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Will White People Riot?
Will White People Riot?
Ridiculous question? Then stop asking it about black people.
Oct. 20, 2008–“Would black people riot if Sen. Barack Obama didn’t win the election?” That was the question a white man in Memphis recently asked a racial reconciliation group with which I am involved.
After five years of being a columnist for the daily paper in Memphis, I wasn’t surprised by the absurdity of his query. Many whites still labor under the illusion that black folk act en masse and that if you ask the right one, you can get the official position of some 40 million people. If a few of us get angry, that logic allows, it must surely result in a riot.
Riot because we didn’t get our way? Please. Black people have more than their share of experience with disappointment and dashed dreams. (See: King, Martin Luther; Evers, Medgar; Chaney, James.) Matter of fact, I’d go so far as to say we’re experts in making the best out of a losing hand.
The reply to the curious white gentleman: “No! There is no reason to believe black people will riot if Obama does not win.”
But soon after getting this man’s e-mail, I started to wonder if he was on to something, if he had noticed what I had: a seething, barely constrained, ugly anger and frustration that makes good riot fuel. The kind of anger that prompts people to shout “Kill him!” and “Off with his head!” at rallies. The kind of hatefulness that would prompt a man to bring a stuffed monkey with an “Obama” sticker on the toy’s head to a campaign event.
That kind of group-fueled nastiness must surely beg the question: Will white people riot if Obama wins?
Not all white people are McCain supporters. (See caucuses, Iowa.) Not all black people are backing Obama. (See Negroes, self-loathing. Just joking.)
But there is a small but vocal segment of white Republicans who just might have an aneurysm if the next occupant of the White House is a black man.
If the polls are accurate—and Obama wins—will these few angry white people make good on their oral declarations? And will those who stood by them silent, join them? With dreams deferred, can angry whites do what Langston Hughes taught us—to let it fester like a sore, even to let sag like a heavy load? Or will the dream of a perfect streak of white men in the White House, if deferred, cause white people to explode?
Might they torch stores and overturn cars? Or worse, will angry whites take out their disgust on black people by, say, denying loans, or jobs or housing? Burned-out stores and cars, that’s unsettling. But the damage angry whites could inflict if they really go off—that’s scary.
Will angry white people riot if Barack Obama wins the election?
There may be some people who think this is an absurd question. I honestly don’t know. But it is no more absurd than asking it about blacks.
Wendi C. Thomas is the metro columnist for The Commercial Appeal. She’s been a writer or an editor for The Charlotte Observer, The (Nashville) Tennessean and The Indianapolis Star. Among her many journalism awards is her 2008 induction into the Scripps Howard Hall of Fame for her opinion writing.
Posted in Current Events, Taste Makers, Uncategorized
Your Vote. Our History.
Your Vote. Our History.
Meet the voters of Election 2008. Read their history-making stories.
Type Size
Nov. 4, 2008–
Geraldine Britt
Silver Spring, Md.
When you get older, you like to think you’ve seen it all. Nothing can surprise you. Well, week after week during this presidential campaign—even after I should have gotten used to it—Barack Obama’s ascendency surprised me. At age 84, I have hundreds of memories of conflict between whites and blacks. Who knew so many people, white and black, would support a black presidential candidate?
And yet today I stood in line and voted for Barack Obama. I lived a day I never thought I’d see. For the first time in my life, I felt I was a part of history. I’ve lived through the Depression, World War II, the civil rights movement—but this was different. It was as if my one vote was multiplied—I didn’t feel like I was alone. To vote for a somebody who knows what it’s like to have suffered being African American in this country. Who isn’t part of that society that always thinks that what they think and see and want is what should be. So many people can feel it—because white and brown and Asian people identify with this man, too. I felt I was part of a force that is earth-shattering.
You have to have lived it to understand. It’s like ice cream—someone can tell you that it’s cold and sweet but until you taste it, it has no meaning.
My grandmother was born four years after slavery ended. She was herding cows at age 9 with no shoes; she would wait for a cow to get up and stand there to warm her feet. Life was work and work and work. … Like most black women then, she worked as a maid—”at service,” as she called it. She was the cook and downstairs maid for white family in Media, Pa., the Darlingtons. She walked five blocks to work, though the Darlingtons had two cars. I said, “Nana, they would drive you home.” And she said, “Never let white people know what you’ve got.” She couldn’t let them know she had scrimped to buy a nine-room brick house.
I remember the pride people had those days, even if you were a maid. Nana often said, “If it’s good for them, it’s good for me.” So if the Darlingtons had sterling silverware, ours was plated. It’s appalling how so many people, black and white, have lost the sense of pride. I think Obama instills it in people. In truth, he’s not the only Obama in America. We have thousands of eloquent black doctors and lawyers and teachers and professors—but those people aren’t in the sights of millions of white people.
In the 1940s, when I graduated from Temple University, I was invited to a white instructor’s apartment in a Philadelphia high-rise. When I walked into the building, a doorman asked why I was there. When I told him, he politely turned me around, took me through the kitchen and up the back steps to her apartment. I couldn’t go through the front door—and this was in Philadelphia, the “cradle of liberty.” All the wonderful feelings I had about Temple disappeared. Things like that taught you never to trust white people.
So you would have thought black people would throw their arms around a candidate like Obama. But it took a while to for them to embrace him. Black people are weary. And wary. I don’t mean they’re wary of Barack, but of the system. Before Obama, black people were tired of hoping. Barack Obama inspires people to hope, and that’s scary. With his brilliance and charm and desire for great change—does he realize the bull he’s taken by the horns?.
When I first saw Barack, he was running for the Senate in Illinois. You could tell he was bright. He had the bearing of an aristocrat, but talked like a common denominator. I thought, “He could be one of the ones to make a change.” America needs him.
I’m glad he came at a time when he could walk through the front door—of the White House.
**********
Emebeat Bekele
Washington, D.C
Before Election Day it was all about Barack. But today, when I was standing in line to cast my vote, I saw all those people with wheelchairs and walkers standing in line, too. It made me realize it was about more than Barack. I realized how big this thing is: It’s overwhelming huge! All those people, standing on line, determined.
In the beginning it was just like “We have to get him elected.” But when I cast my vote, I felt it wasn’t about Barack; it was about democracy. It was about making people equal and empowering every single person.
It gives me the assertion that people are ultimately powerful. It doesn’t matter if you’re poor or if you’re Bill Gates—everyone gets one vote. I feel like democracy is really in play and the fact that so many people are exercising democracy—all those people standing on line—is just a wonderful feeling.
I just want this feeling of empowerment to go on forever. The young people, I hope they never forget this. These politicians spend all this money to get these votes.
This has gone beyond him. He started the process. Barack and his campaign have started a movement. He gave us a shared purpose.
Once he’s elected, I feel like the entire world is going to change. Because it’s not just about Barack Obama. It’s not just about one person. This movement is a movement. It will be a phenomenon that will be duplicated worldwide.
**********
Jimmie Howard
Atlanta
My day began with me waking up this morning around 10 a.m. with a feeling of responsibility. So after taking a shower and getting dressed, I began walking to my polling place, Miller Grove Jr. High School in Decatur, Ga.
On my way there, I began to prepare myself for a long line of voters. To my surprise, there weren’t many people there after all. In one way, I was excited because that meant that I would be in and out in no time. In another way, I was wondering if people actually got their butts out of bed to go vote. The volunteers said that they had a big crowd earlier in the morning, but I felt like there are too many people in this area for it to not be crowded all day long. Hopefully, people didn’t buy into the media hype about Obama being so far ahead and decide that their vote wouldn’t matter.
On a positive note, it felt good to see other young black males doing the same thing as me, walking down the street to cast their votes. I ran into one guy who looked like he was barely old enough to vote. He had on a Domino’s Pizza uniform, so he was probably headed to vote before going to work. He stopped me to ask if I knew where Miller Grove Jr. High was located, and I said, “You’re headed in the right direction. Just keep going.”
America is headed in the right direction, so we just have to keep going. I know for me, it felt good to show off my sticker that says, “I am proud to be a Georgia Voter.” Home of the brave.
**********
L. Sonny Young and wife, Beverly
Springfield, Ohio
I am very excited at this time in my life about the part that my wife, Beverly, and I are playing in this 2008 election. It is an honor to have my business, a beauty salon, be the Southside Obama campaign headquarters for the city of Springfield, Ohio. In our southwest corner of the state, the population is heavily Republican. Beverly and I have been so excited to work for a man who we believe will be a great leader for our country. Each time I have heard him on the TV and radio, he has inspired me to want to do even more to help him become our next commander in chief.
I missed an opportunity to hear Martin Luther King Jr. speak the night before the 1963 March on Washington. There was a big test coming up at school. But I am making up for it now. I have been working hard to turn Clark County into Obama country. I am 62 now, and I feel like I’m fulfilling something that I wasn’t able to fulfill when I was 17. I’ve been talking up Obama everywhere—even with my doctor. I was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer, and my doctor is a Republican. After I spent 15 minutes at one of my appointments trying to recruit him, he actually pointed to my Obama cap and said, “Where can I get one of those hats?” I took one to him on my next appointment. After the procedure, I handed the hat to the doctor. He gave me $50 and said, “Just consider that a contribution to the Obama campaign.” I have registered about 500 people over the last four months.
As I sit here in my campaign headquarters, watching all of the continuous activity of workers, I become more anxious and convinced that what we are doing is the right thing. Over the past few months, I cannot tell you how many times I have chanted, “Yes, we can.” Tonight, we’ll all see that.
**********
Posted in Uncategorized
Shabaam Sahdeeq & Dats Jus Swift Present: Travellin’ Man Mixx Tape (2008) (ADVANCED COPY)
November 04, 2008 06:46 AM PST
Shabaam Sahdeeq & Dats Jus Swift
Travellin’ Man Mixx Tape (2008)
Track List:
- Intro (Skit)
- Mind of a genius – Shabaam Sahdeeq feat. Chuaon Don and Finally
- Natural Mystic – Shabaam Sahdeeq produced by belife.
- What it is – Shabaam Sahdeeq feat. Silent Knight and Fresh Daily.
- Keep honest – Shabaam Sahdeeq feat. John Robinson & Sky Zoo
- Just Because – Shabaam Sahdeeq feat. Madinah-Star produced by Nic Wiz
- Fam – Shabaam Sahdeeq prod by Peoples.
- Drugs n Money – Shabaam Sahdeeq feat. The Saint.
- 40 shawty (skit)
- Freaky flow – Shabaam Sahdeeq prod by Nick Wiz
- Aint no stoppin – Shabaam Sahdeeq feat. E Dot M
- My Tanita – Shabaam Sahdeeq feat. Royal Flush and The Saint
- State” – Shabaam Sahdeeq feat. Juxtapose and Chuaon Don
- While u where sleep” – Shabaam Sahdeeq Sha Stimuli and H .A.P.H.
- Outro
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Dats Jus Swift
producer/composer/turntable technician/sound designer
[ADULT SWIM] – Cartoon network
“ii Know Where Hip Hop Lives”
“Ask Dangerous Lee”
The Brown Study
Bellerophon Music Group, llc.
Unseen Heard Productions
www.myspace.com/datsjusswift
www.datsjusswiftmusic.wordpress.com
Posted in Current Events, Taste Makers, Uncategorized
Tagged Beats, Dats Jus Swift, Hardcore, Hip-hop, j dilla, Jams, Life, Music, radio, Rhymes, Shabaam Sadeeq, Swagg, TV
The Speaker Mixx Tape Pre Jump Off (Advanced Copy) Available on iTunes but here is your copy!!!
November 04, 2008 06:30 AM PST
- Word From Ma Dukes – Ms Yancey (Intro)
- Brand New Start – J. Rawls feat. Bad Azz, Tash, and King Art
- Real Thang – Erykah Badu (Against the Grain Remix)
- 2 Things – Grooveman Spot feat. John Robinson
- Re-fine Tuning – Wes Felton & SlimKat78
- Dylan Swag – Dylan DilinJah
- Brand New – Magestik Legend prod. by Audible Doctor (AMD)
- C.U. – John Robinson aka Lil’ Sci
- Dem Shoot – Dylan DilinJah
- Hangin’ On A String – Loose Ends
- Can’t Knock the Hustle – Jay-Z feat. Mary J Blige (Dats Jus Swift Exclusive Remix)
- Sorcerers – John Robinson feat. Invizible Handz and MF DOOM
- A Milli – Lil Wayne (Dats Jus Swift Dilla Dawg Remix)
- Femininity – Eric Benet (In da booth Remix)
- It’s Worth It – John Robinson feat. Tiffany Paige
- Classified – Sick Since produced by Zambo
- Good Look – Hassahn Phenomenon feat. Katt Williams (Dats Jus Swift Exclusive)
- Golden – Jill Scott (My Real Name Is Sean Remix)
- Heavenly – John Robinson feat. ID 4 Windz & Tiffany Paige
- Phuckin Dangerous – Dats Jus Swift Outro
Dats Jus Swift
producer/composer/turntable technician/sound designer
[ADULT SWIM] – Cartoon network
“ii Know Where Hip Hop Lives”
“Ask Dangerous Lee”
The Brown Study
Bellerophon Music Group, llc.
Unseen Heard Productions
www.myspace.com/datsjusswift
www.datsjusswiftmusic.wordpress.com
Posted in Current Events, Taste Makers, Uncategorized
Tagged Beats, bobo lamb, Comedy, Dangerous Lee, Dats Jus Swift, Hip-hop, j dilla, Life, mix tape, Music, Rhymes
The Speakers Mixx Tape…(The Interview…the making of the mix tape.)
Greetings everyone….
Ok…
so ii am hitting all of you to let you know that the mix tape is done….
ii changed it around a bit and got some surprises for you….
and ii added another Host….
my home girl Dangerous Lee….
so with that being said a new date will be set for the release
and there will be like a listening party coming up
ii will let you know when and where (it will be online so everyone can attend)
so check for that in the coming weeks!!!!
Again, “The Speakers Mix Tape hosted by Dangerous Lee and Bobo Lamb Remixed by Dats Jus Swift” is done and ready to go to press…it will be available online (iTunes, Podomatic, WordPress, Myspace, etc.)
Starring on this joint will be the following:
Dee-Lin
Rowdy
JonBlaq
Wes Felton
Raheem DeVaughn
John Robinson
Duust
Loose Ends
Erykah Badu
Ma Duke aka Ms.Yancey (J Dilla’s Mother)
Hassahn Phenomenon
Mary J Blige
Tech N9ne
Chris Brown
Sick Since
Jay-Z
De La Soul
Yummy
Stay tuned….
from the offices of
Kevin Wright
Bellerophon Music Group, llc.
www.myspace.com/bigkev_66
www.myspace.com/bellerophonmusic
for
Dats Jus Swift
www.myspace.com/datsjusswift
www.myspace.com/datsjusbeats
www.datsjusswift.podomatic.com
www.datsjusswiftmixtapes.podomatic.com
www.datsjusswift.blogspot.com
www.blogtalkradio.com/datsjusswift
www.datsjusswiftmusic.wordpress.com
Posted in Current Events, Taste Makers, Uncategorized
Tagged bobo lamb, Dangerous Lee, Dats Jus Swift
New Mom Struggles With Breast Cancer
New Mom Struggles With Breast Cancer
OP Woman Finds Lump While Breastfeeding Baby
A 28-year-old Overland Park woman shared her fight against breast cancer with KMBC’s Lara Moritz.
Amy Tyler was breastfeeding her 6-month-old son, Harrison, when she discovered a lump.
Tyler’s doctors thought it was just a clogged milk duct. Four months later, Tyler was still suffering.
“I thought I had mastitis. I was in a lot of pain. I was having chest pains,” Tyler said. “I found out the next week I had breast cancer.
“The worst day of my life was finding out I had cancer. The second worst day was losing my breast.”
Tyler had to quit breastfeeding her baby immediately.
“That was probably the most difficult thing,” Tyler said.
Now, she’s undergoing a rigorous round of chemotherapy.
“You basically have to drag me there. My husband — I make him go with me. So he takes a whole day off work because it’s just dreadful,” Tyler said.
She said she’s grown very close to her husband, Kyle, who she said keeps life running smoothly, despite the challenges.
Tyler said she was touched by her friends who established Operation Saving Amy, which gives her hope.
“I’m extremely humbled by my friends who have taken their generosity to help my family,” Tyler said.
Tyler still has months of chemotherapy ahead of her and then radiation treatment.
“Cancer is not cheap. It’s a really hard time right now,” Tyler said. “It’s been a big mountain in a road we’re climbing right now, but I know we’re going to get through it, and it will be over someday.”
Donations for Operation Saving Amy can be sent to:
Operation Saving Amy
c/o Staci Burson
7727 Rosehill Road
Lenexa, KS 66216
Please make checks payable to Amy Tyler.
Posted in Current Events
Tagged Cancer, Children, Disease, Kansas City, Motherhood, New Mom