DarkStar Spouts Off

NPR Poll on Blacks: Single Race?

A new Pew Research Center survey found that nearly 40 percent of Blacks think "blacks can no longer be thought of as a single race."

The phrasing of that bothers me. It's as if a "poor" Black person is considered to be a different "race" than a "not poor" Black person. It should be stated that 40% of Blacks are acknowledging class differences. Or better yet, that people are now recognizing class differences and are finally being ASKED about it.

Or maybe not. I'm still thinking... Marinading....

[ Update ]

This is from a letter to The Washington Post Op-Ed section:

Black America is not a monolith, and neither is white America. Because a white Anglo-Saxon Protestant cab driver sees the world differently than a Hungarian immigrant computer company executive doesn't mean that they're not both white. White Americans are more diverse than African Americans are. Whites span the spectrum from dairy farmer to homeless Vietnam veteran and from minimum wage waitress to college professor. They descended from English Episcopalians; Russian Jews; Irish, Polish and Italian Catholics; German and Norwegian Lutherans and members of the Armenian Orthodox Church. They invented the Ku Klux Klan and taught kids how to be hippies. There are huge divides among whites in values, education and class.

Clearly, whites are at least as "divisible" as blacks. But nobody is looking to divide whites into different races.

NPR Poll on Blacks: Race Hustlin

Do you want to see an example of race hustling in action? This paragraph in an article by Juan Williams is an example:

But a critic who points out that this so-called culture is defeatist and damaging — because it leads to high drop-out rates, record black-on-black murder statistics and a record number of out-of-wedlock births — is dismissed as a prude and a censor. Anyone questioning lyrics that glorify violence and make it cool to treat women as sex toys is told that the words reflect the reality of black life, and that they are "acting white."

So, I ask you, who said Chuck D was acting white when he criticized rap? Who criticized Al Sharpton as white when he criticized rap?

How about this? Has anyone examined the music listened to be Blacks who graduate high school and who graduate college? You mean most of them don't listen to rap? You then follow up with this?

A poll released by the Pew Research Center, in association with NPR, finds that 67 percent of black men and 74 percent of black women think rap music is a bad influence on black America. In fact, 59 percent of black men and 63 percent of black women think the whole hip-hop industry — from the jailhouse fashion of pants hanging low, to indifference to work and school — is equally detrimental to black America.

Uh, if the poll is accurate on this account, and it is, how does your prior narrative maintain consistency?

It doesn't unless you ignore the people I listed as well as the women as Spelman who stood up against Nelly, Essence Magazine, and other "every day" Black people who have been criticizing rap for years!

I'm not ignoring the rest of what Juan Williams wrote, but I'm highlighting what I'm highlighting to point out the race hustling that Juan Williams is doing. And since he seems to point out the "race hustling" of others, why not point out his?

NPR Poll on Blacks: My Comments

I'm doing the road dog thing and am really busy otherwise, but I want to put my comments out there concerning  NPR/Pew Center Research poll results. I'm writing a series of posts now, hoping I make myself clear and hoping each post is self contained and make the point I want to make. I'll set those to display "in the future."

I'll also try to keep this post at "the top"

Stats Generate Questions

This article generates a lot of questions for me.

Nearly half of African Americans born to middle-income parents in the late 1960s plunged into poverty or near-poverty as adults, according to a new study -- a perplexing finding that analysts say highlights the fragile nature of middle-class life for many African Americans.

Overall, family incomes have risen for both blacks and whites over the past three decades. But in a society where the privileges of class and income most often perpetuate themselves from generation to generation, black Americans have had more difficulty than whites in transmitting those benefits to their children.

Forty-five percent of black children whose parents were solidly middle class in 1968 -- a stratum with a median income of $55,600 in inflation-adjusted dollars -- grew up to be among the lowest fifth of the nation's earners, with a median family income of $23,100. Only 16 percent of whites experienced similar downward mobility. At the same time, 48 percent of black children whose parents were in an economic bracket with a median family income of $41,700 sank into the lowest income group.

This troubling picture of black economic evolution is contained in a package of three reports being released today by the Pew Charitable Trusts that test the vitality of the American dream. Using a nationally representative data source that for nearly four decades has tracked people who were children in 1968, researchers attempted to answer two questions: Do Americans generally advance beyond their parents in terms of income? How much is that affected by race and gender?

"We are attempting to broaden the current debate" beyond the growing gap between higher- and lower-income Americans, said John Morton, Pew's managing director for program planning and economic policy. "There is little out there on the question of mobility across generations, and we wanted to examine that."

The data source, called the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, followed 2,367 people from across the country, including 730 African Americans, since 1968. The study participants have been repeatedly interviewed about their economic status through the years, allowing for income comparisons across generations.

The Pew reports found that in many ways the American dream is alive and well. Two out of three Americans are upwardly mobile, meaning they had higher incomes than their parents. About half the time, moving up meant not only that they earned more money than their parents, but also that they were better off in relation to other Americans than their parents were.

My questions:

• The results don't mesh with the growth in income and growth in the middle class as previously defined in other studies. How can you have that growth of the Black middle class and NOT have overall stability of those who enter?
• Are single family homes and the comparatively lower rate of marriage a factor and if so, how much of a factor?
• From what I remember of statistics, it isn't middle class and above women who are having the out of wedlock births. Am I wrong?
• How does net worth come into play, now, vs. then?
• The prime earning years are the 50s. So, are they comparing the right age groups an income ranges? Meaning, are they comparing the status of parents in their 30s to the status of children in their 30s, comparing the status of parents in their 40s to their children in their 40s, etc?
• Are the comparisons "snap shots" meaning, if there is a dip in income for some reason, and they measure at the dip, how does that affect the outcome of the statistics?

I have to re-read the Pew report and digest the details.

Too Bad About Brownback

If he were saying this on the stump, and was consistent about it, he would have gotten a serious look from me. This is from an opinion article that Sam Brownback wrote:

The pro-life message is both hopeful and winning. We know that America is better than abortion. We ought to work for a society where the strong protect the weak and every child, in every circumstance, is welcomed and cared for. The truth of our message is undermined, however, if we are not among the first to support adoption and assist pregnant women in difficult circumstances. We must support women in every way we can.

The pro-life and whole-life message does not stop with abortion. It embraces the child in Darfur, the woman struggling in poverty, the child born with Down syndrome, the man in prison and even the immigrant.

It has led me to spend nights in prisons in America and to visit homeless shelters, orphanages and refugee camps across the world. I have tried to understand the difficult circumstances in people's lives and ways that we can help. Some of the most profound people I have met possess souls that radiate a beauty that comes from finding strength and hope amid hardships unimaginable to most Americans.

The fundamental truth of human dignity can shed light on every issue. It means that we should help the poor in America, reduce prison recidivism rates and fight addiction by helping others break the bonds they cannot break themselves.

More at the link provided.

The Maryland Populace Doesn't Matter

It doesn't matter that the state legislator's email inboxes were full. It doesn't matter that the state legislator's telephone lines were jammed. It only slightly mattered that people went to Annapolis to protest proposed tax hikes. The state legislators enacted tax increases that are not popular.

And it didn't matter to The Baltimore Sun or The Washington Post that people were contacting the state legislators to complain. Since when is anger at a politician's stance, news?

To the people who voted for O'Malley, especially those who did so as a protest vote against George Bush, you BETTER NOT COMPLAIN about the increase in taxes!

Dead Air McNair SUCKS!!!!!

That is all.

Daughters of Rival Drug Kings Unite

Daughters of Rival Drug Kings Unite

Francine Lucas says she thought her father was in the candy business. Nicole and Ebony Barnes remember a lot of cash around their house, but were not sure exactly what their father did.

In fact, Frank Lucas and Nicky Barnes, now being portrayed in separate films — “American Gangster,” starring Denzel Washington as Mr. Lucas, and the documentary “Mr. Untouchable,” about Mr. Barnes — were archrivals three decades ago in Harlem’s cutthroat heroin trade.

The fruits of their fathers’ drug-dealing were shared with the daughters: a $10,000 toy train set, and so many Barbie dolls they gave them away to friends.

So were the penalties for the fathers’ crimes. When the girls were young, their fathers were imprisoned. Their mothers were, too. Francine Lucas was raised by grandparents. Nicole and Ebony Barnes were placed in foster care.

Now, Francine Lucas-Sinclair is planning a program to mentor and support children of parents who have been imprisoned. And in an unscripted turn of events, Nicole and Ebony Barnes have volunteered to help her.

“Yes, their parents might have broken the law, but the children deserve help and support,” Ms. Lucas-Sinclair said of the youngsters she wants to help. “First, because they’re innocent and they can’t fend for themselves. And second, they will be your children’s spouses, their neighbors or, God forbid, the person carjacking you 10 years from now.”

More at the link.

Yellow Brick Roads, Children of Incarcerated Parents

Two Points

I have to simple things to point out:

1. With Pat Robinson supporting Rudy Guliani, is there any further proof that the love of money is evil? Think about this. Pat Robinson is supporting a man who cheated on his wife, supports "the homosexual agenda," made New York City a "sanctuary city," and is a gun grabber. His support CAN'T be about morals because Rudy has none. Some would say it is about "protecting against terrorism" but Rudy was around when the first World Trade Center bombing happened and what did he do to try to prevent a second attempt? It HAS to be about money, meaning business.
2. Andy Reid and his wife should probably be in jail or out on bail. And the NFL should suspend him. I understand that parents can't be held accountable for what their adult children do, but when both are living in your home and are dealing drugs, you have a clue something isn't right.

More Saturday Musings

Status

I'm very busy at work. I'm architecting one system, while designing and implementing another system. To add to all of this, I'm doing road dog duty. A lot has happened this week but I haven't had time to comment. Unfortunately, my profound thoughts about the events have gone away.

Race

I saw "The Dog" on Hannity & Colmes and was shocked, really, to see Hannity and company spinning and excusing Dog's comments. The man, Dog, said he never saw the woman before, and when he saw a picture of her, he said she was pretty. The woman said she has not been involved with the law and is a "good person." After the clip, he said something like, "Aw sweetie, I'm sorry." He went on to mention that he uses "the N-word" with no other than Snoop Dogg. The man is pathetic. He comes off like a guilty white liberal. And at this point, Hannity will defend the Klan.

Maryland Politics

The fix is in. The state Senate has raised and expanded taxes but not in areas originally proposed by O'Malley. Now it is on to the state House to do it's job. They have already said the state Senate didn't go far enough. So, whatever happens it will have to go to resolution committee which means anything can happen and no one will be held accountable. In conference, they can scratch everything and do what O'Malley originally wanted to do, and then both chambers can vote up or down.

Previously, I contacted state politicians to let them know I didn't want any tax increases. One critter called me back and said he would not support any increases. He also happens to be on the tax committee. So what did he do? He voted the package out of committee and then voted against it on the floor. If he were against tax increases, he would have voted against it in committee. I won't forget that SOB's move. This seems to be how it happened for others as well.

Economics

Automobile gas prices were $2.66 last week. Now it is $2.97 this week.

I do "budget billing" for my home energy use. The "budget billing" increased about 50%.

Family cost for groceries has increased, overall, about 20-25%.

I don't think the talk of recession is justified, but TRUE inflation, not the government "cooked books" version of inflation, is real and it's more than just single digits.

Housing

We are going to go for the move up. Home prices, new and used, have taken a big drop, and even if it means just renting out the current house and taking a 80/20 split loan, then so be it. But the time is now.

Drop Squad: Damon Wayans

Damon Wayans, for THIS REMARK, you have been Drop Squaded!

[ Update ]

During a visit to "The View" on Wednesday, Wayans was asked his thoughts about the shock jock, who was fired by CBS in April after making the offensive comment, and recently hired by a rival radio station.      

"Freedom of speech, what happened to that? What happened to expressing yourself?" said Wayans, questioning the outrage that led to Imus' dismissal.      

Wayans later added: "At least I know where he stands. And you know what? When he called them nappy-headed ho's, I went, 'Wow, he's right.'"

I wonder how many fights he and/or his brothers got into defending their SISTER!

Subprime Mess Explained

The sub-prime mess, explained.

Now, This Is HATE!!!!

OK, I'm not an Oprah fan. The reason I am NOT a fan is because I "ran into her" a few times when she was a local "celebrity" in Baltimore. Those times I got the indication that she is NOT a nice woman and that has stuck with me ever since then.

However, I take no glee in what has happened with this sex scandal at her school in Africa. Her response to it has been great. Today, however, on a drive to a customer site, I heard a woman discussing it, and she appeared to be reveling in the situation, as was the female host. I thought it was disgusting and I dropped an email to the host and the station about it.

When you take glee at the "downfall" of a "big person" and do so at the expense of children, there IS definitely a special place in Hell waiting for you!

Good night! More code to write, test, and integrate tomorrow!

Charters Putting Catholic Schools Out Of Business

Again, not much time. A lot of code to write and test and integrate. More traveling.

Seven D.C. Catholic Schools to Become Public Charter Schools

Seven D.C. Catholic schools will undergo conversions to charter schools, Washington Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl announced today. His decision means that the schools will no longer operate as religious schools but will receive public funds and be run by a charter operator.

Wuerl announced in September that he was considering conversion for eight of 12 Catholic schools operating as the Center City Consortium because he said the archdiocese could no longer afford to subsidize the financially struggling schools. The proposal touched a nerve among black Catholics who protested by holding prayer rallies and writing letters to Wuerl. They were concerned that the move by the archdiocese would limit high-quality education options for African American children.

I bet the established edu-crats will stop complaining about charter schools until they put Catholic schools "out of business"!

A Lot on My Mind, Little Time

A lot is on my mind, but I don't have much time.

• So, the Fed cuts a key interest rate to help boost the economy and calm fears meanwhile, they are pumping BILLIONS of dollars into the same economy. Excuse me, but doesn't the latter cause currency de-value, and doesn't the former make foreign investment in the U.S. stock market look less appealing when combined with the latter?
• I was in an accident with my Acura CL. It has a lot of miles, but even so, it is still holding value so the insurance company didn't total the car. Before they made the evaluation, I had assumed they would total it and I looked at the Mazda CX-9, Buick Enclave, and the GMC Acadia.

  I drove the CX-9 first and was impressed with the size, the handling, and the relative quietness of the cabin, as well as the electronics that I want in a new vehicle. The CX-9 drove like a car, but the gas mileage wasn't great, but that's a given when you consider the side of this "crossover SUV". For what it is, it is a stylish vehicle. I didn't get into price of the CX-9 with the dealer, but he said he would give me "invoice price" plus $500.

  Next I looked at the Buick Enclave. They had a vehicle that was in the last stage of preparation for the new owner so I didn't get to drive it but I did see the interior. It's a luxury interior but it's more sedate. It's designed for an older driver, but the plushness was nice.

  Next I looked at the GMC Acadia. The dealer was the same dealer as the Buick. I selected a vehicle comparable to the CX-9 I drove and went for a test drive. The seating options were better (you can get 2 + 2 + 3 seating which means people get can out of the 3rd row without people in the second row moving) than the CX-9, but the ride was like the ride of a truck and it had the tell-tale GMC truck sound (rattling of components in the rear). It was OK, but I like the CX-9 better. The dealer said the options I wanted would bring the sticker price of the Acadia to $41K, but since they were at war with other car companies and wanted the SUV market, "which we created", back, the dealer said when I was ready, I would pay $36,580 for it. Low and behold, that matched the sticker price of a similarly equipped CX-9.

  If I were ready to buy, I would have purchased the Mazda CX-9. I admit I have a strong bias against American cars because of perceptions that American companies put out a bad product. I would have been mad on Saturday. You see I just received the latest Consumer Reports. Based on the latest data they have, they rated the Acadia as a reliable vehicle. They rated the CX-9 as UNRELIABLE! They also stated quality of Toyota has decreased, especially for the Camry!The point is:

1. If you are in the market for a new vehicle, maybe GM should be considered.
2. Because of the current market, you should be able to really deal, ESPECIALLY if you tell the dealer you are considering a foreign competitor.

• "Dog The Bounty Hunter" said some "inappropriate things" that was taped BY HIS OWN SON. I really don't care about what was said. I really don't care what his media company does or does not do to him. I do find it slightly interesting that he knew if his comments were to get out, he stood a chance of losing what he has built up. I find it really interesting that Hannity & Colmes dedicated most of a show to defending "Dog." And I find it really interesting that "Dog" is SEEKING OUT Al Sharpton!