Jack & Jill Politics

Reading two excellent posts about this from:
Pam’s House Blend and Field Negro

I thought that this was a point that had to be brought out.

When we point out that there are few voices of color at their blogging conventions, we’re told that ‘ they’re improving’, and ‘why bring it up’.

We’re all SUPPOSED to be Progressive, right?

But, how come, when it comes to issues that are important to African-Americans, the White Progressive Blogosphere is pretty much NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.

More than a few of us chide Francis Holland for being a flame thrower, but I understand Francis, and support him doing his blogging thang as he sees it. I’ve often thought Francis gets banned because he speaks the truth, and some folks don’t like hearing the truth.

Well, here’s some truth.

Shaquanda Cotton

White Progressive Blogopshere M-I-A.

Genarlow Wilson

White Progressive Blogosphere M-I-A.

The Jena Six

White Progressive Blogosphere M-I-A

Those are the FACTS.

The mainstream journalists who were on this story before anyone else had coined the phrase ‘ The Jena Six’ were Howard Witt of the Chicago Tribune, and Amy Goodman.

There simply ARE issues that concern the Black Community, and if the White Progressive Community expects for Black folk to support a Progressive Cause, then, in a show of MUTUAL RESPECT, we expect no less, than when an issue of serious concern to us, as a community, is presented, that it be treated with the respect that it deserves.

And, in case you don’t know, let me tell you right now…

There are few issues that concern the Black Progressive Community more than the the disproportionate punishment of people of color in the criminal justice system. It is OUR brothers, sons, nephews, cousins and friends that are being locked up for crimes at alarming rates, while others doing the same crimes, get lesser time or go free. It’s a MAJOR ISSUE, so show some RESPECT and learn about it.

One time missing-in-action is an oops.

Two times missing-in-action is a double oops.

Three times missing-in-action is the beginning of the formation of a pattern.

A pattern in which, the interpretation could be from those of us in the Black Progressive Blogosphere, that you are saying

YOU DON’T WANT ANY OF OUR ‘ BLACK’ PROBLEMS.

As if desiring EQUALITY in the Criminal Justice System was a ‘BLACK’ problem.

That’s why I’m so proud of the Black Blogosphere. Even when I disagree with some conservative Black Bloggers, I at least believe they respect the validity of my position….and that is lacking from quite a number of White Progressive Bloggers.

For some, you might wonder – why this case? With all the INjustice in the Criminal Justice System, why this case?

Some of it was the obviousness of the symbolism. Black folk don’t become too educated to understand that TREE+NOOSE=Threatening Your Black Ass.

It is not a prank.
It is not ‘ freedom of expression’.

With Black folk, in THESE United States of America, TREE+NOOSE is a very clear THREAT.

We don’t become too ‘ educated’ for that.

And, Fannie Lou Hamer said it best, ‘ Sometimes you get sick and tired of being sick and tired.’

And, I’m sick and tired of it being Open Season on Young Black Men. I have a nephew. Good kid. Never been in any trouble. I worry about him everyday because he’s a Young Black Male in America, and it’s Open Season on them. I wonder if we’ve reinforced to him how he should handle himself if he’s involved in an altercation with the police. If he understands the rules of engagement with law enforcement that could mean the difference between my sister coming to get him at the police station OR THE MORGUE.

THAT is why this is personal. Because there are very few Black folk with a Six Degrees of Separation between them and a bad story with law enforcement. If you can go two degrees, you’re fortunate.

We fight for The Jena Six, so that maybe I won’t have to fight for my nephew one day.

If you don’t believe that my thoughts and positions are common, why don’t you go ask the Black folk you work with, socialize with, and actually LISTEN to their response.