God Bless Amerikka...not!

[Discogoddess]

Greetings, women and friends of Delta Sigma Theta! Though there have been some recent, less positive posts between our boards, I hope that you don't mind a post from a concerned woman of Alpha Kappa Alpha. I view us all as sisters in the struggle, and my post here is done in love.

Check out this collection of photographs and postcards (yes, postcards!) of lynchings that have taken place in America. It's very disturbing, yet a critical part of the American consciousness. When I first saw lynching photos as a young girl, the thing that horrified me more than the broken, mutilated bodies hanging from trees were the smiling, degenerate faces of young boys and girls, and grown men and women. After viewing the collection, I am still horrified most by those ghoulish faces.

For those who say America has forgotten its racist past, I say look at these photos, read your newspaper (James Byrd, LaTanya Haggerty, Robert Russ, Amadou Diallo, etc.), look at who's rotting on death row, and reconsider.

Peace and love, all.

Discogoddess

http://www.journale.com/withoutsanctuary/main.html

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In the end, we only hit what we aim at.

-Henry David Thoreau

Discogoddess,

I went to the web site and I was also shocked and upset at what was done to our people. This is an issue that we as a people must come together on regardless of affiliations. We must also realize and teach our children that even though this is the 21st century, it was only 40 or so years ago that we still had to ride at the back of the bus.

[DST897]

When I see these pictures and think of what was done in this country, it sickens me. I believe it was the images of women and, particularly, young white girls viewing these lynching that I found sickening - especially when I saw one actually smiling as she looked at the victim. I wish I could say that we have evolved as humans beyond such barbaric and evil behaviour, but it is still happening today just in a different form. Sites like this doesn't help the fight against it either: http://members.yoderanium.com/niggerwatch/index.html

[dstbrat]

sorors and friends,

the only way we can prevent the clock from turning backwards is to get out and vote. we need to be a part of the process and stop just talking about it! these atrocities are still occuring in part because the attitude of many people is no different than it was in the early 1900's. the fight is by no means over!

[Someday]

As we now approach the end of "Black History Month," I just wanted to bring this post back to the top. Horrible depictions such as those in the original post are the very reason why we should not allow our history to be viewed merely as supplementary education.

The emergence Black History Week, by historian Carter G. Woodson was done so to "light the torch of wisdom" (I hope this analogy is not found offensive, it was the best one I could think of to convey my meaning). The extension of Black History Week to Black History Month was a way of carrying the torch even further. Just because Dr. Woodson has passed on, his initial purpose- to educate the country about the importance and relevance of our history, still stands. Our history must not be forgotten and it is all of our jobs to continue Dr. Woodson's purpose for initially creating Black History Week.

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"Education is your passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today." -- El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz

[This message has been edited by Someday (edited February 26, 2001).]

[MaMaBuddha]

i went and took at james Allens's collection...i am literally in tears.

i wonder where these people are and what they think of themselves now???

a few months ago, i saw a show which i believe was on lifetime...i can't remember the name for the life of me, but the whole topic and discussion was about lynching and the people that took part in them. They interviewed people in the deep deep south.

it was so sadden to see some of these old elderly white people still refer to us as "n*ggas. the word was used so freely or even the phrase "colored people"

there were even elderly white people saying that some of these n*ggas deserved to die, cause they crossed the line. what is crossing the line??? drinking from a clean water fountain? wanting to be served at a counter? being about to shop in a clothing store?

then it makes me wonder how we as black, african american, latinos can still use that word n*gga?? we use it as camaraderie (sp?), we use it in joking? we use it all the time?

why are we tying to make a positive out of a negative word? it has been and will forever be associated with being black instead of the actual meaning which is ignorance. that is if we don't put a stop to it.




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MaMaBuddha

Devastating
Stimulating
Tantalizing
_________________________

Imaginer un métro rempli avec les anges tombés...

[This message has been edited by MaMaBuddha (edited February 26, 2001).]

[lastpoetnsite]

Greetings...

I have seen those slides many times and it only serves to make me angry each time.
I am currently enrolled in a African-American studies class entitled: "1954-1972: The Civil Rights Movement" and it is very difficult to sit in that class without having my mood utterly ruined.
But...I digress...I wanted to show you all a link that will also make you think.

Peace

The "N" word

[MaMaBuddha]

lastpoet (my best friend)...i am glad you finally got here...

that animation was very deep.....



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MaMaBuddha

Devastating
Stimulating
Tantalizing
_________________________

Imaginer un métro rempli avec les anges tombés...

[Someday]

Whoa......that post really has made me re-think a lot. To all who had read my "n*gga question" post, I am truly embarrased Thanks poet for your insight.

I deleted my previous post because I feel like the link provided has answered all of my question. "Is Hip-Hop community's attempt to turn the "N" word into a more positive meaning, anyting like the Black Panther Movement's and James Browns transformation of the word "black"?

Answer: Absolutely not!

[jazbri]

Thank you so much for sharing this website! Tears welled up as I viewed it and I could only get to about the 10th slide. I will be going back to view the rest.

I e-mailed the website to some of my friends. One of my friends responded negatively stating that why is it that we're so caught up in the negative and are not accentuating the positive efforts we've made thus far. I responded that it all goes hand in hand. I've visited plenty of websites. Some that focus on the positive side of our efforts and those that have been the catalysts to bring about the struggle. I don't feel you can really appreciate the struggle without knowing from whence the struggle came. Realistically, being a child born in the early 70's. I truly don't have the reality just stories that have been told.

I think that's part of the reason why it's easy for us to take our progess so far for granted because a lot of us didn't have first hand experience of the struggle.


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"Unless you know the road you've come down, you cannot know where you are going"
~Temme proverb, Sierre Leone~

[This message has been edited by jazbri (edited February 26, 2001).]