That's not verbatim, but it's pretty close. And the impression I got was that they had gotten a grant to gather statistics and they were carrying out their obligations under the grant, which is to gather statistics, and nothing more.

I don't know that to be true (that they are only motivated by grant funds), but I don't know why the call it a “Response” system when they have explicitly announced that they have no intention of “responding” or engaging in activism on behalf of the poeple who lodge complaints and provide information. They should call it a “Rapid Tabulation System”.

That's just what Black America needs right now: A Rapid Tabulation System that tells us what we already know from the Police Brutality Blog, the Tasered While Black blog and the Electrocuted while Black blog. Black people are getting beaten down on a regular basis and we haven't found a systematic way of discouraging it, aside from sharing the information about it nationally and internationally and building support for individual victims.

Since the only role the NAACP proposes to fulfill in that scourge is to tabulate the cases for future reference, I would expect that blogs and local activists will be on the front lines while the NAACP will respond to major cases, like the pool case in PA, by suggesting that the local “Human Relations Commission” investigate, as they did with the PA pool case.

LOL That “Human Relations Commission” crap was meaningless in 1974 and it's laughable today to mention 1974 as a model for 2009.

And here's a prediction about that “Rapid Response System”: The NAACP is never going to release a press release to announce their “statistical” findings, because the program is an ad hoc attempt to appear relevant and not a real attempt to document what's happening to Black people.

Here's another prediction: The NAACP is NEVER going to propose a meaningful action plan to actually do anything about the repression that they are able to document. And if they do propose it, they will anounce it to the Washington Post without ever informing Black bloggers.

“You wax so elegantly on the irrevelancy of the NAACP, but where are all of these powerful and influential emerging African-American leaders? Why are they on twitter?

Why aren't these powerful and influential emerging African-American leaders and twitterers working to solve the real problems in the AA community?

I mean, besides blogging and twittering?”

…but we would add that theze new technology toolz are exactly tha very thangz we need @ our disposal 2 circumvent/bypass the lamestream media's feeble attempts 2 report “news” about us or that iz important 2 us…like the sad stories/news you've addressed in yer posts.

We understand yer dismay n' confusion(?) mixed w/ anger(?)…now, it seemz 2 us that tha next step iz 2 harness it 4 good…get tha word out about theze heinous attacks, tha otha issuez u mention'd n' Organize Solutionz. Black folk carpin' @ each otha Getz Us ALL Nowhere fast.

We wish tha community there n' U well…We have rootz in Ann Arbor…n' STILL have a warm spot in our heart 4 Detroit…all tha way out here now in Cali! = )

–TBW

http://theblackwhole.wordpress.com

Now I haven't heard, read, been able to find out why they were out at that time of morning or where the parents (based on what I know about so many kids here, the mother is probably the only one in home).

I have a social worker friend who works with teens (not these) who has been trying to find out why the were in the parks and not home. Confidentiality issues apply.

But it wouldn't a done a damn bit of good if folks hadn't gotten to the polls and VOTED.

I'm not saying that blogging and twittering are useless. My point is that information can be exchanged all day long. It's the action that is done with the knowledge of the information that has the lasting impact.

Is passing information action? Of course it is. Put the combination of the two is the end goal.

Just curious. . . where were the 14 and 15 year old girls between 1 am – 2 am in the morning when this happened?

“Where there is no vision, the people perish.”

this is one of the reason why we give little credence to blogging…it is an active process – not a passive one.

is it the end all – of course not. it is revolutionary – YES IT IS…

who do you think folks got the word out back in the day – social networking through the telephone and mail. this is no different.

Inspite of your intermittent haterade on MJ or PBO, I still loves ya! I loves my whole JJP fam (especially peepin Spirit, Miranda & Justice). Thanks Jill for creating/founding this site.

I wish there was less antagonism between new media and old media/institutions. Sometimes we get so caught up in our own egos, that we lose sight of the greater good.

The NAACP isn't as strong as it was when W. E. B. Dubois was living. Will JJP still be around 100 years from now? Remains to be seen. The greater question is will we be strengthening or weakening our people in the here and now?

The first and foremost question is are you “advancing” our People. I honestly believe that JJP is advancing our people. You don't have to be affiliated or co-branded with the NAACP for me to believe that JJP is doing that. JUST DO IT.

Love,
Webb

this could even happen online…

you are so silly.

yep, what you said.