Don Imus

[saden1]

I really don't understand why people think Sharpton and Jackson represent the entire black community. I mean, do Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell represent the entire white/christian community? Not all agree with their views. These people are opportunists and self-serving. They have their sycophant supporters which by and large don't include the majority of the community.

On a side note, what do you think should happen when police officers shoot an unarmed black man 50 times which has happened not once but twice? How many times has that happened to a white guy? I personally know of someone who is racist and a cop. Obviously that person can't be just.

My point is someone need to speak up, preferably someone respected and credible.

[dmek25]

Originally Posted by saden1

I really don't understand why people think Sharpton and Jackson represent the entire black community. I mean, do Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell represent the entire white/christian community? Not all agree with their views. These people are opportunists and self-serving. They have their sycophant supporters which by and large don't include the majority of the community.

On a side note, what do you think should happen when police officers shoot an unarmed black man 50 times which has happened not once but twice? How many times has that happened to a white guy? I personally know of someone who is racist and a cop. Obviously that person can't be just.

My point is someone need to speak up, preferably someone respected and credible.

those 2 guys come running everytime the word racist is used. the both of them are nothing but media whores

[RobH4413]

Don't know if anyone is familiar with "Soul Position" but they're a semi underground hip-hop duo (Blueprint and RJD2) from Columbus, Ohio that I've enjoyed for quite some time.

Groups like Soul Position give me hope for the hip-hop genre. They're great music with great lyrics. I was half paying attention doing some homework and I realized that the song "Hand-me-downs" really kind of applies to a lot of what's wrong with rap culture. Sorry if this is off topic, but I felt like with the latest nationwide debate that has stirred up, blueprint sheds a little clarity onto the situation.

Just thought I'd share the good words, and to anyone that is close minded to hip hop, check them out. (www.myspace.com/soulposition)

verse. 1 from (Hand-Me-Downs)

"Amidst The Positivity, I want to bring it back
But Rap now-a-days is by a bunch of ignorant cats
No young gifted and black
Just guns bitches and crack
I react by turning off BET and Sambo's telling me what blackness is supposed to be
Used to give us world news now it's all videos, replaced Tavis Smiley with reality shows

If you let the TV define what black is
you think ice and violence is all we think that matters
I guess this is what happens when rappers look up to thugs
And kids look up to rappers

To some of y'all if I don't talk about the gat enough
Or sell crack enough
I ain't black enough
But I rather be a pro at being myself
Than be an idiot trying to be somebody else, what"

vs. 2

" I'm at the bus stop with my bike
Been there for awhile
Mom's taught me how to catch this route when I was a child
-Another kid walks up freakin a black and mild
Fifteen same age, I learn shits wild
An older lady walks up greets us with a smile
Asks how we both doing and sits down
She knows what's it's like to grow up in the south
Civil Rights when the white's was hosing us down
I started thinking to myself that even though the time's were tougher
They still took timeout to speak to one another
But look at us, me and this young brother
Acting to proud to break down and speak to each other
So inside I felt ashamed
Not sure of how to but I wanna change
And as long as I'm alive than the fact remains
That it's never too late for us to break the chains"

[djnemo65]

Originally Posted by RobH4413

Don't know if anyone is familiar with "Soul Position" but they're a semi underground hip-hop duo (Blueprint and RJD2) from Columbus, Ohio that I've enjoyed for quite some time.

G[/U]"

Yes yes and yes!

[hooskins]

Originally Posted by saden1

I really don't understand why people think Sharpton and Jackson represent the entire black community. I mean, do Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell represent the entire white/christian community? Not all agree with their views. These people are opportunists and self-serving. They have their sycophant supporters which by and large don't include the majority of the community.

On a side note, what do you think should happen when police officers shoot an unarmed black man 50 times which has happened not once but twice? How many times has that happened to a white guy? I personally know of someone who is racist and a cop. Obviously that person can't be just.

My point is someone need to speak up, preferably someone respected and credible.

I dont think Sharpton and Jackson are the only leaders, but they are a few and Sharpton especially who legitimately feel they are the leaders of the black community.

Who do you feel is currently a good leader for the black community?

[saden1]

Originally Posted by hooskins

I dont think Sharpton and Jackson are the only leaders, but they are a few and Sharpton especially who legitimately feel they are the leaders of the black community.

Who do you feel is currently a good leader for the black community?

I don't feel there has to be a national figure. I think a lot of people in local communities are doing good things and they are the ones that really matter. There are a lot of good people in the NAACP who do good work. Real ministers in church do good work.

What the black community doesn't need is a loud mouth polarizing figure but we don't get to choose who appears on TV, the media does.

[12thMan]

Originally Posted by saden1

I don't feel there has to be a national figure. I think a lot of people in local communities are doing good things and they are the ones that really matter. There are a lot of good people in the NAACP who do good work. Real ministers in church do good work.

What the black community doesn't need is a loud mouth polarizing figure but we don't get to choose who appears on TV, the media does.

I followed your last couple of posts on black leadership or lack thereof, and I couldn't agree more.

I think it's unfortunate that many think Sharpton and Jackson are the face and voice of the black community. It just so happens that the media finds a level of 'comfort' and familiarity with these two.

I don't think there is currently a clear-cut African-American voice or face, so to speak, for a few reasons. There are African-Americans in Congress and the Senate, but they represent a larger base than just blacks, so they have walk a fine line in what they say and "who they represent". So there's a political thread that runs through their motivation; Neither Sharpton nor Jackson hold a political office.

Another thing to consider is that the black community is more diverse, more educated, and in many ways more successful than, let's say, 30 years ago. So when one says "the black community", exactly what segment of the black community are they speaking to? It's not clear cut as it was during the 60s. And that's why Imus' comments and the people that have responded and called for his resignation is more complicated than just 'racist' comments.

Certainly blacks still face social ills, but they're not the same Civil Rights issues as we know them. And this is why any media attention that Sharpton and Jackson constantly get can be so damaging. They are by and large still considered and perceived to be Civil Rights activists, and whenever they speak on the behalf of blacks, it's seen as some type of injustice that's linked to and remind people of the the struggle of the 60s.

Their voices are a constant reminder of how things "used to be", where "we aren't". They really don't speak to the future or progress.