on the black hand side

Haiti Earthquake Relief Song: Are You Listening [VIDEO]

Roland Martin Keeps it Real

Much has been said about the latest political gaffe involving Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. He's a racist and should resign….he's not a racist…double standard…blah…blah…blah. Regardless of your take on this situation, let's not allow a crucial issue to go unacknowledged by mainstream media and thus far it has.

Political commentator Roland Martin was very clear, bold and courageous when pointing the plethora of black faces in the media addressing the Harry Reid situation and the dearth of black presence on any other issues as if race is all black folks can talk about. Now I can't write what Brother Martin said verbatim. I can tell you it was concise, clear and on point. Let's hope the folks making decisions about the perspectives allowed on the air didn't miss that message.

America's racial issues can be diminished if more perspectives are shared with a greater, more diverse audience. People are a lot more alike than they are different. It's my experience that talking with folks who are different from me breaks down barriers. It also diminishes the power of the few to control the many and maybe that's why we're so disconnected in the first place.

Roland Martin, thank you for speaking the truth.

Power to the People.

Ikea's heart of darkness: A tale of racism, lies and Swedish meatballs -- DailyFinance

A new book is out that purports to tell the truth about furnishings and household giant, Ikea. It is not pretty with reports of anti-semetic and racist comments by management and limitiations on growth for miniorities in the company.

Check out Ikea's heart of darkness: A tale of racism, lies and Swedish meatballs -- DailyFinance. Unfortunately, the book has not been translated into English just yet but it is sure to be a bestseller.

Global Day of Blogging for Justice: Save Troy Davis!

Several journalists and bloggers have joined Amnesty International and other human rights groups to call attention to the impending execution of Troy Anthony Davis who sits on Death Row in Georgia. Davis has been this close to execution three times before but was spared thanks to expert lawyering. This time Davis may be out of luck as his last extension expired last Saturday.

In spite of the fact that seven of nine witnesses in the twenty year-old case recanted and cited undue influence by law enforcement; Davis is still set to be executed. How the U.S. Supreme Court and the American justice system in general can allow this to happen is nothing short of frightening.

New York Daily News columnist Errol Louis pens an excellent article citing the facts of the case; shoddy and incomplete police investigation and the egregious decision by several Supreme Court Justices to deny Davis a hearing to present new evidence because his papers were filed late.

Where is the justice in such a decision that may result in the murder of an innocent man? Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue should do the right thing and pardon Troy Davis. It is just. It is humane. It is the right thing to do.

Save Troy Anthony Davis. Please.

Michelle Howard: Quietly Kicking Butt and Taking Names

While the world was focused on the seizure and rescue of Maersk Alabama Captain Richard Phillips from Somali pirates, little notice was given to the history-making leader of the anti-piracy crew who took charge and rescued him. That would be the one and only Rear Admiral Michelle Howard who assumed leadership of the crew only three weeks prior to the hostage situation. Who is she? Well, read her bio at this site.

See, I always knew that a sister in a few key places will resolve a lot of the problems this country is experiencing. Anyhoo, perhaps there are other Michelle Howards doing things in the world. If you know of other history makers, give us a shout here.

Racism Won’t Go Away in Paris, Texas

Racism Won't Go Away in Paris, Texas

Latest trouble: Nooses, offensive graffiti in local factory


By Howard Witt <http://www.chicagotribune.com/howardwitt>
Tribune correspondent

6:11 PM CST, February 24, 2009



HOUSTON-Only a few weeks ago, race relations had reached such a low point in the troubled east Texas town of Paris that federal Justice Department mediators were called in to try to bring together black and white citizens, but the public meeting quickly dissolved into rancor.

Now fresh racial tensions are erupting inside one of the town's biggest employers, the Turner Industries pipe fabrication plant, where black employees charge that hangman's nooses, Confederate flags and racist graffiti have been appearing throughout the workplace for months.

One worker, Karl Mitchell, took pictures of the offensive symbols in early February and filed a formal complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission last week. Other African-American employees assert that they've repeatedly complained about the racist symbols to their bosses, only to be ignored or told to keep quiet.

"Somebody had to step forward," said Mitchell, who also alleges a pattern of wage and promotion discrimination at the plant stretching back nearly two years. "They are so wide open with [the racist displays] and so certain that African Americans aren't going to say anything about it."

Officials at Turner Industries headquarters in Baton Rouge, La., say they only learned of the discrimination allegations last week, when photographs of the racist symbols began circulating on the Internet. They say a noose and other inflammatory depictions and graffiti have been removed and a company investigation has been launched.

"All of us in management find all of that offensive," said John Fenner, the company's corporate general counsel. "We do not condone any displays of this type. I can promise you that in the event we uncover that any of our people participated in the display of any of those matters, they may very well lose their jobs."

Fenner also denied that blacks, who comprise 11 percent of the Paris plant's 660 employees, are discriminated against in either pay or promotions.

The racial flareup at Turner Industries comes just as Paris leaders were hoping to finally fall out of the spotlight after several troubling racial incidents focused national attention on the town of 26,000.

"Obviously, this isn't going to play well," lamented Pete Kampfer, president of the Lamar County Chamber of Commerce, who said he e-mailed the troubling photographs to Turner officials in Baton Rouge last week as soon as he was alerted to them. "We've had a lot of recent racial discussions in Paris and you better get a heads-up if you see another storm working."

Paris first drew national scrutiny in 2007, after a 14-year-old African-American girl, Shaquanda Cotton, was sentenced by a local judge to up to seven years in a youth prison for shoving a hall monitor at Paris High School. Three months earlier, the same judge had sentenced a 14-year-old white girl to probation for the more serious crime of arson. Less than a month after a Tribune story contrasting the two cases triggered national civil rights protests and petition drives, Texas authorities ordered Shaquanda's early release from prison.

Then last year, a 24-year-old African-American man, Brandon McClelland, was murdered, allegedly at the hands of two white men who authorities charge dragged him beneath a pickup truck until his body was nearly dismembered. The accused killers are awaiting trial for murder, but McClelland's family and civil rights leaders have pressed prosecutors to add hate-crime charges as well.

© 2009, on the black hand side, www.blackhandside.net

Vote for this blog for Best Pop Culture Blog and Best Blog About Stuff in the 2009 Bloggers Choice Awards.

   

WA Deputy Attacked 15 Year-Old Girl [VIDEO]

It is difficult to watch this video of King County, WA Deputy Paul Schene attacking a 15 year-old girl --- slamming her to the jail cell floor, punching her in the face and pulling her by the hair.

Schene had the unmitigated gall to plead NOT GUILTY to fourth degree assault.  He needs to be punished to the full extent of the law.

Schene's attorney says the video does not tell the whole story and prohibits her client from getting a fair trial.

Read more

Thanks to AAPP for the heads up.

© 2008, on the black hand side, www.blackhandside.net

Vote for this blog for Best Pop Culture Blog and Best Blog About Stuff in the 2008 Bloggers Choice Awards.

   

Historic All-Black All Female Flight Crew

On February 12, 2009 an All-Black All Female flight crew of Atlantic Southeast Airlines operated ASA flight 5202 from Atlanta to Nashville and flight 5106 from Nashville back to Atlanta. This crew is believed to be the first of a commercial airlines,

The crew included CPT Rachelle Jones, FO Stephanie Grant, FA's Robin Rogers and Diana Galloway! Congratulations, ladies!

© 2009, on the black hand side, www.blackhandside.net

Vote for this blog for Best Pop Culture Blog and Best Blog About Stuff in the 2009 Bloggers Choice Awards.

20 Questions with Ife AKA Affrodite

Blogger:    Ife

Blogs:   Affrodite’s Adventures In Nappy Hair (affrodite.net) and Ifelicious Thoughts (ifelicious.com)

Maybe it was the screen name and maybe it was the whole accepting and celebrating the nappyness of our hair that was the connection; whatever the reason, I enjoy reading this young lady’s blogs. She has a wonderful blogging spirit and voice. It’s also apparent that her wonderful evolution continues as she shares what’s on her mind through her blogs.

Enjoy...

 

1.      When did you start blogging?

About a year ago, in February 2008.  Affrodite.net was first followed by ifelicious.com about 2 weeks later.

2.      Why did you become a blogger?

I've always enjoyed journaling and creative writing since I was a child.  A friend of mine mentioned she was starting a blog, and I thought I would give it a try.  Once I started, it was like the flood gates opened.

3.      What do you hope to accomplish through your blog?

Affrodite.net has evolved to primarily communicate issues impacting or of importance to the black community.  There are also portions that touch on current events, politics, and activism to the world at large.  My intention is to develop a mix of posts to inform, spark debate, and connect with my readers through the issues, articles, stories, pathways less traveled in mainstream media.

Ifelicious.com is my fun blog.  Again, I hope to inform, spark debate, and connect with readers, but I want it to ultimately be entertaining.  I enjoy poking at pop culture, particularly my love of MTV shows.  My favorite aspect of this blog is interviewing celebrities and emerging artists, bringing their stories to life beyond what you'll find in a google search.

4.       Which blogging platform do you use?

Wordpress

5.      Mac or PC?

Mac.  I treated myself to the MacBook Pro after about 4 months of blogging.  It's my baby!

6.      How many hours per day do you spend on your blog?

I spend 8-12 hours per day total working on some aspect of my blogs.

7.       How frequently do you post to your blog?

I try get at least 1 post up on each site every 1-2 days.  Sometimes a lot more.  Occasionally, a little less frequent.

8.      How many hours per day do you spend reading other blogs?

About 2-4 hrs/day.

9.      What's your best blogging experience?

For affrodite.net, it was my recent/current featuring of 10 year old Aquan Lewis.  He was found hung in his elementary school bathroom and the coroner ruled it a suicide.  It brought tears to my eyes to think of someone so young to see life to be so gloomy that suicide made sense.  It raised a lot of questions for me that thankfully resonated with others.  This story is way more interesting to me and necessary to grab the spotlight than Nadya Suleman and her octuplets.

For ifelicious.com, it was last March when I got to interview Lil Al B. Sure, son of my high school crush Al B. Sure.  Lil Al B. Sure was competing on MTV's Rock The Cradle, and it was the first time I was contacted by a publicist to conduct an interview.  Interviewing celebrities and artists never entered my mind, and this was the jump off for me to look at myself more seriously in the blogosphere.

10.  What's your worst blogging experience?

For affrodite.net, it was a post I wrote about interracial dating.  My intention was to share my experience growing up in a predominantly white suburb and to open the floor to discussion.  The post was taken on so many tangents including racist posts and people airing out their dirty laundry.  To top it off, it cost me a friendship with someone in an interracial relationship.  It hurts me to know that their significant other will not speak to me because they think I'm a racist.  I removed the post about 2 months ago.

For ifelicious.com, I journaled the time I spent in DC during Barack Obama's inauguration in a series of daily posts that I've now archived offline.  The post from my second day included my perspective on a dinner I had with a couple that didn't seem to connect to me following my passion of writing full time.  After writing the post, I received an outpouring of support by my friends and readers who commented on my blog and on my facebook page.  Then I got a curve ball when one person from the dinner was angered by my point of view so much so that they wrote extremely inflammatory comments (yes, more than one) on my facebook page and told me off by phone.  I was hurt and embarrassed by that person who showed off on my facebook page that is where I connect with a range of personal and professional contacts.

11.   Why do you think there are not more black bloggers?

Actually, I've found that there are way more black bloggers than I originally imagined.  We're out there but perhaps not networked as much under the premise of black bloggers.  I don't think there is a stand out organization that has emerged to bring black bloggers together.

12.   How would you go about increasing the number of black bloggers?

Again, I think we're out there already in numbers.  I just haven't seen a true breakthrough black blogger emerge that is on par with a Huffington Post.  In the meantime, we need to continue to network and support each other through doing things like you are by featuring black bloggers.

13.   What's your favorite color?

Red

14.   What's the last book that you read?

Boundaries (self help book)

15.   Who's your favorite author?

Maya Angelou

16.   What's your favorite type of music?

In general, I'm a hip hop, RnB, top 40 person.  In moods, I listen to folk, neo-soul, reggae, house, calypso, and soca.

17.   What famous person, living or dead, would you like to have a conversation with?

My grandparents and great grandparents.  I would have loved to document their life stories in the context of their time for my generation and those to come.

18.   Who are three of your favorite bloggers?

The Field Negro (field-negro.blogspot.com), Steve The Penguin (stevethepenguin.blogspot.com), Ephphatha (ephphatha3.blogspot.com)

19.   What one piece of advice would you give to new bloggers?

Do you, no matter what stats or friends or the media dictates.  Nobody wants regurgitated information.  Speak from your heart and the right people will find you.

20.    What don't we know about you that we should know?

I wish that people would not let their perceptions of me guide them and spend more time getting to know me.  I'm opinionated at times, competitive at times, feisty at times, funny at times, shy at times.  At the core is a girl with big heart who has a craving to be heard and be loved as much as she loves others.

Thanks for a great interview, Ife!

Follow Ife on Twitter.

© 2009, on the black hand side, www.blackhandside.net

Vote for this blog for Best Pop Culture Blog and Best Blog About Stuff in the 2009 Bloggers Choice Awards.

Justice Watch: The Case of Troy Davis

Troy Davis sits on death row in Georgia for the murder of Savannah police officer Mark Allen MacPhail. Davis was convicted, in 1991, based on eyewitness testimony and without any physical evidence.

All but two of the nine eyewitnesses have recanted, citing pressure by law enforcement to accuse Troy Davis. One of the two eyewitnesses who hasn’t recanted is suspected of actually committing the crime.

Troy Davis has received support from many in the United States and throughout the world. His case has been stayed three times with him coming within twenty-four hours of execution twice.

Officer MacPhail was murdered and that fact should never be forgotten. Troy Anthony Davis did not commit that murder but someone did. Law enforcement, not at the local level, must re-open the investigation of the murder of Officer Mark Allen McPhail. His family deserves the truth and his murderer should serve out the proper penalty.

Troy Davis’ family deserves justice also. He was unjustly arrested in 1989, incarcerated, tried and convicted in 1991. Witnesses have recanted. Let the man go free.

For more information and to take action in helping Troy Anthony Davis re-gain his freedom, go to Amnesty International USA.

 

 

Video by: Citizen
Music by: State Radio

 

© 2009, on the black hand side, www.blackhandside.net

Vote for this blog for Best Pop Culture Blog and Best Blog About Stuff in the 2009 Bloggers Choice Awards.