), Pieter Steyn, said no member of his organisation would engage in any form of violence.

Why POC Can Comfortably Say, "MOST Whites...."

Here's what I'm noticing, y'all:

Whenever a black blogger - male or female - talks about a common racist white tendency towards people of color, there's always at least one derailing white commenter who comes on to say something to the effect of, "But blacks are only about 13% of the population...your view is so narrow...and 'if' you're right then I'm shocked to hear about this...." - blah, blah, blah, and so forth.

Let's try this again: The reason POC use the term P-O-friggin'-C ("people/person of color", in case some of you are still behind the times) is to highlight the fact that "people of color" make up almost half the population of the United States.  So "black people" may be a minority, but people of color...not so much anymore.  It is precisely because of this current demographic trend that whites are slated to be a minority in a mere thirty years.

Why else do you think the GOP and the Tea Party (in their various incarnations over the years) have been steadily having heart attack after heart attack?  Meanwhile, some white folks write about becoming a minority like they're happy about that shit!  Like they can't wait it for it to be "their turn"!

Anyhoo, what I was getting to before is that when almost half the population of a country is having negative personal experiences with "the other side", and is experiencing systemic discrimination, and is basically yelling, "Hey!  We, like, still have a problem here!", only someone whose head is stuck immeasurably far up their privilege can be still "shocked" this day and age.

No Tears for Terreblanche

Eugene Terreblanche (notice that his last name literally means "white land" in French) was a white supremacist living in South Africa.

When the, ahem, "winds began changing" in South Africa, the man organized some fellow believers and threatened violence against the government.  Their little crew "wanted to create three all-white republics within South Africa in which blacks would be allowed only as guest workers."

Yeah...I know.

Contemplating "Rightwingland"

In rightwingland there is a new rallying cry: It didn't happen. As in the spitting of an African American congressman after the health care vote and John Lewis being called a nigger by teabagger activist. Right wing talk radio is furious that these good A-merry-cans would be tarred with a racist brand, and they claim that there is a $10,000.00 reward for anyone who can produce a tape or a video of the incident.

Did you hear that A-merry-ca? If it's not caught on tape or on audio it didn't happen. All those niggers who got their asses kicked in L.A. before Rodney King were just acting. They were trying out for a part in crime movies.

Field Negro

Contemplating "The Teflon Theory of White History"

Anything that took place over 30 years ago is Ancient History. It has Absolutely No Effect on the present. Unless it was something good like the light bulb or the Declaration of Independence. Otherwise white people are only affected by history through their families, nothing else, and for not more than a generation. So even Jim Crow is now Ancient History, just like the Battle of Thermopylae.

Abagond

Contemplating "The White Racial Gradualist"

It's a belief, even a feeling, that racism was really awful back in the day, when whites treated Indians badly and enslaved black people, and then there was like, you know, Jim Crow segregation, which was also bad, but it wasn't as bad as the stuff before. As for today -- the white racial gradualist is thinking while hearing about racism -- white racists do still exist, but they're dying out.

Macon D., "Stuff White People Do"

For White Folks Commenting on Blogs Run by POC

(Taken from what I scribbled on Abagond)

Thaddeus,

So that’s my question to Ank: what would he see as a healthy level of discussion about these issues and how does he intend to go about that, seeing as how he himself apparently classifies as “insane” a good portion of the people who diagree with him?

I can’t believe I missed this!!!

For starters, as you may know by now, I’m a she. Now, about healthily discussing these issues.

Draptoresponsia Case Study #9: Darleen Click

~Warning: Highly Offensive Imagery in this Post~

Normally I come up with a witty-ish title for these cases before I do the whole "patient this, patient that" routine.  Not this time.  This, time draptoresponsic Patient #0009 is Darleen Click. She posted the following cartoon last week (thank you, Field Negro):