"The country uses violence for it's justice, but then the country gets mad when we use violence for our justice."
Ice Cube (1992)
Discussing the LA Riots
"I ain’t draft-dodgin.’ I ain’t burnin’ no flag. And I ain’t runnin’ to Canada. I’m stayin’ right here.
You wanna send me to jail? Fine, you go right ahead. I’ve been in jail for 400 years. I can be there for 4 or 5 more.
But I ain’t goin’ no 10,000 miles to help murder and kill other poor people. If I wanna die, I’ll die right here, right now fightin’ you — if I wanna die.
You my enemy. Not no Chinese, no Viet Cong, no Japanese.
You my opposer — when I want freedom.
You my opposer — when I want justice.
You my opposer — when I want equality.
Want me to go to somewhere and I fight for you. You won’t even stand up for me right here in America for my rights and my religious beliefs. You won’t even stand up for me right here at home."
Muhammad Ali (1967)
Discussing the Vietnam War
Toni's Thoughts: I posted these quotes as Food for Thought and somehow I feel as though history is beginning to repeat itself.
Yesterday would have been the birthday of Emmett Till; well he would have been 72 years old if he was not brutally murdered in Mississippi. It is very disturbing that African American parents are once reliving the pain of their sons being murdered by racists White Men and Hispanic men. Last year two Florida teens were murdered Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis. This summer Darius Simmons 13 year old boy was shot and killed outside of his Wisconsin home he was shot by his 76 year old neighbor John Henry Spooner, the man claimed he believed the boy was a robbery suspect. That was not the case he taking out the trash Spooner also attempted to shoot Darius's brother as he tried to pull his brother to safety. The point I am trying to make is it seems as though America is moving back in time and it seems as though certain people are trying to send a message. Emmett's death is what some people called the catalyst to the Civil Rights Movement his death sparked outrage and made the country realize the brutality of the American South and face the issue of race head on. Yet in 2013 people are surprised that race is still a factor.
I love music and I love supporting artists with real talent and my boy Ade' is no exception although I know him as Elliott Nichols we met in elementary school and played on the basketball team together back in the day. I am so proud of Ade' because he is pursuing his dreams the first I heard him sing was back in high school we were seniors at the time. It was Derby Weekend 2009 we were at a fabulous Cocktail Themed Party so you know everyone was looking fresh and Ade' was no exception he sang Musiq Soul child's "Love" needless to say he gave me chills. He has a beautiful voice, handsome, and educated.
He is a diverse artist that writes and sings R&B, Neo-Soul, Rock-Blues, Pop, and Hip/Hop Soul. Today he has released a new mix tape check him out on ITunes & Reverb nation. His first mix tape was just a prequel because he will have fans especially female fans begging for more "The Elliot Nichols" Mix tape can be downloaded @
http://www.reverbnation.com/ade'music my favorite song there is "Waiting" that mix tape was filled with club bangers. Ade's has already made major moves last summer he was the opening act for the legendary group New Edition and he sang at Howard University's Presidential Inaugural Ball he sang Sam Cooke's " A Change Is Gonna Come" if you know anything about Sam Cooke you know that song is amazing so captivating it makes you shed tears. Ade' sang with so much passion I know Sam Cooke would have been proud he sang this song with so much vulnerability.
Getting to Know Ade' From a Personal Perspective.... He was born and raised in Louisville, KY attended and graduated from Ballard High School, attend NKU ( Northern Kentucky University). He speaks three languages English, Greek, & French. Also he is a devout Christian.
Access Granted
adencre ( Twitter)
http://www.instagram/adencre
http://www.facebook.com/adencre
I'm going to post the video of him singing
"A Change Is Gonna Come" Sam Cooke
Be sure to download today Ade' new mix tape Me So Far
VRA Long Title: An act to enforce the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, and for other purposes.
Enacted by: 89th United States Congress
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on August 6, 1965. This act was a landmark piece of legislation in the United States that prohibits discrimination in voting.
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| Medgar Evers |
Fifty years ago on June 12, 1963, Civil Rights activists Medgar Evers was gunned down in the driveway of his Mississippi home. Evers fought to secure Blacks full access to voting, education, and equality. A year later following his death three young civil right workers were lynched for registering voters during the famed Freedom Summer. The deaths of Medger Evers, Andre Goodman, James Cheney, and Mickey Schwerner fueled the Civil Rights Movement to move forward. As the movements continued to gain momentum legislation was passed to affirms African American citizenship.
What has the Supreme Court done to affect this legacy in a negative way? The Supreme Court struck down the pre-clearance formula ( Section 4) the Court effectively aborted the Section 5 requirement that certain jurisdictions gain federal approval before changing voting procedures. This does not mean that African Americans will not be able to vote, because their right to vote is protected and guaranteed by the Constitution's Fifteenth Amendment. Although without an affirmative right to vote states are free to adopt electoral plans that could compromise this access.
The Lone Star state also known as Texas has previously authorized a controversial set of plans previously blocked by the Department of Justice. Other states such as Georgia, Arizona, South Dakota, South Carolina, and Alabama have similar plans currently pending. This is a slap in the face because " Voter ID Laws" often disenfranchise the elderly, the poor, and people of color specifically Black and Brown. A strategy that will be used to enhance this process is redistricting; redistricting makes it difficult to elect Black candidates and also places a limit on the number of polling places in highly populated urban areas.
Sources
Ebony Magazine Article: What Does the Supreme Court's Decision Mean for Blacks
Date: June 26, 2013
Author: Dr. Khalilah L. Brown, Associate Professor of Political Science @ Quinnipiac University where she writes about American Politics, Political Psychology, and punishment
Her Blog: kbdphd.blogspot.com
In the wake of Trayvon Martin case and the conclusion of the Zimmerman Trial another African American teenage martyr has lost his life in the state of Florida.
On November 23, 2012, another 17-year-old African American named Jordan Davis was shot to death following a verbal argument over loud music coming from Jordan's car, according to Jacksonville, FL authorities.
Michael Dunn, a white, 46-year-old software developer, has been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Davis.
Dunn claimed he saw a gun in Jordan's car Dunn felt threatened and shot him at least 8 or 9 times killing Davis.
Dunn reportedly drove off and stopped to buy a slice of pizza. He claimed that he was unaware that his shots killed the young man.
What Has Happened So Far... Well one judge has removed herself from the case. Dunn has been charged with first-degree murder and three counts of attempted first-degree murder.
Jordan Davis's parents wait for answers and still hold onto hopes that there will be amendments made to Florida's "Stand Your Ground" Law, which allows citizens to use force in self-defense if they feel threatened. The same law that was examined in the Trayvon Martin case as well as the Zimmerman Trial.
Toni's Thoughts: I have been reading many blogs and news coverage and people are asking why hasn't this case got as much press as the Trayvon Martin case. It is not that people do not care, many people are just speaking about the case because his parents are reaching out to press. They have been grieving and building a bond with Trayvon's parents. As an African American woman I can say this hurts my heart I cried before I typed this blog post. This hits close to home I have a brother and many teenage cousins that are African American men that could be potential targets you never know. America does not want to deal with the race issue in the once upon a time it was blunt, then it became covert, but now its blunt all over again.
Shooting of Death Trayvon Martin
Date: February 12, 2012
Location: The Retreat of Twin Lakes in Sanford, FL
Time: 7:00 PM
Shooter: George Zimmerman
Chargers: Second-Degree Murder
Death: Trayvon Martin
Verdict: Not Guilty
The jury in Florida has made its decision that has left our nation in shock many people are divided because of race, injustice, etc. My heart goes out to the dearly departed teenager Trayvon Benjamin Martin and his family sadly I had a feeling they would allow George Zimmerman to walk the streets again. But to be honest let's keep it real race is a factor because Zimmerman had a ill will and dislike for African Americans he was wrong for stalking, attacking, and killing an unarmed teenager. Florida is a beautiful place with corrupt legislation this is like Emmett Till and the Rodney King verdict all over again. The image below is something I have seen all over social networking sites. We live in a country where if you kill a dog will go to prison, yet an unarmed teenager is murdered and the killer is found not guilty.
If people decide to riot in Florida can we blame them although it won't solve anything and it won't bring Trayvon back. I think another thing that made people upset was the arrogance of Zimmerman, his family, and the attorney.
Mahatma Gandhi was born as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, also known as Mahatma Gandhi or Bagu, he was the leading figure in India's struggle to gain independence from its oppressor Great Britain. He was admire and loved for his nonviolent philosophy passive resistance. He began his activism as an immigrant in South Africa in the early 1900s.
While in South Africa Gandhi was fighting discrimination against his fellow Indians, but not the native Africans. He had a strong dislike for the native Africans. He often called them "Kaffirs" which was a local racial slur that would be equivalent to the N-word, Coon, Sambo, etc.
"A general belief seems to prevail in the colony that the Indians seems to prevail in the than the savages or natives of Africa. Even the children are taught to believe in that manner, with the result that the Indian is being dragged down to the position of a raw Kaffir."
Mahatma Gandhi
Reference: The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, Government of India (CWMG) Vol 1, p.150
"Only a degree removed from the animal. Kaffir are as a rule uncivilized the convicts even more so. They are troublesome, very dirty and live almost like animals." Mahatma Gandhi
Reference: CWMG Vol VIII, pp. 135-136 March 7, 1908
Toni's Thoughts: I never really cared about Gandhi anyway and I wonder if Martin Luther King Jr., ever knew if this is how Gandhi felt about Black people or people of African descent. I say this because Dr. King said he admired Gandhi and followed his philosophy. I believe that Gandhi was no different from the arrogant and greedy people of Great Britain that assumed that they were better than the native Africans of South Africa and took over their country and enforced discrimination as well as racial segregation. His comment about the natives is rude and stupid. It was their country they had the right to be there it was their home.
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