Am I against integration? What is integration? Who is being asked to integrate – and integrate in to what? What comes from being fully integrated? What does this really look like?
In my home, the word integration is defined as UNITY…unity unlike what we have in existence today. I feel that people unite today only when there is something to be gained. People also unite when someone or something is at risk of being lost or has been violently taken from us (i.e. when NYC police kill unarmed Black men, or 911, or Tsunami, or Katrina, or the Jena 6). But really, where is this unity every other day of the year after the tragedy or devastation passes?
The topic of integration came up after my daughter read my blog, "What goes around comes around…"
We had quite the debate in our home last night. My daughter was fit to be tied. She was on the verge of tears. It got to a point where I actually said you know what – "I'm against integration!"
She couldn't believe I said that…she asked me, "Mom, tell me you're not really against integration." Now this is a girl who in her only 15 years of life has been an activist, fighting for human & civil rights (maybe not in the mainstream public forum YET – oh but she's coming) – her passion is found in all she believes and in the history she studies.
She agreed with much of what Adrienne wrote in her blog…she agreed that BET should not have a separate channel. She felt that when we do this we're sending messages of being all for one race and not a message that we're inclusive of all races…which she believed could be or is seen as segregation.
So I brought up Univision – asking her what she thought of Latino's having their own channels – and she was ok with it…my response is, so if your not ok with BET then you must be against the Spanish station and she said, "it's different." I asked her how it's different. She talked about catering to a community who didn't understand the language…my rebuttal: aah but what's good for one is good for all… I had to explain to her why I am absolutely ALL FOR - - Univision and BET having their OWN network.
We talk about integration but lets look at the major networks (and not the token Latina, Black or Asian correspondent) lets look at how we are represented in the media (and PLEASE lets leave out Ugly Betty for a moment – that just happened yesterday and lets not forget what year we're in its 2007 people). When you put people in a box - separate from the majority – the people in the box are going to protect their own…we've always been in a box – on the outside – yeah a few of us have gotten out of the box and grabbed some crumbs on the way up the ladder – "passing for" whatever it is a person needs to pass for…to get ahead.
But I understand why it is we have had to create our own LARGER BOXES the Univision's & BET's…when we see that an ABC, NBC and CBS aren't a true representation of the people who live here – those of us in our little boxes have to create our own…our own outlets, our own labels, start our own companies…lets be serious people…turn on the TV – not much has changed – yes there's progress – and yes I hope we get there in my lifetime. I completely support us and by us yes I AM talking about people of color…we must DO US…because waiting around for someone to give us crumbs will keep us hungry.
My daughter asked me, "Mom lets pretend you're Jewish – you live in Israel – you read the torah - - and in your bible you are told that the holy land is your land – what would you do?"
Of course she's asking me how I would resolve the conflict between the Israeli and Palestinian people.
She went on to say, "And the Palestinian's feel that it's there land because they were living there first. What's the peaceful solution to this problem?"
I must say – I was stumped because I'm looking at it coming from the place of survivor mode…in my fighter's stance…protecting my own…from the mind of a broken/wounded girl, who's a lion protecting her cub, from a community who has been stripped from those who would like to keep us stripped of our culture, our music, our history and on and on… but I needed to get back her example and question.
I am a Jewish woman – raised with the belief that the holy land is MY LAND – and I will do EVERYTHING including murder to take it…and I'm getting this from a bible…OK I have to say my baby girl poses a REALLY GREAT question…how do I resolve this conflict?
So what would I do? The only thing I could say to her is – I wouldn't have gone in and taken the land – murdered the people who were already there…I would have wanted to live there amongst them…respected their space, their community, their traditions, their religion…welcome what they bring…I'M COMING TO THEIR HOUSE…I would have come in PEACE! And of course we got into it – the religious issue and the years of war…
She said: "We will never be a whole people - - unless we integrate!"
I tried to bring her back to the topic at hand which was BET and the only thing I could say to her is…I know you don't like it – I know you wish things were different – but think about it…if Blacks and Latino's aren't able to or are being kept from…getting there messages heard, or their movies out, or their books published then we MUST do it for ourselves…
She wanted to explode…and just said, "we must get off our ASSES and do something to change it… it's not right!!!"
I applaud her – she stood up to me – she stood her ground – held firm to her position – I must say I was quite impressed. I had to give it to her…because girlfriend didn't back down – she held on – nothing could sway her…the fact that my daughter has chosen "Unity & Integration" to be her personal mission…makes a mommy proud. I'm raising me a leader.
To my daughter Courtney, I saw something in your eyes…a fire, a strength, rage…you have found your purpose - - keep that fire little girl…you have found your mission – give it your all and I got your back!
Where do I stand on integration? I feel that it's idealistic – NOT impossible – idealistic. I think it's very necessary and we have been living a way that doesn't work for too damn long. At the same time, I know what I'm here to do – what my purpose is - - and the issue of integration is not at the forefront of the issues I'm fighting for…not at this point in my life. For as long as I can remember I wanted to be "integrated" into the white community. Because to be white – was to be acceptable to society – anything dark skinned or a different pigment was not acceptable or accepted. That's just MY REALITY. I apologize if I don't want to be integrated in a culture and community that didn't want me to learn about me! I will not integrate if is for the purposes of continuing to strip me of my culture, traditions and beliefs. At the same time, I don't support segregation because we know what the affects of this have been.
If integration means that I can come as I AM… and BE ACCEPTED and RESPECTED for all that I bring…then I am ALL for it. If you're telling me that to be integrated I'm not allowed in - - unless "I can pass for…" then you can have it!
Keep fighting to be heard my beautiful girl…
I've said and have heard comments such as: "how much more fighting should we do," "Why should we fight – it's not my fight?" To my daughter as you take on this mission…know that I will support you – I will stand by you – when its time count me in…but its all you.
Finally, she just looked at me exhausted after over an hour of conversation – she surrendered – saying, "Mommy you're not really against integration – that's just one more person I need convince…" my reply, "no sweetie – I'm not against integration its just that right now I'm embracing who I AM – where I COME FROM…the beautiful history that's interweaved in my veins – my Latin/Blackness this is what I'm honoring right now - - but I'll get there."
Integration is a slow process – that needs to be built on TRUST…I'll get there.
Peace~
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Friday, April 13, 2007
Exceptions for Calling a Girl a "HOE"
Snoop vs Imus: Men vs Women
Interesting article… amazing how Snoop wants to rationalize: saying its ok when he calls a woman (from a lower class situation – "they're" hoes).
Am I to understand and accept that if you are an educated sister (how dare someone call you a hoe)? But if you're from the projects --- then it's ok to call them hoes.
Is he serious? He is absolutely in the same category as Imus – it certainly does not make it ok because he's black to degrade and disrespect women at all. It's unacceptable on all counts / if you use offensive language then you fit the bill. And that's it. Snoop is guilty too. It's absurd!
http://vh1blog.vh1.com/2007/04/snoop_vs_imus_m.html
Interesting article… amazing how Snoop wants to rationalize: saying its ok when he calls a woman (from a lower class situation – "they're" hoes).
Am I to understand and accept that if you are an educated sister (how dare someone call you a hoe)? But if you're from the projects --- then it's ok to call them hoes.
Is he serious? He is absolutely in the same category as Imus – it certainly does not make it ok because he's black to degrade and disrespect women at all. It's unacceptable on all counts / if you use offensive language then you fit the bill. And that's it. Snoop is guilty too. It's absurd!
http://vh1blog.vh1.com/2007/04/snoop_vs_imus_m.html
Thursday, April 12, 2007
"Black People Don't Read"
This came from an email I received:
"PLEASE, READ AND TAKE HEED TO THIS WHITE WOMANS OPINION OF US!!!
BLACK PEOPLE, PLEASE, READ & HEED. POIGNANT.
The sad thing about this article is that the essence of it is true. The truth hurts. I just hope this sets more Black people in motion towards making real progress. Chris Rock, a Black comedian, even joked that Blacks don't read.
Please Note:
For those of you who heard it, this ibs the article Dee Lee was reading this morning on a New York radio station. For those of you who didn't hear it, this is very deep. This is a heavy piece and a Caucasian wrote it.
Dee Lee, CFP
Harvard Financial Educators
Dee Lee
THEY ARE STILL OUR SLAVES We can continue to reap profits from the Blacks without the effort of physical slavery Look at the current methods of containment that they use on themselves: IGNORANCE, GREED, and SELFISHNESS.
Their IGNORANCE is the primary weapon of containment. A great man once said, "The best way to hide something from Black people is to put it in a book." We now live in the Information Age. They have gained the opportunity to read any book on any subject through the efforts of their
fight for freedom, yet they refuse to read. There are numerous books readily available at Borders, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.com, not to mention their own Black Bookstores that provide solid blueprints to reach economic equality (which should have been their fight all along), but few read consistently, if at all.
GREED is another powerful weapon of containment. Blacks, since the abolition of slavery, have had large amounts of money at their disposal. Last year they spent 10 billion dollars during Christmas, out of their 450 billion dollars in total yearly income (2.22%).
Any of us can use them as our target market, for any business venture we care to dream up, no matter how outlandish, they will buy into it. Being primarily a consumer people, they function totally by greed. They continually want more, with little thought for saving or investing.
They would rather buy some new sneaker than invest in starting a business. Some even neglect their children to have the latest Tommy or FUBU, And they still think that having a Mercedes, and a big house gives them "Status" or that they have achieved their Dream.
They are fools! The vast majority of their people are still in poverty because their greed holds them back from collectively making better communities.
With the help of BET, and the rest of their black media that often broadcasts destructive images into their own homes, we will continue to see huge profits like those of Tommy and Nike. (Tommy Hilfiger has even jeered them, saying he doesn't want their money, and look at how the fools spend more with him than ever before!). They'll continue to show off to each other while we build solid communities with the profits from our businesses that we market to them.
SELFISHNESS, ingrained in their minds through slavery, is one of the major ways we can continue to contain them. One of their own, Dubois said that there was an innate division in their culture. A "Talented Tenth" he called it. He was correct in his deduction that there are segments of their culture that has achieved some "form" of success.
However, that segment missed the fullness of his work. They didn't read that the "Talented Tenth" was then responsible to aid The Non-Talented Ninety Percent in achieving a better life. Instead, that segment has created another class, a Buppie class that looks down on their people or aids them in a condescending manner. They will never achieve what we have. Their selfishness does not allow them to be able to work together on any project or endeavor of substance. When they do get together, their selfishness lets their egos get in the way of their goal Their so-called help organizations seem to only want to promote their name without making any real change in their community.
They are content to sit in conferences and conventions in our hotels, and talk about what they will do, while they award plaques to the best
speakers, not to the best doers. Is there no end to their selfishness?
They steadfastly refuse to see that TOGETHER EACH ACHIEVES MORE (TEAM)
They do not understand that they are no better than each other because of what they own, as a matter of fact, most of those Buppies are but one or two pay checks away from poverty. All of which is under the control of our pens in our offices and our rooms.
Yes, we will continue to contain them as long as they refuse to re ad, continue to buy anything they want, and keep thinking they are "helping" their communities by paying dues to organizations which do little other than hold lavish conventions in our hotels. By the way, don't worry about any of them reading this letter, remember, 'THEY DON'T READ!!!!
(Prove them wrong. Please pass this on! After Reading it..) Share this on your blogs...."
------------------------------------------------------
After reading this - here's what jumps out for me:
"They are fools! The vast majority of their people are still in poverty because their greed holds them back from collectively making better communities."
We talk about unity...coming together to collaborate - we talk about making and want to see change happen. But then personal ego's and agendas get in the way and often times we don't follow it through. Holding ourselves back! We just keep talking... lets look closely at what she's saying:
"They will never achieve what we have."
"Their selfishness does not allow them to be able to work together on any project or endeavor of substance. When they do get together, their selfishness lets their egos get in the way"
I don't see this as an attack more than it's a message aimed directly at us - to force us to look at and understand -- that in many ways we are still slaves. There is much power in our numbers and in our dollars. We must begin thinking differently.
Share this on your blogs.... peace, Alicia
"PLEASE, READ AND TAKE HEED TO THIS WHITE WOMANS OPINION OF US!!!
BLACK PEOPLE, PLEASE, READ & HEED. POIGNANT.
The sad thing about this article is that the essence of it is true. The truth hurts. I just hope this sets more Black people in motion towards making real progress. Chris Rock, a Black comedian, even joked that Blacks don't read.
Please Note:
For those of you who heard it, this ibs the article Dee Lee was reading this morning on a New York radio station. For those of you who didn't hear it, this is very deep. This is a heavy piece and a Caucasian wrote it.
Dee Lee, CFP
Harvard Financial Educators
Dee Lee
THEY ARE STILL OUR SLAVES We can continue to reap profits from the Blacks without the effort of physical slavery Look at the current methods of containment that they use on themselves: IGNORANCE, GREED, and SELFISHNESS.
Their IGNORANCE is the primary weapon of containment. A great man once said, "The best way to hide something from Black people is to put it in a book." We now live in the Information Age. They have gained the opportunity to read any book on any subject through the efforts of their
fight for freedom, yet they refuse to read. There are numerous books readily available at Borders, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.com, not to mention their own Black Bookstores that provide solid blueprints to reach economic equality (which should have been their fight all along), but few read consistently, if at all.
GREED is another powerful weapon of containment. Blacks, since the abolition of slavery, have had large amounts of money at their disposal. Last year they spent 10 billion dollars during Christmas, out of their 450 billion dollars in total yearly income (2.22%).
Any of us can use them as our target market, for any business venture we care to dream up, no matter how outlandish, they will buy into it. Being primarily a consumer people, they function totally by greed. They continually want more, with little thought for saving or investing.
They would rather buy some new sneaker than invest in starting a business. Some even neglect their children to have the latest Tommy or FUBU, And they still think that having a Mercedes, and a big house gives them "Status" or that they have achieved their Dream.
They are fools! The vast majority of their people are still in poverty because their greed holds them back from collectively making better communities.
With the help of BET, and the rest of their black media that often broadcasts destructive images into their own homes, we will continue to see huge profits like those of Tommy and Nike. (Tommy Hilfiger has even jeered them, saying he doesn't want their money, and look at how the fools spend more with him than ever before!). They'll continue to show off to each other while we build solid communities with the profits from our businesses that we market to them.
SELFISHNESS, ingrained in their minds through slavery, is one of the major ways we can continue to contain them. One of their own, Dubois said that there was an innate division in their culture. A "Talented Tenth" he called it. He was correct in his deduction that there are segments of their culture that has achieved some "form" of success.
However, that segment missed the fullness of his work. They didn't read that the "Talented Tenth" was then responsible to aid The Non-Talented Ninety Percent in achieving a better life. Instead, that segment has created another class, a Buppie class that looks down on their people or aids them in a condescending manner. They will never achieve what we have. Their selfishness does not allow them to be able to work together on any project or endeavor of substance. When they do get together, their selfishness lets their egos get in the way of their goal Their so-called help organizations seem to only want to promote their name without making any real change in their community.
They are content to sit in conferences and conventions in our hotels, and talk about what they will do, while they award plaques to the best
speakers, not to the best doers. Is there no end to their selfishness?
They steadfastly refuse to see that TOGETHER EACH ACHIEVES MORE (TEAM)
They do not understand that they are no better than each other because of what they own, as a matter of fact, most of those Buppies are but one or two pay checks away from poverty. All of which is under the control of our pens in our offices and our rooms.
Yes, we will continue to contain them as long as they refuse to re ad, continue to buy anything they want, and keep thinking they are "helping" their communities by paying dues to organizations which do little other than hold lavish conventions in our hotels. By the way, don't worry about any of them reading this letter, remember, 'THEY DON'T READ!!!!
(Prove them wrong. Please pass this on! After Reading it..) Share this on your blogs...."
------------------------------------------------------
After reading this - here's what jumps out for me:
"They are fools! The vast majority of their people are still in poverty because their greed holds them back from collectively making better communities."
We talk about unity...coming together to collaborate - we talk about making and want to see change happen. But then personal ego's and agendas get in the way and often times we don't follow it through. Holding ourselves back! We just keep talking... lets look closely at what she's saying:
"They will never achieve what we have."
"Their selfishness does not allow them to be able to work together on any project or endeavor of substance. When they do get together, their selfishness lets their egos get in the way"
I don't see this as an attack more than it's a message aimed directly at us - to force us to look at and understand -- that in many ways we are still slaves. There is much power in our numbers and in our dollars. We must begin thinking differently.
Share this on your blogs.... peace, Alicia
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
MSNBC Drops 'Imus in the Morning'
While they would like us to think that it has nothing to do with dollars. We know better! Without the advertisers there is NO show. But we'll go with it. After all they did say "what matters to us most is that the men and women of NBC Universal." Smart decision!
Peace, Alicia
Here's the article:
"MSNBC Drops 'Imus in the Morning'
Decision Was Driven by 'Integrity,' Not 'Dollars'
By Andrew Hampp
Published: April 11, 2007
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- MSNBC has canceled its simulcast of CBS Radio's "Imus in the Morning" following a long line of advertisers pulling their support of the show yesterday and today.
MSNBC called its decision to drop Don Imus' show as 'driven by integrity.'
Photo Credit: AP
Originally planned hiatus
The cable news network had originally planned to put the show on a two-week hiatus, but the it issued a statement today saying, "What matters to us most is that the men and women of NBC Universal have confidence in the values we have set for this company. This is the only decision that makes that possible. Once again, we apologize to the women of the Rutgers basketball team and to our viewers. We deeply regret the pain this incident has caused."
The "Imus" show was one of MSNBC's more high-profile offerings but was a consistent runner-up in the ratings race with CNN in its 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. weekday timeslot, where it attracted 271,000 household viewers compared to CNN's 374,000.
An NBC News spokeswoman said the advertisers' withdrawal was "in all honesty, not a factor in today's announcement. It really came as a result of numerous conversations with our employees. It was not driven by dollars. It was driven by integrity."
8% of revenue
The show's advertisers -- which include General Motors, Procter & Gamble and Sprint -- collectively account for about 8% of MSNBC's total revenue. The top spender, GM, spent a total of $691,000 on the show in 2006, according to TNS Media Intelligence.
CBS Radio, meanwhile, is sticking with its two-week suspension without pay for Mr. Imus, adding in a statement, "During that time, CBS Radio will continue to speak with all concerned parties and monitor the situation closely.""
Source: http://adage.com/mediaworks/article?article_id=116041
Peace, Alicia
Here's the article:
"MSNBC Drops 'Imus in the Morning'
Decision Was Driven by 'Integrity,' Not 'Dollars'
By Andrew Hampp
Published: April 11, 2007
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- MSNBC has canceled its simulcast of CBS Radio's "Imus in the Morning" following a long line of advertisers pulling their support of the show yesterday and today.
MSNBC called its decision to drop Don Imus' show as 'driven by integrity.'
Photo Credit: AP
Originally planned hiatus
The cable news network had originally planned to put the show on a two-week hiatus, but the it issued a statement today saying, "What matters to us most is that the men and women of NBC Universal have confidence in the values we have set for this company. This is the only decision that makes that possible. Once again, we apologize to the women of the Rutgers basketball team and to our viewers. We deeply regret the pain this incident has caused."
The "Imus" show was one of MSNBC's more high-profile offerings but was a consistent runner-up in the ratings race with CNN in its 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. weekday timeslot, where it attracted 271,000 household viewers compared to CNN's 374,000.
An NBC News spokeswoman said the advertisers' withdrawal was "in all honesty, not a factor in today's announcement. It really came as a result of numerous conversations with our employees. It was not driven by dollars. It was driven by integrity."
8% of revenue
The show's advertisers -- which include General Motors, Procter & Gamble and Sprint -- collectively account for about 8% of MSNBC's total revenue. The top spender, GM, spent a total of $691,000 on the show in 2006, according to TNS Media Intelligence.
CBS Radio, meanwhile, is sticking with its two-week suspension without pay for Mr. Imus, adding in a statement, "During that time, CBS Radio will continue to speak with all concerned parties and monitor the situation closely.""
Source: http://adage.com/mediaworks/article?article_id=116041
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