Volume 4 Issue 40…Dedicated to the Dialogue on Race…October 12, 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 © 2001

Born April 27, 1945, August Wilson grew up in the slum of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's Hill district. His childhood experiences influenced his dramatic work, including his first self-produced play, Black Bart and the Sacred Hills, which was staged in 1981. Voted Best Play of the Year by the New York Drama Critics' Circle in 1984, August Wilson catapulted onto the American Theatre scene with the success of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, produced at Yale University and later in New York. By the early 1990's, Wilson had established himself as the best known and most popular African-American playwright. He set himself the daunting task of writing ten plays to chronicle each decade of the black experience in the 20th century. Each play focuses on what Wilson considers the largest issues confronting African-Americans in that decade.

Wilson received his first Pulitzer Prize in 1987 for Fences. A familiar American story, it is about an embittered Troy Maxon who is denied by racial segregation the baseball stardom he deserves, so he languishes as an illiterate garbage collector. In April of 1988, Joe Turner's Come and Gone documents the 1910 story of Harold Loomis, a black man cruelly imprisoned for seven years by white authorities for an unknown offense, opened to enormous critical acclaim. Joe Turner's Come and Gone was voted Best New Play of the Year by the New York Drama Critics' Circle. The Piano Lesson was named Best Play of the Year by the New York Drama Critics' Circle. It also earned Wilson his 2nd Pulitzer Prize for Drama, as well as a Drama Desk Award.

For more about Wilson and his many awards, which include the Tony Award (1987), and two Pulitzer Prizes (1987, 1990), see http://www.imagi-nation.com/moonstruck/clsc48.html

 DeKalb County, Georgia Commissioner Lou Walker, 7th Super District, will hold a special town hall meeting for DeKalb County senior citizens at 1:00 P.M., Thursday, October 18, at the George Moore Center, Saint Philip AME Church located at 240 Candler Road, Atlanta, Georgia. The meeting will provide information on home heating, health and housing for senior citizens to help them make it through the winter months.

 "Last year's extremely cold winter, coupled with the increase in the cost of natural gas, forced many of our seniors to bare burdens they were not prepared to handle," said Commissioner Walker. "The majority of our seniors, who live on fixed incomes, were not able to meet their obligations, and thus were subjected to economical hardships. To better prepare them for this winter, I would like to make our seniors aware of what resources are available to them and provide suggestions they can use to lower costs." Georgia Public Service Commissioner David Burgess will discuss home heating assistance. Representatives from the DeKalb County Board of Health and Community Development will provide health and housing information.

For more on this meeting, call Commissioner Walker's downtown office at (404) 371-3053, his south DeKalb office at (770) 322-1625, or email him at louwalker@co.dekalb.ga.us.

Disgruntled feels: Baffled! I was afraid the state of Texas would find the woman who killed her five children sane enough to stand trial for first-degree murder. This is probably the best example of deception is perception when perception is deception. There is nothing sane about her actions. Any society that thinks so is nuts.

Disgruntled says: The US withdrew its low-level delegation from WCAR, effectively boycotting the international conference on racism. It refused to discuss slavery, which is the root of contemporary human rights abuses. The US cannot withdraw from its obligation to pay reparations to compensate the victims -and atone for its past, present and ongoing racial discrimination.

Disgruntled wants to know: After 9-11, black millionaires donated millions of dollars to the disaster relief efforts. Don't get me wrong; I am not player-hating. Giving is a good thing. However, one cannot help but notice these same blacks were missing in action on giving to the black community. Where were Oprah, Michael Jordan, Dr. Dre' and so many other blacks when just their voices would have helped?

by John Burl Smith

During an editorial meeting in August, I received a call from DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones. He was responding to a couple of weeks of voice mails requesting an interview regarding arts' funding in DeKalb County. In less than congenial tones, Jones complained about receiving The DISH via FAX late at night; it disturbed his sleep. Apparently, Jones forgot, during his campaign he gave out his fax number without telling anyone the fax machine was in his bedroom. That problem remedied, CEO Jones granted our request for an interview with the proviso that The DISH submit a list of questions to his public relations person for vetting.

More than six weeks ago, we faxed the list of questions to CEO Jones. The DISH has received neither a reply nor conformation for the interview. In addition to CEO Jones, The DISH requested interviews with others that represent us at the county, state and federal levels to get their positions on the record.

Over the next few weeks, The DISH will publish a series of articles highlighting questions on the interview list to educate DeKalb residents. Our in-depth coverage will bring everyone up to speed on issues such as those covered under the heading Funky Hood, which is environmental racism, and state testing and zero tolerance, which are used to enforce conformity, rather than improve education. Among the issues covered, The DISH will examine the racist redistricting plan and the use of multi-member districts in Georgia and at-large (super district) positions in DeKalb County that dilute black voting strength. The DISH will look at GRTA's illegal takeover of MARTA and the unfair racist sales tax imposed on DeKalb and Fulton Counties' residents, which are targets of lawsuits. For the entire list of pre-interview questions, click on www.thedish.ws or email icim@bellsouth.net or for fax 404-244-6023. John 2001

The longest dramatic sequel playing on Capitol Hill, "Missing in Action," continued uninterrupted for the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). Coming off shaky performances during the run up to WCAR, most black members of Congress missed their cues as federal legislators. Since 9-11, the CBC is nowhere to be found.

Showing up only to smooch G. W. Bush's backside as he rushes to spend every dime of the surplus on his dubious "war on terrorism," provide tax breaks, corporate bailouts, subsidies and other corporate pork, CBC members forgot all their lines addressing the needs of slave descendants in the Diaspora. They refuse to raise issues left over from WCAR regarding slavery and the dire need for reparations in American inner cities.

Hiding in the back of the bus, the Judiciary Committee refuses to investigate Co-InTel-Pro, even though federal officials admit that FBI agents violated First Amendment guarantees, and they assassinated and illegally imprisoned black citizens during the late 1960s and 70s. No committee member pushed for an official explanation or demanded the guilty pay for crimes committed against black citizens exercising their constitutional rights. The terrorism black Americans experienced came at the hands of the US government under Co-InTel-Pro and would be genocide, if committed against any group of people other than blacks and Palestinians. What will the CBC do, if we starred in their roles in "Missing in Action Too" during the next round of congressional elections? Blah on CBC!

  Comments from the Bat Cave

The Dark Knight/Batman/White Ninja/Zorro is improving his vocabulary. According to the Dark One/Ninja/Zorro, his "aim" is to be a policeman. He polices his kid brother/sidekick Ty. However, when it comes to his sidekick's potty mouth, he just says, "Ignore him! He just wants some attention!"

by John Burl Smith

By the mid point of one's life, there should be some reward for one's labor, rather than starting second or third careers. However, a conversation with Felton Eddy, one of the few blacks involved in Atlanta arts funding in the early 1990s, showed that starting over sounds all too familiar. Illustrative of the majority of blacks in the Diaspora relegated to the chasm of inequality, Felton's degree in art education only entitled him to a volunteer's status in the white world of arts funding. Advancing to a paid staffer, he tells of heroic battles squeezing "blood from turnips" trying to get funding for black artists.

The DISH first encountered Felton, waging a one-man battle back in August, at a meeting called by DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones to develop a new approach to arts funding for the county. Expressing his frustrations of a decade, Felton outlined how 501(3)(c) nonprofit status is used to limit access to arts' funds for artists. As The DISH has pointed out, segregation barred black artists from even applying for funding until the late 1980s, then the 501(3)(c) became a funding requirement. Segregation - institutionalized racism - benefited only white artists and groups. Jim Crow restrictions set whites up; they were the only ones with 501(3c)s, the resources and connections to "grandfather" funds awarded to those with 501(3)(c)s. Felton's point is well taken and lies at the heart of the problems black artists face across America.

Later, via telephone, he offered his observations regarding the national arts scene. "I attended a conference in New Orleans sponsored by August Wilson, noted playwright and author of The Piano Lesson. Even he complained about the inability to find funding for his work. Bringing together blacks from around the country who are involved in art, August wanted to spark a conversation regarding the whole concept of arts funding and the role racism plays in determining who gets funded. August's conference, coupled with ideas Atlanta artists are pushing, has moved me from the sidelines to activism once more. It is clear; I was a token. My face was used to give the appearance blacks were benefiting from arts funding, when in fact, we were not. Any blacks that press this point will suffer my fate: They get rid of you."

The DISH continues to await responses from CEO Vernon Jones, Commissioners Jackie Scott and Lou Walker regarding the County's plan to change arts funding. Several critical questions have never been answered about Soapstone (the so-called South DeKalb arts center) and its funds, the proposed performing arts center for South DeKalb, as well as, overhauling the DeKalb Council for the Arts relationship as the county's depository for art funds and its grants criteria.

The DeKalb Council for the Arts, like the Georgia Council for the Arts, retained many attitudes from segregation and are dominated by whites, who believe art is for white people or blacks trying to do white art. They do not accept that the creativity of black artists is worthy of funding. Moreover, they feel funding black artists takes money away from white artists that they like to give it to artists they do not like. For them, controlling arts funding is like fighting the Civil War all over again. T.H.I.N.C. about it! John 2001

Following are excerpts from US Rep. Cynthia McKinney's (D-GA) speech on October 9, 2001. "Medecin Sans Frontieres, the 1999 winner of the Nobel Peach Prize, accused the US of conducting nothing more than cynical military propaganda when we describe our operations in Afghanistan as "humanitarian."

"The tragic truth is, they are right. Celebrations for the US airdrops of food packages are not deserved. Medecin Sans Frontieres accuses us of little more than window dressing, seeking to divert public attention from a scandalous humanitarian disaster that could soon rival the Rwandan/Congolese catastrophe of 1994 and 1995"

"Before the 9-11 crisis, the UN World Food Program estimated 2 million Afghans totally depended on foreign food aid. The program trucked in enough to feed 1 million. Clearly, 75,000 ration packages are not nearly enough to prevent a humanitarian disaster. Maybe, as alleged by Medecin Sans Frontieres, it does soothe our collective conscience, but it does little more."

"Bobby Kennedy asked: Can we ordain ourselves the awful majesty of God, to decide what cities and villages are to be destroyed; who will live and who will dies; who will join refugees wandering in the desert of our own creation?" The US and the world community must do more for the people of Afghanistan....the clock is ticking for 5.5 million innocent people..."

Slipping into an "unofficial" closed door meeting taking place at an undisclosed location, deep cover operative, "Peep City Barnabas" was the spook who sat by the door. Melding into the crowd of representatives from county government, the DeKalb Council of the Arts (DCA) and other interested parties fighting over arts funding, "Peep City" got the low down from high up. Tempers flared over a proposal to revamp art funding in DeKalb by creating a county office to administer culturally related activities and funds.

The new scenario views art and culture as a function of economic enhancement in DeKalb's lifestyle agenda. As such, the clannish history and cultist funding practices of the DeKalb Council of the Arts is steeped in discrimination. Blacks in attendance felt rooting out such historic racism is the only way the county's confidence building measures would have a real impact.

The thought of giving up arts money to blacks enraged whites at this "unofficial" gathering. Spewing diehard rhetoric like their fathers, they were ready to don sheets and head for Stone Mountain with crosses and torches in hand. Whites threatened all out war to keep control of arts funds for DeKalb County. Barnabas sent this warning, "There may be blood on the floor" before this drama ends. Over the past decade DCA has used the 501(3)(c) nonprofit status as a litmus test for awarding grants. Maintaining 501(3)(c) non-profit status forces black artists to take on the extra expense of supporting an organization, when they are really independent entrepreneurs. This practice forces black artists to go through white arts groups in order to receive funds. As a result, white North DeKalb receives most arts funds except those budgeted for Soapstone.

The "unofficial" meeting ended with fur flying in all directions. DCA supporters vowed, "we are not giving up one dime, if the county wants blacks to have art funds, let them get it out of the MARTA sales tax."

akha@loxinfo.co.th: Re: The DISH Vol. 4 No 39 "Yes, and the US Embassy will not comment on extra judicial killings of Akha people in Thailand. They will not comment on the wholesale destruction of Akha culture by American missionaries. Killing all those people in those towers was not right, but neither is what sins of commission and omission the US is doing overseas and in its own back yard, i.e., profiling blacks for one, etc. Funny too, because the missionaries here are all white, and the most racist ones against the Akha either come from Australia or the US south. Bastards with a bible."

Eleuthera-rara@prodigy.net : Re: The DISH Vol. 4 No 37.."Dot: Today's column was right on. What a sight, and how sad to see all those racists, sexists, hatists, bigots, warmongers, and right wing radicals talking about diminishing the constitutional rights of the people in the name of anti-terrorism. Evidencing their patriotism, they have wrapped themselves in the hypocrisy of the American flag. The spectacle is made more ludicrous as I watch the numerous groups of "sheep," including people of color following them and cheering them on who seem to have forgotten their history and forgotten who has been oppressing and terrorizing them for hundreds of years."

 Lonnie@inthercar.com : Subject: Laden's brother died in Texas air crash..."The brother of Osama bin Laden, Salem bin Laden was killed mysteriously in 1988 after his plan, a BAC 1-11, crashed in Texas soon after a meeting concerning an "oil deal" with George Bush. It is time for the American people to wake up and demand the truth. Go here http://www.aztlan.net/judwatch.htm and take a look at the map! The proposed fueling lines go straight through Afghanistan. Your letters to mainstream media will force them to deal with this scandal of the century. It is already all over the Internet. The public's right to know is sacred, and this is something everyone needs to know right now! The "mysterious" death in Texas of bin Laden's brother says a great deal, does it not?"

actioncenter@action-mail.org "To continue the momentum from the 9-29 marches on Washington, DC, San Francisco and other emergency response protests across the country, International A.N.S.W.E.R. has called for Saturday, October 27 to be an internationally-coordinated day of action against racism and war. Rallies, marches, teach-ins and other actions will take place in the U.S. and internationally. Let us know about your local action, so we can post it on the web so others in your area can join, and so that the world sees that there is a growing movement against racism and war!

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