Volume 2 Issue 38 ……..Dedicated to the Dialogue on Race…….. October 1, 1999

International arts patron Grand Marnier threw The Atlanta Vibe a coming out party. The September 26^th invitation only event recognized the amazing work of local black poets in developing the spoken word scene. Billed as a Speak Eazy Poetry Slam, the venue brought together 12 of the ATL's most dynamic up front in your face torpedoes, straight out of the Roaring Twenties.

Envisioned by two L.A. businesswomen, Shirma Prescott and E.Q. Thunderbird, owners of Higher Vision SM&P, and local man on the scene Cedric Pendelton of Mega Services, Speak Eazy brought Atlanta Vibe's hard grinding educational poetic approach to an upscale mainstream audience. The RSVP only crowd maxed out the Crescent Room.

Definitely fly, the phat venue was hosted by a pair of powerful performers, Mathew St. Patrick of "All My Children" and Tangie Ambrose of "Jackie's Back" and "Ringmaster." Flashing lights and rolling cameras gave the soiree a Hollywood ambiance. Judges for the slam contest were Taurean Blacque "In The Heat of the Night," singer Laurnea formerly on "Yab Yum Records," recording artist Trina Broussard, singer Dionne Farris formerly of "Arrested Development," and Grammy award winning artist Tony Rich. Percussionist Renard Jenkins and his band dropped some mad sounds to set the mood, while DJ T-Storm Hot 97.5 kept things jamming between performances.

Speak Eazy contestants exploded the scene with quick draw rapid-fire hit man Ayodele, and blazed through mad bombers like Starr, Phillipe, Kamal, Wanda Jeanne, Tamara Madison-Shaw, L. J. Shady Streetz and Nikki Wade. When the smoke cleared, Yohannes Sharriff Smith came up a bullet short as runner-up. T'ai Freedom Ford, a.k.a., Jigaboo held up the joint, taking first place and the $500.00 cash prize.

Beyond glitz and glamour, the Atlanta Vibe thanks Grand Marnier for choosing to support its talented, hard working and innovative black youth, along with its many other sponsorships, such as the New York Film Festival, Grand Marnier Fellowships with the Film Society of Lincoln Center and First Look Film Series. Such promotions provide opportunities for young sisters and brothers to sharpen their competitive edges and acquire and demonstrate marketable skills. We salute Grand Marnier for making it happen! More from the Vibe

Disgruntled says: Salt Lake took a page from Atlanta's Olympic bid playbook of sex, lies and bribes big business style, and even the most honorable former U.S. Attorney General Bell cannot dispel the stench we smell.

Disgruntled wants to know: Republican presidential frontrunner George W. Bush, Jr. says character matters. Telling the truth is the kind of positive character trait, along with moral authority, Bush says he will bring to the White House, if elected President. How does the governor square dodging questions about drug use, school grades and business escapades with his claim to possess more desirable character traits and more moral authority than 1600 Pennsylvania's current resident?

Disgruntled feels: a cooling breeze just over the horizon! Other Disgruntled Moments

by Kamal Symonette-Dixon

You ever notice

How interesting some homeless brothers look?

How much personality and character they have.

You ever sit down right next to them,

And listen to the unique sayings and proverbs

They have to share

Of from afar taken in the art

Of their eccentric personalities?

Their clothes tend to be faded

1970 name brands

But they have an elaborate plainness to them.

With rips, stains and specks of earthly matter

That appear strategically placed

To the suburban imitator trying to become

The next new buzz in the art scene.

I wonder what will happen

When some brothers from my generation

Become homeless.

When the Tommy Hills, Nauticas, Polos

And Versaces start to fade

Will they become poetic? Probably.

But, it would be a shame,

If they have to reach their beauty

In such a harsh humility.

(Reprinted from "Unconscious Poetry")

About Me: "Kamal Symonette-Dixon is better known in metro Atlanta as DIALETIC. Born in Manhattan on February 1, 1978, Kamal acquired the name DIALETIC while performing with an underground hip-hop group in Atlanta, where he attends Morehouse College. A senior this year, Kamal is majoring in English with a minor in Philosophy. He plans to acquire his Masters and Doctorates degrees in Philosophy. Kamal wants to make contributions on important issues in disciplines as diverse as philosophy, politics, sociology and psychology. Kamal attempts to put passion in everything he does. And, he hopes that the end results of all his endeavors reflect this emotion." For your copy of Kamal's Unconscious Poetry, a beautiful fast read of twelve wonderful poems, call 404-756-0977. Other Artists in the Venue

by John Burl Smith

One's attitude towards the environment is reflected in how one treats fellow human beings. For instance, one cannot love animals, trees or whales and be untouched by wanton violence against someone that believes, acts or looks different. Attitude formation supports developing behaviors by seeking confirming responses from the environment. Positively related, as confirming responses increase, behavior increases.

Former Georgia governor Lester Maddox serves as a bit of history. Gaining notoriety during sit-in demonstrations by black youth in 1964, Maddox, a devout racist, swore blacks would never eat in his restaurant. Drawing praise from local political, business, and church leaders for insulting demonstrators, Maddox began throwing food and spitting on the young black children demanding to be treated as human beings. Maddox's madness and whites' love of it, became the symbol of hatred for blacks in Atlanta. Photos of Maddox in front of his restaurant banishing his pic-a-nic stick became souvenirs, when he used a pickax handle to beat black children from his business.

Solely on the bases of hatred for blacks, Maddox was elected Governor of Georgia in 1967 and Lieutenant governor in 1971. Known for his openly racist views, he played one-upmanship with George Wallace, doggedly blocking black access to state jobs. Maddox served those clinging to the past and willing to use sleazy politicians to keep the fires of hatred burning. Looking the other way when violence and murders occurred, whites consoled themselves like Germans in 1933, "God is on our side. He blesses what we are doing in his name."

Much like Adolf Hitler, Maddox's willingness to openly display hatred for blacks propelled a relatively obscure restaurant owner to the highest office in the state of Georgia. Many politicians, business and church leaders, who openly supported Maddox and his racist policies, run state politics today. Had white Georgians possessed even animal love, some would have spoken out against Maddox and madness. However, white Georgians did like good Germans, cheered and voted for him to do it again, and again, and again..... Other History Notes

by John Burl Smith

Participants of Turnout 75%: A report detailing the lack of affirmative action by the State of Georgia was released September 6, 1999. It showed blacks and women received disappointingly low numbers of state jobs, especially those with power to hire, fire and promote. Since gaining statehood, whites have held virtually one hundred percent of Georgia's state jobs. A slave state, Georgia law barred blacks from holding state jobs until the late 1970s. This survey revealed white men still hold 57.2 percent while white women hold 26.7 percent of state jobs. This represents 83.9 percent of state jobs for whites compared to 13.8% for blacks.

A Dixiecrat from the last home of the Ku Klux Klan, Cobb County, Gov. Roy Barnes is as comfortable with these numbers as he is with the Confederate battle emblem adorning Georgia's state flag. The Governor was asked what he planned to do to fulfill his election pledge of "racial inclusion." Speaking like the master from the "Big House," Barnes insisted, "Whatever it is, it won't be racial quotas, targets or set-asides. I'm not telling department heads they have to hire or fire anyone." After two hundred years of whites holding one hundred percent of state jobs, Roy remains convinced that 13.8 percent of state jobs for blacks is fair. Sounding like Lester Maddox, he insists, "I want to make sure the processes we have are open to all citizens and everybody has a fair opportunity to compete." Offering no hope, Governor Barnes is unwilling to specify how his processes provide African Americans access to jobs.

Providing his victory margin last November, blacks see Barnes' attitude as a return to the policies of Lester Maddox, minus the pickax handle. Deeply troubled by his lack of appointments, African Americans watched Barnes create a huge new bureaucracy manned by whites. Consistent with his statement, the Governor represents a vision of redneck America, which sees African Americans as tokens. Black politicians and preachers sold Roy Barnes as a reformed segregationist, now they owe Guy Milner and Mitch Skandalakis an apology. With Democrats like Roy Barnes and Al Gore, a few Republicans and a possible third party are looking better everyday. Other Essays by Mr. Smith

by Dot Smith

Georgia's public education is comprised of more than 170 different school systems, which serve the educational needs of over 1.3 million children in rural and urban areas across the state. Most are city and county school systems, like DeKalb and Gwinnett Counties, two of the state's largest public school systems. DeKalb is the state's second largest system with 93,171 students.*

According to Georgia's Department of Education at www.doe.k12.ga.us, DeKalb County has a pupils per computer (PPC) of 7.06,** which nears the state's PPC of 6.90. Among Georgia school systems, the PPC ranges from a high of 20.35 to a low of 1.99. The data shows a gap exists; indeed, it is obvious some students in Georgia's public education system enjoy greater access or opportunity for exposure to computer technology than others. Moreover, on the average, public school systems with predominantly black student populations tend to have higher numbers of pupils per computer, which indicates decreased access and opportunities for exposure to current technology.

School systems' PPCs represent only one measure of technology. In terms of the potential overall technology gap, the differences in PPC's may only be the tip of the iceberg, because an in-depth look at software and Internet access may reveal an even greater chasm.

The existence of a technology gap does not bode well for the new millennium. A technology gap perpetuates the chasm of inequality. Moreover, it shows reluctance within public education to equip all children to meet new millennial challenges. While this gap's existence portends an inauspicious beginning, it is a fitting conclusion to the century ending, which has been characterized by the chasm of inequality.

Notes on the data: *This is the FTE (full time equivalency) estimate used by the State Department of Education; it is an accounting approximation, so the actual student population may vary. **Note: The computer inventory figure used to compute the PPC does not include pre-generation 486 computers, administrative systems and file servers. It represents only instructional desktop and laptop computers. More Hot DISHes

"Kemba Smith is a young woman who at 23 years old received a 24.5 year prison sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine. She was a Hampton University student who-even according to the prosecution-never actually handled or used these drugs, and had never before been in trouble with the law. But her boyfriend, Peter "Khalif"Hall, it turned out, was a ringleader of a four million-dollar drug operation. From the very beginning of their relationship, Kemba was systematically and viciously beaten and emotionally abused by Hall, a man far more experienced and older than she.

When he threatened to kill her and her parents, Kemba followed his instructions because she knew he was quite capable of carrying through on this threat. Shortly after she discovered who he truly was, Peter Hall executed his closest friend and drug-business partner. Kemba did not leave for almost two years because she was determined to stay alive and protect the safety of the parents whose love she felt she had so recklessly betrayed by making some very bad choices.

Kemba Smith's story is a classic example of what is occurring to a growing number of young women caught at the crossroads of criminal justice policies that adversely affect Black women--currently the fastest growing segment of the prison population. Mandatory minimum sentencing policies that treat low-level female offenders as if they were drug kingpins intersect with the racially disproportionate impact of sentencing differentials between crack and powder cocaine. To make matters worse, black women defendants who are battered typically have little information about how their experience as battered women can help shape their defense. Without the use of experts on battered women, it is difficult to educate courts about the role that domestic violence plays in entrapping women in relationships with drug dealers. Kemba Smith's nightmare is written in American law. Laws which make injustice legal." Learn more about Kemba Smith at the Kemba Smith Justice Project website: http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/lobby/8899/index.html. Send email inquires to: kembasmith@hotmail.com. Forwarded by Yemi Toure ytoure@mindspring.com.

More Hood Notes

Winning the Miss America Beauty pageant has become synonymous with fame and success for young women. Past Miss America winners include Oprah Winfrey. Under the new entry rules, "Miss America" can be a divorcee and could have had an abortion.

A rule against marriage is understandable; "Miss" means unmarried. However, the door to motherhood is opened when "Miss" includes divorcees and young sexually active women. The motherhood restriction seems to suggest children in the lives of contestants taint some moral high ground the pageant has attained.

The rule change highlights the ease with which these superficial flesh exhibitions discriminate against women. If the pageant wants to stake out some moral high ground for young women, it should require them to be virgins. Closing the contest to only virgins eliminates the question of natural motherhood and abortion. No doubt with Monica Lewinsky morals so commonplace, it would be difficult to locate virgins willing to parade their nearly bare assets to a global audience. Even a virgin rule would not rule out motherhood, since there is adoption. But, alas, while our "ideal" can adopt a whale or fight to save a snail darter, she cannot be a mother! Other Phantom Scribblers

"Recently, I heard a sister on a radio station out of Statesville, N.C. speak about black farmers of the South; fact is, they did not receive fair settlements during natural disasters in the past. There was reference to the latest hurricane that hit NC. The sister's name is Rose Sanders, and the subject of the FARMERS' SETTLEMENT (forty-acres and a mule). Apparently, there are UNCLAIMED FUNDS OWED by the GOVERNMENT to black farmers or their descendants who were rejected for relief by organizations, like FEMA and others administrated by insurance companies. According to the sister, farmers dead or alive and those dependents of farmers who farmed through THE YEARS OF 1981-1996, who were denied any help, could be eligible for $ 50,000. Monies owed to those denied. There is a catch; call the sister to get information. You have only until OCTOBER 1999 to file. Call Rose Sanders at 1-800-731-3701 or 334-875-9264. PASS IT ON! DID MINE." Email from SYNQMAZTA@aol.com. Other bits of New You Use

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