I read this most recent installment from Booker Hodges and his investigative team with a level of disappointment of how talent can be wasted on tilting at windmills.
I send this, by the way from Atlanta, Georgia, where tomorrow my alma mater, Morehouse College will graduate over 500 young Black men. 500 young Black men who haven't fallen by the way side, gotten killed in a gang war, been lost to drugs or otherwise end up with a fate worse than death. My heart swells with pride as I see these young brothers who've struggled over the last 4+ years to stay in school and beat the odds and will now go on to being upstanding members of society to change the world around us as the alumnus who came before them did like Julian Bond, Maynard Jackson, Spike Lee, David Satcher, Michael Lomax and a host of many others. And then I read these two articles and I can't help but wonder about the talent and ability being wasted on scrabbling over scraps and blanket insinuations and allusions. And I find it truly sad. I've read a number of these pieces where Booker makes vague references to people and the horrible things that they've done such as Jayne Khalifa being an elitist and member of "several" elitist organizations which actually turned out to have no merit and be referring to one organization the Links, which like Booker's own fraternity has a membership fee and admission criteria. The one difference is that the links doesn't have any hazing and makes significant contributions to the community like the $20K they raised for African American family services. And I'm really tired of people beating around the bush and talking behind your back and yet not really making any significant contribution other than to complain and lob unfounded accusations. So I'm putting the challenge to Booker and anyone else out there to put there money where there mouth is. I've heard the same story about the preacher, so if you've got proof and investigated it, say it. Stop hiding behind your column and be the "community activist" you claim. Put the truth out there so that everyone can know it and will not fall prey to being duped in the future. But also back up what you say. Who is this Black Bourgeois? The only person that took you to take on this list was me, and all I did was ask you for evidence or support for that which you claim....not really hard if it's true and you have it. I watched with a mixture of annoyance and bemusement as you, Ron Edwards, Al Flowers and Zack Metoyer accused me of saying I wanted to fight you (physically) in those emails. Along with the subsequent threats from Al of "putting me in my place". So if it's me you're referring to, put it out, if it's others, stopping beating around the bush and say it. You know, ever since Jayson Blair, it is more important than ever for reporters to have integrity, and lying on TV isn't it. So put out the evidence, tell people what you know, not vague allusions. Call people to the carpet on their behavior, but be sure you have your facts straight. The people deserve to know the truth, but they deserve to know the real truth, not what you felt like writing on a whim. We have serious problems in the City as a whole, and even more concentrated in the Black community. And those of us trying to work on the issues don't have time to be sidetracked by people who wish they were. It's time for people to put their money where there mouth is, act with integrity and actually do something besides just complain. And any time you're serious about it, I welcome you to the table to get some real work done on helping our community. Jonathan Palmer Victory writing from Atlanta REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
