Volume 4 Issue 2…Dedicated to the Dialogue on Race… January 17, 2001

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. The DISH © 2000

by John Burl Smith

Run Children Run: This is not a preemptive strike against Dr. Rod Paige, nominee for Secretary of Education. It is a rejoinder from eminent educators, such as Prof. Nat D. Williams, Madam Mary McLeod Bethune, Rev. Burl Lee, Rep. Shirley Chisholm and Richard L. Kirksey, Jr., "Black children must be educated to break the shackles of slavery." Sadly, during his confirmation hearing, Dr. Paige neglected to address the most important historical facts regarding black students and education. Specifically, America has never wanted to educate black children. Educators ignore the fact that for 246 years learning to read and write carried death sentences for slaves. Moreover, for 89 years, they suffered under Plessy v. Ferguson's "separate but equal."

Presently, America pretends that at some unknown point states made up for years of depriving black children of educational opportunities. Today, whites talk as if the nation poured money and resources into schools serving black children, but black kids just failed. Asininely, they insinuate that despite providing the best technology and qualified personnel, under optimal conditions of a stress free environment, black children still failed. Dr. Paige dismissed the impact the 3/5ths Compromise of Article I Section 2 of the Constitution and legal racial discrimination (white supremacy) have today on students like Bridgett Stewart of Webster County, Georgia. American education supports this schizophrenic doublethink by teaching slave descendants to blame themselves for their lack of success, rather than a system designed to convince them, they are inferior and treats them as less.

Run Children Run vehemently rejects vouchers as a remedy for the slave-master mindset dictating educational policy in America. Having endured 76 years of legal slavery under the Constitution and 89 years of segregation, slave descendants have special educational needs. Portraying black children as lazy, unintelligent and lacking motivation to learn, in order to label them failures, abrogates America's obligation to live up to Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. The only failure the Court found was in the U. S. Constitution's pledge of "equal protection." If Secretary Paige can remember his roots, he will educate America about its history of institutionalized racism. Run Children Run will never accept George W. Bush, Jr.'s scheme to drive us back into segregation. Calling it vouchers will not change the affect of "separate but equal" on public school students. John 2001

by Ida M. Goines

Oh what a wretch was I when last we met.

I said some harsh things I later came to regret.

In a rash, I used my tongue like a lash to whip up courage where none exists.

Protesting black genocide, my passionate spill demanded justice and reparations.

Alas, my pleas for action to make them happen fell on deaf ears and hearts empty of pride.

Blacks still imitate their oppressor.

Denying self with costly visits to the hairdresser,

Blacks spend billions annually to fry, dye and chemically destroy their blackness to gain acceptance.

For minimum wage, blacks minimize self, enriching the moguls controlling global economics!

I apologize for thinking blacks were conscious.

No apology for sounding the alarm.

Blacks must awake and respond for their sake to the death of institutionalized racism.

By the 1830's, Southern creative energy was consumed defending slavery. Criticism from the outside prompted glorification of the Southern image and overt efforts to enforce conformity to this varnished facade. Freedom of thought, which was largely accepted as necessary in a good society, was stifled in the South.

Slavery, an institution established by law and regulated in detail by law, was impossible to glorify. Slave codes forbade slaves to hold property, leave the master's premises without permission, to be out after dark, to congregate with other slaves except at church, to carry firearms, to strike a white man even in self-defense. The codes prohibited teaching a slave to read or write, and a slave could not testify in court against a white person. Slave codes contained no provisions to legalize slave marriages or divorces. Any person showing a strain of African ancestry was presumed to be a slave unless he could prove otherwise. If an owner killed a slave while punishing him, the act was not considered a crime. Inhumanely creative, when Article 1 Section 9 of the U.S. Constitution prohibited the importation of slaves after 1808, to maintain a steady supply, slaves were bred like cattle. (American History: A Survey, 4^th ed. Current, Williams & Freidel)

by John Burl Smith

The DISH wishes to make readers aware of a typo in my article The Hoods Come Off (Vol. 4 No1.) A reference read I Corinthians instead of II Corinthians 11: 13 & 14, which says, For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel: for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. The reference was to Rev. Andrew Young's endorsement of Confederate values, while ignoring its slavery heritage.

Let us be clear on this matter. America is attempting to re-segregate blacks. The Supreme Court's blocking the counting of black people's votes in order to give George W. Bush, Jr. the Presidency shows its commitment. Now the hoods are off, the old Confederacy needs an event like D. W. Griffith's movie Birth of a Nation to revive the notion of the "noble South." Released at the height of KKK activity in the early 1900s, it portrayed blacks as the hated enemy: corrupt, drunkards defiling white women. This hysteria ushered in the period of lynching, segregation, disenfranchisement and tenant farm defacto-slavery that lasted until the 1970s.

Again, let us be perfectly clear about who and what Rev. Young and Confederate flag/southern heritage rednecks are asking Americans to honor. First, they wish to rewrite history by redefining why the Civil War was fought. Confederates are traitors, who fought a war that nearly destroyed this nation, rather than give up enslaving black people. They brought death and destruction to hundreds of thousands in their treason. More than being liars and cowards, their descendants continue denying blacks freedom, justice and equality. You figure II Corinthians 11: 13 & 14 and Rev. Young. John 2001

Under the guise of deregulation, natural gas consumers got a new biller and higher prices. Georgia gas consumers are victims of collusion between Atlanta Gas Light, the Public Service Commission and gas providers. Customers are systematically robbed.

On Thursday, (1-11-01), members of this community met at the First Iconium Baptist Church to share their gas complaints. Called by the United Youth Conference II, Concerned Black Clergy and the Fulton-Atlanta Action Authority, the meeting gathered information on the affects of high energy bills on Georgia residents. Higher bills can partly be explained by the rise in the cost of natural gas. However, billing problems and other irregularities, such as fees and restrictions, inflate energy bills. Collusive rules and regulations restrict consumer choice creating more hardships for the poor, disabled veterans and the elderly existing on fixed incomes. The groups' findings will be submitted to the Georgia Public Service Commission and Atlanta Gas Light, as well as local elected representatives, some of which had aides in attendance. The groups' leaders indicated a class action lawsuit would be filed, if the more pressing issues raised are not addressed. The DISH filed a formal written complaint with the PSC and the Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs.

Many of those present qualified for low-income energy assistance. To find out if you qualify, call 404-810-0090 ext. 239.

Black female slaves were treated like heifers, literally speaking, female cattle. Their bodies produced babies to supply the South with slaves after 1808. Raped by slave masters at regular intervals to ensure impregnation, every eighteen months female slaves produced more humans for the auction block.

Adding insult to injury, they were often called heifers. As late as the 1950's, white men called their cooks and maid heifers, gals or something worse. Also, back then, it was a common sight to see white babies suckling on black women's tits; white women had neither the time nor inclination to perform the mundane chores of breeding. When they were not referred to as heifers, black women were called breeders for their ability to produce many children. The sale of their valuable offspring enriched slavers. And, after the Civil War, former slaves eked out subsistence as sharecroppers, if they had large families.

Once these families escaped sharecropping poverty and migrated to cities, black women found large numbers of children were not necessarily assets, more often than not, babies were liabilities for poor families surviving on subsistence wages; children became burdens. However, programmed to breed like farm animals, black women continued to be prolific, hence the contention by some researchers that blacks outnumber whites in the former Confederate states of America - a contention borne out in the most recent national election.

Black women were programmed to breed. When was the heifer bred out of them? The record does not indicate the nation undertook any massive programming efforts after slavery or Jim Crow segregation to change their slave conditioning. Still shackled with their slave programming, today black women find themselves in an untenable position. Today, they are damned if they follow their programming, and damned if they don't, especially if they opt to have abortions. Black women that do have their babies are condemned as irresponsible for producing beautiful, but unwanted black humans.

Disgruntled feels: Standing by his man, Dubya shows his commitment to strict construction. The attorney general is the gatekeeper to the federal courts. An Ashcroft Justice Department puts Charleston Heston, the gun lobby and the KKK in control of justice in America.

Disgruntled wants to know: As soon as the Supreme Court made its decision in Bush v. Gore, Florida governor Jeb Bush and President- select Dubya appeared on television singing the virtues of American democracy. After trampling one-person, one-vote so effectively, what would it take to pierce their duplicity?

Disgruntled says: For years, DeKalb residents have been burdened with the MARTA sales tax. We have more sales tax under HOST. Vernon Jones is proposing a property tax increase to fund the purchase of green space. It is hard to figure how he figures more taxes are what we need most!

In reference to Disgruntled (Vol. 4 No. 1), brownmm@patriot.net writes: "On the contrary, Al Gore knew that Charleston Heston and the gun lobby had him in the cross-hairs of their rifles. Aside from that, where does a nation turn when its Supreme Court overrides the rights of its people? The UN? A Congress in recess? I too wondered what the alternatives were, but found none other than the gun, or outright anarchy by citizens. What's up that I don't know or understand?

Email from kkg@bellsouth.net "I am not a revolutionary, but I understand that there is a lot of misdoing happening in our country. I must applaud you all for your watchdog efforts. While most of us were asleep, you all were sounding the alarm. You have my attention. We hope that you all have a blessed holiday and that our dear Father continues to shine his light in your hearts and minds as you continue to stand for the rights of others. From our house to yours in love."

The Dark Knight-Batman/White Ninja/Zorro had a fantastic school vacation. He slept late every day and rejoiced because there was no school or homework to do. When informed the holiday was over, the Dark One/Ninja Zorro cried, "Why are you punishing me?!"

"Social conservative," "pro-life" and "anti-abortion" are George W. Bush labels. In these draconian designations, wherein lies a woman's right to self-determination or racial equality? Conservative rhetoric pays lip service to "traditional" family values- code for 3/5ths Compromise.

Bush promised to appoint justices that strictly interpret the Constitution. In so doing, he told Southern conservatives what they wanted to hear, solidifying his base, while dividing the country. Appointing former Sen. John Ashcroft as attorney general puts Bush on course to creating a conservative court from which to shape America for the next half century, fulfilling his promise to preserve white supremacy as envisioned by the Founding Fathers. Reinforcing his commitment, Bush spoke at Bob Jones University and paid homage to the Confederate battle flag as a symbol of his heritage. Bush's mandate, if his selection has any, is to turn back the clock on social gains made by minorities and women.

To prevent re-segregation and the suppression of self-determination for women, Turnout 75% voted for Al Gore. A Bush in office espousing radical conservative rhetoric completes Newt Gingrich's Contract with America. Constitutional strict construction keeps Article 1 Section 2 intact. It is the foundation of Plessy v. Ferguson and the segregated America that existed before Brown v. Board of Education. Strict construction aborts Roe v. Wade and ends self-determination for women. Bush's selection is bad news for blacks and women that do not support his conservative rhetoric.

DeKalb County voters elected Derwin Brown and someone maliciously gunned him down. For the first time in history, we elected Vernon Jones - a black man - our chief executive officer (CEO). We went to the polls in record numbers, because we wanted to change things for the better where we live - the Funky Hood.

Unfortunately, that is not about to happen, as long as our elected officials are murdered before taking office or propose actions that increase our burdens. Vernon Jones wants to increase the property tax millage rate to finance the purchase of green space for parks and recreation. Most of those who voted for him are struggling just to afford living space. Taxed to the max, where is our MARTA train, arts funding for South DeKalb, parks and recreation, sidewalks, bike paths and other amenities we have already paid for, but never received? South DeKalb deserves to see some of those goods and services before agreeing to more taxes regardless of who proposes the increased assessments.

Before we approve more taxes, we need to see the same level of service our tax dollars afford everywhere except in the Funky Hood where we live. We have seen nothing yet! It is more than a bad idea for Jones to suggest raising taxes in South DeKalb.

by Dot

Paradox: A lone woman lives in public housing with her five children, which are stair steps at ages 5 months, 1, 2, 4, and 9 years of age. She opposes abortion, but there are no right wing conservatives clamoring to provide programs to care and provide for her children. Instead, the conservative right attacks her for being irresponsible for bringing into the world children she cannot afford. They ask, "With no skills or higher education, how could she be so irresponsible?" Had she chosen to abort any of her children, these same right wing conservatives would call her a murderer.

A woman's right of self-determination is fundamental. It should not be circumscribed by the dictates of men nor be denied anyone else because of race, color or creed. For black women, whose ancestors were bred to breed, there is a paradox, because now they need fewer babies, contrary to their programming.

Ironically, to explain the economic gap between black and white families, conservatives erroneously point to the single black female head of household statistic. While this might explain disparities between the earnings of a single parent versus two-parent-income households, it does not explain the gap between white and black single parent families. By examining median household incomes, we can show that a pattern of disparity exists today that dates back to slavery. The inequality cannot be explained away based solely on the single black female head of household. There is a fundamental difference between how black and white Americans are treated. This institutionalized racism is reflected in family incomes, hence the economic welfare gap or chasm of inequality which defines America.

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