Wednesday, January 27, 2010

The State Of The Union and Paul Shirley.


I see O is still delivering his latest introduction to the A-merry-ca people. I would wait until he is over to post, but why should I? We all know what's going to happen: The dems will love it. The rethugs will hate it, and the fight will continue in Washington. Over at Radio Rwanda there will be pundits saying that his speech did nothing to change their minds about A-merry-ca heading down the wrong path, and over on other so called main stream news outlets they will be breaking down every little thing he said and "Monday Morning Quarterbacking" his speech writers.

For what it's worth, the speech has been decent so far. (I loved when he gave a shout out to the First Lady. Is it me or does it look like Michelle Obama has seriously stepped up her fashion game?) He told the A-merry-can people that we are in trying times and they call for extraordinary measures, such as domestic spending freezes. (Hmmm, no cut on military spending?) And he scolded himself for not doing a better job of getting his message out to the A-merry-can people. “I take my share of the blame for not explaining it more clearly to the American people,” Obama said. “... This problem is not going away.” But we have come to expect nice speeches from O. As they say over at Jello: The proof will be in the pudding. That is what will determine if we will hear nice speeches for three more years or seven.

Another story that got my attention today is the one about this has-been b-ball player slamming the relief effort in Haiti, and chastising A-merry-cans for giving to the cause. Most of you have never heard of Paul Shirley, and if it wasn't for his stance on the Haitian relief effort you would never have heard of him at all. He had a cup of tea in the NBA but that's about it. Still, my man is getting headlines today becaause of his rant. Here is some of what he said:

"I haven’t donated to the Haitian relief effort for the same reason that I don't give money to homeless men on the street," he wrote. "Based on past experiences, I don't think the guy with the sign that reads 'Need You're Help' is going to do anything constructive with the dollar I might give him. If I use history as my guide, I don't think the people of Haiti will do much with my money either..."
".. And he didn't stop there, even writing a letter to the people of Haiti. "Dear Haitians," he wrote, "First of all, kudos on developing the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Your commitment to human rights, infrastructure, and birth control should be applauded. "As we prepare to assist you in this difficult time, a polite request: If it’s possible, could you not re-build your island home in the image of its predecessor? Could you not resort to the creation of flimsy shanty- and shack-towns? And could some of you maybe use a condom once in a while?" He also asked what's being done to prevent this tragedy from happening again, using New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina as an example. "We did the same after Hurricane Katrina," he said. "We were quick to vilify humans who were too slow to respond to the needs of victims, forgetting that the victims had built and maintained a major city below sea level in a known target zone for hurricanes. Our response: Make the same mistake again. Rebuild a doomed city, putting aside logic as we did."

Now, as to be expected, people of conscience everywhere are outraged, and ESPN has dropped my man as a freelance writer. But here is the thing; there are quite a few people who agree with Mr. Shirley. And I, for one, am of the opinion that he he has a right to express himself just like everyone else. So I don't think that ESPN should have dropped him, and I want people like Mr. Shirley to have a platform to speak. We need to hear all sides of these types of debates here in A-merry-ca. As ignorant and as repulsive as his views might seem to most of us, there are many folks who are saying, right on Mr. Shirley way to speak for me.
To those folks and Mr. Shirley, I give you the following article by the brilliant Hilary Beckles. I realise that Mr. Shirley has been too busy cultivating his basketball skills to actually read a book or an article about Haiti over the past few years, so I am always glad to educate where I can.

"..how best to deliver a major conference on the theme Rethinking And Rebuilding Haiti.
I am very keen to provide an input into this exercise because for too long there has been a popular perception that somehow the Haitian nation-building project, launched on January 1, 1804, has failed on account of mismanagement, ineptitude, corruption.

Buried beneath the rubble of imperial propaganda, out of both Western Europe and the United States, is the evidence which shows that Haiti's independence was defeated by an aggressive North-Atlantic alliance that could not imagine their world inhabited by a free regime of Africans as representatives of the newly emerging democracy.

The evidence is striking, especially in the context of France.
The Haitians fought for their freedom and won, as did the Americans fifty years earlier. The Americans declared their independence and crafted an extraordinary constitution that set out a clear message about the value of humanity and the right to freedom, justice, and liberty.
In the midst of this brilliant discourse, they chose to retain slavery as the basis of the new nation state. The founding fathers therefore could not see beyond race, as the free state was built on a slavery foundation.

The water was poisoned in the well; the Americans went back to the battlefield a century later to resolve the fact that slavery and freedom could not comfortably co-exist in the same place. "


You see that Mr. Shirley? Rather than shout you down, the field chooses to educate you. You can thank me by writing a check to the Haitian relief effort.

80 comments:

Greg Dragon said...

First?

Val said...

I disagree with you about his firing. If he had made a statement based on fact that was objectionable then fine. But his rambling had no basis in fact and that's why ESPN did the right thing in firing him.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if Mr. Shirley ever picked up a history text during his college basketball years? Perhaps he would have learned that following the slave revolt against the French, Haiti was subject to the most egregious financial penalties of their time or since by the French for daring to demand their freedom. They were literally prevented from gaining their financial footing by the US, France and others. But hey, let's blame them for daring to demand their human rights and being penalized.

Leota2 said...

Mr. Shirley can say what he likes. That's the joy of living in this country. But since he's now jobless--if I were to see him on the street I wouldn't spit on him if he needed a drink of water, let alone waste real water on him.

But Field, you're kind to try to educate this waste of humanity.

Anonymous said...

You hit the nail on the head: cut military spending!

Race Traitoress said...

he's a tool

Mr. Noface said...

I wonder if Mr. Shirley is rethinking his stance on giving a dollar to the homeless, now that he no longer has a job.

Farley said...

First, to "Mr." Shirley, if you expect any country to rebuild itself from this level of devastation without help, you're deluded beyond hope. Secondly, the Haitian common people aren't exactly to blame for the plight they were in before the earthquake. To look at them in disdain is pitiful of you.

Love what Leota2 said! Spot on. No one is immune to chance and circumstance.

Aside from completely pulling out of Iraqistan, where would be the advised military cuts?

Obama is a nice guy, too nice to the republicans, but he did slap some BBC upside their noodle heads tonight. That is always a joy to see.

Anonymous said...

I agree, he should not have been fired. There are people who agree with him and should be able to hear and read about such thoughts.

There are many in America who don't give a dime to the homeless. That includes Blacks.

I see them walk by homeless people everyday and ignore them as if they were not human. So Mr. Shirley has plenty of company and I am sure those people appreciated his little spiel.

finefroghair said...

Field, holy shit Howard Zinn just died today we lost a great one. I've noticed that you have in your sidebar his famous quote about dissension and patriotism something I try to pound through thick republican skulls all the time. When Bush used to say you are "either for us or against us" well I was always against. The republicans hate dissension must have something to do with the way they treat their wives. Not sure if you were aware that he died he was 87, no spring chicken, but it still saddened me. Just the other day I was telling a very conservative Doctor aquaintance that he should read Zinn's book " A People's History" of course he had never heard of it and I replied try to read it you'll hate every word and he said why and I told him because it's true..

Anonymous said...

Shirley is an idiot. The better part of his diatribe is spent on boot straps and responsibility. Now, he may have only had a drink of tea in the NBA but any man who makes his living on 1 part genetic luck, 1 part general luck (being lucky enough to get noticed in high school and college or even being at a school where scouts will look etc.), 1 part practice/hard work and 1 final part of cashing in on all that prior luck and using connections made through them (Sports commentating and playing overseas) and then proceeds to lecture me on taking responsibility and the real world can quite simply bite me.

Shirley's sounds like that fool in SC who thinks poor people are like stray animals.

As to Michelle, she is definitely stepping up her fashion. And as general comment on that, I adore her hair when it's in that cute little bob. She's got a high forehead and that style accentuates her face so well. I wish she'd wear it all the time.

As to STOTUS... I'm still processing it all as far as content goes but I did NOT like the behavior I saw from the GOP. They remind me of frat guys and gals who are stuck with 'legacy' bro/sis that they don't want but can't do anything formal to get rid of so they do all they can to try and get them to quit. They're just disrespectful children.

As to the GOP response to STOTUS... ROFLMAO! McDonnell delivered "The Fake of the Union!" The GOP has been reduced to playing President. I didn't think it was possible to top Bobby Jindal's performance but he did. I swear I expected that at any moment McDonnell was going to yell out, "Live from New York it's Saturday Night!" Despite watching it all, I have no clue what he said in his speech because I was laughing too hard. They even did a cutaway shot where normally the First Lady would be. HAHAHAHAH!

--j

Nina Simone said...

I just love Michelle Obama! She can do no wrong in my book.

As far as Shirley goes, he deserved to be fired. Freedom of speech does not apply to employees in the private sector. Most jobs don't allow employees to discuss non-work related issues anyway; and he did so it so open.

But I'm not at all surprised but what he said. Most people are ignorant to anything relating to black people and history. I blame the school systems. It helps to continue ignorance & maintain a false sense of superiority because it does not teach the truth.
Reminds me of the African proverb
"Until lions have their own historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunter."

I admire the Haitian people so much for all of the adversity that they have had to fight through. I have no doubt in my mind that they will overcome this and emerge even stronger than ever; they are a very strong, proud, and spiritual group of people. And apparently Mr. Shirley is just as bad in history as he was in basketball. Otherwise he would know why Haiti is in the state that it is in. Look no further than a quote by Napoleon Bonaparte himself:

"My decision to destroy the authority of the blacks in Saint Domingue (Haiti) is not so much based on considerations of commerce and money, as on the need to block for ever the march of the blacks in the world.”

Anonymous said...

@Nina Simone -- I don't think history would help Shirley in the least. He's spouting GOP bull about personal responsibility and boot straps. The fool believes that everything that happens in life is due to either your own hard work or your own laziness and stupidity. Reality, individual circumstances, social conditions, support from others and history don't enter into his pea brain. He's no different than the SC politician talking about poor people being stray animals or Bill O'Reilly talking about Appalachians.

--j

Ramon L. said...

Wonder who set up a skewed "World Bank" to re-enslave Most of Central/South America

Yeah....

Shirley shall be reborn as a Haitian in his next life

Karma is a bitch

grinder said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
grinder said...

Field, that's a whole lot of words to make your point, which is that Haiti's problems are White People's Fault, and that the Haitians themselves have never been responsible for anything.

Hathor said...

grinder,
It would be white people's fault if you live on a fault line.

Tersi said...

You sure this guy's not Incogman in disguise.

Fire Shirley if he's not representative of your views. He can have his Incogman views, but he's not entitled to a platform from which to spew them.

Frankly, I believe he's building up his conservative bona fides. Probably looking to run for Congress in a year or two.

And in this post-racial climate, he stands a pretty good chance of being elected.

Tersi said...

grinder said...
"Field, that's a whole lot of words to make your point, which is that Haiti's problems are White People's Fault...."

You know, grinder. You're the fault of white people, too. It's a damn shame they didn't stop while they were ahead.

Tersi said...

grinder said..."the Haitians themselves have never been responsible for anything."

One last thing. There is a nexus between you and Haitians. They're responsible for one thing--to my eternal regret--their existence prompted you to say something callous, and inane.

Are you sure you and Shirley aren't related?

grinder said...

Yeah, there hasn't been any looting in Haiti, because the place is full of black people and they'd never do that.

Constructive Feedback said...

That's my pal Filled Negro. In his book a "quasi-racist" rant can get triple the coverage of the words from the MOST POWERFUL MAN ON EARTH.

Equation: Words Assumed to be motivated by RACISM AGAINST Black People by ONE WHITE MAN are more POWERFUL in the mind of Filled Negro than is the fact that the most POWERFUL MAN IN THE WORLD had promised $100M but thus far has spent $300M and growing......and he is a BLACK MAN


[quote] And he scolded himself for not doing a better job of getting his message out to the A-merry-can people. “I take my share of the blame for not explaining it more clearly to the American people,” Obama said. “... This problem is not going away.”[/quote]

Filled Negro - "scolding himself" is indeed a good word. We both know that YOU are not going to "scold" Obama if he fails your PERMANENT INTERESTS, criticizing him enough to damage his pregnancy and opening the door for a candidate favorable to "Radio Rwanda" to get into office. Thus your criticism against Obama WILL ALWAYS BE measured, directing him to the LEFT at all times.

Jody said...

Like FineFrogHair, I am saddened by the loss of Howard Zinn.... His "A People's History of the United States" is one of my most favorite books. I was thinking about Howard tonight as President Obama spoke and as I read the words of your blog.... I think this quote sums it up nicely:

"To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness… And if we do act, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents."--Howard Zinn

RIP Howard Zinn. You will be missed.

field negro said...

"Thus your criticism against Obama WILL ALWAYS BE measured, directing him to the LEFT at all times."

Well hell yeah! What's that saying about a broken clock [un]constructive one? This was one of those times for you.

"Field, that's a whole lot of words to make your point, which is that Haiti's problems are White People's Fault, and that the Haitians themselves have never been responsible for anything."

Astonishing! I have to read my post again. I thought the historian was simply repeating FACTS from history. And I am still looking....nope, nowhere do I see where I wrote that what happened in Haiti is "White People's Fault".But I will keep looking. Maybe in Grinder's world it's there.

"But I'm not at all surprised but what he said. Most people are ignorant to anything relating to black people and history. I blame the school systems. It helps to continue ignorance & maintain a false sense of superiority because it does not teach the truth.
Reminds me of the African proverb
"Until lions have their own historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunter."'

Well said, J.


finefroghair, it's a sad day indeed. Zinn was an icon and a great man. That book should be in everyone's collection. Even CF should have one.

In fact, I am hoping that Grinder goes out and buys one today. The poor guy might learn something.

Lainad said...

Mr. Shirley....should he be fired? good question. Well, yes, he is entitled to his opinion but you would think that because he has the opportunity to write and work for a public broadcaster that perhaps he would take the time to ensure that there were at least some facts in his argument. That there was some validity in his mis-informed rant.

But his rant does include some truths. Some whites are more concerned about being blamed than what actually is happening to their fellow human beings. They are so sensitive to what they wrongly assume is "blame whitey" that they go off and spout nonsence that doesn't make quite sense. Hence, they show their ass.

@ Constructive Feeback: Black folks (yes I'm generalizing as you have) have not ignored Obama's so-called "mistakes" simply because he is black. We don't have the luxury of doing that. We cannot always judge people based on the color of their skin. If you have paid attenion to Field's posts during the election, I think you would figure that one out. That reverse racism,whites-as-victims, straw man argument is getting pretty damn tired.

field negro said...

"..That reverse racism,whites-as-victims, straw man argument is getting pretty damn tired."

Co-sign Lainad.

Yep, I am yawning. :(

Jody, thanks for that Zinn quote. Dude was a serious HFN.He will be missed.

maria said...

sorry, nina, but you have no idea what you're talking about.

shirley was a part-time freelance writer at ESPN who wrote these comments on his personal blog.

http://www.flipcollective.com/2010/01/26/if-you-rebuild-it-they-will-come-by-paul-shirley/

he was not an ESPN employee and he was not making comments on ESPN's time. as a freelancer i can tell you that clients typically have no say over what you do for other clients and don't restrict what you can say in other parts of your life. chances are he was paid per piece and that was he extend of the now-terminated arrangement.

"freedom of speech" does apply here.

maria said...

that was the extent

alicia banks said...

ditto x 2 fn!!!!!!!!

shirley needs to give obama/gwb 2.0's teleprompter some tips on SPECIFICS!!!

ps is a rabid racist...but at least he has the guts to DETAIL his hatred expertly!!!

obama was underwhelming and vague as always...shame!!!!!!

http://aliciabanks.vox.com/library/post/political-pablum-pavlovian-praises-perpetual-patronizing-promises.html?_c=feed-atom

Anonymous said...

And watching a brotha deliver the State Of The Union Address as HIS president must really hu

Nigger please, this guys is not a brotha, he's whiter than me!

uptownsteve said...

Nice smackdown Field.

That's how its done.

uptownsteve said...

Paul Shirley is due to become a Fox News commentator shortly..

Anonymous said...

Great post field, but let's work closer to home:

How come nigger kids cannot read well and do so bad in school, even in the afro centric school?

I wonder. Maybe you all can add some intelligent verbage here.

alicia banks said...

assnon:

what has obama done that is so black????

___

millions of white kids are illiterate/junkies/pregnant unwed parents/criminals...

see some gifted literate black students here:

http://aliciabanks.vox.com/library/video/6a0123ddb39306860b01240b99c18b860e.html

http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/21/crouch-comments/

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=3830589

maria said...

i would ignore a racist who insults you and can't spell, especially when questioning other people's intelligence!

VERBIAGE

not VERBAGE

moron!

alicia banks said...

assnon:

boo!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/19/education/19yale.html?_r=1

Anonymous said...

oh dear maria, if everyone focuses on spelling rather than societal ills the world will be a better place, right? Since that is your very linear train of thought.

fly is right about you...you a stupid ass.

Constructive Feedback said...

[quote]Well hell yeah! What's that saying about a broken clock [un]constructive one? This was one of those times for you. [/quote]

Filled Negro:

You appear to be APPEASED but you fail to understand what I am arguing.

I am not simply noting that you and other Progressive-Fundamentalists are seeking to draw Obama to the left.

I go on to say that PROGRESSIVISM ITSELF needs to be put on trial for all to see IF this "gravitational pull" is JUSTIFIABLE in line with the PERMANENT INTERESTS that are universally sought after.

Failing this you merely are standing on a position that is founded ONLY on your bigotry and entrenchment. IF you can't show how such a strategy actually PRODUCES your "Permanent Interests" then indeed you need to "check yourself".

Surely we can't use Philly as your reference model for success.

Anonymous said...

boo! thank god for outliers, such as yourself ab

alicia banks said...

assnon:

i am proud to be an outlier!!!

black outliers shine more each day
in spite of ALL racism etc

and i am even proudER that the gifted black babies i mentor will be even GREATER outliers than me!!!

Constructive Feedback said...

HEY FILLED NEGRO!!!

I see you your "Right-Side Frame Of Shame" you have the "AverageBro blog".

I was banned from this blog about 3 months ago - NOT FOR violating the rules but because I was disrupting the "flow" of the Progressive-Bigots that assembled there.

I notice that the "Blogs you 'feel'" are the blogs that I often have issues with.

Take a look at the competing logic between ME and "AverageBro The Liberal Kappa" as to why each of us are not Democrats:


"Why I Am Not A Democrat" - A Comparison Of The Logic Of "AverageBro - The Liberal Kappa" vs "Constructive Feedback"

http://withintheblackcommunity.blogspot.com/2009/12/why-i-am-not-democrat-comparison-of.html

I think the post speaks for itself.

uptownsteve said...

CF

You never answered me the other day.

Who specifically is this "Black Establishment" you keep ranting about and why do you want to put them on trial?

Gimme some names.

Isn't it true that the poverty rate for black people in America has gone from 64% in 1960 to 22% today?

You keep ranting that the progressives have "failed" black America and I keep saying that were it left up to conservatives the poverty rate for blacks would still be 60 plus % and blacks would still be official second class citizens in America.

You wouldn't last one day in the sales or politics because you don't know how to convince people that your way is right way.

All you seem to know how to do is say "you're wrong and you're dumb"

Constructive Feedback said...

[quote]Black folks (yes I'm generalizing as you have) have not ignored Obama's so-called "mistakes" simply because he is black. We don't have the luxury of doing that.[/quote]

Lainad:

PLEASE!!!
You don't know who you are talking to.

The INDICTMENT of the "Black Establishment" IS NOT "if they HOLD OBAMA ACCOUNTABLE"!!!! And/or if they are "Voting for the Black Guy". (This even though the last time White folks were in 96% agreement there was a Black man who was hung as a result of this vote. The other 4% that voted in opposition wanted to SHOOT HIM. They noted how expensive the rope that had to be left behind was).

Instead the indictment should be made by looking at the ARCHITECTURE that is in place over places with high concentrations of Black people.

I look at the MACHINE that Obama sits atop of and not THE MAN. Just as "Bush" was an "Oil Man", which speaks to his "machine" - it is intellectually dishonest to assume that Obama is not in the same vein.

For the Black community in Philly, Baltimore, Chicago, Newark (prior to the new governor), Cleveland, New Haven, Rochester and so many other places: THERE IS A FULL COMPLEMENT OF DEMOCRATS representing them and having MAJORITY CONTROL over all legislatures that flow through the city/county/state and FEDERAL GOVERNMENT!!!

To PRETEND that we should ONLY look at Obama but not this INTERNETWORK is preposterous.

For this same Black Establishment to actively VOTE OUT those who failed is in:

* Public Education
* Local Economics
* Public Safety
* Health Outcomes

it is quite interesting that upon taking control over these SAME INSTITUTIONS but to have many of the same tepid results IS EXACTLY what the Black rank and file should be called out for.

The ironic point about it Lainad is that DESPITE the professional "spinning" skills of AfroSpear, NAACP and other Progressive establishment defenders - THE BLACK COMMUNITY suffers the most, DESPITE the temporary appeasement that is made by REDIRECTING blame upon someone else.

It shows that the Establishment wants POWER more than it cares to SOLVE the problems.

In their Fundamentalism any increase in POWER but resulting SHORTFALLS merely means:

* Racism is far more entrenched than they thought

* MORE FIGHTING to transition to a PROGRESSIVE disposition is required.

This is what the SELF-PRESCRIPTION that is created by the COMPLICITY OF THE BLACK PRESS (Roland Martin) and OPERATIVES (Color Of Change) affords you.

This is why PROGRESSIVISM ITSELF must be put on trial IF your real goal is to ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS IN OUR COMMUNITY rather than PROMOTING YOUR IDEOLOGY into POWER.

maria said...

ab, do you mean to agree with that asshole? a successful black person is an outlier?

uptownsteve said...

maria

good question.

Constructive Feedback said...

[quote]Who specifically is this "Black Establishment" you keep ranting about and why do you want to put them on trial?[/quote]

Steve - I am going to create a 7th blog. It is going to contain the FAQs that YOU GENERATE every damned month. The same questions!!!

READ!!!
Look at the diagram!!

http://withintheblackcommunity.blogspot.com/2009/11/modeling-black-political-thought-3.html

http://withintheblackcommunity.blogspot.com/2009/12/new-series-strategic-flaws-of-black.html


http://withintheblackcommunity.blogspot.com/2010/01/dr-boyce-watkins-can-you-define.html

Isn't it true that the poverty rate for black people in America has gone from 64% in 1960 to 22% today?

uptownsteve said...

CF

I ask you the same questions because you never answer and still haven't.

WHO THE HELL IS THE BLACK ESTABLISHMENT??

If you say Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton you'll be laughed at.

They have no power, hold no office and are just media figures.

Let's see. For you black righties the Congressional Black Caucus is a fat juicy target.

My Congresswoman Sandra Edwards just defeated the 5 term incumbent Al Wynn.

Would she be part of any establishment?

Why don't you admit that you black righties have no answers, no ideas and no solutions to anything.

You hold no office, have no real constiuency and little relevance.

You draw attention to yourselves by being negroes who talk like white bigots.

How'd you like that on your tombstone.

span said...

AB is an outlier, and you know it. Don't hate on her for being successful and smart.

YOU Maria, are worthless.

mellaneous said...

Field I agree with you that Shirley should not be fired. He should be allowed to use his constitutional right to free speech, we sure don't want it taken from us.

And I agree that it is better to put his ideas to the test in the marketplace of ideas.

I think that conservatives and right wing ideologues are using Haiti as a kind of two edged sword. The columnist Brooks, Shirley, the South Carolina Lt. Governor and others are using the Haitian situation to take cheap shots and denigrate US Blacks and poor people. And the press never seems to pass up an opportunity to denigrate black folks even when they are in the midst of tragedy.

Good peice on Haiti. But Field the conservatives are right in this case about personal responsibility only they don't really want the results of what that would mean in Haiti. That would mean that the poor and working class would rise up and overthrow these little ruling cliques that have been fighting over the internal spoils of the country since the beginning of the revolution. The ruling class there is clearly the problem the people have to rise up and run their own government.

And check this out Field and Jody I am sure you may feel me on this, but the real reason the US has so many boots on the ground is about making sure no such revolution occurs in the midst of all the chaos. The word "security" is code for maintaining "our interest" which means maintaining law and order to prevent US interests-- which means maintaining business as usual-- from being overthrown.


And speaking of personal responsibility didn't the Haitian slaves take personal responsibility for their freedom and threw off their oppressors for which the European capitalist countries have hated them for every since. And of course they made damn sure that financial/economic freedom was going to be even harder to come by and they have pretty successful in preventing it up to this point.

And the BTW someone's beloved capitalist big business operation--not sure if it is Money Gram or Western Union-- is charging desperate Haitians waiting in long lines to receive money from relatives in the US and other places oversees a 10% disaster fee.

Jody thanks for that Howard Zinn quote. That great man contributed to shedding light on the reality that is the United States. I am thankful for the wake up call he gave me and countless others. May he indeed rest in peace.

liberation then peace

Anonymous said...

What i would like to know is, where was this idiot, when god was giving out the brains.

Twang

Anonymous said...

Seeing your photo of white NBA player Paul Shirley and reading his racist comments reminds me of the brand new WHITES-ONLY pro basketball league being formed now. I've been nauseous ever since hearing about this All-American Basketball Alliance. The only eligible players must be natural born U.S. citizens -- with both parents of Caucasian race. No, it's not a haux. But hopefully it doesn't get off the ground. Ethic Soup has a good post on this at:

http://www.ethicsoup.com/2010/01/whitesonly-basketball-league-for-ignorant-arrogant-racists-only.html

maria said...

span said...
AB is an outlier, and you know it. Don't hate on her for being successful and smart.

YOU Maria, are worthless.


HA HA thanks for the chuckle. the only (semi-) person i'm hating on is you.

Anonymous said...

Speaking of Howard Zinn, here's an interesting last quote from him on the Obama administration.

“I think people are dazzled by Obama’s rhetoric, and that people ought to begin to understand that Obama is going to be a mediocre president — which means, in our time, a dangerous president — unless there is some national movement to push him in a better direction.”

Anonymous said...

Hey, the above-mentioned blog Ethic Soup, also has a post on NUCLEAR RACISM. This race-based discrimination was inflicted upon innocent Tennessee workers at the Studsvik Memphis Processing Facility (nuclear waste). White managers assigned black workers to work in the shop that had radioactive waste. The white workers were assigned elsewhere. And the company manipulated the measurements of radiation exposure to HIDE the actual levels to which black workers were exposed. Great article at:

http://www.ethicsoup.com/2010/01/nuclear-racism-black-employees-subjected-to-excessive-radiation-exposure.html

Anonymous said...

oh maria, i forgot you are besties now. but her and fly both have historically thought you to be a dope...and i agree.....

alicia banks said...

maria:

ignore assnons!!!

they are haters who envy ALL of us adults herein who do battle OPENLY and bitterly yet get over it and make up!

they NEVER change...their immaturity and cowardice and envy ...are permanent flaws!

they hate you because they will never be "besties" with anyone...just "beAsties" to everyone!

alicia banks said...

anon:

i love howard zinn...i will miss his stellar wisdom and rebel work!

ditto!

chicago dyke said...

another sports post? zzzz. love your show, field, but "bread and circuses" and "control the coinage and the courts, let the rabble have the rest." i'd like to see you do more blogging on the latter, myself. ymmv.

Constructive Feedback said...

[quote]using the Haitian situation to take cheap shots and denigrate US Blacks and poor people. [/quote]

Mellaneous - speaking as a BLACK MAN - I am far more OFFENDED by the POLICIES that I see raining down upon Black people that are founded on the assumption of our INFERIORITY and INEPTNESS than any words can impact me.

My parents told me "Its not what you are called but what you ANSWER TO".

I struggle to understand how people like you can define how the PAST will soon sneak up on a 6 year old little Black boy in the first grade and SUFFOCATE him before the age of 18 than you are willing to see that the INJURY is rooted in the ADULTS who have the most influence on the ECO-SYSTEM within which he will matriculate through.

In my research on Haiti - I am amazed at how much the "Dark Skin / Mulatto" conflict over the centuries has been DOWNPLAYED.

The WHITE MAN is the superior force that has keep Haiti down since its revolution - if we listen to people like YOU.

Constructive Feedback said...

Right on the left side of my blog:

THE 9'Ps In The Black Establishment:

* Politicians
* Protesters (Civil Rights orgs)
* Policy Influencers (lobbyist groups)
* Press (the Black Press - full of "progressives")
* Performers (singers, rappers, actors)
* Preachers
* Public School Teachers
* Pro-Union Labor forces
* Posters (Bloggers)

(Don't worry folks. He'll be asking again in March 2010)

uptownsteve said...

"I am far more OFFENDED by the POLICIES that I see raining down upon Black people that are founded on the assumption of our INFERIORITY and INEPTNESS than any words can impact me."

SUCH AS?

Watch, he's not going to answer.

This boy is the biggest phony since Milli Vanilli.

uptownsteve said...

CF

You still haven't said anything.

You are aware that there are black conservative politicians, columinists, bloggers, lobbyists and preachers aren't you?

Just be honest.

In your opinion, the
black establishment" is the 90% of black America who disagrees with you, right?

blackstocking said...

I am glad that Shirley and his ignorant friends are feeling free to express themselves.

Some of us might have been lulled into think that we were in post-racial America, but the rantings of Shirley, et al, is showing us that way too little learning about other and self-examination as occurred among whites over the last forty-odd years.

College cannot help them, nor can Christ. Racism is a mental-disorder that appears at epidemic levels among some whites these days.

God bless Howard Zinn- he spoke truth to power.

Nina Simone said...

@ Maria

Freelance or not, didn't ESPN fire him for exercising his freedeom to speak openly on his own time?

Like I said, freedom of speech does not apply when someone else is cutting your checks. If you make divisve comments that could relfect back poorly on the employer or in Mr. Shirley's case, a client; then you get dismissed.

Don said...

Paul Shirley has lost his mind. I cannot say if he was right or wrong to make the statement, but publicly?

Wow.

I bet ESPN brass fainted once they read Shirley's statement.

Plane Ideas said...

Just becuase Shirley has the right to be a racist does not mean I have to accept it...

I am tired of this notion that I have to be civil while another mutherfucker is not..

I am glad ESPN dumped this racist..I like that outcome as well

maria said...

your conclusion is faulty.

this situation doesn't mean people don't have freedom of speech because someone pays them.

that might mean, in the reverse, that his freedom of speech rights were, in fact, violated by ESPN.

however, a constitutional lawyer would have to say whether those rights applied as a freelancer or, in the event of employment, if the employer has something in an employment agreement that bans certain kinds of activities.
.

alicia banks said...

maria:

no

i just refuse to pander to his rabid racism/sarcasm/denial about MILLIONS of black kids who are great readers etc...and superior to millions of illiterate/slow white readers

assnons all dwell to agitate...they never want to evoke debate...just insult/distract/slur/sabotage/
instigate etc...

Tersi said...

maria said...
"your conclusion is faulty.

this situation doesn't mean people don't have freedom of speech because someone pays them...."

maria, people have certain freedoms of speech (expression). It's not an absolute freedom.

Having freedom of speech is one thing, but having it on my dime is another.

Rush Limbaugh resigned (read fired) as football pundit on ESPN's "Sunday NFL Countdown," for exercising a freedom of speech that violated the sensibilities of his employer.

No one has to pay another in order for that person to air personal opinions, and beliefs, or to advance a particular worldview, if they don't wish to.

I agree to this much: a contractual agreement between employee and employer could trump an employer arbitrary firing of someone simply because that person said something that the employer objected to.

Yet, a contract may not be renewed by either party, if one or the other find, at the end of it, that one of the two parties, or both, are dissatisfied with the performance of the other.

grinder said...

And speaking of personal responsibility didn't the Haitian slaves take personal responsibility for their freedom and threw off their oppressors for which the European capitalist countries have hated them for every since. And of course they made damn sure that financial/economic freedom was going to be even harder to come by and they have pretty successful in preventing it up to this point.

Well of course, everything is always White People's Fault. Black people aren't responsible for anything, anywhere. Correct? That's pretty much the theme of this website, apart from Field's occasional tagging of this or that black thug who commits a heinous crime in broad daylight.

Other than that, this place survives by wallowing in victimhood, at all times and in all places. It's not just pathetic, it's boring and self-perpetuating. Most of the country has moved on.

maria said...

i was saying you can't say workers don't have freedom of speech as a condition of employment--they DO unless there is an agreement regulating certain activities, including kinds of speech--eg, journalists are routinely told NOT to participate in political campaigns for fear of the PERCEPTION even that their objectively is compromised.

here, tho, shirley was clearly not reporting on haiti will espousing his opinions on its lack of worthiness for donations.

the issue also is that ESPN fired him for something he said on a different blog--his own. not ESPN's. i am guessing there is some case law about this, but it probably wouldn't apply here.

most workers are employed "at will"--no contract or agreement at all. freelance work is often offered on a per-assignment basis, piece-meal basis that sometimes might include conflict of interest or non-compete provisions, as well as copyright.

i doubt that shirley had an agreement that he somehow violated.

and make no mistake--i believe what he said was repulsive, and he had a right to say it--on his own blog. if i were ESPN i probably wouldn't want to work with him any longer, either.

it is good they distanced themselves from him.

uptownsteve said...

Grinder,

"Well of course, everything is always White People's Fault. Black people aren't responsible for anything, anywhere. Correct? That's pretty much the theme of this website"

Grinder you really are turning into a whiny little wuss.

There was a time when you would at least attempt to put up a cogent argument.

Regarding the paragraph you quoted, could you please detail why you believe it's wrong.

And while you're at it, please explain how the Haitian people are responsible for the earthquake.

Tersi said...

grinder said...."Other than that, this place survives by wallowing in victimhood, at all times and in all places. It's not just pathetic, it's boring and self-perpetuating. Most of the country has moved on."

Then, why in the hell are YOU still here?!!

Why haven't you moved on? It appears you enjoy "wallowing in victimhood," and being a victim as much as those you condemn.

I'd say that makes you a little masochistic, don't you think? Why submit yourself to such an assault upon your intellect, your patience, and your delicate, white sensibilities?

This blog can't be that "boring" if you're still reading and posting here. Let me throw down a Rush Limbaugh challenge. See if you can go six months without reading or posting to this blog.

Tersi said...

maria said...
"i was saying you can't say workers don't have freedom of speech as a condition of employment...."


I agree. Good discussion.

Nina Simone said...

Maria, we don't lose ALL of our freedom of speech in regards to non-work related issu right when we are employed but there are more restrictions on what we say at or outside of work. Especially with all of this technology and different ways of expressing ourselves. People have been fired because of facebook, twitter, and personal blogs.

The 1st amendment states that the GOVERNMENT can't prevent pepople from expressing personal opinions.
And aiside from limited exceptions, there's nothing to keep your employer from firing you, or taking other disciplinary action, for what you say at or outside of work.

Maybe you should check out the book
Speechless: The Erosion of Free Expression in the American Workplace.

Race Traitoress said...

@Lainad

That reverse racism, whites-as-victims, straw man argument is getting pretty damn tired.

cosign

Freedom of speech doesn't mean there are no consequences for your speech, it just means your rights to free speech are protected from the government taking action against you for what you say.

I get annoyed by those who insist that anyone who disagrees with them is attacking their "freedom of speech." That's bullshit. With rights come responsibilities.

Whether or not ESPN should have fired him--well, he's a writer and what he says publicly under his own name does reflect on them. He got "dooced." He's not the first. Which is why, I suspect, FN has that little disclaimer on his sidebar.

P. S. Howard Zinn was a hero of mine.

maria said...

NS--you are right, i was wrong i wasn't aware about the limits regarding non-govt (and i think non-union) speech protections. thank you for clueing me on that point.

http://www.jstor.org/pss/795928

we could still debate whether the issue was one of free speech, however, given his part-time, freelance status.

and debate whether he should have been let go.

Dr. Nuwang said...

I've only got time to say I love Michelle Obama!!! Okay, back to the books!

Anonymous said...

Tersi, why do you want to come down on my buddy grinder like you have? He loves Blacks, and is only trying to help.

Can't you tell?

agape2010 said...

@ FN:

I guess Shirley's panties got snagged by Haiti...probably made a pact with the devil...lol...

Peace.
~agape2010~