Burlington Black Blog

Public Forum Opportunity on Race & Local Law Enforcement

2008-06-23T21:14:00.002-04:00

Uncommon Alliance Public Forum

on Race Data Collection by Local Law Enforcement

TO BE HELD IN SOUTH BURLINGTON ON TUESDAY JUNE 24th, 6-8 PM

At FH Tuttle Middle School, 500 Dorset Street

Juneteenth Vermont

2008-06-19T12:46:00.001-04:00

Governor to Host State Juneteenth Holiday Celebration

WHAT: Juneteenth National Freedom Day Celebration

Montpelier, Vt. – On Saturday, June 21 at 3:00 p.m., Governor Jim Douglas will host a celebration and sign a proclamation in honor of Juneteenth National Freedom Day and he is inviting all interested Vermont residents to attend. Recently, the Vermont legislature passed and Governor Douglas signed into law legislation designating the third Saturday of the month of June each year as a state holiday to be known as Juneteenth National Freedom Day, in order to commemorate African-American emancipation from slavery. Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. For more than 137 years, Juneteenth National Freedom Day has been the most recognized African-American holiday observance in the United States and is also known by other names, including “Emancipation Day,” “Freedom Day,” and “Jun-Jun.”

This special observance commemorates the issuance of General Order No. 3 that Union Major General Gordon Granger read publicly in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865 declaring “that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States (the Emancipation Proclamation that President Abraham Lincoln issued on January 1, 1863), all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves . . .”

WHEN: Saturday, June 21, 2008 – 3:00 p.m.

WHERE: Lawn, Vermont State House (rain location inside the State House)

Montpelier

Sweet, Sweet Jamaica

2008-06-09T11:08:00.003-04:00

We are proud to be one of the first sources to announce the opening of a modest, local, Jamaican cultural shop. Located on the ground floor of the Burlington Square Mall, we can now find a bright new place to buy gifts and novelties.

Sweet Sweet Jamaica offers clothing, jewelry, tapestries, sauces & herbal drinks. Most of the products are made in Jamaica, and will be difficult to find anywhere else. The shop is also looking forward to stocking music and DVDs in the near future.

The owners of Sweet Sweet Jamaica are gracious to have such a warm Burlington reception thus far. At the time of my visit, the shopkeeper generously offered me a pen to take with to take notes with, confirming for me that they have nuff love to spread.

Contact Sweet Sweet Jamaica at 802 862 5100

UVM Class of 2008

2008-05-25T17:32:00.006-04:00

The purpose of my last visit to Burlington, VT was to witness the next great crop of graduates take on the "rights, privileges, and honors thereunto appertaining given at the University of Vermont". It was a perfect day, but due to the typical threatening New England forecast, the commencement was held indoors. Nevertheless, UVM graduations are always worth the trip.

Julia Alvarez delivered a the most splendid, relevant address I have heard in quite some time. I felt privileged to be standing in her presence.

John Gennari also offered a stand out closing reflection, and I continue to regret not having taken a course with him.

Similar to my past UVM graduation experiences, the highlight of the a.m. ceremony for me has always been the smiley brown & black faces peppered in the crowd. Because I know, personally, what that journey entails for the self-conscious non-white student at the University of Vermont. Word.

Keep on keepin' on.

I. Culcleasure

Malcolm X Day

2008-05-19T14:29:00.002-04:00

Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965), also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz,^[1] was an American Black Muslim minister and a spokesman for the Nation of Islam.

After leaving the Nation of Islam in 1964, he made the pilgrimage, the Hajj, to Mecca and became a Sunni Muslim. He also founded the Muslim Mosque, Inc. and the Organization of Afro-American Unity. Less than a year later, he was assassinated in Washington Heights on the first day of National Brotherhood Week.

Historian Robin D.G. Kelley wrote, "Malcolm X has been called many things: Pan-Africanist, father of Black Power, religious fanatic, closet conservative, incipient socialist, and a menace to society. The meaning of his public life — his politics and ideology — is contested in part because his entire body of work consists of a few dozen speeches and a collaborative autobiography whose veracity is challenged. Malcolm has become a sort of tabula rasa, or blank slate, on which people of different positions can write their own interpretations of his politics and legacy. Chuck D of the rap group Public Enemy and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas can both declare Malcolm X their hero."

Heart of the City Tour: Jay Z & Mary J Blige Shine

2008-05-05T23:54:00.004-04:00

Lucky me, I scored my $135 nose-bleed tickets (there were also big screens of the show to compliment those of us sitting in the way-way back) from my cousin as a gift. I would never treat myself that decadent. He also took my little cousins, 11, 16 & 17 - what a guy.

I always wondered what hip hop aficionados would look and act like in their 30's, and I got a very good look at them/us at this show. I must say, aside from the occasional cringe at the sound of thousands of people shouting "Jigga, My Nigga", it felt great. A 30-piece band playing hip hop and r & b is amazing.

I can't even tell you who opened, I don't remember. It was one of the new artist you hear on the radio in heavy rotation, singing in 'falsetto' throughout the chorus. The kids liked it, fair enough.

Mary & Jay set it off with "Can't Knock the Hustle", then Jay left the stage to let Mary do her thing. And Mary really did do her thing. She hit all the notes, she pulled out the old school dance moves, and was not shy about offering small commentaries about her life struggles and triumphs and how to keep our heads up. Mary's highlights; when Mary did "Real Love", Jay came out and did the B.I.G. verse, the audience singing the entire "I'm Going Down" while Mary just held the microphone out, Mary's shout out to Oprah chillin' in the front row, and all the men trying to sing the chorus to "Just Fine".

Jay Z is a beast. Everybody knows it, and so does he."Hello Brooklyn". He let the audience sing the entire "Hard Knock Life", as he held out the microphone. Mary came back out a to sing the hook on "Love Song", and Memphis Bleek appeared for two tracks.

It was about half way through his set when I realized that Jay Z doesn't really have "b-sides", they're all hits. Then we all got to the point where everyone realized that we might not hear our favorite Jay Z track. He began to shuffle through a decade long catalogue with just snippets of hits, that he would cut short after 15 seconds and say "nah, not that one".

At one point, they fooled around and played "Crazy Right Now" through the P.A. system, and sure enough, Bey once Knowles came out and did the booty bounce across the stage then disappeared. Everybody lost it.

They could have ended the show with that, and everyone would have agreed that they killed it. But of course Jay overkilled it. "Encore". He did "Blue Magic" a cappella - "...push, money over broads you got it, F*** bush". This rendition was accompanied by an image of the current president on the big screen, which many people proceeded to boo. Then Jay cut the crowd short, asked if they were ready for change, showed Obama on the big screen, and the crowd went bananas.

"Not paid for by the Obama campaign", he added, "just expressing my freedom of speech". Regardless as to who he is supporting, Jay-Z has finally made a major attempt to use his influence to illuminate something other than the money, the drug game, etc.

Sean Carter really has stepped his game up. "What more can I say"?

I. Culcleasure

Know Your History

2008-05-02T11:10:00.004-04:00

Executive Mandate Number One
Statement by the Minister of Defense
Delivered May 2, 1967, at Sacrament,
California, State Capitol Building

The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense calls upon the American people in general and the black people in particular to take careful note of the racist California Legislature which is now considering legislation aimed at keeping the black people disarmed and powerless at the very same time that racist police agencies throughout the country are intensifying the terror, brutality, murder, and repression of black people.
At the same time that the American government is waging a racist war of genocide in Vietnam, the concentration camps in which the Japanese Americans were interned during World War II are being renovated and expanded. Since America has historically reserved the most barbaric treatment for non-white people, we are forced to conclude that these concentration camps are being prepared for black people who are determined to gain their freedom by an means necessary. The enslavement of black people from the very beginning of this country, the genocide practiced on the American Indians and the confining of the survivors on reservations, the savage lynching of thousands of black men and women, the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and now the cowardly massacre in Vietnam, all testify to the fact that toward people of color the racist power structure of America has but one policy: repression, genocide, terror, and the big stick.
Black people have begged, prayed, petitioned, demonstrated, and everything else to get the racist power structure of America to right the wrongs which have historically been perpetrated against black people. All of these efforts have been answered by more repression, deceit, and hypocrisy. As the aggression of the American government escalates in Vietnam, the police agencies of America escalate the repression of black people throughout the ghettos of America. Vicious police dogs, cattle prods, and increased patrols have become familiar sights in black communities. City Hall turns a deaf ear to the pleas of black people for the relief from this increasing terror.
The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense believes that the time has come for black people to arm themselves against this terror before it is too late. The pending Mulford Act brings the hour of doom one step nearer. A people who have suffered so much for so long at the hands of a racist society, must draw the line somewhere. We believe that black communities of America must rise up as one man to halt the progression of a trend that leads inevitably to their total destruction.

Huey P. Newton, Minister of Defense - Black Panther Party

Did You Know?

2008-04-20T22:29:00.003-04:00

"Laissez-Faire" racism is a form of racism that consist of negative stereotyping of African Americans and placing the blame for the continued lower socioeconomic status of African Americans on the continued cultural resistance to the Protestant work ethic by African Americans.

Today, we can actually measure all sorts of "symbolic racism". through random surveys, we can measure the denial of continuing racism, the belief that African Americans are making excessive demands, the belief that African Americans have received undeserved advantages, and the belief that African Americans should work harder.

Ask around, measure it for yourself.

Happy Birthday 3B!

2008-04-17T14:52:00.003-04:00

Reflecting on 3B’s One Year Anniversary

Last year around this time, I was working an overnight shift and brooding over not getting into graduate school. I had many other ‘projects’ to juggle, but still I felt stuck – in a community where there were few opportunities to grow professionally.

It also frustrated me to see other black folks in Vermont struggle with the simplest access, to amenities other than public assistance. So I decided to create this blog because I was confident that there must be some folks out there who felt the way I did, or maybe had some dissenting views to offer. Either way, the conversations that I was having with people on a regular basis, informed me that it was at the very least important for us to have this conversation and expand the dialogue.

I immediately recognized that there would be some significant limitations and challenges to including and inviting some of the audiences that these conversations might benefit the most (e.g. lack of advertisement and lack of internet access). But we know and understand that these limitations and challenges are not due to lack of interest.

We know that organizing ourselves, our thoughts and ideas, cannot go from 0 to 60 in a day, a month, or even a year.

I have recently relocated back to my hometown, Brooklyn, NY for the purpose of continuing my education and being closer to my family before they retire and head south. However, my heart is still in Burlington, and I look forward to being active in facilitating 3B’s growth, with the goal being receptive to the needs of the community.

Thank you all for your contributions here.

Respect fully,

I. Culcleasure

Remember Rhynell Lewis Vigil Today

2008-04-07T13:12:00.001-04:00

We will meet and gather at 4:30 pm at 86 Lafountain Street, Burlington, Vermont

Black People in Vermont (revisited)

2008-03-30T12:44:00.003-04:00

My name is Vivian and I live the suburbs of Chicago but thinking about relocating to VT. Can anyone tell me more about the African American communities in Vermont? Or if all communities are blended together? How are blacks received in VT?

CALL TO ACTION

2008-03-12T11:06:00.003-04:00

This April 7th will mark the two-year anniversary of the shooting of Rhynell Lewis (1969 – 2006). Rhynell Lewis was shot and killed during a dispute with a 19-year old assailant. The shooter was freed on $150,000 bail and eventually acquitted of first-degree murder.

On Monday, April 7th 2008, a group of concerned citizens will come together with a member of the Lewis family at the scene of his death and hold a vigil in his memory. This vigil will transition into a peaceful walk to the state courthouse where we feel, justice failed Rhynell Lewis and his family.

Please join us as a collective voice against injustice and violence in our communities.

THE ROOTS: A perfomance you CANNOT miss

2008-03-07T23:22:00.009-05:00

Higher Ground Ballroom

Wednesday, April 9th

$35 advance $37 day of show

doors open at 8:00 show starts at 9:00

KRS-ONE & THE TEMPLE OF HIP HOP COMING TO HIGHER GROUND

2008-03-07T22:53:00.007-05:00

Saturday, April 19th

Higher Ground Ballroom

$20 advance $22 day of show

doors 8:30 show 9:00

ALL AGES
http://www.templeofhiphop.org/

Malcolm X (May 19th, 1925 - February 21st, 1965)

2008-02-21T01:10:00.000-05:00

"No man aroused fear and hatred in the white man as did Malcolm, because in him the white man sensed an implacable foe who could not be had for any price. A man unreservedly committed to the cause of liberating the black man" - John Henrik Clarke

Forty-three years ago today, February 21st, 1965 in Manhattan's Audubon's Ballroom, Malcolm had just begun delivering a speech when a disturbance broke out in the crowd of 400. A man yelled, "Get your hand outta my pocket! Don't be messin' with my pockets!" As Malcolm and his bodyguards moved to quiet the disturbance,^[20] a man rushed forward and shot Malcolm in the chest with a sawed-off shotgun. Two other men charged the stage and fired handguns at Malcolm, who was shot 16 times. Angry onlookers in the crowd caught and beat the assassins as they attempted to flee the ballroom. Malcolm was pronounced dead on arrival at New York's Columbian Presbyterian Hospital.

S. Burlington Racial Profiling Lawsuit - Tossed Out?

2008-02-02T10:11:00.001-05:00

Pastor's lawsuit continues against South Burlington, police

By Adam SilvermanFree Press Staff Writer

January 31, 2008

A Burlington minister's lawsuit against a South Burlington police officer accused of racial profiling is progressing slowly -- and under a veil of secrecy -- in federal court.

More than two years after the case was filed, the Rev. Rico Diamond's complaint against Detective Jack O'Connor is approaching a critical moment. Perhaps by week's end, a judge is expected to unseal documents that have been filed behind closed doors. Chief among them are joint efforts by O'Connor and the city of South Burlington, another defendant in the lawsuit, to have a judge toss out the case. The secret documents outline all the legal reasons the detective and the city say weakens the lawsuit so much it should be dismissed before trial.

The response from Diamond's attorney defending the veracity of the lawsuit also remains, for now, hidden. Such legal briefs and exhibits typically are public records. O'Connor and the city have fought to keep the documents secret, although lawyers say they are not opposed to releasing material unrelated to personnel matters.

The defendants have argued that disclosure would be inappropriate because exposing personnel records might subject O'Connor to "annoyance, embarrassment or oppression," according to papers on file at U.S. District Court in Burlington. Chief Judge William Sessions III said during a hearing this month that he planned to unseal documents in the case unless they are shown to be sensitive and immaterial, according to court records and participants in the hearing.

Diamond, pastor of Burlington's New Wine-New Mind ministry, sued O'Connor and South Burlington in October 2005. At issue is a March 21, 2005, police raid led by O'Connor on Diamond's room at the Holiday Inn Express in South Burlington. Police arrived after Diamond, who is black, paid cash for his room after he asked hotel staff about arrangements for an Easter commemoration he was planning. Diamond had $5,250 in cash, some his, some from parishioners, to pay for the event. Police questioned Diamond about drug activity but found no evidence of a crime. Nonetheless O'Connor seized the money and failed to return it during a month-long investigation that included questioning Diamond's employer and others, according to court papers.

An internal South Burlington Police Department investigation that summer cleared O'Connor of wrongdoing. The lawsuit accuses O'Connor and fellow officers of conducting an "arbitrary, lawless" investigation and the city of "malicious indifference" into the misconduct of its employees. "If their unlawful entry, interrogation, seizure and retention of Diamond's money were based on any facts at all, they were predicated solely on the fact that Diamond was an African-American man carrying cash," reads a passage of the lawsuit, written by the minister's attorney, Lisa Shelkrot. The lawsuit demands an unspecified amount of compensatory and punitive damages, and attorneys' fees."What Reverend Diamond would like to see more than anything is changes in South Burlington policing to prevent this kind of thing from ever happening again," Shelkrot said in a recent interview. Kaveh Shahi, a lawyer representing O'Connor, said the policeman's actions were appropriate.

With a consistent supply of new and potentially precedent-setting decisions from judges, officers are not required to be "a walking encyclopedia of case law," Shahi said. That means police must cross "a very, very bright line" for a violation to occur, the lawyer said, and O'Connor didn't. "We're looking forward to defending Jack and don't think he's done anything wrong," Shahi said.City attorney Nancy Sheahan could not be reached for comment. In court papers the city also defends O'Connor's conduct. "Defendants acted in good faith and with probable cause," reads South Burlington's answer to the lawsuit.

Contact Adam Silverman at 660-1854 or asilverm@bfp.burlingtonfreepress.com

DO WE HAVE YET ANOTHER CASE OF RACIAL PROFILING...

OR IS THIS PROBABLE CAUSE? See what others had to say: http://forums.burlingtonfreepress.com/viewtopic.php?t=40071

Presidential Fundraising in Vermont

2008-02-02T10:11:00.000-05:00

Obama winning race to Vt. wallets

Published: Saturday, February 2, 2008

By Sam HemingwayFree Press Staff Writer

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama continues to swamp all presidential rivals in both parties when it comes to fundraising in Vermont, according to new, year-end campaign finance reports on file at the Federal Elections Commission.

Through December, Obama raised $400,904 in Vermont, his FEC report showed. The figure included $66,112 raised by Obama in Vermont during the last three months of 2007.

The new FEC candidate fundraising totals reflect only money given by individuals who contributed more than $200 and do not include any money received by the candidates in January.

Carolyn Dwyer, a Democratic adviser in Vermont and a member of Obama's finance committee, said many of Obama's 2,000 contributors in Vermont gave smaller donations that don't show up in the FEC report."The fundraising success we've had in Vermont reflects the early and enthusiastic support in the state for Senator Obama's campaign," Dwyer said.

The FEC figures show that New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, who is locked in a two-person battle with Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination, received $47,500 in 2007 from contributors in Vermont, including $15,988 over the last three months. Among Republicans, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani was the top fundraiser in Vermont, receiving $54,400 in 2007, with $27,250 of it coming in the last quarter, according to his FEC report.

Giuliani dropped out of the race this week and endorsed Arizona Sen. John McCain after a poor showing in the Florida GOP primary. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney reported raising $49,379 from Vermonters for 2007, but just $4,724 of it in the last three months.

McCain took in $47,709 in Vermont contributions during the year, including $13,971 in the last three months of 2007. Texas Rep. Ron Paul attracted $21,478 in Vermont contributions for the year, all but $3,218 of it in the last quarter of 2007. Vermonters gave former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee $5,000, all but $400 of it in the last quarter. Overall, Democratic presidential candidates received $524,067 from Vermont contributors for the year. Republican presidential candidates received $183,766 from Vermont donors in 2007.

Contact Sam Hemingway at 660-1850 or e-mail at shemingway@bfp.burlingtonfreepress.com. Candidatefundraising 2007 Presidential fundraising in Vermont:

DEMOCRATS

Barack Obama $400,904 / Hillary Clinton $47,450 / John Edwards*$33,239 Bill Richardson*$25,770 / Chris Dodd*$8,605 / Dennis Kucinich*$5,073 Mike Gravel*$1,175 / Joe Biden*$1,250

REPUBLICANS

Rudy Giuliani*$54,400 / Mitt Romney $49,709 / John McCain $47,450 Ron Paul $21,478 / Mike Huckabee $5,000 / Fred Thompson*$2,500 Tom Tancredo*$1,700 / Sam Brownback*$1,600 * -- Dropped out of race Source: Federal Election Commission reports.

OBAMA IS WINNING VT OVER...

DOES THIS COME AS A SHOCK TO ANYONE?

WRUV FM Burlington

2008-01-27T09:36:00.000-05:00

If there is anyone out there interested in learning how to become an on-air DJ, now is the time. WRUV is one of the only UVM clubs that is open to the community, and there are three training sessions per year.

All that is required is a 3-4 week commitment to training, a remedial test to ensure your knowledge of the station manual and equipment, a 'demo' tape of yourself doing a mock show, followed by a 3-4 week live show during the graveyard shift.

There is no payment. WRUV is a volunteer/student run club that benefits many people in different ways.

Students sometimes receive course credit, work study credit, or simply extracurricular and radio broadcasting experience.

Non students may also benefit from the radio broadcasting experience, exposure to Vermont's biggest music library, and some positive contact with the UVM community.

And of course, listeners benefit from a diverse music and broadcasting experience, an alternative to the very homogeneous stuff being played from the beginning to the end of your radio dial.

YOU can contribute significantly to the cultural competency of the community that you live in.

The next training session is next Saturday, February 2nd, 2008 @ 6pm Sharp!
Location: UVM Davis Center, 2nd floor in the Mansfield room.
Any questions, try 802 656 4399.

MLK

2008-01-21T13:14:00.000-05:00

Martin would have wanted a Malcolm X Day.

No excuse for racism

2008-01-13T13:30:00.000-05:00

Here are some quotes from a Republican (Libertarian) candidate for the presidency, Ron Paul. He has a loyal following, many of whom can be found on Church St. in decent weather, and they can be quite convincing. But Dr. Paul has said some amazingly brazen remarks concerning race. Here's some of his 'official' take on racism put out by his camp in what looks like a response to the fact that many are pretty sure that Ron Paul is racist.

"Racism is simply an ugly form of collectivism, the mindset that views humans only as members of groups and never as individuals. Racists believe that all individuals who share superficial physical characteristics are alike; as collectivists, racists think only in terms of groups. By encouraging Americans to adopt a group mentality, the advocates of so-called "diversity" actually perpetuate racism. Their intense focus on race is inherently racist, because it views individuals only as members of racial groups." (quoted from Ron Paul's "What Really Divides Us?" posted at http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul68.html)

Now, I have a few issues with this. First of all, racism could be simply an ugly form of collectivism if we all lived in the nongovernmental bubble of wild wild west Ron Paul is hoping for. But,right or wrong, we don't. Racism could be "simply" whatever if it didn't have an historical background and systemically oppressive existence. Acknowledging that there are groups have been long effected by racism or coming together to try and change that is not racist. That's smart.

The other issue I take with that quote is from looking at the remarks he's trying to save face from in the first place.

(These are taken from a political blog at http://prorev.com/2008/01/recovered-history-ron-pauls-past-contd.html. I am borrowing these quotes from their blog because many of Ron Paul's remarks that were quoted in various sources are all posted in one place there)

From the Dallas Morning News:
Dr. Ron Paul, a Republican congressional candidate from Texas, wrote in his political newsletter in 1992 that 95 percent of the black men in Washington, D.C., are 'semi-criminal or entirely criminal.'"

He also wrote that black teenagers can be 'unbelievably fleet of foot.'"

Dr. Paul, who is running in Texas' 14th Congressional District, defended his writings in an interview Tuesday. He said they were being taken out of context.

"It's typical political demagoguery," he said. "If people are interested in my character ... come and talk to my neighbors." [...]

According to a Dallas Morning News review of documents circulating among Texas Democrats, Dr. Paul wrote in a 1992 issue of the Ron Paul Political Report: "If you have ever been robbed by a black teenaged male, you know how unbelievably fleet of foot they can be."[...]

Dr. Paul denied suggestions that he was a racist and said he was not evoking stereotypes when he wrote the columns. He said they should be read and quoted in their entirety to avoid misrepresentation. . .

"If someone challenges your character and takes the interpretation of the NAACP as proof of a man's character, what kind of a world do you live in?" Dr. Paul asked.

In the interview, he did not deny he made the statement about the swiftness of black men.

"If you try to catch someone that has stolen a purse from you, there is no chance to catch them," Dr. Paul said.

Now, does this sound like a man who ensures he does not lump all black men together? It's collectivist dribble if it's in defense of black equality but it's ok to say that when a black man steals a purse from you you'll never catch that negro, they always run real fast and get away?

From the Houston Chronicle:
"Paul also wrote that although "we are constantly told that it is evil to be afraid of black men, it is hardly irrational.

Black men commit murders, rapes, robberies, muggings and burglaries all out of proportion to their numbers."

OK. It was the 90's. Maybe even accounting for the inequality in police pursuit of white males who commit these same crimes, maybe even accounting for the fact that this was a time when often 'it was a black guy' was shouted out even when the victim couldn't see their attacker at all, maybe even accounting for the surge of convictions now being overturned by DNA evidence, maybe it is possible that in '96 crime rates were disproportionately high among black men. But "it's hardly irrational" to be afraid of black men? You are a RACIST. I'm not afraid of getting sliced into little pieces and eaten in a stew every time I'M on a dark street with a white man, because, FOR SURE, white men are disproportionately cannibalist serial killers over black men.

From that same Houston Chronicle:

"We don't think a child of 13 should be held responsible as a man of 23. That's true for most people, but black males age 13 who have been raised on the streets and who have joined criminal gangs are as big, strong, tough, scary and culpable as any adult and should be treated as such."

So black males who have the nerve to grow large or be affected by their environment, even if they are children, are as culpable as an adult? Big, strong, touch, scary? Ok. Yes, a 13 year old could be equally as intimidating as an adult. But culpable? A 13 year old is as deserving of blame as an adult? Anyone with a basic understanding of child development knows that's ludicrous. A 13 year old in Western society is NOT an adult.

Often this man's comments are, like so many unbelievable quotes, defended as taken out of context. Ron Paul's camp is unendingly whining that his quotes are misrepresenting because they're out of context.

But, how often do we hear this "out of context" excuse made by, sorry, but, usually white folks, about other white folks' racist remarks? It doesn't matter what on God's green earth he was responding to or what else was said around those quotes- unless he was quoting someone he believes is an absurd caveman who needs to go back to grunting so we can't understand the bullshit they just spewed, then he is an ignorant racist. On the blog these quotes are from, the response was overwhelmingly that this guy is being persecuted for speaking the truth! Some find his racism unimportant in the light of his other beliefs, but being able to overlook a person's racism because of other shared philosophies is exactly why some folks respond by hating whitey. This country has a long history of violent and systemic oppression of black people. Sensitivity to this fact and the intention to shed light on it so it can be changed has to come BEFORE everyone walks around pretending it's all gone. You can't just go around feeling like everyone's colorblind and that will solve the problem. When jerks like this still have a snowball's chance in hell of making it to the presidential race, Obama or no Obama, we've got a long way to go.

Get Ahead Of The Game This Tax Season

2008-01-09T20:27:00.000-05:00

Become an IRS-Certified Tax Preparer

Make a difference! Learn valuable skills! Help bring money back into your community!

We're looking for volunteer tax preparers, intake specialists and greeters. Free Tax Preparation Sites in Burlington and Winooski serve low- to moderate-income Vermonters in an effort to bring the EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) and other tax credits back into the pockets of families and individuals who are entitled to them, and to connect them to opportunities to build their financial assets.

No experience necessary! People skills and basic computer knowledge are all you need. On-site supervision provided. Free Training can be completed through a variety of methods:

* On the Web
* Attending a Class (Weekday, Weeknight & Weekend Options)
* Self-Study

Tax sites run from January-April 2008. Time commitments can vary to suit your schedule. Contact Robyn Bahar at 655-6688, Ext. 4712 or rbahar@caseyfamilyservices.org for more information.

Remember Rhynell

2007-12-27T19:34:00.000-05:00

Remember Rhynell Lewis (courtesy of the Burlington Free Press)

Sunday, April 9th, 2006 about one-third of the front page of the Burlington Free Press reports – “Man shot on a dare, police say”, “Burlington man killed after argument over who was best fighter, officials say”

Tuesday, April 11th, 2006 – Sklyar Andres Ortiz-Underhill is charged with first-degree murder.

The Police Report

Underhill and his girlfriend of one week, Danielle Gonyeau, 19, had been staying at 86C LaFountain St. with tenant 27-year-old Kurtis Jones. Two other, including Lewis, came over Friday night to hang out, talk and drink.
Underhill has a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol, which he called his “baby” and carried it often. While drinking vodka and orange juice, Underhill and the other guest, Jesse Terry, 34, talked about the weapon and the right of people to carry firearms.
Later, Lewis and Underhill began to debate who was the better fighter. The men started sparring in the living room, and Underhill told Lewis not to hit him in the chest because he had broken ribs. Lewis struck Underhill several times in the chest, and the younger mean fell backward onto a mattress.
As Underhill stood up, Lewis told him, “Shoot me and I will cut your throat.” “Cut my throat?” Underhill replied. A gunshot rang out. The bullet struck Lewis square in the chest, and he fell.
Underhill told Gonyeau to gather her belongings so they could flee. She stepped over Lewis, who was lying on the floor and sounded as though he were choking on phlegm. Jones called 911.
A police officer on his way to the apartment encountered a man and woman who fit the description of Underhill and Gonyeau about a block from the scene. The officer drew his sidearm and ordered Underhill to raise his hands. Underhill fell to his knees and dropped the weapon, which he was still cluthing in his left hand. The magazine wasn’t in the gun, but police later found it on Spring Street following an anonymous tip.
The suspect refused to identify himself and made no statements to the police. Gonyeau agreed to a police interview and gave her account of the night’s events. She is not facing charges.

Underhill was freed on $150,000 bail.

Thursday, April 13, 2006 – Shooting victim grieved, Lewis struggled in life, but sisters recall kindness. Victim: Lewis remembered fondly.

Hours before Rhynell Lewis shot and killed Friday, he bought a bus ticket from Burlington to his hometown of Petersburg, Virginia. “He was going to surprise us on my mother’s birthday”, said Veronica Lewis one of Ryhnell’s sisters. “My brother was a very loving person”.

The next day, when the Lewis family matriarch turned 56, she learned that her son was dead. Now she’s holding on to that bus ticket as a reminder of her son’s love. “I told her, ‘keep the ticket, frame it, because your son wanted to come and see you,’” said Matt Young, a community-outreach worker for Burlington’s Howard Center for Human Services. “She said, ‘that’s a blessing.’”

Rhynell Lewis 36, whom friends in Vermont called “Skip”, died after a 45-caliber bullet tore through his heart when a dispute over who was a better fighter escalated into a shooting inside a LaFountain Street apartment, according to police accounts.

A 19-year-old acquaintance, Skylar Andres Ortiz Underhill, is charged with first-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty and is due back in court Friday for a hearing about whether a judge should set bail.

Two of Lewis’ 11 siblings traveled to Vermont this week to meet with police, visit the Archibald Street apartment where Lewis lived and tried to understand the circumstances that conspired to take their brother away from the family just when he should have been coming home. “He was a sweet person, and he had a heart of gold,” said Felicia Gholson, 37, of Chester, Virginia, Lewis’ older sister. “We were best friends as well as brother and sister.”

New, difficult life
The family hails from Petersburg, a city of 31,000 just south of the state capital, Richmond. Lewis’s parents had seven children together, of which Lewis was the fourth, and separately had five other children, said Veronica Lewis, 35, who lives near Atlanta.

Rhynell Lewis moved to Burlington about six years ago. Gholson said her brother came for a visit and wound up staying. A father of five, Lewis arrived in Vermont without his three daughters and two sons, who live with their mother in Virginia. The children are now 14, 13, 11, 7, and 6, Veronica Lewis said. Young said Lewis wanted to start a new life here, but he found it a challenge.

Confidentiality requirements prohibit Young from disclosing how he and Lewis met. Young’s street outreach involves helping people with mental health problems. Lewis has battled metal health illness during much of his time in Vermont, according to papers on file in Vermont District Court in Burlington, where Lewis has a criminal record that dates to march 2001.

State and independent psychiatrist determined Lewis was mentally competent to stand trial and sane at the time of several offenses from 2002 to 2005, including allegations of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Nine of the 12 charges Lewis has faced were dismissed. The exceptions were a 2001 simple-assault case, in which he pleaded no contest, and two instances of resisting arrest, in which he either pleaded or was found guilty. He spent little time in prison. Lewis’ sentences included probation, community service, and mental health treatment, according to court papers.

For a to time, Veronica Lewis said, her brother worked as a barber at Diversity Hair & Nails in Burlington, but a judge in spring 2001 ordered Lewis to stay away from the solon.

Young said he and Lewis respected each other. “I’ll remember him as an intelligent, complicated individual,” he said. He went with Lewis last week to buy the bus ticket. Young purchased a round trip fare for Lewis, he said, but he wasn’t sure if Lewis planned to return.

‘A hurting feeling’
The lead investigator into Lewis’ slaying, Burlington police Detective Cpl. Ray Nails said Wednesday that police knew Lewis but, despite his problems, he was regarded positively. “He was a very well-liked, respected guy in the street community,” Nails said.
“He was nice. He was respectful. People are outraged he was killed so senselessly.”

Gholson, who described herself as her brother’s “protector” while they were growing up, said the family is struggling to cope with the slaying. “This is a hurting feeling,” she said. “It’s indescribable.” “My brother’s a very loving person,” Veronica Lewis added. “He’s my favorite brother.”

Rhynell Lewis will be buried Saturday in his hometown, on what would have been his 37th birthday.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007 – Murder testimony conflicts

Three bystanders a.k.a. witnesses testify (on Tuesday) that the suspect used excessive force in the shooting incident. “To me, there was nothing to be afraid of,” said Underhill’s former girlfriend Danielle Gonyeau, 21, who was in the LaFountain Street apartment when Rhynell Lewis was shot and killed. “It didn’t sound like Rhynell was going after Skylar. It just sounded like somebody under the influence getting loud.”

Speaking to the police shortly after the shooting, Terry said the dispute seemed ordinary, and no one thought anything would come of it until Underhill drew the weapon from a pants pocket. “He just walked up and popped him,” Terry said in his recorded statement, which was played in court. “That’s wrong. That’s murder.”

Friday, December 14, 2007 – Murder suspect found not guilty

Underhill’s testimony began on Thursday, December 15 and continued into Friday. Underhill testified that he, his girlfriend and another friend were with Kurtis Jones in Jones’ apartment on LaFoutain Street on the night the shooting took place. He said he and the two men were drinking vodka, and that drinking continued with Lewis, 36, after Lewis arrived around 10:30 pm. They also smoked “a joint,” he said. He said that what began as banter between him and Lewis about sparring escalated when Lewis said he wanted to fight. Underhill said Lewis struck him in the chest, then threatened more than once, screaming, to cut his throat. Underhill said that he believed Lewis was getting a knife when Lewis reached toward a back pocket. Underhill pulled out a handgun he had been carrying in his own pants pocket, he testified, and said Lewis told him that if he didn’t shoot him, Lewis would cut his throat. When Lewis suddenly moved toward him, Underhill testified, he fired the gun; Lewis stepped back; and Underhill fled the apartment. Underhill said he didn’t intend to kill Lewis but that he meant to prevent Lewis from killing him. Underhill under cross-examination by Kelly, said he never saw a weapon in Lewis’ hand and that Lewis never touched him after the initial blow to the chest. Underhill said that he was angry after Lewis punched him and frightened by what he said was a repeated threat that his throat would be cut. After the shooting, he said, he ran outside and later threw the magazine away. “Did you mean to kill Rhynell?” Sherrer asked him. “No,” he replied. Sherrer asked him how he felt about what happened. “I feel terrible” Underhill said.

Happy James Brown Day

2007-12-23T12:12:00.000-05:00

For those of you who might feel a bit estranged around this time of year, you are not alone. Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanza, are all great opportunities for us to share and reconnect with each other. But for me, these times have never gotten much deeper than eating and gift giving/receiving.

This year, tis' the season for me to search for a deeper meaning of all the holiday cheer. After I get it in real tough with my family, I plan to spend some time celebrating the life and work of James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 - December 25 2006). "Mr. Brown was a pivotal force in the evolution of gospel and rhythm & blues, into soul and funk. He left his mark on numerous other musical genres, including rock, jazz, disco, dance, and electronic music, raggae and hip hop. Mr. Brown's music also left it's mark on the rhythms of African popular music, such as afrobeat, juju and mbalax, and provided a template for go-go music."

The Godfather basically created 'the one', that first sound you hear that begins almost every song. Before him it was ragtime.

I have recently come to learn more about Mr. Brown's presence as an activist. "In 1966 he released the single "don't be a drop out" as a lesson to young students who had thought's of dropping out. He later made public speeches in front of dozens of children and advocated the importance of education."

A true leader in his own right, Mr. Brown was also responsible for discouraging an angry crowd from resorting to violence shortly after the the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

James Brown offered us so much more than something to shake our assess to. He is the genius behind, "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud" (1968), "I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing (Open Up The Door, I'll Get It Myself)" (1969), "Get Up, Get into it, Get Involved" (1971), "Talking Loud and Saying Nothing" (1972), "King Heroin" (1974), "Funky President (People it's Bad)" (1974) and "Reality" (1975) - all blatant reminders of our undesirable social situation in the U.S. and some of the challenges that lie ahead.

There have been many spoofs alluding to idea that no one could understand what Mr. Brown was saying between grunts, but I feel and understand his every message. A theory that I have been forming in my own head, is that people were not 'ready' to heed and actually carry out the call for action in his lyrics.

Please, please, please, listen to James Brown very carefully. He is trying to tell us something very important. And from my family to yours, have a Happy James Brown Day.

Cheers,

I. Culcleasure

Support AALV

2007-12-06T17:53:00.000-05:00

Photo Exhibition Sponsored by the Association of Africans Living inVermont:

We are pleased to announce a special Human Rights Day (December 10th)photo-ethnography exhibition of African refugees living in Vermont .The event, sponsored by the Association of Africans Living in Vermont ,AALVInterpret, and GEM Cleaning Service, will feature images and storiesof Vermont 's African community captured this past summer byphotographer, Ned Castle of Charlotte .When: Next Monday, December 10th, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.Where: Firehouse Center for the Visual Arts, Second Level135 Church StreetBurlington , VermontPrice: a donation of $20 is suggested but not required. Proceeds willbenefit the AALV.

Borrowed words of wisdom

2007-12-01T22:50:00.000-05:00

"The real revolution is always concerned with the least glamorous stuff. With raising a reading level from second grade to third. With simplifying history and writing it down (or reciting it) for the old folks. With helping illiterates fill out food-stamp forms-- for they must eat, revolution or not. The dull, frustrating work with our people is the work of the black revolutionary artist. It means, most of all, staying close enough to them to be there whenever they need you."--"Duties of the Black Revolutionary Artist" by Alice Walker (From the book Searching For Our Mother's Gardens)

I love how she focuses on this in the context of defining what 'Black Revolutionary Artist' means. Lately I've been meditating on this in my daily life. Change comes from the true nitty-gritty, grassroots work that we do to support our communities and lift people up. Community blogs like these are the everyday steps that lead to big changes. This can be a way for the black community in Burlington to ensure that we are "staying close enough" to ourselves to be there when needed. As this town diversifies, I feel this growing yearning for some form of relevant media and a sense that there are tools for community building within reach. I hope everyone enjoys the quote, it helps me to remember that often it is the small things we do that empower people and make a lasting effect.