Ellington

Do you really want to know why we're mad? I'll tell you why, although it should be painfully obvious:

We're mad because in 2007 black folks are still having to explain why we're mad. We're mad because even now some white—and black—folks are telling us we shouldn't be mad. We're mad because America has turned a deaf ear to the blatant racism that still exists in this country. We're mad because we're tired of hearing how much "progress" we've made, when in reality things are pretty much the same. We're mad because some white folks tell us we should be "thankful" for how good we have it. We're mad because despite the Oprah Winfreys, Russell Simmonses, Magic Johnsons and Barak Obamas of the world, we're still looked at as n*ggers and thugs.

We're mad because of Jena, La. We're mad because the white folks there are still ignorant of the bubbling cauldron of bigotry they left unchecked for months. We're mad because that tradition of bigotry has been passed on to their kids. We're mad because that tradition set the climate for three nooses to be hung from a tree. We're mad because "adults" didn't intervene and nip it in the bud.

We're mad at the apparent two-tiered system of justice that exists: one for blacks, one for whites. We're mad because there are six young African American males whose lives will be inexplicably altered because of it. We're mad that their lives have been threatened, numbers and addresses published, and their safety compromised. We're mad that folks don't realize that white supremacist groups are alive and well, and poised to make a big comeback if we don't stomp them out now.

We're mad that Judge Swan Yerger still sits on a bench. We're mad that yet another African American male was shot down like a dog. We're mad because some white folks don't see that as a hate crime. We're mad that they think that four black men walking in a group constitutes "carjackers."

We're mad because Ole Miss' white fraternities continue their racist ways, and Oxford still tolerates it. We're mad because those students' power and prestige will probably get another racial incident swept under the rug. We're mad that Donovan McNabb is right. We're mad Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson were on TV ... again! We're mad because on the eve of a diverse Collective Arts Showcase and a program devoted to racial reconciliation, we know that this is still Mississippi. We're mad because just as sure as we speak these truths, someone like Paul Gallo or Larry Nesbit or Kim Wade will say that we are whining.

Most of all, we're mad because it took this new deluge of events to wake black folks up. But America, we're awake now. We're mad as hell ... and you should be, too!

And that's the truth ... sho-nuff.

Previous Comments

ID

75355

Comment

And yet alas...The Ole Miss Fraternity had their suspension reduced (saw that coming), Mychel Bell is STILL in jail, Judge Yerger STILL refuses to acknowledge HIS wrong, and a syndicated columnist in the CL today said we should have "expected" a Neo-Nazi group to post the names and addresses of the Jena 6. And he's black for pete's sake! The more things change.....

Author

Kamikaze

Date

2007-09-27T09:39:41-06:00

ID

75356

Comment

This is incredible. Just go through watching the press conference on CNN with the D.A. in the Mychel Bell case. And in his most racist, defiant, snidest comment yet he says that it was one thing and one thing only that prevented anything from erupting duirng last Thursday's march: The Lord Jesus Christ! He says and i quote "I firmly beliee it was the intervention of the Lord Jesus Christ that preventing anything from happening last thursday and you can quote me on that!" HIS WORDS. Which were followed by huge round of applause. An audience member challenged him saying that he believed everyone last thursday to be professional and courteous and although he acknowledged God's presence, You could thank the people who came for carrying themselves in an honorable manner. the D.A. returned with "I believe Jesus put His hand on those people and made them act accordingly" WTF? Folks we have a problem in Jena. And last Thursday was NOT the end of it! This D.A. in all his defiance just topped Bill O'Reillyin the off-hand insult department. what? Di he expect the angry n*ggers to come to town with spears, singing tribal war songs and set buildings on fire like Sherman marching through Atlanta. We're so barbaric that only the hand of God can keep us from acting like animals? And again, be clear, he and O'Reilly and the like will SAY that they were in no way being racist but that is ultimately their defense everytime a white person is called on ignorant insensitive statements. the D.A. is still acting as if six n*ggers had no business putting their hands on a good upstanding white boy! Clearly the towns people were behind the D.A. by their boisterous applause. The words "outsiders" and agitators kept creeping in..the same words used when the light of day is shined on the racist status quo that existed begore the cameras came. "Everything was fine until YOU folks started making a big deal out of it!" TRANSLATION "Everything was fine, n*ggers knew their place and never gave us a moments trouble until YOU folks came and started making a big deal of it!" WARNING JENA: You're waking a sleeping giant!

Author

Kamikaze

Date

2007-09-27T12:43:19-06:00

ID

75357

Comment

Good Article, Kamakaze. This just goes to show you that having both the right to vote and to right eat at any lunch counter you please does NOT a complete struggle for social justice make. The social "in crowd / out crowd" attitudes (which is what racism and any other -ism boils down to) themselves have to be torn down as well (I spoke about this on a previous Jena Six thread)

Author

Philip

Date

2007-09-27T14:14:14-06:00

ID

75358

Comment

Kaze, only a little man would take a pop shot like that once beaten. This DA will forever be linked as a hater. CW across the land knows he is weak minded, and has co-op'ed God for his cheap shot. He can have his God, mine ain't down with his types.

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-09-27T18:29:49-06:00

ID

75359

Comment

Bell is out of jail. Sharpton did wonderful work on this case. So did Jessie.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-09-28T08:34:07-06:00

ID

75360

Comment

The 40,000 black people who showed up for right in JENA, LA did a wonderful job on this case!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanx to all of them for putting their own lives aside for a united cause.

Author

Queen601

Date

2007-10-02T16:08:25-06:00