Volume 5 Issue 31…Dedicated to the Dialogue on Race…August 9, 2002

Franz Kafka was born in Prague, Austria-Hungary on July 3, 1883. Known as "a realistic writer of myths," Kafka's novels, short stories and essays are the subject of debate in modern literature.

Son of a well-to-do Jewish family, headed by a domineering father, whose approval Franz feared he would never attain, Kafka received a doctorate in law at the German University (1906). For most of his adult life, Kafka worked as a civil servant by day and pursued his art by night. Twice he abandoned marriage plans, once because he felt inadequate, and the second time because he had contracted tuberculosis. After a prolonged illness, he died at the age of 40 at Kierling Sanatorium.

Profoundly religious, Kafka’s writing was "a form of prayer," the blessing and curse of his life. His views can be traced to the Talmud, the authoritative body of Jewish tradition, which comprises the Mishnah and Gemara, and the philosophical theories of Blaise Pascal and Soren Kierkegaard. An awareness of the utter isolation of man, a feeling of guilt and belief in the absolute drove Kafka’s existentialism. Kafka’s creative genius is an artistic mixture of meticulous real world descriptions and the fantastic, nightmarish situations in which he embroiled his main characters.

Kafka's major works, three incomplete novels, were published posthumously by his friend Max Brod and later translated into English. Der Prozess (1925) or The Trial (1937) deals with a man persecuted and put to death by the inscrutable agencies of an unfathomable court of law. Das Schloss (1926) or The Castle (1930) describes the relentless, but futile efforts of a man to gain recognition from the mysterious authorities that rule, from their castle, the village where he wants to establish himself. Amerika (1927) or America (1938) portrays the inconclusive struggle of a young immigrant to gain a foothold in an alien incomprehensible country. One theme predominates these novels, i.e., in man's desperate attempts to solve the riddle of life, mysterious forces beyond his control hopelessly entrap him.

Kafka's short stories include The Judgement (1913), the tale of a rebellious son driven to suicide by a demanding father. The Metamorphosis (1915) details the vagaries of a family coming to terms with a son who suffers a literal and symbolic transformation into an insect. The Penal Colony (1919) is the tale of a torture machine used in capital punishment; it explores man's cruelty and inhumanity through the machine's operators and victims. At the time of his death (1924), Kafka was writing A Hunger Artist, four stories centering on the artist's inability to either negate or come to terms with life in the human community. (Sources: Encyclopedia Americana and www.levity.com/corduroy/kafka.htm)

Comments from the Bat Cave

The Dark Knight-Batman/White Ninja/Zorro is winding up his summer vacation. When asked for his comments, the Dark One/Ninja/Zorro declared, "I am happy to be in the fourth grade."

Disgruntled wants to know: Reporters hounded black basketball player Allen Iverson, when he was accused of assault with a gun. Yet, multiple murders by soldiers and their spouses at Ft. Bragg received scant attention. Normally, if it bleeds, it leads! Since Iverson did not kill anyone, why did he receive so much more attention than the Ft. Bragg murderous aggression?

Disgruntled says: Like vacations, which allow workers to escape the daily grind for a brief, but much needed, period to stave off burn out, art is essential for human growth and development. Art revives the soul, diminishes aggression and makes humans more sociable animals. Without art, men are soulless beings, mere barbarians with few redeeming qualities.

Disgruntled feels: Short-changed! Thanks to the media, chemical companies are making a bundle through increased sales of poisonous products. For example, in the case of the "West Nile Virus" (WNV), some states are warning about the virus and spraying chemicals for mosquitoes. With media blessings, people are not being informed about the dangers posed by exposure to these chemicals. Residents of these states need to ask New Yorkers about WNV. Former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani made the chemical companies rich and in the process compromised the health of millions of New York residents. If asked, they will say spraying poison is more hazardous to their health than mosquito bites.

Atlanta Vibe

The essence of a people is always reflected in their art. Artistic expression is the internalization of cultural influences that impinge upon individual attempts to illustrate those ideals. Social constructs, such as freedom, justice, equality, love and communal responsibility, are transformed into concrete symbols, creating a common frame of reference. This process builds the collective identity and cohesive spirit that bind neighborhoods into communities.

Third World Enterprises of DeKalb County, Georgia promotes black consciousness through art. A black-owned entertainment enterprise specializing in music and apparel, Third World has commissioned local artist Trent White to paint a mural reflecting the legacy of black entertainment. Located at 2091 Candler Road, the wall features notables such as Jermaine Dupri, Tupac Shakur and Michael and Janet Jackson. White's caricatures identify a scale of musical artists ranging from the Patti LaBelle-type success to the illusionary fame of a "Notorious" B.I.G. ending. The mural is Third World's way of supporting black artists, while adding beauty and a sense of history to the community.

For artists in DeKalb and Fulton Counties, such support is crucial to displaying their work and gaining public acceptance. Black artists face a disproportionate impact from the restrictive demands to incorporate as nonprofit businesses (501 (c) (3)) in order to qualify for art funds, grants and other projects. These artificial requirements put the onus on their time and finances maintaining organizations, rather than practicing their art. Art is a profit-making enterprise. Cutting through such red tape and restrictions reduces many black would-be "Michelangelos" to painting frescos in their minds.

Third World makes the statement, "Blacks must support blacks by spending money with each other," more than a slogan. Trent White painted several murals at Toney Elementary School for opening day. His efforts show black children that they can be producers of art, as well as consumers. Essentially, this is about more than Trent's ability to market his art. It is about children learning that art has the potential to not only bring beauty into their environment, but serve as an educational tool and source of economic stability. John 2002

Hood Notes

In a couple of editorials, Bob Herbert of the New York Times (bobherb@nytimes.com) reports on a microcosm of black justice in America. His articles Kafka in Tulia (07-29-02) and Tulia's Shattered Lives (08-05-02) chronicle a miscarriage of justice perpetrated against the black residents and a few whites that associate with them in a small Texas town called Tulia.

Victimized by America's war on drugs, Tulia's black community has been devastated by lengthy prison sentences for 'selling drugs.' According to Herbert, the arrests and convictions of these people are based on the undercover operation of a single police officer, Tom Coleman, "a white man with a wretched work history, who routinely referred to black people as "niggers" and who frequently found himself in trouble with the law."

Despite the absence of any collaboration, some Tulia residences were sentenced to as much as 300 years in prison. With the help of lawyers, a lucky few were able to provide evidence in court that contradicted Coleman's outrageous testimony. The NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, the William Moses Kunsler Fund and others are working to free those imprisoned in the Coleman drug sweep. For Herbert, "The idea that people could be rounded up and sent away for what are effectively lifetime terms solely on the word of a police officer like Tom Coleman is insane."

What Herbert fails to comprehend is, this is justice for black people in America. Like environmental racism, which characterizes black neighborhoods, justice for blacks is a Kafka-like tale of gruesome reality. When more people, like Herbert, object to such gross injustice, what happened in Tulia will become the exception.

Politics Y2K2

The Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka decision in 1954 rejected "separate-but-equal" (Plessy v. Ferguson.) Like tectonic plates clashing, it opened the fissure conservative former Solicitor General Robert Bork describes as the "cultural war." Code words characterizing the dominance of race in American politics, this fault line began with ratification of the US Constitution in 1789. The founding fathers' deal with the devil, sanctioned the tyranny of the majority over minority rights by embracing Article 1 Section 2 (3/5 Compromise). Today, strict construction conservative go-to-guy Bork wants to have it both ways.

Conservatives, like Bork, coveted the White House so completely in 2000, they accepted the decision in Bush v. Gore as a last ditch effort to win the "cultural war." Conservatives ignored the paradox, either Article 1 Section 2 is the law or "equal protection" under the 14^th Amendment is law. Even though conservatives opposed the 14^th Amendment as unconstitutional since its passage, they used it as the justification to stop counting votes in order to install George W. Bush in the White House. To wit, since absentee ballots were counted, how do conservatives justify not counting legal ballots cast by voters who actually went to the polls?

Defending, Bork admits, with Bush in the White House, conservatives have blurred constitutional lines ranging from individual rights to separation of church and state in trying to win the "cultural war." However, grading Bush as President, Bork cited deep reservations regarding education, tariffs, campaign financing, business bailouts and "homeland security" infringements. Like cheating in school or "cooking the books" in the corporate world, Bork gave Bush only a C+. Conservatives' hypocrisy on issues such as the 3/5 Compromise, equal protection and limiting individual rights has robbed Americans of confidence that their leaders can be trusted not to put self-interest above the welfare of the people. John 2002

News You Use

The National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (N'COBRA) issued a call for August 16, 2002 to be honored as BLACK FRIDAY after its April 2002 Board meeting in Washington, D.C. BLACK FRIDAY will prepare us to participate in the August 17th Millions for Reparations Demonstration, March and Protest that will be held in Washington, D.C.

If you cannot join us in Washington, D.C. you can still participate in BLACK FRIDAY and maintain the spirit of BLACK FRIDAY on August 17 in support of the Millions for Reparations Demonstration, March and Protest and set the stage for A Year of the Black Presence. Black Friday and the Millions for Reparations Demonstration will be the first mass actions in the 21st Century on the road to Reparations. They represent our united stand against 500 years of terrorism.

There are any number of things you can do on August 16, 2002. Buy Black is one suggestion. Support black-owned stores and vendors. Boycott Coca Cola products in solidarity with our South African brothers and sisters. Support blacks in Cincinnati, Ohio by boycotting Proctor and Gamble products.

N'COBRA's list of activities for Black Friday includes contacting political candidates for office and asking them about their position on Reparations for African descendants. Tell them you will not support candidates who do not support Reparations. For more about Black Friday, the August 17^th Millions for Reparations Demonstration, Match and Protest and things you can do to support these efforts, contact DcNcobra@aol.com or call 202-466-1622.

Email: bigjack2@bellsouth.net What is the "terrorism" of the oppressed compared to the terrorism of the oppressor?

Email: ebontek@earthlink.net An old man lived alone in Palestine. He wanted to dig his potato garden, but it was very hard work. His only son, who would have helped him, was in an Israeli prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and mentioned his predicament. Shortly, he received this reply, "For HEAVEN'S SAKE, Dad, don't dig up that garden; that's where I buried the GUNS!" At 4 A.M. the next morning, a dozen Israeli soldiers showed up and dug up the entire garden, without finding any guns. Confused, the old man wrote another note to his son telling him what happened, and asking him what to do next. His son's reply was, "Now plant your potatoes, Dad. This is the best I can do for you at this time."

Email alarkam@webtv.net In his essay titled Gulf War Lite, Rahul Mahajan of AlterNet at www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=13749 identifies the real reason the U.S. is talking about war against Iraq. As alarkam@webtv.net distills the essay, "When all the justifications for making war on Iraq collapse, what is left is the same ugly three-letter word that has always been at the core of U.S. Middle East policy -- oil."

Email www.washingtonpost.com A briefing given last month to a top Pentagon advisory board described Saudi Arabia as an enemy of the United States, and recommended that US officials give it an ultimatum to stop backing terrorism or face seizure of its oil fields and its financial assets invested in the United States. Prepared by Laurent Murawiec, a Rand Corp. analyst, the briefing paper claimed the Saudis support our enemies and attack our allies. It described Saudi Arabia as "the kernel of evil, the prime mover, the most dangerous opponent" in the Middle East.

Email www.usatoday.com To better its relations with the Bush White House, the NAACP awarded National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice an Image Award. Last month, Bush snubbed the group by not attending its annual convention. NAACP board chairman Julian Bond criticized Bush's administration for failing to enforce civil rights laws and the FBI's use of increased surveillance in fighting terrorism. According to Bond, "We have a president who owes his election more to a dynasty than to democracy. We knew he was in the oil business; we just didn't know it was snake oil."

Email leftofcenter@aol.com Reliant Technologies is an advertiser on the Rush Limbaugh radio talk show. Dozens of Limbaugh listeners invested in Reliant and were duped out of millions of dollars. Most claim they would never have trusted the company had it not advertised on the conservative talk show. The FBI arrested the owner of Reliant, charging him with multiple counts of fraud. Limbaugh has refused to comment about the ongoing criminal investigation.

Email www.truthout.org On Thursday, August 1, 2002, President Bush said he is troubled by the creation of offshore affiliates by US companies to avoid paying taxes, a practice lawmakers are trying to restrict.

Bush's comments coincided with disclosures that companies connected to him and Vice President Cheney created such offshore entities. The White House confirmed that Harken Energy Corp., a Texas oil company where Bush was a director from 1986 to 1993, set up a subsidiary in the Cayman Islands, a popular tax haven in 1989. Halliburton Co., a Dallas-based energy services firm, registered at least 20 subsidiaries in the Cayman Islands when Cheney was chief executive from 1995 to 2000, according to SEC records.

DISHing It Up Hot!

Commercials and movies feed negative black stereotypes. Not only are there a limited number of roles for blacks, some of the parts they are offered are not worth having. According to Angela Bassett, the role played by Haile Berry in the movie Monster Ball feeds a negative stereotype about black women and sexuality. In effect, Berry is a prostitute on film, hot to get in bed with a white man, even one that is trailer park trash; it is a role Bassett and all self-respecting black women reject.

In movies and commercials, blacks invariably speak dialogue containing double negatives and other "broken English." Black people are not a monolith. Yet, baldheaded black men and women with bone-straight hair saturate mainstream media speaking poorly, being promiscuous or expressing uncomplimentary views and behaving in ways that make blacks look stupid.

One such commercial involves the automaker Hyundai, a shareholder of CentGas, the international consortium that is building the gas pipeline linking Turkmenistan's gas reserves with Pakistan's gas market. In the car commercial, a young black girl asks her father if she can put her honor roll bumper sticker on his new Hyundai. The father thinks for a moment and then says, "I have an idea, let's put it on mommy's car!" It is outrageous to suggest a black father cares more about his cheap new car than his daughter's academic success.

A DISH reader complained about a commercial that she and her two Black sons found inflammatory and insulting. She sent her complaint about the "Aquafina" commercial to lisa.castaldo@pepsi.com. In it she wrote: Your ad campaign may mean that water is supposed to taste like "nothing," but I do not like the implication of the voice of a "Black Man" saying he "does not know nothing" and that "he is nothing." This is very derogatory, and I certainly do not like what it implies. You need to remove this "voice" from your ad campaign immediately! I most definitely will not buy your product and will discourage others from doing so too!

Conscious blacks reject these negative stereotypes whether in movies or commercials.

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