Volume 3 Issue 27…Dedicated to the Dialogue on Race… July 14, 2000

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

Middle Passage

Historians agree the "middle passage" was an atrocity. Daniel Mannix and Malcolm Cowley's "The Middle Passage" is a conservative essay, which still manages to convey its sheer inhumanity. Middle passage is the journey of slave ships from the African coast to plantations in the Americas. Millions of Africans were brought to the New World in shackles via the middle passage. Treated like cattle and crammed like crackers into barrels, many died on these voyages. Conservative estimates place the death toll in the hundreds of thousands. Melancholy hung heavily over their shackled bodies; some committed suicide to escape bondage, yet the middle passage proved a walk in the park compared to what awaited slaves on plantations in the Americas.

According to Mannix and Cowley, "Intertribal wars, the main source of slaves, were in many cases no more than large-scale kidnapping expeditions, often fomented by Europeans, who armed both sides with muskets and gunpowder." Europeans reaped huge profits from slavery. Even after paying insurance premiums and other expenses, "Liverpool merchants became so rich, they invested in mills, factories, mines, canals and railways. That process was repeated in New England, and the slave trade provided much of the capital that fueled the industrial revolution." America owes its prosperity today to those who were brought in bondage to her shores via the middle passage.

Disgruntled says: Had the "middle passage" been a white man's experience, along with slavery, Jim Crow segregation and today's racial discrimination, none who knew their history would ask dumb questions like: "Are reparations needed?"

Disgruntled feels: Venus and Serena Williams have injected excitement and will energize the world of tennis.

Disgruntled wants to know: How did we come to such a sorry state that national banks through sub-prime money handlers skim a profit off disabled veterans by charging them a fee for cashing their monthly government allotment checks?

Ebony Tennis Stars

Anyone who knows and loves tennis love what they see in the games of Venus and Serena Williams. These young African Americans captured center stage at Wimbledon, the granddaddy event of tennis. Conquering the grass and the butterflies whose wings fluttered in their bellies, the dynamic duo dominated the courts at Wimbledon. Armed with a combination of power and finesse, they played the best tennis and took the championship trophies for both the women's singles and doubles matches. Venus beat sister Serena in the semi-finals for the honor of facing fellow American and defending Wimbledon champion Lindsay Davenport. Besting her younger sister in straight sets, Venus Ebone Starr Williams showed the "mental toughness" of a champion by polishing off Davenport in straight sets too. Kudos to the sisters! America's beautiful ebony tennis stars blazed and dazzled tennis fans on the courts of Wimbledon. Thank You!

Reparations 101: Law and Economics

American slavery was not an accidental freak of nature; it was a deliberate legal enterprise undertaken to generate wealth. Embedded in the U.S. Constitution in Article 1 Sections 2 and 9 and Article IV Section 2, slavery is an integral part of the American social fabric. These laws shaped attitudes and colored the social values, which determine rewards and punishment in America's market economy. Without question, slaves were victimized; their descendants are the marginalized victims of institutionalized racism.

Our argument for reparations is based on law and economics. We know, when strictly interpreted, the Constitution supports the economic slavery of Article 1 Section 2. Empirically, we can show that economic outcomes reflect the value of human capital mandated in the Constitution. The data attest to the longevity of the attitudes that made slavery possible in the first instance. An historical examination of income and employment data confirms what blacks could only complain about before based on individual experience. Collectively, we are victims of institutionalized racism.

"Last hired, first fired and racially profiled, all across America, the southern plantation mentality that wrote the Constitution marginalizes black people. What little the black man earns in wages is sucked away in fees, fines, flipping, foreclosures and other demands imposed by law, such as automobile insurance coverage, telephone and MARTA sales taxes, as well as the other predatory practices commonplace in black communities.

America's laws made slavery and today's institutionalized racism realities. Among others, slavery violates the 5^th Amendment to the Constitution. The question is not, should America pay reparations, rather how and when it will make restitution. Were we allowed the opportunity to present our evidence in an international court of law, the case for reparations to be paid to America's slaves' descendants would have already been won. (Reparations)

The Dark Knight-Batman/White Ninja/Zorro has a younger brother who is idea for recruitment as a sidekick. Unfortunately, according to the Dark One/Ninja/Zorro, "before I take TyChi on any missions, I must train him to use the potty."

Un-sportsman-like Conduct

Wimbledon is the most elite event in tennis, yet even the upper class display un-sportsman-like conduct. One player shot a bird (un-sportsman-like gesture) after losing a doubles match to the Williams sisters. Spectators at the final match were obviously pulling for Davenport. Because both players are Americans, back home, we cheered for both women when they put together nice points. However, the fans at center court cheered for Venus' unforced errors and groaned when she made spectacular shots for winners. The fans' responses were unusual, a dead giveaway that something more than tennis controlled their unconscious reactions.

Their deep groans voiced the bias that permeates golf and tennis. Biased whites have traditionally believed these sports too complex for blacks. Golf and tennis require intelligence and athleticism, a combination some whites assumes is beyond a black's presumed inferior mental capabilities. So, these biased whites whine when Woods wins golf tournaments and the Williamses capture grand slam tennis championships.

Destroying myths, Tiger Woods and the Williamses are showing us that these are just sports, well within their innate capabilities. Now that we have an opportunity to slay these myths, biased whites act crude and un-sportsman-like. Blah on the hypocrites!

George Greene, the Atlanta businessman caught in the middle of an Atlanta corruption scandal is portrayed by the Atlanta Journal Constitution as the hapless victim of a corrupt system that thrives on influence peddling. Greene, based on the contracts secured for his company, Sable Communications, enjoyed success in this arena. Could Greene have been set up to take a fall over affirmative action? If true, it would not be the first time that Josh Kenyon, former aide to former Fulton County Commission Chairman Mitch Skandalakis and current chairman Mike Kenn, has cooperated with the FBI to 'sting' someone. Kenyon, Skandalakis and Matt Glavine, President of Southeastern Legal Foundation (SELF) are friends; they oppose affirmative action. SELF sees reversed discrimination in every effort that aids African Americans. Is Greene black or a white man passing? Shout back!

by John Burl Smith

Now that Gov. Roy Barnes has taken over the Metropolitan Area Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) with the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA), residents in East Atlanta and South DeKalb County are experiencing the ultimate betrayal. DeKalb's train, promised with passage of the 1971 one cent MARTA sales tax referendum, has been given to Cobb and Douglas Counties. A saddle once imposed by referendum on DeKalb residents, MARTA rides their backs through bond indebtedness to finance economic development extending to 2047. These projects are not integral to transportation and do not have citizen agreement. This is taxation without representation.

Developers like Ackerman & Co., H. J. Russell, and Post Properties used integration to frighten whites into leaving the city. Fearing blacks moving into their neighborhoods, fleeing whites bought over priced poorly constructed homes in suburbia as their key to security and prosperity. Leaders like Gov. Barnes began farming Atlanta and DeKalb County for revenue to substitute for growing cotton and peanuts.

After whites fled, banks redlined these areas. As other businesses followed the exodus to suburbia, the economic drain destabilized these communities. Blacks moving into them quickly realized their property values were declining and their neighborhood was deteriorating. Their loss accrued to white businesses in the suburbs.

Pillars of the community, white leaders supported George Wallace and Lester Maddox. They taught their children to believe and behave as they did toward blacks. Today, their attitudes shape MARTA policy and other governmental actions that suck resources out of black communities to finance development in white areas. New projects at Perimeter Center and Buckhead show MARTA's support of block busting and other schemes that steal black resources.

Ackerman & Co. and H.J. Russell are developing "a pedestrian-friendly offices, retail and townhouse complex near Perimeter Center. MARTA officials say the densely populated site will serve as a feeder system. This project resembles another high density MARTA development in Buckhead. Angry residents there believe developers and MARTA are trying to force residential property owners out altogether. They remember the people running MARTA, Ackerman, Post and Russell used fear and hatred for blacks to block bust in the 1970s. They have not changed.

Conservatively estimated at over $500 million these two very expensive projects are being forced on white people, who have made it perfectly clear, they do not want such developments in their communities. On the other hand East Atlanta and South DeKalb County have gone begging for these types of developments but MARTA and GRTA are opposed to developments along I-20 east. MARTA's approach to providing rail service is very different in DeKalb. Selecting areas that had already experienced construction disruptions during expansion, MARTA accepted token opposition as the will of the community. In Buckhead total opposition could not stop MARTA "block busting." Citizens did not have a voice in either case because MARTA does not operate to serve citizens. Rather, MARTA is the tool of politicians and developers, who use public money to finance schemes that line their pockets. John 2000

Gassing the Vee for Free

Back in the 1980s during the other oil crisis, gas stations in predominantly minority neighborhoods went to a 'pay before pump' policy. In the 1990s, those who lived on credit could swipe their plastic at the pump, provided the establishment embraced the new technology. For the convenience, credit card companies charged double-digit interest rates and late fees. Those who pay in cash are forced to enter the establishment and/or pay at some window before pumping gasoline.

Blacks have been inconvenienced in this manner for so long, it came as a surprise to learn service stations are experiencing a rise in the number of pump and drive off without paying incidences across the country. The most likely suspects are SUV owners. Gassing a Vee is expensive. Notorious for poor gas mileage, Vee owners are lucky if they get 12 miles per gallon. With gasoline close to $2.00 per gallon, filling that Vee is costly.

As prices climb, driving off without paying could become a crime more serious than shoplifting. To fill a Vee's tank costs far more than the alleged shoplifted $4.00 bracelet over which security guards killed an African American at a Lords and Taylor department store. But, then this man was black, whereas the guy that drove away without paying the other day sure looked like a white man to me, as white as the lady that rode shotgun on the passenger side of his Vee.

From joycarroll@hotmail.com: "It seems that I am woefully ignorant on the subject of GM (genetically modified) foods. I would appreciate if anyone who might be willing to answer a few questions would respond to me in a private email? My questions are along the lines of how they are now sold/packaged in the U.S. and also if/how they are being sold/packaged in the U.K. and other countries. Any help greatly appreciated!"

Response: "In our neighborhood supermarkets, there are no labels to identify GM foods. For example, all the meat sold is stamped USDA approved, which means the government approved what was in the animal's feed lot. Nothing tells the consumer the feed lot contained hormones or the nature of those hormones. In the USA, most meat is hormone-treated. Meat-eaters buy and consume it without knowing what they are consuming, and the meat-eaters are beginning to look like fatten up beef on the hoof. While we are told nothing about how our food is produced, the same producers that wish to provide food for the world promises to label it to inform consumers outside the USA. Can they be trusted abroad to do what they do not do at home? I think not! Dot

As governor of Arkansas and Democratic Party presidential candidate, Bill Clinton showed how tough on crime he intended to be as chief executive by executing a mentally challenged inmate. Having put more black men in prisons for drug and other non-violent offenses with his zero tolerance than any other president in the twentieth century, it is hard to believe Clinton has developed a conscience. Could he be wagging the dog on the death penalty again, only this time his aim is to booster Gore's chances of winning in November? After all, the polls do show that the support for capital punishment is waning, and Gore has said he favors state killing. More important, compassionate Christians cannot support the death penalty! And, as long as we claim to be a Christian nation founded on the principles of equality and democracy, we will appear as hypocrites in the international arena with each execution. No astute politician in this new millennium would support it and go to church every Sunday. Is Clinton wagging the dog?

Touting educational reform in Texas, George W. Bush, Jr. says his state "should be the model for the nation." Hoping to repeat his success against John McCain, "a reformer with a record, " this time Jr. is trying to position himself as a "reformer with a brain." George, Jr. insists, "If you teach the child to read, the child will be smart enough to pass the test." With questions of gravitas dogging his every word "preserve rather than persevere," The DISH issues this simple challenge to end speculation once and for all.

The DISH proposes that George W. Bush, Jr. take the Texas high school exist exam under the same conditions as students. The Presidential Debate Commission could supervise the whole thing. If he passes, that will certify his claims of reformer. More informative than a debate, this challenge goes out to all presidential contenders. Each one should release his score to the public. That way, the nation will know whether or not our President is as smart as school kids in Texas.

On the Big Lie

by Dot

American public school children are taught to revere Thomas Jefferson. He is one of the great thinkers among our founding fathers who laid the groundwork for our laws and that "peculiar" something which makes this country America, home of the free and brave.

Jefferson's home, Monticello, stands as a monument to his way of thinking. He is the father of the southern plantation style of management or states' rights. Ghosts surely roam the rooms of Monticello. Guides who escort the public through the estate must find it hard to reconcile history with what we are taught to believe. A southerner and Democrat, Jefferson was a racist; he bastardized the noble concepts of freedom, equality, democracy and justice we credit him with espousing to embrace white supremacy.

Our children are urged to view him as a man of his times. Nonetheless, Jefferson hardly represents truth, justice and the American way in any honorable sense, though his thinking is surely American. Truth and justice are sorely missing. It is time to end the "big lie" and tell the truth about our history.

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