Volume 3 Issue 19…Dedicated to the Dialogue on Race… May 19, 2000

Note: The DISH is based on themes from T.H.I.N.C. (Teaching Humanity In New Consciousness): The Chrysalis of Evolution. According to the President's Initiative on Race, "The issues that this book brings to the forefront are important in our efforts to achieve the goals set forth by the President for the Initiative. This work will serve as a solid resource for us as we begin to examine these critical issues." For your copy of T.H.I.N.C., The DISH or to submit comments, contact ICIM, Inc. at (404) 244-6023 or email us at icim@bellsouth.net. The DISH © 2000

Stonewall Jackson (1824-1863)

A Democratic slaveowner, Thomas Jonathan Jackson was born January 21, 1824. Orphaned at 6, his uncle, Cummins Jackson raised him. Despite a sketchy education, which consisted of lessons taught by itinerant teachers, Jackson obtained an appointment to the Military Academy at West Point; he graduated 17^th in his class.

Jackson chose artillery as his branch of military service and distinguished himself in Mexico at campaigns in Contreras, Churubusco and Chapultepec. In 1848, Jackson returned to the U. S. and served at several forts before his company was sent to fight Seminole Indians in Florida. An altercation with his commander ended his service.

His future brother-in-law, Daniel Hill, wrangled Jackson a professorship at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) at Lexington, VA. Jackson's tenure at VMI was less than distinguished; the shy professor was often the object of cadet pranks. During his VMI tenure, Jackson found religion in the Presbyterian Church and married Elinor Junkin, a preacher's daughter, who died in 1854. In 1857, Jackson married Mary Anna Morrison, Daniel Hill's sister-in-law, also a preacher's daughter.

Committed to slavery, the John Brown incident in October 1859 fired up Jackson's commitment to hold the line on slavery. In December of that year, Jackson took part of the VMI cadet corps to witness Brown's lynching. Afterwards, he redoubled his efforts to prepare for every emergency the Union might face in maintaining slavery. He remained a Union man until Virginia seceded on April 17, 1861. At the battle at Manasas Junction (Bull Run), Gen. Bernard E. Bee pointed to Jackson's stalwart line of defense to rally his troops when he remarked, "There is Jackson standing like a stone wall. Let us determine to die here, and we will conquer." From that day forward, Jackson was "Stonewall."

A great American, Union and Confederate soldiers mourned his passage; many speculated his untimely demise lost the South its chance at victory. Jackson died after being wounded by friendly gunfire on returning from a spying mission; his men mistook him for the enemy. Though the injuries were not life threatening, he developed pneumonia and died on Sunday, May 10, 1863. A religious man, he always wanted to die on Sunday. (Encyclopedia Americana, International Edition, 1964, Vol. XV)

Disgruntled says: Before The DISH explained the meaning of "traditional family values," even blacks were talking about preserving them. It is like mis-educated blacks that celebrate the 4^th of July, which has nothing to do with black independence, an oxymoron in America's democratic republic!

Disgruntled wants to know: What do you do when the main choices for President are Al Gore and a man who cannot string together two logical statements about anything without being prompted by his handlers, who know "impromptu" is an 800 lbs. gorilla attacking their storefront Indian?

Disgruntled feels: Insurance is a racket! A luxury item, it should not be forced on anyone. Insurance is a gamble, a bet that something bad is going to happen, where only insurance companies and the politicians who pass their parasitic legislation win. Insurance required by law raises the cost of living; it is a filthy parasitic scheme that feeds off the masses and criminalizes the already impoverished.

by John Burl Smith

Powerful messengers, symbols define the character of those they represent. Identification with the most benign objects can become a prime objective, commanding total allegiance and sacrifice. Commitment to preserving the status of such objects obscures real intent and consumes reason. The current Confederate flag debate falls into that category. Illustrating how some people hold onto dreams of imagined glory, it also shows their total disregard for the detrimental impact of self-delusion.

Staking Georgia out as the firewall of the South, Gov. Roy Barnes is impaled by just such a dilemma. A position only a diehard would defend, Barnes is the Confederacy's new "Stonewall" Jackson. A daredevil who totally disregarded personal safety, "Stonewall" ranks third in the "hearts of Dixie" behind Robert E. Lee and J. E. B. Stewart. Imitating "Stonewall's" resolve standing against the Georgia groundswell to change its flag, Barnes is the Confederate battle emblem's last defender. Under attack from Republicans demanding the flag be changed, Barnes is reminiscent of George Wallace standing in the school house door, blocking access to blacks and screaming "segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever!"

Stonewalling the flag, Barnes has forbidden black legislators to even bring up the flag as an issue. Befuddling them like "Stonewall" did Union generals, black legislators have kissed Roy's butt for two years and have only their mouths to offer as credentials for re-election. Some have left nearly perfect lip prints, hitting Barnes' crack 98% of the time. Symbolizing an image blacks have tried to jettison since slavery, black elected officials are "head-scratching butt-kissing Uncle Toms."

Like black and white signs, the Confederate flag symbolizes the "southern plantation" mindset that runs this county; it is a mindset conditioned by "the law of the land," which is based on the 3/5ths Compromise found in Article 1 Section 2 of the United States Constitution. Changing the Georgia flag and not changing the law and mindset of the John Rocker-types that run Georgia and America is like taking down black and white signs while opposing affirmative action. Remember in November! John 2000

News You Use

HOST: Homeowners' Sucker Tax

DeKalb County, GA taxpayers voted yes to the Homestead Optional Sales Tax (HOST). On paper, the one-cent sales tax seemed good for homeowners. Like MARTA's sales tax, DeKalb homeowners pay more taxes under HOST with nothing to show for the increased county revenues. In south DeKalb, HOST does not mean more classrooms, better schools or other quality of life improvements. Our children pass to class from trailer to trailer and dodge traffic along footpaths when walking to school because there are no sidewalks in our neighborhoods.

HOST removed the burden of fire, police, etc., off the backs of homeowners and spread the cost across the board in a sales tax. Homeowners were supposed to see lower property tax bills, with only schools left to fund via the property tax. It never happened; now, we pay higher sales and property taxes.

After HOST went into effect, homeowners were hit with higher property re-appraisals that resulted in increased assessments as high as 45%, wiping out any savings. HOST is the homeowners's sucker tax, a real nightmare. Because DeKalb's County Commission does not roll back the school millage rate, each increase in the tax digest due to higher appraisals gives the school board additional revenues, which amounts to a tax increase. Our commissioners, which include Ken Davis and Porter Sanford, candidates for the DeKalb CEO position, pretend these annual tax increases do not happen. Like the MARTA one-cent sales tax, this is more taxation without representation! (See TheDISH Vol. 1 No 19 for more on HOST).

ICIM Boycotted People, Places and Things: The death penalty, Bush babies- G. W. and Jeb, the states they represent - Florida and Texas, New York City- where cops lynch black people, churches with fences, Coca-Cola (Coke), Lockheed, Waffle House, Denny's, Texaco, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, MCI, meat, insurance companies, NRA, gun and tobacco industries, unscrupulous money lenders, realtors that steer blacks to homes near landfills, such as Porter Sanford, shoddy home builders in DeKalb, Trent Lott, milk and other weapons of mass destruction.

Health Study Limbo

Homeowners' problems in Rivercrest Subdivision near Seminole Landfill mirror those experienced by owners of shoddily constructed homes all over south DeKalb. Newly built dream homes are nightmares. Everything from cabinet doors that do not work to cracks in the foundations are among the complaints against builders and the county. More important, plastic plumbing pipes are often used in poorly constructed homes. Goundwater contaminants can leachate plastic pipes and contaminate drinking water.

Scientific research on Seminole Landfill shows the site has contaminated the groundwater. DeKalb Public Works, which is responsible for the site, has not advised residents of the hazards of consuming bad water. According to Jane Perry Britt, Georgia Department of Human Resources (GDHR), its draft report was submitted to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR); we have heard nothing more on the health study.

Every effort should be made to safeguard the public health. Yet, under Liane Levetan, DeKalb's current Chief Executive Officer (CEO), this is not being done. Chances of more being done are slim to none with the election of either Porter Sanford or Ken Davis as the next CEO. Each sat on the commission as this situation worsened. Porter Sanford steered many African American potential homebuyers to the shoddily built houses on the county-owned landfill. His philosophy is "let the buyer beware." As their realtor, he kept more information to himself than he actually revealed to prospective African American homebuyers. "Let the voters beware;" we would do well not to put this kind of politician/businessman in office to represent our interests.

Hip Hops Elevation

Ground zero for the Atlanta Jazz Festival, Yin Yang highlights spoken word Tuesday, May 23, 2000. A launching path for the most dynamic up-front-in-your-face mad bombers of truth, Elevation features We One, Shawna, Jodi, Spinxx, Wanda Jeanne, Tamara Madison-Shaw, Minx and Yohannes. Pumping up the volume, producer Kimbo presents the best house rockers and consciousness droppers on the ATL poetry scene. Doors open @ 9 PM. Consciousness is butterfly! For info, email Elevation at info@elevationinc.com.

RUN CHILDREN RUN!!

A mayoral candidate in 1997 pushing an issues oriented agenda, Yohannes Sharriff Smith offered Atlanta real change. Determined to give youth a voice, Yohannes spoke directly to slaves' descendants about the failure of the Emancipation Proclamation to end socioeconomic and political slavery. Many voters wondered why a twenty-two year old would undertake such a daunting task. Yohannes responded, "African American youth are enduring the darkest period since slavery, where all have turned against us and are legislating our destruction. If we do not force America to change its laws, address the crimes of slavery and pay reparations, our generation and all that follow will inherit a slave's existence. We cannot wait. We cannot depend on house niggers. We must take our freedom into our own hands by exercising individual responsibility."

Yohannes proposed five measures to empower black youth:

Where is the Money: Empowerment zone funds for Atlanta have been looted by the Mayor and his cronies to mainly benefit whites.

A Payroll Tax: Suburbanites work in Atlanta, utilize its services, resources and conveniences, but pay none of the expenses to run the city.

Cultural Inequities and Service Disparities: Blacks in Atlanta pay taxes, while whites north of Tenth Street receive all the benefits.

MARTA Tax Sucks.com: East Atlanta was promised rail service in 1971, but the area has not gotten its train. Repeal the MARTA 1-cent sales tax.

Regentrification: Whites are reoccupying redlined black communities downtown and elsewhere inside the I-285 perimeter with loans from City and suburban banks.

Whites are poised to retake Atlanta and the city's leaders, black and white, are aiding their return. Banks, businesses and developers that engineered white flight by pulling economic resources out of Atlanta, support groups like TAP and CAP that control redevelopment funds coming to Atlanta. Blacks are completely cut out of the loop in shaping Atlanta's future. Come 2001, run children run! Try to make a difference. Take control of your future!

Tybee Diversity

The sun rises on the eastern horizon, and the tide recedes, leaving the sea's debris scattered along sandy beaches. Morning strollers welcome the dawn and relish the ocean breeze that dances among the palm leaves. Tybee Island is lovely on early May mornings when the beach is nearly empty except for a few runners and scavengers seeking to profit from the previous day's revelry. Scouring the beaches, man for money and fowl for food, scavengers comb the dunes in search of treasure. It is a daily routine, part of the drama of life on beaches along the eastern seashore.

Sadly, another drama plays itself out. Like the tide that ebbs and flows, when blacks show up, old white folks get up and go. Unspoken is their displeasure at our presence. Whether gradually one-by-one or in unison, whites leave. Do you know what I mean? Sure you do? If you are an African American, like to swim and will get into a pool with white folks and their children, you know the routine. You have seen how quickly a pool empties.

Strange, it happens a lot at vacation spots across America. I watched my grandson, Trévius, empty a pool on Tybee Island in seconds. He did not seem to notice; I did and found it disturbing that it happened in Georgia, not Utah or Mississippi. Making a lie out of the professed desire for diversity, color conscious Georgians rule; discrimination is an intrinsic part of their socioeconomic and political makeup. It is so ingrained, it is like the tide's ebb and flow.

Phantom Scribbler

Blah for Blappies

John Hope Franklin headed up President Clinton's Race Initiative. Recently, he received an award for a book he co-authored about the rebels among black slaves. He did not mention the race initiative's findings, which show the black man has a long way to go before gaining economic freedom. If he will not speak out now at his twilight, when will he address his lack of freedom? Franklin is like too many old black people. Afraid of their shadows, they are determined to die house niggers. These blappies (black aged people) are the worse victims of conditioned subordinate psychology (CSP). While Strom Thurmond exemplifies the master or linear mindset, John Hope is the slave. Each will take his attitude and narrow perspective to the grave.

by Dot

Some anthropologists argue that there is no such thing as race among humans; we all began in the same place, derived from one specie - homo sapiens. If this is true, then Jesus descended from Africa, therefore, he was a black man. The religious icons depicting the Christ child in America are white and usually with rather straight hair. American idol makers dismiss the Bible's "hair like lamb's wool," which makes Jesus' curls kinky, more like my grandson's powerful locks than the flowing mane most often seen as American icons of Christianity.

Tom Houck's "One issue above all others" (Creative Loafing 5/13/00) does a credible job of highlighting the Atlanta mindset on everything from John Rocker's popularity among locals to moving Rich's Christmas tree to Buckhead where Atlanta's white unofficial mayor, Sam Massell, runs the city. Like every black mayor, Bill Campbell is houseboy to the Buckhead Coalition. Houck says, it is "all about race stupid!" Yet, this cannot be, if there is no such thing as race among homo sapiens.

From its Constitutional Convention to today's Confederate flag debate, it is about law stupid! It is the law which values human labor differently and color, which distinguishes us one from the other. Color is the controlling factor that makes economic slavery possible. The Sally Heming family provides a case in point on color; some family members are classed as white and others black, even though they could pass for white, they call themselves black.

Just as it is not about race, it is not about the flag. Rather, it is about equality under the law, which is what blacks have struggled to achieve long before the campaign to bring down the black and white signs of segregation. It is not about Rocker or the Confederate flag; it is about the freedom and equality denied blacks by the U.S. Constitution Article 1 Section 2. The Confederate flag flying high is just a sign that this is a place where black inequality or white supremacy is openly practiced. Labeling it institutionalized racism facilitates discussions about the law's socioeconomic and political manifestations, but it's the law stupid! That is why churches in this "Christian" nation sport white Jesus images.

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