April 9, 2008

Dear Bill:                                                                         

 

This letter is in reference to your April 7, 2008 show, when you implied that everyone who is black, who complains about racists, (who still exist in this country), and the racism that they practice are “race baiters”. Which I believe in your opinion, is someone who makes unfounded racist claims against white people.

 

You also implied that all of the people that these “race baiters” attack are completely innocent, and are not actively practicing racism and that “we”, (the race baiters), by doing so, are discouraging these white people, (who you have become the national spokesman for, and protector of), from having a healthy dialogue with black America, and that we are also insulting, humiliating, and in general, hurting these people’s itty bitty feelings.

 

Well Bill, I hate to tell you this, but I will, because apparently you do not know.

 

Those who sincerely want to maintain an open line of communication with people of other races are going to do so, no matter what anyone says about the negative reality that we as black people have experienced and continue to experience at the hands of white racist, that you claim no longer exist. And people who are not sincerely interested in establishing these quality relationships wont.

 

If they are upset by the fact that we black people have a genetic predisposition to detecting, identifying, and publicly defending ourselves against racists in this country, then I just got to say that the reason that they are so upset is because they have yet to deal with what America did, has done, and is still doing to the black race.

 

And as far as your black cohorts who agree with you are concerned, they have already made it to where they want to be, and have forgotten the racism that they experienced along the way. So because they have “made it”, they would rather deny that racism is a reality in this country.

 

I am all for establishing effective lines of communication and understanding between all members of the human race. However, this is very hard to do, when the people who you are trying to establish this with, have not yet dealt with the fact that they are the ones who created the problem in the first place. 

 

You see, the fact that these very good white people that you spoke about on your show, who you say are so broken up by the fact that we “race baiters”, are constantly attacking them, proves to me that they have yet to compare being called a racist to the things that we experienced then, now, and in all probability, what we will experience in the future for a long time to come; especially if we do not remain vigilant, and sensitive to racist and the racism that they practice.

 

If being called a racist upsets these folks, then try being called nigger, darkie, spook, spade, boy, ape, coon gorilla, crocodile, and everything else except your name.

 

Try being snatched from your home and family, and taken to a foreign land, and made to work for nothing.

 

Try deciding to drown to be free, instead of living to be a slave.

 

Try watching your female companion being raped by slave masters, and being so powerless that you cannot do anything about it, and how about watching the same thing happen to your children.

 

Try having your manhood and your humanity taken away from you with every conversation that you have with a white American.

 

Try watching your family members and members of your community, (on the plantation), lynched, burned, spit on, urinated on, defecated on, and shot dead, as an example to the other slaves who might get the idea that they want to be free.

 

And it’s bad enough that this all occurred during slavery. But after slavery was “abolished”, America still refused to treat black people with the courtesy, respect, and consideration that all humans are entitled to by the creator.

 

This is not a fantasy; it is a matter of record. And what makes this so painful is that after all of this, institutions, business establishments, and the government, is still discriminating against black people. It is also important to note, how the government is currently making all of these major concessions, and trying to devise a plan to make sure that people who do not even belong in America, can be given all of the rights and benefits of people who do. This is a major slap in the face to the black race, since on paper the playing field is supposed to be leveled, but in reality, it really is not. 

 

According to you, I could be classified as a “race baiter”. But when CNN did that job on you with the comments about Sylvia’s Restaurant, I spoke up for you, because I investigated the facts for myself, and found out that CNN had presented your statement completely out of context, to deliberately deceive people into thinking that you were something that you are not; a racist.

 

I did not disagree with what people were saying about you because you were white; I disagreed because you were judged unfairly. CNN took a positive complementary statement about black people, and completely turned it around to appear as if you were making a derogatory statement about black people instead.

 

Of the entire group of  “Conservative”, commentators on TV, I do indeed enjoy your “No Spin Zone”, and I think you are pretty fair as far as conservatives go. Now correct me if I am wrong; but, doesn’t conservative mean that you want things to remain the same, and that where they are not the same, you would like to return to “the way things were”?

 

So does this mean that conservatives would like to return to the 1700 and 1800’s when the enslavement of human beings was legal, totally acceptable, (and as a matter of fact was encouraged) by America?

 

Is this what being a conservative means?

 

I am not trying to be funny. I just don’t understand people who want to leave things the same, no matter how wrong these things are.

 

Anyway! What I am trying to say is: that black people, (after all the inhumanities that we were subjected to), and continue to be subjected to; we really could care less about white America’s feeling being hurt by what we say about what they have done, and are doing to us.

 

And if you claim that it was not, or is not that bad, then my next questions to you are:

 

How long have you been a black man in America?

 

 How long have you been a black woman in America?

 

Have you ever been a black man or woman in America?

 

I don’t understand how white people are always telling black people how they should, or should not feel, or what they should or should not say, when they have not been through what we have been through.

 

You see, you have not been with me when I meet with the racist at DORS, (Division Of Rehabilitative Services), or the RISE (Reach Independence Through Self Employment), program. These are state programs that receive federal money for the purpose of assisting disabled citizens to become self-sufficient. And to not be dependent on Social Security, which is what I have been fighting for, for over 4 years now.

 

I qualified for the business training programs, I was accepted into the programs, I passed the same business training classes that everyone else did, I followed the same rules as everyone else did, however at the end of the program, there was not 1 African American who received a grant to assist them with the set up of their businesses.  However, there were 2 Caucasian males, who had received their grants several weeks before the class had even ended.

 

When I inquired about the reason for this, all I was told by the supervisor at DORS was that: “ They must have had something in place that you did not”.

 

What might this mysterious element be?

 

I would have to say that this is another one of those racist situations that you do not want us to talk about.

 

Well Bill! This is just not going to happen.

 

Not talking about racial problems or denying that they exist will not solve these problems for white people, and definitely not for black people.

 

It might serve white Americans who do not want to deal with the reality of what was and is being done to us, and the negative long-term generational effects that it has had on the black race. Because when a race of people see, hear, and experience things that human beings were not meant to see, hear or experience, the consequences cut so deep into the psyche, that the damage done is transmitted from generation to generation to generation.

 

So we refuse to ignore all of these things to please people who are uncomfortable with acknowledging the reality of what has, and is going on for black people in America.

 

Of course there are those who benefit from creating strife between the races, but I do not believe that even those people could continue to benefit from this, if there was no concrete foundation for it all.

 

As a matter of fact, I think that most black Americans would prefer that none of this ever took place, thereby eliminating the need for talking about it. But it did, and we do talk about it, and will continue to talk about it. We have too much to lose by letting our guards down.

 

Racism is real, and it is here.  It is also just as detrimental now, as it was back then, to black Americans, and to society as a whole. And this is something that we just cannot afford to not talk about.

 

Sincerely,

Greg Coleman

President/CEO, G.R.C. Records, LLC.

 

When was the last time you compared what your candidates promised during their campaigns, with what they actually delivered once in office???

The answers may surprise you, and is the main reason that the problems that they have promised to solve year after year, have not only not been solved, but are now problems of epidemic proportions.

Think About It!

 

(Only) Around Election Time By: Greg Coleman

 

A make you think song about our politicians.

 

Available now on Snocap.

 

 

 

Coming on or about May 4, 2008 to the stores below.

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Distributed by G.R.C. Records, LLC.

 

 

 

 

 

Basket Ball Superstar, Lebron James of The Cleveland Cavaliers, will be appearing on the front cover of vogue’s April issue with Super Model Gisele Bundchen. Famed photographer, Annie Leibovitz, took the photo.  James is 1 of 3 men who have appeared on the cover with super models in the 116-year history of the magazine.

 

The other 2 men who have appeared on the cover with super models were: Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford in 1992, and George Clooney who appeared with Gisele Bundchen in 2002.

 

The difference here is that: the photo of Lebron James and Gisele Bundchen, (unlike the other couples), has created a heated debate, and is fueling controversy.

 

As a matter of fact, it has stirred up so much controversy, that it was a featured story on “The Today Show”.

 

I wonder why?

 

In addition, James is not only 1 of 3 men that appeared on the cover with a super model, but in 116 years, he is the first African American to be featured on the cover with a (White Supermodel).

 

Here we go again! Talking about a nonexistent problem in America. The one that most people ignore, rather then address:

 

RACE!

 

When I first heard the story; without immediate investigation, I knew the controversy was smothered in racial overtones, like a chicken-fried steak with country gravy.

 

Let’s check the statistics to confirm my intuition.

 

Richard Gere-Cindy Crawford 1992- No Problem!

 

George Clooney-Gisele Bundchen 2002-No Problem!

 

Also in this same April addition are:

 

Olympic Swimmer, Michael Phelps-Caroline Trentini-No Problem!

 

Snowboarder, Shaun White-Daria Werbowy-No Problem!

 

Speed Skater, Apolo Anton Ohno-Doutzen Kroes-No Problem!

 

Of course, this also is not LeBron James’s first magazine cover appearance.

 

He is indeed a superstar in many arenas.

 

Sports Illustrated, 2002-When he was a high school senior-No Problem!

 

1 of 11 athletes on ESPN’s 10^th. Anniversary issue-No Problem

 

Recently Featured On:  

 

Fortune-No Problem!

 

Men’s Health-No Problem!

 

Black Enterprise-No Problem!

 

Vogue April 2008 Issue: LeBron James-Gisele Bundchen-PROBLEM!

 

The comments are coming in, and there are not very positive about this picture.

 

Some commentators say that the photo is perpetuating racial stereotypes. James strikes a gorilla-like pose, baring his teeth, with one hand dribbling a ball and the other around Bundchen’s waist. They say it is a depiction of the movie” King Kong”, in which the ape grabs Fay Wray around her waste and picks her up.

Tamara Walker, age 29, from Philadelphia said:” It conjures up this idea of a dangerous black man”.

Damion Thomas, assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Maryland Said: Images of black male athletes as aggressive and threatening “reinforce the criminalization of black men”.

In my personal opinion as a black male, I would have to say that if the intent was to foster and spread further, the image of the angry, dangerous, criminal black man, I did not see it that way, because I don’t identify with that, and I know that all black males are not like that. I just seen an African American man doing something that no other African American man had done before him.

And if the intention of the magazine’s publishers was to perpetuate this negative stereotype of the black male, then the message was targeted to ignorant white people who are going to think what they want to think about black people anyway, so I don’t think this cover really makes that much of a difference.

We know that the reason for all of the controversy on both black and white people’s part is because he is an African American, and because of the interracial element of the magazine cover.

The problem for some people is just the fact that a black man is on the cover with a white woman.

For some illogical reason, there are some people who believe that they have the right to tell other people who to hang out with, who to talk to, who to have sex with, who to pose with, who to do business with, and also, who to marry and have a family with. This is especially true, once a person reaches a certain level of success and fame. If a man or woman is hooked up with somebody other then somebody from their race, some people feel that these people belong to them, and that this is a violation of their rights.

 

However, what I have found is: that the people who have these types of attitudes towards these people, are the very people that would have not given these people the time of day, if it were not for their fortune or fame. However, if someone suffering from this malady would like to be healed, all they need to do is, turn the situation around and think! What if someone told me? Who to hang out with,  who to talk to, who to have sex with, who to pose with, who to do business with, and also, who to marry and have a family with. Would they live and die, according to someone else’s purpose.

I don’t think so.

For me, I am just happy to see this black man on the cover of vogue, and to see his level of achievement in his professional life. His personal life is his.

But I guess that the most important statements made about the cover were from the people who were on the cover.

Bundchen, (who is the girl friend of New England Patriots Quarterback, Tom Brady), wasn't intimated by James's frame.

"He doesn't really make you feel small, even though he is big," she says in the magazine. "I think my leg is like the size of his shoe."

 LeBron James told The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer he was pleased with the cover, saying he was “just showing a little emotion.”

“Everything my name is on is going to be criticized in a good way or bad way,” James told the paper. “Who cares what anyone says?”

And that’s just fine with me!

Greg Coleman 

 

 

I think that the owners decision to take orders in English only is a wise one, that needs to be followed by more businesses in America.

I am very sick and tired of the U.S. Government allowing the take over of this country by people of other countries who do not want to abide by our laws, do not want to take the citizenship test, do not want to do what is necessary to become a legal citizen, and do not want to learn our language.

I am also very sick and tired of calling a companie’s customer service department, only to have to ask for a representative that I can speak to in my native tongue, which is englilsh.

This is America, and English is what is spoken here.

If I expect to spend a large amount of time in France, I need to learn French. If I expect to spend a lot of time in Spain, then I need to learn Spanish; and if I want to spend a lot of time in China, I need to learn Chinese.

I don’t see their countries trying to change their way of life for us.

Why should we have to change our way of life for them?

Especially since there is a certain segament of society who has been here for over 400 years, and are still not treated evenly, even though we have laws on the books saying that they should be.

Besides, in over 400 years, I have not seen Swahili written on anything in America.