The Continuing Battle Over School Curriculums: What Should Black Parents Be Aware of and Doing on Behalf of Their Children

AM I EVERYBODY’S KEEPER?: THE ETERNAL DILEMMA FACING MANY BLACK MEN

This episode of Manhood, Race, and Culture Interactive deals with the plight of Black men and the duties they carry on their shoulders. It has led many of them to cry publicly, “Am I Everybody’s Keeper?”

Please enjoy and as always you are welcome to join us at any time.

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

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

 

 

What White Radical Feminist Dr. Jessica Taylor’s Criticisms of King Richard Reveals About How Little Such People Understand About The Path to Black Excellence: Black Women You’d Better Not Listen to Their Foolishness

A man and a woman posing for a portrait

The moment I heard about the film King Richard, I understood that there would be attempts to lessen its impact and message. After all, the film focuses on Richard Williams, the father of Venus, and Serena Williams, the saviors of American Tennis, not just women’s tennis, for an entire generation. To this very moment, many within the elitist lily-white tennis world consider Richard Williams a mercurial offensive dark figure sent by the Devil, Satan, and Lucifer to disrupt their heaven on Earth.

I anticipated self-proclaimed radical feminist Dr. Jessica Taylor’s criticism of King Richard. Dr. Taylor’s comments about the film directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, starring Will Smith, Saniyaa Sidney, Demi Singleton, Tony Goldwyn, Aunjanue Ellis, and Jon Bernthal, reveal how little white radical feminists understand about the tried-and-true formula for Black excellence. I was unamused at Dr. Jessica Taylor’s question of

Did they seriously make a film called ‘King Richard’ about the success of Serena and Venus Williams – but it’s about their dad, Richard?

The above comment reveals an infantile understanding of many substantive issues.

Unfortunately for Black America, the perspective of an “authority” or “expert” such as Dr. Taylor carries much weight. Yet, it does not cancel the fact that her view is equally misguided and misinformed. In many ways, figures such as Jessica Taylor “are doing nothing more than talking loud and saying nothing.”

The following commentary proves once again that the paradigms and structures motivating white radical feminism are at best an irregular fit for Black society. Just consider the following litany by Taylor.

I genuinely didn’t expect a film about two of the most powerful, successful and amazing black female athletes to be named after a man, or center a man. I would have loved this film to be all about them, and not a man.

This type of idiocy, normalized within white radical feminist circles, has no applicability to the Black experience. Thank God for Alice Walker’s incisive cautionary warning to Black women foolish enough to view Black America via the lens of privileged that “womanist is to feminist as purple is to lavender.” I continually point my Black female students to Walker’s brilliant observation.

However, I do understand why Dr. Jessica Taylor issued the above statements. The above “radical feminist” commentary is understandable if one realizes that the lens used to examine Black America reveals nothing actionable. Whoa to black women who follow the analysis, conclusions, and solutions offered by Jessica Taylor because they are incapable of providing workable solutions.

Dr. Jessica Taylor does not understand that it is impossible to discuss Venus and Serena without including King Richard Williams and their mother, Oracene. Whites who believe that Black excellence and genius are gifts bestowed by a God who paves the path to black success; blacks know differently. One does not have to search far to hear stories of uber-talented blacks who fell by the wayside due to a host of snares and traps that were intentionally placed in their path by those seeking to block their success. I will admit that there is no foolproof way of avoiding the trials and tribulations of life. Excellent parenting like that presented by King Richard Williams goes a long way toward helping Black boys and girls overcome the obstacles mentioned above.

So, Dr. Taylor, I salute King Richard!!!!!!

And do not consider it a contradiction, slight, concession, or problem to honor Queen Oracene simultaneously. After all, that is the most reliable formula for Black excellence.

James Thomas Jones III, Ph.D.

©Manhood, Race, and Culture, 2021

 

Committed to investigating, examining, and representing the African-American male, men, and manhood by offering commentary regarding the status of Black Men and Black Manhood as it relates to African-American Manhood, Race, Class, Politics, and Culture from an educated and authentic African-American perspective aimed at improving the plight of African-American men and African-American Manhood in regards to Politics, Culture, Education, and Social Matters.