So last night I was watching the debate the Obama/Billary Democratic debate with & was all in. I think it was the hottest one so far!
I think they both were making great points & for a while I was like they are both winners with the way they defended their stances but that soon changed when Tim Russert started to hand them their asses on a platter.
When he tripped Hillary up on the NAFTA piece I was like shit, he got her ass good with that one. Then I liked how Obama followed & pounded on her for a hot minute. The repartee was quite juicy & relevant to the economy of my state (MI) which was not brought up.
Not too long after the NAFTA jump off, Russert dug into Obama’s ass with a question regarding the support he got from Louis Farrakhan recently. When Tim broke that off I could hear Obama’s ass puckering.
I think his reply was decent but I have mixed feelings about it. Then after her tried to put the issue to rest, Billary got in his ass & broke him down. I was like shit she is schooling him, WTF is he going to do now, AmeriKKKa is watching & hates Farrakhan, can you recover Barack??? Well IMO he did but it was kinda weak & was done under spotlight pressure.
So after the debate was over, I started thinking about what being backed by Farrakhan means. I think he’s off the hook but he has my respect & he speaks the truth on so many things.
I cannot for the life of me understand why anti-Semitic comments he made YEARS ago are relevant now, especially since he says he is a different man. Why is so much of white America caught up into one aspect of Farrakhan’s past, are they so blind to see the good works that he has done?
I hate to compare the Jewish Holocaust to the African/Black Holocaust because I think it is impossible to compare atrocities but I do not understand why Jews particularly in America get treated with kit gloves & anything said against them amounts to a verbal/social/political beheading. When negative comments and or actions are made against Negroes they carry much less weight than anti-Semitic behaviors. Is money/power/racial ambiguity a factor why one group is untouchable while another is the bastard/nappy headed stepchild of the nation?
Strom Thurman (hated Negroes but loved Black pussy) & Don Imus (now back on the air) are 2 great examples of talking all kinds of shit about Negro folk and walking away on top.
Lastly, last night I found it ironic that while I was listening to Erykah Badu’s track “Me” she mentions that fact that she was born on “Saviours’ Day” (02/26) & she salutes Farrakhan.
Lola Gets / February 27, 2008
I dont like to compare and contrast disasters either (African slavery vs the Jewish Holocaust for example), but it is interesting to see the way these tragedies (and others) are treated differently. Perhaps it is power, perhaps its because other ethnicities are more “assimilationable”, perhaps its an issue of timing (19th century vs 20th century). But none of those things should mitigate the horror or the signifigence (sp) of African slavery in the New World.
As for Farrakhan, that man hasnt changed: He just holds his tongue better in public! I once called the man a forked-tongue serpent, cause he talks out both sides of his neck, and which side does the speaking depends upon his audience.
But that doesnt mean he hasnt made a difference in peoples lives. Lots of men and women have found the structure, purpose, and message theyve needed from him and the Nation, to help them improve their lives, and their communities. Unfortunately, due to his negative image in the media, politicians have to be veeeery careful when accepting his endorsements or assistance (remember Jesse and the S1Ws?).
L
Carla / February 27, 2008
I think the main reason why blacks don’t get the same respect, and why someone like Don Imus (or Dog Chapman) can say crazy shit and get back on the air is because we (black people) get all up in arms at first, but we don’t seem to have the strength of purpose to see it through til the end. I knew it was only a matter of time before those 2 racists got back on the air! The corporate powers that be know we’ll soon forget our wrath and get back to…whatever the hell it is we do on the regular.
Whereas, in my experience with Jews, albeit limited, they will not allow you to get away with even hypothetically saying anything against the Jewish Holocaust. You can’t even fix your mouth to say anything against that! Fo sho!
Why? Because they KNOW their history and can recite it upon command. They can tell you the atrocities committed against them, one by one.
Can we??? Most black folks I meet may know that we were slaves, but they can’t really speak on the Atlantic Slave Trade (before it began, or after).
Why do actions against Negroes carry much less weight? Simply put, cuz our attention span is short. 😉
Darius T. Williams / February 28, 2008
You know – I did hear in passing that Obama got the nod from Farrakhan. But, I didn’t think it was really a big deal. Why does America hate Farrakhan?
Los Angelista / February 28, 2008
It was such a gotcha question on Russert’s part. I wished Obama would’ve said, “Yeah, me and Farrakhan are homies from way back in the day! He’s teachin’ my chilluns to play violin and I’m gonna put him on the ticket as vice-president so all y’all can kiss my black ass!”
But that didn’t happen. Darn. Because that would’ve been VERY entertaining. I guess he handled it as best he could. I read somewhere that Russert didn’t ask Hillary if she denounces Ann Coulter’s endorsement. And Ann Coulter has said racist things about everybody under the sun.
Homeland Colors / February 28, 2008
Farrakhan was a student of Malcolm X who did little during the Civil Rights Revolution and admitted that he was complicit in Malcolm’s death. Besides taking symbolic action you probably can’t name one thing he’s done for people outside of the NOI. Jews have been oppressed on a consistent basis since the second fall of Israel. It’s understandable that they are as quick to nail an anti-Semite as we are a racist.
Bygbaby / February 29, 2008
Lola – Good points & “(remember Jesse and the S1Ws?)”. You went way back on that one. I love it!!!
Carla – So true, we do have a short attention span; unless money is involved.
DTW – “Why does America hate Farrakhan?” Cuz white & Jewish America see him as Farrakkkhan.
Liz – Ann Coulter is such an offensive skank oozing cunt! Now that racist talk show host is backing Hillary, You are right, a similar question should have been posed to Billary!
Brandon – Fisrt, thx for checking me out!!!
“Besides taking symbolic action you probably can’t name one thing he’s done for people outside of the NOI.” Challenge up in this piece!!! Million Man March, Million Family March. Yes there are obvious but more that one.
“Jews have been oppressed on a consistent basis since the second fall of Israel.” We have been oppressed since the 15th century so ummmm???
Bygbaby
muslimahlocs / February 29, 2008
the attempt to link BO to islam and anti-semitism by invoking farrakhan is evidence of the theological and historical ignorance @ islam and anti-semitism of the questioner, billary, the mainstream media and the american public in general.
barack knows this but cannot admit to knowing too much about islam for fear of loosing votes.
is farrakhan “muslim”? and just who are the semites anyway? hmmm…the 1.7% of the u.s. population that self-identify as “jewish”, european heritage not withstanding.
what i really want to know is why did farrakhan feel the need to “endorse” BO in the first place. he had to know that it would be used against BO. why did he have to insert himself into the discussion? maybe he should have taken this hint from one muslim http://www.islamicamagazine.com/Online-Analysis/Muslim-Voters-and-Obama.html
and kept quiet. or not?
Bygbaby / March 1, 2008
Muslimahlocs – “is farrakhan “muslim”?” Funny, many of my Muslim associates look down on the NOI in general & say they are not real Muslims. I think that is a fucked up stance & exclusionary but then again I think the NOI has a history of exclusion if you do not buy into their principles. Oh sweet religion, the never ending debate!
Bygbaby
muslimahlocs / March 1, 2008
noi theology is in direct opposition to the basic principles of islam. e.g. fard as “God” v. no God but Allah; t.h.e.m. as prophet v. Muhammad (pbuh) as seal of prophets.
i have been to noi services and heard prayers in the name of fard and t.h.e.m. akin to the christian take on prophet isa (may God be pleased with him).
by way of analogy, they are viewed in islam the way mormoms are viewed by mainstream christian denominations.
however, any person of african descent who fails to acknowledge the transformative socio-cultural work of the noi within the black community is either (a) disingenous, (b) asleep , (c) not paying attention, (d) a tool for “the man”, (e) [insert others]. this, of course, includes me.
from a socio-cultural perspective, i prefer the old farrakhan and i think he should have kept quiet about his “support”. the fact that he did not leads me to question his support because it seems to me that he, of all people who survived cointelpro, is politically savvy enough to know that it would be used against BO.
my original point was that the media has a responsibility to be better informed about islam in their understanding of the theological differences among muslims.
Lola Gets / March 1, 2008
I knew Muslimahlocs was gonna break it down: You go girl!
L
Bygbaby / March 5, 2008
I got my locs retightened today & my stylist is in the NOI so I asked her what she thought & it was so hard not to respond to what she had to say but she made since on a lot. I did not want to piss her off & I di not want my locs any tighter. LOL Shes my boo though!!!
Bygbaby