So This is the Kappa of My Dreams?

"Alpha, Beta, Gamma, wooooahhh, Delta, Epsilon...Zeta, Eta, Theta, Iooooooota...Kappa Alpha Psi til the day I diiiiieeee..."

Singing these exact words still resonate with a great feeling of pride throughout all of my body, and like most greeks, I hate to see my fraternity put in a bad-light. However a self-imposed instance of negative publicity is always worse than a media-exaggerated perceived one. After the non-indictments of law enforcement personnel directly involved with the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner that seem to have no justification beyond race, I am amazed me the silence of the black greek organizations that encompass the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC).

Don't get me wrong, the NPHC did issue a statement after the non-indictment in Ferguson, and Alpha Kappa Alpha, and Delta Sigma Theta have recently spoken up now that protests have escalated due to the non-indictment in Staten Island. Well, that should be enough, right?

For me, it simply isn't...

I did not pledge the NPHC, AKA, or DST, so I shouldn't be bothered with the contention expressed by any of these organizations, but I am. The NPHC has said that they will continue to fight for the rights of black and brown people through peaceful protest and policy implementation. That should be enough, right?

Well that was grand! What did AKA and DST follow that up with?

Much of the same message, EXCEPT, these ladies cautioned their members NOT to wear any letters or insignia to these protests. You mean to tell me, letters that one worked hard to wear they can't wear to a protest putting their organization in a positive light for what may very well prove to be the civil rights struggle of our generation? Spare me the rhetoric regarding violent acts that may be associated with the organization because if we were doing a much better job of safeguarding the prestige of our organization members would know that in letters you are representing something much larger than yourself. (But that's another argument for another post)

Yet, Kappa Alpha Psi is still silent...

THEN TODAY HAPPENED...in fact, right when I was writing this piece.

I posted a rant that inspired this posting to my Facebook page, and in the course of criticizing Kappa and the rest of the NPHC I was encountered with two posts that allowed me to become further enraged with Kappa. The first, a post from a good friend of mine, was the following:

Of course, posting something like this he would happen to be an Alpha, but either way it denounces the whole sentiment of not wearing your letters to participate in these demonstrations. However, it still falls short of the level of involvement I'd like to see from our organizations and the statement that I feel should be made in light of these circumstances. Shout out to Alpha Phi Alpha. 

But what did make me proud to be a greek was that same friend posting a letter from Zeta Phi Beta in which the ladies of Zeta have taken a stand and are using these incidents as a platform to launch a new social action directive in 2015.

But my beloved Kappa is still silent...

How is it that a black greek letter organization founded on the campus of a predominately white institution is quiet. I would spout off a certain incident that makes me feel like Kappa should be at the forefront of such matters but Nupes should know what I'm talking about. I'm just upset at the lack of response from what I always thought to be the talented tenth of our people.

Last time I checked, Kappa had an objective to inspire service in the public interest...but maybe I'm just dreaming...

How Frivolous?

 “It is pitiable that frantic efforts must be made at critical times to get law-makers in some States even to listen to the respectful presentation of the black man’s side of a current controversy. Daily the Negro is coming more and more to look upon law and justice, not as protecting safeguards, but as sources of humiliation and oppression. The laws are made by men who have little interest in him; they are executed by men who have absolutely no motive for treating the black people with courtesy or consideration; and, finally the accused law-breaker is tried, not by his peers, but too often by men who would rather punish ten innocent Negroes than let one guilty one escape.” – W.E.B. DuBois, The Souls of Black Folk, 1903

But it’s 2014…           

2014!

111 years later ant this statement is just as true now as it was then. I thought the death of Trayvon Martin and its resulting legal saga would shed light onto a situation that has been plaguing the American society ever since the first slave was brought over, but it hasn’t. In fact, things have only gotten worse since the rhetoric held by both black and white Americans “well…the President is black” has taken a foothold into the American thought pattern. The perception of the black man is just flawed. Take Barack Obama for example, he is questioned at every turn, often called a tyrant, a dictator, a monarch while the people that he is associated with fail to make up a majority of the minority. This makes the argument that his election was their doing a totally frivolous one.

We as blacks are quick to say that sagging pants and baggy clothing is the undoing of years of civil rights struggles and leads to our children and our black men being taken less seriously, but I have seen grunge, emo, and children at school in pajamas fortunately avoiding harassment. PAJAMAS? Yep, pajamas! As a kid I was always taught to look my best, to not look thrown together, like I come from something, but what was this for, to avoid harassment/prejudice that was going to come anyway? I’ve been in elevators with white women who held on to their purse for dear life despite the fact that she was surrounded by four well dressed black men engaging in the practice of law in a Texas county courthouse. I’ve been scolded for wanting to wear suits with sneakers in the legal practice when I’ve seen lawyers who wear jeans, cowboy boots, and oversized belt buckles DURING TRIAL. I was told that in order to be taken serious as an attorney I would have to cut my dreadlocks when I’ve seen others who have hair just as long (albeit a different color and texture). MLK wore a suit and he was still shot in the face, so please miss me with that. All MLK’s dream focused on was to look at people with the benefit of the doubt on an individual basis, nothing more, but it seems like that thought was a totally frivolous one.

There’s a serious problem when we have to look for the law to be executed in the way that it was supposed to from its inception. I never thought I would see the day when I, a black man, rooted for the prosecution to merely do their job and secure a conviction or an indictment (with the latter being much less difficult), and not do defense counsel’s job for them. Hell, the next time I’m in trial, can I get one of these oh so nice prosecutors to do my job for me, or is that also frivolous?

Yet, what isn’t frivolous is the status of the black man in America. I know what Eric Garner and Mike Brown were guilty of being; big Negroes. I hold police to a higher standard because their profession demands it. You are allowed to legally carry a gun and are supposed to protect and serve the public at large. Are you allowed to be scared? Sure. Are you allowed to make bad decisions? Ehh, that’s human nature. But for you to be killed during the administration of a use of force that was made illegal by your police department and not even being forced to stand trial is mind blowing to me. 1L year of law school teaches us that you take your victim as they are, so stop with the claim that Garner’s weight contributed to his untimely demise, THE FOREARM AROUND HIS NECK DID. Mike Brown was ultimately killed because he was jaywalking, if he did punch Darren Wilson, did that give Wilson the right to shoot him? I thought that all this was supposed to be ironed out in a court of law, and that defenses didn’t come into consideration until AFTER the grand jury phase, or maybe my knowledge of the law is frivolous. I just want people to realize where the frustrations of these protestors come from and that our anger isn’t frivolous.

What happens after these travesties occur? We try to demonstrate without being considered revolutionaries (but that’s exactly what George Washington did) and we try to make our frustrations known without being considered angry. We try to peaceably assemble and are still considered a threat on that requires rifles and military vehicles to keep in check, (refer to the picture above). And then what happens next? Here comes Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, who (if history is correct) would have had a bullet in both their heads if they were EVER taken as a serious threat. Now I’m not an advocate for violence but there must be anarchy to appreciate control, it’s kind of like a ying/yang thing. And something needs to be done. I do not have all the answers but I am beginning to become angry enough to search for them. I was sent a text this AM that read “please find a way to use your education and profession to incite change in this country,” and I DON’T think that’s a frivolous request.

This is the society that we yearn to belong to, the one that has given us the following rules, have allowed for the trivial exploitation of white privilege in the hashtag #CrimingWhileWhite, and still won’t concede the rights “guaranteed” to us by the U.S. Constitution.…which begs the question; do black lives really matter, or is that thought too a frivolous one?

Parents Should Be Role Models

The above commercial, while 11 years old, is profoundly relevant in today's world, especially in the wake of Ray Rice's indefinite suspension from the National Football League. I have long been of the opinion that just because someone is wealthy does not make them a good person, as we have seen in the instances of Richie Incognito, Donald Sterling, Bruce Levinson, Danny Ferry, Chris Brown, Kobe Bryant, even Michael Vick (although I still don't really see the crime in fighting dogs especially when boxing/MMA are such a popular sports). So now, enters Ray Rice, whose widely publicized incident with his wife, Janay, initially resulted in a two-game suspension from the league and now his release from the Baltimore Ravens and the NFL at large.

Initially, I was cautious about writing a post about this at the risk of sounding like a "woman-beater" or insensitive to the plight of women but I just have to share my thoughts on this occurrence. My first reaction when the story broke was honestly; "what did she do?" I share much of the same sentiments as Chris Rock when it comes down to domestic violence,

 HOWEVER, I do feel that much of the investigations when it comes down to incidents of domestic violence are largely one-sided. (And before yall throw me under the bus along with Ray Rice, be advised that I think men who go upside the heads of women and children based upon their own personal issues or as some sort of control/power struggle type of deal with no form of adequate provocation deserve to be burned at the stake. Yet, I also believe that if you raise your hands to ANYONE without fear of being hit back, you are living in a fantasy world!) And because of that particular thought pattern, I wasn't disgusted by Ray Rice for putting his hands on her, I was disgusted by him treating her like a rag doll. This, the woman that you have decided that you want to spend the rest of your life with is knocked out on the floor of an elevator and you choose to drag her on the ground and have her ass cheeks on display for anyone who walks by. Naw, my dude, that's not how you treat your queen. Hell at least try to pick her up and pretend like she's inebriated, take her back to the room, and give her the apologetic treatment that Jody made famous in Baby Boy (I'm KIDDING). Now, with that being said, I looked at this issue from all sides, as I often do, but as I was reminded yesterday in an episode of House of Cards; "I am a lawyer, I assume nothing, but the court of public opinion does not have a law degree."

Yes, the NFL could have requested the tape from the casino as a form of damage control to know what they were up against in trying to make their future actions "ok" from a PR standpoint; but ultimately what would that solve? Yes, we know that Ray hit Janay, but talking about it and actually seeing it are two different things, as the NFL should have noted and taken into accord regarding their own investigation. The release of the footage depicting the actual blows was damaging to both the NFL and Ray Rice but it still gives us nothing regarding the "provocation" (or lack thereof) regarding what drove Mr. Rice to his deplorable actions. Some reports state that Mrs. Rice spat on him, (*Chris Rock voice* now I'm not saying he should have killed her, but I understand) while others state that Ray was the spitter. But again, the video that we all saw from TMZ offers no indication to what went on before the couple entered the elevator, although Janay is seen striking Ray en route to the elevator)

Now here is where my "insensitivity" may come into place, the dreaded double standards that are prevalent in society. Double standards start off in our youth where its acceptable for boys to literally do everything that walks while women are supposed to retain their purity for marriage or at bare minimum someone special. I say; "to hell with all that!" As a firm believer in equality across financial, cultural, racial, sexuality and gender barriers, I feel like double standards should be eliminated from society. If we throw out the double standard of "men shouldn't hit women," and look at this from a purely natural standpoint, the viewpoint that most men share in result to altercations with other men should be widely held around the world. I'm only 5'5", 180 lbs, if I got into it with a guy 6'3" 265lbs, I know for a fact that if I hit him 8/10 times, he's going to return the strike. SOOOOOOO, if I don't want him to hit me, I shouldn't hit him, follow me? Why can't that same logic be applied to women? (While I commend Jay-Z for knowing his financial worth and extending restraint, I think Solange deserved to get cold-cocked) They want to be considered as equals so why should I be expected to turn the other cheek just because she lost control of her emotions and allowed that loss of control to extend to her hands and/or feet. From a legal standpoint, so long as I don't escalate the initial force used or have my hands considered to be a lethal weapon, in the case of boxers and masters of various forms of martial arts, I am afforded the right to defend myself. I often ask women I date if they feel like I would hit them and the response is always similar, "I don't put anything past anyone, and while I feel that you wouldn't put your hands on me unnecessarily, I don't plan on putting myself in a situation where you would have to question whether or not you should." That statement reminds me of a post I saw on instagram yesterday; "Is a man a bitch for hitting a woman, or is he a bitch for allowing himself to get beat up by one?" It's all about respect, people! As a woman, if you don't hit me, I can honestly say that I will NEVER hit you!

Today, Janay Rice issued a statement where she asked for people to let her and her husband deal with their own family issues, and I couldn't agree with her more. It's not my job to judge anyone nor their marriage or relationship, so I'm not going to be like the court of public opinion and speculate as to what this move is based on, but there are a number of possible factors:

1, Janay Rice knows for a fact that this is not the first time that this has happened nor is it the last time that it will happen, she suffers from battered woman's syndrome, and needs help.

2, Janay Rice knows that this incident has the potential to damage the earning ability of her husband and doesn't want to sacrifice the lifestyle that she is accustomed to living or the well-being of their daughter. In addition, she may fear any possible retribution if Ray considers this to be her fault.

3, Janay Rice accepts fault for the altercations (however minor) and feels Ray's response was warranted.

4, Janay Rice, is EXTREMELY Christ-like and has chose to forgive her husband, move on from this embarrassing incident, and we should all do the same.

Despite Janay's motivation, we should all keep in mind that athletes are not role models. They are entertainers, and because of that we should not hold them to a higher standard once they make it. Let's face it, most of the time, the only time in which these athletes are held to a higher standard is when it comes down to on the field production, most of their mistakes off the field of play are taken care of for them or swept away like it never happened. If you're going to hold them to that standard of accountability, then that should start at an early age (that's what youth coaches, like myself, SHOULD be teaching their players). I'll be praying for the Rice family, but honestly, I've got better things to do that worry about a millionaire and his wife's inability to keep their hands to themselves.

In summary, the PSA from this incident should state as follows; athletes are not role models, and PEOPLE should keep their hands to themselves!

I Believe the Children are Our Future...

There was a time when democracy meant to serve the best interests of the general community, but these times have since passed. The song “The Greatest Love of All,” initially recorded by George Benson and further popularized by Whitney Houston, began with the lyrics; “I believe the children are our future, teach them well, and let them lead the way,” however, modern times have seen this statement not apply to all children. There has been a gap in education since the inception of this “great” nation and while the Supreme Court decisions Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. Board of Education, have made tremendous steps to remedy this problem, all things education, unfortunately, are not created equal. Furthermore, the government of Louisiana, at both the state and municipal levels does not seem interested in increasing the state’s rank of 49/50 in education. If we truly desire to teach children well and let them lead the way, then it is up to us, the citizens of Louisiana, to do so.The governor of the State of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal, has not been looking out for the best interests of the children in our state.

Although Jindal tends to state that he is for the children and higher education standards in the state, his actions prove otherwise. Initially, Jindal started a voucher program that allowed students in low-income areas to attend private schools that offered a more competitive curriculum and boasted of higher educational standards than many of the state’s public schools. However, educational reform throughout the state seemed to be something that was far on the back end of his policy regarding education. How exactly is no child to be left behind when the head of the State considers sending a select number of students to better schools when the general education standard throughout the state is in dire need of repair? Jindal’s actions seem to cover up the actual problem and focus on a quick fix that would not help the general public, only a select few. And when solutions only account for a percentage of the whole, how can it be ensured that the selection process is one of honesty and integrity, or only one designed to further the educational divide benefitting only people who think as the governor does or are firm supporters of his policies? It seems like Jindal cannot be depended upon to help our children.

The end of my tenure at Benjamin Franklin Senior Magnet High School here in New Orleans, saw the nationally recognized magnet school title be done away with in favor of a new city-wide access system. This system, while designed to affect not only Franklin but the four other magnet high schools in the city, increased the average student’s chances of receiving a better public school education, yet did little to prepare students for the rigors of a magnet school curriculum. This, in my opinion, did little to address the real issue. It wasn’t that students weren’t presented with the opportunity to receive a magnet school education or that the test was unfairly biased, but that these students weren’t adequately prepared for such a curriculum. While I thought the best solution was to improve the middle and junior high schools that fed the public high school population of New Orleans, I knew that results would not come instantaneously. I’ll also admit that the city-wide access solution was the easiest solution in the name of being “fair,” it did little for the actual issue. Yes, bottom-up approaches require much more time and effort than a quick fix, but aren’t our children worth it?

There was the time when the Louisiana Legislation and Jindal established the Tucker Commission to remediate the Louisiana higher education system, which only served to further the education divide. According to the Tucker Commission, having universities in the same city that offer the same degrees is a waste of money. The Commission planned to downgrade many universities within the state to junior colleges, community colleges or trade schools that give out two-year Associate Degrees as opposed to four-year Bachelor Degrees. The Tucker Commission told us that they were merely trying to help out Louisiana college students by lowering the costs for enrollment at these schools and the colleges by improving their attrition rates. However, there is always the fine print, and the fine print is where these politicians get you. The State of Louisiana reportedly has 30,000 graduates combined yearly from its institutes of higher education while only having the employment field to accommodate only 13,000. In addition there are another 11,000 jobs that go unapplied for. Most of these college graduates leave Louisiana because they consider themselves too good for those 11,000 jobs I have mentioned. So instead of trying to promote opportunities that would increase the job market, the state of Louisiana would rather that its higher learning centers produce the people who can hold these positions. If education reform were left to these people, gone would be the times where we tell children they can be anything they want to be, but they can only be what is available to be.

In closing, the efforts of the educational reformists who have started the charter school movement here in New Orleans must be commended. These people have taken it upon themselves to improve the conditions inside the classroom and give our children what so many have failed to do; a chance to improve their situation and dictate their future endeavors. Leaving our children’s future up to the government and democracy would be disastrous to say the least. How can we expect today’s children to become tomorrow’s leaders if the children themselves do not know which way is up. Again, the actions of these reformists should be commended and we should do all we can to help them, our children and their future, as well as ours, depends on it.

#IfIWereGunnedDown

Jordan Davis was disrespectful of authoritative figures.

(killed at a gas station over an altercation involving loud music, unarmed)

Trayvon Martin was suspended from school, fought, and smoked weed.

(killed coming home from a 7-11, unarmed)

Remisha McBride was a drunk.

(killed asking for assistance from a vehicular accident, unarmed)

Mike Brown fought the police.

(killed while “resisting arrest,” unarmed)

Andy Lopez smoked weed.

(killed while walking up the street with a toy gun, unarmed)

Noel Palanco drove erratically.

(killed while “reaching for something under the seat,” unarmed)

Ramarley Graham flushed weed down the toilet.

(killed after police kicked in the door of his residence after avoiding a NYC stop and frisk, shot in back, unarmed)

Kimani Gray was a gangbanger.

(killed after being observed adjusting his waistband and avoiding a NYC stop and frisk, unarmed)

Earlier today was ablaze with its usual social commentary through the hashtag #IfIWereGunnedDown allowing people to express their thoughts about the Mike Brown killing. Police in Ferguson, MO killed Mike Brown, a recent high school graduate, on August 9, 2014. Preliminary reports said that Mike Brown was accosted after being accused of stealing $1 cigar like the kind commonly used to roll up marijuana with, but I haven’t seen one of those in hours. The most recent story is that Brown was killed after pushing an officer back into the patrol car and reaching for his weapon. As absurd as this sounds, its what Ferguson police are saying happened. The standard of when it is appropriate to use deadly force is a high one for the general public and while it may be even higher for law enforcement officers in certain jurisdictions, one fact remains the same; these officers in question know how to justify when that force is used. And the media does a good job of helping the accused out by justifying the circumstances with facts not readily available or assassinating the character of the victim.

The Trayvon Martin case hurt me, it hurt me deep to my soul, to the point where not only was I faced with the reminder that the young black man is a perceived threat, but how to explain that to my son.  And in the event that you are unluckily perceived as this threat, you may be vilified to make it appear that this world might be better off without you. While I am speaking from the perspective of the black male, this is an issue for all minorities. Previously listed is what they've said about others who were gunned down while unarmed, what would they say about you?

GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT...and sometimes not even then

A few weeks ago, I was in the middle of a debate where a northerner expressed disdain for the South because of the inherent racism that exists here and most blacks who live in the south are basically forcing themselves to be second-class citizens because of the racially charged climate here. Southern blacks should also force themselves to stop blaming their faults on white privilege and racism because neither are seen in the North. My only remark to her; that just because you fail to see racism and/or the existence of white privilege, do they fail to exist. Gone are the days of cross burnings, public hangings and lynchings, and people telling you that you didn't get the job because of the color of your skin. Now we're "overqualified" and have to deal with people like Donald Sterling who only express their disdain for minorities behind closed doors. Personally, I like upfront racists because they are easier to account for and anticipate, however what are we to do when the racists don't know they're racist, have badges and/or guns, and in their own fear believe that our mistrust of them is unjustified? Add to that argument the killings of Amadou Diallo, Johnathan Ferrell, and Darius Simmons, three of many who were unable to have their characters vilified to justify them being gunned down all while unarmed. Most young minority males have had life experiences where they have seen first-hand actions of overzealous officers result in the harassment, injury, incarceration, or death of someone who looks like them and as a result, don't trust police. So when they avoid police because of no-wrong doing, they deserve to be hunted down and shot? They deserve for their bodies to lay out in the street for all to see while police focus more on crowd control than completing their investigatory duties? And those who demand answers deserve to be coralled, tear gassed, and held back by police dogs?

What's worse is that you brainwashed fools are still spouting off that baloney they let MLK speak about when he said we would be judged on the content of our character and that we are progressing towards a society that sees no color. Well guess what, they killed him and when he was gunned down they called him a womanizer. #IfIWereGunnedDown I would only hope I took some of those sons of bitches with me as to earn the title of villan society would attempt to paint me as, mostly because of the color of my skin.