richards' racist rant (epilogue)

Shortly after the Richard's meltdown, the folks at National Lampoon quickly put together the parody Seinfeld: The Lost Episode combining new footage with clips from the original show. Personally I found it hilarious. And some of the clips (especially with Kramer in "blackface") show that even well before the meltdown, the Seinfeld show left something to be desired when it comes to its racial politics.

Andy Dick -- The New "Kramer"?
Wayans Drops N-Bomb, Faces Fallout

Andy Dick was already near the top of my list of least favorite comedians but reading about him dropping n-bombs at LA's Improv certainly isn't helping. Damon Wayans has also attained the infamous distinction of being the first famous comedian to violate the Laugh Factory's n-word policy (resulting in a $320 fine and a 3 month ban).

While I'm glad that the Laugh Factory seems to be applying their policy equally to black and white comedians, I do think that on a social level, black and white usage of the n-term and similar comments can be viewed differently. The identity of the speaker is part of the context which can have a large impact on the significance of the word.

For example, what if both Marcus Garvey and the Grand Wizard of the Klan say to a Black person: "Go Back to Africa." The same four words, in one case they are an expression of solidarity, pride and achievement. In the other case they are an expression of exclusion, rejection and worthlessness.

I tend to think Michael Jackson jokes (about him being or becoming white) tend to have the same split. When a black comedian does such a joke, the subtext is often "Michael, we love you. Come back home." When a white comedian does it, the subtext is more likely "N------ please, who do you think you are?" The difference is all in the context.

Grenada's past:
richards' racist rant
richards' racist rant (part 2)

rebiya kadeer: the uighur dalai lama

In These Times: Rebiya Kadeer: The Uighur Dalai Lama
Amnesty International: Rebiya Kadeer, Prisoner of Conscience
Wikipedia: Rebiya Kadeer

Grenada: wild pigeon for another example of Uighur activism

black presidents (part two)

I'm still working on a blog entry about some of the past real-life Black presidential candidates, but in the meantime...

just today, NPR's All Things Considered did a report called Will American Voters Elect a Black President? which dealt with the idea of a Black president in general and Barack Obama specifically. The point which resonated the most with me is the idea that although there are clearly Black candidates who are qualified to be commander and chief and leader of the free world, the white electorate has a basic fear that a "black president" would seriously address and eliminate white privilege. And that is one deep and serious security blanket for a lot of folks. Like Chris Rock said: "there's not a white man in this room that would change places with me, none of you and I'm rich"

black presidents (part one)

there is something about mary (gabriel's message)

Gabriel's Message is a version of an old Basque Christmas Carol from A Very Special Christmas Album (released back in 1987). I remember seeing Sting perform this song on tv back in the day and at the time I found it hauntingly beautiful. I still kind of like it, especially since it doesn't raise any theological problems. If you don't believe me, just check out the recent Guadalupe post to see what Islam has to say about Mary. 

The angel Gabriel from heaven came
His wings as drifted snow
His eyes as flame
"All hail" said he "thou lowly maiden Mary
Most highly favored lady, " Gloria, Gloria

"For known a blessed mother thou shalt be
All generations laud and honor thee
Thy Son shall be Emanuel
By seers foretold
Most highly favored maid, " Gloria, Gloria

Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head
"To me be as it pleaseth God, " she said,
"My soul shall laud and magnify His holy name."
Most highly favored lady, Gloria, Gloria

it's beginning to look a lot like kwanzaa...

Last year, I wrote a whole series of posts on the seven principles of kwanzaa (the nguzo saba) and on the holiday as a whole. And in the course of doing that series, I started to look around and see that a lot of other Black bloggers were also reflecting on the principles daily and it occured to me that it might be productive/ deep/ interesting/ beneficial if there was a blogring/ carnival out there to bring together all the kwanzaa bloggers. At the moment, I'm honestly not certain of the best way to implement it so the main purpose of the current post is to encourage someone out there with more web knowledge and initiative to pick up the torch. What I have in mind is some sort of easy-to-join, easy-to-read, easy-to-link-to forum where bloggers can share their thoughts on the Nguzo Saba. It doesn't have to be some kind of cultural-nationalist-Karenga-fan-club (some of my posts were definitely critical of certain aspects of Karenga's ideology) but I would hope the participants would take the principles seriously and wrestle with their significance to our lives today.

Last year's Kwanzaa series:
kwanzaa
umoja
tawhid (umoja cont')
kujichagulia
ujima
ujima continued
ujamaa
julius nyerere and ujamaa
why i like it, why i don't
even a stopped clock
nia
kuumba
imani
kwanzaa gains momentum among caribbean blacks

lupe fiasco

Lupe is a devout Muslim, although he admits to not being a role model Muslim.

Lupe on Islam:

"Well, I was born Muslim, so Islam plays a part in my everything I do, to a certain extent. I'm not like the poster boy for Islam you know what I'm saying? So it's like I still got my flaws and stuff like that, so I don't really wear that on my sleeve. [But] I'm really with some underlying consciousness, no matter what it is that I can talk about -cocaine, or I can talk about carrying guns. I've been literally carrying guns since I was five, like four or five years old, simply because my father was in the military and he wanted to teach us how to shoot. I've been shooting AK's since I was as baby, you know? I don't like to glorify ignorance or nothing like that, but I know you need to – you can talk about it in certain aspects. You'll still get the people who don't listen unless you're talking about nonsense. Catch their ear, and then at the same time, teach them something, you know? It [also] plays on the extra curricular stuff that happens about, about being like a rapper and being in the music business like going to – all right, I don't go to clubs, I don't drink, I don't smoke, you know like my whole – the whole groupie situation is shut down."

Official Lupe Fiasco page
Lupe Fiasco on Myspace
Lupe Fiasco on Islam (with lyrics and music to "Muhammad Walks")
Wikipedia: Lupe Fiasco

return to guadalupe

I learned recently that today(December 12) is the feast day for Our Lady of Guadalupe so I thought it would be nice (and easy) to put together some past entries on the subject of the Virgin of Guadalupe specifically, and the theological significance of Mary in Islam generally.

islam in mexico - the spanish conquest
more thoughts from the guadalupe candle
the name guadalupe
the once and future goddess
the wise men
the son of mary
jesus and the virgin mary in islam
immaculate conception

Some of this (devotion to saints) (reminds me of the similarities between Orthodox/Catholic Christianity and what I would call orthodox/traditional Islam (use of tangible objects like rosaries/tasbihs or "talismans", richness and solemnity of ritual, an aesthetic sensibility) which I alluded to in the radical middle way.

another latino muslim blogger

I just found AHL AL HADITH - reviving the way of reason and revelation put together by Yusuf Ibn Yusuf Abu Al Hussein who seems to come from a Salafi perspective. Born in USA of Latin American descent. Graduated with a BA in Philosophy and in Sociology. Studied to be Catholic Priest for 2 and half years and then converted to Islam. Student of: Islamic American University, Michigan USA.

black presidents (part one)

It is amazing to me how powerful the very concept of a "Black President" is in terms of the varied ways it has been a frequent catalyst for the popular comedic, dramatical and political imagination.

At first, I was just looking around on YouTube and came across Richard Pryor doing a "Black President" sketch for his short-lived television series but very quickly many other examples sprang to mind.

Dave Chappelle: Black President Bush
Dave Chappelle: If Deep Impact kept it real (Dave as Morgan Freeman as the President)
Dave Chappelle: Wyclef's If I was President
Wyclef's Video: If I was President

In 1964, Irving Wallace published a novel called "The Man" about the first Black president of the United States. The book was later on made into a film with James Earl Jones as the lead. The screenplay was written by Rod Serling who is most famous as the creator of the Twilight Zone. (I'll try not to read too much into that). Of course the main character isn't actually elected as President. Instead he was elected to the Senate (and becomes President Pro Tempore) but after the first couple of people in the Presidential order of succession either die or become incapacitated he becomes the next person in line.

More recently we have also have Dennis Haysbert's portrayal of Black President, David Palmer on the popular series 24.

The last two examples are the most realistic and emphasize the complex set of challenges and obstacles which would face a Black man who fills "the most powerful office on the planet". The earlier examples are more imaginative than realistic and (with the exception of Black Bush) I would argue that the Black President idea is used as a vehicle to express a certain utopian vision.

An example which is both absolutely realistic and totally hilarious is the Onion piece: Zambia Elects Black President

Although strictly speaking, not on Black Presidents, there are also some poignant examples of criticizing the current president in terms of his policies towards the Black community among others:
Pink - Dear Mr. President
George Bush Don't Like Black People (Remix)

More later. In part two I'll want to bring in discussions of some of the real live candidates for the position of Black president: Barack Hussein Obama, Shirley Chisolm, Eldridge Cleaver, Lenora Fulani, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, et alia.

in the cards?

I got this from Sister Scorpion's post: You are the Female Mullah (not!) The questions didn't seem all that deep, but here is how I came out:

You are The Hierophant

Divine Wisdom. Manifestation. Explanation. Teaching.

The Hierophant's purpose is to bring the spiritual down to Earth. Where the High Priestess between her two pillars deals with realms beyond this Earth, the Hierophant (or High Priest) deals with worldly problems. He is well suited to do this because he strives to create harmony and peace in the midst of a crisis. The Hierophant's only problem is that he can be stubborn and hidebound. At his best, he is wise and soothing, at his worst, he is an unbending traditionalist.

spilling the beans

Over at the Third Resurrection blog I just added two entries on recent books/papers which offer candid looks at the current situation in Israel/Palestine. jimmy carter and the a-word brings together a couple of links related to Jimmy Carter's new book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid. While the israel lobby and u.s. foreign policy points to a controversial working paper which came out several months ago with the thesis that the Pro-Israel lobby has way too much influence on how the U.S. government chooses to act in the Middle East.

"to the shores of tripoli..."

Since Sondjata wanted something "meatier" on Dennis Prager's ignorant comments about Keith Ellison's decision to take his oath of office on a Quran instead of a Bible:

"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."

Article 11, the Treaty of Tripoli (the Treaty of Peace and Friendship) signed 1796.

The above passage is of particular significance because as part of a treaty it was ratified by the U.S. Senate (unanimously) and signed by the President so it had a certain amount of legal force (until the treaty was broken). The passage is also especially relevant in the present case because it explicitly refers to Islam (although in somewhat dated terms). On the other hand, the famous phrase "wall of separation between church and state" was never legally binding in the same way and instead comes from a letter written by Thomas Jefferson giving his interpretation of the establishment clause (i.e. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion...").

In any case, the treaty is clear. "... the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion". And Prager's tirade is cut off at the knees.

But as silly as Prager is, he does make me think about certain deeper issues. For example, when it comes to politics in the Muslim world (e.g. Algeria, Turkey, Iraq after the dust settles), I feel like I definitely need to think through some of the details, but I generally feel like the best kind of government would somehow combine democratic reforms and large helpings of Islamic law. It only makes sense. If you are in a part of the world where most of the population consists of religious Muslims and you set up a government there which is responsive to the values, beliefs, hopes, aspirations and interests of the people, then you should expect the government to be "Islamic" to some degree.

So when I look back to Prager's piece, I'm not really objecting to the idea of a religious state per se but I'm mainly making the legal/historical objection that U.S. was neither set up nor intended as a "Christian nation". Religious states certainly have their own special sets of dangers and temptations but at this point I wouldn't categorically throw out the baby with the bathwater.

"i'm not sure about the universe"

A saying, often attributed to Albert Einstein goes: "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity... and I'm not sure about the universe."

Here is an example from Dennis Prager: America, Not Keith Ellison, decides what book a congressman takes his oath on

Basically, recently elected Muslim Congressman (takbir!) Keith Ellison announced that he would take his oath of office on a Quran instead of a Bible. And Dennis Prager, who apparently is advocating for America as a homogeneous Bible-based culture, seems to have a problem with it. In every other sentence of his tirade Prager alternates between displaying deep misunderstanding of Islam, the US Constitution, freedom of religion, American history and the nature of extremism.

For some non-stupid reponses to Prager's rant check out:
Taylor Marsh: That Uppity Democratic Muslim!
The Carpetbagger Report: It’s not a change of Biblical proportions
Professor Bainbridge's Journal: Dennis Prager goes off the Rails re Keith Ellison

richards' racist rant (part 2)

In the wake of Michael Richards' meltdown on stage, several new developments have come up. For now I just wanted to talk about how a number of black leaders have met with media heads to discuss use of "the n-word".

AP: Black leaders seek end to use of slur

For me the most surprising piece of this is that after watching Richards' rant, even Paul Mooney has said that he will no longer use "the n-word". "He's my Dr. Phil," Mooney said. "He's cured me."

Paul Mooney definitely expressed a noble sentiment and if he can stick to his pledge, more power to him. But to be honest, I really don't believe he will. I mean, Mooney is the brother who made the claim "I say nigga 100 times every morning... it makes my teeth white". He was a close friend and collaborator to Richard Pryor, but even after Pryor's trip to Africa when he decided to quit using the word, Mooney kept right on going. Mooney even has an upcoming film 'Jesus is Black and so was Cleopatra' which is about to be released and which is definitely liberally 'seasoned' with the n-word. (Also, thinking about the film makes me wonder if the title is at all a reference to the title of Sarah Silverman's film 'Jesus is Magic'. Both Silverman and Mooney are stand-up comedians who deal with race in ways which are intense, edgy and skillfull.) Ultimately, I suspect that Mooney will probably tone down his live performances, especially if the Laugh Factory is serious about fining comedians who use the slur on stage, but I doubt that he will quit cold turkey.

Myspace: Jesus is Black and so was Cleopatra

Grenada's past:
"it makes my teeth white" - paul mooney
richard pryor (1940-2005)
word association
deep cover
rebirth of a word, a film, a slur
najee ali v. the boondocks

richards' racist rant

By now a lot of bloggers and punidits have already put in their two cents on the whole Michael "Kramer" Richards racist rant situation so I'll assume you know the basic facts of what happened. (If you don't, I've included several links below).

My own contribution to that conversation as follows:

From a free speech perspective, Michael Richards has the right to say pretty much whatever he wants to on stage and I'm glad that I live in a country where it is legal for anyone with a microphone (or a blogger account) to say all sorts of offensive things without facing legal sanction. In that light, I have definite resistance to the idea that the courts should make Richards pay monetary damages for his actions. At the same time, I am also glad I live in a country where I have the right to call someone like Michael Richards out as a racist prick. And given that he had such a fundamental disrespect for the Black paying members of his audience it would only be appropriate for his career to be adversely affected.

Also, to add a certain amount of historical perspective to the situation, this isn't even the first (or second) time that the cast of Seinfeld has been involved in racial controversy.

The first case which comes to mind is the Puerto Rican Day episode (which included a number of stereotypical Puerto Rican characters along with a scene where Michael Richards accidentally sets a Puerto Rican flag on fire and then stomps on the flag in full view of some Puerto Rican parade-goers.) NBC actually had to apologize for airing the episode and took it out of circulation for years even after Seinfeld went into syndication.

The second racial controversy involving the Seinfeld show which I'm aware of has to do with the time that Danny Hoch was asked to play a stereotypical Hispanic character (Ramon, the crazy pool cleaner) and ended up refusing the role. (He reminds me of the Hollywood Shuffle line: "There is always work at the post office")

So I would argue that Richard's rant is really not surprising given his time on a show with such a track record.

The best analysis of the situation I've seen so far comes from Dan Charnas over at Dantrification:

I harbor no illusions: The construct for “Seinfeld,” like so many other comic teleplays and films, is a monochromatic world where White People are central, and people of color — if they appear at all — are simply used as accessories, as added “color” for a scene.

When you think about “Seinfeld,” and you realize the only recurring Black characters were either there because they made our white heroes uncomfortable simply by being Black (like George’s nemesis Mr. Morgan at the Yankees); or to parody a Black celebrity (like Kramer’s erstwhile lawyer Jackie Chiles doing his best Johnnie Cochran), you get a peek inside the archaic white psyche. It’s a headspace where white people simply do not know how to deal with a world that is slowly become not their own. So they literally ignore it. “Seinfeld” is Ralph Ellison’s argument made visual.

Many of my friends live in this space. Many of your friends do too. They’re the white friends who giggle when hip-hop comes on, rather than bob their heads to it. It’s not that we can’t be friends with them. It’s just that we choose to live multiculturally and they don’t... either because they don’t know how, don’t want to, don’t have to, or they are afraid to.

When white folks are brought out of this space, they can have a number of reactions. Some take kindly to reality. Others snap.

I’m sure that Michael Richards doesn’t believe he is a racist. I’m sure, on an intellectual level, believes in equal rights for all. But we never find the truth until we get cornered. When Black folks are pushing his buttons, Richards’ response, apparently, is to tell Black people they have no right to push his buttons because they’re Black. That is the very definition of deep-seated, latent racism. Sorry.

That should be enough for now. More later.

You Tube: Michael Richards' Rant
You Tube: Michael Richards' "Apology"
You Tube: Seinfeld: The Puerto Rican Day episode
Script for The Puerto Rican Day

hiphopmusic.com: The Definitive "Racist Kramer" Post (Updated)

Revolutionary Worker: Danny Hoch's People
You Tube: Danny Hoch exposes Seinfeld

The Manrilla Blog: Racism, Kramer and Why His Apology Meant Nothing To Me
Digg: Comedian Paul Mooney rips Michael Richards on FOX News
Racialicious: Kramer drops the n-bomb repeatedly in racist tirade
African American (Black) Opinion: African American Opinion Reader says: Michael Richards a.k.a Kramer is only the tip of the iceberg.
Alternet: Richards' N-Word Diatribe

theories/practices of blogging

Recently the online publication Reconstruction came out with their latest issue and the unifying theme is Theories/Practices of Blogging. And in addition to a number of meatier articles on the socio-cultural implications of blogging, the issue features many different bloggers (including yours truly) talking more briefly about why they blog. Check it out.

the ghost of thanksgiving past

I think I'm going to do the "Bob Cratchet" thing this Thanksgiving but I'll "celebrate" by linking back to some old topical posts:

we didn't land on plymouth rock
a time to build an alternative
national day of mourning
american muslim heritage day
in this time of war against osama...
the truth about thanksgiving
thanksgiving: a native american view
buy nothing day

islam and natural healing (part two)

I was trying to find more information about healing in Islam and came across the following over at Muslimheritage.com:

Arabic Medicine in the Mediteranean
Bone Fractures in Ibn Sina's Medicine
along with some other articles on medicine from Muslimheritage.com

After thinking a bit more about the subject of medicine I started to have two contrasting trains of thought.

First I started to think back to other posts I've written about how Islam is reminiscent of a nature-based religion. The religious calendar follows the cycles of the moon. The prayer times don't follow "clock-time" but instead depend on the position of the sun, the lengths of shadows and the appearance of the sky. Animal sacrifices vividly remind Muslims of how life depends on life. And in many other ways Islam is a "natural" path. This is fleshed out (pun intended) a little bit more in the Grenada post called where's the beef? on islam and vegetarianism which also links to yet another post on the vegan Hardline movement. An argument can definitely be made that Islam encourages a drug-free natural wholistic organic approach to health/nutrition and other areas of life.

On the other hand, the above approach can't be absolute. The human body is a complex collection of distinct interrelated systems which can get sick in a variety of ways. It would be a bit naive to totally dismiss conventional medicine and exclusively rely on "natural" methods.

Something else which occurs to me is that almost by its very nature, the practice of medicine is going to tend to be ecclectic. Not all disorders can be treated in the same way. So instead of trying to find a "pure" Islamic system of medicine it actually makes sense to combine conventional medicine with prophetic techniques and alternative approaches. For example, I've read before that Chinese Muslims have developed "Islamic" versions of Qi Gong. (If I find out much more about this I'll probably blog about it.) And I imagine that Muslims in other parts of the world have also developed their own syncretic healing methods (which will still manifest some family resemblance due to common Islamic elements).

an old but timely boondocks strip from 2003

Caesar and Huey are hanging out by a tree and Huey says out loud:

Moderate, Reasonable Leftists argue that even though we may not support the war, what's happened has happened and there's no point in dwelling in the past. [pause] All of those people, mind you, are still mad at OJ

say hello to khalil al-puerto rikani

I've been meaning to update and reorganize my blogroll for a while now, but until then I'll use this entry to give a shout out to a Latino (Puerto Rican) Muslim blogger: Khalil Al-Puerto Rikani