What’s worse than Democrats playing the race card on Republicans? Republicans playing the race card on Republicans.
This RNC wouldn’t know a ‘win’ if it hit them in the face.
Link: Reeling Republican establishment running out of time to stop Trump
Category Archives: Race Relations
Why Black History Month
There is a lot that we, as Americans, do not know about what is now called Black History Month.
Here are two pieces from Stacy Swimp at the Project 21 website on the subject.
The Origin and Purpose of Black History Month
History is a clock that people use to tell their political and cultural time of day. It is also a compass that people use to find themselves on the map of human geography. History tells a people where they have been and what they have been, where they are and what they are. Most important, history tells a people where they still must go, what they still must be. The relationship of history to the people is the same as the relationship of a mother to her child.
– J.H. Clarke
February is observed as “Black History Month” in America.
Its precursor, “Negro History Week,” was created by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1926 and observed on the second week of February.
A staunch Republican, Woodson choose that week in that month to honor the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.
Woodson created Negro History Week because black Americans and their accomplishments were largely left out of the educational curricula of that time. Where blacks were mentioned, it was usually very demeaning imagery or discriminatory ideas.
Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro (now African-American) Life and History in 1915 and the Journal of Negro History in 1916. He was dedicated to helping educate black and white Americans about blacks and their accomplishments and potential in a way that would benefit everyone.
His week-long observance was expanded to become Black History Month – officially recognized by the U.S. government – in 1976.
Unlike it often seems to be today, Woodson never intended black history to be about black firsts and a parade of black icons. Woodson was a scholar. He intended this observance as a means to get around the institutional hatred of the era and ultimately have this new information included in the teaching of American history, period.
In particular, Woodson wanted black Americans to understand the strong family values, work ethic, sense of individual responsibility, spirit of entrepreneurship and incredible dignity that was indicative of black Americans and their African ancestors.
This educational pursuit was also important to Woodson because he felt that historical awareness would inspire black Americans of his time to avoid becoming dependent on government to do for them what they could do for themselves.
Woodson also believed that, if white Americans knew the true history of blacks in America and in Africa, it would help overcome negative stereotyping.
Negro History Week was envisioned as a tool to develop and cultivate new awareness and new critiques. It was about unity. It was not a basis for ethnocentric pride and cultural divide – the path radical black Americans on the left have pursued over the past few decades.
I personally take advantage of the national spotlight that Black History Month provides to educate others about the real history leftist scholars rewrite or ignore, and stress the original purpose of Negro History Week.
Woodson’s vision was that someday a special week or month would no longer be required in order to appropriately honor black Americans and their accomplishments. Black history is American history – and a year-round school curricula relevant to all.
But that won’t occur under the oversight of the U.S. Department of Education as long as there continues to be a left-wing domination of public education.
When we segregate months to highlight ethnicities and genders, we cease to simply recognize accomplishments and instead encourage disunity among Americans of all stripes. The political left deserves scorn for their determination to keep America divided along ethnic, cultural and so-called class lines.
I am thankful for the work and the vision of Dr. Carter G. Woodson. History is indeed a human need. His contribution and that of other black Americans is considerable and far too important to ever be compartmentalized into just one month.
I pray for a day when Dr. Woodson’s desire to observe “Negro History” comes to proper fruition.
Black History Month Makes a Mockery of Black History
During “Black History Month” most people focus on black America’s “heroes.” Stories are shared about the past, or what some call the “black experience” in America.
Unfortunately, Black History Month seems to have become a mechanical celebration of a few people and a few things that are deemed appropriate by the media and black establishment.
This tired programming doesn’t do justice to the vision of Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the founder of “Negro History Week” — the precursor to Black History Month.
I suggest that merely heralding a few black heroes and situations is a perversion of the reason Negro History Week was originally created back in 1926.
The great Dr. Woodson believed we study black history to learn an historical perspective to use to deal with modern problems and practices.
Dr. Woodson wanted black Americans to understand where we came from, who we were and what we had done so that we might also understand where we really are, who we really are and what we can do today as well as where we still need to go, who we still need to become and what still must be done.
Negro History Week, as Dr. Woodson saw it, was not simply a commemoration or a celebration — it was a call to action.
His hope was that, by learning the valuable lessons of history, we would not make the same mistakes. Likewise, studying history and learning about the struggles of the past should motivate us to take some level of personal responsibility in making our home, neighborhood and society at-large a better place to live, work and play.
In his speech to the National Urban League’s annual conference on September 6, 1960, Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. provided a strong indictment of the black community’s failure to honor heroes with personal integrity and dignity rather than with phony ad hoc observances, saying: “The Negro must make a vigorous effort to improve his personal standards… One of the sure signs of maturity is the ability to rise to the point of self-criticism.”
We are suffering today for not properly studying, understanding and acting in response to the lessons of yesterday.
As a result, too many of us have become cynical and disillusioned. Some of us have conditioned ourselves to perpetuate a system of segregation. We have lost touch with an important something that’s called initiative.
Too many now cite the oppression of the past as an excuse for modern mediocrity.
Many of us also live beyond our means, spend money on frivolities and fail to give to serious causes, organizations and educational institutions that so desperately need our charity.
In that same 1960 speech to the National Urban League, Dr. King said: “Our crime rate is far too high.”
It is indeed an insult to the legacy of so-called Black History Month heroes that so many of us claim to honor when we too often live our lives in direct contrast to the values and principles that they challenged us to maintain.
Black History Month celebrations, in my opinion, have all-too-often become something other than an honorable commemoration.
It’s not an outright mockery, but the ways we sometimes behave would surely disgust Dr. Woodson and the people about whom he sought to teach us. They would be disgusted at how their contributions are increasingly being wasted.
If they saw how we commemorate Black History Month today, I think our forefathers might say: “Keep your fake celebrations. Try practicing some integrity and self respect.”
# # #
Stacy Swimp is a member of the national advisory council of the Project 21 black leadership network. Comments may be sent to [email protected].
Black Islamist Shoots White Cop
Officer Jessie Hartnett, shot by a guy who said he did it in support of Islam, is a hero by any measure. Despite being shot at point blank range, and hit 3 times in an arm, Officer Hartnett called for backup then got out of his car and chased the POS and shot him. Keeping him from getting away while his backup collard him. Within minutes, President Obama got on television and gave this sobering statement, ” .” Yeah, that’s right. Not a peep out of him, his Attorney General, or the head of the FBI.
They are, no doubt, working on their “message” before going public. Translation; how can we blame anyone but the perp (except the liberal-progressive Democratically-controlled city), distance Islam from it, politicize it by tying it to the Democratic candidates’ gun control agenda, and make the American people believe it?
And to top it off, the idiotic mayor of Philadelphia, goes on TV to say that what we saw was not what we saw, and what we heard (from the perp) was not what we heard. It’s a double whammy against the liberal agenda, which resides in a perpetual state of denial. Deny that Islam has anything to do with terrorism and attacks like this, and two, they just can’t find any room to support police.
This is soooo not in keeping with the liberal meme. Black man shoots White cop. Not just any Black man. This Black man was inspired, and empowered, by radical Islam. Like it or not, believe it or not, this is a segment of the population that is more susceptible to radicalization than other demographics. Especially those in prison. Unfortunately, the perpetual state of denial that the political left is in means we can expect to see more of this kind of attack on our police.
The Social Justice Scam
Does the Democratic Party own misery? The answer to this question lies in how Democrats get their power base. It’s called identity politics. They play and prey on victimhood. And there’s no better example how that has worked than a look of Baltimore, MD.
Stunning statistics. You might think that Baltimore is a utopia of some measure. But, it’s not. Baltimore has not had a Republican mayor since 1967. Other Democrat-run cities join Baltimore with surging gun crime. Using the logic of the Left and President Obama, seems like banning Democrats would be “doing something, anything to prevent gun violence.”
During the racially tumultuous 1950’s and 60’s, more and more Black Americans began to migrate to the Republican Party. President Lyndon B. Johnson set out to change that with his ‘War on Poverty.’ Johnson set out to get Blacks voting for Democrats by, essentially, paying them off with welfare.
In the decades that followed, the demographics of large cities changed. For two reasons. “The greatest generation” (not all White) experienced the American Dream they created. Good economic conditions enabled them to make the move to the suburbs to raise their family with space and a yard. Two comforts not found in a big city. The whole Ozzie and Harriet thing. At the same time, Johnson’s War on Poverty created a migration of Americans (not all Black) from small towns in the country into these cities. Because that’s where the welfare money is. The perceived ‘victims’ went to where the ‘help’ was. That help, led to the dissolving of family values and the family unit itself. It led to a condition where the government supplanted the family values and personal responsibility that existed before the War on Poverty.
The same cities, at the same time, saw the growth of suburbs. Something President Obama is waging his own war against. Race pimp that he is, he and the left/media call this migration ‘White flight,’ even though Blacks are moving out too. Labeling the population migration by race serves to support the victimhood status of Blacks, and ‘justifies’ even more welfare and dependency on government.
Lyndon Johnson’s plan worked beyond his wildest dreams. Black Americans consistently vote Democrat by over 90%. The latest incarnation of the War on Poverty is “Social Justice.” No one believes the war on poverty is intended to end poverty or help the poor, but to perpetuate it for political gain. That’s what Social Justice, the latest incarnation, is intended to do.
As the graphic on Baltimore shows, the only winner here is the Democrat Party. The losers are the people in those cities who vote for them.
As more of the (shrinking) working and middle class and (expanding) poor people are coming to realize, the solution to ending the misery is to try something different. It’s not about what the politicians in Washington are going to do specifically for your segment of the population, but what they can do for everybody.
Links: The Baltimore Democrats Built | Other Democrat-Run Cities Join Baltimore with Surging Gun Crime | HISTORY OF CIVIL RIGHTS, REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS
21st Century Noose
It ought to be patently obvious by now, that freedom and liberty are, and have been, under attack. It is under attack by a political class that no longer feels bound by the Constitution. In fact, they spend their time and energy to get around it.
Remember when we had he 1st Amendment? Where the government protected our right to free speech, not to mention specifically political speech.
Something nefarious is at work here. It’s liberalism’s social justice amendment. It isn’t there. It does not exist. But, you couldn’t tell from what’s been going on lately. PC has become the new reality.
Just look at the progress, and lack thereof, of the civil rights movement. How did the civil rights movement, which began with the Civil War and slavery, and reignited in the 1950’s and 60’s, go from segregation, to integration, only to go back to segregation?
Now we have kids being persecuted in school for standing up for their religious or political beliefs. Now we have students whining about someone hurting their feelings, and they want the administration to “protect” them. Protect them from reality. They are demanding a #SafeSpace. And some want it to be Black-only. Martin Luther King Jr. must be turning over in his grave on that one.
Left unchecked, Political Correctness is becoming the noose of the 21st century. What are you going to do about it? Slip it on, or demand your rights (not feelings) be protected.
aSide Order
Democratic Socialist Debate On CNN
Americans, illegals, and future illegals were treated to a triple dip of taxing, spending, and free stuff as the Democrat Party’s vision for America. Like most everything they’ve been supporting since 2008, it has been the turning everything we know upside-down. From the American dream and capitalism, the Constitution and Bill of Rights, and any hint of fiscal responsibility. It also was the first Democratic debate I’ve seen where an Independent was included. Were it not for the Independent (avowed socialist) Bernie Sanders, the TV viewing audience would have been down to friends and relatives of CNN employees.
Wealth envy and class warfare, with a heaping topping of race divisiveness were also evident. Basically, they get their power from pitting Americans against each other by creating victims, villains, and the savior. Not Jesus Christ, but them and their Party. Exhibiting a moral standard of the lowest of society, with expectations to match.
Doubling the national debt since 2008, and proposing to double it again with all the “free stuff,” and ignoring the already unsustainable unfunded mandates (Social Security, Medicare) that exceed $100 trillion, were not even considered. Essentially, what we saw was a race to the bottom if Democrats keep The White House in 2016.
They also were bold to say how they would circumvent Congress and the Bill of Rights. The 1st and 2nd Amendments to this bunch are not principles to be protected. Instead, they are obstacles to their rule.
The most amusing thing to see was how they all trashed Obama’s seven years in office with no jobs, low wages, brutal police in Democrat strongholds, and the bad Iran deal. You know, that deal they were for before they were against it. They all were talking as though a Republican has been in power for the last seven years.
Hillary’s First Night As President ??
Hillary Clinton was sworn in today as President. She has disposed of Bill and is spending her first night alone in the White House. She has waited several years for this!
FIRST NIGHT
Suddenly! The ghost of George Washington appears to her, and Hillary says, “How can I best serve my country?”
Washington says, “Never tell a lie.”
“Ouch!” Says Hillary, “I don’t know about that.”
SECOND NIGHT
The next night, the ghost of Thomas Jefferson appears…?
Hillary says, “How can I best serve my country?”
Jefferson says, “Listen to the people.”
“Ohhh! I really really don’t want to do that.”
THIRD NIGHT
On the third night, the ghost of Abraham Lincoln appears…?
Hillary says, “How can I best serve my country?”
Lincoln says,
“Go to the theater.”
The Ambidextrous Lady Golfer
A group of men live and die for their Saturday morning golf game. One transfers to another city and they’re lost without him.
A new woman joins their Club. When she hears the guys talking about their golf round, she says, “I played on my college’s golf team. I was pretty good. Mind if I join you next week?”
No one wants to say ‘yes’, but they’re on the spot. Finally, one man says. Okay, but we start at 6:30 a.m. He figures the early tee-time will discourage her. The woman says this may be a problem, and asks if she can be up to 15 minutes late.
They roll their eyes, but say, “Okay”. But she’s there at 6:30 a.m. sharp, and beats all of them with an eye-opening 2-under par round. She’s fun and pleasant, and the guys are impressed. They congratulate her and invite her back the next week. She smiles, and says, “I’ll be there at 6:30 or 6:45.”
The next week she again shows up again at 6:30 sharp. Only this time, she plays left-handed. The three guys are incredulous as she still beats them with an even par round, despite playing with her off-hand. They’re totally amazed. They can’t figure her out. But she’s very pleasant and a gracious winner. They invite her back again, but each man harbours a burning desire to beat her.
The third week, she’s 15 minutes late this time, which irritates the guys. This week she plays right-handed again, but narrowly beats all three of them. The men grumble that her late arrival is petty gamesmanship on her part. However, she’s so charming and complimentary of their strong play, they can’t hold a grudge.
Still, this woman is a riddle no one can figure out. They have a couple of beers in the Clubhouse, and finally, one of the men asks her, “How do you decide if you’re going to golf right-handed or left-handed?”
The lady blushes, and grins. “When my Dad taught me to play golf, I learned I was ambidextrous,” she replies. “I like to switch back and forth. When I got married after college, I discovered my husband always sleeps in the nude. From then on, I developed a silly habit….
Right before I leave in the morning for golf practice, I pull the covers off him. If his Willie points to the right, I golf right-handed; if it points to the left, I golf left-handed.”
The guys think this is hysterical. Astonished at this bizarre information, one of the guys says, “What if it’s pointing straight up?”
She says, “Then, I’m fifteen minutes late.”
Sharyl Attkisson, Dr. Ben Carson
Full Measure reporter Sharyl Attkisson’s one on one with Dr. Ben Carson.
Calm, low-key, and full of common sense. Eight minutes that will drive the Left crazy. Not because he attacks them (like they do to him), but because his message is attractive across party lines.
Video Link: http://fullmeasure.news/news/shows/ben-carson-full-interview
Sanders Event Shut Down By Black Lives Matter Protesters
How’s this post-racial America working out for you? The seeds of racial divide that President Obama planted are bearing fruit. Or rather, weeds.
Presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) was given something in Seattle that he did not expect. Disrespect, from a rowdy ‘Black Lives Matter’ crowd that would not let him speak.
Watch as this screaming bitch gets in his face at the podium.
https://youtu.be/2mZ3tIII5zg
Some people just don’t know their place. You to decide if it is Bernie Sanders, or the protesters.
This would be another teachable moment for President Obama to step up and call for civility. He hasn’t taken advantage of all his other opportunities. If he wants this chaos to stop, he would.
Link: BERNIE SANDERS FORCED OFF SEATTLE STAGE BY BLACK LIVES MATTER
Still Thinking Obamacare Is Affordable?
It’s so affordable that the Obama administration had to prime the insurance industry with payoffs for their losses for getting onboard with the misnamed Affordable Care Act. Those payoffs end next year.
And already, despite the government’s best efforts to use taxpayer money to give the illusion that it is working as advertised, it is not. And those payoffs are supposed to end in 2016.
It may not be performing as advertised. But, it is working exactly as planned. The pathway to single-payer healthcare is widening.
State-run health insurance markets that offer coverage under President Barack Obama’s health law are struggling with high costs and disappointing enrollment. These challenges could lead more of them to turn over operations to the federal government or join forces with other states.
Critics of Obamacare saw it coming long before it was rammed down America’s collective throat. But they were dismissed by the Left and its media being racists, not liking the government takeover of 16% of the private economy and ruining the health insurance industry just because Obama is Black. As if it would be OK if Obama were only White.
On this legislation, there’s no victory lap for being right. So far it’s a moot point, because electing a Republican majority in both the House and Senate with a mandate to repeal it has failed. It has failed because those Republicans have betrayed their constituents by failing to do what they were elected to do. They have caved on every plank of that mandate.
There are way too few republicans running for president with the gonads to turn this ship around. Most of them are responsible for running full speed ahead.
Links: State health insurance markets struggle with cost challenges | OBAMACARE HIGHLIGHTS AND RACKETEERING
Race Politics, Democrat Lies
Here’s a more detailed account on the Democrats’ lie about race than I’ve seen anywhere.
The “we’ve switched” claim is a lie too, and is revealed in this piece as well. Democrats’ record on race was consistently against civil rights from the beginning. Lying about it has been their only defense.
It’s not your fault you never knew this about the history, and behavior of the Democrat Party about race relations, neither the media or the education system are the best teachers of history, past or present.
Bob Parks lays it out for you, and for democrats who are open-minded enough to see.
Links: The Democrat Race Lie | The Dixiecrat Myth