"Call it a Crisis of leadership."
Proposition Joe Stewart

Part 2: Rapes, apologies, and Black Leaders.

Okay we've moved past Don Imus and now it is time for black America to do something that Imus was forced/coerced into doing; apologizing. Many black folks aren't good with the words "I'm sorry." Hell, Americans as a whole don't say the words very easy. There's usually a lot of pining and hard swallowing involved. This black man is included in the above assessment. I don't know why we can't admit we are wrong from time to time but it takes some effort. (I know many of y'all are sitting there thinking, "White people don't do it either." My response to that is this: You are most certainly right but as many older people I know say from time to time "I ain't studying them right now!" This is about us and only us.)
So who get's this apology from Black America? Three white boys who were accused of sexually assaulting the "Ahem" exotic dancer at Duke University last spring that's who. It didn't take much for us to convict the three. (No I don't know their names. It isn't important.) As soon as the collective whole of Black America heard the news stories detailing the "crime" we all had flash backs of the numerous white on black rapes that have occurred throughout our stay in the Diaspora. (I like that word.) From that moment on the three rich, white, and Duke educated men were guilty in the eyes of most blacks (Except for Gina Jones, who called a the "ahem" exotic dancers bluff from the jump. Nice call Rae Dawn.)
So this is what I propose: The Jesse Jackson's and Al Sharpton's of the world, the same people who wanted Imus to recant must in fact do the same to the three Duke Lacrosse players. The three men were set up to be railroaded and dragged off to the gallows as soon as the vultures at every random 24-hour news station broke the story. The alleged victim was looking for a come-up, an over zealous D.A. was looking for black votes, and because of this three men were about to f'd over big time. You may be thinking that we don't owe the white boys shit. Well imagine that the rolls were reversed as the have been so many times in the past. If this were Durham in the 1950's and the men brothers we'd be in the streets filled with outrage. I'm not the most religious man you'll find but doing what's right is an important belief that I do have.
Every time an issue such as Imus and the Rape Scandal at Duke arise one thing can be guaranteed: Rev. Al or Jesse Jackson will chime in on behalf of black folks. Like Proposition Joe told Stringer Bell on The Wire "We have a problem. Call it a crisis of leadership." On the national level I feel that we are more often than not represented by reactionary glory hogs who seem to only show up when their is a large problem that will garner media attention. Their solutions to ME only put band-aids where stitches should be. I've discussed MY issues about the men who are "Nominated?" to be our national representation before and they haven't change. I think if we continue to respond only when the "Reverends with talk show types" tell us to respond we will continue to appear rudderless and I think we are much better than that. Frankly, I don't think the Reverend Al, Jesse Jackson, Stanley Crouch, Julius Caesar Watts and Russell Simmons aren't bad men. My mailman isn't either but I don't want him to be my voice to the world.

Part 3 coming soon.