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October’s Urban Spectrum Shows Denver’s Black Community’s Compassion
Editor:
The October edition of Urban Spectrum made me very proud of Denver's Black community and everyone on the Urban Spectrum team. The October edition of Urban Spectrum was well-planned, well-designed and well-written. I especially felt the pain from the tears of my elder sister on the front page. The photographer summed up the entire Katrina experience in that one shot. My opinion is that everyone had well written articles. From advice to outrage, each page provided a sense of compassion that, I believe, will be long remembered. I hope that one day, when I am back home in Africa teaching my grandchildren, I can say proudly we overcame. I hope to say we finally overcame as a people, because Hurricane Katrina was the wake up call that angered and united us.
I just learned that I had family in Louisiana. They are missing.
EJ
Denver
State Rep. Rosemary Marshall’s Responds To Bill Bennett
Editor:
"…abort every Black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down."
These were the appalling remarks made the week of Sept. 26 by former secretary of education under President Reagan, Bill Bennett. How does one begin to frame the idiocy of his statement? First, it is deplorable to suggest that an entire race of women abort their children. This is demoralizing and humiliating to Black women. Second, perpetuating the notion that Blacks are responsible for all the crime in this country is backward and feeble-minded.
His statement completely ignores the fatal flaws of a political system that continually targets and incarcerates people based on class, privilege, and access to resources. It also doesn't make sense coming from a man who represents a political philosophy that condemns abortion.
Bennett’s reckless statements and refusal to retract his hateful words illustrates just the type of "compassionate conservative" propaganda the Black community has grown skeptical of. In a country that prides itself on equal opportunity, regardless of race, it is despicable that someone of his stature would make such a blatant, racially demoralizing statement against Black people.
If his recommended goal is really to decrease crime in America, I suggest Bennett look back at the objectives of his former post: education.
State Representative Rosemary Marshall
House District 8, Denver
Denver Newspapers Endorsements of DPS 3-A Seriously Flawed
Editor’s note: Joseph C’de Baca taught in Denver Public Schools for 15 years.
Editor:
The Denver Post's and Rocky Mountain News endorsements of 3-A DPS ProComp are unrealistic. There is nothing "revolutionary" about the ProComp bonus pay program for some teachers. It is complex and time consuming and will not accomplish its grandiose claims. Calculating and documenting for pay bonuses will divert attention away from classroom instruction and student services. The new "dynamic" superintendent has zero experience in educational operations and is an unqualified political appointment.
The $25 million 3-A tax increase places no accountability on DPS board members and administrators. It is a subjective system of preferential treatment for some teachers at the expense of others. Teachers have had to write goals or objectives and self improvement plans for decades; 3-A offers nothing new. The claims that 3-A will improve CSAP, promote student growth, and close the achievement gap is also misleading. When will politicians stop using the plight of poor families, minority groups, and "for the children" statements to manipulate voters? DPS mismanagement, irresponsible parenting and unsupported or undisciplined students are major causes for the achievement gap; 3-A addresses none of these!
DPS has historically had a negative relationship with its teachers. Thousands of outstanding teachers have left DPS because of its mismanagement. The DPS and Denver Classroom Teacher’s Association alliance will be short lived because DPS does not resolve contract grievances and the conflicts over ProComp will be numerous. A third of DPS teachers did not vote on ProComp and the outcome was questionable. There is a glut of teachers in many metro school districts and the 3-A plan will not retain or attract outstanding teachers to a dysfunctional school district such as DPS. The Denver Public Schools has not been trustworthy with previous mill-levies and is undeserving of another $25 million per year. Vote "No on 3-A" DPS ProComp.
Joseph C'de Baca
Denver
Urban Spectrum Gets Community’s Attention With HIV/AIDS "Call To Action"
Editor:
Kudos to you, Urban Spectrum, for publishing in your September edition "An Open Letter to Black Gay and Bisexual Men"! The mere appearance of this critical "call to action" in the pages of your paper is a salute to the efforts of the Urban Spectrum to keep Colorado’s Black community abreast of the crises impacting us that continues to be virtually ignored in most other media sources, including many of your fellow African American publications.
The open letter, which emanated from The Black AIDS Institute in Los Angeles, headed by noted activist Phill Wilson, stated that a recent study by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 46 percent – nearly half – of the Black gay and bisexual men surveyed in five major cities were HIV positive. Even more stunning was the finding that over two-thirds of the HIV infected Black men in the study were completely unaware of their infection. The letter went on to question the lack of response and media coverage of what in essence is an ongoing, slow-motion, and de facto genocide that is now in its third decade.
Even before the letter you published appeared, there was already a prevailing public misperception that the effects of the HIV/AIDS crisis had somehow decreased in severity, that the "numbers" were down and that medical breakthroughs and changing behavior patterns in at-risk groups had mitigated the threat posed by the disease that seemed so ominous in the 1980’s and ‘90’s. Right now we are being bombarded by media coverage, fundraising efforts, relief concerts, etc. to aid hurricane victims which, while legitimate responses to a horrific natural calamity, will only serve to push the catastrophic human toll of HIV/AIDS further off our national radar screen from which it was already fading into the periphery. As government funding for HIV/AIDS continues to decrease, so-called "faith based" organizations who refuse to even acknowledge that men (much less Black men) do have sex with other men are capturing more and more of those dwindling dollars that we need so desperately!
The annihilation triggered by HIV/AIDS is occurring right here in Colorado--affecting our fathers, brothers, and sons. As was stated so emphatically in the letter you previously published, what will it take? How many more Black men have to become infected, fall ill, and die before we mobilize and take action?
Here in Denver, we at Brothas4Ever (a peer-led program of It Takes A Village) are responding by promoting the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of same-gender loving African American men by building community with a primary focus on providing comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention and intervention services. We are a unique and invaluable local resource. As our health crisis continues, so continues our struggle to eliminate this epidemic in the target population we serve.
Thank you, again, Urban Spectrum, for having the courage to so valiantly help us to put the word out!
Bruce E. Gipson
It Takes A Village Case Manager
Denver | |
Black Chamber Annual Dinner Forgets Founder
Editor:
Recently, I attended the 17th annual Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce dinner where they celebrated their 20th year anniversary. It was a marvelous affair in almost every respect except that the dinner’s keynote speaker was unable to attend due to a family emergency and had to cancel, which obviously could have not been prevented by the organization. In light of the cancellation, however, it would have been a great opportunity for the organization’s founder to make some comments or even give the evening’s keynote address.
Not only was the organization’s founder Marcellus Jackson not given that opportunity, but he was further humiliated by not being properly recognized by the organization during the evening’s festivities. Mr. Jackson, who now resides in Atlanta, Georgia, specifically traveled here at the request of the organization to be a part of the celebration, and the only acknowledgment he received was simply calling out his name and asking him to stand at the table where he was seated.
The Black Chamber in the oldest ethnic chamber in the state and one of the first in the country. Twenty years ago, it was difficult to start such an organization in the face of fierce opposition from the White community, because they felt that it was sufficiently representing Black business interests and thus a independent chamber was unnecessary and divisive.
Yet, almost single-handedly, Mr. Jackson persevered against those odds which included facing criticism and resentment from the Black community.
There was acknowledgment by the Chamber in presenting comments from some of the chamber’s first leaders, but not to properly give recognition of Mr. Jackson was a colossal failure. A plaque should have presented in his honor at the dinner in his and all attendee’s presence. When are we going to learn that we must recognize those who have been so instrumental in our success and that’s its OK to give them praise and kudos? If we don’t do it, how can we expect others to do it?
I think the only way to correct the mistake is to acknowledge it by presenting an "Advocate of the Year" award every year at the Chamber’s annual dinner and inviting him back again and allowing him to present it to the recipient. Of course, the Chamber must bear the expenses.
The Chamber has grown in stature over the years, and if it’s going to obtain its full potential, it must show some class by doing the right thing.
CBCC Dinner Attendee
Denver
Big Ups To Kanye West
Editor:
It’s true. The Revolution will not be televised.
Still, for Blacks in America, the catalyst for a mental revolution was televised in the savage demonstration of racism during the initial days of the Katrina catastrophe. Kanye West spoke for all of us; only the stupidly naive or the politically cowardly would deny the existence of horrendous bigotry during this horrible disaster.
The mental revolution is essentially this: Blacks in America must unite with Blacks worldwide in order to find solutions to our problems, empower ourselves, and determine our own destiny, for White America will never abandon racism: a powerful tool of political, social and economic control.
The people of the grassroots know this truth intuitively and instinctively; we live it daily and yearly amid thousands of petty insults and scores of crushing maltreatments. Our apathetic Black political and economic elite know this as well, though they usually practice selective amnesia. But for a few days in September an embarrassed Black elite remembered and actually adopted a leadership role: they voiced outrage, they organized, they donated, they campaigned, they directed, they volunteered, they were, well, leaders! It was wonderful, though short-lived.
A recent United Nations report on global inequality states that parts of the United States are as poor as the Third World. The document reveals that America’s infant mortality rate is the same as Malaysia’s and that Black children in America are twice as likely as Whites to die before their first birthday.
The Akan of West Africa have a concept called nkrabea: the reason for being born; a duty ordained by the Creator. When one dies without fulfilling his nkrabea then he is reincarnated as many times as necessary in order to achieve his nkrabea. What then is our nkrabea as a people? Surely, it cannot be to live under oppression and exploitation!
There are over a billion Africans and people of African descent on this planet. This demand insures Africans will never lack useful and profitable employment supplying earth-friendly goods and services to fellow Africans. But we must not wait for the sell-out Black elite to lead the way; they will never break their silent contract of service to White America.
As Africans we are the mothers and fathers humanity. It is our nkrabea, we believe, to ensure the protection of Mother Earth. But first we must work toward freedom. Indeed, African social and political freedom is an environmental and ecological necessity. The same Euro-American ideology that nurtures racism is the same compartmentalized and isolating ideology that fails to link environmental abuse with natural disaster.
The first step is to discard mis-education and collective amnesia. The works of Africans such as John Henrik Clarke, Mariani Ani, Amos Wilson, Frances Welsing, and Malik Shabazz are solid places to begin. Next we must work, step by step, toward the formation of a true African World Union.
We may not see the revolution televised, but we can surely write the teleplay. Thanks, Kanye!
Unknown
Letter Confirms What Bush Has Said On Iraq All Along
Editor:
The Wall Street Journal (10/13/05) opines about Ayman al-Zawahiri's recent letter to his Iraqi counterpart:
"Those who want a premature U.S. withdrawal from Iraq will now have to explain why that won't play into the hands -- and plans -- of the enemy. Al-Zawahiri makes it quite clear that al-Qaeda's ambitions extend well beyond the borders of any one country. The goal is a fundamentalist Islamic regime that begins in Iraq, extends into the neighboring secular nations of the region, assaults Israel, and moves on from there. Al-Zawahiri hardly sounds like a commander on the brink of victory. He is clearly worried that the jihadists are losing in Iraq. Al-Zawahiri's also not feeling too peachy about his personal situation. He recounts the death of his "favorite" wife and a daughter after the collapse of their house during an apparent American bombing. He admits to a "real danger" from the Pakistani army, which is pursuing al-Qaeda in tribal areas. He mourns the capture of al-Qaeda big shots, and oh by the way, he asks al-Zarqawi to send him $100,000. The long al-Zawahiri letter is a rough road map of the strategic vision for al- Qaeda's intentions in Iraq and the global jihad. If it has a familiar ring, it's because George Bush has been warning the world about it for several years."
Posted by Katie MacGuidwin
Roman R. Stockton
Katy, TX |
