Tag Archives: Black Lives Matter
4RealThoShow – Special Guest & Friend of the show Shonte’ Harmon Young
We welcome special guest and friend of the show Shonte’ Harmon Young to discuss local and national politics; Protest, Police Unions, Defunding the Police and Elections. We end the show with a little St. Louis fun.
Hillary’s Debate Mission, Get Trump to Order The Code Red
We all know that The Donald is what Bill Maher calls, A Whiny Little Bitch! (#WLB) He doesn’t have a presidential bone in his body. His appeal is only to bluster and bully his way through the most basic of issues we face as a nation. There is no substance, only self aggrandizing shit from the mouth spatters.
As Hillary Clinton pointed out, he can be baited with a tweet. While one must be ambitious to be president he has no self awareness or self control. He has no discipline. He’s 70 years old. This is who he’s always been and it’s worked for him. This is what Clinton should focus on each and every time she takes the debate stage with this clown.
The first of four scheduled debates between the candidates is scheduled on Monday, September 26, at Hofstra University. Honestly I have a hard time believing the #WLB will show to each of them. With Hillary’s experience of public service as First Lady, a senator and as Secretary of State, substance wise he will be easy prey to humiliate on national and worldwide television. She can make substantive arguments on topics ranging from jobs, the economy, and especially national security. Meanwhile, #WLB will enter the debate(s) with some prepped talking points. But if Clinton plays it smart she will have him off script within 30 minutes or less. Once she dazzles with facts and he fizzles with empty phrases, he will resort to what he knows best. Before you know it, something stupid, sexist of violent will come flying out his pie-hole! The more he becomes unhinged, the more she should go in for his throat with a statement, a look, or a smile. He is sure to address her personally, so she should address him as well. Target his insecurities and lack of knowledge. Before long, he’ll lose it and make an open show of himself.
In the movie, “A Few Good Men,” Lt. Daniel Kaffee (played by Tom Cruise) used Col. Nathan R. Jessup’s supreme arrogance against him during the court-marshal trial of two marines. . The Col. tried to play it cool initially. At one point while being questioned on the stand, Kaffee purposely appeared muffed and confused. This only fueled the Col.’s confidence. Jessup was about to walk off the stand before being excused. Then Kaffee flipped the script on him.
KAFFEE – Excuse me, I didn’t dismiss you.
JESSUP – I beg your pardon.
KAFFEE – I’m not through with my examination. Sit down.
When Kaffee caught Jessup in a contradiction of statements, he pounced!
JESSUP – Sometimes men take matters into their own hands.
KAFFEE – No sir. You made it clear just a moment ago that your men never take matters into their own hands. Your men follow orders or people die.
So Santiago shouldn’t have been in any danger at all, should he have, Colonel?
JESSUP – You little bastard!
cont.
JESSUP – You want answers?
KAFFEE – I think I’m entitled to them.
JESSUP – You want answers?!
KAFFEE – I want the truth.
JESSUP – You can’t handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has walls. And those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who’s gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep Santiago and you curse the marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: That Santiago’s death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don’t want the truth. Because deep down, in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want me on that wall. You need me there. We use words like honor, code, loyalty… we use these words as the backbone to a life spent defending something. You use ’em as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide it. I’d prefer you just said thank you and went on yourway. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you’re entitled to.
KAFFEE – Did you order the code red?
JESSUP – I did the job you sent me to do.
KAFFEE – Did you order the code red?
JESSUP – You’re goddamn right I did.
When #WLB loses his mind, he will show less restraint than Jessup did. Its possible he will even try to physically strike Hillary. He said he wanted to hit some of the speakers at the DNC convention just a few days ago.
Let’s face it. When it comes to the angry racist, those who hate the thought of hearing the words Black Lives Matter, #WLB represents the last stand of the angry white man. To them nothing will convince them not to vote for #WLB. Not sexism, not the three wives, not the violence in his ravenous crowds, not teasing the disabled, not his refusal to show his tax returns, not NOT having any plan for national security, not calling for our national security to be compromised by Russia, and not viciously attacking gold star parents whose son gave his life for an America that #WLB enjoys – after being a draft dodger.
BUT for those who may be on the fence, seeing him unravel and lose control would be enough to open blinded eyes closer to November. With that said, there are a total of four debates scheduled before election day. There is no way in hell that #WLB is going to do all four of them. He can’t win them against Clinton. I’m sure he will try to all but write the questions and dictate the rules. He will try to out talk Clinton, filibuster and change the subject. But for Hillary Clinton, her entire life and career has led her to these moments. She has no excuse not to break #WLB within this one on one format.
None!
The Blessing in The Bulls#@!
This is a Facebook thread in which I was engaged in yesterday. It’s long… but the ending is where the gem is!
It starts with the photo below posted from a previous friend of mine. This was my attempt to work through it.
Christopher McCaleb #disappointed 😦
Cari Atkinson Sorry…I will not leave myself in any situation that I could get injured.
Christopher McCaleb But you would drive the truck or advocate to injure or murder those who are using their constitutional right to assemble and protest?
Cari Atkinson Christopher McCaleb Not advocating anything, but not ok with the protests that are blocking any persons right-of-way. Protests could be made without making people late to work, blocking medical needs, etc. Again, I will not leave myself in a possible situation to where I could be in danger.
Christopher McCaleb One may or may not agree with the WAY a protest is done. The thing about them…is that by nature they tend to be uncomfortable. That’s kind of the point. That being said, regardless the image of the truck is saying… = those who protest run the over! It’s very explicit and prolific. The person posting, liking the photo are saying, “run them over!” That is the solution… to a specific group of people. This could be me, my sons, daughters, friends, (white and black) I’ve supported your fight to live at all cost. This is what supporters of protest are doing as well…fighting for the right to live and be protected. Making statement or posting images that they should be run over, that they don’t have jobs, is horrifically insensitive at best, hateful at worst. I’m speaking to you not as a critic, but a friend. I hope you will reconsider this position and take into consideration what I am saying… if you consider me a friend as well. Which I believe you do!
Cari Atkinson I did not state any of the protesters didn’t have jobs! I stated I will not be late for my employment, late for a medical procedure or emergency because of the right-of-way being blocked. Protests can be done without shutting down highways! I again will not leave myself or my family in danger. I do consider you my friend, we just have different views on closing down highways or businesses!
Cari Atkinson My fight against cancer and my life has not stopped anyone from anything!
Christopher McCaleb I agree… but everyone I know is pretty united on standing with our friends who are fighting cancer. And if cancer treatment and research were to be halted, not fully endorsed by society and people died, you may find it worth interrupting the normalcy of life. Well, you would let’s just affirm that. I definitely don’t recall large numbers of anyone missing medical service because of a protest.
Like · Reply · 23 mins · Edited
Christopher McCaleb Jobless post you posted today…
Cari Atkinson Let it go Christopher McCaleb…we have total different mind sets and will never agree. I would never block a highway or close down a business because of cancer!
Christopher McCaleb Even if you wouldn’t Cari Atkinson, saying that protesters don’t have jobs, (which is a harsh, unfair and UNTRUE statement, and you DID post it though you denied it initially) and posting a truck photo that says it’s going to run protesters over… (does not mention emergency vehicles…it mentions being late for work) is therefore very offensive, is not misleading. These two photos paint a very insensitive and hateful narrative. Would you disagree in this light?
Cari Atkinson I am ending this conversation…I posted what I posted because I will not be blocked from work or medical needs, etc and in potential danger due to protests. Everyone needs to get back to work and trust that things will work out the way it should. These protests are not peaceful and are causing more damage then good as far as I am concerned. I am one of the nicest people you will ever met and have never done harm to anyone! If you cannot accept this then please feel free to delete me…sorry!
Christopher McCaleb End it if you must. What you cannot do is veil your so called niceness while dismissing the hatefulness withing the dismissal of a people who cannot wait and trust that things will work out the way it should. No change in the history of the world every happened that way. FOR ANYONE including women. Your words and photos speak for your character in this case. Meanwhile, if that bothers you, then you are free to do the deleting.
Christopher McCaleb In a nutshell this is what those post say to me: All you black folk screaming Black Lives Matter need to go somewhere and get a job. Stop protesting. People like Philando Castille and Alton Sterling and every other one deserved what they got. If I had this truck and you were in my way while I’m going somewhere, I would love to use it to batter my way through you all inconveniencing my life!
Nicole Richardson Protesting is fine when it is not keeping others from getting to where they’re going. It is not OK to block roads, why do protesters feel that what they are doing comes before others and where others are going? Smh…this is not peaceful protesting goi…See More
Like · Reply · 2 · 3 hrs · Edited
Tompall Gibson If law biding citizens were protesting, there would not be a need for such a truck. With that being said, over the last couple of years we have all witnessed these protests being more about criminal actions rather than a well-educated debate on fairness & equality.
Cari Atkinson Well stated…thank you!
Christopher McCaleb Let’s examine this a bit before I go about my merry way. #1) There is NO data that says that the protest do more harm than good. That seems to be theme with you guys but its unsupported. The same goes for the protest not being peaceful. Again looking at DATA, not hyperbole and bullshit – of the hundreds of thousands of protestors nationwide, the number of incidents and individuals who protested in anyway but peaceful is miniscule. That’s just a fact!
#2) What you are really saying… by not acknowledging these law abiding citizens as relative and relevant is that you look at them and their mere presence as an affront to your own comfort zone.
3) Imagine if someone had said, “If police didn’t kill unarmed innocent black boys and men, there would be no need for a sniper to kill 5 police officers? YET you are totally comfortable with speaking of the need for the truck. This is because you don’t value the lives of black people who are fighting for survival.
4) And this is the best point of all. Today in my class where I teach Critical Thinking Debate Skills, I taught my young students, (only ONE who happens to be black) the concept of sacred cows. After explaining the origins and definitions, I used examples of people worshipping their sacred cows using examples of police and BLM. Then I showed them the photos of the truck, and the frog, and read each of our written statements to the class. I didn’t make any judgements but I did ask them to make sure to let me know if I was in anyway sassy, threatening or unreasonable. I did NOT ask them to comment on anything any of you said.
As it turned out, each student found the truck photo horrifyingly hateful. They were disgusted. I never commented one way or the other. Upon reading your reasoning and responses, to a person they commented that your comments were condescending at best, racist at worst. They were surprised that I reacted with reason in stayed the course in an attempt to gain at least a small bit of consensus…something we could all agree on.
Afterwards, and after they shared their own thoughts without my comments, I told them the story of how I met Cari, how we helped raised over $100,000 for Backstoppers. I told them how we remained friends and how I supported her along with many others during her fight against cancer. Then I explained that when it comes to MOST of the white friends I met during this event and others, they were good with me as long as I was with them and supported their causes. But when it came to my life or the lives of those who look like me, they were not willing to stand with me at all. Not only that, but when I tried to have intelligent and heartfelt conversations with them, they would prove like Cari, dismissive, combative and put off. My students recognized that the cops for you guys are sacred cows. That you disdain anything that comes between your concepts of challenging your comfort level of white superiority. THESE WERE WHITE KIDS! I explained that whenever I am having racial conversations with these particular set of white friends, they never give an inch about anything. For instance, though I have protested before, I wouldn’t block a street or a highway. But I can empathize with those who would. I’m willing to concede that this may not be the best way to get a point across. But Cari nor any of you are willing to back off this image and message of a truck running over American citizens as if this were Tiananmen Square. Not even one… ”Well Chris, I can see what you mean by the image being threatening and offensive. NOPE… can’t give an inch. NOT ONE BIT. So next time people say WE should come together, remember it takes two people. Its easy to see from the thread, that my friend Cari does not value my life nor is she concerned about police violence as it relates to people like me. She’s refuses to VALIDATE me or my experiences or engage in a serious discussion. My students should do better. Kill their sacred cows and argue from a position geared towards respect and solutions.
One white student in particular came to me and said, Mr. McCaleb this was really great. My parents are like those people in the post. They are really sacred towards the police. Won’t give an inch in any discussion. I used to be that way too. I’m white, middle class, private school. This issue really bothers me. And this entire environment scares me! But I was so afraid to talk about it. This class was a safe place to do so. I feel so much better.
For that I say, THANK YOU to you all for giving me content to teach our youth. I have hope for them. And while you may dismiss me, I am out here making a difference and changing lives for the better…for all people INCLUDING my own.
…..AND WITH THAT SHE DELETED ME! And she took down the post… not because she thought better of it, but because her racism was exposed and undeniable!
Message to Black Lives Matters Critics … who happen to be Black
Black folk are not monolithic. I know that there are some in America who believe we are. But we didn’t all agree in Africa before we were sold into slavery. We didn’t all agree while in the state of slavery. We didn’t all agree upon emancipation. We didn’t all agree during Jim Crow, during the civil rights movement, even about having civil rights. Like any other group of humans, our views differ from liberal, conservative, ambivalent, apathetic. We are engaged, passionate and absent. And just as we don’t agree about who is the best MC, the best basketball player of all time, or whether peanut butter is better than chocolate, we don’t all view the Black Lives Matter movement as it relates to police brutality, systematic racism and so called Black on Black crime within our neighborhoods.
Locally speaking, since Michael Brown, many of my friends have been on the forefront of protest, civil disobedience or spreading the word via social media regarding police brutality as it relates to the St. Louis Metropolitan area. They have fought hard through the midst of resistance from many of their White counterparts, White police unions, and administrations resistant to give up the power of their privilege. Equally true is that St. Louis is enduring a sickening amount of shootings and murders this year. There are many reasoning and debates for the escalations of violent crimes, from lack of policing in certain North Side areas, to a mindset among Black youth that they just don’t give a damn about taking a life. As mentioned in the first sentence, we don’t share all of the same views, therefore we don’t share the same passions. But unfortunately, instead of respecting one another’s passions for a common goal of bettering the community as best as we can, some of us are at odds in direct conflict against the other. Specifically, some who are righteously frustrated with the crime being committed against one another, are upset at protesters of police brutality and Black Lives Matter. The video below from Ferguson resident Peggy Hubbard is an example.
Hubbard isn’t the only one who has expressed these sentiments. Many of my African-American friends on social media have asked after a murder, “Where are all the protesters now? Why aren’t they protesting or holding a rally for this?” These are similar to some of my White counterparts who refuse to acknowledge or even justify their lack of interest and subsequent support of police brutality because there are Black criminals; as if there aren’t criminals within their own group. The difference is that White folk generally aren’t shot, chocked, tased, or mysteriously found dead while in police custody. I’ve had those conversations with my White friends. I’ve explained to them, that there are differences in community concern about criminal behavior vs state sponsored oppression and brutality. My neighbor is a citizen, my police, prosecutors and judges are compensated with tax dollars that I participate in contributing towards. These have taken an oath to protect and serve righteously for all of it’s citizens. Contrary to popular belief, we can actually care about both equally. Not to mention if there is a murder or a robbery in my neighborhood, more times than not we are looking to those same police to solve those crimes and remove those criminals from among us. Some of us believe these crimes aren’t as vigorously investigated in our neighborhoods as they would in a White neighborhood; thus the cycle continues.
What is missed however, is that there are and have been activities standing up for victims of violent crimes. They may not be as prevalent or publicly covered as those against police brutality. But they are there.
http://http://fox2now.com/2014/06/01/prayer-vigil-held-to-stop-the-violence-in-st-louis/
Thus my message isn’t to my White counterparts who are anti-Black Lives Matter or anti-police brutality against people of color; though they can get some too if they like. But specifically to those who like Ms. Hubbard, single mother with a son who is incarcerated, to my Black friends who poo poo the folk fighting the system of government oppression because they think these protesters should protest all things Black struggle, is get off your asses and do it yourself! If there aren’t enough black protest and rallies against crime in your view, then dammit start one. Gather like minded individuals, organize and get your asses out in these streets. Why be in conflict with your brothers and sisters who are fighting for your right to be equally valued lawfully in the system in which we all rely to a certain extent. If I am in danger and I can’t solve the issue, I’m calling the police. I have police who are good friends of mine. But that prevent me from having a passion against police who are out to kill me. There is no conflict for me to love my police friends while jamming Fuck The Police in my ride simultaneously. It seems to me that the folk who DO have the problem are sitting at their computers or making videos or posting empty challenges to folk who are doing something, because they aren’t doing a damn thing.
I have given three examples of people who are making a difference in partaking in efforts that are related to our community, though not the same exact focus. Hell I’ll throw in a fourth just for good measure.
The point is, even if you are not a good organizer, there are some people doing some things in the area of crime in Black neighborhoods. Join them. It’s just plain ignorant and unproductive to ask those who are focused on police brutality to do your damn passion too. Get off the sidelines, and do something and make us all stronger. If not, then by all means stay in your lane and STFU!
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