Arizona's Politicians outdo themselves as White Supremacists

“State schools chief Tom Horne, who has pushed the bill for years, said he believes the Tucson school district's Mexican-American studies program teaches Latino students that they are oppressed by white people.”

Dear friends,

Yesterday (5/12/10), the Associated Press headline read, “Arizona governor signs bill banning ethnic studies.”
If the recently-signed Immigration Bill by Governor Jan Brewer had you concerned about the resurrection of Jim Crow laws, have no fear. Brewer has just signed another bill into law that makes it illegal for any Arizona school district to offer courses that, as State schools chief Tom Horne, who has pushed the bill for years, said he believes: teaches Latino students that they are oppressed by white people… Public schools should not be encouraging students to resent a particular race.

Ouch!

I wonder what Horne thinks about the “ethnic chauvinism” (as he calls it) of official stories told in our school books, regarding Columbus’ voyage, much less landing on American soil, or the lie about the folks on the Mayflower coming here in the early-17th Century for religious freedom, or the roles of the Irish, Polish, Italian, German, or so many other people of European descent in relation to the aforementioned “Pilgrim” enterprise?

In any case, Horne continues: It's just like the old South, and it's long past time that we prohibited it.

Double “Ouch!!”

Imagine that. Horne’s concerned about Mexican American children so much that he “resents” them having a sense of self, identity-wise. There’s no law against his disapproval, of course. However, his is the same kind of drivel that “white” missionaries, historians, and “educators” have been using for generations, since the 19th Century, to “help” both Early American Natives and African Americans assimilate into the “mainstream” US citizenry. That is, in his own way, Horne and others like him are asking, “Why can’t we all be the same?”

Yet, sameness does not mean equality. In fact, why do we have to be the same in order to be considered equals? As a matter of fact, the idea of “sameness as being equal” is the intellectual basis upon which injustice and inequality flourish.

After all, for example, a person does not have to add numbers as quickly as you, run as fast as you, jump as high as you, lift as much weight as you, fist-fight as good as you, or have as much money as you, to be equal to you.

You are, in fact, equal, because you are both human individuals who have the exact same basic physical needs and you each understand that which you want to at a speed that is specific to you as individuals. That means also there is even an equality of intelligence among all people, in that context.

In other words, if you compare any individual with yourself, you will find: 1) You each require food and drink, in periodic intervals, or you will cease to exist in the form of a living being. 2) You each feel lonely and separate, as individual beings, even when you are sleeping beside someone. 3) No matter how few or many, you each have physical, mental, and emotional shortcomings. Every single person does. 4) You can each do well at one thing, but do poorly at some other activity. That is why you are equal to everyone, and everyone is equal to you.

Nevertheless, the descendants of immigrants like, for example, Polish Americans, Irish Americans, Italian Americans, Jews of various nationalities, and other European Americans have often started out by living in homogeneous communities; that is, segregated. However, they need not "integrate" in order to receive access to opportunity or responsibility with that opportunity. They merely have to claim that they are “white”. Neat trick.

Moreover, not only are African Americans, Mexican Americans, Asian Americans, Early American Natives, and others expected to “integrate”, we are also expected to reject our non-European pasts, in doing so.

To be sure, the descendants of European immigrants who were mentioned above have relinquished their true historical and cultural identities to be “Americans”. Still, and oddly enough, for all of their opposition to “gay” marriage and non- European immigration, it’s interesting that these same people do not appreciate the strong history of homosexual culture in both European and North American history, as well as the incessant “illegal” immigration of folks from all over Europe to our country - to this day.

Finally, the notion that, “The measure signed Tuesday prohibits classes that advocate ethnic solidarity, that are designed primarily for students of a particular race or that promote resentment toward a certain ethnic group.”, is clearly the language and legislation of colonial rulers.

G. Djata Bumpus


http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0512/arizona-governor-signs-bill-banning-ethnic-studies/
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Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black THeatre NYC event

National Black Theatre's House Band Bert Price on keyboard Olamide on guitar Brady Watt on bass guitar Jamal Hampton on drums


Join us as an audience member for this unique experience of discoveringnew untapped talent.

2031 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK, NY 10035
BETWEEN 125TH AND 126TH STREETS
212-722-3800

Acknowledgements
This program is funded in part by:
Council Member Inez E. Dickens, 9th C.D., Speaker Christine Quinn and the New York City Council, City of New York Department of Cultural Affairs, the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone and your individual contributions.

presents
An Artist Showcase:
" Fertile Ground"
Thursday May 13, 2010
8pm-11pm $10.00
On this special evening,
YOU - the audience have an opportunity to witness ten new artists present original material

TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE
"FERTILE GROUND" EXPERIENCE!
Click here to watch the video
To be one of the ten artists presenting original materialContact Bert Price at: http://us.mc1136.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=berttheproducer@gmail.com

VISIT US AT
http://www.nationalblacktheatre.org/
http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103383786839&s=6493&e=001cm7Sk4vWOHp0u_Z6VxAb9SKJTnvNFUSwS7pPbCckrg-LiixrvR-QmJXTZnie0PBNBPxExcTx_Zps1uJJK3W8DsAGKLtk6yvz-04PMHX-A73aYtSDWxXwGUNYhniCTZAA

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Patty Jackson remembers Lena Horne

Dear friends,

On the link below, through a couple of rare video interviews, Patty Jackson, America's foremost radio personality for both R & B as well as Classic Soul music, helps us recall the contributions of the great Lena Horne. Please enjoy!!!

G. Djata Bumpus
http://www.wdasfm.com/pages/pattyjackson.html

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