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NAACP – Still Effective? Still Practical?

Since its inception in 1909, the NAACP, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, has been a beacon of hope for the African American community (Black community from here on because I am not African). It was the spring board for those who championed the Civil Rights movement and served as the “go-to” organization when seeking justice for racial civil injustices in the not so distanced past.

In recent years, however, I have questioned the necessity and the effectiveness of the NAACP in the 20th century. A recent article on NPR’s website made me question it yet again.

Julia Rose profiles a historic neighborhood in Charlotte, North Carolina that has some ugly history recorded in the property deeds. Discriminatory language such as “This lot shall be owned and occupied by people of the Caucasian race only” was written into deeds and was commonplace at the time the homes were built. The passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, of course, made such practices and language illegal. I imagine anyone who has taken a civics or history class in high school or college should know this. These documents are a part of the ugly history of the United States and should serve as a reminder of how far we have come as a race and as a country.

However, William Barber, president of the North Carolina NAACP, is filing a lawsuit to have the racist clause removed from the deeds. This seems very impractical and a wast of time, money, and effort in my opinion.

“If you saw that, it could in fact create what we call freezing — making people think twice about going. It could create psychic harm,” Barber says. “It could create discouragement.” [Source]

Psychic harm? Soooo, in other words, Mr Barber assumes black people are too obtuse to understand it is “illegal” and is merely a part of a “completed legal recording” and will be “discouraged” from purchasing property. I mean, after all, according to a local NAACP chapter website…

“The primary focus continues to be the protection and enhancement of the civil rights of African Americans and other minorities.”

So you see, Mr. Barber and the NAACP is here to protect stupid black people from being duped, bamboozled, hoodwinked, or even “psyched”.

::SIDE-EYE…..DEEP SIGH::

Or…could this be a poor attempt for the organization to remain relevant in the 21st century? To keep a segment of the Black community with an enslaved oppressed mentality convincing them they still need to be “rescued”?

How is it a leader within this organization can come to the logical and rational conclusion that this “issue” is worth going to court over? How does this fight “enhance” my civil rights or any other minority?

Yes, this is only one example but with a little research, I am certain you, (yes, you), can come up with more examples of the misdirected and misguided intentions of this beloved, yet beleaguered and outdated, organization.

So, I am still left asking how effective is the NAACP in the 21st century?

An Open Letter to the American Missionaries in Haiti

Dear American Missionaries,  

I have been watching your story unfold and I have grown more annoyed and pissed off with each passing day. (Their story is HERE).  

Last night I attempted to write about this and became so frustrated, I put it away. Frustrated because I could not find the words to succinctly describe just how stupid I think you truly are.  

We're On A Mission From God!!

Yes, STUPID!! OBTUSE! DENSE! DUMB! And dare I say it…dare I….”FUCKING RETARDED!!!!”  

You went to Haiti with the intent to gather 300 “orphaned” children and bring them to the Dominican Republic for adoption despite the fact you were warned that your plan, your “mission”, was illegal. Now, worst case scenario is you can face 15 years in prison for each charge.  

You claimed to be carrying out God’s will. God’s will? What? Did he speak to you? How do you know what God’s will is anyway? Seriously. Did God’s will instruct you to break the law and steal children away from their impoverished parents with the promise of a better life? (Many of the children found with the missionaries were not orphaned by the earthquake by the way.)  

Now I ask, are you missionaries child traffickers or delusional Christian zealots? I say, BOTH.  

It’s zealots like you that give Christians, in particular, and religion, in general, a bad name. You give more credence to the argument that those who are deeply entrenched in religion tend to have lower IQs.  

Look, don’t get pissy with me for pointing it out. Check out the statistical data on the chart for yourself! (Click the image for a larger view.)  

Anyone who blindly follows another person, organization, or religion without using his/her brain is cognitively challenged and deserve whatever they get!  

Oh, and don’t start crying about religious persecution either! You’re not being persecuted for your religous beliefs but, God willing (pun intended), you will be prosecuted for breaking the law!! God had nothing to do with you making the decision to knowingly and willingly operate outside of the parameters of the laws in Haiti. You did that all on your own and you will suffer the consequences.  

Bottom line….stop doing dumb illegal shit in God’s name!  

Be blessed. ::makes sign of cross over my heart::  

Regards,
Chocl8t  

Life In Lyrics

If you can’t be with the one you love like, love like the one you’re with. – The Isley Brothers

I have found myself in this situation more than once. I find myself there now. I spend time with him by default because, quite frankly, it’s something to do. He’s something to do.

I call him when I want to be in the company of a man…when I want to be touched by a man. There’s no longer any emotional attachment for me. Oh, I used to love him – was “in love” with him, but no more.

After plans fell through with a male friend, I received a text from “the default” to “hang out”. I think ‘what the hell…I don’t have anything better to do so…why not’. He wasn’t my first choice but after 2 Patron shots I head to his side of town. The shots were my attitude adjustment.

As I’m laying there, Chrisette Michele’s “If I Have My Way” begins to play courtesy of XM radio.

You’re who I desire
You light my fire…
With every kiss
You take me higher

My mind drifts…I LOVE this song.  Damn! Nooo, he’s not who I desire.

There’s no one I’d rather share my good lovin with…

Damn! Yes…there is somebody and it’s not the guy attached to the bald head betwixt my thighs.

One day we’ll make love
Passion unheard of
I’ll be your woman
If I have my way…

Sigh…deep sigh…if I had my way this would be someone else.

“My body’s here with him but my mind is on the other side of town”

…in my mind, the O’Jays interrupt Ms Michele’s lovely ballad.

I wake up the next morning to breakfast and a hot shower. On the drive home, I do what I’ve done many times before in this past year…I promise myself this is the last time.

Ask Me Anything?

There’s this website that allows people to ask you questions. You sign up, send a link to people and BAM!!…there it is. I refuse to take part in yet another meaningless social network for idiotic nonsense. I’m already on Facebook and Twitter so enough already.

However, not being one to pass up a potential blogging opportunity, I thought I’d play along. Actually I got the questions from Adrienne at Real Life: Live & Unscripted. After reading my answers to the questions below, if you still feel the need to “ask me anything”…go ahead…maybe I’ll answer. 😉

1. Name someone with the same birthday as you. Gregory Hines & Fredrick Douglas.

2. Where was your first kiss? In the stairwell in High School.

3. Have you ever seriously vandalized someone else’s property? Yes. See my Valentine’s Day post for the full story

4. Have you ever hit someone of the opposite sex? Yes. 😦

5. Have you ever sung in front of a large number of people? Yes.

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Brown Skin

I gave myself the name Chocl8t. It came out of a need to celebrate and embrace my dark brown skin and to finally accept it as a positive attribute of my physical appearance.

Tar Baby

I thought I would make it through my blogging life without writing about this. However Senator Harry Ried had to open his big fat mouth leading to everyone else weighing in on the, often times, touchy issue of  “complexion” within the Black race. Allison Samuels hits many of the salient points in her article at Newsweek. (Click HERE to read) The subject is as old as slavery itself and for me it hits uncomfortably close to home.

For longer than I care to admit I did not look at my dark skin as a good thing. In fact, I was 18 or 19 yrs old before I really “looked” at myself in the mirror. How could that be you ask? Let’s go back to New Orleans, circa 1970s.

I was growing up in a city steeped in racial prejudice – racial prejudice within the black community. The same city that had black “social” clubs and bars that you could not gain entry if you were darker than a brown paper bag. This was before my time but the attitudes remained.

I have memories of the little school boys who flocked to the lighter skinned girls in school, little girls like Tanya Graham with her cafe au-lait colored skin and baby doll like hair. The boys were mesmerized by her. It remained the same through junior and senior high….different girls but the same “look”.

It was also during these elementary school years that I was teased unmercifully by school mates and family. I was called, among other things, Little Black Sambo, Tar Baby, or lil darkie. My dad’s favorite thing to say was that I was his little “ink spot” which originated from me sleeping on the bottom bed of a squeaky bunk bed set. The “joke” was one day my parents would come in the room to find that the top bed had fallen and smashed their baby girl leaving nothing but an…”ink spot”.

Yeah…go ahead….laugh. It’s all fun and games until someone goes through childhood, adolescence, and most of adulthood thinking she’s too dark and ugly.

Little Black Sambo

Can you imagine the havoc and damage this teasing wreaks on a young black child’s self esteem? I would look at the pictures of the Little Black Sambo and Tar Baby caricatures and think “this is what I look like?” So not only am I black as tar, but I’m ugly too? No wonder the boys flocked to the “Tanya Grahams” – the high yeller, redbone, high premium, highly sought after girls.

As I got older, I lost count of how many times I was told “Oh, you’re cute for a dark-skinned girl”. See, God didn’t make attractive girls in darker hues. That back-handed compliment used to annoy me. Now, on the rare occasion I hear it, I just feel pity for the ignorant bastard who says it.

Then there was the time my sister bought my niece a black Cabbage Patch doll. My paternal grandmother, in all of her color struck glory, asked my sister “Why did you buy this black doll?”

My mother immediately chimed in, “What’s wrong with the black doll?”

“Well, nothing…but couldn’t you have bought the white doll and pretended she was light-skinned?” replied my grandmother.

****CRICKETS***

When Sen Harry Reid‘s statement became public and flipped the lid off the proverbial can of woims (yes…woims), he not only gave the political pundits fodder and a call for his resignation by republicans, he also spurred journalists and bloggers to re-visit some painful history…mine included.

I gave myself the name Chocl8t to celebrate and showcase what has taken a lifetime to LOVE.

My complexion.

My Beautiful. Brown. Skin.