Don't Get Lulled Into A Position of Vulnerability: It's Still Open Season On Black Girls
Thursday, July 23, 2009 at 12:00PM The Blogmother Yeah so the Prez called the cops that arrested his friend Skip Gates "stupid" and talked the talk about how race relations are still not where they need to be. Some of you who watched Black In America 2 actually enjoyed it. Of course you had to ignore the fact they showed all lighter shade of pale blacks who had lots and lots of money OR the hoodrats we all think we're so far removed from, but that's what magical thinking is for. The "Middle Class" was ignored for a reason. Either you're going to step it up or you're going to slide to the bottom - so consider that a warning.
No, back in the real world the victims are not Harvard scholars who wanted to play the dozens with the police for asking him for proof of identity. The real victims are like Harvard student Chanequa Campbell the esteemed Dr. Gates completely ignored as she was being railroaded by the school and completely hung out to dry by other blacks.
Of course we hear the message loud and clear in the "black community" that the only victims of oppression are black men and the only oppressors are whites. So when I saw this story at CNN about an 8 year old Liberian female whose family immigrated here being gang-raped by four boys I couldn't even feel "outrage". The further insult to her numerous injuries and damage is that her parents were thought to be a danger to her because Child Protective Services had to remove her from their home.
Will the President speak on her behalf?
Will we?
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Reader Comments (85)
I hear you loud and clear Faith.
When I saw the headline of that atrocity on CNN this afternoon, I already knew the victim was a black girl.
I couldn't even bare to open the link and won't.
I've begun shielding myself somewhat from these horrors. Just to function without being haunted by these horrible accounts that are being reported.
And no, of course you won't be hearing from the President, Sharpton, Jesse, or any other so called "black leader" speaking on this victims behalf.
Remember, the victim is FEMALE and black. Black males have basically cornered the market when it comes to victim status in the eyes of the so called "bc".
All I know is more BW need to totally divest emotionally, financially, and most importantly PHYSICALLY, from this so called "community" that continues to hold them AND their vulnerable daughters in obvious contempt.
And when I say divest, what I really mean is STOP assuming black strangers - especially black male strangers - automatically have your best interest in mind. Stop assuming your automatically safer in majority black environments and that the "community" "has your back".
Stop giving blind support and pledging your allegiance to folks who don't return the favor.
Treat people the SAME regardless of "race" ACROSS THE BOARD.
Stop making excuses for depravity. And start demanding that people EARN your respect whoever they are.
That's not too much to ask.
And as for Gates, I've noticed he's apparently turned a blind eye to the original instigator of this mess.
A white woman (surprise surprise) named LUCIA WHALEN who's a 40 year old fundraiser for Harvard Magazine.
http://www.jambonetwork.com/blog/?p=55912
http://afronetizen.blogs.com/files/gatesarrestreport072109.pdf
I think it's very likely she knew good and well that was Gates all along.
So... IMO he needs to spread his outrage and charges of racism around.
And that's a DARN good point about his failing to support Chanequa Campbell.
I'd forgotten about that. Thanks for the reminder.
To sum things up, BW would be wise to start concentrating on the injustices happening to THEM.
I agree. A white woman called him in, but a black woman (the mayor of the city) had to personally apologize to him.
I didn't watch Black in America, but according to the bloggers Gates has forgiven his neighbor and offered her flowers. What do you expect from a black man who goes all the way to Ireland to connect with his slave master ancestors LOL.
But didn't the White House create a council on women and girls. I think Obama is fairly pro woman. He is completely surrounded by women. There were tons of police brutatliy stories that Obama did not comment on but I guess he finally felt "safe" commenting on a 60 year Harvard professor than a regular young urban male in his 20s.
You assume that BW support of black men is some kind of political act. It also has to do with sex and emotions.
I was just about to link the story from CNN about the little Black girl who was gang raped. I'm furious because I'm not hearing any type of outrage from the so called "Black Community" about what happend to this little girl. It reminds me of Dunbar Village all over again. I think those of us who are aware of what is going on can try to reach people on an individual basis because I have no hope that the "Black Community" will rally around Black girls an women when we are in need. Personally I'm invested in making sure young Black women have the information and resources to get out of the hell holes they live in. During my free time I volunteer as a mentor for a college prep program that targets mostly Black and Latino kids. The girls i mentor in the program are brillant but their home lives are something out of a horror movie. It's crazy the type of garbage they have to deal with from their own families when they should be playing with dolls and focusing on their education. It's dishearting.
@Naima Obama being surrounded by women has zero significance for me if the situation doesn't change for the girls and women who aren't in his proximity. He's surrounded by "certain" women. Women who are upper-class and well-connected. Those women are not the ones that need protecting. Obama is as pro-woman as any office holder is who has to answer to constituents with clout demanding their needs be addressed. We don't know his personal feelings about anything except perhaps the fact that he loves his wife and daughters.
That is great to see but what about all the children born from the 80% OOW birth rates whose daddies have abandoned them and who are living in residential cesspools? Who's speaking for them?
It is also a good idea to not assign thoughts or feelings to me or any other woman who reads this blog that you're guessing as far as black women supporting black men. If you have read and comprehended anything that's been discussed the past two years+ at this blog or the week I've been guest-posting here you would've figured out by now that certain black women, growing up under certain mentalities, who are being taught the "black community" lie to keep them as free labor and sperm receptacles are NOT supporting black men for political reasons but because they've been brainwashed and indoctrinated to do so.
Once those false constructs are exposed and abandoned many will take the red pill and leave the Matrix.
I can't believe the victime and suspect involved in the assualt are all babies. We are talking eight to fourteen years old. There is something wrong with that picture. The parents of that little girl should be arrest for child endangerment and negliect. The sister needs to be put in a scared straight program or something. To even say that this innocent eight year old bought shame to the family.
As far as, the Harvard professor story; correct me if I'm wrong but usually in upscale suburban neighborhoods everyone knows their neighbors. I just find it strange that this woman(a white woman at that) didn't know that that was the owner of his house. LD is scratching her head.
What I am saying is that women are caught up in the sex and just having any man, thats why we have the 70% OOW rate and caught up in the mess we have today. That whole help a brotha out is just political rhetoric, a lot of woman just are not that political, especially the younger ones.
Sistas are desperate and BM know it. Do you see where I am going, I don't want to go R rated on Gina's blog.
I am with you more BW have to practice self presevation of them and their children if they have any. If you feel no one can protect you then go get a gun license
@LD @ Felicia @ Celeste That woman knew he lived there. For all we know she was a McCain supporter, hates the fact Obama is in office and just wanted to lash out at some black people. The fact that Gates has revealed himself to have ZERO racial or ethnic pride and is nothing more than an educated bootlicker to a white woman who wanted to cause him harm speaks volumes about his character - to me anyway. LUCIA WHALEN is one of those types of white women who'd have sex with a black man, accuse him of rape and watch him get lynched and think nothing of it. But I will say it once and again: as long as blacks engage in sexism and violence against black females AND homophobia the "white oppressors" will always have the upper hand. It's justice ACROSS THE BOARD or NOTHING!
from my hotel room at blogher. I'm somewhat distressed that ppl are obsessed with skip gates and few people have mentioned the attack on this baby.
Skip Gates is a privleged Black man that thought he was going to "SHOW OUT" in front of a bunch of cops... REAL TALK, if a frat boy had antagonized a cop in front of his fellow officers, they would have ended up with a broken nose from being slammed to the ground.
So 4hour is a poo chi chi municipal jail don't make u the 2nd coming of mlk
@Naima You are still assigning blame solely to black women instead of the men who are feeding the message and fueling the desperation. If other MEN policed the behavior of these males then this wouldn't be a problem. It's the MEN who are messing around with 2-5-8 different women at a time. They are the impetus for some of these foolish women to insist no other men would be attracted to them. The MEN (I use that term loosely) are the ones caught up in the sex and have no EMOTIONAL TIES to these women OR the children that result from these liaisons. It's why they so easily walk away. If you are unable to put two and two together on this you are doing a disservice to those that need to come out of their disordered thinking! How are you going to come here on a blog that's meant to uplift black women and tell them it's their fault! That is DBR behavior. You either get it or you're here to cause further dissent.
"The fact that Gates has revealed himself to have ZERO racial or ethnic pride and is nothing more than an educated bootlicker to a white woman who wanted to cause him harm speaks volumes about his character - to me anyway."
Can somebody say WORD?!
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/12165/prof-henry-louis-gates-tells-cnn-about-his-experience-with-cambridge-police
"O'BRIEN: A neighbor called 911. I mean, it was a neighbor of yours who said that description, two black men breaking into your house. Are you angry with your neighbor?
GATES: No. In fact I hope right now that if someone is breaking into my house this nice lady is calling the police. I have a lot of valuable art and books in that house. And in fact, I think I'm going to send this person some flowers. I hope she is watching. I know that she must be intimidated and she must think that I'm very angry.
It wasn't her fault. It was the fault of the policeman who couldn't understand a black man standing up for his rights right in his space. And that's what I did. And I would do the same thing exactly again."
Maybe someone could adopt this little girl. Oh right divesters say don't adopt the damaged black children in the system
My God! You know I thought that I could not be more sickened after Dunbar but an 8 year old girl. This is when I have thoughts about doing to those beasts things that I don't think it wise to print here. Suffice to say it would make Quentin Tarantino blush.
We have to stop this insanity! All of us who truly care about the plight of Black women and girls have to do what we can to bring major attention, constant attention on atrocities like this. Shock them into action. As far as the President, if we want him to do something about it, we must make him do it through petitions, emails, phone calls, letters and marches if need be. This war on Black women and girls HAS GOT TO STOP AND ALL OF US MUST DO OUR PART IN ENDING IT!
Finally shame on Gates for leaving the sister in the wind.
Just so that you haven't missed it Naima has firmly landed on the DBR-side.
@Naima: If you are going to bring a post at another blog into the conversation HERE at least tell it accurately.
The point is:
a) for unmarried black women who waited too long for their non-existent black male prince to NOT settle for single motherhood by adopting a child
b) to take care that they knew the entire history of any child if they decided to proceed anyway
c) ultimately that the BLACK MEN WHO ABANDONED THESE KIDS TO BEGIN WITH should COME & GET THEM and stop relying on OTHER PEOPLE to clean up THEIR MESSES.
It's for some women who were going into a potential cesspool to have full knowledge of what they were getting into and to be as prepared as possible. And to rethink their choices.
It the Gates situation turned out a little differently and
a.) Gates was severely injured by the police
and/or
b.)Wahlen was a black woman
would Gates still send her flowers.
"This isn't about me; this is about the vulnerability of black men in America," Gates said.
“This isn’t about me; this is about the vulnerability of black men in America,” Gates said.
From the horses mouth.
Black women need to be concerned with issues SPECIFICALLY related to them as BW.
Just like BM are specifically interested in issues related to them.
It's best to let the "brothas" fend for themselves ladies.
Because BW aren't anywhere are their radar when it comes to issues of abuse.
Skip made that perfectly clear in the above statement Halima shared.
BW need to let this "saving alla our people" mess GO. Because too many of "our people" are only truly concerned with themselves.
A truly sickening and despicable crime. Only briefly mentioned in the major news media and by tomorrow everyone will have forgotten what happened to this little girl.
It was mentioned on Essence.com the four boys were also Liberian refugees and that the crime of rape had only recently been outlawed in that country.
http://www.essence.com/news_entertainment/news/articles/eightyearold_girl_raped_by_young_boys
I’m sure some idiot will spin this into “well, the young boys were only engaging in behavior that was part of their culture” or "we can't hold them to the same standards as someone who grew up in American culture."
I really fear for what tomorrow will be like with children like this growing up in America.
Wow. I saw the end of Black In America. I didn't see any "hoodrats", and onle one "pale" person, but I didn't know we were supposed to take count.
I'm sorry I just found the use of the term "hoodrat" on here objectionable. I'm sure Cheniqua Cambell was called that many a time during her time at Harvard.
As far as Gates, he just got a rude awakening about how to talk to cops.
@daniecal Do you even read this blog on a regular basis? Yesterday's BIA2 was a very deliberate contrast between the lighter skinned blacks who were doing well and the darker skinned blacks who were not. Class disdain is always expressed in these situations with some ppl looking down on others. Perhaps the nuance and sarcasm went over your head. We have been discussing on rather serious terms the pending permanent black underclass that will get left behind due to unchecked behaviors that are very destructive. Which BIA2 did not and will not discuss. They want to lull ppl into a sense of false security. And if you'd actually read the post that Gina wrote about how Cheniqua Campbell was treated by the so-called black elites you would've understood that immediately. So that should clear things up for you. The point of this post was to highlight how she and this poor little Liberian 3rd grader have been worked over by DBR black males and others full of apathy.
Naima,
You said, "Maybe someone could adopt this little girl."-
Maybe YOU could adopt this little girl.
Maybe YOU could reach out to the local prosecutor's office, and local victim advocacy groups to find out what specific needs this little girl might have right now.
Maybe YOU could coordinate donations for this little girl.
Nobody is stopping YOU from working on any of this.
I'm sure that if you put your mind to it, you could think of several concrete actions YOU can take to help this little girl.
YOU could do this instead of calling for "someone" ELSE to take action on behalf of this little girl.
Nobody is stopping YOU from doing whatever YOU feel needs to be done for this little girl (and for the other Black children in the system). I would strongly urge YOU to take concrete actions in furtherance of your professed concern for this girl.
With justice in mind.
@gina, I agree with you about Gates. Gates, along with Mr. Michael Eric Dyson, think they are the second Jesus coming for black men. Along with the blowhard Tom Joyner.
I can’t believe the victim and suspect involved in the assault are all babies. We are talking eight to fourteen years old. There is something wrong with that picture. –LD
____________________________________________
Respectfully, the suspects ARE NOT BABIES. In my opinion, these boys are no longer children psychologically, behaviorally, or socially.
We MUST REFRAIN from casting *young* aged boys or girls predators/psychopaths/sociopaths in the same bucket as children who have not had their natural disposition damaged by inappropriate, abusive, and immoral modeling from their adult peers. They are NOT to blame for their knowledge or exposure to sexually perverted behavior but I can’t believe the victim and suspect involved in the assault are all babies. We are talking eight to fourteen years old. There is something wrong with that picture.
>It is ABNORMAL for 8 year olds to have extensive knowledge of full blown sexual intercourse.
>It is ABNORMAL for 8 year olds to understand the psycho-social dynamics involved in using violence, sex, and intimidation for tribal vendettas, egocentric needs, or just the wish to dominate or destroy something.
> It is ABNORMAL for 8 year olds NOT to have been shown empathy, compassion, kindness, respect, fairness, and discipline; not to have been taught manners, home rules, and civil behavior so that they can act it out in their childhood.
This case is HORRIFIC because again while they are not to blame for their exposure to sexually perverted behavior THEY ARE and MUST be held accountable. Black women and girls should take note that these young aged boys are learning this behavior from other black men, and boys—and it’s been reinforced by damaged beyond repair black women, confused black women, or even fearful black women.
As the economy becomes worse, and law enforcement loses its ability to police communities due to budget cuts, this plague is going to grow….
I actually have some other thoughts or concerns to share that tie in with law enforcement in our community:
*** I have been racially and religiously profiled several times—especially when flying. *** I do understand how humiliating, frightening, and stressful that experience can be. I also do think that law enforcement needs to come up with a modern day strategy for executing security services.
Perhaps, I’m just totally weird, and this concern is only in my little ol head but:
I’m beginning to notice a pattern in these Dunbar Village demonic attacks on BW/BG, especially the males are young in age:
*** THEY SHOULD NOT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE***
Americans—we are a people of EXTREMES. This is especially noticeable in how our law enforcement community and legal system manages these cases.
I remain firm upon my previous statement that male and females who are young in age are NOT to blame for their exposure, and knowledge of not only sexually perverted behavior but any immoral, inhumane, uncivilized behavior period. This does NOT mean they are NOT accountable: I’m reluctant to jump on the “lynch all the white police officers bandwagon” because the law enforcement community is the last resource BW/BG have left in having these black males or ANY male held legally, socially, and financially accountable for their CRIMES. Black men from ALL class tiers, from ALL religions, and from ALL family orientations have FAILED to police themselves.
I’m very concerned about this. It’s a CRYING shame it’s come down to this but we are already here, and must demonstrate maturity and sound judgment in moving forward.
I know Reverend Al-Sharpton and his I crew are quick to claim that sentencing for black males is disproportionate to the crime committed BUT we are going to the other extreme by not helping these predators by proving intensive, and consistent treatment while holding them legally, financially, and socially accountable for the crime. BOTH strategies must be enacted to affect some form of change?
The fact that our civil right groups that fought so hard to hold the white masses accountable, and grant access to the mainstream for us, it’s a shock that they have an issue with accountability when it comes to themselves
Speak the truth even if it’s against your self
Something… something really, really, really, screwy has happened to the way we socialize our children.
My pre-schooler is held accountable for not following directions or remaining in funky attitudes in my household. I do not feel like I’m an overbearing or mean parent.
Peace
P.S. To the reader who suggested that we adopt children in the system: Do you realize that parenting children with special needs, or children severely damaged by distress requires a specialized skill set that must be learned from an expert? Do you realize that is something not at all BW should or can do? You might think you're helping but you're really hurting. It's useless to get a child's hopes up so high only for them come down crashing because the parent was unaware of the skill set needed to care for them?
I'm sorry but I guess I just disagree with some of the sentiments. I'm a black woman and I grew up in a white neighborhood. My father use to get stopped by the police almost anytime he was walking in the neighborhood he lived in.
Sorry ladies, I must dissent. This incident does piss me off.
It deals with how COPS lie. If you check out the police report the WHITE cop clearly thinks all black people talk like they do on Good Times. I knew immediately the white cop was lying based off what he claimed a Harvard Educated, who travels around the world black man said... "Yo mamma ....." What middle aged Harvard educated man is going to yell at a white cop about his mamma. Give me a break! When I read some of that stuff I just rolled my eyes. My only issue is this is a teaching moment for the world too see how young black men are treated AND NOT black women. We get stopped, scrutinized, harassed, beat, killed, and raped by the police in this country.
Sorry ladies but Professor Gates has stood up for black women and young ladies. Just because someone doesn't get involved with EVERY single incident that you think they should, doesn't mean they haven't stood up for black women and girls before. You've got a lot of black women and girls who have made it too Harvard because this black man made sure he pulled some strings and helped level the playing field.
"That is great to see but what about all the children born from the 80% OOW birth rates whose daddies have abandoned them and who are living in residential cesspools? Who’s speaking for them?"
I'm sorry, and I may be biased as a long-married woman, but I have never considered an out-of-wedlock child as being abandoned by the father.
Plenty of MARRIED women, who dedicated their lives with dignity and respect to their families and husbands, have been left by those "men" for whatever trifling reasons. As wives, these women made lifetime legal, civil, moral and religious commitments to their husbands, only to be betrayed. That is ABANDONMENT.
Getting (...and staying) pregnant by a man that you have no legal, civil or religious commitment to, is on YOU. That may be unpopular to say, but it is real.
I get you greater point, and I agree with you, but this isn't what happened: "Harvard scholars who wanted to play the dozens with the police for asking him for proof of identity."
Gates had no problem showing the officer his Harvard ID and MA driver's license, and did so when asked.
The point you're making about not losing focus on young girls is strong enough on its own merits. You don't have to misconstrue the facts of the Gates case, or belittle what happened to Gates to make your point. It doesn't have to be, and shouldn't be an either/or proposition.
There's enough room to be accurate and for *all* of these cases/issues to be brought to the fore.
I think its been a very long time since Henry Louis Gates gave a damn about either the average Black woman or man in this society.
He's just mad because he finally got his "NEGRO WAKE UP!" call.
as wack as it is, people can't know about EVERYTHING. They can't speak on every injustice. There are plenty of things that happen to young black women that doesn't make it to this blog, but I assume you do what you can.
Dyson, Joyner, Sharpton, etc... it's not their fault that black people listen to them in heavy number, which it turn makes them sought after for comment by the white media. They do positive things in the community and that's what should count. Their flaws are not the focus, because we all have them.
@Naima, here's what I see. These "men" deliberately prey upon women who have low self esteem, that is why these women are duped into sleeping with them. In this country if you are a poor, brownskinned (especially) black woman, you are told by this society that you are worthless, that no one will ever love you, that you have to take whatever scraps are on the table. These "men" just add fuel to the fire, they tell the women they are worthless and lucky to have them. That's why there is so much OOW births, not because the women are doing anything wrong.
Ladies, someone mentioned your blog post on another blog ans I came to check you out. And after reading the blog and subsequent posts, I agree whole heartedly.
For the most part, Black women have been abandoned in the community for the most part. Which is a tragedy, because God ordained men to be the direct protectors of the women in his household, and to be the protectors of the women in the community.
And where it is the woman's gift to nurture the child and help them to develop emotionally and intuitively, it is the man who teaches the child how to make a living and how conduct themselves in their societal interactions.
Many have abdicated their positions, and the results are often seen in the dysfunction of kids and young adults. Especially as it applies to the women and young ladies in our community.
While the mantle of progress has evolved from being about the community as a whole, to one of being about Black men, with the same vigor and zeal to champion the neglect of the Black woman's struggle, I totally understand the frustration.
Oh, and another tid-bit. 16 year olds can strip in Rhode Island.... as long as they are off the pole by 11:30 on school nights.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2009/07/24/pn.sixteen.year.old.strippers.cnn
Expect this trend to spread to other states.
Final question. How long before this impacts he women in our community?
There is definitely enough outrage to dish out from this post. I'll direct mine at the parents of this poor little girl. Who knows why this girl was so easily lured by the promise of chewing gum? (I tell my daughter time and time again to be weary of strangers, yet she can't help but speak and be polite. I only pray that she does not go with anyone but I must still CONSTANTLY remind her). Whatever the reason, this poor little girl was violently assaulted and it will take years of therapy for her to recover. Thank God the nation is looking and there seems to be legitimate concern for her well being. My outrage is to her parents who NOW have shunned the child because SHE brought shame on the family. The claim is undeniable and they don't deserve to have her back in their family. http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/crime/gang_rape_07_22_2009
"with the same vigor and zeal to champion the neglect of the Black woman’s struggle,"
meant to say with the total absence of the same vigor and zeal to champion the neglect of the Black woman’s struggle,
Regarding the Prof. Gates/Obama debacle, Bill Cosby summed it up perfectly:
“I’ve heard about five different reports [on the details of the arrest]. If I’m the president of the United States, I don’t care how much pressure people want to put on it about race, I’m keeping my mouth shut.”
http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2009/07/23/bill-cosby-shocked-at-obamas-statement-on-harvard-profs-arrest/
Since President Obama didn't have all the facts, it would have been wiser for him to stay quiet and focus on the economy for the short term. Once the whole story came to light, THEN he can speak up.
By not minding his tongue, the President comes off as being reckless and thus a poor leader. The guy's approval numbers were declining already because of the economy so he shouldn't play into a bad image.
fdow wrote:
"@LD @ Felicia @ Celeste That woman knew he lived there. For all we know she was a McCain supporter, hates the fact Obama is in office and just wanted to lash out at some black people."
Lucia Whalen could just as easily be a liberal.
For example, here is what one White liberal said in a New York Times interview:
“Frankly I had thought that at the time Roe [v. Wade] was decided, there was concern about population growth and particularly growth in populations that we don’t want to have too many of. So that Roe was going to be then set up for Medicaid funding for abortion.”
Note: “populations that we don’t want to have too many of” = Black people.
http://racism.suite101.com/article.cfm/ruth_bader_ginsburg_talks_sotomayor_roe
The White liberal was none other than Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the US Supreme Court.
So, I'm not going to assume that Whalen is a conservative or moderate. Justice Ginsberg is a reminder that racism transcends political beliefs.
At Fred, puhleaze it's the main stream press that is completely reckless. The fact that they are jumping up and down about a last minute question/answer and not the healthcare reform debate that Obama talked about is why this country is in such a mess.
The president answered candidly. Maybe he should have chose different words but WHITE people need to get over it and focus on what matters - Healthcare, Economy, 2 Wars, Unemployment, etc.. I think white people are playing racial victimization. As if they are targeted on a daily basis like black people. Give me a break.
As a Harvard Law alum and former professor, perhaps President Obama knows Professor Gates, and that's why he felt comfortable speaking up as and when he did. President Obama may even have spoken with others of the black Harvard professor elite about the incident to derive the facts on which he based his statements. While I understand where Mr. Cosby is coming from, there are some quarters that want Mr. Cosby to shut up about other matters about which he has been outspoken. So just because some quarters don't want certain things said does not necessarily mean they shouldn't be or don't need to be said.
@Wanda If you understand the importance of choosing a mate for their qualities and selecting one of caliber then you'd realize a man who isn't providing and protecting his child and the mother of that child has abandoned them. Being married is better than not as far as benefits to the mother goes but blaming marriage for poor spousal selection conflates the issue. It is not normal for one group to have an 80% OOW birth rate so you need to get real here.
Miss Thing: I have sympathy for your dad but these situations have nothing to do with each other. What exactly has Dr. Gates done for the plight of the disadvantage black girl and woman. I clearly laid out that he did ZIP for Chenequa Campbell. So feel free to list his efforts for our review. Otherwise you're just making things up to support your confused thinking.
Miriam: THANK YOU! Your points are so spot on. A 14 year old who serves as a ring leader to a gang rape is LOST TO DEPRAVITY. The fact that these formerly innocent children have been RUINED is horrible, but yes, they do have to be held accountable and removed from endangering other innocent children. If people who have these kids actually PARENT them and well we wouldn't be having these problems. The excuse of criminality and failures is going to snare a LOT of innocent children in that grip of sin.
@Scipio It's my post and I can write what I like the way I prefer. This isn't being written for your convenience or from an excusing of dysfunctional behaviors. This is a blog about uplifting black girls and women not for black male protectionism with zero accountability.
@undressingher Covering everything on one blog with one blog host is impossible. A group moderated blog of full time bloggers could do it though. Do you want to financially support that? The infotainment hustlers and victim peddlers for profit (their own) push their way into the spotlight. Have you noticed they're all MEN? it's part of the sexism and devaluation of women. Civil Rights would've NEVER made it if it had not been for African-American WOMEN who carried all those male spokes-hoggers on their backs.
@Fred Yes Obama has sided with the good Professor is now going to catch hell from whites. We'll see how long it takes for him to "clarify" his statements. It would've been great if he'd decided to do something far more constructive for the black masses than this. It was a wasted gesture that provides no real benefits for blacks. Also your attribution to Justice Ginsberg is a little flimsy. She could have easily been talking about irresponsible populations of people who aren't capable of caring for their offspring due to poor choices (well that might apply to those across race categorizations but it's not an absolute)
Note to Readers: The point of this post was to discuss the black girls and women being left to fend for themselves.
Let's bring back the focus on THEM.
@fdw
Regarding "It’s my post and I can write what I like the way I prefer."
You're right.
"@Fred Yes Obama has sided with the good Professor is now going to catch hell from whites. We’ll see how long it takes for him to “clarify” his statements."
HOT OFF THE PRESSES.
"President Obama said Friday he spoke with the police officer who arrested a Harvard professor and told the officer he did not mean to malign the Cambridge Police Department."
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/07/24/officer.gates.arrest/index.html
Black on black crime rarely becomes a big national or local issue for that matter. But this poor girls story is on both CNN and Drudge so it is making national news. The 14 year old will be charged as an adult. They interviewed the little girls teen sister and the sister was acting like her lil sister just scraped her knee and the father is acting like the little girl did something wrong. The family has been here 5 years so I am disappointed they haven't learned that in American culture rape is unacceptable.
The Arizona authorities are taking care of the child, what do you suggest should be done next?
QUOTED: QUEEN LATIFAH ON SEXUAL ABUSE
http://www.racialicious.com/2009/06/22/quoted-queen-latifah-on-sexual-abuse/
"For a short period of time when she was a child, Latifah was the victim of sexual abuse at the hands of a teenager charged with her care. “He violated me,” she says of the abuser. “I never told anybody; I just buried it as deeply as I could and kept people at an arm’s distance. I never really let a person get too close to me. I could have been married years ago, but I had a commitment issue.” Eventually, she opened up to her parents, who separated when she was young. “When I was 22, my brother died, and I knew I couldn’t carry his death and that secret,” she says. “I had to get it off my chest. My mother felt terrible. She was kind of a country girl, so she wasn’t up on how slick people could be. When I told my dad, he said nothing.” Latifah says now that it was scary when her father didn’t respond. “He’s a man of action,” she says.
But Latifah doesn’t blame her parents for what occurred. In fact, she credits them with doing their best to protect her while she was growing up. She points out that one in four girls is sexually abused in some way. “That’s 25 percent of all girls. This is a real problem,” she says. Not unlike many victims of abuse, she wondered if she had played a role in what happened. Her talks with a therapist helped her find the unequivocal answer. “He said, ‘Imagine yourself as an adult and think about what a child can do to you. Can they beat you? Can they defeat you? No. Now, imagine yourself as that child.’ That really helped put things in perspective. I was a kid, and I had no power or control over the situation. I really wish I had the strength and knowledge to say something sooner, because I always wondered, Did he do that to someone else? But I accept that the time for action has come and gone."
@Felicia I was going to update with Obama's major bow & scrape. I can't believe it! But I shouldn't be surprised at all.
@Naima You've already been given advice what to do so stop trying to throw it back at black women. Be a man and step up!
@FDW
The situations are not exclusive of each other. Both incidents - my father's and professor Gates are examples of racial profiling.
So, because he doesn't help Chenequa, ONE black female, you cast him off? Why are you ASSUMING he hasn't done anything for black women and girls? Just because you don't hear about his outreach to black females doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Please read my post. This man has helped young black women GET INTO HARVARD. He has MENTORED young black women! Have you ever listened to his lecturers? Have you gone on his website? Have you been in his class? Goodness, you're as bad as that white police officer and you don't even realize it. (SMH)
fdow, are you ok?
First of all I am all woman. How am I blaming it on women. CNN only interviewed the sister and the father, and as I recall I mentioned both. And I also asked at the end, do you have any suggestions on what can be done next?
"Being married is better than not as far as benefits to the mother goes but blaming marriage for poor spousal selection conflates the issue."
I'm not really sure I understand you here, but marriage is for the benefit of the ENTIRE FAMILY, especially the children.
I've been around long enough to see the difference between the quality of men we produced when most of us were married, compared to the lack of quality now, with males coming from single-mother families.
Years ago, too many people said that random sex was okay, and the father wasn't necessary. Now, we expect women and girls to survive in places where there are no men to discipline the wild boys
...and now the girls are becoming just as wild to survive as well.
@Naima I'm fine. People online are not always the gender they claim to be so I was checking. Regardless you still spend too much time blaming black women and asking for others to come up with solutions. Why don't YOU offer some? You've had ample opportunity to do so.
@Miss Thang You haven't offered any evidence of Gates helping improve the lives of black girls and women beyond anything that might directly involve his self-interest as requested.
@Wanda You were the one devaluing marriage and stating that OOW births are acceptable to you. That's the antithesis of the message that should be sent.
@Miss Thang I have zero interest in continuing to discuss Skip Gates. Since you haven't provided anything to back up your opinion we'll be moving on. The fact that you are here reading this post - which is about the hypocrisy of focusing on educated black men of privilege while ignoring the disadvantaged status of many black girls and women is what needs to be examined - and is part of an extended effort at improving the lives of countless women we may never meet. Knowledge is power. If other messages were being presented on a wide-spread basis that uplifted us we very well may not need to blog about it. Sifting through a lot of confused and obstinate women who want to cling to their totems instead of thinking critically and focusing on that requires a lot of work and patience. Since you have nothing new to add you may sit out the rest of this conversation.
"@Wanda You were the one devaluing marriage and stating that OOW births are acceptable to you. That’s the antithesis of the message that should be sent."
Dear, you must have me confused with someone else.
I think you said:
"...blaming marriage for poor spousal selection conflates the issue.”
My point is that when there is no marriage, there is NO spouse selection. Just because you have sex with someone does not make them your spouse. That's makes them your sex partner.
That's elevating the casual sexual relationship to that of a formal marriage, which is what I believe has happened with our people, and is the damaging notion that must be turned around.