Stephen A. Smith, You’re Wrong — What Black People need is an Independent Political Party

“What I dream is that for one election, just one, every Black person in America vote, Republican.” — Stephen A. Smith 

In wake of Stephen A. Smith’s political call for a Black-voting transition from Democrat to the Grand Old Party, divisive commentary from the African-American community has certainly ensued. Some Black voices argue that Smith’s action is absurd and even question his political and cultural integrity as an African-American man. Others claim that the Smith antagonizers assume that all Blacks have pledged a dutiful allegiance to the Democratic party and point to the stereotypical notion that not every Black person is homogeneous in political behavior.

From a historical perspective, I understand the methodology behind Smith’s flawed yet idealistic political sentiments; as they have been articulated by Black leaders of the past. For instance, in his 1964 speech the “Ballot or the Bullet”, Malcolm X advocated for Blacks not to fall privy to the idealism of the Democrats as a political system for the advancement of African-Americans; mostly due to the party’s lack of concern for the socio-economic and political interests of the Black community after they obtained the Black vote.

However, unlike Smith, Malcolm X did not tell Black people to vote Republican.

Fast-forward into modernity, many African-Americans are still skeptical whether or not Black interests are on the forefront of the Democratic agenda. With racial tensions rising – much due to the extrajudicial killings and attacks against innocent Black people — many question whether Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton will be dedicated to the salient issues raised by activists groups such as the Black Lives Matter Movement.

Although Smith’s ideology to sway the Black vote from Democrat to Republican is quite interesting, I find that Smith himself — as well as Black advocates for both the Democrat and Republican parties — are missing crucial points as they sway along the proverbial pendulum of political philosophies.

And the crucial points are as follows:

Black people don’t need the Democratic party. Black people don’t need the Republican party.

What Black people need is an independent, Black political bloc and coalition to articulate interests, injustices and concerns that thoroughly pertain to the plight of African-Americans in America.

Now, this is what Brother Malcolm told Black people.

The historical basis of Black political thought stems from two perspectives — that of the multiracial, Democratic coalition-based ideology formulated by civil rights activist Bayard Rustin and that of a self-sufficient, independent Black political bloc, advocated by the likes of Malcolm X, Stokely Carmichael and Charles V. Hamilton.

Author Frederick C. Harris, in his book, “The Price of the Ticket: Barack Obama and the Decline of Black Politics” describes these perspectives as a “clash of ideas”; as Black leaders have historically argued about which political style to use to advance Black concerns. However, Black people have worn out their welcome with the coalition-based style of politics as the concerns of the African-American community has fallen to deaf ears and blind eyes to both Democrats and Repbulicans.

Now, more than ever, in wake of Sandra Bland, Walter Scott, Eric Garner, Freddie Gray, Walker Scott, Tamir Rice, Aiyana Jones, Akai Gurley, Trayvon Martin, Ezell Ford, Rekia Boyd, Oscar Grant, and the countless other innocent Black people who have died at the hands of enforcement, it is time for a revolutionary, political change. It is time for Blacks to turn to the idealism of Carmichael and Hamilton and advocate for Black self-determination and aggregate our socio-economic resources to control the political context of systematic and institutionalized injustices.

And The Black Lives Matter Movement could be the very vehicle to bring such a historic, political change.

Because in all actuality, at this point in time, both the Democrat and the Republican need Black people more than Black people need either political party. It is about time we create something of our own.

And this Black, independent political articulation, Mr. Smith, is what you need to dream for.

New dietary guidelines to change the course on national nutrition policy

A nutritional advisory committee commissioned by the Obama administration released its highly anticipated federal food report last week, proposing new dietary initiatives that will ultimately alter the discourse of national nutrition policy.

In an attempt to ‘transform the food system’, the 570-page Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee report was presented to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture, as recommendations cited within the document will be utilized by both departments to establish new dietary guidelines. These new nutritional initiatives will also serve as the foundation for federal food funding and school lunch programs, which costs $16 billion dollars annually.

So what exactly are these new dietary guidelines suggesting?

Well, for starters, the dietary recommendations suggest three-to-five cups of coffee a day, as studies have shown that drinking a moderate amount of coffee can reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Additives to coffee such as cream and sugar should be regulated, as these, according to the advisory committee, can cause increased caloric intake and weight gain.

Controlling one’s cholesterol has been a constant dietary theme, as present nutritional instruction suggests limiting cholesterol intake to 300 milligrams a day. However, the advisory committee overturned the recommendation on limiting cholesterol, as it could not find a substantive relationship between dietary cholesterol and cholesterol in the blood.

The panel of nutritional experts also recommended that the government should consider the environment when advising Americans on what to eat. With this nutritional tip, there should be a promotion of more vegetables and fruits and meat within the American diet, as integrating these dietary measures can secure long-term food sustainability and security for present and future generations.

The report also noted that beef was the single food with the greatest impact on the environment, due to its production of greenhouse gases.

However, Republican Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley and some meat industry producers have a serious ‘beef’ with the committee’s less meat approach.

“Generations of cattle farmers and ranchers have been and continue to be conscientious about conserving limited natural resources,” said Sen. Grassley to FoxNews.com. “They rely on the land and the environment for their livelihood. Those facts get lost in Washington and in arguments that eating red meat hurts the environment.”

Perceiving the committee’s rhetoric as non-meat friendly, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association released a statement, noting that “lean beef is one of the most nutrient rich foods, providing high levels of essential nutrients such as zinc, iron and protein, as opposed to empty calories.”

The North American Meat Institute (NAMI), which is the oldest and largest trade organization association representing U.S. packers and processors of beef, pork, lamb, veal, and turkey, also thrashed the report, claiming it to be ‘flawed’ and ‘nonsensical’.

The NAMI President and CEO Barry Carpenter also accused the panel of overstepping its boundaries, stating that the committee’s “foray into the murky waters of sustainability is well beyond its scope and expertise” and added that it was “unfortunate” that the committee was “generalizing about an entire category of foods.”

No Justice, No Money: Eric Garner’s Family Has Not Received Money Raised in His Name on Crowdfunding Sites

Despite the flood of online funds that were raised in memoriam of Eric Garner, family members of the deceased claim that they have yet to receive one dime of the thousands of dollars donated.

About 19 funding campaigns for the Garner family have been created and their outreach can be found on several popular fundraising sites including IndieGoGo, Fundly, and GoFundMe. One funding project claims that it has raised about $75,000, while another has said to have acquired nearly $10,000. Despite these copious figures, Garner’s mother, Gwen Carr and his daughter, Erica Garner, say they have no knowledge to the whereabouts of the money and are unfamiliar with many of the alleged fundraising activities.

“I feel like people are trying to use my father’s name for their own gain,” said Erica Garner, 24. “It’s unfortunately a sad situation.”

According to DNAInfo, an advocacy organization known as the Charlotte Activist Collective, launched a GoFundMe campaign in hopes of raising $1 million for Esaw Snipes, Garner’s widow. Having raised $9,301, the group on their bio page claims that they have been in contact with the Garner family and gained the approval of Snipes for their fundraising efforts.

“We’ve been in touch with Esaw Garner and she supports our fundraising efforts!”

“We’ve been in touch with the Garner family and we will soon personally be going to deliver your donations to them. When we do so, we will post ANY and ALL media & messages here and on our social media pages. Please donate and/or share with your family, friends, and acquaintances online and off.”

Carr and Garner claim that they have never heard of the organization or the fund.

Andrew Doty, a St. Louis book editor, raised $75,000 on a Fundly campaign, but claims that the funds have not been dispersed by the site due to the uncertainty of which of the family members should receive the money.

After receiving calls from relatives of Garner and others claiming to be relatives, who urged him to send them the funds directly – in cash – Doty agreed to send all proceeds to Jonathan Moore, the family lawyer.

“It’s made me very wary of who’s calling me and sending me emails,” said Doty, “I got these sort of mixed messages… I waited for that confirmation [from Jonathan Moore] and now we’re in the process of getting that money to him.”

These fundraising dilemmas have also incited tensions between members of the Garner family, as both Carr and Garner claim that one of Garner’s other daughters raised $40,000 on IndieGoGo, and refuses it share the funds with Erica Garner.

“As soon as the money came in, she pulled back and nobody knows where that money went,” Erica Garner said.

Carr also mentioned in the DNAInfo report that she believed that the money received from the fundraisers would be divided between family members and would be used to keep her son’s memory alive.

“Some of the family has been getting money, but to me they haven’t been sharing it,” Carr said.

“I hate to see other people arguing about money. My son lost his life. This is how all of this came about, you can’t ever bring him back. Justice is a bigger issue.”

Sources:

http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20150219/st-george/eric-garners-family-has-yet-receive-thousands-of-dollars-raised-online

Obama calls for humility at National Prayer Breakfast

In wake of the sectarian violence initiated by ISIS, President Obama called for clergy, legislators and officials to put on a cloak of humility in regards to religious freedoms during his annual speech at the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday.

Referencing and quoting doctrines from various faith-based texts, including the Torah, the Koran and the Bible, Obama, in a most pastoral fashion, emphasized religious tolerance while discussing the inherent ‘sinful nature’ of humanity to twist and destroy faith.

“We are summoned to push back against those who would distort our religion for their nihilistic ends,” Obama said.

Reiterating a statement which he voiced during the U.N. General Assembly last year in regards to solidarity among world powers against ISIS, President Obama emphasized that “no God condones terror”, extending this sentiment to religious impropriety abroad as well as the historical infliction of intolerance in the United States.

“We see ISIL, a brutal vicious death cult that in the name of religion carries out unspeakable acts of barbarism,” he said reprehending them for “claiming the mantle of religious authority for such actions.”

“[But] unless we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place, remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ,” Obama continued. “In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often was justified in the name of Christ.”

Obama even made a brief mention of the Dalai Lama, who was in attendance as the breakfast’s most notable guest. Despite criticisms by the Chinese government about the Tibetan exiled leader, who claim him to be a religious separatist, President Obama cited the character of the religious and cultural icon, referring to him as a “powerful example of what it means to practice compassion.”

Although President Obama and the Dalai Lama have met each other three times prior, the breakfast served as the first public event with one another, causing speculation as to if there will be any more encounters between the world leaders in the near future

A.C.O.A.

Many say that luck could be one possible word to answer how I am in the position that I am today.

There are many times where I look up at the blues or greys of the sky, with a spirit of gratitude and tears in my eyes, wholly thankful to God for granting me such favor. Without question, my gratitude extends from the depths of an unequivocal humility, as the circumstances of my life could have reared me to take the road commonly traveled. Instead, this journey called life riddled me down the righteous path. And with that, I am truly grateful for the latter.

I am an A.C.O.A. – more readily described as an adult child of an alcoholic. I can be described as many things, many nouns and adjectives: I am Black.  I am Woman. Christian. Avid learner, reader, lover of travel. Some say I am funny. Others say I am intelligent. My mother says I am her sunshine and My God says that I am beautifully and wonderfully made. But the realization that I could be identified as an adult child of an alcoholic did not become fully recognized until I confronted the memories that haunted me from my childhood in therapy.

All my life – from the time I was born and even into my adult life – I grew up in a physically, emotionally and verbally abusive alcoholic household. As a child, I was not allotted certain freedoms that come along with the innocence of adolescence – as I was confronted with issues that both children and even adults should not, would not and could not endure. The oldest of three children, it was not unfamiliar to occupy the role as a surrogate aid to my mother who was in physical and emotional pain; or to my father who was in need to be heard in his inebriated and depressed state; or to be a shoulder to cry on for my younger brother and sister. In that role, I played the “brave one”, the “responsible one” and perhaps even the voice of reason. Being daughter, sister, friend, counselor, and also one of the grieved in the abusive cycle, left me little room to confront my personal issues. So with the unaddressed aspects of my life and along with the gnarly nature of my pride, I became oppressed, depressed and insecure.

These issues plagued me from the time I was in elementary school even until I left for college. I refused to confront them and instead of reconciling with my father or my feelings, I used academics, community service and activism as outlets to numb my depression. My willingness to succeed and to make a better life for myself and my family became the catalysts to self-medicating my unresolved pain.  And don’t get me wrong – it worked. I have accomplished things that I thought at one point were unimaginable. The beauty of this was that my accomplishments extended from my own volition and accord and I prided myself on my resilient nature as a means to expand the territory of my merit.

So there I stood with all these accolades, unfulfilled. Resilient, yet downtrodden. Recognized by my professors and peers, yet alone. Smiling, but with the obvious, all a façade. During my sophomore year of undergraduate though, my life spiraled out of control, and yet somehow, in some beautiful and divine way, reared its ugly head on track. That year, my mother was diagnosed with renal kidney failure, my parents separated, and I was unsure if I was able to return for the next academic term due to the lack of financial resources. My family and I even thought we were going to lose our home.  Instead of caving in, instead of losing my wits, I somehow found strength through the proverbial storm. Although it was rough and I truly wanted to give up, I realized in order for me to bloom and bask in my fullest potential, I must confront those skeletons in my closet, the thoughts of doubt and insecurity that plagued my innermost being, the unforgiveness that gnawed at my spirit and the anger within the depths of my soul. In order for me to deal with all the calamity around me, I had to finally address my issues to move forward.

So I did. And with that, I am able to write to you today in confidence, in contentment, in peace and as a whole. I have a lot to learn and not everything is intact but it is most important, firstly, that I know who I am and where I come from and that my past cannot and will not dictate to me what I shall be.

One day, while my mother and I were in the car, she said something that has always stuck with me.

“Jaimee, I had a conversation with your Uncle today.”

“Really, Mom? Well, what did he say?

“He said to me that with all that you have been through, you could have chosen a different route in life. You could have chosen a path of destruction but instead, by the grace of God, you have steered down the right path.”

After she told me that, I was silent and did not know what to say.

Many say that luck could be one possible word to describe how I am in the position that I am today.

But I now know what to say to those who deem luck as the answer – it is not luck, but God.

Only God.

The Power

I write words, the way in which I speak with my tongue. The same hand and mouth in which I use to write and speak unfettered words of love and wisdom, can also be utilized as both sword and bow.

Therefore, I beseech you, dear brethren, to be wise in the way you approach.

The Spirit

We are the new generation, yes.

But we walk in the spirit of Assata; we dream for hope and equality like Martin; we accept the double-consciousness of the American and the Negro like DuBois; we articulate the profound message of Black power and Black unity like Stokely and Shabazz; and even with all that is happening around us today, we shall not be moved like Rosa.

Many of these great people have gone on home – their messages just remnants on books and paper. But it is we, the new generation, that walk in their legacy and continue in the fight for a better future.

We shall overcome, not someday, but TODAY. This is the time. This is OUR time. ‪#‎BLACKLIVESMATTER‬

Strange Fruit in 2014: Lessons Learned from Black Bodies

I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I’ll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody’ll dare
Say to me,
“Eat in the kitchen,”
Then.

Besides,
They’ll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed–

I, too, am America.

-Langston Hughes

 

Black bodies…Swinging in the southern breeze…

February 26^th, 2012. Trayvon Martin: An unarmed 17-year old African-American male was shot fatally by George Zimmerman, in Sanford, Florida, who claimed that Martin was suspicious and possibly armed. Martin was only found to have an Arizona Iced Tea and a bag of Skittles in his possession.

September 14^th, 2013. Jonathan Ferrell: A 24-year old unarmed African-American male (and former FAMU football player) seeking help after a car crash, was shot fatally 10 times by Officer Randall Kerrick in Charlotte, North Carolina.

November 2^nd, 2013. Renisha McBride: A 19-year old African-American woman, shot fatally by Theodore Wafer, after crashing her car in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. She knocked on Wafer’s door for help. She was unarmed.

November 23^rd, 2013. Jordan Russell Davis: A 17-year old African-American male fatally shot by Michael Dunn over loud ‘rap crap’ playing from a Davis’ friends car at a local Jacksonville, Florida gas station.

And in most recent news:

August, 9^th , 2014. Mike Brown: An 18-year old unarmed Ferguson, Missouri teenager was shot multiple times by a local police officer, after a supposed scuffle between the officer and two other people.

It is clear by the above fore-mentioned (and the many others not listed, who were unjustly slain, may God rest their souls) that America still does not care about Black bodies. Though Langston Hughes, in one of his most renown poems, brings attention to the notion that Negroes, Blacks, African-Americans are too, America, it is in these very instances that it becomes clear to many African-Americans that being that “too” in this nation is still not the case. Although America should thank those Black bodies who nurtured and built (and continue to build) her terrain, it is in these heinous circumstances of outright bloodshed based on racial and prejudicial pretenses – these modern day lynchings — that being that “too” of America, even in 2014, comes with a price: and that price could ultimately be one’s life.

When I was younger, I remember my mother having an intense conversation with my brother about being a Black man in America. In my innocence and ignorance, I could not understand for the life of me, why my brother (especially at his tender age) needed such special attention and guidance on the ‘makings of being a Black man in America.” I remember her vividly, on many occasions – whether it was at the dining room table, in the car, or after church – ingraining cautionary phrases and (now, what I know) words of wisdom into my brother about his status of being a man of deep melanin.

She would tell him:

“If you ever get pulled over, son, place both hands on the steering wheel. Don’t make any sudden movements. Only do what the officer tells you to do, when they tell you to do it.”

“Son, try not to be out too late in the streets. The police are watching. You may not be doing anything, but they will still deem you suspicious. I know when you are grown, you will do what you want to do, but always be watchful of your surroundings and who you are with.”

“Don’t wear your hat backwards or have your hood on in the store.”

“As a Black man, son, you have to be extra careful. You are a Black man, and that is the first thing that anyone will see. They don’t care about how well you do in school, or if you are a state-champion in track. All they care about is that you are Black and that you are a man.”

My mother exasperated my brother with advice and lessons such as these, and also stories from the news and from her childhood about what it meant for my brother to Black in America. These ‘race lessons‘ were repeated like clockwork — it was almost like his homework, as my brother repeated time after time what my mother had taught him to do if he were ever to get pulled over or stopped by police officers. She was teaching, preparing and equipping him with these lessons – hoping to ensure that his life would not become the ultimate example.

At the time, my brother, did not fully comprehend what my mother was trying to teach him, but he was forcibly hit with the reality when he was pulled over by police officers in our hometown. He was walking a friend home, and his friend happened to be White. They frisked him and patted him down, while asking his friend whether she was okay or if he had bothered her. They claimed that he looked like a suspect that robbed a local Rite Aid – which is over a mile away from our home.

This was his first, and unfortunately not his last time, being wrongfully accused by a racially motivated law enforcement.

It is a shame that in contemporary times, that this type of cautionary rhetoric must given to Black men, but just like the stories from and of our ancestors, this advice has been passed down from generation to generation. Just as my grandmother told her sons, and my mother told my brother, I will eventually have to tell my son what it means to be a Black man in America. But, my mother’s advice and the advice of many parents of Black youth should (and does) not start and stop with just Black men, but Black women, too — as all Black bodies, regardless of gender, are susceptible to be targets.

Take for instance, what unfortunately happened to a 51-year old California woman who was beaten mercilessly by a California Highway Patrol officer along the Santa Monica freeway, and her assault was recorded by a passing motorist. Also, as mentioned above, the incident concerning Reneisha McBride, who was fatally shot, after knocking on a door for help after surviving a car crash.

And these women too, were also unarmed. 

There are many questions to be asked: When will “we” be safe? Our sons and our daughters? Our brothers and sisters? When will we finally have refuge in this very place that was built by our ancestors? When will stop having to tell our children to be careful of every step they take? Will we ever be free of racial profiling and repetitive nature of the slaying of black bodies? Which one of our sons and daughters will be the next Trayvon Martin? ? Jonathan Ferrell? Reneisha McBride? Or Mike Brown?

How many more lessons must the Black community learn from innocent Black bodies?

Langston Hughes’, at the end of his “I, Too” poem wrote:

“Besides,

They’ll see how beautiful I am

And be ashamed—“

When will America truly see how beautiful and valuable Black bodies are and be yet ashamed?

Or will it continue to see the value of our Blackness, only when we are hanging?

 

Meek Mill on Pause?

syncwithswift

MMG (Maybach Music Group) signed and Philly artist Meek Mill was recently sentenced on July, 14th 2014 to three to six months in prison for violation of his probation.  Prior to his sentencing,  Meek was on probation for a drug and gun charge in 2009, which would’ve had the rapper rapping behind bars for five to ten years. Luckily, he was saved by the bell with just probation.   Now for those who do not know who Meek Mill is, he is known for his platinum downloads for his Dreamchasers mixtapes and his song that got him buzzing on to the hip hop scene “Tupac Back” featuring Rick Ross of MMG. Here is the link to the music video 

As we know Meek Mill, who is not a stranger to the judicial system, has already had his run ins with the law.  Also, Meek does not really have a filter when it…

View original post 627 more words

Modern Hindrances to Pan-Africanism as a Movement

 …I said that just as the American Jew is in political, economic, and cultural harmony with world Jewry, I was convinced that it was time for all Afro-Americans to join the world’s Pan-Africanists. I said that physically we Afro-Americans might remain in America, fighting for our Constitutional rights, but that philosophically and culturally we Afro-Americans badly needed to ‘return’ to Africa – and to develop a working unity in the framework of Pan-Africanism.” – Malcolm X (El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz)

Pan-Africanism as a movement or a series of movements; as a discipline; as an ideology and as a universal unification mechanism for the resurgence of solidarity amongst African peoples—both continental and in the Diaspora—even in its contemporary phase advocates the notions of Pan-African consolidation and the political, social, economic and even psychological independence for African peoples historically and currently under colonial and neo-colonial regimes.

In an attempt to insert the aggregation of cultural, spiritual, artistic, scientific and philosophical African presence and legacies in a pervasive European culture of dogmatism and racial fanaticism, Pan-Africanism and the ‘politicization’ of the Movement, was championed, most notably, by greats such as W.E.B. Du Bois, Kwame Nkrumah, Marcus Garvey, Jomo Kenyatta and countless others who pioneered and participated in the affairs of the Movement. On its historical continuum, the Pan-Africanism Movement was able to thrive as it spawned into a series of movements, during a time where racial injustice, discrimination and prejudice was considered to be at one of its peaks.

With its maturation into modernity, the pervasive and persistent nature of Pan-Africanism – as a discipline, as a series of movements and as a universal unification tool – has seemingly fallen by the wayside; as generations of those who survived and fought the flagrancy of racism for hope of a universal African confederation has shifted to generations of African-Americans/Blacks/Africans of the Diaspora birthed in the ideologies of racial subtlety, race progression and the fallacy that is color-blindness.

In a neoteric age where capitalism, individualism and the notions of post-racial society reigns supreme, Pan-Africanism in its contemporary phase, acts as more an educational and historical ideology of the past; rather than a revolutionary and progressive political movement applicable to both past and present endeavors of Black/African global consolidation.

This paper is not written to deny Pan-African political consciousness in contemporary U.S. society; nor is it written to refute that work is currently being done to advance the Pan-Africanism Movement within the Diaspora. What this paper proposes and investigates are some of the modern hindrances of the Pan-Africanism Movement in the United States and the roadblocks which are prohibiting the progressive fervor of the Movement; or rather what St. Clair Drake describes as “racial-Pan Africanism in the United States…through the Black Power Movement and its attempt to achieve the criterion of unity with continental Pan-Africanism. (Walters, 1993, p. 55) Though “African-Americans [have] been a dynamic element in generating movement toward a world-wide African unity” (Walters, 1993, p. 54), this papers aims to pose why 1) the political process of the Pan-Africanism Movement has halted in modernity and 2) the possible hindrances that have caused both an intercontinental and intra continental divide between African-Americans and Africans to push for Pan-African consolidation.

Though only but three to four hindrances will be addressed throughout this paper, the foundations of this research will serves as a blueprint for future analysis on the modern hindrances of Pan-Africanism in the 21^st century. Therefore, by addressing these hindrances are only but an attempt to reawaken and rehabilitate the Movement that is Pan-Africanism.

The following hindrances will be addressed in this paper:

1. African/African-American Stereotypes, Stigmas and Biases
2. Africa as Sub-Saharan
3. Inter-regional Integration/Cooperation (or lack thereof): The N.A.A.C.P and the African Union
4. Barack Obama and the Myth of a Post-Racial Society

1. African/African-American Stereotypes, Stigmas and Biases

Africa, as the world’s second largest and most populous continent, within itself comprises a spectrum of ethnicities, a range of histories, cultural expressions, peoples, lineages, languages and ancestral ties which accentuate the multifaceted and multifarious nature of the continent. Though this notion of Africa, as a diverse and heterogeneous entity may be obvious to some, the pervasive and perpetuated broadcasting of a one-dimensional Africa in the media has caused many to overlook the multifaceted nature of the continent. This ubiquitous transference of negative and one-dimensional imagery about Africa has not only survived from pre-colonial times but into modernity; its affects have caused both the Caucasian and the African-American alike to carry stigmas, stereotypes and biases about Africa.

Although these images of “helplessness, dependency and suffering may indeed be true”, (Mahadeo & McKinney, 2007) these notions are not representative of all the cultural space of Africa – but even with this concept, the highlighted imagery of Africa persists as it is widely disseminated. Here, the notion presented by Jo Ellen Fair, which states, “of all the world’s regions, Africa is the least understood by Americans” (Fair, 1993) can be applied; as “Africa and Africans have been invented historically and reinvented contemporarily.” (Fair, 1993) Stigmas and stereotypes of Africa and Africans such as “impoverished”, “famine-plague”, “full of war”, “jungle-covered”, “Aids-ridden”, “savage”, primitive”, “underdeveloped”, “tribal”, “corrupt” and “troubled” (Fair, 1993), have survived into modernity and have affected some African-Americans conscious outlook on Africa as a historical, cultural and contemporary space. Moreover, these stereotypes and stigmas are not only applicable or transferred by African-Americans but are also stigmas held by Africans about their intercontinental counterpart; as African-Americans are perceived by some Africans as ‘lazy’, ‘criminals’ or ‘without culture.’

In reference to Pan-Africanism, the stereotypes listed and the ideologies shared by African-Americans, Africans and even those within the Diaspora, pose as a modern hindrance to the Movement because these stanch ideologies and beliefs are rather proposed or favored over reinventing a formidable movement to contemporary Black solidification and unification. Though many members of the Movement in the 1960s faced similar “tensions between [the] two proud groups – Africans and African-Americans – in attempt in what St. Clair Drake describes as ‘groping’ (Walters, 1993, p.57), despite the cultural and societal differences, attempts and persistent thrusts to create and recognize Pan-Africanism as a political entity were made by several organizations such as the Organization of African Unity, the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee and the Pan-African Federation.

Although shared complexion does not automatically equate to racial solidarity, biases and stereotypes presents itself as a hindrance to contemporary Pan-Africanism as it can hinder Afro-centric political consciousness and formation in the Diaspora.

II. Africa as the Sub-Saharan

The saying, “science does not exist in a vacuum,” can also be applied to Africa, as Africa does not exist in a vacuum; as it is ever growing, changing and evolving. Africa, comprised of 54 states, including islands and various territories, can be seen as an entity within itself but comprised of various regions. In regards to Africa territories today, Africa has been dubbed with the pejorative jargon ‘sub-Saharan’; which is a colonialist term described as “an euphemism for contemptuousness employed by the continent’s detractors to delineate between the Arab countries that make up North Africa from the 42 countries and the islands that make-up the rest of Africa.” (Onyeani, 2009) By virtue of the term sub-Saharan, this means North Africa consists of Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia.

Here, sub-Saharan in regards to Pan-Africanism presents itself as a modern hindrance as it purports the notion of the reclamation of Africa to only consist of those who are ‘sub’ or ‘underneath’ the invisible border and not Africa as a whole. Sub-Saharan also excludes the “millions of indigenous Africans who are ethnic natives in Morocco, Algeria, Libya and Egypt.” (Onyeani, 2009) If Pan-Africanism enacts as not only as a unification but a liberatory mechanism from those under colonial rule in the Diaspora, even in its contemporary phase, should not be exclusionary of ‘Northern Africa’; but inclusionary of all Africa and the Diaspora.

‘Sub-Saharan Africa’, according to Owen ‘Alik’ Shahadah, is yet another racial construct. Shahadah writes:

“The notion of some invisible border, which divides the North of Africa from the South, is rooted in racism; which in part assumes that sand is an obstacle for African language and culture. This band of sand hence confines Africa to the bottom of a European imposed nation, which exists neither linguistically (Afro-Asiatic languages); ethnically (Tureg), politically (African Union, Arab League); economically (CEN-SAD) or physically (Sudan and Chad). The over-emphasis on sand as a defining feature in African history is grossly misleading, as culture, trade and languages do not stop when they meet geographic deserts. Thus, sub-Africa is another divisive vestige of colonial domination which balkanized Africa.” (Onyeani, 2009)

III. Inter-regional Integration/Cooperation (or lack thereof): The N.A.A.C.P and the African Union

Although representing different Africans/Blacks of the Diaspora on different continents and with specify of their aims in regards to their missions (with the mission of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is to “ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of rights of all people to eliminate race-based discrimination”; and the African Union’s (AU) mission to be “an efficient and value-adding institution driving the African integration and development process in close collaboration  with African Union Member States, the Regional Economic Communities  and African citizens”) the NAACP and the African Union stand as pre-eminent organizations who were (and still are) crucial in advocating for the rights, liberties, justice and unification of Black/African peoples. (NAACP, 2013) (African Union, 2013)

Birthed from the Race Riots of 1908, founded in 1909 after the Niagara Falls Movement (with the name of National Negro Committee) and finally in 1910 converting its name to the NAACP, the NAACP stands as the largest and oldest civil rights organization. Founded by white abolitionists and Black scholars who opposed the wretchedness of racial injustice, the pioneers of the movement include the likes of W.E.B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells-Barnett and Mary Church Terrell. Contributions of the NAACP include the fight against the onslaught of Jim Crow and disenfranchisement, the creation of the Legal Defense Fund, civil suits against desegregation, lynching, media and federal advocacy, economic opportunity, health education and more.

The African Union, formerly known as the Organization of African Unity (O.A.U), was founded under a charter “institutionalizing the movement for African unity and was launched with the following aims: a) to promote the unity and solidarity of the African states b) to coordinate and intensify their cooperation and efforts c) to achieve better life for the peoples of Africa d) to defend their sovereignty, their territorial integrity and independence e) to eradicate all forms of colonialisms from Africa ad f) to promote international co-operation, having due regard to the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” (Esedebe, 1982, pgs. 226-227)

In 1990, the O.A.U. shifted to the African Union and intensified their promotion of a regional integration perspective, as it advertised an “integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in [the] global arena.” (Esedebe, 1982, p. 227) Consisting of 54 independent African states, the AU advocates ‘Pan-Africanism and the African Renaissance’, as it consists of a Pan-African Parliament and economic integration institutions such as the African Central Bank, the African Monetary Fund and the African Investment Bank.

Formidable in their own way on their perspective continents, both the NAACP and the African Union, present a modern hindrance to the Pan-Africanism Movement due to the lack of intercontinental integration, cooperation, organization and communication amongst the two groups. Although both groups advocate for the unification and the advancement of Black/African peoples, the NAACP and the AU focus on communal liberation, justice and unity for their respective domestic initiatives, issues and socio-economic and political values. But , I also argue that they also enact as individualistic entities; as they only focus on endeavors ranging on the interests of their continent and not the interests of Pan-Africanism within the Diaspora.

For example, one of the AU’s objectives is to “work with relevant international partners…in the eradication of preventable diseases and the promotion of good health on the continent.” (The African Union, 2013) Their many ‘continent-to-continent’ partnerships include Afro-Arab cooperation; the African-European Union partnership; the Africa-South America summits; and the Africa-Asia Sub-Regional Organizations Conference (AASROC). Their ‘continent-to-country partnerships’ also include India, Turkey, China, France and Korea; with prospective partnerships with the Caribbean, Iran and Australasia. Although the AU has the African-Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) with the United States, which “offers tangible initiative for African countries to continue their efforts to open their economies and build-free markets”, no other connections or partnerships has been fortified with Black organizations in the Diaspora, including America. This notion includes the N.A.A.C.P., as it too in its contemporary phase, has lacked to connect or re-connect with African organizations such as the AU.

This proves to be a hindrance in the modern Pan-Africanism Movement in the Diaspora as organizations such as the AU and the NAACP only emphasize their individual African/Black issues; thus, excluding African/Black representation, consolidation and unity as an option.

This is why in July of 1964, Malcolm X (El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz) told an O.A.U summit:

 “We in America, are your host brothers and sisters, and I am only to remind you that your problems are our problems. As the African-Americans “awaken” today, we find ourselves in a strange land that has rejected us, and, like the prodigal son we are turning to our elder brothers for help. We pray our pleas do not fall upon deaf ears…

 Your problems will never be solved until and unless ours are solved. You will never be fully respected unless we are also respected. You will never be recognized as free human beings until and unless we are also recognized and treated as human beings.”

(Esedebe, 1982, p. 233) (The African Union: A United and Strong Africa ) (Fair, 1993) (Onyeani, 2009 )

IV. Barack Obama and the Myth of a Post-Racial Society

The election of 44^th President of the United States, Barack Obama, as the first African-American President, was not only a pivotal turning point in the history of the United States but it also ushered a new wave of politics; as many believed that the election of the first Black President in a American society (known for its paradigm of blatant racism, cruel prejudice and wretched bigotry) changed the landscape of race-relations in the United States of America.

Thus, this notion of a new political terrain, supposedly ‘unnerved and unscathed’ by race, has caused many Americans to believe in thoughts of the possibilities of a multi-democracy and the idea that America is now embarking towards becoming a ‘post-racial society.’

According to Cathy J. Cohen, author of  “Millenials and the Myth of the Post-Racial Society: Black Youth, Intra-generational Divisions and the Continuing Racial Divide in American Politics”, with this notion of a post-racial/multi-democracy society, some academics and journalist purport that “once millenials dominate the political arena, many of the thorny social issues that have caused a great debate and consternation among the American public will be resolved.” (Cohen, 2011) Cohen also writes that “this line of reasoning suggests that young people who embrace and personify a more inclusive society will eventually take over both policy-making and thought leadership, moving both in a more liberal direction.” (Cohen, 2011)

Although many minority youth reject or are “particularly suspicious of a post-racial anything” (Cohen, 2011) another truth emerges where many youth are not suspicious of the notion of a post-racial society; not only based on the election of President Obama but also based on the ‘lack’ of consistency of the onslaught of racism, the common acceptance of racial subtlety and race-relations as progressive.

The notions of a post-racial society as an ideology amongst the youth –specifically, Black youth—presents itself as a hindrance to Pan-Africanism as it disrupts the notion of a need for a current and contemporary age of Black/African consolidation. If Pan-Africanism in its emerging stages, as an idea and as movement, was sparked by the consciousness of Black/African youth to the degradation and the ill-treatment of Blacks within the Diaspora, how will the movement re-ignite itself in a society where the notions of Pan-Africa are only but an idea of the past and not needed for current and future endeavors?

V. Conclusion

Although four hindrances were discussed throughout this paper— 1) African/African-American Stereotypes, Stigmas and Biases 2) Africa as Sub-Saharan 3) Inter-regional Integration/Cooperation (or lack thereof): The N.A.A.C.P and the African Union and 4) Barack Obama and the Myth of a Post-Racial Society, the foundations of this research will serves as a blueprint for future analysis on the modern hindrances of Pan-Africanism in the 21^st century. Therefore, by addressing these hindrances are only but an attempt to reawaken and rehabilitate the Movement that is Pan-Africanism.

Sources:

Cohen, C. J. (2011). Millenials & the Myth of the Post-Racial Society: Black Youth, Intra-generational Divisions and the Continuing Racial Divide in American Politics. 140, pp. 197-205.

Esedebe, O. P. Pan-Africanism: The Idea and Movement 1776-1963. District of Columbia , Washington , 1982: Howard University Press .

Fair, J. E. (1993). War, Famine and Poverty: Race in the Construction of Africa’s Media Image . Journal of Communication Inquiry , 5-22.

Mahadeo, M. &. (2007 ). Media representations of Africa: Still the same old story? (Vol. 4). Policy & Practice: A Development Education Review.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People . (n.d.). Retrieved from NAACP: http://www.naacp.org

Onyeani, C. (2009 ). Contemptuousness of ‘Sub-Saharan Africa. Retrieved from African News World: The #1 News about Africa: www.africannewsworld.com/2009/07/contemptuousness-of-sub-saharan-africa.html

The African Union: A United and Strong Africa . (n.d.). (T. A. Commission, Producer) Retrieved from http://www.au/int/en/

Walters, R. W. (1993). Pan-Africanism in the African Diaspora . Detroit , Michigan , United States of America: Wayne State University Press .