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Black Men Young And Old See A New Day In America With The Election of Obama

On a personal note, my teenager asked me if I thought Obama's Presidency would really change the downward spiral so many Black people in America seem to be heading in socially and economically, especially young Black men. When she asked me this question, I was immediately reminded of a proverb:

                          “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. [Proverbs 23:7]”

 

If nothing else, young Black boys guided by Black men  can now believe we can and must be in control of ourselves,  our children ,our communities and our future. This is what 100 Black Men Of America has to say about the Obama election.

This is a very insiteful editorial below that appeared in a recent USA Today by Attorney Yolanda Young about what Obama's election means to her brother.

A Worthy Role Model for Black Men

 Commentary By Yolanda Young 

As I watched Barack Obama take the oath of office, I, like other African Americans, understood that he is not just "our" president. I am keenly aware, however, that while his election has inspired millions, it has also sparked a paradigm shift in the psyche of black men like my brother. To be sure, the two men have little in common.

Obama distinguished himself in college and law school, stuck with his wife and children through rough patches and developed a style befitting someone in his profession. My brother dropped out of college, fathered three children with three women and grew accustomed to wearing the oversized hip-hop T-shirts he sold from the back of his truck. Obama is disciplined. My brother has consistently demonstrated he has no follow-through. That is, until recently.

For the first time in his life, my brother voted. Aside from the general apathy that keeps many from voting, my brother had the added barrier of being a former convict. Laws regarding a felon's ability to vote vary from state to state, so to even attempt registering, my brother overcame what are enormous fears for black men — being rejected and embarrassed.

Up to the day of the election, there was suspense — would my brother have the patience to stand in a long line? But at 6 a.m. on Nov. 4, he joined millions of others in heading to the polls. A preliminary analysis by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies found that the percentage of African Americans who voted appears to have smashed records and surpassed white turnout in a U.S. presidential election for the first time.

For too long, black male role models have consisted of rappers, athletes and neighborhood thugs peddling aspirations that are at best unrealistic, at worse pathological. Finally, the most popular black man in the U.S. can move blacks — and black men in particular — to action in positive and realistic ways.

Smelling the cigarette smoke on my brother's hands as he placed his newborn daughter in my lap, I decided to test the theory. I said to my brother, "You know Obama seems to be having a difficult time giving up cigarettes. If he asked brothers to kick the habit with him, would you?" My brother thought for a few seconds, then said in all earnestness, "You know what? I'd try." Those sound like simple words, but as the president would likely tell you, nothing is simple for a black man. Yolanda

Young is the founder of www.onbeingablacklawyer.com.

KKK White Supremacist, After Obama Election, Asks John Lewis For Forgiveness

Over 40% of white Americans voted for Barack Obama. We may now be seeing the kind of change Dr. King talked about from the mountain top. As you read below, the election of Barack Obama may even be changing the hearts of some of those who did not vote for him solely on his race.

 

48 Years Ago, He Attacked Future Rep. John Lewis; Now the Two Hug By CLAIRE SHIPMAN, CINDY SMITH and LEE FERRAN Feb. 6, 2009 —

Nearly half a century ago, in a very different America, Elwin Wilson and John Lewis met under a veil of violence and race-inspired hate. Wilson, a young, white, Southern man, attacked Lewis, a freedom rider for Martin Luther King, in the "white" waiting room of a South Carolina bus station.

The men had not seen each other again until Tuesday when, with "Good Morning America's" help, Wilson approached Lewis again -- this time offering an apology and a chance to relieve a burden he'd carried for more than four decades. "I'm so sorry about what happened back then," Wilson said breathlessly.

"It's OK. I forgive you," Lewis responded before a long-awaited hug. For Lewis, who in the intervening years became a U.S. representative from Georgia, the apology was an unexpected symbol of the change in time and hearts.

"I never thought this would happen," he told "GMA." "It says something about the power of love, of grace, the power of the people being able to say, 'I'm sorry,' and move on. And I deeply appreciate it. It's very meaningful for me." For both, that particular point in their past is a painful memory.

"[I remember] going directly to the Greyhound bus station," Lewis said. "We tried to enter a so-called 'white' waiting room and the moment we started through the door, a group of young men attacked us." Wilson was in the group, but said he "did more than help." He said he was the main attacker. The outburst, Wilson said, was just part of a life of hate he led for years.

"I had a black baby doll in this house, and I had a little rope, and I tied it to a limb and let it hang here," he said. In a diner, with a look of glee on his face, he threw eggs at black men who tried to enter.

"I tried to block it out of my mind. It kept coming back," he said. Wilson's son, Christopher, said recalling life with his father brought back his own painful memories. "He was a really hard person to deal with growing up," Christopher said through tears. "He embarrassed me in restaurants and stuff. I always tell him, 'We are all the same.'" But now, Christopher said he is "really proud."

The change, one Wilson said was a long time coming, was sparked by Barack Obama's presidential victory. "I like Barack Obama," he said. "I didn't vote for him, but I'm glad he's there, and I've prayed for him." Since then, Wilson has been on his own freedom march in search of forgiveness.

He went back to the diner where he threw eggs. He went all around town, apologizing to anyone he may have wronged. Pretty soon, he found out that one of the men he wanted to apologize to was a U.S. representative. "I think it's a day of history," Wilson said when he met Lewis. "I want to love people regardless of what color."

"For you to come here today, it's amazing to me," Lewis said. "It's unreal. It's unbelievable. Maybe, just maybe, others will come forward because there needs to be this healing." "Good to see you, my friend. Good to see you," Lewis added. Copyright © 2009 ABC News Internet Ventures

Millions Of The World's Children Go Hungry Every Day

In the midst of the controversy surrounding Salma Hayek's actions, is the underlying message she sends by her act of humanity "We are our brother's keeper."

While being filmed by a "Nightline" camera crew on a recent humanitarian mission in Sierra Leone actress Salma Hayek came across the starving baby of a woman unable to breast-feed.

Sierra Leone Civil War Is Causing Starvation

Hundreds of people are starving to death as thousands are fleeing a civil war in the south, officials and refugees said today. Many refugees come from Bo and Kenema, where ambushes by the Revolutionary United Front have cut off food supplies. "Life in Bo is very difficult," said Sam Morie, a refugee. "Three months ago there were eight of us in the family. Two of our daughters died of starvation a month ago and my brother died of cholera two weeks ago."

The rebels, who took up arms in 1991, brought their campaign near Freetown, the capital, in May. The army has taken the initiative in the fighting in the past two months and the rebels have responded by increasing ambushes. The war has devastated the economy as the rebels have closed diamond and bauxite mines. The military Government offered a truce and elections early next year but the rebels rejected the offer.

The Black Candle- Knowing Black History & Living Daily By The Kwanzaa Principles

I and my family, for Black History Month, recently attended the Black Film Festival to see a movie called "The Black Candle." Following this profound movie, I apologized to them for not elevating the celebration of Kwanzaa and it principles as the guiding force in our family's lives. Our previous observances have been half hearted. But no more. I firmly believe this film should be required viewing.

This movie holds a mirror up to ourselves and why, as a people globally, we seem to be disconnected from one another,  and why so many of our children and our men aren't living up to our full potential as strong leaders of our families and communities. The Black Candle also shows us the path out of the major obstacles we face.  As President Obama says, we are the ones we have been waiting for. The most profound figure shared in the movie: Black Americans spend $800 billion annually and less than 3% of this with Black owned businesses.  Jews, Koreans and other minorities will go out of their way to spend with their own and make no apologies about it. We must change this pattern of economic self distruction for the sake of our children. 

You won't find this movie appearing in the major theaters because white theatre owners say that Black people don't want to see Black movies of historical consequence.  In the 30's and 40's Black made films were shown in Black owned theatres.  What if today's big Black mega churches offered "Black Family Movie Night" twice a month as a distribution outlet for Black films. And what if movie tickets were sold at the going rate, with ticket revenue shared between the churches and the film makers, allowing them to create more movies and hire more Black actors who can't find work.

Narrated by Maya Angelou and directed by M.K. Asante, Jr., The Black Candle is a landmark, vibrant documentary that uses Kwanzaa as a vehicle to explore and celebrate the African-American experience.

Listen to M.K. Asante Jr. The Creator of The Black Candle And See Movie Excerpts:

Who Created Kwanzaa And Why? As an African American and Pan-African holiday celebrated by millions throughout the world African community, Kwanzaa brings a cultural message which speaks to the best of what it means to be African.

If You haven't seen the movie yet, I urge you to Buy it online and come back and share your thoughts.

First Lady Hosts Black History Month Celebration...Who Would Have Thought?

 Wh0 would believed that one year ago , this would be today's headline. As the saying goes,  'God Is Good." For the first time, in years of Black History Month celebrations we see a First Lady hosting and publicly acknowledging Black History Month at the White House.

For all children and black children in particular, it is important that they have a positive image of themselves and and their history. To hear Mrs. Obama say "This White House that you're in now was built by slaves and now America's president and the First Lady and our children live in this house," makes you pinch yourself in disbelief.  As American's of all nationalities, it is important that our children know the major contributions we all had in the building of America. It is through this shared historical knowledge comes mutual respect and understanding.

The First Lady Believes All Child Should Have An Equal Opportunity. 

Speaking of opportunity. We will see Mrs. Obama on the cover of next month's Vogue. Only the second time in this magazines history has a First Lady appeard on the cover. She truely personifies Black Is Beautiful. Hopefully this will pave the way for black models and designers to finally showcase their talent.

Especially since African American's spend over $45 billion on clothing annually.

Black Actors in Hollywood Love Scenes: No Need to Apply

As I sat and watched the Academy Awards last night, I saw a few more Black actors and actresses than usual, thanks to the Obama effect. But we still are very scarce as writers, producers and others involved in the movie creative process. While many of the Hollywood elite were major contributors and supporters of the kind of radical change for America that Obama symbolizes, it's obvious by Hollywoods continued lack of diversity, they want that change to happen everywhere else but in their own backyard.

Spike Lee recently spoke about how difficult it is for him to get financing for a Black film of substance, but if he's willing to do one about drugs, crime or prositution in the hood, no problem. Hispanics also have just as much to complain about. Together we represent over 40% of the movie going audience,  yet combined our employment numbers in the movie industry are very small.

I heard Steven Spielberg, in a recent speech at the Golden Globe Awards, thank his mentors for his success. And he said to his mostly white audience, "We all had mentors in this business who opened doors for us."  Few minorities in Hollywood, mean few mentors, means few open doors, opportunity and training in front of or behind the camera.

Indians did have a strong presence this year from the Oscar Award of Slum Dog Millionaire.  After seeing it, I agree it is a good movie, but I wonder if Indian owned Reliance Industry's $600 million investment in Spielberg's Dreamwords isn't a quid pro quo. I'm sure we will see many more Bollywood films and their supporting cast coming to America.

I came across this interesting fact while listening to a PBS interview about no Black and minority love scenes in Hollywood: Listen To The PBS Interview. The written text is below.

If you go to IMDB.com, the Internet Movie Data Base, you'll find a disturbing statistical blip. Of the roughly 350 films that have earned more than $100 million, about 50 of them have love scenes. You know the drill: Boy kisses girl, they sink together onto a bed, more kissing and touching, fade to black.

From PG through R, from Bond through Basic Instinct, you'll find such scenes in about 15 percent of the most popular films ever made. And every single one features a white guy.

If you scan the same list for American films with non-white leads (again, there are about 50), you'll find love scenes in zero percent. That's right, zero. No blacks. No Latinos. No Asians. Hollywood makes such films; you can find them further down on the list. But America won't watch them.

About 15 years ago, I sat in a movie theater in Westwood, Calif., watching the trailer for the new Spike Lee movie Mo Better Blues. A slow, sensuous love scene began between Denzel Washington and a black woman.

Instead of watching the screen, I turned around and examined the audience. All of the other moviegoers were white, and I saw something fascinating: All of the women in the theater leaned forward, toward the screen. All of the men pressed away, back in their seats as if utterly repulsed.

In the late 1970s, I saw a science-fiction movie called Damnation Alley. In it, George Peppard, Jan-Michael Vincent and Paul Winfield travel across an atomic wasteland in a nuclear-powered Winnebago.

They approach the ruins of a shattered city, and out walks the last woman in the world. And she's white. I leaned across to my buddy and said, "They're going to kill Paul Winfield."

Startled, he asked, "Why would you say that?"

"She's the last woman in the world," I replied. "They're not going to pretend he's not interested, and they're not going to let him compete for her. All they can do is kill him.”

My friend looked at me with pity. "You are too young to be so cynical," he said.

Five minutes later, Winfield got eaten by giant cockroaches.

I'm convinced that the problem is not just "Hollywood executives." They're no better or worse than the rest of us. They simply try to keep track of what the audience wants and rejects, as measured by box office receipts.

And I don't believe there's something especially twisted or limited about the white majority. I think this little statistical blip has to do with human perception itself -- and most specifically, male territorial behavior.

When confronted with this statistic, some people ask why I don't count movies such as Will Smith's delightful Hitch. Simple: There are no love scenes. Hugs and kisses don't make babies. I suspect that it's the depiction of specific reproductive behavior, even at a genteel When Harry Met Sally level, that triggers the most powerful negative response, especially in male alpha-warrior types.

Whose antipathy, by the way, doesn't necessarily extend to the females of said out-group. After all, America loves watching Halle Berry or Lucy Liu get busy -- as long as it's with Pierce Brosnan, Billy Bob Thornton or Josh Hartnett. You won't see Denzel Washington or Jackie Chan dropping trou onscreen anytime soon.

The only Latino to crack the coveted $100-million mark, Antonio Banderas, did it in a family film, Spy Kids 2.

Unless you're white, you aren't doing the nasty: Not with a black woman, not with an Asian women, not with anyone -- unless you want your movie to bomb.

Once upon a time, non-white males had a hard time surviving action movies. Now, they can survive and even succeed, as long as they stay clothed. Brad Pitt can have saucy love scenes with Angelina Jolie and still earn almost $200 million.

But when they remake Shaft for a wide audience, poor "sex machine" Sam Jackson gets only one kiss in the entire film, upright and clothed. Of course, that's better than Morgan Freeman, who has had only one screen kiss in his entire career.

But I suppose I should be grateful, should consider the black male's cinematic promotion from corpse to eunuch to represent progress. In the long run, some say, the passage of time, and the cultural and genetic intermingling of the American melting pot are more likely to cure these ills than any amount of activism or finger-pointing.

It is difficult for us to change our basic natures, or the social programming established in childhood -- especially if one was born before the civil rights movements of the 1950s and '60s.

I can live with that. In fact, my guess is that this issue will have resolved itself by the time, say, 75 percent of the white males born before 1950 have gone to that great multiplex in the sky.

And personally? I think it's worth the wait.

Steven Barnes is a science-fiction novelist, screenwriter and blogger based in Covina, Calif. His 20th novel, Great Sky Woman, is published by Random House/One World.

Are there biases within Hollywood pertaining to blacks, particularly color biases? Part 1 of 2

Are there biases within Hollywood pertaining to blacks, particularly  color biases? Actress Nia Long gives her take.   

Part 2 of 2