On Tea Parties and Literacy Tests

First, take a look at this clip from Rachel Maddow's show that aired on February 8.

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Maddow did a brilliant research job in finding actual questions from literacy tests that were used three years before I was born, tests that were used routinely to deny black folks their Constitutional right to vote.

Now, I will concede that there are people who are in the tea party movement who are legitimately concerned about all of the political issues that their various leaders say they are concerned about. Fine. Done with that part. But there are WAAAAY too many in that movement who are racist, homophobic, theocratic tricks, and there is not denying it. The tea party spokespeople try to sweep it under the rug. Many on the right have been using the "oh Obama can't be criticized because he is black" line to try to cover for their more obviously racist counterparts who bring nothing but embarrassment, and a realization that indeed for too many people, Obama is being criticize simply for being black.

Man, how things change yet remain the same. Only a fool would suggest that we have not made great strides in our race relations in my lifetime. But only a fool would suggest that racism is dead.

Former Rep. Tom Tancredo, in that call for a return to literacy tests, showed his true colors, and he should be throttled politically for doing that. I have relatives that I can call today who remember literacy tests, poll taxes, understanding clauses and all of the tricks that were used to deny black folks the right to vote. That Tancredo wants to bring that era back to score points against the people who voted for Obama (with that particular jab at those who speak Spanish) is fucking shameful. That the people in that room cheered like that is just as shameful, and that this happened during Black History Month is just friggin ironic.

Half of these complaints were applicable during the Bush administration, but it was only after Obama came forth, that marches on Washington were necessary. Deficit spending, secretive war spending, expanded entitlements, bank bailouts, economic collapse, terrorist attacks, all fell under the Bush administration. The anti-war protesters were "loony," "anti-American," and the like. These people are seen as "real Patriots," "real Americans."

These people, as professor Charles Ogletree suggested, are just pissed off loudmouths who lost the election in 2008. These are the people who lapped up the mean-spirited and divisive rhetoric that Sarah Palin spewed throughout the 2008 campaign. And clearly, many of those people gathered last weekend showed their true thoughts during that Tancredo speech. Pitiful.

The GOP as "Baby Jane Hudson"

I'd originally planned to write a post that included examples of GOP intransigence and obstructionism, but something else came to mind.

Every time I see someone on television from the GOP, I think of "Baby Jane Hudson" singing "I've Written a Letter to Daddy." Bette Davis' "Baby Jane" is an excellent representation of the madness of the GOP, and Victor Buono (the man playing the piano) is perfect stand in for the sycophantic media.

The media know that the GOP has come unhinged, but instead of doing the right thing and sharing that reality with the world, the media become complicit by encouraging the madness, and profiting from it. And can't you just see this song as a hymn for Ronald Reagan. Meanwhile, all of the sensible people are stuck witnessing the growing madness just like Joan Crawford's "Blanche Hudson," with no discernible way of stopping the coming onslaught.



And regarding the Obama administration's determination to achieving real bipartisanship with "Baby Jane," I have a better chance of convincing a Klan member to let me marry his son.

Michael Steele Only Said What Most "Haves" Genuinely Believe (Regardless of Political Perspective)

I am no politician, but hell, I am politically astute enough to know not to say something like this: "Trust me, after taxes, a million dollars is not a lot of money." Tell that to the millions of people who have been out of work for months, or in some cases, years. Tell that to the senior citizen trying to figure out how to fill the doughnut hole created in the prescription drug bill. Tell that to the families in need of health care who wish they had a fraction of a million dollars at their disposal.

I am not going to jump on Michael Steele for being a Republican saying this, because it would not be fair. This is the perspective of the people who are in the top 2% of income earners, almost across the board. Steele simply said it out loud. And don't think that people across parties don't share his sentiment; they are just politically savvy enough not to say it out loud.

This is an example of how class really does play a particularly prominent role in our society. And we, as a nation, try desperately to pretend that we are not a class-based society. We most certainly are. Now, it is true that there is mobility among the various classes, and that is one of the best aspects of American society. But do not think for a second that the wealthiest among us do not think in a class-based fashion: they most certainly do. And I firmly believe that our elected officials in Washington have been waging class warfare for decades; it's just that the wealthiest have been winning (the rest of us have gotten what really amounts to table scraps).

We are a nation of "haves," "sorta-haves," "have-nots," and "likely won't ever haves." Steele just helped to remind us of the economic perspective of a "have." Now think about that, and ask yourself (if you are in any category other than a "have") the following question: why again is it so difficult to get Congress to support legislation that actually helps the vast majority of Americans economically?

Allowing Gays to Serve Openly is the "Right Thing to Do"

Right now, there are gays, lesbians and bisexuals serving in the United States military. Let that marinate for a little while. Again, there are gays, lesbians and bisexuals serving in the United States military.

It was heartening to hear Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, say that allowing those members to serve openly would be the "right thing to do." It is incredible to me to see how far we've come since 1993. I wonder if opponents to allowing gays to serve openly feel that Admiral Mullen is advocating social engineering, or that he is wants to destroy unit cohesion. Mullen even said in public that he served with gay people, and knew it. I wonder if he worried that he was being checked out in the shower.

Though three generations of men in my family have served in the Marine Corps (father), Air Force (brother) and Army (both grandfathers, three great uncles, four cousins), I am sure that some will dismiss my perspective on this because I haven't served. But, I can tell you that I asked my living relatives their thoughts on this, including my gay Gulf War vet cousin, and not one of them had a problem with integrating gays into the fold. They worked with gay folks, weren't intimidated or threatened by them, and managed to survive their experience.

It was telling to see Sen. John McCain go back on his word to listen to what the top brass had to say on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and act accordingly. McCain showed his truth yesterday. He was angry that the world had changed around him.

And then there was this revealing exchange on "Hardball with Chris Matthews" last night:


The bottom line is that this ban will end. The gays, lesbians and bisexuals currently serving in the military deserve to serve openly. As Aubrey Sarvis said in that clip, it is insulting to everyone in the military to assume that our service members, gay or straight, will not be professionals in their jobs. And it is particularly insulting to suggest that current and future gays, lesbians and bisexuals serving in our military cannot "control themselves" in close quarters with straight people (remember, gays are serving now). If that were the case, then we long would have heard about the problems with those predatory gays violating defenseless straights throughout the military.

Yeah, I missed that string of stories too.

UPDATE: Colin Powell, who helped to create DADT, is now fully behind its repeal. What a difference time can make.

Black History Month 2010 @ WSNS: Nicodemus National Historic Site

For Black History Month 2010, I am going to try to post on a number of different African American historic places that I think the readers of this blog might find interesting (and they are places that I've either visited or know a little something about). I mean I didn't work with African American historic places for almost three years (and postponing my history PhD program) just for my own self edification.

I think that one of the most underrated chapters in black history is the westward movement of African Americans following the Civil War. Though the majority of black folks stayed put in the South and went through the triumphs and tragedies of Reconstruction, there were thousands of black folks who packed their bags and their dreams for a new life and headed West.

Exodusters, as they were eventually known, aren't as well known as they should be. It's become shorthand for the black folks who settled primarily in Kansas in all black communities in the 1870s/1880s. Luckily, we have the Nicodemus National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service, available to help us understand precisely what the town's settlers experienced. And I've had the privilege of meeting an actual descendant of one of the founders of Nicodemus, and this descendant played an instrumental role in obtaining that National Historic Site designation for her community.

When you have a chance, please check out the different links. I think it will be well worth your while, if only to learn something new about black folks.

Adolescent Music Flashback: Human League

Seeing Phil Oakey made me stop and watch my first Human League video "Don't You Want Me." I saw him before I heard the song. The combination of the two did the trick, coupled with the cool blond (Susan Ann Sulley), the doe-like brunette (Joanne Catherall), and the additional band members (back then). I've learned more about Human League in the last couple of years than I knew during their hey-day. I just remember loving "Love Action (I Believe in Love)," "The Lebanon," "(Keep Feeling) Fascination," and "Mirror Man." When the group whittled down to three members (Oakey, Sulley and Catherall), I was floored by their new soulful sound thanks to the Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis produced "Human," which was a real crossover hit for the band. But I still find myself going back to those earlier Human League songs. And Phil Oakey, though straight (congrats ladies), is still quite the looker.

"Love Action (I Believe in Love)"


"The Lebanon"

More Love for Sade

Yes, I've already posted about my lady's return, but I can barely contain my excitement. Finally, I can embed the video for "Soldier of Love" into this blog where it belongs:

The song and video are incredible, and Sade is near perfection as usual. Just as I'd mentioned how Catcher in the Rye changed my adolescence, so too did Sade. One of my earliest posts on this blog was about my relationship with the music of Sade, and the impact the band and the woman has had on my life, well after my adolescence passed.

In many ways, I wish that I had the ability to explain better what I feel when I listen to a Sade song, or see a Sade video. Often, it's a mixture of joy, longing, hope and pride. From the very first video to the latest, Sade remains my lady and my band.