Dave Chappelle: The Victim

by with No Comment CultureFeaturedSocial Issues

“The Closer” is dividing critics and fans of epoch-defining comedian, Dave Chappelle.

An “equal opportunity offender” for most of his career, the widely recognized GOAT in Stand-Up has spent a considerable portion of his last four Netflix specials either commenting/joking about trans issues or defending himself against criticisms by members of the trans community.

For most of his career, Chappelle has focused his observational humor on racism and his experience as a Black man in a very White nation. His early jokes were rich with cutting truths that laid bare the hypocrisies and evils of a country whose initial prosperity sprang from slavery.

With wit and satire, The Chappelle Show helped an entire generation of all races think and even laugh about the poison of racism. Dave’s experience as a Black man made his art personal, authentic, and believable. He could say shocking things with impunity because he owned the experience he was presenting.

With “The Closer,” Chappelle seems to be pleading his case more than simply trying to entertain. He is wondering aloud how the trans movement has gained so much traction and influence while Black Civil Rights movements from MLK all the way to BLM still struggles. He posits that Civil Rights leaders in the 60s had to make real, sometimes mortal sacrifices for change while today’s social Justice warriors mostly form woke Twitter mobs to cancel their opposition and wear “pussy hats” to raise awareness for their cause (neither being very effective).

He has some valid points within these comedic jabs, and if he is to be taken in good faith, perhaps there is much to be learned. The idea of “roasting” someone or something is to ridicule, exaggerate, and criticize every single possible weakness so that when the subject survives the lambasting, they are much stronger, maybe even invulnerable. Roasting is an exercise in building thicker skin.

If Dave is truly an ally (this seems up for debate), then the LGBTQ+ community would do well to take his jokes deeper than face value and try to use them to become stronger, maybe even laughing them off like all of Chappelle’s other targets that must do the same to enjoy his humor.

But, in this latest Netflix special, I can’t help but notice a seeming personal stake that Chappelle has in not just making jokes, but condemning those who have condemned him. It seems personal.

Everyone wants to believe they are “the good guy.” But a champion for justice and truth would not pick unworthy targets, right? A powerful mechanism of Comedy is how it maintains the status quo by ridiculing the outliers of society. The majority doesn’t like something about a minority, so a joke could be used to point out that difference in a mocking way and make the majority feel comfortable in their bigotry or ignorance. It’s a very regressive use of comedy and one Chappelle would probably never wish (intentionally) to use…

But perhaps that is exactly what he has been doing to the trans community for four Netflix specials now. And when they tell him they are victims and not worthy of this ridicule for all they have endured, Dave doubles down. He now believes *he* is *their* victim (or at least people he admires like Kevin Hart and DaBaby).

Perhaps the blind spot in Dave Chappelle’s hubris is that his success comes from speaking on his personal experience against injustice and hypocrisy that affected him. Audiences gained universal truth from his subjective experience because he eloquently captured and criticized them with the highest degree of wit.

White people were commonly a target of Chappelle’s most stinging accusations, but they heralded the comedian. Perhaps, deep down, they agreed with him and recognized the work still needing to be done in regards to race relations.

The trans community is not taking their abuse as kindly (for the most part – I have seen some positive reviews while scouring google, Reddit, and Twitter).

This vitriol from members of the trans community means either they have some growth needed to embrace the ridicule we are all subjected to when we have a place at the table, or maybe Dave is really doing more damage than he wants to acknowledge or believe. He ended his special saying something to the effect of, “I’m done telling trans jokes until y’all can handle it.”

Imagine if a White comedian tried to represent Black issues like Chappelle has? It would seem a bit out of place. Chappelle ridicules White people because he has felt antagonized by many Whites. He ridicules Black people because he has lived the Black experience. It doesn’t seem like Dave has any credible connection to the trans community apart from his friend, Daphne, that gives him authenticity in his use of the subject for humor.

Maybe these trans jokes should be told by the “Dave Chappelle of trans comedians” instead.

Similar Read: “I Haven’t Found (The Humor In) It, Nor Do I Seek It”

Musings of one random New Yorker

by with No Comment CultureFeatured

“Go back to your country,” 

“Go back to where you came from!” 

“Curry lover.” 

“look at that big red dot on your forehead!” 

I’ve heard it all. Which, as a U.S. born Citizen… feels surreal. Out of my entire family, I am the first to be born in the United States, though my heritage and ancestry span continents. 

Originally, my ancestors are from India’s northernmost region, Punjab, to be exact, but the story does not start from there, though. 

No, the story begins with my ancestors integrating with the Greeks, the Romans, the Persians, the Afghanis, the Mongols, and essentially the multitudes of other ethnicities that dreamt of India’s wonders and sought to conquer, trade in it, or subjugate it.

With each new group, with each new conquest, and with each new age, my ancestors survived, thrived, and grew. In a time where there were no universal laws or rules, my bloodline prevailed. And through all this time, they paved the course of my path, the purpose of my being, to one day be here, sitting in this very chair, typing these words out for anyone to read and digest. 

Through famine, war, disease, political intrigue, migration, poverty, wealth, my ancestors ensured I would be here one day. 

In a land that would be alien to them, but to me, it is all I have ever known to be home. 

Here in this nation – 

I scraped my knees for the first time, rollerblading. 

I played handball in the public parks against the bigger boys.

I saw scobby-doo and sang along to its theme song E.V.E.R.Y. T.I.M.E.

I enjoyed my first pop-song – NSYNC

I had my first school detention

My first beat up after school.

My first fish, turtle, bird, dog, and now cat pet

My first best friend

My first kiss

My first love

My first heartbreak

My first Slurpee (My first brain freeze)

My first pizza 

My first BaconEgg&Cheese

My first educational degree (Then my second first master’s degree)

My first credit card

My first job

My first paycheck

My first exposure to death

My first breakdown

My first sense of accomplishment…

You see, this country was my first for everything, as I was the first of my family to be born here. So when you tell me to go back to where I came from, where do you think that place is?

How could you know what it took, the sacrifices, the pain, the defeats, the victories, and the resilience and determination it took to ensure that I would be here one day?

They couldn’t know, but you, dear reader, you now know. 

The next time someone decides to tell you to go back to where you came from, take a moment and realize you are everything your ancestors hoped, prayed, traveled, worked, fought, and died for to be here. 

You are your bloodline’s greatest achievement. 

And just like you, I am here to stay, to grow, to achieve, and to inspire.

What are your detractors here to do? 

Similar Read: The 37th Best Place to Live in America

Not What I Ordered

by with 2 Comments FeaturedSports

The Washington District of Columbia Football Club…

For the first time in my lifetime, there’s a serious call for changing the nickname of the Washington DC professional football team. The team’s nickname is not one of opinion… it has never been a question of whether or not it’s racist or offensive. 

Real simple, would you ever call anyone a “bleep-skin”? If you didn’t know the team name, would you even know the term existed? No… because it’s a terrible name and needs to be changed immediately. No one uses this term in real life, we all know why, let’s not play dumb. 

Nowhere else in the world do you see sporting teams named after whole peoples. There is no such thing as the “Berlin Russians” or the Paris “Italians,” no because it sounds stupid and without substance. 

So that’s that…

Now what should be the new team name? 

I’ve seen a number of suggestions and they’re all over the place. From the respectable nickname of the “Red Tails” (to honor the Tuskegee Airmen) to the boring and lame “Presidents” and “Generals” to simply being called the “Americans.” 

NOOOOOOOO!!!!

Just call it the “Washington District of Columbia Professional Football Club,” with no gimmicks, no mascot, no cheerleaders, no band. Just the coaches, trainers, scouts, and players. 

Why? 

For starters, we as Washington area sports fans already went through a terrible team name change. The Washington Bullets was a great nickname for our professional basketball team. No one, and I mean no one, hunted down anyone in the name of the “Washington Bullets” and shot them for said reasons. The reason for changing the name due to Washington’s murder rate is one thing, but to change it to the Wizards is just whack. Luckily our old red, white, and blue colors are back. But for years we were the laughing stock of the league due to lack of talent, ugly jerseys, and a terrible nickname. 

Secondly… the new team name NEEDS to be done quickly, to revert the media’s attention and focus back to the game of football. Outside of a couple RGIII’s here and a Sean Taylor (RIP) there, my childhood team has been ridiculously awful. 

A no-nonsense type of approach and new name is exactly what that organization needs to change its image. 

Lastly, the new name should be simple and straight forward, for it may bring some seriousness to Washington as a whole. The past few years we’ve seen the most illogical and asinine stances from people. Flat-Earthers to Trump voters refusing to wear masks amongst a health pandemic, it’s been a lot to take in. Maybe, just maybe, a team in the nation’s capital once named as one of the worst racial slurs in history could turn around and be a symbol of reason and progress. If the team were to change its name, show success, be a lead voice for what’s right, it COULD have an impact and trickle effect for the rest of the NFL and beyond. 

Similar Read: John McGraw, Andy Reid, And Black Quarterbacks

What Does It Mean To Have Two Old White Men Running For The Democratic Primary In 2020?

by with No Comment FeaturedPolitics

The 2016 election was historic. Hillary Clinton became the first woman ever to secure the Democratic Party’s nomination for president. While her run for president was historic, unfortunately, she did not win against Donald Trump. 

However, after her run, unprecedented drives of women – more than ever before – began stepping up to run for office across the country and at every level. So, it was no surprise that the 2020 election for president would see a historic level of women running. Major Democratic ticket contenders included NY Senator Kristin Gillibrand, MN Senator Amy Klobuchar, CA Senator Kamala Harris, Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, author Marianne Williamson, and MA Senator Elizabeth Warren. Of these six women, Gabbard remains in the race, but her campaign is not viable.  Warren was the last serious candidate to drop out, falling hard after Super Tuesday where she had a poor showing. 

So what does this mean for a primary that has seen upwards of fifteen-plus candidates enter and leave the race? 

Some Americans are saying this country is ready for a woman president; however, their actions are not matching their words. Arguably, Warren was the Democratic Party’s best chance for a woman candidate, but she did not win a single state during the four early primary contests (IA, NH, NV & SC) and she fell flat during the 14-state Super Tuesday contest. She didn’t even win her home state which is a bad indication of support. 

Even more than her loosing and ultimately dropping out, we now face a primary that is likely to showcase a contested convention with two old White men. Our moderate candidate being former Vice President Joe Biden and our liberal candidate being Bernie Sanders. 

As a self-proclaimed woman advocate, it’s extremely hard to look at a contest that seemed so promising with a diverse field of candidates running from age, gender, race and sexual orientation to dwindle right back down to what we’ve been used to in this country – old white men. 

While Gabbard remains in the race, clearly unviable, Warren dropping out sends a strong signal that what this country preaches it clearly doesn’t practice. We already have a president who has proven himself to show clear bigotry and sexism towards women. What we should be running toward are more women who can represent the more than majority voting population of this country – women. 

While I believe we will have a woman president within the next decade, I can’t help but wonder what message we are continuously sending by advancing old White men.

(Mississippi) Gun Line Boss

by with One Comment CultureFeatured

We all remember the classic movie Life starring Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence. One of the movie’s many classic scenes is when Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence first arrive at the Mississippi prison encampment. While being lined up with other new prisoners, the warden reels off the rules of the prison camp. The warden’s hype man, another inmate, carrying a rifle on his shoulder echo’s each remark made by the warden. The most memorable remark echoed was “tell em bout the gun line boss,” which was a reference to the prison encampment not having a fence, but rather a “gun line.” The “gun line” was an imaginary line and if a prisoner ever crossed it he would be shot by the watchtower guards. Later in the movie, a scene unfolds in which a prisoner does, in fact, cross the gun line, and is shot to death in the process.

Fast forward to the real Mississippi in 2018… the recent US Senate race between Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith and Democrat Mike Espy. 

Similar read: Major League Baseball And Mississippi Politics?

I reference the imaginary “gun line” as a comparison to the State of Mississippi’s horrid racial history, and the forever reminder that crossing that racial line will not come easy. Mississippi may not have actual watchtowers with guards; however, there are racially motivated eyes always looking down on Mississippi, especially when progress is being made against bigotry.

Mississippi, a state on the Mount Rushmore of racism, has historically treated Black people akin to the oppression placed on minority populations in dictator-led countries. And racist Mississippians sure have a lot to be proud of, they lead the nation in a lot of areas:

  • Mississippi is the second highest recipient of federal tax dollars in the nation.
  • It has the fewest dentists in the nation.
  • It’s the most obese state in the nation.
  • It’s one of the poorest states in the nation.
  • In 2004, Mississippi passed a ban on same-sex marriage with miraculous 84 percent support for the ban – Do you know how hard it is to get 84 out of 100 people to agree about anything??? 
  • It’s ranked last in academic achievement by the American Legislative Exchange Council’s Report Card on Education. 

It should come as no surprise a state that drums up the very worst in imagery for many people around the country leads the nation in the worst way economically, socially, and educationally. However, we’ve known this about Mississippi since… well, it was first called Mississippi. 

Just like Martin and Eddie in Life knew prison would be tough, even harder when serving time for a crime they didn’t commit. That’s a given… being in prison is tough, but what isn’t a given is what to do about it? Next time, how can Mississippi flip the 70,000-voter difference that will be sending Cindy Hyde-Smith to Washington and elect a Mike Espy instead? How can a state that still has the Confederate Flag become an inclusive place for all? 

Well… Martin and Eddie took decades to escape from prison. After not speaking to each other for years, Eddie Murphy’s character tried to escape time and time again. Later in the movie the two reunited and came up with a plan to escape, and succeeded!

In order to cross the “gun line” of racism, Mississippi has a lot of work to do. A few key factors… 20 percent of the state’s residents don’t have a high school diploma. And it has a 37 percent Black voting electorate, the highest in the nation. Just like Eddie and Martin in Life had to set aside their differences with the common goal of escaping prison, (with the help from around the nation) Mississippians will need to do the same… and the rest of the nation needs to take an interest in Mississippi. Politically speaking, national liberals and progressives must do more than infiltrate Mississippi 6-months before elections in an attempt to push local candidates across the finish line. Mississippi needs sustainable support, true “get out the vote” efforts, and with the help of liberal to moderate White voters, the state could change politically. 

But the racial “gun line” in Mississippi will always have its history and sadly will only conform so much. Eddie and Martin’s goal wasn’t to make prison more comfortable, but escape it entirely. The goal in Mississippi shouldn’t be to change hearts or even take down the Confederate Flag. But instead, remove the elected officials who proudly want to continue the oppression of non-White Protestant citizens, and replace them with those who want to reverse the Mississippi we know with the one it could and should be. 

Midterms… From the Left, Center, Right

by with No Comment FeaturedPolitics
Different perspectives are important, especially regarding the 2018 Midterms. The dust has settled. We asked three of our contributors from the Left, Center, and Right, to weigh in… and here’s what they had to say…
“Midterms… we came, we saw, we partially conquered. To know so many women (particularly minority women) were elected to office for the first time in history was a bittersweet moment. Sweet because I, along with future generations, have a predecessor to look up to. Bitter because in 2018, the fact that we are still having such firsts is unacceptable.” – Left Healthcare Professional 
“A rising tide lifts all boats” is a common way of thinking when making policies. We must realize however, that although the tide will raise the boat I am on, there are some citizens not privileged enough to be on that boat and those policies can have a negative impact on them. In this election I voted for the good of people, ALL people. Although there are some policies that may benefit some tax brackets over others, we as people need to look out for our brothers and sisters (regardless of racism, sexism, and classism) and do what is good for humanity. I appreciate the campaigns that stayed away from the hate and division. Unfortunately, not enough campaigns can say they did that.”  – Center Single Mom
The Democrats now have a tool to prove their worth again to the American people or just enough rope to hang themselves. This “wave” is milder and different in character than the midterm wave of the last three presidents. If Democrats can focus around healthcare and assemble a compromise budget deal (perhaps around issues such as infrastructure), and can find a strong presidential candidate, perhaps they will be rewarded. If this turns into an army of subpeonas… if they continue to focus their entire agenda (or allow their news cycles to focus on) the president’s taxes or scandals, or if their intransigence leads to a government shutdown, they may well have just enough stake in the government to take the blame for a market correction after several years of low inflation growth. If that happens, the house may turn again in two years, and Trump will have another four years. – Right Army Veteran 

Returning to Work

by with 3 Comments FeaturedPoliticsRace Relations

The highly anticipated midterms are over… Not necessarily a “blue wave” but enough Democrats won to reclaim the House. So now the Dems can call for investigations, subpoenas, etc. We’re not sure how much success they’ll have, but if nothing else it’ll add to the circus that Washington has now become. 

If you’re a Black American, regardless of where you reside, you were hopeful Gillum and Abrams would win their Florida and Georgia Gov races respectfully. Let’s be honest, you were probably more than hopeful. You might’ve donated to their campaigns, at the very least your eyes were probably glued to CNN or MSNBC as they reported and updated the numbers. 

But while we didn’t want to admit it, the writing was on the wall when the coverage for these two big races began to fade and focus was redirected to other less historic or risky races. Gillum jumped to a lead, but Florida is Florida, and once the panhandle numbers came it was a done deal. Abrams on the other hand never appeared to have a shot. Her opponent jumped out to a big lead and held on. 

All that support, time, energy, “sweat equity,” registering new voters, younger voters, etc… wasted. Minorities including Black Americans have given a lot to this country. If Democrats can’t win elections with great candidates against opponents who blatantly traffic in racism and bigotry, then perhaps Dems aren’t the answer or the party for minorities? Or perhaps a drastic shift in leadership is the only way to get over this hump? 

Across this country, millions of Black Americans and minorities are mustering up the strength to return to mostly all-White offices and workplaces (today and the rest of the week) having suffered another moral and legislative defeat that hits them in every way possible. Where does that strength come from? Where are the safe places needed to exchange thoughts, vent, and move on? Trying to do so… after an 8-10 hour workday… year after year… election after election… can’t be healthy. 

Advice… don’t engage in political discussion, don’t take the everyday frustrations that come with any job personal, and stay close to family and friends who either know your pain, can relate, or have exemplified empathy. 

Dems should take a hard look at how they decide to campaign and strategize moving forward. Taking the “high road” sounds great, when you win. But they lost, two devastating and deflating losses. In both Florida and Georgia, their opponents made it about race. Not just race, but nasty racism… whether it was “monkey this up” or repeat overtly racist robocalls, digs at their education and fitness for office, Republicans in Florida and Georgia made up their mind that they were gonna hit low, hit hard, and hit often. That’s exactly what they did, and it carried them to victory. 

Gillum, Abrams, and Dems collectively did the exact opposite. They stayed high, and once again, to no avail. Is the solution to go just as low, probably not. But when you run two highly qualified charismatic candidates in Gillum and Abrams, and still lose, you should probably take a hard look at your playbook, strategy, and party leadership. 

Change is never easy, but it is inevitable. Since Dems expect or count Black Americans and minorities in their tent, they need to start making changes and winning the games/elections they should win, because something tells me this younger generation won’t be as patient and understanding as those that came before them. 

Jeff Sessions And The Religious Right Are Ruining Christianity

by with No Comment Featured

Christians need to shame those who use their faith to justify actions and policies that are anything but Christ-like.

Remember the movie “Saving Private Ryan?” For those who haven’t seen it, not sure if that person even exists, but if you haven’t seen it here’s the gist. Captain Miller, played by Tom Hanks, and his platoon are assigned to find a soldier whose three other brothers have died in combat before he possibly faces the same fate.

The soldier, Private Ryan, is just another soldier; however, Army leadership found it purposeful to save the Ryan household another loss to their family, thus the mission to find Private Ryan and bring him home.  

During the mission, several of Captain Miller’s troops, including Captain Miller, die attempting to save Private Ryan; yet the mission of rescuing Private Ryan is fulfilled and he safely returns home. 

Related: Alabama Republicans, Politics Over Everything…

The movie came to mind when I saw yet another ridiculous religious reference by a political official. This time it was Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Side note, speaking of Hollywood movies, if there was ever the perfect man who had both the look and voice of the Jim Crow segregationist, it would be Jeff Sessions. 

Sessions stated the Bible justified immigration enforcement to purposely separate families in the effort of enforcement because “it’s the law of the land.” Which is true. The law of the land includes immigration protocols. The Bible does state to obey the law of the land. But… is that the Christian way? To intentionally separate families for violation of a nonviolent crime? Would he use the good Christian book if the immigration issue was focused against… say… Polish immigrants versus immigrants from Mexico and Latin America?

However, Sessions isn’t the real problem. It’s his fellow Christian worshipers who stay silent when the “Christian Right” continually use the Christian faith as a launching pad for their political policies.

To the non-affiliated type, the “Christian Right” has become nothing but a harbinger for bigotry, xenophobia, and homophobic views and policies. This type of practice has gone on for too long and now more than ever Christians need to go on a mission and save their faith.

The “Christian Right” has become so ridiculous that white evangelicals voted to the tune of 95 percent for Trump. Trump: a lifelong party going, illicit drug using, several wives having, amongst other things self, was voted for based on religious beliefs. Huh????

So what gives? 

Simply put, the “Christian Right” use religion as makeup to cover their true bigotry filled desires. And only rightfully minded Christians have the makeup removing kits to wipe it away. Yes, I know most of the “Christian Right” are southern White people, but it doesn’t matter. If you practice the Christian faith, what’s supposed to supersede any demographic box is wanting to be Christ-like. Therefore, that includes ensuring your faith is not being misused.

Lastly, in “Saving Private Ryan,” Captain Miller calmed his troops questioning the purpose of their mission for the expense of their own possible death; for he stated if bringing Ryan home is a way to get them all home, then so be it. Other Christians not on board with the hypocrisy of the “Christian Right” might fear backlash or know they too have their own faults. However, justifying these actions by stating it’s the “biblical thing to do” creates a mark on the Christian faith that’s becoming harder and harder to erase.

After listening to such justification and watching it play out, refusing to speak up is even worse. 

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Merck, Under Armour, Intel: “Unacceptable!”

by with No Comment Media

On August 14th, chief executives from three of America’s largest companies decided to step down from the President’s Manufacturing Council after the recent alt-right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in which the president was hesitant to immediately denounce white supremacy.  The violent weekend in Charlottesville claimed the lives of 3 people and injured 19 others.

The CEO’s explain why they left…

Kenneth Fraizer, CEO of Merck:

America’s leaders must honor our fundamental values by clearly rejecting expressions of hate, bigotry, and group supremacy… As CEO of Merck and as a matter of personal conscience, I feel a responsibility to take a stand against intolerance and extremism.” Kenneth Frazier’s full statement

Brian Krzanich, CEO of Intel:

“I have already made clear my abhorrence at the recent hate-spawned violence in Charlottesville, and earlier today I called on all leaders to condemn the white supremacists and their ilk who marched and committed violence. I resigned because I want to make progress, while many in Washington seem more concerned with attacking anyone who disagrees with them.” Brian Krzanich’s full statement

Kevin Plank, CEO of Under Armour:

“We remain resolute in our potential and ability to improve American manufacturing… However, Under Armour engages in innovation and sports, not politics.” 

Is the President losing the business community? Merck’s stock jumped nearly 1% shortly after Kenneth Frazier made his statement. It should be noted that the CEO of Tesla Elon Musk and the CEO of Disney Bob Iger both stepped down from the President’s Business Advisory Council in June after the president decided to leave the Paris Climate Accord.

Related articles:

Heather Heyer, “A Very Strong Woman”

Charlottesville, VA… The LCR Responds…

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