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Vol. 9 No. 43…Dedicated to the Dialogue on Race…October
27, 2006
Intuit’s Vibe
Don't Let Our Hair
Divide Us
By Carolyn Hopkins
We as black women
should not let our hair
be the dividing
element
that destroys our
development.
Our hair is a unique
blend
of the diverse
experience
we have experienced in America.
It is an expression
of our horrific
history that at times,
the white system has
used to destroy Sister Unity.
Yes, our hair defines
us,
but it should not
deny us
the right to wear it
any way we want.
After all,
when we look into the
magazines of America,
we see what has been
believed to be beautiful,
and then wonder if we
are okay?
Yes, we may say we
are okay,
but when we search
within and find
that dilemma that
makes us wonder
if we should blend
the nappy with the straight
in order to relate
to a world that has
denied our beauty
from the very
beginning, then our hair
still is a difficult
and complex issue.
Deep down we wonder
if our men
like it straight and
blowing in the wind,
and then after
feeling its awesome texture,
we fall in love with
that glorious natural.
Yet, when we stand
against the world,
the eyes of society
don't often see
our natural halo as
beauty.
And then we rush back
to the straight
hoping that this will
dictate
that we must compete
in a competitive world;
but blackness is a
state of mind--
the color or length
or texture of our hair
really cannot be
defined;
the decision is
ours--
we might plague it
for hours.
For in the end, what should really matter is
the genuine love we have for our God-given hair.
Black Beauty
Black Americans spend nearly half a billion dollars a year to alter the texture of their hair. Black magazines, including Ebony, Essence and Jet, are filled with full page ads for relaxers and dyes, featuring high yellow women with shiny, long straight hair, which has become part of the contemporary standard of black beauty. This chemically acquired look is the opposite of black pride and natural hair styles worn during the black power movement.
According to MarketResearch.com, ethnic spending
on hair, beauty and cosmetics by Asians, African Americans and Hispanics is set
to top $8.4 Billion in 2006. The current market for ethnic hair, beauty and
cosmetic products in the U.S. is expected to grow by nearly $1.9 billion, a 19%
gain over 2001. This figure is conservative because it is only a portion of
what ethnic consumers actually spend on hair relaxers, nail and lip care,
make-up, and other HBC products. General-market HBC purchases ring up at about
3.5 times more than ethnic-specific, with this year's general-market purchases
expected to total over $6.5 billion.
For more, visit www.PackagedFacts.com, a
division of MarketResearch.com.
Black Panthers
(1966-1981)
On October 15, 1966, Huey Newton, Bobby Seale and
others founded the Black Panther Party (BPP) in Oakland, California. Originally
known as the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, its ten point program called
for freedom to determine the destiny of oppressed communities, full employment
for the people, an end to the capitalist exploitation of black communities,
decent housing and education that teaches black history and the role of blacks
in contemporary society, free health care, and an end to police brutality and
murder and wars of aggression.
The organization was founded to further the black
American civil rights movement and to fill what these young black people
perceived as a leadership void. It adopted the black panther as its
organizational symbol and came to be internationally recognized by the Afro and
raised fist. The group epitomized the black power movement, which stressed
racial dignity, pride and self-reliance.
Instituting a variety of community programs, the
BPP worked to alleviate poverty and illness in black communities. Because
Panthers perceived law enforcement as a linchpin of black oppression, it
established patrols in black communities to monitor police activities and
protect the residence from police brutality. Combining elements of socialism
and black nationalism, the organization promoted the development of strong
black-controlled institutions, called on blacks to work together to protect
their rights and to improve their economic and social conditions. Emphasizing
class unity, the BPP criticized the black middle class for acting against the
interests of other, less fortunate blacks.
Throughout the late 1960s, the BPP attracted
widespread support and interest best characterized by black-gloved fists raised
in the Black Power salute at the 1968 Summer Olympics by black medalists Tommie
Smith (gold) and John Carlos (bronze). The International Olympic Committee
(IOC) banned the athletics from the Olympic Games for life.
As racial tension increased around the country,
the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) blamed the Black Panthers for riots
and other incidents of violence. In August 1967, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover
instructed COINTELPRO to "neutralize" black nationalists and other
dissident groups. Hoover designated the BPP, "The greatest threat to the
internal security of the country" and made it a primary target. According
to the Senate Church Committee, which investigated COINTELPRO in 1975 and 1976,
the FBI "engaged in lawless tactics and responded to deep-seated social
problems by fomenting violence and unrest."
The violence and unrest led to many deaths. On
January 17, 1969, Los Angeles Panthers Bunchy Carter and John Huggins were
killed in Campbell Hall on the UCLA campus in a gun battle with members of
United Slaves, a rival black nationalist group believed to have ties with the
FBI. On December 4, 1969, a Chicago police and FBI raid ended with the death of
Fred Hampton and Mark Clark.
By the early 1970s, 34 Panthers had died in police
raids, shoot-outs and internal conflict. Police claimed Panthers were
responsible for the deaths of at least 15 law enforcement officers and the
injuries of dozens more. There have been a variety of allegations as to the
lengths to which law enforcement went in its attempts to discredit and destroy
the organization, including allegations of assassination.
With so many external attacks and internal
friction, Newton called for developing survival programs to "serve the
people." These included the Free Breakfast for Children Program, clothing
distribution, classes on politics and economics, free medical clinics, lessons
on self-defense and first aid, transportation to upstate prisons for family
members of inmates, an emergency-response ambulance program, drug and alcohol
abuse rehabilitation, and testing for sickle-cell disease. The attempted change
in direction could not save the organization, which by then had been thoroughly
co-oped and infiltrated with COINTELPRO agents.
The Party eventually fell apart due to rising
legal costs and internal disputes exacerbated by COINTELPRO. Its final leader
was Elaine Brown, the first woman to lead the BPP. (Sources: www.aaregistry.com and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Panther_Party)
Torn between his naturally curly Afro and braids and conformity, the Dark
Knight-Batman/White Ninja/Zorro shaved his head to look like all his friends
and some close relatives. It was summer in hot and humid Atlanta, so the do or
lack of one was cool and carefree. And, it was fun being like most everyone he
knew. Winter approaches, the Dark Knight misses his 'fro. When asked about his
dilemma, the Dark One/Ninja/Zorro responded, "I'm letting it grow."
Disgruntled
wants to know: Come November US voters will get the opportunity, if
their votes are counted, to hold the Bush administration accountable for its
lies and mass deception by throwing the bums out. Should voters fail to oust
the GOP from Congress and address this administration's global missteps, the
nation will continue on a path of self-destruction, a pariah in international
circles. All the ugly things the US accuses the terrorists of doing, the US has
done, including torture and wholesale murder of innocent men, women and
children. As Pogo of comic strip fame would say in the case of the USA,
"Yep, son, we have met the enemy and he is us." Come November, will
voters send a message to the international community that it will reign in the
schoolyard bully and hold him accountable for breaking domestic and
international laws?
Disgruntled feels: Makeover! In the lead
up to the war in Iraq, the voices of opposition to such naked aggression were
muted. Mainstream media acted as cheerleaders. Now, the Bush administration is
being allowed to revise events on the road to war in Iraq. There were no
weapons of mass destruction, connection to al-Qaida or the events of 9-11.
Sure, everybody had the same intelligence, but not everyone connected the dots
and drew mushroom clouds or thought the situation called for war. The US and
Great Britain went to war without a UN Security Council Resolution. The
neo-conservatives running the US government orchestrated the Iraq mess and
should not be allowed, via mainstream media, to put lipstick on this pig with
favorable press. They should be forced to suffer the consequence of their
hubris, ridiculed for flip-flops and spin and disallowed cosmetic makeovers.
Disgruntled says: The experience of Rose Rock, comedian Chris Rock's mother, at the Cracker Barrel restaurant in South Carolina is reminiscent of the examples of ongoing racial discrimination relayed by Dr. John Hope Franklin in his most recent interview on C-Span. According to news account, Rock and her daughter were refused service. Cracker Barrel recently settled two discrimination lawsuits on behalf of customers and employees. Given its dismal record, why are blacks patronizing Cracker Barrel?
Dying to Look Good
Dying to Look Good is the name of a book by Dr. Christine
Farlow. The revised second edition examines the content of thousands of
cosmetics, toiletries and personal care products and presents some disturbing
facts about their impact on human health. While you may not think about it, the
lotion you rub on your skin, the dye used to color your hair, nail polish,
shampoo and thousands of other products we daily use contain chemicals that
penetrate the skin and enter the body. Most of us tend to focus more on taking
care in what we consume, not so much all the chemicals we put on our bodies to
change the way we look.
Dr. Farlow reminds us that "all chemicals that come in contact with the
skin can penetrate it to varying degrees, and many have been detected in the
blood stream." According to Dr. Farlow, "Many of the ingredients used
in cosmetics and personal care products are toxic. For example, because the
industry is poorly regulated, there is no requirement to warn consumers of the
health risks associated with hair dyes. A growing body of scientific evidence
point to an increased risk of bladder cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
associated with the use of permanent hair dyes."
Among other eye-opening findings: "One of every 120 products on the market
contains ingredients certified by government authorities as known or probable human carcinogens,
including shampoos, lotions, make-up foundations and lip balms. Nearly 70
percent of all products contain ingredients that can be contaminated with
impurities linked to cancer and other health problems. And, nearly all the
products (99.6%) contain ingredients never assessed for any potential health
impacts."
The website http://dyingtolookgood.com/
includes a buyer beware section, which defines terms found on cosmetic and
personal care product labels. The information includes cautions on
antibacterial soap that has been linked to allergies and asthma and endocrine
disrupters, which mimic estrogen, "are found in many personal care
products shampoos, conditioners, lotions, sun screens, cosmetics and baby
products. These chemicals have been implicated in early puberty in girls,
development of breast cancer, vaginal and cervical cancer and endometriosis. In
males, they have been associated with decreased sperm count, increase in
testicular cancer, hypospadias and cryptorchidism, and possibly benign
prostatic hypertrophy and prostate cancer."
For more on Dying to Look Good,
logo to http://dyingtolookgood.com/.
Cosmetics, Capitalism and African Women (Excerpt)
By Kathy Muhammad
Cosmetics and self-adornment have been used and worn both by men and women
for centuries, even in the deepest part of the Amazon and Congo Rain Forests.
Wodabe men- Mali have perfected the skill and art of body adornment, which is
used as part of their whole courtship process. All the products were local and
appropriate to the needs of the users. Today, the business of keeping men and
women beautiful with cosmetics is multi-national. These cosmetics are all based
in the G8 countries with millions to advertise, even targeting poor women.
Obviously, the post traumatic stress syndrome goes a long way in explaining
some of our "weak/destructive responses to European capitalists' tricks.
Is it not time for African people to re-think why we support these companies,
which are in a great haste to sell us inappropriate products, but not in a haste
to employ? Are we going to allow these companies to increase the value of their
shares based on our feelings of low-self esteem and confidence?
Will we ever challenge the one-dimensional concept of beauty? Is it morally
correct for us to flock to the Asian shops to buy false hair, bleaching cream
and relaxers, with our hard-earned money?
Unfortunately, 400 years has passed, but we have not seriously viewed
ourselves as psychologically
damaged, needing to seriously begin the repair work on our minds. Some
destructive practices have become our daily routine, as we chase the
unattainable Eurocentric version of beauty.
The other component of the beautiful concept of very light or pink skin is
accepted as beautiful or to be chosen to appear on African-owned women's
magazines, e.g., Ebony/ Essence/Pride/Aspire/Noir. The pigmentocrats ensure
they maintain their ideas and indoctrinate young, impressionable women.
Bleaching and hair straightening can be viewed as Self-HARMING, which is a
sign of mental illness. These products may give us a quick feel good factor
"fix like going to the churches, where the white Jesus takes centre stage.
But, it does not empower us nor does it help to understand that, our hand
earned money is being ploughed back into European owned business, which helps
add value to company shares and enrich shareholders.
Why are we allowing a minority group to brainwash us into thinking that
there is only one concept of beauty and that you can aspire to be like us
though our cosmetics or surgery like Michael Jackson and his sisters. Women
stand up for "African is beautiful"
Mailbox: E-Mails, Faxes and
Telephone Calls
Email www.asianpacificpost.com Asia's obsession
with white skin leaves a black mark...The manager of the restaurant where Panya
Boonchun in Makham Khu Thailand worked simply told her she was fired. The cream
that she applied to her face and neck was supposed to transform her into a
white-skinned beauty. Instead, it turned her skin into an unsightly patchwork
of albino pink and dark brown. Whiter skin is being aggressively marketed
across Asia as beautiful and healthy, Panya's case illustrates the lengths that
some women will go to change their complexions - and the dangers that this
sometimes entails, reports the International Herald Tribune. A vast selection
of skin-whitening creams on store shelves is testament to an industry that has flourished
over the past decade. Four out of 10 women in Hong Kong, Malaysia, the
Philippines, South Korea and Taiwan use a skin-whitening cream, a survey
conducted by Synovate, a market research company, found.
Email www.prleap.com/pr/52221/ Westport, CT - E/The Environmental Magazine - infoZine - Conventional nail polishes dispensed at most drugstores and nail salons contain a veritable witch's brew of chemicals, including toluene, which has been linked to a wide range of health issues from simple headaches and eye, ear, nose and throat irritation to nervous system disorders and damage to the liver and kidneys. Another common ingredient in nail polish is a chemical plasticizer known as dibutyl phthalate (DBP). Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit research and advocacy organization that campaigns to educate consumers about the health risks of cosmetics, studies link DBP to underdeveloped genitals and reproductive problems in newborn boys. DBP is banned in the European Union, but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States has taken no such action, even though a recent study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found DBP and other toxic phthalates in the bloodstreams of every person they tested. Five percent of women of childbearing age (ages 20-40) tested had up to 45 times more of the chemicals in their bodies than researchers expected. EWG attributes the prevalence of DBP in young women to widespread use of nail polish.
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