Category Archives: Shakara

Gay Marriage Debate: Black Church vs. NAACP & President Obama

Posted by Shakara on

Image

The NAACP has announced it’s backing of same-sex marriage following President Obama’s announcement supporting gay marriage.

The announcement comes in the midst of backlash and speculation of whether President Obama’s expressed support will hurt his campaign among black voters in the church.

“The mission of the NAACP has always been to ensure political, social and economic equality of all people,” Roslyn M. Brock, chairman of the NAACP’s board of directors, said in a statement.

“Civil marriage is a civil right and a matter of civil law. The NAACP’s support for marriage quality is deeply rooted in the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution and equal protection of all people,” NAACP President Benjamin Jealous said.

Rev. Anthony Evans of the National Black Church Initiative opposed President Obama’s and the NAACP’s endorsements, warning that Obama and the NAACP will lose support among black churches for their stand. The National Black Church Initiative is a faith-based coalition of 34,000 African American and Latino churches comprised of 15 denominations.

“We love our gay brothers and sisters, but the black church will never support gay marriage,” Evans said in a statement. “It is and always will be against the ethics and teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Pastor Derek McCoy, executive director of the Maryland Marriage Alliance, told the media that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s “unfortunate” stance on the issue will contribute to the “further demise of the family.”

“We who marched with Rev. King did not march one inch or one mile to promote same-sex marriage,” Rev. William Owens, founder and president of the Coalition of African American Pastors, told the Catholic News Agency.

Jay-Z, rapper and friend of the Obamas, made a similar announcement expressing his support of gay marriage shortly after the president.

This support of gay marriage in the black community is part of an upward trend. In an ABC News/Washington Post poll following President Obama’s announcement, 54 percent of African-Americans agreed with him. But in similar polls in 2011 and 2012, just 41 percent of African-Americans supported gay marriage.

Some see President Obama’s recent announcement as flip-flopping on the issue, as he hasn’t always fully supported gay marriage.

What say you family? Do you agree with the church or with the president on this issue?

TMD’s Shakara & Wonder Woman on TV!

Posted by Shakara on

Hey family,

I invite you all to take a moment out of your day to watch The U-View, a TV show I founded on UWM campus television.

My guests last week were The Milwaukee Drum’s very own Wonder Woman and Milwaukee conservative blogger Aaron Rodriguez (The Hispanic Conservative, El Conquistador). You can watch this episode online. Watch to learn more about these talented writers, their history, and to get their take on the governor recall election along with some other local issues.

Watch the episode now at:

pawstv3.com

Once you get to the site, the show is on the home page. Click on the first video on the left that says “New this week: Watch a new program produced   in conjunction with the Minority Media Association at UWM”

My guest tomorrow will be Mikel Holt of The Community Journal. I’ll upload it once it’s edited.

Peace

Shakara

UPDATE: Black Student Arrested In UWP Noose & Hit List HOAX

Posted by Shakara on

UPDATE: Kenosha Co. Sheriff David Beth tells the media Friday night that the threats at UW-Parkside are a hoax.

 Beth said one of the African-American female students on the so-called hit-list admitted to investigators she wrote the list.

 Beth said charges were expected Monday.

I think I am more disturbed in the fact that a black student would pull a hoax like this. This is one of the reasons why progress is so hard to make and why allegations of true events like this are swept under the rug or laughed at. 

-SR

Our schools have been desegregated. We have a black president. Some of you thought all was well.

It isn’t.

The start of Black History Month has been ruined by acts of ignorance and hatred.

A noose made of rubber bands (the picture above is the actual noose) was found in a common area of a suite at UW-Parkside Wednesday night. A black female student reported the noose, and on Thursday received a threatening note near her door that listed the names of several black students that were “going to die”.

Thursday night, UW-Parkside Chancellor Debbie Ford told an audience of about 400 students, staff and faculty that “UW-Parkside will not tolerate hate of any kind”. UW-Parkside Police Chief James Heller said immediate steps have been taken to ensure the safety of all UW-Parkside students. With help from officers from the UWM Police Department and deputies from the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department, patrols have been increased in residence halls, parking areas, and the main academic complex.

It is unknown who wrote the note and hung the noose.

It amazes me how people love to say how lazy black people are, how dumb and uneducated we are, how we are just welfare sucking babies who don’t know the value of work, yet we are being harrassed and chased out of school.

Many of the students have reportedly packed their bags and left the campus for the year.

What does it take to be seen as an equal? It is the most painful hurt to be hated because of the amount of melanin in your skin.

I’ve done some reading on comment boards where this story is posted and many white commentators are saying, “Oh this noose was made out of rubber bands, not real rope, it’s no big deal” and “Well at least they didn’t hang anyone” and “Don’t make this bigger than it is”. These are the same people that wanted to “send all blacks back to Africa” after the “racially motivated” attacks against whites at State Fair.

DO NOT allow the media to sweep this under the rug!

Please show your support for our brothers and sisters trying to get an education and change this marred society, whether you are white, black, Hispanic, Asian…we must unite to let these people know this will NOT be tolerated. There are many white students on campus who have joined the No H8 Fight. As a college student who was chased away from a college in rural Indiana from similar acts, I plan to take a stand as well.

To my brothers and sisters at Parkside: DON’T give up. Continue to reach for the stars and get your education and achieve success. We let them win when we throw in the towel. Don’t fight back with anger, success is the best revenge. You have a right to remain on that campus and learn. Education is one of the main weapons we need in this fight. You are not alone. 

Milwaukee County Bus Stops…Now Featuring MPD Patrols

Posted by Shakara on

Caught On Tape: teenager attacks and threatens a county bus driver

Milwaukee Public Schools.

Mayfair Mall.

Riverwest BP Gas Station

State Fair Park

and now….Milwaukee County Transit Buses.

The list grows longer for public places tainted with youth violence. When will it cease?

It has gotten so bad on the city buses that Chief Flynn announced Friday that his officers will now patrol bus stops on routes with the most problems in order to deter violence.

Because buses are moving vehicles on county roads, safety on the bus system is normally handled by the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Department. But Chief Flynn said Friday that his officers would step in to keep crime under control.

Sheriff David Clarke has assigned some deputies to bus patrols in the past. It’s no secret Sheriff Clarke is frustrated with the recent string of attacks, but he says the 2012 budget cuts implemented by County Executive Chris Abele will limit his department’s ability to protect riders. Because of that, Clarke advised the public last week that they would be riding  at their own risk.

MCTS also uses the  private security firm G4S Wackenhut (some people refer to them as rent-a-cops) to monitor the buses as well. According to the Journal Sentinel, Wackenhut has responded to the bulk of this year’s 3,200 service calls about problems on buses.

But county executive Chris Abele says the county bus system is the safest it’s been in five years.

A 24-year-old woman was attacked on a bus Thursday near 35th & Fond du Lac Ave. in front of her 2-year-old son.

A driver was assaulted last week by a rider who refused to pay his fare.

A bus was involved in a road-rage incident when the driver of a car cut off the bus, then pulled over and punched the window of the bus door.

Last Tuesday, MPD reported more than 30 teenagers went on a public rampage on Atkinson & Capitol, assaulting innocent bystanders in front of the library after four of them were kicked off a bus.

And the list goes on.

I’m no political debater and I try to avoid those arguments, but Mr. Abele, does that sound safe to you?

Not only has it become dangerous for riders, but drivers can’t even go to work without worrying if they will be attacked during their shifts.

People are calling this city “Detroit Jr.”

Where is this youth infatuation with group violence and attacking adults coming from?

What can be done to make things better? How can we take our city back?

One Year Jail Sentence: Example Of White Privilege?

Posted by Shakara on

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Madeline Kudlata, 18, of Mequon was sentenced Thursday to a year in jail, with release privileges to attend Marquette, as a condition of five years probation. If she violates that or other conditions, she could go to prison for two years, and as many as five, under a sentence imposed, and stayed, by Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Kevin Martens after a daylong hearing of emotional testimony from family on both sides.

Sydney Tabakin died Sept. 18 after Kudlata lost control on the ramp to northbound U.S. 41 from eastbound I-94. Kudlata and a front-seat passenger were not seriously injured. Tabakin was riding in the back seat without a seat belt.

In April, Kudlata pleaded no contest to homicide by negligent operation of a motor vehicle. She was initially ticketed for driving too fast for conditions and having an open container of alcohol in her car, but was charged with the felony in January.

Witnesses told investigators that Kudlata was disposing of liquor bottles at the scene. A blood test showed traces of marijuana, but no alcohol. Tabakin had no alcohol or illicit drugs in her system.

Tabakin’s parents and uncle spoke eloquently about Sydney’s vivacious, talented and determined character, and of their own despondence and continuing grief over her loss.

Her father, Neil Tabakin, told the judge how he and his wife initially hugged and embraced Kudlata, and forgave her for what at first appeared to be a simple accident, before they learned Kudlata had smoked marijuana, tried to hide evidence, swerved from a middle lane, partied in the weeks after the crash, and even posted photos on Facebook.

He thanked the community for its support and the stranger who tried to help his daughter as she bled on the pavement.

“I’m thankful someone held Sydney while she was dying,” he said, after pointing out that Kudlata did not.

Tabakin spoke of his daughter’s many dance recitals, competitions and performances, and said his favorite dance is the one he’ll never see – at her wedding.

He requested a prison term, calling jail an insult to his daughter’s memory.

She must report on June 25, the day after she registers for classes at Marquette. Martens also ordered that she remain sober, pay $37,000 in restitution and perform 300 hours of community service.

My Take:

This girl was high on marijuana and was seen disposing of open alcohol bottles at the scene of the accident while her supposed best friend laid dying on the pavement…yet is only sentenced to one year in jail…and will only serve this sentence in between going to college at Marquette. Is our judicial system really this weak? Or is this a case of white privilege (read up on it, it’s real) where everyone pities the 18-year old white girl from Mequon…doesn’t want her to become a prison statistic, but live her life to the fullest–an opportunity her friend will never have. It was even noted that she partied and posted pictures of herself enjoying life weeks after the crash. The father of the deceased asked that this girl be sent to prison, but the judge refused. Is this a slap in the face of the victim & her family, or is this a just sentence? Would this sentence be different if it involved minorites from the inner city?