You Think What

  • Home
  • header image

    Black History Month 2014: A New Perspective From Saturday Night Live

    Mar 07, 2014 by admin in We Think So

    **We wanted to publish this item last month during the celebration of Black History. It’s a short month and we were busy with other projects. We’ve decided to publish this item to celebrate the selection of John Ridley’s screen adaptation of the Steve McQueen directed film as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences  Best Picture of 2013.**

    The herald to Black History Month historian Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History announced the second week of February to be “Negro History Week.”  It was created in 1926 in the United States. February was selected because it is the birth month of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States who issued the proclamation freeing the slaves in the Southern Confederacy; Frederick Douglass, social reformer, orator,  statesman, and writer was also one of the most celebrated former slaves of his time.

    “If a race has no history, it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated. The American Indian left no continuous record. He did not appreciate the value of tradition; and where is he today? The Hebrew keenly appreciated the value of tradition, as is attested by the Bible itself. In spite of worldwide persecution, therefore, he is a great factor in our civilization.” ~ Carter G. Woodson, innovator of Black History Week

    The producers, writers and actors of the venerated sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, (SNL), provide us with a comical new perspective on the annual February tradition of celebrating the historic achievements of US, Canadian, and British citizens of Black African descent, members of the African Diaspora.

    This year they composed and performed a humorous presentation in the rap genre 28 Reasons to Hug a Black Guy, featuring Jay Pharoah, Kenan Thompson and Sasheer Zamata. We believe this piece totally explains, for those who are new to the celebration, for people in other nations, as well as some whites in the US who do not understand, the historic reason for celebrating great courage in the face of overwhelming adversity…SLAVERY!

    Perhaps there would not be a racial issue if the North had shamed the very concept of discrimination based on race. If American racism toward blacks were made to be as disgraceful as discrimination against the Jews then maybe the situation in the US after the end of slavery never would have occurred. Germany was shamed on the international stage for its detestable treatment of the Jews during the Third Reich, the period 1933 to 1945; that ended the discrimination against Jews in Germany and most of Europe. This is what we think ought to have happened in the United States of America at the end of the domestic conflict, the War Between the States. It is also known as the American Civil War fought from 1861 to 1865. Continue reading...

    No Comments »


    Debra J. Thomas, MD, PC: Winter Olympics Black History FIgure Skating Champion

    Mar 06, 2014 by admin in We Think So

    Twenty six years ago in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, during the 1988 Winter Olympics an American figure skater named Debi Thomas made history. At the time of the competition she was the first American black female to hold U.S. National titles in ladies’ singles figure skating.

    thomasDebi86inaction

    Thomas is the only African American who ever won a medal in the Olympics in figure skating. She is the first African American to win a medal in any Winter Olympic sport.

    Debra J. Thomas, now a private practice medical professional since 2010, began her figure skating career in 1983 when she represented the Los Angeles Figure Skating Club.

    Thomas was winner of the 1986 U.S. national title and the 1986 World Championships; those achievements earned Thomas the ABC’s teevee network’s Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year award in 1986. Thomas was the first female athlete to win those titles while attending college full-time. Continue reading…

    No Comments »


    Yale University EPI: Costa Rica Less Green

    Feb 18, 2014 by admin in We Think So

    We’ve all heard the saying “The grass is greener on the other side.” It seems we sometimes believe this bromide to be true only because the folks on the other side have campaigned to have us believe it  is so.

    CRgregorygMarybethdimjian-1

    In this case the people on the other side are the tourism professionals, (mostly Americans or individuals counseled or advised by Americans), of and for the government of the tiny Central American country, Costa Rica. For years Costa Rica, (with its American huckster’s influence), has promoted itself as the most ecologically friendly place on the planet. We believe this was inspired by exploitive Americans, other foreigners, or gringos, in order to entice winter weary vacationers from the United States, Canada and the colder climes of Europe.

    Yale University’s Environmental Performance Index, (EPI), reveals, what has been believed by many, the hype about the so-called conservation caring government of Costa Rica.

    Costa Rica ranks number 54 of 158 countries sampled in the index.  It has a score of .9 for Sewage. It is highest in the use of fertilizer pollution in the world, almost 5 times higher than the next closest country.

    “The EPI put us face to face with an image of the country that we are not used to. Why? Because we have become too complacent with ourselves. What the EPI strives to do is rank countries and we didn’t like the rank that it assigned to Costa Rica. Why? Because we have created the myth that we are a green country. We have not challenged this myth enough, and that is the truth. They are pulling our ears with regards to carbon dioxide emission issues. And the irony is that to the outside, we appear to have a discourse regarding a commitment to being carbon neutral.”
    ~ Monica Araya, Director, Clean Costa Rica. The remarks made in a February 11, 2014 Costa Rica news program, Telenoticias Edición Meridiana, featuring a segment on the country’s performance in the 2014 EPI.
     (The English transcription of the news segment, translated by Breanna Lujan, Research Assistant for EPI.)

    What is going on? Is this what “Pura vida” really means? Have the government and business entities opted for greed and corruption? Are they pretending environmentalism while doing little or nothing to support it? Many Costa Rican government officials, and the businessmen who support them, staunchly believe  matters of conservation get in the  way of economic progress. They act in opposition to laws protecting the fragile environment. One such business is Blue Water Properties of Costa Rica, a real estate company with offices in Tamarindo, Guanacaste. Although a small company, (they claim to be the largest real estate company in the area; they also claim to be licensed in a country with no licensing requirement for those engaged in selling real estate; you can purchase real estate from a cab driver), Blue Water Properties exemplifies the greed which is going on. Continue reading…

    No Comments »


    Jayne Harrison Kennedy-Overton: American TV’s First Black Female Sports Reporter

    Feb 10, 2014 by admin in We Think So

    It’s Black History Month. Every year in February, black people in the US, Canada and the UK, promote and celebrate the achievements of humans of black heritage who have made major contributions to international culture and history.

    During the past several weeks of the National Football League, (NFL), Playoffs as well as the coverage of Super Bowl XLVIII, sportscaster Pam Oliver, an American black female sports reporter for FOX, has been in the news because of her appearance. Many of the members of the teevee sports viewing audience think the content of her reports are informative. They just believe her hair could be more tidy when on camera at various sporting events.

    OvertonKennedyJayne

    Which brings us to the very first African American female sportscaster on a US national teevee network, CBS.  Jayne Harrison Kennedy-Overton. She was one of the more recognizable faces of the 1970s and early 1980s thanks to myriad television, and movie roles, advertising contracts for Jovan, the fragrance, Tab the diet soft drink plus many numerous Ebony/Jet covers.

    “I knew that if I had a chance to get that job I would be a household name.” ~ Jayne Kennedy-Overton on getting hired to co-anchor the CBS network program NFL Today

    Continue reading…

    No Comments »


    The Big Game: National Congress of American Indians versus The NFL Washington

    Feb 01, 2014 by admin in We Think So

    The National Congress of American Indians, (NCAI), has release a video extending their efforts to eradicate the offensive term Redskin!
    Watch the #BigGame commercial the NFL would never air.

    An excerpt from the National Congress of American Indians  29-page report called Ending the Legacy of Racism in Sports & the Era of Harmful ‘Indian’ Sports Mascots,  published in October 2013:

    ” ‘Indian’ sports brands used by professional teams were born in an era when racism and bigotry were accepted by the dominant culture.
    These brands, which have grown to become multimillion dollar franchises,were established at a time when the practice of using racial epithets and slurs as marketing slogans were a common practice among white owners seeking to capitalize on cultural superiority and racial tensions.”

    An editorial cartoon, by Phil Hands, to illustrate, in order to help some better understand what it would be like if the shoe were on the other foot…

    reservHS-Palefaces

    Get involved by contacting the Washington Professional Football Team, the NFL and the Washington Post:
    Washington, DC Team
    @redskins
    Facebook.com/redskins
    http://www.redskins.com/footer/contac…

    Roger Goodell & NFL
    @NFL
    @NFLcommish
    https://www.facebook.com/NFL

    Washington Post
    The Washington,DC  hometown newspaper is still using the pejorative term in its coverage of the team.
    @WashingtonPost
    @PostSports
    https://www.facebook.com/washingtonpost

    Let them know, today, in 2014, it is time to end the bigotry; it is time to stop the abuse of the descendants of the true Americans!

    No Comments »


    Live, Breathe, Futbol: New LBF Apparel Store in Media, Pennsylvania Scores a Big Goal!

    Dec 16, 2013 by admin in We Think So

    Ebun Olaloye and Domenick Cucinotta the innovators of the Live Breathe Futbol, LBF clothing line have expanded their online brand to a be brick and mortar establishment in the town of Media, Pennsylvania. Continue reading…

    No Comments »


    Nelson Mandela 1918 – 2013: The World Honors the Life of A Peacemaker

    Dec 15, 2013 by admin in Human Rights, We Think So

    “We, the people of South Africa, declare for all our country and the world to know:
    That South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white, and that no government can justly claim authority unless it is based on the will of the people.”
    — Opening words of the Freedom Charter

     

    Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, his middle name is an isiXhosa name which means “pulling the branch of a tree”; colloquially it means “troublemaker”, his father gave him this name. The former president of the nation, the Republic of South Africa, will forever be remembered as the man who unified a nation of diverse races. He was the country’s first black African president. His election as president marked the beginning of the end of the tyrannical period of apartheid. After nearly thirty years of  being confined to a tiny Robben Island Prison cell, Nelson Mandela’s successful campaign for office marked the beginning of a new era for South Africa, and for the world.

    On December 5, 2013 at the age of ninety-five years-old, Madiba,  the name of the clan from which the late African statesman comes, succumbed to natural causes. A clan name is much more important than a surname as it refers to the ancestor from which a person is descended. Madiba was the name of a Thembu chief who ruled in the Transkei in the 18th century.

    It is considered courteous to use someone’s clan name. In this case it is also an expression of deep respect and affection for the former president of a country that had previously been seemingly incommensurable until he was elected as the nation’s first black South African president. Continue reading…

    No Comments »


    Sign Language Interpreter Thamsanqa Jantjie At Mandela Memorial: Good Job!

    Dec 14, 2013 by admin in International Topics, We Think So

    To us, this incident is as hilarious as a scene from a 1930s Marx Brothers’ comedy movie featuring Harpo Marx. Finally, an  interpreter who tells the truth. Many people are outraged by the actions of Thamsanqa Jantjie. People, deaf people in particular, are signing, or saying, he is a fake and a phony. We think Thamsanqa Jantjie was the only honest person on the podium in the Soweto stadium!

     

     

    “Perhaps Mr. Jantjie does have some form of genuine mental infirmity. Reports say he says he suffers from schizophrenia. He sees BS all around him. Clearly he’s not alone. “

    In case you missed the controversy it surrounds one Thamsanqa Jantjie, a sign language interpreter hired by the South African government to interpret the speeches presented by the various South African and international dignitaries who delivered remarks at the memorial held in the stadium near Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa for the late Nelson Mandela.

    Nelson R. Mandela, after spending more than twenty years in prison, jailed as a terrorist, following his release from confinement, Mandela became the first democratically elected black South African president. He died earlier in December 2013 at the age of 95 years.

    It seems, according to the thus far official explanation provided by a female South African deputy Cabinet minister,  Mr. Jantjie was hired through a cut-rate, “lie-by-day/fly-by-night” temporary employment agency; it seems one specializing in supplying personnel to interpret for the hearing impaired. Or, this is the cover story. Continue reading…

    No Comments »


    NFL Investigates Labor Controversy: Miami Dolphins,Incognito, and Martin

    Nov 27, 2013 by admin in We Think So, You Think So

    “The NFL is like jail with money. There’s a culture of intimidation, humiliation and violence. That makes you, they try to keep you in control because they know you want to do it. The thing is the moment the NFL doesn’t have control over you anymore is when you realize, ‘I can walk away!’.”
    Terry Crews, former  NFL Defensive end/Linebacker in an interview on the Arsenio Hall Show

    We believe  Terry Crews is right. He’s shown great courage in expressing the life he encountered in the NFL. He does, afterall have the experience. Terry Crews  was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL in the 11th round of the 1991 NFL Draft. He carved out a career spanning seven years, including time with the San Diego Chargers, the Washington Redskins and the Philadelphia Eagles.

    We also concur with his opinion about Jonathan Martin. We believe the young man did the intelligent thing, the smart thing, to leave the team when he realized he had a choice. He’s capable of more than football. As crews stated, “There’s more to life than football.” Continue reading…

    No Comments »


    The World Remembers: The Day They Shot John F. Kennedy, President of the United States

    Nov 22, 2013 by admin in We Think So, You Think So

    Fifty years later the world joins all of the people of the United States in commemorating the assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

    John F. Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States.  The president and the First Lady, Jacqueline, were in Dallas, Texas, on a political trip to ease conflict within the conservative southern wing of the Democratic Party. As he and his wife were riding in a presidential motorcade through the streets of the then mid-sized Texas town he was fatally wounded by bullets fired from a sniper’s rifle on November 22nd 1963.

    Continue reading…

    No Comments »



    Recently

    Black History Month 2014: A New Perspective From Saturday Night Live

    Mar 07, 2014 by admin in We Think So

    Debra J. Thomas, MD, PC: Winter Olympics Black History FIgure Skating Champion

    Mar 06, 2014 by admin in We Think So

    Yale University EPI: Costa Rica Less Green

    Feb 18, 2014 by admin in We Think So

    Jayne Harrison Kennedy-Overton: American TV’s First Black Female Sports Reporter

    Feb 10, 2014 by admin in We Think So

    The Big Game: National Congress of American Indians versus The NFL Washington

    Feb 01, 2014 by admin in We Think So

    Live, Breathe, Futbol: New LBF Apparel Store in Media, Pennsylvania Scores a Big Goal!

    Dec 16, 2013 by admin in We Think So

    Nelson Mandela 1918 – 2013: The World Honors the Life of A Peacemaker

    Dec 15, 2013 by admin in Human Rights, We Think So

    Sign Language Interpreter Thamsanqa Jantjie At Mandela Memorial: Good Job!

    Dec 14, 2013 by admin in International Topics, We Think So




      StumbleUpon My StumbleUpon Page

      You Think What Previous News Blog

      You Think What FORUM

      PREVIOUS You Think What ARTICLES

      Member of
      TheMomBlogs.com


      RSS

      Search

      Search

      Archive

      • March 2014
      • February 2014
      • December 2013
      • November 2013
      • October 2013
      • September 2013
      • August 2013
      • July 2013
      • June 2013
      • May 2013
      • April 2013
      • March 2013
      • February 2013
      • January 2013
      • December 2012
      • November 2012
      • October 2012
      • August 2012
      • July 2012
      • June 2012
      • April 2012


      • Archive Previous

      • May 2012
      • April 2012
      • March 2012
      • February 2012
      • December 2011
      • November 2011
      • October 2011
      • September 2011
      • August 2011
      • July 2011
      • June 2011
      • May 2011
      • April 2011
      • March 2011
      • February 2011
      • January 2011
      • December 2010
      • November 2010
      • October 2010
      • September 2010
      • August 2010
      • July 2010
      • June 2010
      • May 2010
      • April 2010
      • March 2010
      • February 2010
      • January 2010
      • December 2009
      • November 2009
      • October 2009
      • September 2009
      • August 2009
      • July 2009
      • June 2009
      • May 2009
      • April 2009
      • March 2009
      • February 2009
      • January 2009
      • December 2008
      • November 2008
      • October 2008
      • September 2008
      • August 2008
      • July 2008
      • June 2008
      • May 2008
      • April 2008
      • March 2008
      • February 2008
      • January 2008
      • December 2007
      • November 2007
      • October 2007
      • September 2007
      • August 2007

      Steal Back Your Vote

    Created by miloIIIIVII | WordPress | Entries (RSS) | Comments (RSS) | 62 queries. 0.742 seconds.