Subject: Are We A Nation of Cowards?
Now that the National Basketball Association has decided to ban Los Angele Clippers owner, David Sterling, for life from the game, fine him $2.5 million dollars and force the sale of the team, can we get take the time to review other issues of discrimination that this country seems to ignore and/or cares nothing about?
I have read a number of stories this past week of days of accusing Sterling of various acts of discrimination, accusing him of being a public racist for years:
I have read a number of stories this past week of days of accusing Sterling of various acts of discrimination, accusing him of being a public racist for years:
§ 2006: U.S. Dept. of Justice sued Sterling for housing discrimination. Allegedly, he said, "Black tenants smell and attract vermin."
§ 2009: He reportedly paid $2.73 million in a Justice Dept. suit alleging he discriminated against blacks, Hispanics, and families with children in his rentals. (He also had to pay an additional nearly $5 million in attorneys fees and costs due to his counsel's "sometimes outrageous conduct.")
§ 2009: Clippers executive (and one of the greatest NBA players in history) sued for employment discrimination based on age and race.
Now that this most recent accusation of discrimination has surfaced, everybody from: President Obama, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Snoop Dog, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Hart, LeBron James, Al Sharpton and the NAACP have spoken out against Sterling and demanded the NBA to take action.
Okay… so as of today the demands for justice has been answered accordingly, but I now ask you all can we now address other issues of discrimination that has existed for years without any efforts of resolution, such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Like Sterling, the USDA has a number of alleged cases of discrimination, but unlike Sterling, the USDA is an entity operated by the federated government.
The USDA has many cases of findings of discrimination that exist to this very day, but there is no interest in helping them: Robert Binion, Michael Stovall, Ferrell Oden, and many others; even the likes of Harry Young, a former who lost his land due to unethical discrimination practices and died while in the process of fighting trying to get it back!!!
Where is Reverend Al Sharpton and the National Action Network to help these farmers to help lead a protest against the USDA? Where is Bernard Simelton, Hilary Shelton and the National Association for the Advancement of Color People to help these farmers fight for their civil rights? Nowhere to be found!!!
On the NAACP's website it welcomes visitors with a story about Donald Sterling that reads, "The NAACP is pleased the NBA is taking swift and strong action against Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling for his racist and offensive remarks. Their decision to ban Mr. Sterling indefinitely from the league, seek his removal from ownership and fine him $2.5 million -- the maximum amount under NBA rules -- is both welcomed and supported."
Why haven't the NAACP pleased that the USDA has taken swift and strong action against management of the USDA, because they find no interest in their cases and makes one wonder if it is because there will be no monetary rewards. For god's sake, the acronym of NAACP was scribbled on a bathroom wall of the USDA meaning, "Now Apes Are Called People?" Is that not enough for the NAACP to seek investigation of who wrote that racist remark? Is that not as equal as or worse than anything Sterling said?
The Reverend Al Sharpton released an article on the Huffington Post website about David Sterling remarks and states, "Some like to throw around the term "post-racial," but I like to say that we came a long way because we were not cowards. But if we do not speak up when we see these sorts of injustices taking place, then we will be -- in the words of Attorney General Holder -- a nation of cowards."
The Reverend Al Sharpton released an article on the Huffington Post website about David Sterling remarks and states, "Some like to throw around the term "post-racial," but I like to say that we came a long way because we were not cowards. But if we do not speak up when we see these sorts of injustices taking place, then we will be -- in the words of Attorney General Holder -- a nation of cowards."
Well, why aren't we speaking up for the farmers and the former employees of the USDA, an entity of the federal government?! Are we condoning the racial injustice and tactics of discrimination that the USDA used to make these people and some cases, bring to an end?!?!?! Are we the cowards that Attorney General Eric Holder is speaking of?!?!?!?!
The National Basketball Association will be donating the $2.5 million to civil rights organizations that helps fight racial injustice in America. It makes me wonder who will be the first to seek a portion of these mentioned funds to help aide them in their selective battles of civil rights.
It shames me to think that we as a group of American citizens has placed these people into a position of power to led our country, and a position of admiration for us to look up, but they continue to lead us astray. I have been forwarded documents upon documents of various farmers and former USDA employees to review their cases to review, and I see legitimate validation to move forward with both civil and criminal actions, but apparently not only do those of the civil rights community, but also those from the Department of Justice as well.
Last week on Thursday, April 25, 2014, I personally spoke with the legal secretary, Ms. Veronica Dunlap, of the National Action Network about the Independent Black Farmers, and she expressed to me concerns of the impressions that the Independent Black Farmers are giving others about their work within the community. We agreed to have talk again with the representatives of the Independent Black Farmers so we can all come to a mutual understanding.
That following morning on Friday, April 26, 2014, I called with the representatives of the Independent Black Farmers. Ms. Dunlap expressed to us that the National Action Network was upset by watching my latest trailer of my documentary, "The Last American Plantation: The People's Department," that the farmers was protesting Al Sharpton at the Montgomery, Alabama, offices of the USDA. She asked that I consider revising the trailer without Sharpton being mention, and they will "reconsider the revision taken and reevaluate their position with helping the farmers." She went on to call my documentary bad journalism, and after trying to talk over one another, instead of giving me the time to explain that I will revise the trailer, she hung up in our face.
And that's what I call bad professionalism for someone that works with the public and claims to want to help the community. I was trying to explain to Ms. Dunlap that I appeared to misinterpreted the protest that occurred on Friday, April 4, 2014, and I will do further research to verify. And if I find that I was wrong and change the trailer, will they be willing to moving forward with helping the farmers. Last weekend I did investigate Ms. Dunlap's complaints and I was wrong, and I do apologize for the narrative and misinterpreting the farmers' protest by including Sharpton.
The National Basketball Association will be donating the $2.5 million to civil rights organizations that helps fight racial injustice in America. It makes me wonder who will be the first to seek a portion of these mentioned funds to help aide them in their selective battles of civil rights.
It shames me to think that we as a group of American citizens has placed these people into a position of power to led our country, and a position of admiration for us to look up, but they continue to lead us astray. I have been forwarded documents upon documents of various farmers and former USDA employees to review their cases to review, and I see legitimate validation to move forward with both civil and criminal actions, but apparently not only do those of the civil rights community, but also those from the Department of Justice as well.
Last week on Thursday, April 25, 2014, I personally spoke with the legal secretary, Ms. Veronica Dunlap, of the National Action Network about the Independent Black Farmers, and she expressed to me concerns of the impressions that the Independent Black Farmers are giving others about their work within the community. We agreed to have talk again with the representatives of the Independent Black Farmers so we can all come to a mutual understanding.
That following morning on Friday, April 26, 2014, I called with the representatives of the Independent Black Farmers. Ms. Dunlap expressed to us that the National Action Network was upset by watching my latest trailer of my documentary, "The Last American Plantation: The People's Department," that the farmers was protesting Al Sharpton at the Montgomery, Alabama, offices of the USDA. She asked that I consider revising the trailer without Sharpton being mention, and they will "reconsider the revision taken and reevaluate their position with helping the farmers." She went on to call my documentary bad journalism, and after trying to talk over one another, instead of giving me the time to explain that I will revise the trailer, she hung up in our face.
And that's what I call bad professionalism for someone that works with the public and claims to want to help the community. I was trying to explain to Ms. Dunlap that I appeared to misinterpreted the protest that occurred on Friday, April 4, 2014, and I will do further research to verify. And if I find that I was wrong and change the trailer, will they be willing to moving forward with helping the farmers. Last weekend I did investigate Ms. Dunlap's complaints and I was wrong, and I do apologize for the narrative and misinterpreting the farmers' protest by including Sharpton.
But this past week's activities: my encounters with the National Action Network, racist remarks by David Sterling and seeing the struggles of the farmers and hearing their complaints about the USDA. My stance on producing this documentary as a neutral narrative about the history of the USDA has changed. I've decided to redevelop the narrative of this documentary from the view of the Independent Black Farmers that I have been working with for the past eight months.
My goal now by producing this documentary is to show the acts of racism by the USDA, and the struggles of not only the Independent Black Farmers, but also the former employees of the USDA and how it affects it us all. I will be producing this documentary with the valid findings of discrimination that the farmers have, the alleged acts of rape on USDA women employees, the violent acts of retaliation towards farmers and former employees, and how out civil rights community prioritizing issues in our community by their greatest interest and what's on TV causing the biggest publicity.
I will push my upcoming documentary and any other effort that I may find as best as I can to make sure that the voices of these farmers are properly heard, and until a resolution with their cases is properly establish.
So now I ask you Attorney General Eric Holder, are we a nation of cowards and/or just a nation of people that like to capitalize off of the backs and struggles of others?
P.S… Mr. Sharpton, Mr. Simelton and Mr. Shelton… it only took me two days to draft this letter. :(=)
I will push my upcoming documentary and any other effort that I may find as best as I can to make sure that the voices of these farmers are properly heard, and until a resolution with their cases is properly establish.
So now I ask you Attorney General Eric Holder, are we a nation of cowards and/or just a nation of people that like to capitalize off of the backs and struggles of others?
P.S… Mr. Sharpton, Mr. Simelton and Mr. Shelton… it only took me two days to draft this letter. :(=)
