American Blog

Mr. Vass is author of www.blackentertainmentblog.com and www.mvass.com :

I hope there were a few people watching the Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim programming tonight. Rather than the normal line-up of various programs, each night this week the entire time slots are dedicated to just one program. Yesterday it was the Venture Bros. marathon, tonight it was the Boondocks.

 

Many should be aware of the Boondocks cartoon, based on a comic strip of the same name that has national syndication. This show is political and Afrocentric and filled with biting sarcasm that hits the mark each time. This one program is probably the best item on television to highlight some of the absurdities that is the Black culture in America today. Had I children I’d tape every episode and make them watch each one at least monthly. Yes, I feel that it makes that much of an impact. No, this isn’t the first time I’ve discussed the program in this blog.

 

But perhaps the one thing I wish young African Americans (and almost as importantly older Blacks) could see is the episode about Dr. Martin Luther King. It was an episode based on a dream that Dr. King lived (though in a coma for 30 years). Through out the episode Dr. King is just trying to adjust to the world and yet still carry the beliefs he had in the 60’s. But this is not a world based on the efforts of the Civil Rights Movement, or the sacrifices of Dr. King, Mr. Malcolm X and thousands if not millions of others.

 

The most telling part of this episode is when Dr. King finally loses his patience. He rightly addresses a large crowd of Black African Americans, and television media, and says what is really happening. He admonishes the Black culture for the failures that are glorified today, and the common usage of a term that “is the ugliest word in the English language.” He addresses the lunacy of black-oriented television (as it exists on a particular cable network) and so much more.

 

And amazingly the African Americans of this dream episode reacted, positively. Finally there was unified action. Education became important, athletes lived up to the role-model status they have, laws changed and the revolution that was demanded in the 1960’s finally happened (without bloodshed).

 

The potential that so many sacrificed for, that so many more waste today, became a reality. It was a dream of course. Even in the cartoon it was acknowledged that this isn’t close to reality in any form. But it’s quite a dream, one worth having or at the least seeing. Just as the Black men and women of the cartoon’s world opened their eyes, so must we all. I think one line from this television program summed it all up in a neatness that is eloquent – The people are waiting for Dr. Martin Luther King to come back, but it’s not going to happen.

 

Maybe 2007 will be the year this sinks in. Maybe the culture will understand that there is no such thing as “ghettofabulous” and that denigrating friends and family with a hateful and derogatory term is vicious and not loving. Perhaps the youth will understand that without an education there is no foundation to build a better life on. In 2007 we may finally get to see the Black community band together and use the most valuable asset we have that no one can take, but that we can destroy ourselves, our minds.

 

Maybe I’m dreaming of a 2007 that won’t happen, but it can. And that’s what dreams are for, right?

 

This is what I think, what do you think?

 

Mr. Vass is the author of www.blackentertainmentblog.com and www.mvass.com and owner of the online store www.cafepress.com/nova68 :

I just heard about something that is offensive and troubling. It seems that Representative Virgil H Goode Jr. has a problem with Muslims. I come to this conclusion via his comments made in a December 5th letter. If you have not heard about this you should.

The letter in question states, “I fear that in the next century we will have many more Muslims in the United States if we do not adopt the strict immigration policies that I believe are necessary to preserve the values and beliefs traditional to the United States of America and to prevent our resources from being swamped,“ among other choice words. It makes me ask what is wrong with Representative Goode.

I assume something must be wrong with him because if there is not, and he is reflecting the views of his constituents in Virginia, then there are problems in this nation that are worse than what I would have guessed. I must say that Representative Goode, and any person that agrees with him, do not represent me or other Republicans I know. I can’t imagine how a narrow-minded view of this nation could have representation in this government. Yes I realize the President is very religious and that factors into many of his decisions, but at the same time I do not see him promoting religious persecution.

Rep. Goode, as well as Mr. Dennis Prager and others that fail to think (in my opinion), seems terrified that any other religion exists. Especially if they exist in this nation. Perhaps they have all forgotten that this nation was created in part due to the hope of religious freedom. Perhaps they forget that this nation has always been a mix of cultures and nationalities and religion. The original 13 colonial states and territories represented Spain, England, France and other nations. Every single person that signed the Declaration was an immigrant.

But that is only part of the problem with this letter. I would like to know how a person’s religion has anything to do with immigration, legal or otherwise. It would seem that Rep. Goode and others have no idea what issue they wish to be lashing out about. This letter is a sweeping statement of how small-minded some can be, I feel.

Let me slow down and focus, unlike this letter. First I am angered by what I see as blatant fear of Muslims, whether they are American or otherwise. If this letter were aimed at those who are Jewish the outcry would be huge. If it were against Lutherans, or Protestants, or born-again Christians Rep. Goode would have calls to be removed. Why should it be any different when this is directed against Muslims?

Second, the private swearing in ceremony has nothing to do with the position the politicians are elected to do. I doubt that a Jewish politician is asked to use a Bible, and the official swearing in is devoid of any religious connection (due to a little thing called separation of church and state). Rep. Keith Ellison is free to use (or not use) any religious tome he chooses. He hasn’t asked anyone else to use the Koran, or become a Muslim. Only a fool, in my opinion, would demand that everyone believe and do what one group says – except perhaps in a dictatorship or Communist state.

Third, immigration is a separate issue. Rep. Ellison is a native African American citizen.
Fourth, what is wrong with Muslims living in America? Many Americans are Muslim and since some of them will have children it seems natural that the number of Muslims will grow over the next century even if none immigrated to this nation. So what’s wrong with that? The number of Muslims has been growing in America for decades. The actual statement from Rep. Goode seems to be that Black or Arab or non-White Muslims are a bad thing for America. If that is correct it is blatant racism. That kind of thinking once justified slavery, and genocide. Actually it still does, which is a shame.

Fifth, what values and beliefs is Rep. Goode afraid of losing? What resources could be swamped? The freedom of speech or religion? The freedom to elect representatives to our government? The desire to raise a family and do a good day’s work? How might an immigrant change that or any religious group? Should these “strict immigration policies” extend to Jews or Catholics or Lutherans? Should these “strict immigration policies” extend to non-Christian immigrants from France, England, Germany, Italy, Russia, or just those who come from those nations and are not Caucasian?

I have this to say, the world is not just one religion. It never has been. I doubt if it will ever be as long as humans walk the earth. Fear of the unknown is powerful and destructive. It benefits no one. In my opinion those who wrap themselves in such a cloak diminish what makes us human and American.

Legal immigration to this nation should not be based on religion or color. But this is the real world and color has always been a factor (I recall that the percentage of immigrants from European nations was roughly 70% of all immigrants) which is sad. Some wish that they can hide from the reality of the world. They feel like that American should be the all white nation that movies, television shows and their romanticized memories of the 50’s seem to depict. Thankfully this is not true.

Individuals of color and various religions have helped to create the nation we live in and the quality of life we enjoy. At least a third of this nation is non-Caucasian, and different religions are a reality. This is part of the strength of America. To limit that is to limit our greatness. To try to penalize citizens, or others in the world, for their personal freedoms is to descend to a nation more like Communist Russia (penalized Jews and Russian Orthodox Christians) or China or North Korea (filled with paranoia and still preparing to finish fighting a war that stopped 50 years ago) than to be what we are or hope to be.

This is not merely what I would call small-minded. This is stupid [I define ignorant as a lack of knowledge, stupid is the ability to have knowledge and the refusal to act on that ability] and dangerous. Perhaps people in Virginia think that Rep. Goode is a great elected official, perhaps he has done well for them. I don’t know as this is the first I’ve heard of the man, but the first impression he has made leaves me with a sour taste in my mouth. I can only hope more feel the same.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Mr. Vass is author of www.blackentertainmentblog.com and the online store found at www.cafepress.com/nova68 :

Well here are a few thoughts for the music lovers out there. For those who follow Kayne West, the latest news is about his Touch the Sky music video. Now some may be upset over this video failing to win the MTV European Awards. Mr. West was obviously upset about it as he threw a childish tantrum live on stage much to everyone’s surprise. But the fun did not end there.

The video has drawn a bit more attention though probably not what was intended. It seems the music video has a portrayal that rips off Mr” href=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evel_Knievel” mce_href=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evel_Knievel”>Mr”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evel_Knievel”>Mr. Evel Knievel. For the younger readers he is not some rock star, rapper, or character from a horror/slasher film. Mr. Knievel is a professional daredevil. He’s had a career that went from the 1960’s to the late 70’s. He has broken over 40 bones in his body due to failed attempts to jump the water fountain at Caesar’s Palace, 13 Pepsi delivery trucks, 13 British single decker buses and many others. Mr. Knievel set a world record for jumping 19 cars, and for selling over 100,000 tickets to consecutive shows at the Houston Astrodome. He’s been featured by ABC television’s Wide World of Sports program numerous times, the most famous ones being the Caesar’s Palace crash and his attempt to jump Snake River Canyon in a ‘motorcycle’ built by a NASA engineer. He has been inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, and had 2 movies made about his life and had toy sales reported to be around 350 million dollars. Not bad for a former thief, minor league hockey player, poacher, Army man and supporter of Elk wildlife.

So Kanye West sought to use this real-life bad boy and thrill-seeker to emulate in his music video. Too bad he didn’t ask first. It seems that Mr. Knievel is no fan of Kanye West or his portrayal. Actually Mr. Knievel is quoted as saying “That” href=”http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061212/ap_en_mu/people_knievel_west” mce_href=”http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061212/ap_en_mu/people_knievel_west”>“That”>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061212/ap_en_mu/people_knievel_west”>“That video that Kanye West put out is the most worthless piece of crap I’ve ever seen in my life, and he uses my image to catapult himself on the public “ and “The guy just went too far using me to promote his filth to the world .“ Considering his thoughts it’s no surprise that his is suing Kanye. I take it that he too wouldn’t have voted for the music video at the MTV Awards show. Doesn’t your heart just break for this apparently temperamental egomaniac?

For those interested in music, in particular the works of one Wolfgang” href=”http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061212/music_nm/arts_music_mozart_dc” mce_href=”http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061212/music_nm/arts_music_mozart_dc”>Wolfgang”>http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061212/music_nm/arts_music_mozart_dc”>Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart are now available online. Mozart was one of the original stars of music, not only for the volume of his works but also for their quality. Much like Mr. Michael Jackson in the 70’s Mozart started composing at age 5, and was already capable of playing several instruments at 4. By the time of his death he was making the equivalent of $42,000 a year (that put him in the top 5% of Europe at the time – Madonna, Michael and Janet Jackson combined don’t match that.)

Now I know some may not find this to be interesting. Some may even have never heard a single piece by the composer. But I feel if you haven’t learned to appreciate the classics you cannot truly appreciate the music that has come afterwards. Music is powerful and moving, when done right. Mozart is one of the greatest (though I do love Beethoven more) and it shows.

The scores of the actual music may not bring out how the music flows, or how it can make you feel, but it is the first step to that. If you can read the music, then maybe you can play it. If you play it you will know what I mean. I have to thank all my music teachers over the years, especially Mr. Seltzer, for giving me that insight. They expanded my music and helped to expand my mind. I can only hope to do a little of that for you.

This is what I think, what do you think?