If you are white and you are about to read this post, stop! Do not read anymore. This post is for black folks only.......
Okay, I am not serious, this post is not actually going to be for only black folks, but I am trying to make a point here.
A judge in Atlanta recently threw everyone out of his courtroom (everyone meaning the mostly white lawyers), because he wanted to lecture the black defendants who made up 99% of the defendants who were in his room that day. Now his Honor is catching a lot of heat from folks in some quarters, and they are crying reverse racism. "How would he like it if a white Judge kicked every black person out of his court room because he wanted to lecture all of the white defendant." Personally, I wouldn't feel bad at all. Especially if all the white defendants in the court room were a bunch of juvenile delinquents who I was sick of seeing in my court room, and all the lawyers who were charged to defend them were a bunch of black guys.
I honestly understand where the good Judge was coming from. I can't tell you how many days I sat in a courtroom and had to see black defendant after black defendant being brought in to face the wrath of a white Judge, while being defended by a white lawyer. And for the record, I have seen black Judges lecture black defendants in ways that white Judges could not. And you know what, I don't have a problem with that. In many cases that will be the first time that any of them will have had to listen to a stern word or form of admonishment from a black male. So good for the Judge.
"But field how would you feel if you were a White person and the Judge kicked you out." Well, I would hope that I would be like the white folks who come to this blog. I really wouldn't care at all. Because I would understand that the Judge was frustrated and that there were certain sensitivities that only he could speak to. Now from a strictly legal point, I would probably have some issues. I would certainly want to make sure that my case was not being prejudiced in any way. But hey, that's what motions and appeals are for. Besides, the Judge told CNN that he was probably wrong to handle the situation the way he did. But sometimes we get frustrated and you know what, I can relate.
"In retrospect, it was a mistake, "Because my sheriff said to me, 'Judge, that message should be given to everybody' -- 'Don't violate the law, make something out of yourself, go to school, find a role model, somebody that will help you advance your life.'"
No it wasn't Judge, desperate times call for desperate measures. Unfortunately certain people in this country will always pin nefarious motives to situations such as this where race is involved. "Yeah you gotta watch this blacks, they stick together. He might be telling all those defendants not to worry, that he is going to give them all light sentences. See, that's why we shouldn't give them any power, they always abuse it". Give me a break!
Good for you Judge. I hope you gave everyone of those knuckle heads a good talking to. And if they even acted like they didn't want to listen, I hope you literally threw the book at them.
I don't blame the judge one bit. The drop out rate, the incarceration rate, the rising suicide rate for Black males 15-24 y.o.--it's a crisis situation and you don't handle it by doing the same old same old.
ReplyDeleteOf course, it would be better if these kids never had to appear before a judge at all. Some cities have mental health courts to divert psychologically troubled youths from prison. Maybe that's a start.
Field thanks for the info. I have not heard of this until now. I understand what the judge was trying to do. Thanks Judge for caring.
ReplyDeleteTricky.
ReplyDeleteWhile I can understand the judge getting a little pissed seeing the same people over and over. If this had been a white judge kicking black lawyers from the courtroom to lecture white offenders....yikes.
No matter how noble the intentions I'll bet the white judge would be looking for new work.
I'm glad the judge had enough courage to do something, he had to know that there would be a backlash aganist him, but he did it anyway. Maybe if more of us take a personel stand like the judge did, then things might start to change for the better.
ReplyDeleteKudos to this judge..I totally support what he did. Backlash or not he did what he felt needed to be done. This may have been the first time these young men have had a stern figure who "looks like them" offer some words of advice, encouragement etc. If his little "talk" changes the behavior of only 1 of these defendents, it will have been worth it. I just hope they were listening!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the sentiments of the judge. Good for him for trying to use the moment to maybe alter the direction of these young men's lives.
ReplyDeleteMy only wish is that he would not stop with the defendants.
Next, he needs to call in all of the DAs and tell them to stop over-charging. Damn near everyone that is facing criminal charges in the Philly courts are, as a standard practice, overcharged. The DAs throw a bunch of charges at you and just hope something sticks. Imagine you are a young kid and you got into a fist fight, but instead of facing simple assault (what you SHOULD be charged with) you are facing, attempted murder, possession of an instrument of crime, consipiracy with intent, aggravated assault, and over half the time, resisting arrest, and assault of a police officer. That is standard practice in Philly courts.
Then, after he has given a good talkin to to the DAs, haul in the defense attorneys. Remind them to do their damn jobs instead of cutting deals. Too many of the defense attorneys bank off of convincing scared defendants that if they dont take the deal, they are gonna do serious time. They are too lazy to go and fight for their client in court. Not all of them, but too, too, many of them. So, then these scared defendants too often plead guilty or no contest to charges they didn't commit... get felony convictions, and then cannot get work, get loans for school, and have very little options for their futures. And, with the new ICE/Immigration policies, too many dumb ass criminal defense attorneys dont know that any sentence over a year automatically triggers deportation for immigrants! Imagine your family moved here from Cambodia when you were a baby. You grew up here. All your family in Cambodia that didnt escape died in the killing fields. Then, when you are 18, you get busted with a small amount of weed, or you get in that fist fight... your lawyer convinces you to take the deal, 23 months probation.. no jail... and then, all the sudden when you go in for your probation meeting, you are taken into custody, sent to prison, and then deported back to Cambodia, you dont speak the language, you have no family, and you are on your own....
This is happening every damn day in the criminal system across this country, this and more.
So, good on the judge for talking to the kids, but they sure arent the only ones in that court house that need a good talkin to!
This type of story gives me hope. I was smiling;
ReplyDeleteIf this had been a white judge kicking black lawyers from the courtroom to lecture white offenders....yikes.
ReplyDeleteSorry burpster, but I think we'd be applauding him here, too.
Some of our youth, white and black alike, will continue to be at risk until we adults get it together, and rear kids from within strong, tough-love, high-expectations family structures with a firm base--fathers and mothers that put childrearing first.
shonufded, thanks for saying that for me.
ReplyDeleteAmen jody! I am so glad you come to this site. You live in Philly, and you are familiar with the system. Now when I tell folks about some of the shit that goes on here I will have you to verify it:)
Sorry, white folks, but you can't have it both ways.
ReplyDeleteYou can't complain about the black community (see Pat Buchanan's racist rant) and the crime rates, and then complain when someone tries to do something about it.
It's either one or the other; do you want us to address the problem, or not?!
If the sheriff wants the judge to do the same thing for everybody, then the judge should so do. If he reaches a white offender, so be it.
I'm still trying to imagine a courtroom where all the defendants are white.
ReplyDeleteIs there such a court in America?
Tax Evasion Court?
I applaud the judge's effort, but I worked with knuckleheads, of all races, for years, and I can't count how many fire, and brimstone speeches I wasted on them.
By the time the courts get these kids/men (Same as in the programs in which I worked), it's typically too late.
More intervention, less prosecution.
Unless they want to make prosecution more equitable.
For starters, white collar criminals, like Neil Bush for instance, who steal hundreds of millions of dollars, and ruin thousands of people's lives should be treated like serial killers-
Fry Their Asses.
I kept reading after the warning :)
ReplyDeleteI really don't think there's such a thing as "reverse racism" because racism is a function of the dominant culture, so I get frustrated when I hear people use the phrase. Being angry about present inequality/oppression wrought by a history of oppression just isn't the same as white people perceiving that their historical privilege is somehow not working in their favor at the moment (and it's at that moment that I usually hear "reverse racism"). Just had to throw that out for whatever it's worth.
I heard about this when I woke up this morning. I'm glad the judge made that speech, and he should make it to all kids who enter his court room as defendants.
ReplyDeleteI ABSOLUTELY HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH WHAT THIS JUDGE DID!
ReplyDeleteI wish more black judges would do the same. I'm sorry but these little dumb knuckleheads needed that conversation. I hope to God he was able to reach at least one of those kids.
I would not have a problem if white folks decided to do the same thing for their own kind. I could care less. I hate political correctness sometimes. And this is one of those cases.
That conversation needed to come from a black man. It needed to be done in the company of JUST US! If he had done it in front of white folks BLACK FOLKS would have accused him of being an uppity negro trying to please whitey. i.e Bill Cosby.
As a matter of fact, I'm going to send this judge a thank you note and tell him well done!
I don't think the judge should have kicked out the lawyers. He's the judge. What he says "goes" in his court. He could have very well given that same harsh lecture in front of the white lawyers. What was the big deal? He's the damn judge. Hello? He says, in retrospect, that he probably should not have operated that way. Well, I agree. I don't see why he couldn't have said in front of the lawyers what he said after he kicked them out. Everybody could have learned something from his stern lecture. I say he was just plain wrong. I'm a middle-age black woman, I understand the challenges and stresses of what our young black men face everyday. I still say, however, that to kick the white lawyers out of the courtroom was not the best thing to do. I simply don't see what good it did to engage that action. Again, I say: he's the judge. He can pretty much say whatever the hell he wants. Now, whether or not folks heed his message is a completely different thing. But tossing folk out? That was not the answer.
ReplyDeleteI think that the judge wanted to assure, as much as he could, that the young men would actually listen to what he had to say.
ReplyDeleteHe didn't want to go on record with some rather caustic, straight-forward, tough talk, given what we've seen lately with the Rev. Wright blowback.
And I believe he stated it himself: giving a family talk in public in front of whites might have upped the volume so loud that the young men would have simply turned him off, and dismissed his heart-felt efforts to turn their lives around.
Damn, judges are known to do a hellava lot of Judge Roy Bean stunts, and this time an otherwise well-intentioned act has come under undeserved scrutiny
Brothers/Sisters After 40 years this is where my people are. Still contend that you should have listened to the last men that stood up for your race... but you wanted the master to love you.. Why can't the judge do what he did? He is an extention of society taking care of my people. Cops ride on bikes and walk door to door to " see if they can help you" in the Black community. They patrol much more in your hoods. Pre-care/day care/school/after school prog./police leagues/ you get the message. From cradle to grave we have allowed others to take care of our young men. I feel sorry for the people that have to deal with these offenders. Brother Martin you were taken too soon. Brother Field, I think the "Obama Effect" is starting. I truly hope that racially this judge dont be reprimanded. Every other race take care of their own so give us a shot.... the other plan is not working..or is it?
ReplyDelete"I'm still trying to imagine a courtroom where all the defendants are white.
ReplyDeleteIs there such a court in America?
Tax Evasion Court?"
LMBAO!! fairlane, you made my morning.
`
ReplyDeleteJudge Marvin Arrington, fornicated up.
Instead of lecturing dem Negroes, he should have had their gonads removed.
We do not need them fathering, no siring another generation of punk, mop-headed mofoing foolz.
Whare dey daddies at?
`
I support the judge.
ReplyDeleteAmazing poll info here.
ReplyDeleteHillary Clinton’s once commanding lead in Pennsylvania has all but disappeared and in at least one tracking poll, now shows Barack Obama in the lead.
Obama has taken the lead over Clinton 45-43 in Pennsylvania, according to the newest survey from Public Policy Polling.
It’s a remarkable turn around from PPP’s last Pennsylvania poll, conducted two and a half weeks ago, that showed Clinton with a 26 point lead in the state.
That poll was released at the height of the Jeremiah Wright controversy and the day before Obama’s major speech on race in Philadelphia.
Obama has been trending upward in national polling and in many state level polls since then and this survey reflects that pattern.
Field,
ReplyDeleteI'd have to agree. Speaking as a convicted felon. I was in a program called the SHORT program for first time offenders (drug cases). Judge Bennett is a black judge he never differentiated between his black and white defendants. He didn't allow people to come in with Red or Blue he made all the younger men pull their pants up and if they didn't comply they'd be spending a night in jail. He didn't have no problem telling a young brother what the deal was in front of whomever. That Judge and the program saved my life.
So I'm all for the judge showing some true love to the younger crowds. Like you say we need it. Cuz I didn't grow up with a father in the home and I was always looking. It felt good also for the judge to look kindly on you when you're doing right and showing up to do what you're supposed to do.
Love.
When the Irish came here who policed them? They policed themselves because nobody else could tell them anything. They wouldn't listen to anybody, but other Irish. Black men need to take control of troubled Black youth before Black youth are going to listen to anyone else. Black youth think they have all the answers because Black men have not given them the answers (not that White men have the answers for their kids).
ReplyDeleteNot just Black men , but all men haven't taken control of the youth because they feel like "How can I tell them what to do when I did the same shit myself?". Men need to be a stronger presence in the lives of youth and Black men have a longer row to hoe especially when they are "out in the field".
Field: I contested (and won, maybe I should have studied law) a speeding ticket in Pittsfield, Mass last December in the heart of the Bershires. I can tell you that there was nothing, but a sea of white faces in there mostly for crystal meth and "family crimes". I would rather be in a mixed court room with B&E's and assaults than that place. It was FREAKY!
ReplyDeleteThe judge did what was needed, since the parents of these boneheads appearing in his court have abdicated their responsibilities as parents.
ReplyDeleteHe should have told off those test-tube babies (Robin Harris impersonation). Good for him, and for those who couldn't understand why he kicked out white people, the judge has also been watching the news and watching how everything that comes out of a Black person's mouth gets stretched out of context, and probably didn't feel like seeing 50,000 repeat clips of his lecture on Fake News; especially during the hours Hannity and O'Reilly are on.
"NSangoma said...
ReplyDelete`
....We do not need them fathering, no siring another generation of punk, mop-headed mofoing foolz.
Whare dey daddies at?"
Well some of their daddies could be posting cowardly 'anonymous' comments from under their beds in Plano, praying that the good master will free us from those bad negroes in one swoop of Final Solutionism.
A Desmond Burton fan for sure.
I fully understand the judge's actions. If he had made this speech in front of the lawyers, the youths probably would've dismissed it as him "showing off" for the white man.
ReplyDeleteI think it's great that a judge will get down and dirty and make it personal for defendents like this, and I don't really have big problem with it, but why do they have to make it a black on black thing any more than a judge from southern WV would have to dismiss the black public defenders in the courtroom to talk shit to a cadre of hillbilly offenders.
ReplyDeletePut it out there. Let everybody hear, understand and learn. As long as white people think there is some big mystery about being black or black people think every white person is holding a KKK meeting in their head, there aint gonna be open and honest dialog on a societal level in this country.
Field, we saw this report on CNN the other night, and completely agree with the judge for doing what he did. People can't have it both ways, either we need to take control of the chaos going on in our communities or continue to let America "take control" in the only way it seems to know how - law and order, aka feed the prison industrial complex. I prefer the judge's method and wish more Black men in position to influence our youth would do the same.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this, you've saved me some work!
Hello Field:
ReplyDeleteI'm not Black, nor a guilty liberal,just your average middle aged White male lawyer from the SFV in L.A.--As you often point out, youth of any color need a strong male figure to set them straight--the White lawyers can't do this--they need to do their job, which doesn't include lectures or guidance, just competent representation. This Judge can, and I'm glad he did--self help is the best help, and a Black Judge to a Black male is simply more credible than someone like me !
The judge had good intentions but unorthodox if not questionable methods. Clearly, he was frustrated and probably felt like he needed to do something drastic to try to get through to these young men.
ReplyDeleteNevertheless, he knew this approach would be controversial and so should have used his discretion as a judge to come up with another way of addressing the young men without removing all the white people from the court.
When people cried fowl I don't think they were trying to have it both ways (this IS a public space) because the optimal time to address these young men and the issues facing them was L-O-N-G before they were standing before the judge!
@redlipstick I agree the optimal time to address these young men would have been before they went astray, but woulda, shoulda, oughta. That's not what this story is about, this is about a Judge who addressed the young defendants in his courtroom. Obviously, this address takes place well after the optimal time. But I like to think it's never too late.
ReplyDeleteI applaud the Judge whole heartedly. Having spent a decade prosecuting in small predominately white towns I haven't had to deal with the specific frustration of watching too many of our young black men and women go astray. Instead I got a well mixed courtroom of misdemenants. Nevertheless, it does get frustrating "seeing" many of the same people over and over again. We called them the "frequent fliers". They get to thinking it's cute having all the name recognition from the Prosecutor, the Judge, the Court Clerks - kinda like they're small town celebrities or something. Sometimes you gotta take 'em down a peg by reminding them that the proscutor knowing you by name, face and crime of choice is NOT a GOOD thing. During my frequent let-me-break-this-down-for-you talks I routinely had to explain what the term "life on the installment plan" meant. Some got it, others did not.
The best summary of all this I ever heard was from a defense attorney named Brett Colacurcio from Aberdeen, Washignton. He said to me once, "Those who do not understand the system are doomed to be perpetually f***** by it."
Maybe the Judge just wanted to drop a little of that wisdom on these kids.
I wonder why all the white people were so freaked out about it in he first place. What did they think was going on in the Courtroom during their absence?
I think we need more judges like this guy. I don't see a problem with what he did at all.
ReplyDeleteI had to post on another blog because that person disagreed with the Judge. I am glad he spoke to those young men. Hopefully they'll take what he said to heart and know that someone cares. God was using that Judge to speak to them. One of my brothers was arrested when he was 16 for having a joint and not read his rights, mom wasn't contacted, etc. Well he happened to be in court with a Black male Judge who threw the case out. My brother went into the military and is a federal employee today. He wasn't a 'bad' kid but almost got railroaded into the system and it took a thoughtful Judge to prevent it.
ReplyDeleteI'm still trying to imagine a courtroom where all the defendants are white.
ReplyDeleteIs there such a court in America?
drunk driving/child molestation/spree killing court is were all the crackers are.
Field-
ReplyDeleteI actually know this judge. His son & I are good friends. I applaud his willingness to do something to try & curb the wave of senseless crime. Once upon a time the black community practiced 'getting involved' with others. My parents tell stories of how their neighbors would discipline them and by the time they got home, the neighbors had told the parents what happened. This, of course, ended with my parents getting not one, but two butt whippings. I experienced this same type of 'community' discipline growing up in North Carolina.
Those days are long gone. Now, no one says anything to people. We don't get involved. I am a graduate of Morehouse College and was taught to take a stand when you see something wrong. My wife is constantly begging me to not get involved when I see young Black men behaving like fools in public. Since we live in DC she is sure that one of them will shoot me for asking them not to curse in public, etc. Most don't respond negatively when I speak to them. They usually just respectfully comply. I think it is because they are not used to hearing older Black men tell them what we were told when we were the young ones doing dirt.
We need to let young Black men know that we care for them as a whole. They might not have role models in the home, but they should be some in the community. Kudos to Judge Arrington!!
I told you I saw him on CNN, and I could hear the pain and frustration in his voice. I think he'd had enough. He'd had enough of sitting there, day after day, of seeing Young Black Men come into his court as grist for the Prison Industrial Complex.
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing conspiratorial about what the man did. He was family talking to family. He didn't want to mince words. He wanted them to HEAR him, like they would a grandfather, uncle, Village Elder.
There was nothing but love behind the man's frustration. Do you realize how difficult a road he probably had to travel to become a judge, considering his age? He's getting to the point where he doesn't care what people think about what he says..
He's a lot like my late aunt who used to say:
" I have to say something, or the rocks will cry out."
People are quick to criticize. They criticize Obama's preacher's speech after hearing only a soundbite of it, but without listening to the whole sermon. The same here. People should get the whole story before passing judgement. The judge was (pardon the pun) probably totally justified in doing what he did.
ReplyDeleteFN,
ReplyDeleteref. sidebar
The first idea was to inject part of human DNA in pig embryo to grow human organs. Maybe they thought a cow would no offend any religion or people's sensibilities as much.
I ignored the warning. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteGood points. I think the real question that should be asked is "How big of a ruckus would transpire if a white judge did this?" Since there are a few well-known people in which this would have indeed incited a "whites are still racist, and here's our proof" shindig. Of course I still wish that the racist card wouldn't be played at every turn that whites or blacks make.
Field, I expect to see the good judge with at least an honorary FN mention sometime soon. You very rarely find that kind of reach back and pull somebody up attitude from most of the HN who comprise the ranks of Black elected officials.
ReplyDeleteIm sure the judge had good intentions, sometimes a different approach needs to be taken. What was the outcome of the cases ????
ReplyDelete[quote]"How would he like it if a white Judge kicked every black person out of his court room because he wanted to lecture all of the white defendant." Personally, I wouldn't feel bad at all. Especially if all the white defendants in the court room were a bunch of juvenile delinquents who I was sick of seeing in my court room, and all the lawyers who were charged to defend them were a bunch of black guys.[/quote]
ReplyDeleteField Negro - you are amazing to me.
Just as you have grasp of the proper focus - you try to reach out for more and end up losing it all.
Can I ask you a question FN? Can you show me WHERE Judge Marvin Arrington stated that HE WAS TIRED OF ALL THE "WHITE LAWYERS THAT WERE DEFENDING THESE BLACKS YOUTHS THAT COME BEFORE FOR HIM"? Or is this YOUR editorial addition?
It seems to me that you have a problem with facing certain facts HEAD ON. Just like the other day with the Philly School district - you were content in agreeing with me that there are problems - AS LONG AS I also accepted your notion that the REPUBLICAN CONTROL freaking PARKING AUTHORITY was conspiring against the schools by keeping millions of dollars from the school.
With you, Field Negro I would like to introduce the concept of PROPORTIONALITY. This assist in directing the argument to the GREATEST THREAT rather than allowing for obfuscation.
So Field Negro - If you had to put this issue on a balance scale how much would the CRIMES AND REPEATED ANTICS of these young Black males dictated Judge Arrington's response as compared to the WHITE LAWYERS being present and conspiring against them? Is it 50/50? Is it 30/70 (with the White lawyers being 70% of the problem)? What is it in your mind Field Negro?
MORE IMPORTANTLY FIELD NEGRO - how do we solve this? Using your logic the best way to solve this problem is to GET MORE BLACK LAWYERS to defend these people. This would reduce the Black Judge's anger at seeing the Black Defendants in front of him. His pride in seeing a Black lawyer just like he was back in the day would seemingly offset his anger at those who he is locking up.
Do you specifically plan to organize an effort to get young Black people to go into law school as a means of thwarting this RACIST system of White Public Defenders that are feeding the Prison Industrial Complex? Or are you content in spewing rhetoric Field Negro, others?
For the record - My opinion of this IS - Judge Marvin Arrington is a member of the Atlanta chapter of the "100 Black Men of America". He is fully aware of how to engaged young people. My key problem is that he did this as a sitting JUDGE rather than taking his robe off and pulling them into a conference room to have a talk with them.
Today when there are so many technicalities that can throw a case in favor of the defendant I can just imagine one of these crafty public defenders BLACK OR WHITE making the case that in his talk this judge who is supposed to be independent, allowing the FACTS AND THE LAW to guide him to his decision assumed the GUILT of all of the defendants in his courtroom and admonished them as such. Therefore he is biased and thus my client should be retried under a different judge and thus released until another trial with a different judge takes place.
In a follow up article even JUDGE ARRINGTON HIMSELF states that he crossed the line in removing people by race from his courtroom.
[quote]Good for him, and for those who couldn't understand why he kicked out white people, the judge has also been watching the news and watching how everything that comes out of a Black person's mouth gets stretched out of context, and probably didn't feel like seeing 50,000 repeat clips of his lecture on Fake News; especially during the hours Hannity and O'Reilly are on.[/quote]
ReplyDeleteOh I have much love for you CHRISTIAN Progressive Liberal!!! (agape love that is).
You too take an issue that is pretty straight forward and just as Erica Badu's song.....bring your extra baggage to the table.
Where as it is CLEAR that if the judge who lives in metro Atlanta as I do WATCHES THE NEWS - he would see that the average Black person on the local news that uses the word "terror" ("they are terrorizing the community") that they are NOT talking about Muslim immigrants with student visa but are talking about another Black person who was raised up by the people in their own extended community.
I understand that it pains you. You, just as Field Negro are unable to deal with these painful details head on, STAYING FOCUSED. So in your mind if you bring in Fox News as a means of self pacification. (side note - I an new to this blog. I realize that as a Black guy on other blogs I am obliged to say "Faux News". I see that the editorial standard on this blog is "Fake News". You guys are in violation of the Black blogger editorial standards committee. I will petition them to force you all to use the term "Faux News". Keith Olbermann is your hero though, no doubt)
Sad to say, CHRISTIAN Progressive Liberal - in this case it is not "what is coming out of Black people's MOUTHS" that is the problem. It is WHAT IS COMING OUT OF OUR HOUSES THAT IS THE PROBLEM. These YOUNG BLACK PEOPLE, who are mostly terrorizing OTHER BLACK PEOPLE are what is being released from OUR NESTS and going out into the world to pollinate our communities with what we see today - good and bad.
Ms. CHRISTIAN Progressive Liberal - don't you get tired of your character assassinations? (please note - this is the baggage that I am bring to the argument). Wouldn't you be more fulfilled if you directed your antics at the areas where it is MOST NEEDED? Or do you believe that in getting rid of the Democratic Leadership Council and purging the Democratic Party of all the "Neo-Republicans" that THE BLACK COMMUNITY WILL BE HEALED!!!!!! "What are you working toward?" - must be asked.
I THOUGHT that Black political activism was to benefit the BLACK COMMUNITY when it was all said and done. Instead in 2008 Black folks have MORE PEOPLE IN POWER OVER OUR OWN COMMUNITIES and yet we still have the problems that Judge Arrington has noted. I live in metro Atlanta and I'll assure you - the political landscape where these young Blacks live is just as dominated by DEMOCRATS as is the case in Philly where Field Negro lives. Let me be clear, however, this is not about the DEMOCRATS for me. This is about the OUTSOURCING OF THE "BLACK BEST INTERESTS" off of OUR BEST INTERESTS and over to a particular PARTY!!!
I ask myself sometimes "What will it take for MY PEOPLE to see that they are in fact GETTING WHAT THEY WANT politically - where most of their attention is focused - but are LOSING OUR COLLECTIVE SOUL on the key points that matter the most?" I can imagine that after a while there will be a VIOLENT RIOT once the end of the rope is reached INSTEAD OF A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CONTRITION shown by the BLACK OPERATIVES WHO ARE FAILING TO LEAD US!
This riot will be from people being "sick and tired of being sick and tired". It is a sign of their 'conditioned hopelessness". Little do they know - it was not just THE SYSTEM that has failed them. There were plenty NEGROES in the mix who were co-conspirators. Instead of EMPOWERING these people you all don't mind their weakened condition AS LONG AS THEY AGREE WITH YOU IDEOLOGICALLY. Your goal is POWER OVER not CORRECTION OF the people and problems in our community.
The leadership over Black America today have partisan and ideological agendas rather than unmolested intentions of producing a Black Community that is functional, self sufficient and a the end of the day A SAFE AND HEALTHY PLACE FOR US TO LIVE.
Why don't you put forth an OBJECTIVE MEASURE OF EFFECTIVENESS of that which you support? Bottom line question "IS IT WORKING". If YES then CONTINUE if NO then shop for something else. Your current answer is "NO - LETS TRY HARDER AT DOING THE SAME THING" ("Watch him, watch him - he is trying to make us Republicans.") Maybe this is not about the American political constructions but instead goes DEEPER toward human nature and basic societal constructs? Thus how are you going to solve these issues with POLITICAL MEANS?
Don't you all get tired of yourselves? I can only think that some of you are LIARS to yourself. As long as you insert some mental wedge (ie: Faux News, White Public Defenders) you are mentally contented that ALL THAT YOU SEE with respect to our problems is NOT WHAT IT SEEMS.
What else do you need to do some honest INTROSPECTION?
[quote]When the Irish came here who policed them? They policed themselves because nobody else could tell them anything. They wouldn't listen to anybody, but other Irish. Black men need to take control of troubled Black youth before Black youth are going to listen to anyone else. Black youth think they have all the answers because Black men have not given them the answers (not that White men have the answers for their kids).[/quote]
ReplyDeleteDavid Sullivan:
It is indeed important to have people to run their own communities. HOWEVER I reject the notion that we need to have an ALL BLACK POLICE FORCE and thus our problems will be solved. This will only lead to an obfuscation from the real issue. I assure you that upon seeing your comments that the usual suspects will try to solve this on the backs of GOVERNMENT, demanding that they start an intensive BLACK POLICE OFFICER RECRUITMENT PROGRAM. When they reach the 60% Black police man level and THERE ARE STILL PROBLEMS they will simply run after 70% and then 80% - all the while the core problem is never addressed.
This is nothing more than seeking to have a solution RAIN DOWN upon the community. In these solutions the COMMUNITY ITSELF does not have to do anything themselves. SALVATION is poured upon them from some external entity and then they GROW - magically.
THIS IS NOT HOW IT WORKS.
SALVATION comes from the INSIDE and is projected OUTWARD!!
This MUST BE THE CASE. The Black community - in desiring to have CHANGE - permanent, comprehensive and fundamental CHANGE (not the Obama type of change to get your vote) is going to have to first of all:
1) UNDERSTAND WHAT WE WANT AS AN END GAME COLLECTIVELY
2) Understand where we STAND TODAY and the associated COST of the current pain to our lives and our potential
3) Document a path from the DESTINATION to the CURRENT PLACE
4) Direct all of our people who are DESIRING TO BENEFIT FROM THIS CHANGE toward the pathway
5) MANAGE this walk - where as when they stray - they are guided back on track
The problem that I have with certain competing ideologies is that they want to DO FOR BLACKS. As long as we are IN RECEIPT OF - health care, education, jobs, etc - THEY BELIEVE THEIR JOB IS DONE. What they FAIL TO SEE is that all of these things MUST BE EXPRESSED BY OUR OWN PEOPLE rather than by some EXTERNAL GOVERNMENT ENTITY THAT THEY DON'T ULTIMATELY CONTROL!!!!!
The last time I was in Philly in my old neighborhood at 61st and Jefferson in West Philly I saw more MENTAL UNEMPLOYMENT among the people than I saw LABOR unemployment. The change that took place in that community over the past 25 years was a MENTAL shift. These are not "new Negroes", transplanted from another planet. They have an atrophied mentality from when I lived there. The block was full of BLACK FAMILIES when I lived there. We took ownership of our property and kept it clean and kept it up. Today they have RENTER'S mentality. If the landlord does not come and sweep their front steps - it ain't going to be swept up. This DESPITE having young people sitting among the leaves on the steps, talking stuff rather than operating a broom.
This same LANDLORD/TENANT model is present on a national scale as we consider the assumed agency relationship that some people with a particular ideology have.
The Black community will be as strong as the people INSIDE OF IT care to manage it. This is going to be expressed via our WORKS rather than a new LAW that is passed that provides a program for our benefit.
What you see today, David Sullivan is a result of CONDITIONING - erroneous conditioning.
Constructive Feedback: I never said having an all black police force would solve the problem. I was talking to the fact that people usually respond negatively to those they think are against them. If it is someone in authority who is more like them then they are more likely to listen than to shut down and tune out.
ReplyDeleteDavid, I must respecfully ask that you quit feeding this troll, aka Constructive Feedback, because he does anything but provide his namesake.
ReplyDeleteHe likes to pontificate and tell the rest of us that our viewpoints are stupid. He calls me a person who's engaged in character assassination.
What do I have to do to get him to quit stalking me on the blogs?
A lot of posters appear to be missing the point here. No one's saying that the judge should not have offered a stern lecture to the bad guys. He certainly should have. And good for him. Maybe the bad boys will take heed. What he did--throw out all the white
ReplyDeletefolk--which, in retrospect he says he should not have done, is the point of contention. Maybe the bad guys would have felt worse had the lecture been given "in front of those white lawyers," but so damn what?? As long as the bad boys take heed, then WTF does it matter that it was said in front of WF? Maybe the lesson would have taken on a more urgency had the harsh words been delivered in front of the WF. WhoTF knows? I think the man acted a bit hasty in his decision, and to hear him admit on television that he did, well, that tells me that I'm not too far off in my assessment that he shoulda, coulda, ought-to-have delivered his speech within earshot of every damnbody.
Bottom line is I'm glad he did it, as I said in your post a couple of days ago. I get tired of hearing, seeing young black males on the news for some dumb shyt that they commited because of their up bringing or lack of. I get tired on some of them idolizing rap stars and sports stars and think it's cool to be some sort of rebel. There are other avenues they can take and still be succesfull. Someone needed to do it and if it took a "sitting" judge, so be it.
ReplyDeleteA cool way to have averted embarassment for those addressed would have been to tell them in his chambers, or clear the courtroom of all non-defendants (but I hear him).
ReplyDelete[quote]Constructive Feedback: I never said having an all black police force would solve the problem. I was talking to the fact that people usually respond negatively to those they think are against them. If it is someone in authority who is more like them then they are more likely to listen than to shut down and tune out.[/quote]
ReplyDeleteDavid Sullivan:
In your system as described above is there any notion that at least some of the things that the people who are receiving this confrontational focus from the 'foreign authorities' are doing ARE INDEED the source of this FOCUS and CONFRONTATION? Thus in changing the color of the AUTHORITY you still will have the same conflict until THE PEOPLE change.
This is why it is critical for a community to "know thy self". Know what its objectives are. This will better enable them to police themselves and also to have the products of their cradles to be in line with a given common outcome.
We tend to focus too much on secondary issues - race being one of them.
[quote]David, I must respecfully ask that you quit feeding this troll, aka Constructive Feedback, because he does anything but provide his namesake.
ReplyDeleteHe likes to pontificate and tell the rest of us that our viewpoints are stupid. [/quote]
"Stupid" is an IRRELEVANT concept. Trumping STUPID is the question: ARE THE VIEWPOINTS THAT YOU HOLD, THAT ARE POPULARLY ASSUMED TO BE WORKING IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY....ACTUALLY DOING SO?
Will you subjective these viewpoints to OBJECTIVE MEASURE to bear this out?
Let me give you a hint CPL - IT IS NOT "ALL ABOUT ME"!!! I hope that YOU will render MY JUDGMENTS OF YOU as irrelevant to you. I, however, hope that YOU will ask yourself if after having comfort that in having so many of your agenda items being POPULARLY regarded WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY that you are also satisfied that the results that you have aspired for have been delivered upon you and your community.
Do you see that I have no place in this flow?
At the end of the day the question of "What am I doing?", "Is it working?" and if not "What do I need to change to have my objectives achieved?" is the only thing that needs to be in this debate.
[quote]He calls me a person who's engaged in character assassination.
What do I have to do to get him to quit stalking me on the blogs?
[/quote]
I am not stalking you CPL. I was just happy to see that I have access to your blogs once again. You put your views in PUBLIC and I am interested in reading them.
Regarding "respect" - this flows both ways - right? I am no "troll". I am only attempting to figure out WHY the power in our community is oriented as it is today and why despite this orientation - so much of our measurable forward progress has stalled - what must be done to fix it. Surely you don't have a problem with this?
The judge can just change his name to "Educator Joe Clark" and be done with it. All that flailing is usually done by the same well-meaning types who spend time squawkin' 'bout "I don't see color!" without even giving a thought to how patronizing and blindingly privileged that thought is from jump.
ReplyDeletePlease thank Hizzoner for us, Field. Can he come and do a guest appearance in New York?
I dont blame the judge at all. We have continually tried to make black people equal the more that a majority of them want to go back to the ghetto. Proof? Even NFL players continue to carry guns and commit violent acts even when they are making millions. They are given the freedom to make Music and they make crap that again speaks of committing violent acts. They treat women poorly and not only do they offend the average person with there ignorance and there sloppy dress they cant even speak clearly, citing "ebonics" as proper language. They are given the same rights as white people and they turn around and show no ambition to pursue a better life.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes me sick is I have older people who continue to be prejudice and never wanted blacks to be free and explained what would happen of they were given there freedom. And you know what instead of rising above the igorance of white prejudice people they gave in and acted exactly how these old racists said they would, and I wanted them to be wrong! So if a judge recognizes that the black people have some serious issues to dealm with before they are going to be taken seriously I commend him. I dont care if there were no white people there we can deal with it, we are not killing each other, producing crappy music, and showing there ass to the public with there "anti-fashion" statements. Come on black people grow up and show some class, or is that a white concept?