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Volume 2 Issue 46 …Dedicated to the Dialogue on Race…… November 26, 1999
Confederate Cause
In 1861, Alexander H. Stephens, Vice-President of the Confederacy proclaimed "slavery is the cornerstone of the Confederacy." This frank admission should settle the controversy over the role of slavery in the Civil War. Like every armed conflict, the one between the North and South was economic. Today's Southerners do not want to admit their wealth and privilege is a function of their ancestors' diabolical scheme of economic oppression.
Black Codes and Reconstruction
Black Codes were enacted during Reconstruction (1865-66) as the South's solution to free black labor; this substitute for slavery preserved continued white privilege. Economically, the codes regulated black labor, by giving local authorities the right to round up unemployed Negroes, assess fines against them, and then hire them out to private employers to satisfy their fines. These codes forced blacks into a state of neo-slavery, forbidding them to own land or take jobs other than as domestic servants.
Reconstructed South
At the end of Reconstruction, blacks outnumbered whites in states like South Carolina, Mississippi and Louisiana. A reconstructed south guaranteed black election to all public offices. From 1869 to 1901, twenty-two were sent to Congress; two served in the Senate, both from Mississippi, Hiram R. Revels (1870) and Blanche K. Bruce (1874). This rise in black political power did not translate into black rule, nor did it bring economic freedom to black people.
Atlanta Race Riot
(1906)At least 12 died and scores were injured in the 1906 Atlanta race riot. Whites went on a killing spree, because a white woman said a " Negro kissed her hand!" In keeping with tradition, local "black leaders" were summoned to a meeting after the riot; they were told what to think and how to act. Atlanta's black millionaire Alonzo Herndon attended. When the meeting ended on mayor Woodward's admonition, "The riot is a closed incident and everyone should forget it and seek a return to normal conditions, " (AJC, 11/22/99), these "good blacks" followed their marching orders and spread the word through black churches.
As part of the Confederate flag dialogue, The DISH is surveying Presidential 2000 candidates for their views on this topic. Here are the five questions:
1) Should the Confederate flag be displayed on college campuses and government buildings to honor those who chose Civil War, rather than an end to slavery?
2) Should young Americans be taught that the South's attempt to destroy the Union was a noble, rather than treasonous undertaking?
3) Should we prohibit officially sanctioning the use of the Confederate flag, since it represents traitors intent on destroying the United States of America?
4) Are Panhellenic societies dishonoring America when honoring traitorous Confederates?
5) For many, the Confederate flag and a swastika are synonymous. Is there a difference?
The DISH
will publish all candidates' responses of 250 words or less. Look for them in future issues. Other Bits of Black History
...Just in Case You Were Wandering
by Yohannes Sharriff Smith
Indulge my passion ....Please
I love Black women like I love fine food
...Just in case you were wandering
A connoisseur of fruit, so call me a fool
When it comes to the supermarket of femininity.
Beauty must be her name,
Cause the frame of a Goddess has my eyes beholding
The shape of supple breasts that produce honey.
For these universal nipples I milk
Have my breath smelling of the sweetest sentiment.
Sensuous flower bathed in dark mystery,
Instantly, I inhale the bloom giving me lucid dreams.
Her juices scream atomic colors from Red,
Yellow to Green...Aphrodisiac,
Black women be an herbal tonic
Blended in my pineapple punch.
Smoothie True indeed
...Just in case you were wandering
My love is raw /Banana I be ripe, so peel away the layers
Partake of my nutrients. You have the blue print
Use Tantric methods to round off my edges
With honey dew Melanin
Lotus extract relaxes the rough
Worlds fade when you blush
Your exquisite fingers pluck the chords of my soul
And I sing a symphony. Tenderly,
Black woman orchestrates my blues.
A master piece of duality/ Yin and Yang
Naturally, I weather your moods
Like the tide obeys the moon
...Just in case you were wandering
Aquarius bares delectable waters and surfs each wave
With electric blue fingertips,
An intense voice blows so soft and low
Most confuse it with the moan of the wind
But I hear it perfectly, be-cause the loudest
Sound comes from within, and I am in you black woman
In you so deep, I know your song by heart
...Just in case you were wandering.
Open letter to: Thurbert E. Baker
Georgia Attorney General
Haunting racial killings face new scrutiny, a New York Times article written by Emily Yellin, examines racial killings, lynchings, assassinations and attacks of terror. Convictions of notorious hate mongers like J. B. Stoner and Byron De La Beckwith have reduced witnesses' fears of retaliation.
In the past, prosecutors brought charges against only the obviously guilty, like Klan leader Robert Chambliss, who killed four little girls in a Birmingham church. Today, U.S. Attorney Doug Jones is seeking indictments against two co-conspirators. Long overdue, a new breed of prosecutors in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama are reopening decades-old murder cases.
Fifty miles from Atlanta an outrage haunts Walton County. Fifty years ago, Roger Malcolm, his pregnant wife Dorothy, WWII hero George Dorsey and wife May Murray were lynched. A sharecropper, Malcolm stabbed Barney Hester for raping Dorothy. The afternoon of the lynching, Loy Harrison bailed Malcolm out of jail. Accompanied by Dorothy, George and May, Harrison led the group to the bridge at Moore's Ford; there a mob of about thirty white men shot them repeatedly. Dorsey never received a military burial, nor was anyone ever charged for the murders.
That afternoon, the Constitution ran red with blood. Tyrannies lurk in dark places, like boogeymen, caging those who avoid the light of truth; this is a case of "murder most foul." Defending America, Dorsey survived the terror of war and returned home, only to be lynched by people he fought to protect. Indicting Americans, who like good Germans stood by while Nazis killed six million Jews, white women knew their husbands were raping black women at will. The shame of Walton County is America's shame.
Sir, if you apply the same dogged determination and quest for justice with which you are pursuing former Senators Ralph David Abernathy, Jr. and Diana Harvey Johnson, you will bring closure to this painful tragedy. For more, see The DISH at http://www.thedish.ws. Click on Genocide Chronicles and go to Women of Walton County. John Burl Smith Other Essays by Mr. Smith
Starring Keanu Reaves, Laurence Fishburn and Carrie-Anne Moss, The Matrix is a futuristic movie set in the next millennium. Written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, it is highly entertaining. The DISH recommends The Matrix for its lesson on the Judas goat. Portrayed in art and acted out in real life, the Judas generally comes from among the oppressed. In The Matrix, Joe Pantoliano is the Judas goat called Cypher; he betrays those who freed him from an oppressive system and gave him knowledge of reality. Ungrateful, Cypher wants back into the system, an intricate network controlled by machines and run on human energy. Rather than exist in reality, Cypher prefers illusion. His 30 pieces of silver are "an important job, riches and blissful ignorance." Cypher does not want to know the truth, much like blacks that pretend slavery plays no role in current conditions. The Matrix is entertaining education. Rent it soon! Engage friends and family in discussions! Other Hoodnotes
Clinton is desperate to dismiss the dialogue on race. His initiative is all smoke and mirrors, a bargaining chip used in negotiations with radical congressional Republicans to save his presidency. Desperate times call for desperate measures, so like Johnny Cochran, in defense of O.J., Clinton played the race card. Now, to assure the dialogue's demise, Clinton is devising language to minimize the committee's findings. No doubt, doing so is part and parcel of the compromise that saved his bacon from removal from office. He wagged the dog on us in true Southern blue-dog Democrat fashion. This is one reason more of Clinton will never do. And, VP Gore means more of the same smoke and mirrors.
Having ditched, then dissed the dialogue, now Clinton wants to piss on our intelligence by giving us a watered down Milquetoast version of the truth. Adding insult to injury, the final draft of the report will fall far short of the kinds of recommendations needed to address racism in America. Tackling America's race problems requires courage, brutal honesty and strength of character Clinton just does not possess. Ironically, having sold out the race initiative, he has bankrupted his administrations' one opportunity to leave a positive legacy. Phantom Scribblers
Boycotts are an effective economic weapon against entities, which adhere to racist practices. Already South Carolina is beginning to feel our tourism boycott over the Confederate flag. In Atlanta, just the threat of boycott by the Black Chamber of Commerce forced Sunshine Bakeries' CEO to rethink his role in Southeastern Legal Foundation (SELF), which sued the city over its affirmative use of race in city contracting.
From ronsum@pacbell.net comes another area where boycott is recommended. "While the N.A.A.C.P. is for minority representation in Network programming, the wholesale bakery industry discriminates against blacks in hiring and promotion. Interstate Brands Corporation (IBC) of Kansas City, MO is the U.S.' largest wholesaler of bread products. It makes up brands like Wonder, Dolly Madison, Hostess and many others. IBC has no black plant/sales managers, controllers, chief engineers, etc. In nearly 80 U.S. plants, blacks mainly work sanitation. Blacks filed a class action lawsuit at a West Coast plant, but its status is unknown. While we wait, our numbers dwindle. Too often, we are fired for things others receive lesser penalties. Those who speak about the injustices face harassment and retaliation.
So when eating bread, remember black folks are suffering in making it. We think a boycott of IBC products and the wholesale bakery business will improve employment conditions for blacks. We cannot find the NAACP! I guess bread is too sacred for them to touch. DISH, we need your assistance!" Other News You Use
The marriage of Soul Vegetarian' s Righteous Vibes and Yohannes is paying off. The venue has grown in relevance and attendance, while serving as a launching pad for up-and-coming poets. Yohannes says, " All you truth droppers and house rockers better get on the list early. Twelve banging sisters and brothers were left hanging in the wings last Saturday."
Tuesday, Nov. 30, 1999 Yohannes blows out Culture Shock II. Hosted by We One at MJQ Concourse, the Cosmic Era & Vinyl Montage production showcases ATL's finest spoken word artists. Thursday, December 2, 1999, Yohannes throws down at Slam City, presented by Blue Milk 13th & Spring @ 8 PM. More from the Vibe
Ali for President!
Hoping for a phantom punch, as in the first "Ali/Liston" bout, Bush backers resemble prize fight judges, who even though a fighter does not land a blow awards him rounds, because the other fighter could not catch up to him. Floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee, George floats into the ring, wows everyone with a few fancy moves, stinging them for a couple of millions. Unlike Ali in "The Thriller in Manila," Bush's rope-a-dope is to step in and out of the ring to avoid getting hit. A poor man's version of what Ali did, "the Jr. shuffle" reworks trite phrases, i.e., big defense, Reaganomics and social conservatism wrapped in compassion.
Lightweights like "Kid" Gaverland, "Sugar" Ray Robinson and Archie Moore all had great moves, but Ali was the only heavyweight to do it all. Certainly not the poet or prophet Ali proved to be, George Jr.'s rhyme and reason have no bases in fact. His rhetoric creates more questions than his prose answers. Jr.'s reference to war sounds good to "Cold" warriors and foreign policy advisor. "When we go, we must do so with ferocity. We must not go into a conflict unless we go in committed to win. We can never again ask the military to fight a political war."
Unlike fighters, Presidents must possess a depth of intellect capable of producing sufficient specificity to avoid blind spots. Without follow-up opportunities to ask questions to clarify his position on military intervention, one is left to conclude Jr. is questioning his father's wisdom in the Gulf War. Moreover, his opposition to the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and his support of a missile defense system signal his intent to restart the arms race. "Cold War" positions place an ominous cloud over the new millennium. George Jr. may sound and look like a champion, but once elected will his performance measure up to Ali's? More Politics 2000
Mailbox: Email, Calls & Faxes
"Dot, I believe Tony Brown is a retired FBI agent. Take note of his recent interview; he was also I believe on T.V. not long ago. Like I said, I'm white. BUT, I believe in equal rights for all regardless of color, sex, etc, etc. Peace Dot." Scott D. mailto:scottied@mindspring.com
Disgruntled says: Conscious blacks know we are a hated minority, even without fed stats, which show blacks are the main target of hate crimes in this country.
Disgruntled feels
: reluctant to criticize, since we have long been victimized through "divide and conquer." Other Disgruntled Moments
On Judas Suspects
By Dot
In retrospect, when it comes to economic change for blacks, our designated "leaders" act like Cypher, the Judas character in The Matrix. Judas goats are part of the reason black political power has not changed the relative position of black Americans. Among our worst enemies, their cooperation is essential in keeping blacks in a relative state of poverty.
The idea our "leaders" play the Judas is not new. During slavery, Judas goats owned slaves. Some, such as Atlanta black millionaire Alonzo Herndon, got rich discriminating against blacks. Today, black Judas goats still work to keep blacks in "line and underprivileged." Following Dr. King's murder, conspiracy theories pointed the finger at a number of Judas goats. Among the usual suspects were those closest to him, i.e., his wife and first lieutenants that met with the white leaders, who told them to get conditions "back to normal." To those in the black power struggle, their actions and even King's bore the Judas mark for pushing non-violence, in the face of a hostile reality.
For more on the Judas factor, see Campbell's Nickels (1997), an interview with a black woman living in a Memphis Empowerment Zone, which is represented by both a black mayor and Congressman. She sees no improvement in her impoverished community, beyond the Congressman's family funeral business and renovation of area churches with fences. Nickels piggybacks Empowerment Zones (1997), which looks at the historic role of federal programs aimed at persistent pockets of poverty and unemployment. Together, they put human faces on the black Judas factor. More Hot DISHes
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