North Minneapolis Politics-Part III: A vote for Natalie Johnson-Lee is a vote for self-respect
Editor’s note: IBNN has offered to publish stories from candidates, their representatives and concerned citizens about the current Ward 5 Minneapolis City Council Race. IBNN does not endorse or represent any candidate running in Ward 5.
By Mel Reeves, Contributing Writer
I have read with a sense of shame and downright awe at the amount of apathy and downright trifling that has got black Minneapolis to this point. That is the point where a self-hating Black man can not only be elected to the majority Black and working class 5th ward, but has been proudly running around peddling the vilest and backwards of racial theories. If that’s not bad enough he has treated his constituency with downright condescension. Don Samuels has done this without bothering to hide his disdain for poor black folks and poor folks in general and the issues that are important to them.
In all my years I can not remember a black man bragging about coming from House Negro stock, where in his words his family got a “leg up,” while working in the “Big House.” If you don’t believe me just ask the folks that heard him talk about it at a Northside forum in 2005 when he ran against Natalie Johnson-Lee. He even wrote these ideas down in an Insight News commentary several years ago. Who and what kind of person does such a thing? This is not someone that should be leading anything that has a majority black constituency. And its not hard to read between the lines of what he is saying, its clear, the obvious interpretation is that –he is not one of us, he is better than us, he is our color but not our kind. I am not sure he even likes his constituents! Hell it doesn’t really seem like he likes himself.
Obviously, Samuels doesn’t know as much history as he claims, otherwise he would know that, being a House Negro, or coming from House Negro stock is nothing to brag about. It’s well known that the House Negro lorded it over the field Negro, snitching on him and otherwise playing the Uncle Tom for the Master. Samuels has played his self-proclaimed role well however. When Rybak coughs, Samuels asks, “What’s the matter boss we sick.” This guy loves the downtown power structure more than he loves his constituents.
Shockingly, this same man actually admitted in a public forum, sponsored by the Citizens League, that he had made fun of the attributes of darker skinned black folks when he was a youngster. But why remind us of this now, unless he is trying to tell us that he is not one of us (City Pages, “Black on Black Grime,” October 26, 2005)
If anyone thinks that I exaggerate, check out Samuels interview with Steve Marsh of Mpls/St.Paul Magazine (“Q&A with Don Samuels,” November 2006) Samuels comes off so caustic toward blacks in the interview, that Marsh asked him, “do you consider yourself Black.”
In the article Samuels passes off street corner hypothesis, half-baked pseudo science and crackpot theories as real analysis, while being used to say the things about Black folks that the establishment and obviously this magazine wants to say about Black folks. And since when did this magazine begin deciding who should speak for the Black community? When was it given the call to choose our leaders? Lord have mercy!
This man is wrong for North Minneapolis. And he is wrong, despite the efforts of the Mpls/St.Paul magazine and other media outlets to crown him as a black leader and expert on all things Black, including Black history.
He said of North High –which has been a fixture in the neighborhood for decades –that, “it ought to be burned down. My children will not darken the door of a Minneapolis public school in this city…. I’ve said burn North High School down. Something worse than vouchers could come along. If it works, if it sacrifices the entire school system, fine! Get rid of the damn thing! It hasn’t worked!” (Mpls/St.Paul Magazine February 2007 “the Great Black Hope”) And of course the Council-member is wrong. Public education, while clearly needing to be improved, especially in the inner cities, generally has worked – – ironically many of his conservative friends are products of that system. Where would the kids in the inner city go if their schools were dissolved, the suburbs have made it clear that they only want a handful at a time? And charter schools haven’t been all they were touted to be.
While cavalierly dismissing public education –which has been responsible for educating most of the folks in our community for decades — he also mocks the worth of books. He told a Star Tribune writer after voting against the Minneapolis libraries request for additional funding that, “When you are a person on the other end of a gun . . . the only use for a book is to throw it at them or block a bullet with it.”
Not surprisingly Samuels doesn’t practice what he preaches.
In the previously mentioned Q&A piece for Mpls/St.Paul Magazine he claimed that, Blacks and their institutions are undemocratic, including Black churches.” Our churches are not run as democratically as white peoples churches are,” Samuels said. He even poked fun at Rev. Jerry McAfee, pastor of New Salem Baptist Church in North Minneapolis, saying, “I can assure you that Reverend McAffee’s church is run much more autocratically than Nick Coleman’s church.” I doubt Samuels has set foot in McAfee’s church.
However, it appears to be Samuels who is undemocratic. He clearly has a problem with free speech. When he was challenged and ridiculed on an MTN broadcast by mayoral candidate and activist Al Flowers for making foolish and derogatory statements about the Black community, he very undemocratically sought to have Flowers and his partner Booker Hodges removed from the public access station. Flowers sued him and won.
Ironically, Samuels complains about violence on the part of his constituents, yet he has had to be restrained on more than one occasion. He was recently accused of getting in the face of a landlord that he doesn’t like.
Samuels, the man who would speak for black folks, bears his teeth against poor folks who can barely keep up their dwelling, sometimes encouraging the levying of exorbitant fines. However he has no teeth and no courage when it comes to demanding accountability from contractors, who continuously fail to comply with city requirements for the hiring of minorities and women.
Not surprisingly, in his efforts to denigrate and belittle black folks in his ward he leaves no stone unturned, he even picks on little Black children. In a forward for a position paper extolling the virtues of school vouchers, by local conservative think tank, “Center of the American Experiment,” Samuels asks aloud, “how many future murderers are in the first grade classes of the four elementary schools within a mile of my house.”
While everyone correctly sees the rash of foreclosures as a crisis and genuinely feels bad for the people who have lost their homes– many because of underhanded and deceptive practices by lending institutions and sub prime financiers– the Fifth Ward “leader” hints very callously, that there is a silver lining. In a February 9, MinnPost.com article, “Are foreclosures helping to improve the Northside?” – the 5th Ward Councilman said, “In the typical American city it has exacerbated the crime problem. But in Minneapolis, certainly north Minneapolis, the foreclosure crisis has improved the safety situation.” I don’t think folks who have lost their houses are going to take much comfort in the fact that their loss has made the neighborhood safer.
Speaking of public safety, Samuels has ridden that horse to death, to the point of putting much of the Northside under the eyes of Big Brother under the name of fighting crime. Minneapolis police surveillance camera’s dot the landscape, even unsuspecting Cub Foods shoppers are under the watchful eye of the Fourth Precinct police station.
Incidentally, he dismisses the very real and documented fear that many Black have of being racially profiled by police and consequently mistreated, by saying that only criminals have to fear mistreatment from the police.
Samuels offers little hope to Minneapolis with his knee jerk theories and rehashed conservatism ripe with is victim blaming. He tells black folks to take personal responsibility, yet remains silent while those in power or rich enough, rob the public till with their ponzie schemes, sub-prime loans and outright cheating.
W.E.B. Dubois aptly depicted would be leaders such as Samuels calling them, “ignorant social climbers whose only claim to fame is the ability to kick Negroes when they are down.”
Has Black Minneapolis no self-respect? This is 2009 not 1909 Step n’ Fetchit and his ilk have long been laid to rest. We no longer allow folks to sing Mammy songs and we don’t scratch where we don’t itch and we don’t laugh when we are not amused. Read more
Let North Minneapolis “Rock” with UROC
By Donald W.R. Allen, II – Editor in Chief, IBNN
I have to admit, having had nothing to do with it, I was really proud to see the University of Minnesota’s Urban Research and Outreach/Engagement Center (UROC) almost complete, near the corners of Penn and Plymouth avenues in north Minneapolis.
I happened to be driving by and had to do a “U” turn (no pun intended), because the marquee for the University stood out so boldly. As I admired it, I thought to myself, “With education, money and power – anything is possible in north Minneapolis.”
For those of you that don’t know, the university’s Urban Research and Outreach Engagement Center (UROC) has emerged “on the North side of Minneapolis from a potent university/community history of hope, doubt, vision, confusion, promise, and possibilities.”
The UROC website goes on to tell the origin of the initiative: “It began several years ago with informal conversations between Mayor R.T. Rybak and President Bob Bruininks about how the university might join with the city to tackle the complex problems that faced North Minneapolis, one of the most underserved communities in the metro area.”
Wait…Stop!
“How the university might join with the city to tackle the complex problems that faced North Minneapolis, one of the most underserved communities in the metro area.”
I thought the Minneapolis Urban League had this handled? Anyway… Read more
Minneapolis City Council, Mayor and pundits oust Black/Disabled Chairman of Civil Rights Commission
Minneapolis, MN…On Friday, September 18, 2009 – Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission Chairman Ken Brown, a 7-year veteran of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission, was unceremoniously ousted.
72 hours before he was to file a complaint alleging heinous violations of misconduct by persons within the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights (MDCR), the Minneapolis City Council failed to re-appoint him to the commission.
Black Minneapolis City Council persons Don Samuels (Ward 5) and Ralph Remington (Ward 10) offered no explanation and remain mute.
In the complaint, known as a Commissioner’s Charge, Brown cites violations of ordinances, procedures and policies by members of the MDCR and employees of the City of Minneapolis, including specific charges against Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan and City of Minneapolis, Human Resource director Pam French.
Brown, who has been an outspoken critic of the leadership of the MDCR, was appointed to the Commission by the mayor in 2006. His term would have ended on Monday, September 21, 2009 at midnight, making the fact that he was removed just before filing his damaging report all the more conspicuous.
Brown is also the only appointee with an apparent physical disability and a Black male.
During his tenure, Brown repeatedly raised questions about processes and procedures followed by the MDCR and its director Michael Jordan.
Sources say he had hinted to the Minneapolis City Attorney’s office that the complaint he intended to file was forthcoming.
Brown says, “This is an attempt to silence my ongoing inquiry as to why the City of Minneapolis routinely violates civil rights ordinances, thereby denying complainants due protection under the law. The citizens of Minneapolis must be made aware of problems within the MDCR that prevent them from carrying out their charge to serve the people.”
Earlier last month, Brown also sent an email to Minneapolis City Council’s Scott Benson (Ward 11) asking why a Disparity Report had not been commissioned by the city since 1997.
Brown states, “The failure to have on hand an updated Disparity Report, the City of Minneapolis categorically denies minorities from gaining access to jobs and other opportunities, and it’s clear to me that they don’t care.”
Don Allen, editor in chief IBNN (612) 986-0010
IBNN – All Rights Reserved 2009 ©
Keep City-Wide Busing for South High School as a Magnet Program – Keep Choice & Minneapolis South High School a Magnet. Sign the Petition!
Sign the petition here: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/southhighschool/ – Keep City-Wide Busing for Minneapolis South High School as a Magnet Program
“The Minneapolis Public School board and the DFL (yes, the DFL) are trying to divide us, and we (Native Minnesotans) are not having it. This is the final crack in the Dr. Green legacy. Parents, students, alumni, teachers, staff who are concerned with future of MPS high school reform, that it needs to be thoughtful and consider the benefit to all students, where access is the approach to equity.”
The petition:
DISRUPTIVE CHANGE IS COMING TO MINNEAPOLIS SOUTH!
Is this change that will work?
Minneapolis’ South High School is a thriving city-wide magnet–a hybrid of All Nations, Liberal Arts and Open programs. It has demonstrated strong academic outcomes in a diverse population of students, is highly requested by families in many parts of Mpls and is recognized by district research as providing a unique and respectful learning climate.
Changes proposed in CSO clearly appear to dismantle this successful, diverse, cost effective and high-demand school community. There has been little public input, and the proposed changes are an afterthought for “right sizing” MPS high schools. The changes seem guided more by busing and economics than improving achievement for South’s students. Yet CSO will impact the education and culture of nearly 2000 South High students!
We request that the Minneapolis Public School Board of Education:
1. Vote “NO” for CSO for high schools on Tuesday, September 22nd.
2. Keep high school choice available (equity means more than placing the same programs in every school building).
3. Maintain South High School–All Nations, Open and Liberal Arts–as a district-wide magnet site.
4. Halt the high school redesign process. Gain more community input and gather the latest research, specific to high schools and adolescents, that will allow for prudent and strategic high school redesign for the benefit of the future of all Minneapolis Public Schools.
This petition will be mailed (USPS and e-format) to the MPS Board of Education by September 21, 2009. If you support our efforts to maintain school choice, preserve South High School as a city-wide magnet program, and encourage strategic high school redesign, please add your signature below. (Please note that only people who are Minneapolis residents, current students and families, or alumni and alumni parents may sign this petition.)
The Minneapolis Urban League in trouble…layoff’s and program doors shut next?
IBNN Editors Note: Residents of Minneapolis should read closely the messages sent out in the local Black press that attempt to position this organization as one on the move up, when in fact troubles continue to linger. IBNN has written favorable stories and not-so favorable stories about the Minneapolis Urban League (MUL). Since the Minneapolis Urban League is a membership organization, under the color of law, how will the MUL handle the possible over-throw of the current board to protect “the membership’s $16 million dollar investment on the corner of Penn and Plymouth Avenue North?” If you recall – it was the Minneapolis Urban League management who decided to release great employees in favor of routing dollars to ACORN home foreclosure counseling, among other things. So far the National Urban League has not returned one call to IBNN in over a year…
Under the Minnesota Law – “We” (members in good standing) have the sole responsibility to seek out competent board members and management to continue the organizations ongoing commitment to the community.
Originally posted in The Minneapolis Story
At 5:15 p.m., today, Thursday, 9-17-09, Minneapolis Urban League Branch President Scott Gray announced, in closed session, the new austerity: 10% salary reduction across the board; termination of ten employees within 30 days; and an indication that the staff of the Urban League Street Academy would go on part time employee status (thus losing their benefits).
Ever since the sell-outs kicked Nellie Stone Johnson and me (Ron Edwards) out 20 years ago, when I was the President of the Urban League with 118 employees, they have cannibalized the organization, reducing it from the 118 employees then to what will be less than 20 employees now.
We show how this got started in Chapter 14 of The Minneapolis Story. (The Book)
Autopsy of Black Business in North Minneapolis – Part 2: American Idol Political Patronage
“Change is not a destination, just as hope is not a strategy.”
By Donald W.R. Allen,II – editor in chief IBNN
We are the elected Black leaders who represent the people of north Minneapolis. We are smarter than any of our constituents, and the White people who helped us get in office like us a lot; at least they tell us that. The residents in our district are mostly Black, uneducated and poor. We have the upper hand because our constituents will not question us. We have a “celebrity” status and we are above question. North Minneapolis residents will never ask us when, how or why.
The north Minneapolis media will never question us. They will always feature us on the front page of their newspapers as the best thing since “mom’s sweet potato pie.”
We would never publically support a Black man for Mayor of Minneapolis – R.T. Rybak is our friend.
Since we’ve already “made it,” we have no loyalty to any other Black man or woman in Minneapolis or the 5th Congressional District. We haven’t and will not publically endorse Kenya McKnight, Lennie Chism, Natalie Lee Johnson or Roger Smithrud for Ward 5 Minneapolis City Council; we think the current leadership is fine.
Black business – it’s fine, but we would never assist them in building capacity in north Minneapolis; Black business creates new Black leaders. We don’t want “new” leaders; we want everyone to follow us.
One of us recently told a constituent that if he wanted to talk to us, he’d better come at us with a network, “like Verizon.” But we’re not worried; the people of north Minneapolis are segregated in too many silos.
We are fully aware that residents of north Minneapolis are some of the poorest people in Minnesota, have the highest unemployment rate, and have no real opportunities to live the American Dream. We know this, but we don’t really care. We can keep a captive audience by keeping the poor on their knees, while blaming the Republicans, Bush and rich White people that we say should be taxed more.
We point fingers at the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) but don’t pass any laws to empower MnDOT to get people of color jobs on Minnesota roads and highways. We hold “Barnum and Bailey” hyped-up town hall meetings at the north side YMCA to the blame “those White folks at MnDOT.”
Knowing the solutions rest in the committees we’re in, we could never tell the residents of north Minneapolis the real story.
The real story is each of us, local; state; and federal have the power to change the laws and assist in building capacity for residents, business and organizations of north Minneapolis, but we choose to finger-point and grandstand.
One of us will only support non-profits rather than also seeking to build capacity for businesses. We rallied other politicians and law enforcement to shutdown Black businesses in north Minneapolis; to view a group of Black youth gathered together on the street as gang members.
We want to make north Minneapolis “user friendly” for us. On our terms!
The fact of the matter is this: we’re assisted by a group of non-elected, self-appointed Black leaders in north Minneapolis, who are weak.
These men, who are “outstanding in their own minds,” talk about how they will be the conduits for “stimulus dollars” and attend meetings with the President, and if we, the elected leadership, continue to patronize these “blow-hards” while smiling in their faces, they will not question us.
Now really, do we have to support Black business, for that matter “another Black man or woman?”
We know that Black residents of north Minneapolis are extremely impressed by the fact that there is a black president—and we can say that we know him personally!
***
North Minneapolis residents need to WAKE UP and ask questions of its elected leaders rather than treating them like “American Idols.”
(Simon wouldn’t have it any other way!)
Target Stores – Soda with a Black Girl eating a Watermelon and White Boy on other side being sold in Target! Should Black folks be concerned…Hell yes!
Dr. Martin Luther King said, “It’s not over. The struggle is not over. It’s not over in Montgomery, and it isn’t over in the South. For we have come a long, long way it is true, but we have a long, long way to go.”
New York’s Harlem World reports: “One of our producers visited this Target on 225th Street, in New York City and made an interesting discovery. In the beverage aisle he found this soda with a black girl eating watermelon on a can. It reminded us of the caricatures of America’s racist past.
IBNN reports that Target Corporation, headquartered in Minneapolis has not responded to email and phone inquires about the soda. It is also rumored that Target Corp has apologized in some way. IBNN will post a follow up once this information is available.
This product has been around since 2007 and is made by Cawy Bottling Co., Inc. the company was established in Cuba 1948. To voice your displeasure contact Cawy Bottling Co., Inc. at 2440 NW 21st Terrace, Miami, FL 33142 – phone: 305-634-8669; Toll Free 877-917-2299 and Fax 305-634-2291
Key numbers for fiscal year ending December, 2008: Sales: $5.8M
Notify them of your disapproval of this product.By the way,give Target a call too!
You can also view them on the web at http://www.cawy.net.
The Autopsy of Black Business in North Minneapolis: Part 1 – Uncle Bill talks to IBNN
By Donald W.R. Allen,II Editor in Chief-IBNN
(A special thanks to LandlordPolitic.com for putting the puzzle together)
“I went to the African-American leadership in north Minneapolis to help me with the problems I was having with the City and Jackie Cherryhomes. No one would help me or they didn’t know how.”
…Uncle Bill (On contacting the north side “self-appointed” leaders and capacity building agencies.)
64 year old Uncle Bill is alive and kicking despite rumors the 64 year old immigrant and north Minneapolis business owner had passed away years ago. In an exclusive interview with IBNN’s editor and chief Don Allen, Uncle Bill tells IBNN what really happened at the corner of Plymouth and Sheridan Avenue North and how the City of Minneapolis, Minneapolis City Council President Jackie Cherryhomes denied a man, his family and the community the chance for Black business to operate in north Minneapolis.
“Uncle” Bill Sanigular still has the spunk and tenacity of a king cobra.
William Sanigular (Uncle Bill) is an immigrant from Africa who came to the United States as a student in the 1960s. He worked at Cream-of-Wheat on Stinson Boulevard in Minneapolis for twenty years. Then in 1987, he obtained a license to operate a small grocery store on the corner of Sheridan and Plymouth avenues in north Minneapolis. The store is located at 2428 Plymouth Avenue. There are four residential units in the same building above the store whose address is 2426 Plymouth Avenue. Harvey Katzovitz owned the building; Sanigular rented the store space.
In a visit to his north Minneapolis home, Uncle Bill welcomed the opportunity to be interviewed about what really happened to both his businesses in north Minneapolis. Yes, he had two businesses that he alleged were systematically taken from him by then City Council President Jackie Cherryholmes using the strong-arm tactics of city hall. Read more
Green Job Politricks to North Minneapolis…Return to Sender, Address Unknown
As reported by Insight News on Friday, June 5, 2009: Democratic Rep. Margaret Anderson Keliher, Speaker of the Minnesota House, praised the work of HIRE-MN, the expansive network of community service and environmental advocacy groups that succeeded in passing a bill directing $2.5 million for training and outreach for green jobs and infrastructure stimulus spending.
According to Alex Tittle, about 7,000 jobs in infrastructure repair and renovation will be created from federal stimulus spending in Minnesota. (Tittle is responsible for training programs at Summit Academy Opportunities Industrialization Centers-SAOIC and one of the partner stakeholders in HIRE MN).
…Fast forward to September 8, 2009. “Where are the 7,000 jobs related to the passing of the bill for $2.5 million?”
How about this, “Where is one job” created in North Minneapolis from the passing of this bill? Why are local north Minneapolis news outlets reporting a “win” when in fact the journey has just begun?
“Self-interest journalism” in north Minneapolis misleads the community into thinking that because it’s a front page story, it must be true. Example: Stories about the “great accomplishments” of the Minneapolis Urban League appearing in one particular north Minneapolis based newspaper, when the MUL is facing a possible scandal concerning the numbers of people it actually serves, compared to those it claims to serve. Is it possible that this newspaper is getting money from the MUL for advertising, and therefore has a vested interest in publishing “fluff” rather than “fact?” Would this not add to the already-corrupt practices in north Minneapolis’ Black community, where some “self-appointed” leaders have positioned themselves as gatekeepers for stimulus dollars, state construction contracts, politics, jobs and community interests – clearly working outside of their field of expertise.
Okay, back on point: Let’s take a closer look at why no jobs have been created in north Minneapolis since the passing of this bill.
Sources from the Minnesota Department of Commerce-Office of Energy Security say they are pushing for the $2.5 million to be routed through the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System (MSCU), which is comprised of 32 state-supported technical colleges, community colleges and state universities.
Students that receive training through MSCU are more likely to succeed in their careers than those who attend a non-accredited colligate institution. In some cases, students that are paying for Green Job Training could in fact receive the same training for free at technical colleges.
The MnDOT Piece:
Interestingly, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) is currently within compliance standards based on the ethnic breakdown information that has been supplied by the City of Minneapolis. However, there is a problem here: the City of Minneapolis has not completed, or commissioned, a Disparity Report (which would provide current figures on minority hiring) since 1997 (!).
MnDOT’s contractors are required to make a “good faith effort” to use DBE’s (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) and WDBE’s (Women Disadvantaged Business Enterprise). This clause is problematic however, as it implies no obligation to actually contract with a minority-owned business, instead allowing MnDOT to define what a “good faith effort” means.
In other words, MnDOT cannot stipulate that an all-White general contracting firm from St. Cloud, Minnesota must use a Black business for any project…that’s against the law.
Despite being fully aware that this law needs to be modified, and a new Disparity Report must be commissioned, Michael Jordan, director of the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights has failed to act. In our opinion, he continues to display a lack of true concern for the minority-ethnic workforce of Minneapolis.
Enter Representative Bobby Joe Champion.
Representative Champion’s committee assignments include, Civil Justice; Finance; Transportation and Transit Policy and Oversight Division; Transportation Finance and Policy Division (Vice Chair) – with the ability to put fourth legislation to change the law, Rep. Champion has not acted accordingly, instead preferring to hold “circus style” town hall meetings with Congressman Keith Ellison.
Ellison and Champion have delivered neither jobs nor economic development to the Black community they claim to represent. Ironically, however, their “celebrity” status remains very high.
Three stories that all Black people should read from the Black Agenda Report
IBNN would like to thank Black Agenda Report for allowing the re-publishing of these very important stories. The following stories were written by Black Agenda Report’s executive editor Mr. Glen Ford. (Video posted by IBNN)
Katrina’s Legacy: Poor Blacks Have No Right to “Be”
Barack Obama’s Katrina anniversary remarks reveal a president who rails against bureaucracy while ignoring the savage race and class warfare at the heart of the (ongoing) disaster. The right of the Black poor to exist is at issue, but that’s way outside Obama’s radar.
“A black person’s perceived right to ‘place’ was snuffed out, along with more than 1,000 lives.”
On the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, President Obama used his Saturday radio address to sum up his understanding of the lesson to be derived from the disaster inflicted on predominantly Black New Orleans. “No more turf wars,” he said. What a bloodless analysis of the forced and – it is becoming clearer by the year – permanent exile of much of the population of a quintessentially Black American city!
No question, there were (and remain) Katrina turf wars aplenty, but none of the official entities battling over funds for New Orleans ever fought for the interests of the African American poor and utterly dispossessed. Hundreds of thousands were hastily scattered to the four winds by common agreement among competing agencies, all of whom regarded the Black exodus as a god-send to be perfected, not corrected. First the “turf” must be cleared of the unwanted human presence; then, the battles could begin in earnest over who would next inherit the land and cash the “reconstruction” checks.
The Obama ‘08 Phenomenon: What We have Learned?
“This generation will have to learn from damn near scratch what a real social movement looks like.” Without question, the nation has experienced an election of historical significance, for reasons that go beyond the obvious “first Black” aspect of race. This has also been the most-hyped presidential campaign in U.S.history, if for no other reason than the simple fact that every presidential campaign is more hyped than the last, since hype is what corporate media sells. But what has the experience taught us?
We have learned that a large and decisive national minority of whites can be persuaded to vote for a certain kind of Black man for president if that Black man possesses the following characteristics: A family history that includes no African American lineage, and is thereby untainted by the negative cultural baggage associated with North American slave descendants. (This is similar to the special white dispensation afforded in past generations to Afro-Caribbean baseball players.)
FBI Provocateur on McKinney: Why Not Lynch an “Uppity Black Bitch?”
“By doing nothing, the FBI condoned Turner’s demand for the assassination of a federal lawmaker.”
There is every historical reason to believe that the FBI approved of – or at least, had no objections to – it’s own agent’s incitement to assassinate a sitting Black U.S. congresswoman, Cynthia McKinney, in 2006.
The FBI’s deep and institutional involvement in promoting domestic terror is an abiding fact of American life dating back nearly a century. The Bureau was born as a secret political police agency that arguably manufactured or instigated far more crime than it legitimately uncovered. It’s core mission has remained unchanged since World War One, when the embryonic FBI was set loose as the federal attack dog to maul anti-war forces, labor, and the Left in general. Throughout its history, the FBI has considered all consciously Black politics to be inherently subversive – and the Bureau believed its mandate was to eliminate all subversives by any means necessary.
Read more stories from the Black Agenda Report here.
IBNNNEW- Apology to the North Minneapolis Community. We don’t have leaders, we have self-appointed spokespersons Donald Allen
- The Death of North Minneapolis… Donald Allen
- IBNN Exclusive Report: Youth with weapon attempts to enter funeral of Alisha “Lele” Neely (Captured on Film) Donald Allen
- WCCO 4 (CBS) Television fails in journalistic integrity with “edited and spliced” tape of the Minneapolis Police Beating of Ira Stafford…rating F- Donald Allen
- MURDERAPOLIS – Code 4, No More Donald Allen
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