Weapon of Mass Distraction-Last Week's CNN Noose Special

Breathe it in and I will return with a synopsis. The quick viewpoint-lynching stories are tantamount to hell on earth. However the indiscriminate killing of young Black men by other men of color is equally hateful and our leadership's response to it is as loud as a pin dropping. More to follow.

Another NPR Appearance-Afronerd Does News & Notes' Bloggers Roundtable-November 7th

Well it's that time again-yours truly is scheduled to appear on NPR's News & Notes show, hosted by Farai Chideya. I'm not sure of the subject matter to be discussed but I do know that I am slated to appear with the blogger/comedian, Baratunde Thurston-check out his video above, which I provided for your viewing pleasure. As you can see, he takes quite a few jabs at my conservative colleagues so I wouldn't doubt that this show should be very interesting. I must confess that I am disappointed that Debra Dickerson of The End of Blackness fame will not be appearing due to a scheduling conflict but I'm sure that Lauren Williams of the Stereohyped blog will be an excellent replacement. As more information becomes available, I will keep our readers posted.

Rev. Press & Curl, The Confederate Flag & V.P. Cheney-The Story Unfolds.....

This is an easy one-Cheney should be called to task on this issue. Visiting a hunting lodge that displays a confederate flag, a clear symbol of hatred and dissent- may not be the wisest of ideas. But to be fair-why aren't the The Justice Bros. Incorporated (Team Jackson and Sharpton for the uninitiated-thanks to one of our commenters for that quip) on top of the gang signs/graffiti that proliferate inner city communities-also signs of hatred and dissent. Oh I forgot-the White bogeyman can't be blamed for such a phenomenon. Check out the NY Daily News article relating to this issue:

JOE GOULD and DAVE GOLDINER
DAILY NEWS WRITERS

Tuesday, October 30th 2007, 1:40 AM


EXCLUSIVE: The Confederate flag hangs inside a garage at the Clove Valley Rod and Gun Club.

Nobody got shot, but Vice President Cheney still fired up controversy Monday when he went hunting at a private club that hangs the Confederate flag.

A Daily News photographer captured the 3-by-5 foot Dixie flag affixed to a door in the garage of the Clove Valley Gun and Rod Club in upstate Union Vale, N.Y.

"It's appalling for the VP to be at a private club displaying the flag of lynching, hate and murder," said the Rev. Al Sharpton. "It's the epitome of an insult."

Sharpton demanded Cheney distance himself from the exclusive club where the Stars and Bars was flown, and said he might hold a prayer vigil there.

Club officials threatened a reporter with arrest when he sought comment.

The flag fiasco is especially upsetting because blacks have recently been subjected to an upsurge of racial threats, including nooses left in Jena, La., and Columbia University, he said.

"This is an outrage - he ought to leave immediately," Sharpton told The News. "He ought to apologize to the American people for being there in the first place."

"That flag brings back painful memories of the old, old South," said Elouise Maxey, 59, president of the Northern Dutchess County branch of the NAACP. "I'm disappointed that he would go."

Cheney spokeswoman Lee Anne McBride said Cheney did not know anything about the controversy.

"The VP did not see the flag and neither did anyone on staff," said McBride.

The veep earlier left traffic snarled - but little ill will - as he rolled into the bucolic shooting club with a 15-car convoy.

Helicopters buzzed overhead and cops blocked off roads around the spectacular 2,500-acre preserve, where Cheney visited once before in 2001.

The place is complete with a picturesque lodge decorated with stuffed game.

"As long as he doesn't shoot somebody in the a--," Bill Tryon, 48, said he was fine with Cheney's visit. Tryon lives in the area.

There was no repeat of last year's snafu, when Cheney shot an old pal in the face during a quail hunt in south Texas.

"It should be water under the bridge," said Ralph Mondello, who is running for a spot on the local town council.

"We're happy to provide him with a day of hunting in Dutchess County," added Union Vale Supervisor Lisette Hitsman.

Still, some Dutchess County residents blasted the vice president for taking part in what they called a canned hunt.

Farm-bred pheasants were released on the preserve 24 hours before Cheney arrived, making them easy targets for the hunting party.

"The way they hunt, I'm not fond of," said Linda Smith, 52, who runs a local preschool. "It's not what I would call a real sportsmanlike activity."

As We Turn Back Our Clocks-It's Time 4 a Funky Weekend.... The Music of Prince-This Sunday on Afronerd Radio-8pm eastern

Joy In repetition in London
Uploaded by fonkdoc

This time folks I want to change things around a bit by being somewhat self-indulgent. We are going to do another music oriented broadcast by discussing the music and artistry of his Royal Badness, Prince Rogers Nelson. Joining me on this special broadcast will be Mr. Michael Dean of FreedomTrainOnline.com and Onblastmedia.com who runs a Prince podcast and obviously is supporter of Prince's music. Come one and come all for this funky show and call in with questions, comments and knowledge of Minneapolis Funk music at 8pm eastern courtesy of afronerdradio dot com. You can reach our live broadcast via 646-915-9620 or IM/email-afronerdradio@yahoo dot com. Be there and Be Square-cause it's sure to be a funky good time.

Afronerd Radio-The Artist currently known as Prince

Dog the Bounter Hunter loses show over footinmouth disease!

My thoughts in a few moments:

Courtesy of E! News:

Bounty Hunter N-Bombs Himself into Hiatus
by Natalie Finn
Wed, 31 Oct 2007 06:15:28 PM PDT

A federal manhunt couldn't do it. Turns out the only thing that could keep Duane Chapman down is the Dog himself.

A&E has suspended production on its hit reality series Dog the Bounty Hunter in light of some—to put it mildly—racially insensitive remarks its star looks to have made during a phone conversation with his son Tucker, a recording of which was duly posted online by The National Enquirer.

"We take this matter very seriously," A&E, which lent its full support to Chapman while kidnapping charges were pending against him in Mexico, said in a statement Wednesday. "Pending an investigation, we have suspended production on the series. When the inquiry is concluded we will take appropriate action."

Here are some snippets from the understandably controversial chat, in which Chapman—a Hawaii-based bail bondsman by trade—discusses with his son the repercussions of having a black person around while he and his team use the N-word (Tucker's girlfriend, Monique Shinnery, is black.):

"I'm not taking a chance...not because she's black but because we use the word n----- sometimes here. I'm not going to take any chance ever in life of losing everything I've worked for 30 years because some drunken n----- heard us say n----- and turned us into the Enquirer magazine…I'm not taking that chance at all never in life. Never…"

Etc.

Chapman has already tried to make things right, releasing a statement on Wednesday in which he says that it was the character of his son's girlfriend that he objected to, not the color of her skin.

"I have the utmost respect and aloha for black people who have suffered so much due to racial discrimination and acts of hatred," Chapman said. "I did not mean to add yet another slap in the face to an entire race of people who have brought so many gifts to this world. I am ashamed of myself and I pledge to do whatever I can to repair this damage I have caused.

"My sincerest, heartfelt apologies go out to every person I have offended for my regrettable use of very inappropriate language," he continued. "I am deeply disappointed in myself for speaking out of anger to my son and using such a hateful term in a private phone conversation.

"I was disappointed in his choice of a friend, not due to her race, but her character. However, I should have never used that term."

Chapman also said that he's been in touch with his spiritual advisor, Rev. Tim Storey, who is black, and that he'd like to meet with other black leaders.

"I know that all of my fans are deeply disappointed in me, as well, as I have tried to be a model for doing the right thing," he added. "I did not do the right thing this time, and hope you will forgive me."

The expletive and slur-laced conversation has already provoked outrage from civil rights activists, including the Congress for Racial Equality Chairman Roy Innis, who told the Enquirer that Chapman "should not have a show."

"He needs to answer for his behavior," Innis said. "When someone gets the opportunity to use the airwaves, he becomes a role model, whether he likes it or not. Dog Chapman should not be in that position, posing as a good guy."

Chapman's reality series, in which he and sons Leland and Duane Lee, as well as his wife Beth and unrelated pal Tim Chapman go after on-the-run criminals, is A&E's top-rated series. Dog the Bounty Hunter premiered in 2004, buoyed largely in part by the footage Chapman's team shot while hunting convicted rapist Andrew Luster down in Mexico.

They caught up with Luster in June 2003, after which the felon was sentenced to more than 100 years in jail, but Chapman was later charged with deprivation of liberty in Guadalajara.

All of the charges were dismissed in July after a Mexican court determined that the case's statute of limitations had expired. However, U.S. authorities left a $300,000 bond in effect, with a federal prosecutor asking for more time to evaluate the case.

Thursday is Afronerd Radio's Week in Review-Check Us Out at 9pm eastern

I sincerely suspect that the above video is from one of the many Pro-White racist groups that continue to circulate the net. I also suspect that the interracial crime stats (Blacks accused of committing acts against Whites) is what is fueling the recent rash of noose incidents that the media reports as being the latest fad-as if racism has ever gone out of fashion. The reality that most crimes are committed on an intraracial scale doesn't seem to matter to these individuals or that the interracial crimes do not appear to be about racial animus. And conversely, Black leadership's insistence on focusing on racism as opposed to internal dysfunctionalism just adds fuel to the fire (for the burning cross, but I digress). Well tomorrow we are going to discuss a number of different newsworthy topics: another Long Island noose story this time with a kung fu grip(a la black mannequin attached), the real life gangs of ny (and LA) with a pinch of Black vs Brown nonsense and if time permits, The Obama/McClurkin dilemma. As Bob Barker (and now Drew Carey) often exclaimed, "Come on down," and call in live at 646-915-9620 or reach us via email/IM-afronerdradio@yahoo. You know the place-afronerd radio dot com, Thursday at 9pm eastern.....and don't be scared-it's the day after Halloween.

OK I don't know Karate but I know Ker-razy.............Maybe there is a valid reason for Guiliani to support Abortion Rights.....Meet the Zoophiles

I was listening to Howard Stern on Sirius and well the above clip was discussed. Again my thoughts are forthcoming but this is just insane. Please accept my apologies on the expletives and gross descriptions but you have to remind yourself that subhumans live amongst us. Make sure you're not eating anything when you hear an excerpt of this 2004 documentary-Animal Passions. Your kids and pets are not safe. Truly abhorrent.

Weighing in On the McClurkin-Obama Dilemma.......A Call for Secularism

More on this issue in a few moments....but as a teaser-this is much to do about nothing. And if you haven't guessed-Obama is a politician after all. Talk amongst yourselves and a synopsis and customary editorial is forthcoming.

Meanwhile, check a snippet from the Washington Post concerning this latest controversy:

COLUMBIA, S.C.--Aides to Barack Obama who are concerned about his fortunes nationally cast his decision not to kick Donnie McClurkin off the program of a gospel concert the campaign was hosting as a principled decision, part of the Illinois senator's constant rhetoric of bringing people together even if they disagree. But in South Carolina it was perhaps important to keep him on the bill for a more obvious consideration: despite the singer's controversial comments in the past about homosexuality, which he has likened to a "curse" and said is a choice, he would be a big draw.

When people stopped by Obama's Columbia office over the last few days to ask about tickets, they specifically checked to make sure McClurkin was still coming.

In Columbia last night, a crowd of more than 3,000 in a packed auditorium cheered and clapped during speeches from Obama aides and taped videos of the Senator and his wife, neither of whom attended, but leaped up for applause and cell phone pictures when McClurkin was introduced. A gay South Carolina pastor, Andy Sidden, gave the prayer that opened the event, a compromise the Obama campaign put together after McClurkin's appearance was attacked by gay rights activists. Sidden's prayer noted the importance of people of all races, backgrounds and sexual orientations coming together.

But McClurkin, who won a Grammy in 2004 for his gospel music and is also the pastor of an evangelical church in New York, quickly became the star of the night, which was the conclusion of three gospel concerts the campaign held around the state. McClurkin essentially acted as the emcee of the event, introducing the other gospel artists who performed, and then took the stage for the last hour. In between sermonizing, singing, and raving about Obama, McClurkin repeatedly defended himself.

"I just said yes," he said of his invitation by the Obama campaign. "I didn't know so much was going to happen. I didn't know my yes was going to mean I was misunderstood and vilified. .. . Sometimes people can take your words and do this with them," he said, making a twisting motion with his hands as the crowd shouted Amens and cheered for him.

OK-and now for my synopsis/editorial. As I have mentioned previously (not to necessarily overstate the obvious) there are gradations or subdivisions among political persuasions. I would describe myself as a moderate conservative, definitely not cut from the same cloth as the evangelical strain of the Republican Party that has literally hijacked the land of the elephants. But it does appear that in order for a politician to have a chance he or she must at least talk with (if not show some allegiance) to the Christian right. This has been most evident in the case of famed evangelist, Billy Graham. Graham had a personal audience with everyone from Harry Truman to Bush II and left up to the fates whoever succeeds Bush.

But to Graham's credit he never aligned himself with the more shadowy elements of Jerry Falwell's Moral Majority. The kicker with the Obama factor is that his campaign has often stressed that he is an outsider and not part of typical political party machine. But Obama's need to align himself with singer/evangelist/ex-gay Donnie McClurkin proves that not only is he a politician but also once again he has to appeal to religious zealots-who forget that a core tenet of US governance is the alleged separation of Church and State. Bush and the evangelical segment of the right have forgotten that particular email.

In this instance, I must defend Obama (hey I can defend a brother on the left on occasion-don't faint)-why should he carry the weight of criticism for aligning himself with McClurkin when just about everyone on the left and right must appeal to an entire constituency of Christians (irrespective of color or denomination) that also do not support gay culture. Am I wrong on this? Again, let's hear from our readers. How I long for the days of reason and secularism. If those two precepts ever existed.

Check Out the latest BlackVoices/AOL poll on Anti-Baggy Pants Laws

What do you think about laws regulating saggy pants?
The laws are good 35%
It's flat wrong 29%
I can't believe I'm reading this 28%
Not sure 7%
Total Votes: 8,585

We addressed this issue a few weeks ago and since then the matter of laws fining individuals donning saggy underwear exposing garb appears to be gaining ground. Check out Black Voices' latest poll and results asking yay or nay to this fashion statement turned (hasn't always been?) criminal. It looks like the yays have it. What do you guy think? And check out the BV article while you're at it:

Saggy Pants Has a Price

A True (and Belated) Milestone in American History........But Can We Tear Ourselves Away From Beyonce News Though? Introducing Dr. William Hinton!

It's no secret that I have a problem with gossip blogs or perhaps more specifically our nation's inane fixation/fascination with celebrity culture. You can peruse any gossip blog and one can see literally hundreds of responses or comments devoted to pablum. Even in this blog as I have mentioned on a few occasions, the more salacious the story the more responses-the more historically significant....well you can hear a pin drop. Let's see if the following story generates any interest. Next up, Dr. William Augustus Hinton, inventor of the self-named Hinton syphilis test. Pay close attention to this gentleman's story which demonstrates modesty, perseverance and fortitude. And yet more from the historical record that clearly debunks any notions of alleged racial inferiority. It's time to rise folks-we can do better.....Dr. Hinton has shown us that we have achieved with greater impediments. Come on, People!-shout out to the inimitable Dr. Cliff Huxtable. Check out an excerpt from the Hinton article, thanks to the Boston Globe:

When Dr. William Augustus Hinton developed his test for syphilis in 1927, the disease was on the rise in the United States. Much like AIDS in the 1980s, it was a scourge to be feared, sometimes resulting in blindness, heart disease, paralysis, and madness. Poor, black communities were struck particularly hard.


The Hinton test was more accurate and less expensive than its predecessors, and it spared untold numbers from long, painful, and risky courses of treatment. The test was endorsed by the US Public Health Service and adopted by hospitals around the country. Yet Hinton kept a low profile, refusing an award on at least one occasion and opting not to attend meetings of the American Microbiological Association, of which he was a member.

"He didn't want notoriety," said his grandson, Charles Jones. A modest man, Hinton was black, and he feared that his peers would take his work less seriously if they knew.

Forty-eight years after Hinton's death, the Boston History & Innovation Collaborative will honor Hinton's contributions to healthcare during its eighth annual History & Innovation Awards at the InterContinental Boston hotel on Nov. 13. With the award, the Collaborative hopes to introduce Hinton's work to the many Bostonians who have never heard of him.

"Hinton is not really included when people talk about Boston's medical innovators," Robert Krim, executive director of the Collaborative, said. "But he's a towering figure when you look back, especially in light of racism in the 1920s."

For more of the Hinton article, click on the link below:

Overdue kudos for medical innovator

Here We Go Again.....Thankfully He Didn't Apologize-Overstock.com CEO-Patrick Byrne makes controversial remarks

Mr. Starks' adage "the unattractive truth" definitely applies here, doesn't it? If a doctor tells his patient that he or she has terminal cancer, the first reaction is normally denial-why should reminding minority communities of their socio-economic cancer be any different. Dr. Cosby (and yours truly will provide a review of his latest literary effort shortly) has received an equally cold public response when since he too highlighted a bleak future for our nation's underclass youth. Thankfully, both men have not only remained steadfast with their assertions but also have not apologized. Public capitulation in a nutshell....sucks. When a public figure says something that really is unconscionable, he or she may be due for the appropriate tongue lashing (Ann Coulter are you listening-never let it be said that I can't criticize a fellow conservative) but why demand an apology when it is more than likely to be insincere if not forced. But if I did offend anyone with this latest entry please accept my heartfelt apology......yeah right. Check out the Byrnes story in its entirety, courtesy of Eurweb:

OVERSTOCK.COM FOUNDER TARGETED BY NAACP: Web site honcho uses controversial choice of words regarding minority high school dropouts.
(October 29, 2007)

*Overstock.com founder Patrick Byrne has refused the NAACP's demand for an apology Friday after video surfaced showing him saying that Utah minorities who don't graduate from high school might as well be burned or thrown away. [See clip below.]

The comments were made during a debate two weeks ago in Provo, where Byrne was speaking in favor of vouchers, public aid for families sending kids to private schools, according to the Associated Press.


A statewide voucher program that would grant $500 to $3,000 per child based on family income is on the Utah ballot Nov. 6.


On the video clip that appears on YouTube, Byrne says: "Right now, 40 percent of Utah minorities are not graduating from high school. You may as well burn those kids. That's the end of their life. That's the end of their ability to achieve in this society if they do not get a high school education. You might as, just throw the kids away."

Byrne said Friday that his remarks were taken out of context and he will not apologize.

"These folks have been selective in their editing," Byrne told The AP. "I very clearly said the system is throwing away 40 percent of the minority kids because they're not graduating. I'm saying that I'm against throwing kids away. People against vouchers are in favor of throwing the kids away," Byrne said.

Jeanetta Williams, a voucher opponent and president of the NAACP's Salt Lake branch, said the videotaped comments shocked her and she believes Byrne meant that minorities who don't graduate should be burned or thrown away. Williams noted that Byrne didn't mention white children who don't graduate. Utah is 83.5 percent white, 11 percent Hispanic and 1 percent black.

"It says he's not sympathetic to the minority community and he means exactly what he said," Williams said of Byrne's lack of an apology.

Byrne, chief executive of Utah-based Overstock, has long been a voucher advocate and has donated several hundred thousand dollars to the voucher movement in Utah. The NAACP is against vouchers, saying they could lead to segregated public schools. It says tuition still would be out for reach for many minority families because a voucher wouldn't cover the entire cost of private school.

Bear With US.....show delayed to 8:30pm

Show delayed because of tech problems with our servers.

Let's Do It Again! Darrell McNeill of the Black Rock Coalition next on Afronerd Radio-this Sunday at 8pm eastern!

Due to scheduling conflicts, we were unable to interview Mr. McNeill (the Director of Operations for the NY Chapter of the BRC) a few weeks ago but be rest assured the interview will take place this Sunday at 8pm (eastern). For those familiar with legendary guitarist Vernon Reid (of the equally legendary Rock group, Living Color) he along with musician/journalist Greg Tate founded the Black Rock Coalition to galvanize alternative artists of color who did not necessarily fit in the r &b and hip hop categories that are oftentimes ascribed to them. This will be a special broadcast as we attempt to decipher what black rock is and how can it be disseminated to the masses. So drop by and give us your opinions as we will be broadcasting “live.” The dial in number is 646-915-9620 or if you are the shy type, feel free to IM/email us at-afronerdradio@yahoo. We also have a chatroom feature at afronerdradio dot com. And remember we are the original chief rockers-Be there and Be Square!

You Know What Time It is........Thursday at 9pm eastern is Afronerd Radio's Week in Review

As the title so aptly states-it's that time again when we do our Week in Review show coming up this Thursday at 9pm. The topics up for grabs this week are:
Molestation charges rock Oprah's Academy for girls, Nas' insistence on naming his next cd the infamous N-word, 2 separate cases of make believe gunplay result in one party going to the morgue and the other getting suspended from his school and we may have time to discuss a recent Nobel Prize winning scientist's racist remarks about inferiority and Africa's progress. So as you can see we have a fully stocked bar of topical drinks-stop by and chat us up at: 646-915-9620 or via IM/email at afronerdradio@yahoo.

Another Make Believe Gun Story-Man's Finger-Gun Gesture Points to his Death by Undercover cop!

I'll refrain from editorializing as this will be discussed on Thursday's Week in Review broadcast:

PRETEND-GUN SHOOTING LEADS TO REAL FATAL ONE
By BRIAN HAMACHER and LARRY CELONA

Officers inspect the car where a man was shot dead on 120th Street and 1st Avenue October 22, 2007 -- By LARRY CELONA, REBECCA ROSENBERG and DAN MANGAN


An undercover cop today came forward Monday and admitted to fatally shooting an unarmed 25-year-old driver during a road-rage argument on a Harlem street the day before - a shooting the off-duty officer fled from without notifying authorities.

Hours after Officer Sean Sawyer's dramatic admission, NYPD brass said the Queens narcotics cop shot Jayson Tirado when Tirado reached toward the back seat of his car, pretended to pull out a gun, and told him, "Say hello to Mr. Ruger."

Sawyer, 33, was holed up at the 25th Precinct, where he refused to answer detectives' questions about the Sunday morning shooting, which occurred 10 hours after he went off duty. He also retained a lawyer.

"The investigation is continuing, so as of yet, no one has been charged," said a spokesman for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.

Tirado's grieving family blasted the married Sawyer for being trigger-happy and killing the father of one for no good reason.

"He killed [Tirado] like a reckless teenager, shooting him through the window, abandoning my son, letting him die," said the dead man's weeping mother, Irene Tirado, at their East Village residence.

"Now I find out it was a police officer."

Family friend Louise Velez said, "I think it's horrible when the police commit a crime like that."

The shooting occurred about 5 a.m., when Sawyer, who was alone in his own car, and Tirado, who was driving another car containing two passengers, pulled off the southbound FDR when police funneled traffic toward the 116th Street exit and First Avenue because of a fatal motorcycle accident.

NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said Tirado refused to let Sawyer's car pass when they were getting off at the exit, and that soon afterward, as their cars headed north on First Avenue, Tirado swerved in front of Sawyer and slammed on his brakes.

When Sawyer, a four-year veteran who was in plainclothes, got out of his car and approached the other vehicle on foot, according to Browne. Tirado then reached toward the back seat and pretended to pull out a gun, extended his arm and pointed his fingers at the cop, and made the reference to "Mr. Ruger," Browne said.

Ruger is a gun manufacturer.

Sawyer then pulled his pistol and shot Tirado at least once, hitting him in the torso. The cop then drove off.

Tirado was taken to Harlem Hospital, where he died.

For more of this story, click on the link below:

PRETEND-GUN SHOOTING LEADS TO REAL FATAL ONE

I guess the Thought Police Really Do Exist-7 year old suspended for drawing a picture of a gun!

In response to the above caption-perhaps there was confusion between a child drawing a gun on someone with a child's drawing of a gun. But to be honest, my first thought was that this is definitely a case of school officials overreaching. Again, this was my knee jerk reaction based on the initial reporting of this story. Upon further analysis, it's a little deeper than the child drawing a picture of a pistol. As the above picture demonstrates, the child's picture depicts a gun being pointed at another party. Perhaps we are still talking about an over reaction on the part of school officials but I believe the public has just had enough. At best, the child should have been probed to determine the origin of such a picture. But let's take a look at the article in question and I'll let our readers decipher this issue:

Courtesy of nbc10.com:

Parents Weigh In On Child's Gun Drawing
7-Year-Old's Mother Angry Over School Suspension

A drawing by a South Jersey second-grader sparked a clash of opinions.


The picture got the child suspended from his Cape May County school, and students and parents were weighing in on the incident.

When a Dennis Township second-grader drew a picture of himself pointing a gun at another child, he was suspended. The school district said it's appropriate but some said the suspension was an overreaction.

The sketch showed two stick figures. One, with what the student said is a water gun, pointed at the other.


When 7-year-old Kyle Walker drew a picture showing him shooting at his friend David while riding on a school bus last week, Shirley McDevitt said she wasn't concerned.

"When a child draws at that age, they are not drawing something with thought," she said. "Especially when Kyle told me, 'Mom it was a water gun' and he does not have a problem with David."

David showed the picture to his parents who turned it over to Dennis Township primary school officials who sent home a letter saying it was a threat and suspended Kyle for a day noting they have a zero tolerance violence policy.

"It states that they will not tolerate guns, knives, weapons being brought into the schools and if his pencil drawing is a weapon then I'm sorry," McDevitt said.

Jenna Arch's little sister is a friend of Kyle's.

"I think kids will be kids," Arch, of Dennisville, said. "It does concern me to an extent but like I said he's a child. I think he's expressing his art."

Kyle was back in school Monday.

Heather Sudll, a parent, said a picture like that should raise some eyebrows.

"You have to take precautions these days especially with all the shootings taking place in schools," she said. "It taught him a lesson at least, and it will teach the other kids."

McDevitt said the suspension did not teach Kyle a lesson.

"They taught him nothing," she said. "They taught him that if he draws a gun, he can get a day off from school. And the only thing that bothers me -- they kept my child from a day of learning."

The school district released a statement saying, "It is the position of the Dennis Township Board of Education to protect and preserve the confidentiality rights of all of our public school students in the Township of Dennis. These rights are afforded to school children under federal and state statutes."

"Therefore, the district believes that any discussion regarding students or student matters will violate those statutory rights. This would be to the detriment of not only this child, but all school children in the state of New Jersey," the statement said.

The district had no further comment on the matter.

Several people voiced their opinions to NBC 10 about the incident. A few comments are listed below.

"This is as far from teaching kids right from wrong as it gets. At this age, without any aggression being shown, the parents could easily have been contacted and the issue discussed with the child before any action was taken," David from Cherry Hill wrote.

"This is 'political correctness' gone mad. How can we rely on good education for our children when some school administrators have no brains?" Mike wrote.

It Looks Like It's Going Down-the NOI's call for 10,000 Men in Philly is actually happening!

Well it appears that a glimmer of an internal movement exists-let's see if this story garners as much attention and energy as the Jena 6 neo-civil rights movement. Several weeks ago it was reported that in response to the escalating death rate in Philadelphia specifically, the NOI (Nation of Islam) put out a call to men of color to gather in great numbers (10,000 plus) to patrol the city of brotherly love in hopes of lessening the Black blood flow. The true test will come if this noble endeavor can be replicated nationwide. For more on this issue, check out the article in question, courtesy of the Washington Post:

Black Men Rally Against Phila. Crime

By MARYCLAIRE DALE
The Associated Press
Sunday, October 21, 2007; 6:29 PM

PHILADELPHIA -- Thousands of black men turned out Sunday to support a volunteer effort aimed at reducing violence in this crime-plagued city, lining up for several blocks to register.

Volunteers who join street patrols as part of the "Call to Action: 10,000 Men, It's a New Day" campaign will not carry weapons or make arrests but will instead be trained in conflict resolution, organizers said.


Roy L. Brown, left, Stephon Knox and David D. Cheatham raise their hands in support of the 10,000 men call to action Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007, in Philadelphia. Thousands of black men turned out to register Sunday for a volunteer effort aimed at reducing violence in their community. Organizers hoped to attract 10,000 men to the project, which was originally conceived as a neighborhood patrol effort but will now encompass a variety of volunteer opportunities.
Roy L. Brown, left, Stephon Knox and David D. Cheatham raise their hands in support of the 10,000 men call to action Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007, in Philadelphia. Thousands of black men turned out to register Sunday for a volunteer effort aimed at reducing violence in their community. Organizers hoped to attract 10,000 men to the project, which was originally conceived as a neighborhood patrol effort but will now encompass a variety of volunteer opportunities.

"Nobody else is going to magically come into this community and get it done," said real estate developer Abdur-Rahim Islam, a lead organizer.

Mayor John F. Street, music producer Kenny Gamble and other black community activists joined Police Chief Sylvester Johnson at Temple University for the kickoff rally.

Acknowledging that police alone can't quell a run of violence, Johnson called for 10,000 volunteers last month to help make the streets safer. Philadelphia endures a reputation as one of America's deadliest cities, with about a slaying a day and many more nonfatal shootings.

The nation's sixth-largest city has nearly 1.5 million residents, 44 percent of them black. It has notched more than 320 homicides this year. More than 80 percent of the slayings involve handguns, and most involve young black males.

Organizers had originally talked of deploying volunteers to patrol the streets, but they suggested Sunday that some would help out established community groups such as youth organizations.

The exact number of volunteers who signed up was not immediately known.

Johnson said he believes enlisting volunteers to help address violence was better than hiring more police to lock people up.

"These (volunteers) can prevent people from being arrested. They can go out there and do things for kids to prevent them from getting in trouble with the criminal justice system," Johnson said.

Non-blacks were also welcome, but organizers stressed the need for the black community to solve its own problems. Most of the victims of gun violence in the city are black.

"I grew up in the streets. I don't want my son to be subjected to the same thing," said resident Christopher Norris, 34, who brought his 15-year-old son, Isaiah Saunders, to the event.

"I want to keep him on the right track and let him know there are more opportunities out there, and he doesn't have to resort to violence," Norris said.

And one last treat.....another Boondocks episode....

Boondocks-Stop snitchin' episode

Sarah Silverman's Just Not funny........with or without the Al Jolson homage.....

I received word about this Sarah Silverman episode courtesy of a email from Min. Paul Scott who stewards several Afrocentric websites and blogs/yahoo groups. I suspect our definition of pro-Blackness is a bit different than Scott's as the video below will serve as a testament to that assertion:

Fox News interviews Minister Scott



But back to the matter at hand, Scott sent out an mass email pertaining to the Silverman blackface routine and I must agree that not only is it lethargic it's just not funny. I understand what she is attempting to do here (call it irony, double-entendre, etc) but her vaunted acerbic wit is well.....not acerbic and again, not funny. Blackface has never been funny as it purports to exaggerate African features that many Whites are currently attempting to co-opt minus the credit. Hottentot Venus toured Europe as an oddity and now White females are getting derriere implants with greater frequency. And let's not talk about lip augmentation and tanning. Conversely, people of color have had their fare share of trying to incorporate a European standard of beauty. All in all, it amounts to madness-but I digress. Racial humor is a tricky tightrope and some are more adept at it than others. This is what happens when a cottage minstrel industry is allowed to flourish-others want to jump in and join the party. Just as Dr. Cosby's book so poignantly states-Come on, people!

For more of the Silverman episode in question, click below:

Sarah Silverman Show-"Hate Crime"

More Cosby and a synopsis by Errol Louis.......

I will not be deterred (just as Dr. Cosby continues to stay on message) from addressing the pathological and dysfunctional precepts that appear to permeate throughout communities of color. As the death toll and stats rise, the Dysons, Jacksons and Sharptons and a whole host of social progressives continue to wear blinders in not allowing Black folk to be more self-effacing regarding internal cultural matters. As long as we remain victims, you never have to say you're sorry, take responsibility or more importantly take action. But I suspect the tide is turning and a once silent majority is tired of being tired demanding behavioral change. Let's take a look at the latest op-ed piece by NY Daily News scribe, Errol Louis:

The brilliant clarity of Cosby

Sunday, October 21st 2007, 4:00 AM

Three years after ruffling feathers and making enemies with a pungent public rant about the need for higher standards of behavior, achievement and personal responsibility in low-income black communities, Bill Cosby is back with a vengeance.

The good news: though his call for a cultural revolution from within is just as vital, this time he is a far less controversial voice representing mainstream views.

Cosby's new book, "Come on People," co-authored by Harvard psychiatrist Dr. Alvin Poussaint, has already been featured on Oprah, Larry King and an extraordinary full hour on NBC's "Meet the Press." It's destined for a slot on the best seller lists.

The mainstream has caught up with the entertainer, and not a moment too soon. Cosby's straight talk and self-help solutions flow like a fresh breeze through the tangle of university jargon and cowardly excuses that so often turn discussions of inner-city problems into a muddle.

"A house without a father is a challenge. A neighborhood without fathers is a catastrophe, and that's just about what we have today," write Cosby and Poussaint, citing startling statistics:

Of about 16,000 murders in this country each year, more than half are committed by black men.

Young black men are twice as likely to be unemployed as other American men.

Although black people are just 12% of the general population, they are some 44% of prison inmates.

In more than 20 years of thinking and writing about these issues, I'm used to hearing professors and politicians - both liberals and conservatives - respond to such numbers with competing "root cause" explanations that locate problems and solutions everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

Some claim every vice afflicting black neighborhoods has cultural roots. Others blame the economy, immigration, welfare spending, public schools, white racism, black racism, the legal system, religion, atheism, the Democrats or the Republicans.

Cosby's path through this jungle of endless debate is to encourage individuals to build up themselves and their families - not as a substitute for political activity, but as the glue that creates politically powerful communities.

The authors are wonderfully ecumenical about how to deal with the crisis of fatherlessness: "We must reach out to black youth, particularly black boys, to show them all of the opportunities that are available. But more than show them, we've got to lead them, and that takes mentoring and tutoring and coaching."

I can't imagine a less controversial message - one that really shouldn't require an hour on "Meet the Press" to break through. But Cosby still has his detractors.

"This is hardly the call to action that can inspire and motivate underachieving blacks...," says columnist Earl Ofari Hutchinson. "Cosby's blame the victim slam does nothing to encourage government officials and business leaders to provide greater resources and opportunities to aid those blacks that need help."

And sadly, Hutchinson speaks for plenty of others who would rather close their eyes to what is, like it or not, an unpretty picture for black families.

They are dead wrong. Many government and business leaders, who over the last 50 years have committed billions of public and private dollars to a long run of housing and social welfare programs, are closing their checkbooks as they watch troubled black families and neighborhoods continue to disintegrate.

Bringing these players back to the table and getting the problems of the inner city higher on the public agenda requires facing problems with Cosby's fearless, gritty optimism and mobilizing every person of goodwill, from ghetto streets to corporate suites and high government office, to pitch in and help.

That much, by now, should be beyond debate.

And more of Cosby on Oprah: