Black Girls Rock It !

The Number of Black Children Raised in a Two Parent Home : Truth for Fiction ?

I have seen the New York Times story about the increase in two-parent black families reported on a number of black-themed blogs.  At first blush, the news seemed good, but I must admit I didn't believe it.   I know there are a lot of folks out there who still want to believe in the turn-around of the black community, but we all need to be careful and continue to use our heads for more than just a hat rack.

As I popped open my Google news alerts this morning, I found an article challenging the assertion that

the number of black children being raised by two parents appears to be edging higher than at any time in a generation, at nearly 40 percent

According to this Republican American article, the numbers have jumped dramatically not because of actual change in black families, but because the Census Bureau redefined the definition of a parent.

The turnaround was stunning. As reported by The New York Times, the Census Bureau says the number of black children being raised by two parents jumped 14 percent, turning decades of precipitous decline on a dime. While demographers had a range of explanations, they agreed with Harvard University sociologist Robert Sampson: "It's a positive change. It's been hidden." More like manufactured. The actual reason was found in an almost-throwaway paragraph in the Times' article: "The Census Bureau attributed an indeterminate amount of the increase to revised definitions adopted in 2007, which identify as parents any man and woman living together, whether or not they are married or the child's biological parents." Indeterminate? The bureau defined "parent" down well below what a reasonable person would consider "mother" or "father" and then computed the number of children living with those "parents" to produce a bogus statistic. The percentage of black children living with two parents has fallen consistently since 1970, from 59 to 35 until magically jumping to 40 in 2007. Demographers and the Times disserve the truth, black Americans and the family institution with this statistical trick. Statistics compiled by Save America Ministries tell the real story: In the last half century, the percentage of black families headed by married couples had declined from more than 70 to 46. The rate of marriage for black women has been cut in half, and the percentage of unmarried black women in their 20s has spiked from 33 to 70. "Promiscuity has decimated Black marriage," resulting in "a level of fatherlessness unprecedented in modern history and perhaps in world history." In 1960, when blacks were much worse off economically, only 23 percent of black children were born out of wedlock; today, it's 70 percent, and the largest increase in illegitimate births has occurred among black women 20-24. Sixty-five percent of never-married black women have children, double the rate of white women. An astounding 85 percent of black children do not live in a home with their fathers. You don't change these statistics by defining parenthood down or by nurturing and rewarding the anti-social behaviors that produce them. You do it by placing a greater value on the two-parent family and recognizing it as the best environment for raising children.  Source

'Kwanzaa Ain't No Good Thing'

Image via WikipediaI ran across this article about the origins of Kwanzaa and thought I would share it here.  Some of the information I already knew, but some of the more disturbing aspects I was completely ignorant of.  For example :

“First of all, remember that black folks are no more homogeneous than white folks so don’t assume we all celebrate Kwanzaa. It isn’t part of my tradition. And I think if people really knew what was behind it and how it began, it wouldn't be celebrated by anybody except those who just want to be stupid. I can tell you a lot about it because it’s important. That’s because I think folks shouldn’t side with something that was built on a history of intimidation and violence.”

I was curious since intimidation and violence aren’t words associated with Kwanzaa images. I wondered, as many people might, how could Kwanzaa could be anything but good. So my eyes were opened as I listened to Randy talk about his California experience, in the black power movement of the 1960’s. Randy knew some of the Black Panther members, since he was always interested in politics and the news. He was never a member of any black extremist group but had the journalist’s inquiring mind. That led him to getting involved with a number of people back then who figured prominently in the development of the “black identity.” 

Mr. Karenga, the founder of Kwanzaa, has quite a past. Randy told me that Karenga had been the head of the opposition party on the campus of UCLA, struggling against the Black Panthers for control of the black movement in the area. He went on to tell me that a group called Cointelpro, connected with the FBI and the government, got involved with that opposition group which called itself US, a euphemism for United Slaves. Research supports that Randy’s narrative to be right.. Karenga, born July 14, 1941 according a resource on the Internet, has been also referred to by the title “Maulana” which means “master teacher” in Arabic and Swahili. Kwanzaa was founded by Karenga with the first observed celebration in California from December 26 until January 1, 1967. Four years later Karenga was convicted of felony assault for having kidnapped and tortured two of US female members. Randy recalled that at the time Karenga was rumored to have a particular dislike of black women. A Los Angles Time article on his trial dated May 14, 1971 summarized the testimony of one of the women: “Deborah Jones, who once was given the Swahili title of an African queen, said she and Gail Davis were whipped with an electrical cord and beaten with a karate baton after being ordered to remove their clothes. She testified that a hot soldering iron was placed in Ms. Davis's mouth and placed against Ms. Davis's face and that one of her own big toes was tightened in a vise. Karenga, head of US, also put detergent and running hoses in their mouths, she said.” They also were hit on the heads with toasters.

During Karenga's trial there were questions about his sanity. He was described by a psychiatrist as someone who “represents a picture that can be considered both paranoid and schizophrenic with hallucinations and illusions, inappropriate affect, disorganization and impaired contact with the environment.” Yet in spite of his criminal acts, for which he was prosecuted, found guilty and imprisoned until 1975, and his questionable sanity, Karenga has become the symbol of the importance of family, community and culture in the holiday known as Kwanzaa. The idea that Ron Karenga is associated with a recognized holiday is ironic to Randy Stelly because he sees it as a made-up holiday by Karenga to establish black identity through ties to Africa. In fact Karenga, in his treatise The Quotable Karenga, has detailed the sevenfold path of blackness to think black, talk black, act black, creat[e] black, buy black, vote black and live black.”

Go HERE to read the article in its entirety.

Don't Fall for the Propaganda

I received this "chain" email today and immediately rolled-my-eyes and hit the delete key.  Really read between the lines here and don't fall for the okey-doke if someone sends this to you.  Should you get all moist over this ??...I don't think so.  See it for what it is and keep it moving.  (Your first clue should be "Queen")  Words are cheap ladies.  Show and Prove is the name of the game.  Black women interested in Living Well should NOT be concerned about what white women and "others" think, feel, etc. about their love lives anyway.  These "individuals" are a mess.  SMH.

I found the same "letter" written HERE, only the alleged "white woman" is talking about Indian men.  SMH.  Whomever didn't even bother to change the Black celebs to Indian ones.  Again, SMH.  This "letter" has apparently been circulating for years and I suppose it surfaces every now and again to "keep hope alive."  I dunno.  Whatever.

White Woman's Opinion of Black Women

White women's opinion of black women & a brother's response

Please take a moment and read this. Pretty Deep! Thumbs up to this
black man.

Enjoy.

It seems that an article was written to Sister 2 Sister magazine by a
Caucasian woman who requested a response from black men. I'm so glad
she got what she asked for (and more) !!!

Dear Jamie:

I'm sorry but I would like to challenge some of your Black male
readers.


I am a White female who is engaged to a Black male-good-looking,
educated and loving. I just don't understand a lot of Black female's
attit udes about our relationship.

My man decided he wanted me because the pickings amongst Black women
were slim to none. As he said they were either too fat, too loud, too
mean, too argumentative, too needy, too materialistic or carrying too
much excess baggage.

Before I became engaged, whenever I went out I was constantly
approached by Black men, willing to wine and dine me and give me the world. If
Black women are so up in arms about us being with their men, why don't
they look at themselves and make some changes.

I am tired of the dirty looks I get and snide remarks when we're out in
public. I would like to hear from some Black men about why we are so
appealing and coveted by them.

Bryant Gumbel just left his wife of 26 years for one of us Charles
Barkley, Scottie Pippen , the model Tyson Beckford , Montell Williams,
Quincy Jo nes, James Earl Jones , Harry Belafonte, Sydney Poitier, Kofi
Anan, Cuba Gooding Jr., Don Cornelius , Berry Gordy, Billy Blanks, Larry
Fishburne, Wesley Snipes...

I could go on and on. But, right now, I'm a little angry and that is
why I wrote this so hurriedly. Don't be mad with us White women because so
many of your men want us. Get your acts together and learn from us and
we may lead you to treat your men better. If I'm wrong, Black men, let
me know.

Disgusted White Girl, Somewhere in VA

RESPONSE

Dear Jamie:

I would like to respond to the letter written by A Disgusted White
Girl.


Let me start by saying that I am a 28-year old black man. I graduated
from one of the most prestigious universities in

Atlanta

,

Georgia

with
a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Management. I have a good job a t a
major corporation and have recently purchased a house. So, I consider
myself to be among the ranks of successful black men.

I will not use my precious time to slander white people. I just want to
set the record straight of why black men date white women. Back in the
day, one of the biggest reasons why black men dated white women was
because they were considered easy.

The black girls in my neighborhood were raised in the church. They were
very strict about when they lost their virginity and who they lost it
to. Because of our impatience to wait, brothers would look for someone
who would give it up easy without too much hassle. So, they turned to
the white girls.

Nowadays, in my opinion, a lot of brothers date white women because
they are docile and easy to control. A lot of black men, because of
insecurities, fears, and overall weaknesses, have become intimidated by
the strength of our black women. We are afraid that our woman will be
more successful than us, make more money than us, drive nicer cars and
own bigger houses. Because of this fear, many black men look for a more
docile woman. Someone we can control.

I have talked to numerous black men and they continuously comment on
how easy it is to control and walk over their white women. I just want to
set the record straight. I want A Disgusted White Girl to know that not
all successful b lack men date white women.

Brothers like Ahmad Rashad, Denzel Washington, Michael Jordan, Morris
Chestnut, Will Smith, Blair Underwood, Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmonds ,
Samuel L. Jackson, and Chris Rock all married strong black women And,
to flip the script, there are numerous white men, in and out of the spot
light, who openly or secretly desire black women over white women. Ted
Danson, Robert DeNiro, and David Bowie to name a few.

I just don't want a disgusted white girl to be misinformed Stop
thinking that because you are white that you are some type of goddess. Remember,
when black Egyptian Queens like Hatsepshut and Nitorcris were ruling
Dynasties and armies of men in Egypt , you were over in the caves of
Europe eating raw meat and beating each other over the head with clubs.
Read your history!

It was the black woman that taught you how to cook and season your
food. It was the black woman that taught you how to raise your children. It
was black women who were breast feeding and raising your babies during
slavery.

It is the black woman that had to endure watching their fathers,
husbands, and children beaten, killed, and thrown in jail. Black women
were born with two strikes against them: being black and being a woman.
And, through all this, Still They Rise!

It is because of the black women's strength, elegance, power, love and
beauty that I could> never> date anyone except my black Queen. It is
not just the outer beauty that captivates and draws me to them. It is not
the fact that they come in all shapes, sizes, colors and shades that I
love them.

Their inner beauty is what I find most appealing about black women.
Their strong spirit, loving and nurturing souls, their integrity, their
abilityto overcome great obstacles, their willingness to stand for what theybelieve in, and their determination to succeed and reach their highestpotential while enduring great pain and suffering is why I have fallenin love with black women.

I honestly believe that your anger is geared more t oward jealousy and
envy more so than snotty looks. If this were not so, then why do you
continuously go to tanning salons to darken your skin? If you are so
proud to be white, then why don't you just be happy with your pale
skin?
Why do you continue to inject your lips, hips, and breasts with
unnatural and dangerous substances so you can look fuller and more
voluptuous?

I think that your anger is really a result of you wanting to have what
the black woman has.

BOTTOM LINE: If I were looking for a docile woman, someone I can walk
overand control, I would give you a call. But, unfortunately, I am lookingfor a Virtuous Woman. Someone that can be a good wife and mother to mychildren.

Someone who can be my best friend and understands my struggles. I am
looking for a soul mate. I am looking for a sister and; unfortunately,
you do not and CANN OT fit the bill.

No offense taken, none given.

Signed, Black Royalty

Wow!! We must pass this on to make the day of the Black

Queens