Volume 3 No 9… Dedicated to the Dialogue on Race ...March 10, 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. All rights reserved The DISH © 2000

Arriving in North America 1619, labor demands increased the need to identify and control slave populations. The Fugitive Slave Act (1793) decreed Africans slaves for life. Children inherited their mother's status; slaves were chattel. Forbidding slaves to be "at large," whites could demand passes on sight. Curfews and other apartheid-type movement restrictions made slaves fugitives outside their parameters. If apprehended, they were jailed and held until claimed. If not claimed, they were sold.

Slaves could be declared "vicious" runaways and classified as outlaws. North Carolina permitted fugitive slaves, designated as outlaws, to be "shot on sight." Whites in Louisiana shoot fugitive slaves who would not stop when ordered. The Compromise of 1850, allowed whites to claim blacks as fugitive slaves. Fugitives could not testify or present evidence on their behalf. Slaves had no right to trial by jury.

Slave catchers pursuing fugitives could demand U S Marshal assistance. Marshals were fined, if they refused to assist. Slave catchers could deputize citizens and force them to help apprehend fugitive slaves. If they refused, they could be jailed and fined. Judges were prohibited from interfering with returning fugitive slaves. They were paid $10, if they ruled against slaves and $5 if they ruled in their favor.

Authority figures threaten blacks' well being. One avoids such situations like a plague, because the rule of law subjugated slaves and their descendants. Under fugitive slave laws, millions of free blacks were kidnapped into slavery. Judges and sheriffs were KKK. Weekend round-ups of black men filled jails, chain gangs and penal farms for decades. Caged assets for white politicians, today, black men represent 60% to 80% of prison populations across America. It is intelligent to run to avoid becoming such statistics.

By Seventh Sun

We, the original People of the Planet

Do hereby protest

The mis-representation of our-story

By Hollywood's casting

Of Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra

Charleston Heston as Moses

And several random Aryans as Jesus.

We, the Original People of the Planet,

Do hereby declare

The following amendments

To correct the above wrongs;

Lawrence Fishburne as Jesus,

Morgan Freeman as Moses

And Angela Bassett as Cleopatra

Who will exhale her frustration

With Mark Anthony's failed lovemaking

Burning his tunics,

His chariot and Rome to the ground.

About Me: Michael M. Gaines. " The only things I have of worth to leave behind for my Peoples are my words, which shall endure time like the ancient monuments of Khemet. I speak for those without voice and for those afraid to express their muse. I speak uninhibitedly; I speak the truth as I have seen it. I speak the truth, as I have experienced it. Information is the gold of the new millennium. Knowledge is power! Power & Peace" (Reprinted from Full Mental Jacket, a book of poetry.)

Hood Notes

Run Jesse Run!

By John Burl Smith

A tremendously talented black man, but stereotyped as typical by the dominant Rocker-type mindsets, Jesse Owens was not super human. Abilities like running are psycho-physiological responses to stress. Repeated hundreds of years, slavery taught people of color contingencies for survival. Our bio-feedback loops developed unique coping strategies for slavery and racism. Based on contingencies, reactions depend on internal and environmental signals recognized from previous outcomes involving stress. Under stress, the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) alerts the body. Triggering increased adrenaline, heart rates increase, temperature decreases, muscles are lubricated, stomach-acid flows and pupils dilate. Reading slave masters' minds in order to survive kept their GAS fully throttled. Whites trigger a heighten state of alert in slave descendants.

Born James Cleveland, grandson of slaves, and Henry and Emma Owens' seventh, his family sharecropped until moving to Cleveland, OH in 1928. Graduating top high school track star in the nation, Ohio State would not give Jesse a scholarship. Stoically, he worked and paid to attend Ohio State. Blind to their racism, whites viewed Jesse's effort to overcome their discrimination as an opportunity to prove himself. Channeling that caged rage on the tract, Jesse's GAS proved to be rocket fuel at meets.

GAS-ed up for the 1936 Olympics, Jesse made me proud, but left me confused. I could not understand, why a black man would take a chance with his life going to Berlin, just so white folks could chase him. He should have gotten enough of that back in Alabama.

Check this out. Whites in Alabama cheered America's victory over Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. When Jesse returned home, "the nigger had to go back in his box." For Jesse, success meant being the boy whites wanted to see in a black man. German POWs rode in the front of the train; Jesse rode in the back. Inheriting the GAS, but not the thrust to escape slavery's atmosphere, like most of us today, Jesse was unable to soar as a black man, but he sure could run!

News You Use

HR40: Updating to AAERA

More than two years ago, The DISH joined the international demand for African American reparations to bridge the economic gap created by slavery, segregation and institutionalized racism (IR). With reparations, we called for repeal of Article 1 Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution. These are the principle objectives of the African American Equal Rights Amendment (AAERA).

Like Dr. King holiday legislation, which took years before passage, Rep. John Conyers has proposed HR 40 annually since his first term in Congress. It would create a federal commission to "study slavery and its lingering effects." As a remedial measure, reparations in HR40 could range from an apology to financial support for social programs.

When first proposed, this "bold" measure could have provided a catalyst for much-needed dialogue on race relations. Back then, an apology might have succeeded in bandaging the racial divide. Today, we understand more than a band-aid apology is needed to alter our second class status, which is "the law." The law must be changed to affect our legal status. Unfortunately Congressman Conyers' bill will not change the law.

Sufficient research on slavery exists; the statistics to support conclusions offered in The DISH mount daily. Only a constitutional amendment can change the black man's legal status. We must take Congressman Conyers' effort to another level and introduce the African American Equal Rights Amendment (AAERA) to end the facade of equality, freedom and justice for all.

The Dark Knight-Batman/White Ninja/Zorro is a man of few words, but deep conviction. Incensed by the outrageous prevarication of a cartoon character, the Dark One/Ninja/Zorro said, "He's a big fat liar."

New births and explosions of color are the rites of spring that will ignite Multimedia Textile Printings' production The Journey of My Mind. On Saturday, March 11^th, Atlanta’s best spoken word artist Yohannes Sharriff Smith joins a crew of mad bombers, house rockers and consciousness droppers, such as Kemi Bennings, Devin Gee, Mumina Henderson, Ed and Francine Stowe at Guilford Forest Clubhouse, located on Guilford Forest Road off I-285 South at Cascade Rd. Showtime is 6PM.

by John Burl Smith

The need to escape is a learned response. Particular responses occur when either a specific set of environmental conditions exists or specific actions are performed. Humans learn by experiencing contingencies internally and/or externally. Scenarios about desired outcomes supply feedback. Responses leading to desired outcomes are repeated. Those with undesirable ones are not. Relating stress reactions to environmental events play a major role in learning. Identifying situations as negatives ignite an organism's General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) for "fright or flight."

Slavery and fugitive slave codes taught blacks to avoid white authority figures, because the outcome was generally bad. As children, blacks are admonished to avoid police, run away if possible. Authority figures responsible for identifying and controlling, whites react aggressively toward blacks when they have a GAS attack. As with lie detectors, GAS driven individuals exhibit anxiety. Around police it indicates guilt. Idling, Gas fumes draw attention. If they flee, screeching tires prove them guilty. Identified in T.H.I.N.C.: (Teaching Humanity In New Consciousness) The Chrysalis of Evolution as Linear Secularism (LS) and Conditioned Subordinate Psychology (CSP), both mindsets possess unique contingency strategies, which are learned cultural responses, depending on whether the individual is descended from slaves or slave masters.

The problem for slaves' descendants is "We do not have access to the mental lives of white folks." GAS-ed up, slaves had to figure out what masters were thinking, if they hoped to avoid punishment. Pumping GAS, guesting wrong got one beaten, sold or killed.

Recent police murders and related decisions reduce black men to fugitive slaves. Amadou Diallo, responding as police commanded, could not read their minds and know they would mistake his wallet for a gun. Tyisha Miller, while having an epileptic seizure, could not stop her seizure long enough to figure out those police officers felt threaten. Moreover, Andre Burgess had no way of knowing walking down a New York City street, while eating a candy bar, could be hazardous to his health, until a U S Marshal shot him. Idling or speeding off, the choice is irrelevant, because the outcome is just as deadly. By acquitting Diallo's murderers, the court says, blacks must instantaneously know "what is going on in every white person's mind" at the scene as the only hope of surviving an encounter with police. Asking why blacks do not trust police is like asking, why Kosovo Albanians do not trust Serbs or why Irish Catholics do not trust Protestants? Fugitive slave codes never ended! Why should blacks trust the police? John 2000

Turnout 75%: Running to Serve

In South Carolina, blacks have always outnumbered whites, yet they are powerless. An entrenched white power structure limits black political participation. The 2000 presidential nomination process provided an excellent example. All across the American landscape, credible evidence suggests blacks lack proportional representation in the Democratic Party and in the national political process. Told not enough of us register and vote, sadly, the few candidates we manage to elect rarely remember us once in office.

Inured of the system, black elected officials often work against our best interests. Ill-informed or merely ignorant of the issues, we rarely hold them accountable. Instead, we keep electing the same deadbeats to office, even though all they succeed in accomplishing is passage of more legislation to lock up more African Americans.

We must end this deplorable situation. It is time our young people invaded the political arena with an eye on challenging entrenched politicians, black and white, to better our condition. We must begin electing to public office individuals who will speak to our interests; informed individuals who will not act as roadblocks to progress to pocket a few nickels. The DISH encourages young people to seriously look at pursuing elective office. All you need is a high school diploma and a genuine desire to improve conditions for our people; we will support you!

In the coming weeks, The DISH will provide information about current elected officials, their legislative agendas and records, as well as other information about running for elective office in DeKalb and Fulton Counties.

DISHing It Up Hot!

by Dot

Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes (D) refuses to respond to questions about his position on the Confederate battle emblem in the state flag. Cornered by Tim Russert on Meet the Press (2-27-00), Barnes said he told black leaders, before the state's 40-day legislative session began, that he wanted to focus on issues, such as education reform and his "One Georgia" Initiative. Basically, he told an international audience the Georgia Black Legislative Caucus agreed that changing the flag should take a back seat to 'higher priorities.' Well, this encounter produced no meeting of the minds, since our black legislators have amnesia and have sought to distance themselves from the Governor's official position on Georgia's flag. With less than a week remaining in this year's legislative session, most observers expect the divisive emblem will continue to grace the state's symbol.

Susan Lagana, Lt. Governor Mark Taylor's press officer, confirmed this pessimistic prognostication. She indicated Taylor stands by his earlier statement, i.e. "there is no groundswell of support to change Georgia's flag, and people do not see it as a priority." With most polls suggesting the opposite, we beg to differ. A DISH poll of more than 2,500 e-respondents found a majority 76% favored removing the divisive symbol. Of those identified as Georgia residents, 68% favored changing the flag. Since more than 50% of the e-respondents were Georgians, we feel confident these results reflect popular sentiment. Moreover, most of those responding indicated they e-mailed some official identified on the Georgia Groundswell Initiative.

All the major political parties' presidential nomination candidates have responded to questions about the Confederate flag, which flies atop public buildings in S.C. Most opposed public displays of the divisive symbol; even VP Al Gore opposes flying it on public buildings. This national political attention attests to a groundswell. If all politics are truly local, then Georgia's governor and his lieutenant should be feeling movement. Ironically, they are ignoring the very rumbles they needed before addressing this issue. "With eyes wide shut," the state's leadership is committed to protecting "southern heritage" and all its implications of white privilege, instead of working to bring unity to Georgia. Of course, lying to maintain it is par for the course. Barnes follows long-standing traditions of denial and hypocrisy by glossing over the groundswell to change the state symbol. But, we will "remember in November."

Black Political Religion

Blacks consistently demonstrate blind commitment and undying loyalty to the Democratic Party. One wonders, when the party will reciprocate and make race issues mainstream conversation? How else do we dissect and disarm the Rocker mentality, which inflicts harm daily on African Americans. While we can pass laws to change the black man's legal status, a force greater than a piece of legislation or government action is needed to change the minds and hearts of individual Americans expressing preferences in the marketplace for goods and services.

President Clinton's Initiative on Race was supposed to kick-start the conversation; he is silent, except for symbolic gestures. Classic, Clinton eloquently wags the dog to deceive black people. Part of a tradition honed by politicians that grease the palms of reverends and other blacks of consequence, who promise to deliver their flocks as a block on election day. The really good southern politicians, like former President Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and Al Gore, preach from the black church's pulpit on Sunday, delivering a blend of democratic ideology and conservatism. Like cattle, blacks hear and obey their sermons. Obscuring politics and religion, this practice puts God on the block in the black community.

Disgruntled wants to know: Like most "black leaders," Rev. Jesse Jackson praises Clinton. Unlike most, Jesse gets to pray and whisper in his ear. When he gets an audience, does the good reverend mention the hypocritical symbolism or question Clinton's steadfast refusal to use his bully pulpit to end institutionalized racism?

Disgruntled says: Fresh from acquittals all around in Amadou Diallo's lynching and singing "We Shall Overcome," President Clinton, John Lewis and company went back to that Alabama bridge to reenact a failed 35-years old march. Unmarred by a vicious police attack, this grade B symbolism is called progress.

Disgruntled feels: genocide or justifiable homicide, blacks continue to die like flies in cities across America!

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