I Made It into WordPress’s Fastest Growing Blogs List
On Sunday, June 27, 2010, I made it into WordPress’s “Fastest Growing Blogs” list. I was listed at #4. I look forward to the continual growth of my blog, and to increasing my readership. It is such an honor to be recognized by WordPress as one the fastest growing blogs. My goal is to become the top blog on WordPress and to be a leading national and international blog. I could not have accomplished this amazing feat without the love of my loyal readers and the numerous new readers I have gained. I thank all of you who have featured me on your sites. I promise to keep unsettling, unnerving, and unhousing the blogosphere!
Antonio Maurice Daniels
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Billboard about Abortion in Arkansas Draws Charges of Racism
The above image is of a billboard that has been put up in the state of Arkansas by Arkansas Right to Life, a pro-life organization, and other national pro-life organizations. While Arkansas Right to Life and other pro-life organizations are well within their right to put up this message that speaks against the outrageous number of Black babies being aborted each year, I think that they have overstepped the standards of decency in the way in which they have elected to convey their message. Having “Black & Unwanted” and the picture of the face of a Black baby underneath it can cause many to think that this is a racist billboard. Personally, I am pro-life and am familiar with national Right to Life organizations, including Arkansas Right to Life, and I know that the dominant membership that composes these organizations is not racist. While I am sure that the billboard was well-intentioned, I contend that this particular billboard should be taken down by Arkansas Right to Life and the other national pro-life organizations who paid for it.
I do strongly agree with these pro-life organizations about the need to dramatically reduce the horrible number of Black babies that are being aborted annually. Arkansas Right to Life should have selected more racially and culturally sensitive language to convey a tremendously vital message. When one thinks about the specific racist history of the state of Arkansas (a state that I happen to love so dearly), the fact that Arkansas Right to Life and most other pro-life organizations are composed primarily of White people, and that “Black and Unwanted” brings many African-Americans’ memories back to the days of Jim and Jane Crow, it becomes a really easy decision to remove the billboard. While I am sure that Arkansas Right to Life wanted to “push the envelope,” and Revolutionary Paideia can certainly appreciate you for being willing to “push the envelope”), I think that this particular billboard does not communicate the type of message that is ultimately beneficial for pro-lifers’ cause.
As pro-lifers, we do not have to rely on highly controversial language and tactics to spread our message—we only need to disseminate the facts. All we need to do is give people the numbers about how many abortions occur annually. This billboard would have been more effective by simply listing how many Black babies have been aborted to date. When we resort to such unsophisticated tactics and language, this is why people have a general proclivity to put us in a box as not being sophisticated people. We are more talented, sensitive, non-racist, and decent than what this billboard suggests. This is why I have to call for the removal of this billboard and for Arkansas Right to Life to replace it with a billboard that simply gives Black people the facts about how many Black babies have been aborted. People cannot argue with facts, but they certainly can argue with language that can seem to be offensive at best.
I know that the issue of abortion is highly controversial and is an issue that deeply divides Americans. I do, however, think that we all can agree to work together to dramatically decrease the number of abortions in America. Again, as a pro-lifer, I call for Arkansas Right to Life to remove this billboard immediately—this will be a move in the best interest of our cause!
Antonio Maurice Daniels
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Antonio Maurice Daniels’s June 2010 Article for Real Bloggers United
(Photo credit: Office of Governor Patrick)
Today, at Real Bloggers United (http://realbloggersunited.blogspot.com), my article, “Striving for Miseducation: Many College Students’ Low Expectations,” has been published and featured. I am tremendously thankful that the editors of Real Bloggers United have found my article worthy of being published and featured today. I encourage you to read the article and leave me some comments about the article on my site and/or on the site of Real Bloggers United (http://realbloggersunited.blogspot.com) where the article has been published and featured. I look forward to reading your comments about your reactions to my article, “Striving for Miseducation: Many College Students’ Low Expectations.” Have a great day and weekend!
Antonio Maurice Daniels
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Related articles
- Define Yourself, Redefine the World: A Guided Journal for Black Boys and Men: A Review (revolutionarypaideia.com)
Thankful for Oprah Winfrey
Although there is a tremendous amount of negativity everywhere about Oprah Winfrey, I decided to take a few moments and compose some thoughts about this great woman with a beautiful spirit. It seems like everyone has some kind of opinion about Oprah. I have one also but elect to have a positive opinion about her. Regardless of whether you like her or not, her “rags to riches” story represents the quintessential American success narrative. Oprah makes me proud each time that I see her. Her life informs us that miracles can happen and that one can overcome experiencing severe traumas.
When some African-Americans say that Oprah is not a “real Black woman,” it makes me so angry because they overlook the meaningful contributions she has made to Black people, including giving millions of dollars to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and the reality that she played a significant role in the election of Barack Obama, the first Black President of the U.S. NAACP put her in its Hall of Fame. I listen to her acceptance speech of the NAACP Hall of Fame award every morning before I leave home. It’s so inspiring. If you have not listened to it, then you should search for it on YouTube. You will be so glad that you did. To the Black people who question Oprah’s authenticity, please stop this and recognize the love this woman has for Black people and everyone else too.
I love how Oprah has become more and more open about her personal relationship with Jesus. On her shows, she will not hesitate to mention how much she loves Jesus or to suggest Jesus as a means of helping people to deal with difficult issues and problems. I really appreciate her transparency about her love of Jesus on and off of her show. Her love of Jesus is one of the fundamental reasons why she has been successful. This love of Jesus is evident through her tremendously giving spirit. She is not a billionaire who keeps all of her money to herself—she shares her money with others in a meaningful way. Oprah, you will be continuously blessed for giving to people so freely as you do.
When people say that Oprah and Gayle, her bestfriend, are involved in a lesbian relationship, it makes me angry. Calling Oprah a lesbian just because she has a true friendship with Gayle suggests that such a relationship can only emerge from a sexually intimate relationship. This is such limited thinking. Although this is such limited thinking, many people engage in this limited thinking when it comes to Oprah’s friendship with Gayle. Grow up people! Move beyond the superficial and move toward the substantial. The haters of the true friendship Oprah has with Gayle simply long to have a friendship like the one they have.
Oprah deserves your support and appreciation for the great things she has done for so many people. Today, Oprah, I salute you for being a great American and electing to be such a compassionate woman. I look forward to the many great things you will do in the future.
Antonio Maurice Daniels
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Related articles
- Oprah Winfrey Receives Power Award at Essence Black Women in Hollywood Event (shoppingblog.com)
- EXCLUSIVE: Oprah Winfrey On What it Means to Be a Powerful Black Woman in Hollywood (essence.com)
- ‘It’s Time For People To See Who I Am’: Beyonce Bares All To Oprah Winfrey (contactmusic.com)
- Oprah Winfrey Style Evolution: The Media Titan Gets Better Each Year (PHOTOS) (huffingtonpost.com)
Revolutionary Paideia’s June 2010 Person of the Month: General Stanley A. McChrystal
Brigadier General Stanley McChrystal, US Army (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Each month (towards the end of the month), Revolutionary Paideia will honor a living or dead person who embodies (in some way) the notion of “unsettling, unnerving, and unhousing” this site represents. Revolutionary Paideia does not have to necessarily like the individuals it selects, but every effort will be made to honor someone for doing something that “unsettles,” “unnerves,” and/or “unhouses” people. When Revolutionary Paideia likes one of its monthly honorees, this will be openly disclosed. At the end of each year, Revolutionary Paideia will select a living person (or one who has died in the same year) as Person of the Year. Living people who have been selected as a Person of the Month are not ineligible for the Person of the Year award.
Revolutionary Paideia’s inaugural Person of the Month award is presented to General Stanley A. McChrystal. If you do not agree with General McChrystal receiving this award, I would simply like for you to go ask President Obama if General McChrystal did not “unsettle, unnerve, and unhouse” him. Revolutionary Paideia supports General McChrystal because he was willing to break with tradition and criticize the current U.S. President and his administration. One of the core problems that General McChrystal expressed to a freelance writer for Rolling Stone with President Obama is his lack of engagement with the counterinsurgence efforts in Afghanistan. General McChrystal has had a history of being outspoken on issues. Before this incident, he had been outspoken about his advocacy for the “surge” strategy in Afghanistan before President Obama even had a chance to make a decision about whether he supported an increase in troops in Afghanistan. Although General McChrystal’s “surge” strategy was successful and President Obama supported it, many found that General McChrystal acted inappropriately. I just wonder why there was not this level of criticism for him as there was for his recent direct criticism of President Obama and his administration.
When General McChrystal was interviewed by the freelance writer for Rolling Stone, he knew that what he was saying would eventually get back to President Obama and the members of his administration referenced during the interview. This did not stop him from disclosing his problems with President Obama and members of his administration about their handling of the war in Afghanistan. I agree with General McChrystal that President Obama has seemed to lack engagement with the efforts in Afghanistan. It took tremendous courage for General McChrystal to challenge the U.S. President in the way that he did. While people can view what he said as being disrespectful all they want to, I think this incident reveals a serious flaw in the military code of conduct: a Commanding General should have the right to speak his mind in public about how he feels about anything or anybody, including the Commander-in-Chief.
While I would have preferred for General McChrystal to not have apologized for what he said, I understand the enormous political pressure his faced to cause him to give an apology. What is more important for me, however, is his great courage before he apologized. The apology represents his decency—not his cowardice. We need more people in America like General McChrystal who are willing to speak truth to power, and who are willing to tell people how they feel without being fearful of any repercussions. Now, I know President Obama really does not like dissent and I know that his creation of “a team of rivals” is a farce. He does not appreciate dissent—he made this clear when he “accepted the resignation” (also known as “fired”) of General McChrystal.
Again, Revolutionary Paideia congratulates General Stanley A. McChrystal for being Revolutionary Paideia’s inaugural Person of the Month. Americans should be proud of the distinguished service of this solider, leader, and hero. I appreciate your service General McChrystal and love your candor!
Antonio Maurice Daniels
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Don’t Tell Me What to Say and Do on Facebook and Twitter
(Photo credit: Chris Yarzab)
People have really gotten on my nerves with telling me and others about what they should and should not say and do on Facebook and Twitter. If you do not like what I say and do on Facebook and Twitter, then please simply remove yourself from being associated with me on Facebook and Twitter. I have even noticed that people who I have talked with in the past quite regularly no longer speak to me anymore because of the things I have said on Facebook and Twitter. For those of you who this refers to, I have a message for you: goodbye and take a hike! It is just really amazing how people do and say all kinds of wild things off of Facebook and Twitter, but they want to act like they are priests and evangelists when it comes to critiquing what other people say and do on Facebook and Twitter.
What I am really beginning to learn about why people have a problem with what other people tweet and post is they do not want what is said and done to reflect negatively on them. I am not saying that there are not people who authentically would not want you to be viewed in a negative way by what your status or tweet says. What I would like for you to do, however, is to contemplate why an individual would want to try to prevent you from tweeting certain things and posting certain statuses.
In the empty Facebook status box, it asks, “What’s on your mind?” People should have the freedom to give an update to their Facebook friends about what’s on their minds. Twitter asks, “What’s happening?” People should, of course, have the liberty to give an update about “what’s happening?” Although I am sometimes unsettled by some of the shocking statements, lies, falsehoods, strange comments, and etc. promulgated on Facebook and Twitter, I never attempt to tell people that they need to stop posting things like that and/or need to take down their comments.
I long for a day when people will be more willing to allow others to be themselves. Additionally, I long for a day when people will be more willing to be themselves. It has to be a tremendously miserably life to live like others want you to live. To be honest, what’s valuable about a person who lives to be like what others want him or her to be? Nothing! What unique does that person have to offer? Nothing! Is this person really taking up space? Yes!
When you refuse to listen to what people who want to restrict your freedom have to say to you, then they will claim that you are simply stubborn and too prideful. They are right! I am unwilling to listen to any non-sense that makes an effort to tell me that I need to be like them or that would attempt to take away my personal liberties. To be frank, when you are worrying so much about what others post on Twitter and Facebook, then you really don’t have a life, are neglecting your own responsibilities, and have some deep self-esteem problems.
I encourage all those people who want to limit the freedoms of Facebook and Twitter users to remove themselves from Twitter and Facebook, or at least discontinue associating with people who are causing you such problems with what they say and do on Facebook and Twitter. If anything in this article offends you, then all I have to say is great! Please excuse me while I dust my shoulders off.
Antonio Maurice Daniels
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Happy Father’s Day to Only the Good Fathers
As I was contemplating what to write about Father’s Day, I became tremendously unsettled by the reality that so many terrible fathers receive the honor of “Happy Father’s Day” from the general “Happy Father’s Day” that we shout out on this day. When I thought about this reality, I decided that it was time for someone to address this issue. We need to be more selective about who we are saying Happy Father’s Day to. Some of you sorry “fathers” or should I say “baby’s daddies” do not deserve to even hear those words uttered to you. Many of you are nothing more than sperm donors. I am truly thankful on this day that my father, Kenneth Daniels, is a great father. I am also thankful that the majority of my relatives who are fathers are great fathers too.
While Father’s Day should be a day when we celebrate our fathers, it is also necessary that we use this particular Father’s Day as a time for poor fathers to rededicate themselves to their children. Men, if you know that you are not going to be devote yourselves to the children that will emerge from sexual intercourse engaged in without a condom, then please keep your penis in your pants! Recently, rapper Slim Thug said that Black women were not “holding it down enough for their men,” but what he overlooks is the reality that many Black women are “holding down” those children that many Black men are not helping to take care of. Slim Thug, how much more do you want them to “hold down” for you? Slim Thug, don’t say no more dumb junk like that.
To President Obama, I thank you for being an excellent father to your children. You are an excellent role model for America’s fathers. I simply do not want you to keep going to Black churches and telling Black men that they need to meet their responsibilities to their women and children. How about going into some White churches with that message—they can certainly benefit from that message too, you know?
To the rappers who just generally refer to all women as “bitches” and “hoes,” I want you all to understand that you are devaluing women when you do this. We need to be the solid leaders that our women are looking for. You cannot be a true leader for your women when you refer to them in such disparaging ways. Please increase your sensitivity to the damage that such language does to women. We are here to love, protect, comfort, and support our women—not to do violence to them.
To the trifling fathers who still take care of their children but who neglect their wives and/or girlfriends, I want you to know that you still have a responsibility to be a man to your women. You should never forget the women who helped to produce the children that you cherish. While I am glad that you do take care of your children, I want you to understand that being an effective father requires more than just taking care of your children—it requires taking care of the women who carried those children for 9 months. Got me?
If you have a good father, please realize that you are blessed. Women, if you have a good man in your life who is a good father to your children, be sure that you let him know and do something special for him to appreciate him for this. Far too often, I hear many women who a quick to criticize their men for the negative stuff that they do, but will not give them any credit for the good or great things that they do. I challenge women to be more grateful for the great stuff that men do for you and your children.
Again, I would like to say Happy Father’s Day to only the good fathers! I want a novel discourse to emerge about who we are going to say Happy Father’s Day to. Let’s think about the damage we do when we send out a Happy Father’s Day to everyone without qualifying it. Again, Kenneth Daniels, thanks for being a great father.
Antonio Maurice Daniels
University of Wisconsin-Madison
The Significance of Simon Cowell’s Departure from American Idol
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
American Idol is probably going to be terminated at some point in the near future. One of the core reasons why the show has been so immensely successful is the unapologetic candor of Simon Cowell, the show’s most popular candid judge. With this season being Simon’s last, I do not see how the show will be able to last much longer, considering the other judges are not able to offer the type of excitement Simon brings to the show. Although there will be a search for a replacement for Simon, I am not confident that the producers will be able to find any person who can fill Simon’s shoes. I am not sure that they can find a person who can even be able to come close to filling Simon’s shoes. The purpose of this article is to discuss the significance of Simon Cowell’s leaving of American Idol to the show’s future.
American Idol has not really been that good since Fantasia Barrino won, although I did like Carrie Underwood and Bo Bice. There was a time when I was eager to get in front of my television and watch the show, but the show has had such mediocre talent since Carrie won that I have not really been as eager to watch it. Since Fantasia won, it seems like the show has concentrated its attention on the judges and not on the finding great talent. Even in the media, it seems that the focus has been on the judges—this may be a result of the media not being able to talk about any worthy talent on the show.
Just as in fashion you can be in today and out tomorrow, it is important for television shows to understand this. American Idol desperately needs to refocus its attention on its contestants and not on the judges. Nobody wants to hear people who cannot sing. The recent winners of on the show are really some jokes. These recent winners are not talented singers. While the judges continue to say that this is a signing competition, they are changing the show into a circus that is all about them.
If the show wants to increase its chances of survival, it is vital that it get Paula to come back. Without Paula, the show does not really have a chance at surviving at this point. Even with Simon on the show this past season, Paula’s absence was missed. She makes it possible for Simon to be fully himself. Although Paula’s analyses were not always coherent and relevant, she did bring a significant amount of attention to the actual contestants, which the show now lacks. Paula also brought a healthy enough attention to herself, which kept viewers coming back to see her show after show. We cannot forget that Paul was a very successful artist as well, so her expertise is greatly missed.
Although I really love Ellen, the selection of her to be a judge was really random. While she may have some insight about what the average American is thinking about the contestants, she simply does not have any real idea about what it takes to be a successful singer. I am not saying that the show needs to get rid of Ellen, but what it must do is find a judge who can have viewers coming back week after week to hear what he or she has to say. I really suggest that the show think outside of the box when selecting a replacement for Simon. The survival of show will depend on the producers’ ability to get Paula to return and on finding an effective replacement for Simon.
Antonio Maurice Daniels
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Related articles
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A Letter to Toni Morrison
English: Toni Morrison speaking at “A Tribute to Chinua Achebe – 50 Years Anniversary of ‘Things Fall Apart’”. The Town Hall, New York City, February 26th 2008 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Dear Toni Morrison:
This communique serves to express my sincere gratitdue for the profound impact that your oeuvre has had on my life. Throughout my undergraduate and graduate training, I have used your works as the focus of my research and writing. My undergraduate and graduate experiences could not have been what they are without the challenges and satisification your works have offered me. I have had the opportunity to produce several publications on your works. Each time that I pick up one of your novels I discover a new detail that I had not discovered in past readings.
I want to thank you for writing The Bluest Eye, the first novel to really take the plight of the young Black girl in fiction seriously. I have written about this novel so many times that I know that my professors are exhausted with my essays about it. Pecola Breedlove’s desire to have the bluest eyes reflects the deep longing that many people have for things that seem unreachable for them. My professors and other reviewers of my reading of the rape scene in the novel have found it to be unsettling. What I have attempted to convey in my reading of the rape scene is it is a moment when Pecola begins to feel for the first time—it was the first time that someone had touched her. Although I know that rape is such horrible and violent act, I think there is a much deeper significance behind the rape than just the horrible act itself. I have argued that the rape evinced for Pecola that she was human—something she never had really realized prior to being raped. Would you mind providing some insights about the rape scene?
Moreover, I would like to know what were your motivations behind penning your latest novel, A Mercy. After reading this novel, it would be really beneficial to gain insights from you about why you elected to set the novel during the epoch you did.
Again, I would like to thank you for your great contributions to American literature and to enhancing the rich tradition of African-American literature in American literature. I eagerly await your response. Have a great day!
Sincerely,
Antonio Maurice Daniels
University of Wisconsin-Madison
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- In Conversation: Nikki Giovanni and Maya Angelou on Sisterhood, and Their Friendship with Toni Morrison (essence.com)
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White Seattle Cop Viciously Punches Black Woman in the Face
For those who know me truly well, they know that I am not a person who “plays the race card” or who simply sides with racial and ethnic minorities because I am African-American. In fact, on many issues, I have been and am at odds with what many of my fellow African-Americans believe. Although I had originally planned to post an article that I have been working on for some time now (on a less serious topic), the White male cop in Seattle who viciously punched a 19 year old African-American female in the face compelled me to offer an immediate response.
I am quite unsettled by the reality that a White Seattle cop used a vicious punch to the face of a 19 year old African-American female simply because she lightly put her hands on his hands to step between the argument between him and the other 17 year old African-American female. Both of the females were jaywalking and the cop was trying to give them both tickets. While I think that the cop was well within in his right to give both of the females tickets for jaywalking, I contend that he unnecessarily employed excessive force. Neither of the African-American females posed an imminent threat to him. From my perspective, he simply did not like what the females were saying to him and did not like the fact that the 19 year old Black female lightly touched him.
The Black female never should have lightly put her hands on his hands, but this light placement of her hands on his hands did not warrant the use of excessive force. He could have removed her hands without using such great force. As a Criminal Justice minor during my undergraduate studies, I gained a firm understanding of criminal law, especially concerning policing. I have, therefore, a serious understanding about the fact that police officers have discretion (what is called “police discretion”). Police discretion does not allow a police officer to resort to an abuse of his power. An example of an abuse of police power is an unnecessary use of force. The police officer launched himself to ensure that he was punching the young lady with all of his power. All of this force for an unarmed 19 year old Black female? Really? On a street named after Martin Luther King, Jr.? Are you kidding me?
A Seattle police spokesman stated that the police officer acted within his discretion and disclosed that it’s up to an individual officer when to use excessive force. The police department has not punished the officer in any way at this moment. The department has required the officer to review training guidelines to see if improvement can be made. I’m certainly glad to see that the police department is having him to review training guidelines to see if he could improve his performance, but this is simply not all that the department needs to do to address this police officer. The department needs to fire this man for his unprofessional behavior and abuse of power. This is not the first time that Seattle police officers have unnecessarily brutalized a Black woman. They have brutalized Black women and men in the past. A pattern has conspicuously evolved.
This evolution of police brutality causes me to think that racism was an important factor in how the White police officer handled himself. A Seattle police spokesman claims that the officer became increasingly fearful of his safety as he was handling this issue on his own and there was a crowd of people around. The officer claims that this could have been a tragedy. The spokesman is right about one thing: this was a tragedy. What is tragic about this event is an unarmed Black female was viciously punched by a White police officer. How’s that for tragedy? The only thing that I can see that motivated this cop to react in the way he did is a deep gut bucket Mississippi Jim Crowism mentality. As I watched his face and his delivery of the punch, the punish itself seemed to communicate one word for me: Nigger! Let me be clear—I never heard him say that word, but his actions communicated that he was calling her that name.
Black women are twice a minority: Black and female. Sexism played a significant role in this matter because it seemed to me that he wanted to put her in a woman’s place, a Black woman’s place (in his mind): on her back. This punch evinced a true disregard for the Black woman’s body. When looking at this punch from a gender perspective, I also see that the punched communicated this message to the woman: filthy Black whore. This could explain why he did not want her touching him—no matter how light of a touching it was.
I urge the Seattle police department to fire this White police officer, Ian Walsh, and to develop a comprehensive plan to significantly diminish the chances of an incident like this from occurring again. Moreover, I urge all people who have been unsettled and unnerved by this incident to make sure that justice is served in this case. We have to remember what justice really is. Justice is what love looks like in public.
Antonio Maurice Daniels
University of Wisconsin-Madison
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- Woman Sues Seattle Police after Video Shows they Fabricated Case Against Her (photographyisnotacrime.com)
- Seattle police facing another use-of-force claim (komonews.com)
- Study questions DOJ’s claim on SPD’s use of excessive force (komonews.com)
