All posts by Dr. James Thomas Jones III

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Why Black America Should Steer Clear of Michael Bloomberg and his Flimsy Apology

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I learned long ago that there is a sizable population of people who are willing to do whatever it takes to increase their power quotient. Trust me when I say that the alluded to individuals know no ends regarding their will to accomplish some goal; unfortunately for mankind, their pursuit is usually not a worthwhile endeavor.

Those that I am alluding to will make a Faustian deal (a deal with the Devil) to achieve the selfish desires of their hearts. Persons of this ilk have compromised their principles for so long that they no longer have any understanding of what it means to stand for something due to moral principles. It appears that former New York City Mayor and now Presidential hopeful Michael Bloomberg fits this description.

Anyone who has spent significant time in New York City understands that “the city that never sleeps” is filled with unprecedented racial/ethnic diversity. In this regard, New York City has not failed to live up to its reputation as an international city. Yet, the alluded to diversity can be a double-edged sword that is appreciated during good times and wielded as an Excalibur during not so good times. Even the simplest conversation with a New Yorker will arrive at some discussion regarding the unwanted presence of “burdensome others” that are seemingly perfectly positioned to serve as a constant irritant to their personal comfort.

It should not be surprising that the most likely population to develop angst toward the alluded to diversity are New York’s class of rich and powerful. Any American can tell you that when politically powerful sectors of any city have grown tired of what they readily term undesirables that exist beneath their station in life, definitive action is taken to eradicate the problem.

White New Yorkers who long ago tired of troublesome Black and Brown populations understood that Michael Bloomberg possessed the will and determination to deal address such groups in a definitive manner. From his political perch, Mayor Bloomberg directed New York Police Department (NYPD) officers to implement a deplorable “stop and frisk” policy against Black and Brown people.

The “stop and frisk” policy mandated that law enforcement officers searched New Yorkers for no reason beyond their racial identity. Neither the outcries from minority communities nor court orders ceased Bloomberg’s stormtroopers. Wealthy Whites preferred to view Bloomberg as a tough Sherriff and the NYPD as his posse executing a mission to rid the city of desperados. The realization that the embracing of such an image was the most assured path to unconscionable popularity and power among the “in-crowd”, Bloomberg embraced the image.

After a recent appearance at Brooklyn’s Christian Cultural Center, a Black Mega-Church in East New York, Bloomberg apologized for the “stop and frisk” policy that both New Yorkers and Judges roundly criticized. One would have to be unbelievably naïve to believe that Bloomberg has had what our people term a “coming to Jesus meeting” and seen the error in his ways. Not even the following admission should impact the perspective of those whose lives were impacted or endangered by Sheriff Bloomberg’s change of heart. According to Bloomberg,   

I can’t change history, but today, I want you to know I realize I was wrong, and I am sorry.

Over time, I’ve come to understand something that I’ve long struggled to admit to myself: I got something important wrong. I didn’t understand the full impact that stops were having on the black and Latino communities.

It is one thing to damage people via poor decision-making and racist policy, however, it is another level of insult to go before that same population and insult their intelligence because you now desire their support in your current political endeavor.

If nothing else, Michael Bloomberg’s “flip-flopping” on this issue reveals a man who is devoid of a moral compass and an understanding of what it means to possess principles other than one’s aimed at enriching oneself politically or monetarily.

The entire nation should shudder at the prospect of having another man occupying the Office of the Presidency who stands for little beyond what benefits him. It is for this reason that I hope Black America is not naïve and kind-hearted enough to forgive Michael Bloomberg for the damage that his policies have done in the lives and communities of Black and Brown people.

Dr. James Thomas Jones III

©Manhood, Race, and Culture, 2019.

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It Will Never Be That Easy: Why A Childish Belief Reveals So Much About How Little Americans Know About Race

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My feigning of ignorance is a tool frequently used to avoid discussions regarding Race. Yes, believe it or not, I frequently avoid discussions of racial matters. The reasons for such avoidance are listed below.

  • I don’t think that the person I am talking with has a firm understand of Race in America.
  • I do not feel like having the same conversation that has been occurring for the past two decades.
  • I believe that a person has already made their mind about things and there is no room for the consideration of new information.

I have always found it peculiar that America, a nation incubated in the ironies and inconsistencies of Race, is filled with so many people that know so little about the social construct. Although unfortunate to say, ignorance regarding racial matters and the history of Race on the North American continent is one of the few ties binding the majority of citizens together.

I am stating such because I hope that they will make the following more palatable.

I recently received a story via social media that revolved around two kindergartners (one Black and one White) who convinced themselves that they “looked exactly alike.” This duo felt that their resemblance was so uncanny that they wanted to dress alike on a school-sponsored “Twin Day.”

Having read similar stories before, I knew that many would read the story with an optimistic lens that led them down a foolhardy path that for some inexplicable reason with them believing that the naïveté of these children contains a crucial piece of subduing American racial discord. I take no pleasure in dousing your fanciful dreams with a dose of reality.

Let me be clear on this matter, the solution to American racial strife will not be solved by such a trivial display of childhood innocence. Those who disagree are ignorant of the fact that Race is interwoven into the very fabric of this nation.

I understand those who wish that the subduing of prejudice, discrimination, bigotry, and institutionalized racism was as easy as two five-year-olds dressing alike on “Twins” day. Unfortunately, we do not live in that world. Anyone who has studied the history of Race and the voluminous problems that flow from it can attest to the fact that for many citizens, Race is the most impactful determinant in their lives. For far too many, Race determines where they will live, how they will live, which elementary school they attend, and the quality of education and health care that they will need and more importantly receive. In many ways, racial matters are a continuous storm that does not subside even with the changing of the seasons.

The fact that this cutesy story made national news reveals much about the desires, hopes, and dreams of so many Americans. Most Americans are “sick and tired of being sick and tired” about Race. I can remember an exchange with such an individual who shouted at me during a lecture covering American racial injustice, “If people like you would just stop talking about it, racism would fade away. It is people like you who keep it going.” I retorted, “Try that with any form of Cancer and tell me what happens.”  

Although I understand how uncomfortable discussions regarding Race can be for all involved; however, I adhere to James Baldwin’s infamous quote that “Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

Trust me when I say that although the cutesy stories about children solving racial problems may provide a fleeting reprieve from the harsh reality of harsh realities in this nation. The wise among us realize that the alluded to reprieve is merely a slight break in a raging storm that will continue to toss and turn this nation into eternity.

Dr. James Thomas Jones III

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A Message to Black Youth: You Must Divest from Negative Expectations Regarding Blackness

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Long ago, I was ensnared in a conversation that most of you have participated in. You know the type of conversation that I speak of, one that is “about everything and nothing at all.” A verbal exchange filled with unexpected twists-and-turns that neither participant expected.

My foremost recollection of the conversation was the statement that “Losing is contagious. If you find a student losing inside the classroom due to a lack of effort, I guarantee you that they are emanating from an extended tradition of excuse-makers and procrastinators. I would bet my life on it.”

In all likelihood, this portion of the conversation sits so prominently in my mind because it encapsulates the inherent flaws of so many of my students; those that I speak of flounder, while their peers capitalize on opportunities. Instead of recognizing opportunity, many of my students see unconquerable obstacles that are not to be engaged. This matter is so common among my students that I combat it by including the following James Baldwin quote on my Syllabus.

Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.

It never fails those languishing in my class possess a perspective that allows them to avoid all responsibility for their failures and shortcomings.

Where hard work is needed, they make excuses.

Where commitment is required, they seek escape routes.

And when the fruits of their dereliction arrive, they cry foul and seek to escape with lies, innuendos, excuses, and flimsy explanations. Predictably, they never realize that they have sown seeds of laziness that will never sprout into success.

During a recent engagement with such a person, they bristled at the notion that there has never been a better moment to be “young, gifted, and Black” in America. Instead of carefully weighing these words, they chose an oppositional stance that communicated the limits that they placed on their future.

If you have read Manhood, Race, and Culture for any period of time, you realize that I am neither an apologist for discrimination and racial bigotry, nor am I a denier of institutional racism, however, there is an even more sinister enemy afoot in the lives of far too many African-American youth. This enemy resides in homes that place limits on the potential of Black children via a regimen of unwise counsel, devotion to social media/reality television, and a dizzying lack of planning for the future. In many ways, the alluded to students have been groomed to live in the present as tomorrow is not promised. Obviously such a flawed worldview does nothing to buttress against the reality that tomorrow will arrive. They are unprepared for that occurrence.

It is of supreme importance that the daunting narrative of blackness being synonymous with a “hard knock life” be ceased immediately as it invariably limits the imagination of African-American youth, an occurrence that certainly diminishes both intellectual curiosity and effort levels within the realm of education. Although such an alteration within Black America is not a highly-charged political issue, it is one that holds significant promise for those interested in uplifting Black America. Unfortunately, it appears that far too many are not willing to invest their efforts in such ways.

Dr. James Thomas Jones III

African-American History

How The Failure to Understand a Common Writing Technique Has Led So Many Blacks to Put Their Ignorance on Full-Display

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I guess it is merely a “Sign of the Times”. The fact that our contemporaries are incapable of differentiating between entertainment “inspired by real-life events” and in-depth scholarship. Such failings speak volumes about not only the education system but also the misplaced faith that so many place in non-scholarly sources of information. 

Of course, the primary impetus for the above thoughts is the over the top reaction of so many Blacks to the Hollywood film, Harriet. 

As they are known to do, the so-called “woke” community has called for all to boycott Harriet for lack of historical accuracy among other things. In many ways, a perfect storm of race, representation, and voice caused this brouhaha. The presence of Kate Larson, a White female who served as the historical consultant on Harriet, did not help matters at all as her presence exacerbated critics’ propensity to form outlandish conspiracy theories.

Let me be forthright regarding this issue of Whites telling the story of Black ancestors like Harriet Tubman. In many ways, I am uncomfortable with the proposition of such a remarkable story being placed in the hands of the White imagination, an imagination that rarely has presented a suitable recitation of Black life. 

Yet, this posting has less to do with Kate Larson and everything to do with the production of edutainment by Hollywood Studios. To simplify my thoughts regarding this matter, I must state that my definition of edutainment is the means of describing media creations aimed at introducing a historical topic while providing entertainment to viewers. More times than not, those who consume these popular culture depictions of events “inspired by real-life events” have little knowledge about what they are viewing. In actuality, these types of films are phenomenal ways of introducing a historical event to the general public.

One thing that is obvious about the droves who have chosen to criticize Harriet is that they have no understanding of the writing process. There is not a serious writer alive who will deny that every story has gaps within it. Writers circles’ are filled with those who lament that the story does not “flow” in an entertaining manner; in fact, this problem is so pervasive that there are support groups for writers who are afflicted by “writer’s block.” Such moments can be the height of frustration for writers wed to that sultry siren or witch called historical accuracy. Alas, the demonic entity does not possess every writer in the same manner. Those constructors of “historical fiction” have well-established means of dealing with that thing called historical facts. They use an Excalibur called “literary license” to free their pen in ways that are unimaginable to others. This literary device is as common in Hollywood as actors or a script. 

One needs to look no further than Spike Lee’s iconic Malcolm X blockbuster film for verification of the use of “creative license.” Fortunately for Lee, his movie, rife with moments of “historical fiction,” was wildly celebrated by adoring Black audiences for a host of reasons. 

I am confident that if one interviewed the writers of Spike Lee’s Malcolm X regarding how they conquered the Herculean task of abbreviating Malcolm’s heroic life to fit on the “big screen,” the words “literary license” would figure prominently in that discussion. Although I am not psychic, I guarantee you that a significant portion of that discussion would revolve around “Brother Baines.” 

Let’s be clear on this matter, “Brother Baines” is birthed through “creative license” and used to push the riveting story along. “Brother Baines” is the bridge between Malcolm’s incarceration to his arrival and exit from the Nation of Islam. Any decent writer of “historical fiction” will tell you that such characters are a convenient tool used to move a story along without introducing a slew of characters that will slow momentum by confusing viewers.  

These attacks on Harriet reveal a disappointing reality that many can not distinguish between a scholarly book/documentary from an edutainment Hollywood biopic. 

In the end, it appears that the critics of Harriet are doing what comes natural to them; that being, providing criticism that is neither constructive nor address the major issue of presenting stories capable of capturing the minds of young African-Americans. Such critics are ironically serving as a roadblock to the process of sparking the imagination of Black youth to a large audience. Who knows if this exposure will serve as the impetus to them exploring the Black experience in an uncommon manner. Sadly, this unwise course of action, caused by a conventional literary device that they do not understand, threatens to seal a reasonable path to develop a bourgeoning interest in African-American studies among American youth. 

What a blind and stupid people we can be at inopportune times.

Dr. James Thomas Jones III

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Cutting Off Their Nose To Spite Their Face: Why the Republican Party Will Continue to Experience Difficulty Recruiting the Masses of Black America

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I realize that I have much company within Black America in regards to my steadfast determination to deny certain things before what many term “mixed company.” Of course, a portion of this discipline flows from a vow never to marginalize the Black image before White America. It is truly a peculiar and somewhat tricky burden to carry at times, a responsibility that I will lighten with this post.

The alluded to burden that I have silently carried for far too long is the fact that I do not find many of the tenets and principles supporting Conservatism repugnant. I am sure that if outsiders viewed many of my political viewpoints, they would argue that I am a closeted Conservative. Private conversations with other African-Americans inform my belief that I am not alone.

I adhere to the following principles that Conservatives have seemingly trademarked for political reasons. The populace I am alluding to harbor the following beliefs.

·      They are fiscally conservative

·      Adhere to a moral compass that overrides reckless behavior

·      Harbor a constant belief in socially responsible individualism

·      Believe that we should suffer the consequences of poor decision-making

The ideological underpinnings of Conservative politics are neither foreign concepts nor burdensome to Black America. Black preachers propagate these concepts several times a week to their African-American congregations.

Alas, Black Americans have not poured into the Republican Party as reasonable-minded people would expect.

I am sure that Conservatives are confused by the refusal of the vast majority of African-Americans to join their ranks. Black America’s repudiation of Conservatism flows not so much from concerns with political policy. The staunch refusal of Black America to migrate to “the party of Lincoln” communicates their refusal to join a political party filled with individuals whose political beliefs rest on pillars of white supremacy and racial bigotry. It is Republican Party leaders’ refusal to denounce the presence of those who carry such ilk that guarantees marginal success in recruiting Black America.

I pride myself on not grouping all Whites under a large political canopy that makes them a monolithic population of racial bigots whose sole priority is the oppression of Blacks. Such a judgmental characterization is not an accurate depiction of White America. However, one has to fight against using such a conclusion when square-dealing White Conservatives refuse to identify and publicly repudiate the racial bigots and White supremacists that are their political brethren. This failing sits at the core of why the Republican Party will continue to fail to make significant in-roads into Black America.

Although I do not doubt the desires of segments of the Republican Party to secure a more substantial portion of the Black vote. I do doubt their willingness to expel white supremacists and bigots to make their party more appealing to Black voters.

If I were a betting man, I would place my wager on the Republican Party remaining analogous to a political Frankenstein with often mismatched parts haphazardly put together in a desperate attempt to retain access to political power. To the chagrin of those seeking to add a little color to this political Frankenstein, they must understand that the vast majority of Blacks will continue to resist all overtures from the Republican Party until the leadership of that party disavows the white supremacists and racial bigots who call the Right, home.

Dr. James Thomas Jones III