Category Archives: RACE

African-American Males, African-American Men, AMERICAN HISTORY, Black Males, Black Men, RACE

Why The Labeling of Darrell E. Brooks as a Terrorist Reveals White America’s Hypocrisy (Yet Again)

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It seems that I am wrestling with the meaning of life, particularly what is and what isn’t a reasonable expectation for myself and those around me. I have concluded that the elements/qualities of love, forgiveness, kindness, sympathy, empathy, and the need for consistency reign supreme in my value system.

Some combination of the above values/qualities guides my denunciation of Darrell E. Brooks’ decision to drive his vehicle into a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin. I am sure that you already know that this decision resulted in the deaths of 5 people and the injuring of 40. Predictably, this one decision by an individual black man has led opponents of Civil Rights and racial equality to retrieve a broad paintbrush that they will wield in a desperate attempt to tarnish Black America in general and black activists in particular.

Those opportunists seeking to discredit all efforts to secure racial equality refer to this single event as an occurrence of black terrorism. Consider me bewildered by the claims of some of my white countrymen that America, better yet, White America, has been under attack by black terrorists since its creation.

The very assertion that blacks have been terroristic in a nation built on their enslavement is quite possibly the most absurd assertion I have ever heard. The above charge is yet another attempt at rallying naïve whites around a race issue such as critical race theory seized, formed, and propagated much like a consumer good.

As mentioned above, I have decided to double down on love, forgiveness, kindness, sympathy, empathy, and the need for consistency. Therefore, whites rush to use the term black terrorism while ignoring the volumes of terrorist attacks perpetrated by their ancestors, and even the present generation of whites disturbs me. Let us be clear on this matter. It is White America that has consistently bred and socialized domestic terrorists to maintain their monopolies and privileges.

If we can agree that, at their core, terrorist attacks are unjust actions executed against American citizens by some enemy, we can move forward with this discussion. Unfortunately for this nation, the basic definition relegates many of the Founding Fathers to a lengthy list of domestic terrorists. Consider Thomas Jefferson, the individual whose pen stated that “All men are created equal” for a moment. No reasonable argument removes Jefferson, a significant slaveholder and whose Notes on the State of Virginia proves his racial bigotry, from the terrorist list.

This nation’s centuries-long historical record would be barren if it were not for the actions of white terrorists who dedicated their lives to harming their fellow countrymen at every turn. The activities of Thomas Jefferson that predate the founding of this nation were carried forward nearly two hundred years later by Federal Bureau of Investigation Director J. Edgar Hoover. Hoover’s entire career reminds one of former slaveholders’ attempts to re-enslave blacks despite the 13th Amendment.

It would be best if you didn’t think that only the Founding Fathers or high-ranking political officials such as J. Edgar Hoover, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump can be domestic terrorists. In actuality, your local banker, who arbitrarily denies blacks mortgages, also falls into this category. School boards that approve white-washed curriculums that damage the minds of all American children are terrorists as well. When one thinks about it, it takes significant effort to be white in America and not fall under the terrorist umbrella in some shape or fashion.

My gripe with those rushing to denounce Darrell E. Brooks is their failure to hold whites responsible for similar evil. Far too frequently, well-meaning, dare I say, non-racist whites remain silent when in the presence of terrorists who look like them.

I guess that whites have yet to learn that the hatred guiding Darrell E. Brooks is a direct result of the consequences of the hate that they have doled out. Although it may be challenging to comprehend and accept, the presence of “black terrorism” will never cease until this nation’s original terrorists stop their many attacks.

James Thomas Jones III, Ph.D.

©Manhood, Race, and Culture, 2021

 

 

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

POLITICS, RACE

Just Busy Doing Nothing: Why the NAACP’s Letter to Professional Athletes Speaks Volumes About Why Black America Continues to Lose in the Game of Politics

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You would hope that the frustration that Black politicians have experienced due to their historical political failings would lead them to the development of some semblance of political savvy. I long abandoned such hope for Civil Rights organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. My last dash of hope for this storied organization expired with their rather stupid decision to purchase a casket and open a grave to bury the “N-Word.” Although it is difficult to comprehend, the leadership of the NAACP wrote the word “Nigger” on a sheet of paper, placed it inside of a coffin, and then buried it before their naïve supporters.

The “N-Word” has risen from the grave to haunt Black America.

To comprehend my disapproval of NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson’s recent communication to the players’ association of five professional sports leagues, one must understand the above foolishness. Johnson contacted MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, and WNBA to request that their players not sign a contract with a Texas-based sports team. The catalyst behind this ridiculous communication is the series of laws recently passed in the Lone Star State.

The alluded legislation covers a wide swath from abortions through voting rights and the absence of mask mandates. A portion of Derrick Johnson’s communication reads as follows.

If you are considering signing in Texas, I ask you to ensure that owners are upholding their responsibility of protecting you, the athlete, and your family. I ask you to use your influence to help protect the constitutional rights of each individual at risk.

Over the past few months, legislators in Texas have passed archaic policies, disguised as laws, that directly violate privacy rights and a woman’s freedom to choose, restrict access to free and fair elections for Black and brown voters, and increase the risk of contracting coronavirus.

Now, I do not want you to believe that I support any of Greg Abbott’s measures. If Texans follow the NAACP’s lead, their inevitable suffering will be immense.

I am sure you will agree that professional athletes not signing with a Texas team will have no impact on White powerbrokers such as Governor Abbott or Ted Cruz. I am slightly ashamed by such a sophomoric response from one of America’s most storied Civil Rights organizations. The NAACP’s juvenile response is ill-conceived, ineffectual, and just plain stupid for many reasons.

If permitted to address the leadership of Civil Rights organizations and other progressives, I would tell them to get back to basics such as political education and voter registration drives that prepare their voting bloc for a treacherous political season. We know our opponents’ underhanded activities, such as denying access to the franchise by changing voter identification requirements.

It is disappointing that the NAACP’s foremost goal is not removing political evildoers via the ballot. Instead of developing political education campaigns that illuminate the undeniable realities facing working-class and poor Black, Latinx, Asian, and White Texans, the NAACP’s leadership seeks to convince professional athletes to abandon tried-and-true Capitalist principles in the name of moral righteousness and racial equality.

Any understanding of why Black folks are still on the bottom rung of this nation’s social and politico-economic hierarchy begins with their so-called political leadership. Derrick Johnson should know better.

It is frightening to think that he doesn’t.

James Thomas Jones III, Ph.D.

©Manhood, Race, and Culture, 2021