DISQUS

Awesome article!

I thank God for intelligent people like you. The sting has not left that word for those of us old enough to remember the potency in it. It always strikes me as odd that many others think they can reclaim the word.

The term is steeped in ignorance and hatred, and those who I know outside of the black community are always bemused by the term being used in music, comedy, and general rapport between people of African descent.

Thank you for a timely reminder of an intelligent approach to this matter.

I couldnt agree more. I dont mind being able to pick up SMS or even read up on some notes but I would not want voice calls on a plane. I can just about stomach them on trains and buses as it is.

Incidently I just found out that my Nokia E61 can go to offline mode when I am in a plane. Duh!

The consumerist nature of most public holidays is a bit scary. Over here in the UK we dont have the Thanksgiving but we here enough stories about it and how just like Easter and Christmas it has become so commercial.

Shame really because so much of that spending ever comes back into the community that those ad are targeted at.

Well my friend I commend you. Having taken the jump twice myself (learnt a lot of lessons from the first time round) I could only really do what my passion really is. Really focusing on what it is you want to do and how you want to contribute.

Always enjoying the journey with the end game in mind!!!
(Hope you and the good lady are fine!)

If you would like to know I would be more than willing to furnish you with it. Failing that just read my blog. Who knows. You might learn something.

You have obviously missed my point.
For the record I lecture on history across the diaspora so don't get it twisted.

or any other country....

I posed the question about African countries where blacks are the dominant race. I could say the same of the Caribbean where my family are from. In these societies racism does exist whether between blacks, Arabics, white or Asian. To say that the white race is the ultimate supressor is a bit small minded and is probably more local but then of course wikipedia is but one voice (albeit random) to the definition of racism.

Both here in the UK and of course in the US blacks represent 4% and 16% respectively of the countries therefore we would see whites as the oppressor because they are the dominant race and because of the more recent histories of Jim Crow, colonisations, etc. Would we say the same if we were in the Middle East, or South East Asia for example? I doubt it, hence my comment about whether it is an American position.

Racism is simply a prejudicial thought, belief or word about a race collectively. Perpetuated mainly by the dominant culture of that country, whether it is in the US, Sudan, Japan or Australia.

"I meant blacks can not be racist against whites - the ultimate oppressors".

How so? Or is this just an American thing?

"Blacks cannot be racist because actions have little impact on the white race as a whole?"

I am not sure I follow this line of thinking.

Jo, I was making the point that often racism is seen within the context of the local country, rather than as a whole. In the US and UK blacks feel the force of racism within a socio-economic context more because we are a minority.

Sometime it is about numbers as well as force. Apartheid of course stands as an example to buck that trend but then was Idi Amin's behaviour not racist when he expelled Asians from Uganda? What of the conflict in Sudan between the more Arabic northerners in comparison to the Southerners? And what of Mugabe in Zimbabwe?

Of course blacks can be racist. Any racial group can "make a prejuidical assumption based on their perception of that race". Racism exists in most societies. Standard, all this thing about power is misleading and if that is the case then what of black majority countries in Africa. Are they then not racist if they discriminate against others?

It is one of my dreams that more black professionals can realise this. Around the globe and that no matter where you are you can always find or be part of such an organisation.

Watch this space.

Dont know if this counts but the latest addition to the old ipod are

India Arie - Testimony Vol 1
Amiel Larrieux - Morning
Raphael Saddiq - Instant Vintage
Omar - Sing if You Want It
Raheem Devaughan - The Love Experience

The last hip hip I loaded was
Lupe Fiasco - Daydream, Kick Push
Tribe Called Quest - Anthlogy
The Roots - Phrenology
Nas - One Mic

I stand corrected.

I dont have any negative hip hop in my collection. However I wondered if this could be extended to some R&B that we have that is not empowering

Yes. Where is Chicago?
Looking at the criteria though I wonder what would happen if the median household salary was a tad lower?

I agree that with you. I suppose my focus was that it was sad that it ended up with him having to make the statement because no one else would stand up and make that statement within our community.

In retrospect his isolation of one section could be read that way, and one would hope that this not what he was saying.

Does he not have some validity in asking the black community to take responsibility on this matter? One of the realities is that we don't have a cohesive black community in London anymore. We just don't. The elements of respect that were prevalent in my youth and ealry twenties has diminished. We are as diverse and separate as we have ever been and if it is black kids shooting and stabbing black kids (or being reported on it) shouldn't he make the same comment as he would were it any other racial group?

Thoughts!

N. Thomas

I supppose we will have to agree to disagree but I have met a number of the most successful entrepreneurs in the UK including Duncan Ballantyne, Peter Jones, Richard Branson, Alexander Amosu and Alan Sugar. all of them successfull millionaries and execs and none of them employing MBAs. Then I think of Warren Buffett, Steven Jobs, Bill Gates and then there are Brin and Page of Google. Only the latter actually finished university.

Not to mention Earl Graves, Robert Johnson, Oprah Winfrey and George Fraser. All entrepreneurs who I model and look up to and didnt have to spend £80k on a course designed more for corporations.

On my road to a million I know where my focus will be. Bless you on your journey also.

The situation in Darfur is quite complex. even if troops go in there to try and make changes the real issues are on the ground level. Like the Hutsis and Tutsi had in Rwanda the tribal/cultural differences between the Arabic/Muslim and black populace runs deep and has done so for many years.

Why is the US/UK not as involved. Well let's be honest China has the oil reserves already sown up. So there is no real economic to drive a political incursion.

I admire your financial comittment but mine is tied up elsewhere on the continent. I just hope on the ground the Janjaweed can sort their heads out and stop this nonsense

After last night's conversation I am beginning to understand a bit better why you believe he will become president.

I don't even find that joke remotely funny.

Coming from the UK where my parents saw signs for accomodation stating that no niggers, no Irish and no dogs, to here people use this term willy nilly totally gets me irate.

Do blacks go around calling each other wog, coon, sambo or any of the other negative words? No. Then why is it acceptable to take on board a word that dehumanised our ancestors and try and make out it is the meaning that is important. That's bullshit.

With the extensive words available in our vernacular, we kid ourselves again by thinking it is acceptable. Then wonder why so many have problems making progress.

Know your history people, it will help to shape our future.

Hi Ace Rich, thanks for your response on this. My question was would those who were as passionate about this case, acted on it because it was a juvenile or just because she was a black girl.

I am glad that she was freed if she was incarcerated in error, but am also conscious as to how silent the same said voices will be in addressing the bigger issues of child incarceration.