Creating Better Information Flow in the Black Community: A Discussion

This past Friday, 25 May 2007, I participated in a panel discussion at the Annual Blacks In Government Conference in Seattle entitled, “Say What? Keeping Information and Ideas Moving in the Black community.” The panel was moderated by K. Wyking Garrett, CEO of Remix Marketing and Communications, and included myself and Monique Carillo, Founder of Carillo PR.

The discussion, which was well attended by enthusiastic participants, grew from a general exchange on definitions of knowledge and information to an all-out brainstorming session on ways to communicate better with one another.

Podcast on the Importance of a Public Internet

Last week I recorded my first podcast for the Northwest Progressive Institute, a Washington-based think tank for which I serve as Senior Policy Analyst for Technology.

The title is “Reframing Net Neutrality,” and it talks about why an accessible and public and non-discriminatory Internet is important to preserve. You can listen to the audio here.

One Love. One II.

Blackle what?

I have written about environmental issues here on the site and the more I try to make a positive impact, I realize how much it requires a completely different approach to almost every aspect of our lives. I am at the point where I don’t even keep my alarm clock plugged in until I get ready for bed. What is the purpose of wasting energy by keeping small appliances plugged in during the day when you are not at home?

A Letter to the [next] President: Don’t participate in CBCI Debates

The SuperSpade has been very involved in the fight to get the Congressional Black Caucus Institute (CBCI) to end their partnership with Fox News for their debates, while at the same time helping to convince leading Democratic Presidential candidates not to participate.

Below is an open letter to Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John Edwards, created by Color of Change, which The SuperSpade has signed officially (along with other Black bloggers). The letter is encouraging the three of them to stand their ground and not participate in the CBCI debates. If you are interested in signing it too, let us know so we can add you to the list.

One Love. One II.

Wolfowitz the comedian

Now former World Bank President, Paul Wolfowitz said of his departure, “People were reacting to a whole string of inaccurate statements and by the time we got to anything approximating accuracy the passions were around the bend.” That’s funny, as a major architect of the war, that seems to be the same strategy Wolfowitz used to push for war in Iraq by getting the public and media to associate 9/11 with Iraq and exaggerating threats concerning WMDs.

Once those lies were discredited, the Bush administration just came up with new reasons to stay like us having to stay in Iraq to rebuild the government, establish some form of democracy, and fight Al-Qaeda there so we don’t have to fight them here. Sorry Paul, karma is a trip.

Stay up fam,

Brandon Q.

The soldier who died…

After dropping the ball on timelines, I wish the Democrats would have made regular coverage of flag-draped caskets coming from Iraq a requirement for funding the war. The people sacrificed as a result of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are real and the time has long past for the disingenuous policy of putting our lost soldiers out of sight and out of mind.

Stay up fam,

Brandon Q.

Martin Luther King Jr. and Vietnam

I am sending a huge and shout out to Jack and Jill Politics for featuring a video by Martin Luther King and his opposition to the war in Vietnam. I won’t go into detail about why I oppose this war but if you listen to this speech and replace Vietnam with Iraq, his speech is even more poignant. One quote I pulled from the speech is that the “A nation that year after year, spends more money on military defense, than on programs of social uplift, is approaching spiritual death.” Meditate on this as you prepare for Memorial Day.

Stay up fam,

Brandon Q.

CBC breaking my heart

The Congressional Black Caucus is breaking my heart. The frustration exposed over this Fox debate is starting to reveal deeper cracks in their armor and Black leadership in general (those primarily funded via corporations). The campaign that we have signed onto has reached the front pages of the New York Times.

Immigration reform and slavery?

Immigration reform is a hot issue right now (we have discussed this issue before) and I want to talk about immigration without a supercharged discussion about the benefits and/or drawbacks of Black Brown unity. Having said that, one contentious point in the proposed Senate bill “would put a higher premium on immigrants’ education, earnings level, or job skills.” If this bill passes as is, it would represent a reversal of long standing US policy to prioritize reunification of families. So before you decide whether you support or oppose this bill, let’s take it bite-size pieces, shall we?

The Weekly Dream: Show Up

 ”When you play with skill, good things will happen”-Jay-Z

 This week was my first week clerking at my firm.  And already, this summer is far different than last summer.  Last year this time, I knew less than nothing.  I could not tell the forest from the trees and I did not have much confidence in what I was doing until the end of the summer. 

This year is different.  Because I proved myself last summer and I built a rapport in my office, I am getting better projects and it is really enjoyable.  Now, I am finally getting the opportunity to look at the big picture and I am amazed at how much there is to know and learn. 

Friday Fact – How to get people to vote for you: Be on American Idol

A record 74+ million people voted on American Idol during the finale.

Less than 60 million people voted in the 2004 Presidential Election.

Wow. I wonder how much Jordin is going to help get this country on the right track?

Priorities sure are interesting…

One Love. One II.

How was I supposed to know?

This will be the type of ignorant but calculating excuse that Bush would use if and when a conflict would breakout with Iran. In the latest development, “the U.S. Navy staged its latest show of military force off the Iranian coastline on Wednesday, sending two aircraft carriers and landing ships packed with 17,000 U.S. Marines and sailors to carry out unannounced exercises in the Persian Gulf.”

The CBC is a trip

Check this out, “Twenty-six members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) have signed letters to Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) urging them to reconsider their decisions to skip a debate cosponsored by the CBC Institute and Fox News.”

Do you want more Independent TV?

A group of independent filmmakers called the Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA) want the FCC to mandate that 25% of Prime Time TV be reserved for independent shows. I don’t think this is a bad idea.

I’m not writing about this because I want to see better movies or better television (which I do, for the record). I am writing about this because more than being an issue about specific content, this is an issue about gaining access not only to the media, but to the people.

Democrats blink

The Democrats in Congress acquiesced to Bush by agreeing to scuttle a timeline for withdrawing the troops. The bill does “include conditions prodding Baghdad to make better progress toward quelling violence or risk losing around $1.3 billion in U.S. reconstruction aid. Bush could waive the provision, however.”

Detroit City Council: Impeach Bush

I missed this last week because I had not been staying up on news back home like I should. The Detroit City Council approved a resolution to impeach President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney last Wednesday.

While such a vote is “meaningless” in terms of being respected by the federal government, it does demonstrate yet another local body/group of citizens (there have been others) publicly communicating their frustration with everything that is the Bush Administration.

If you had a vote, would you vote to impeach the president?

One Love. One II.

Social Justice pt. 1

Last week, I was able to participate in a roundtable discussion with leaders from progressive organizations here in Michigan. The discussion was led by Professor John Powell, a simply brilliant man who is the executive director of the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity at The Ohio State University. I am proud to add that he is a Detroit native. It took me days before I could talk about what I learned. This will be the first of many posts related to this dialogue.

The Weekly Dream: Growing Pains

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.  When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.”

-1 Cor. 13:11

“You cannot put a grown head on a child’s body.”

The last couple of weeks this particular verse has been on my mind.  As my peers and I are undergoing tremendous changes and new responsibilities, maturity is something that I keep coming back to.  I remember when I was seven and my father told me I was the man of the house and what that meant to me.  I knew I was held to a different standard because I had responsibility.  I could not afford to be careless or to set a bad example for my siblings.  I could no longer comport myself as a child. 

Bush doesn’t like the troops, I don’t like Bush

I really, really don’t like this guy. Why do he and his political allies talk all this noise about “supporting the troops” when they treat them like the little green army men that small children play war with?

Case in point: Democrats today called for the President to support a compensation increase for the soldiers via The National Defense Authorization Act:

Obama and Clinton back Iraq Pullout Deadline

Wow.

It takes a lot for most politicians to be explicit about something. Anything. These two are definitely no exception. The strange similarities between Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton’s stances on Iraq continue, but they took a turn for the better yesterday. Instead of dancing around the idea of having a firm date for US troop withdrawal like they did in the past, both of them voted yesterday to set a 31 March 2008 for US troops to be out of Iraq. While it is sad that these two candidates are some of the last to have some Iraq sense knocked into them, this is actually a good sign for anti-occupation efforts.

Politics vs. Politicians

What is the most effective way to bring about change: through politics, or through politicians? Yes, there is a difference.

Senator Obama and affirmative action

Apparently, there has been a lot of controversy over Senator Barack Obama’s statements regarding affirmative action. The statements were part of a larger interview Senator Obama had with George Stephanopoulos on his show, This Week. I have an opinion on what he said but I will let you read the transcript of the interview first.

When my power went out…

Two nights ago, my power went out. For those that have been through this experience, you know it is a big nuisance. However, the clarity I received through that night inspired a metaphor for Detroit and similar cities that was truly profound.

The end of the MySpace soldier

I wrote a short piece at Northwest Progressive Institute’s blog about the Department of Defense is banning soldier access to MySpace, YouTube, and other sites.

Do you think that this is a big deal? Soldiers will still be able to access the sites from their own computers, but it seems odd to me that the blocked sites are ones that thrive off of user-generated content, which means that they are sites where the site’s participants control what gets onto the site. I guess this is similar to policies at some draconian companies like GM, but I see it as a big brother play to try to prevent soldiers from hearing dissenting viewpoints.

One Love. One II.

Fox implies that only Black people vote illegally

It is no secret that I do not like Fox News. Well, they gave me another reason yesterday.

Watch this segment talking about the possibility of double-voting in South Carolina (voting in each party’s primary election):

2 easy ways to become Political

The idea of “not having time” to deal with social and political issues is a real one for most people. Many times, people can’t worry about such broad concepts, or plan action against big issues because all of their time has to be spent working to provide for their lifestyle. This is no accident. I’ll get into why in a later writing, but today I want to share 2 ways you can re-prioritize and infuse politics into your life and lay a foundation for impacting your community at large.

Loneliness, Black Men, and Friendships: Part VII

Welcome back to the Black Male Friendship series! For those that are newto this series, it is my take on the current state of Black male friendships and how I think they should be improved. Today, we are going to talk about getting beyond superficial conversations that prevent real friendship from being fostered.

Rethinking Mentoring

My guess is that most readers of this site either have been or are currently involved in mentoring programs. For this work, I thank you and want to encourage you to keep going. In my own experiences, the vast majority of my mentoring experiences have been sparked by my friends saying, “Brandon, can you help out?” I would say yes and things would go along smoothly.

However, I have decided that I am going to do something different and take a much more active role in seeking out mentoring programs. There is a site, www.mentormichigan.org that has a pretty comprehensive directory of mentoring programs in Michigan. Regardless of where you live though, I encourage everyone reading this post to get out of their comfort zone and seek out mentoring opportunities.

Stay up fam,

Brandon Q.

The Weekly Dream: Happy Mama’s Day!

Hello Everyone,

As you know, Mother’s Day is right around the corner and the malls and restaurants are filled with last minute shoppers trying to do something special for the woman who brought them into this world.  This week, since I finished my exams, I was laying in my bed and flipping through channels when I landed on The Learning Channel.  It must have been baby week or something because every show was about pregnancy and how families adjust to childbirth.  It was so real.  I knew, but did not fully appreciate what it really takes to be a mother. 

There was a consistent theme I notice throughout all the shows and stories I watched that day, and that was motherhood is all about pain and sacrifice.  I was looking at all these women and the discomfort on their face was palpable.  Lord have mercy!  It made me realize that the road to motherhood is one birthed in pain.  After they give birth to you, the pregnancy wreaks havoc on the body.  Not to mention that babies have some of the strangest sleeping habits I have ever seen.  One of my good friends has a baby and it is like he never sleeps.  She sleeps when he sleeps, and when he is up, she is up.  And the sacrifice goes on.  Man, when I saw that, I just wanted to say “Mama, I am sorry if I kept you up.”  Because I know I would go crazy having such erratic sleeping behaviors.  But I digress.

Senator Clinton simply put

Are you pulling for Senator Clinton to win the Democratic nomination for President? If so, why?

Stay up fam,

Brandon Q.

Iraqi lawmakers want US out

I don’t know who was first to offer a face-saving way to get out of Iraq but the one I remember distinctly goes like this; if the Iraqi people say they want the US out, we should bring the troops home. This logic always stumped me because it tacitly assumes that we invaded Iraq based on the expressed will of the Iraqi people. The logic spelled says the Iraqi people wanted us to occupy their country so all they have to do is ask us to leave and we’ll go. Now we can put that political rhetoric to the test.

Men and Celibacy

Many reading this title will think I am writing an oxymoron, but I am not. Steve sent me an article highlighting the growing numbers of men who are entering the no-sex zone.

According to Dr. Ian Kerner, a noted sex therapist and author of the forthcoming Sex Detox: A Relationship Rejuvenation Program for Everyone, research suggests that millions of otherwise-sane men have, at one time, chosen to take a break from sex—and, in many cases, masturbation and the consumption of sexual images in any form—in search of something deeper, safer or less complicated.

The Pentagon, Bob, and war testimony

As a staunch opponent of this war, I am highly aware that Congress will have to step up to the plate to rein in President Bush. Yes, most Americans want to end this war but the political kiss of death won’t happen until members of the military begin to speak out on how this war is actually not the best way to “support the troops.” Getting these stories before Congress is critical in turning Republicans and the White House knows this. As a result,

Student Loan Sunshine Act

The House of Representatives “overwhelmingly approved the Student Loan Sunshine Act on Wednesday in the wake of scandals that have implicated some of the country’s largest lenders and elite educational institutions.”

 The act passed 414-3 with strong bipartisan support, and bans gifts and revenue-sharing agreements between lenders and schools, requires institutions to disclose all relationships with lenders and allows only “preferred lender lists” with assurances that they were created with the students’ best interest in mind, among other items.

This is a welcome development when you consider that the average student debt load is hovering around 20,000, the last thing we need is private lenders putting the squeeze on colleges to distribute loans that in the end, put unnecessary financial burdens on students. The Senate is expected to follow suit when they mark up the Higher Education Act. This is a good day for students. You can read the act here.

Stay up fam,

Brandon Q.

Saving Black Men at the Barbershop

I came across a great article today which found that “After an eight-month, barbershop-based intervention, men with high blood pressure were much more likely to start receiving treatment and to get their blood pressure under control than their peers given standard care, Dr. Paul L. Hess of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas and colleagues found.”

Republicans, felons, and voting

People that know me understand that I am fascinated by strategy, broadly defined. To that end, the GOP down in Florida has me stumped. Across America, there is a wave of restoring voter rights to ex-felons. I welcome these developments and I strongly support the re-enfranchisement of ex-felons. But there’s a catch.

Women Bloggers and Sexual Harassment

I read a powerful article at Slate.com by Dahlia Lithwick, discussing the violent sexual harassment many women bloggers endure at the hands of men. The central question that the article explores is “whether the blogosphere is different for women and if it is, why.” This is another angle to answer Garlin’s question,  “Are you afraid of the internet?”

Senator Obama: Inspiration and Irony

I was simultaneously excited and dismayed when I learned that Senator Obama is receiving protection from the Secret Service. I was excited because I was reminded of the first season of the hit show 24, where the character, Senator David Palmer was on the campaign trail to become the first Black president. (Yes, he ended up winning)

On a more serious note though, I was dismayed because of the symbolic irony. Senator Obama raised $25 million dollars and boom, an elite Secret Service detail. But when I think about Black men in America, we are not safe from the government in the form of Driving While Black, higher insurance rates, inadequate health care, under funded schools, poor infrastructure, and in some cases, Breathing While Black.

I am thankful for the extra protection provided to Senator Obama and his family. I pray for his safety in his comings and his goings. Nevertheless, what does it take for a Black man in America to get basic protection from the government? Is the irony just lost on me?

Stay up fam,

Brandon Q.

Presidential Debates are closer to really being Public

An update on the push to make debate videos truly available to everyone.

It looks like CNN heard this call, and is responding by making their Presidential Debate Footage available without restriction. I appreciate the effort and support of those of you that supported this action.

Senator Chris Dodd, Former Senator John Edwards, and Senator Barack Obama, all Presidential candidates, all supported this as well. This is a good sign that these individuals will take thoughtful approaches to technology policy, should one of them be elected.

One Love. One II.

Are you afraid of the Internet?

The C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan recently published a survey called The National Poll on Children’s Health. While this report calls out the usual suspects of drugs and obesity, there was one concern that was surprisingly high: the Internet.

The Weekly Dream: Hold Your Peace

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven: a time to keep silence and a time to speak.”

-Ecclesiastes 3:7

“If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to control the whole body.”

-James 3:2

 ”Every man possesses a simple superpower: silence.  Too few flex it on the regular basis.”

In the past, I have spoken in passing about slience, creating a quiet space, finding peace within yourself.  However, today I want to talk about holding your tongue.  Or more clearly, knowing when to speak and when to listen.  On one level, I admire those individuals who are the “strong, silent type.”  I have friends who are almost Zen-like in their ability to hold their peace and not say anything, just be “in the cut.”  You never know if they are paying attention or watching everything.  You do not know what they are thinking or how they really feel about you.  And this type of silence lends to them a certain air of mystery, confidence, allure and magnetism. 

 However, on the other end, I have friends who are the life of the party.  They enter the room and the atmosphere changes.  They hit a room like they are campaigning for office and by the end of the night they have networked, connected and built rapport with every person in the room.  Their allure is being able to come out of their shell and share themselves.