All posts by Dr. James Thomas Jones III

RACE

What Does the Kyle Rittenhouse Acquittal Mean for Black Activists?

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I am sure that not a single African-American with at least a cursory understanding of the history of American race relations was surprised by the recent acquittal of white teenaged killer Kyle Rittenhouse. This latest reiteration of America’s Native Son proved that he could kill two civilians during a moment of civil unrest in front of hundreds, a number that included several law enforcement officers, and still go home at the end of the day.

The entire theatrical production mentioned above is a familiar one that never ceases. Black America did not have a significant role in this production, yet, it still impacts them. The acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse is a message to millions of white vigilantes to silence opponents by any means necessary. The message is clear and reduces to a Richard Nixonesque “law and order” slogan.

We must remember that Richard Nixon’s Presidential victory in 1968 capitalized on the fears of a middle-America that believed the nation had gone off the rails. Nixon’s campaign quelled the fears of frightened White moderates and conservatives on his way to the Oval Office. Nixon’s victory was an emphatic statement by the majority of White America regarding who this country belongs to and the lengths they must go to maintain control. The recent acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse reeks of a similar message.

In a world that reminds the politically astute of the turbulent 1960s, many whites question when the protests cease?  The lens through which white heterosexual Christian men and women view Black Lives Matter, critical race theory, the LGBTQ+, and a host of other Communist-inspired initiatives mandates they do not yield an inch in America’s raging culture wars. From their perspective, this angry horde is seeking to steal the birthright of their children. After all, this is a nation founded by white men and should serve the interests of white people. The acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse is the most recent example of the lengths that many of my white countrymen are willing to go to maintain control.

Please make no mistake about it; the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse will further embolden his white vigilante brethren who have appointed themselves defenders of a self-constructed, opportunistic, yet warped version of America. What makes the Kyle Rittenhouses of the world particularly dangerous is their belief that they, and only they, know what is best for the nation.

At its core, Kyle Rittenhouse’s acquittal simultaneously reminds white bigots of a past that has yet to die and a new wave of self-appointed vigilantes of what it means to be a real man, a true white man, in America.

In the end, there is little room to argue against the assertion that one of the primary duties of being a white man in America is defending the Republic against all rivals via the most violent means available. By that measuring stick, Kyle Rittenhouse is an American hero operating out of an extended tradition of white vigilantes who took a principled stance to make America great again. A jury composed of a cross-section of our community agreed with his actions. For that reason, all protestors and activists must adopt the poetic words of rapper Ice Cube and understand that they must arm themselves against white vigilantism because it is better to be judged by twelve than carried by six.

James Thomas Jones III, Ph.D.

©Manhood, Race, and Culture, 2021

Manhood, Race, and Culture Interactive, MRCi

A MRCi Discussion Regarding the War on Drugs

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African-American Males, Black Males, EDUCATION

What is the Impact that One Black Educator Can Have On Black Elementary School Children

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Never in a million years did I imagine that when my pen hit the pad this morning that a rhythmic saying from Jesse Jackson, an individual that I have always considered Black America’s Dr. Seuss, would emerge. By the time that you finish reading this posting, I hope that you will understand why Jesse Jackson’s rhyme of “If they can’t see it, then they can’t be it” appears on this page.

I am certain that you are puzzled about the catalyst behind my use of the words of Black America’s Dr. Seuss this morning. Well, I will tell you that Jesse Jackson’s words illuminate a recent Johns Hopkins University study. The information shared below is nothing new to Black folks.

Having at least one black teacher in third through fifth grades reduced a black student’s probability of dropping out of school by 29 percent, the study found. For very low-income black boys, the results are even greater – their chance of dropping out fell 39 percent.

As mentioned above, the correlation between Black teachers and Black student success is commonsensical. I would venture to guess that any Black educator can tell you that the most significant indicator of student success are not school facilities or classroom materials, the wisest among us understand that the most important factor in the education of Black children is the person standing in the front of the classroom. Simply put, if an educator believes that their students can learn, they will learn.

Yakima School District rated among worst in nation for chronically absent students | EDUCATION | yakimaherald.com

It is foolhardy in every way to argue against research displaying the phenomenal impact that a single Black educator has on the life of young Black males. In an era of hashtags, it is obvious that #BlackTeachersMatterMightilyToTheFutureOfBlackBoys.

As I have written in this space for several years, no one is coming to save Black folks. Hence, it is crucial that Black America begins creating reliable paths for the creation of Black teachers, particularly males, to work with our children during the formative elementary school years. Black America’s failure to strategize around information that contact with a single Black teacher for Black boys from low-income environments reduces their chances of dropping out by 39% is an unconscionable dereliction of duty. We must address this need in an uncommon manner that uplifts Black children and therefore our community in a significant manner.

Now, a discussion of an acceptable curriculum is a discussion for another day.

James Thomas Jones III, Ph.D.

©Manhood, Race, and Culture, 2021

 

 

African-American Males, African-American Men, Black Males, Black Men

What The Fall of Damon Arnette Tells Us About Flawed Black Manhood Constructs

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NFL pundits forecasted the Las Vegas Raiders release of second-year cornerback Damon Arnette in the wake of a controversial social media tirade before he arrived on a professional football team. NFL scouts have come forward and revealed that there were grave concerns about Arnette’s character. The Raider organization investigated and ultimately decided to select the uber-talented defensive back from The Ohio State University. Arnette’s character flaws were fully displayed in a video of him toting a gun and threatening to kill an unidentified adversary for an unspecified reason.

I am unsurprised by Damon Arnette’s behavior and illogical decision-making. Such evils have become standard operating practices for far too many Black men who mistakenly equate manhood with uncivilized behavior. Manhood constructs resting on undisciplined, unpredictable, and illogical principles guide this segment of Black males.

Arnette’s recorded explosion is a relatively standard fare for unanchored Black males. Those I speak of believe that manhood is an uncontrolled rage capable of destroying all it encounters at its best. Young Black men learn aberrant behavior from Black men broken by a hostile white society dedicated to blocking their success.

Unfortunately for the Las Vegas Raiders, no amount of oversight, a euphemism used by professional sports teams to babysit grown men, can change a person’s core beliefs and behaviors. Damon Arnette is the most recent example of this belief.

Let’s be clear on this matter: Damon Arnette was not born with a predisposition for guns and uncivilized behavior. They were socialized to adopt such things during traumatic childhoods. Much like Bigger Thomas, the protagonist in Richard Wright’s Native Son, a hostile society seemingly opposing the Black world forged Damon Arnette into a Negro brute. Although difficult to accept, not even a million-dollar windfall corrects a flawed moral compass like Arnette’s.

Raiders Player Damon Arnette Appears To Threaten Someone While Holding A Gun | The Daily Caller

There is no more disturbing aspect of Damon Arnette’s fall than what it yet again proves about Black America’s continuing failure, or is it an inability to intercede decisively on behalf of young Black men. The main lesson of this sad saga has less to do with Damon Arnette and more to do with what happens to Black males reared within a disassembled Black American community incapable of providing a reliable path to success.

The above failure to create a worthy socialization process and steer young Black males away from a host of societal ills toward success is possibly Black America’s most impactful shortcoming. A failure that guarantees that we will see future Bigger Thomas’ and Damon Arnette’s in our midst sooner than later.

James Thomas Jones III, Ph.D.

©Manhood, Race, and Culture, 2021