Ballad of the Black Gold

Big ups to the Ogoni People

Reflection Eternal "Ballad of the Black Gold" from Sam Ellison on Vimeo.

The Road Paved to Hell

This video shows some well intentioned people trying to instill an environmental awareness within inner-city kids. Unfortunately, such efforts will likely be in vain. As a minority, it is incredibly difficult to remove the thought from my family and my brown friends, that environmental values only belong to white people. The environment will not matter to these kids until it matters to their older siblings,their parents, and their community. It will not matter to their parents until more pressing economic and equity issues have been addressed. Asking the parents to do otherwise is unfair, which makes asking their kids to care even more unreasonable.

It is possible that one of these kids might get it. However, they still have to grow up in a community where the environment does not matter. How does that child stick to her/his beliefs, in the face of reality that says those are the least of his/her concerns?

I like Bicycles and Rap

So here you go you suckas.

'

I'm not feeling the last cat on the mic. Shame too. It was a dope video otherwise.

Dora Grows Up

I remember hearing an NPR story about how Dora the Explorer was the brainchild of social science scholars to create what is most lacking in the media: independent females of color who are curious about the world.

However,according to a Mattel press release their will be a new older Dora, along with the younger one. The older Dora will be all about fashion. They've also added the option of changing the color of her eyes. I can understand the customizing of eye color. Little girls want a Dora doll that looks like them. Unfortunately, they are targeting the new Dora to tweens. The same age girls start realizing dominant standards of beauty. If little girls of color are being told that the white standard is the better, it will be unfortunate when they choose blue eyes because they perceive it as more beautiful.

E-Waste in Ghana

Where do you think that TV, computer, iPod, and cell phone ends up?

The Problem with Conspiracy Theories

Recently, on Fresh Air, Terry interviewed an investigative journalist who has studied the social effects of conspiracy theories. The recent shooting at a play (about a fictitious conversation between Emmet Till and Anne Frank) was by a guy that believed the Federal Reserve controls the Obama Administration. He understood it as Jewish people controlling Black people to subordinate Whites. People who belive in these theories fall victim to all sorts of logical fallacies. Unfortunately, this appeals to oppressed people because it helps them make sense of a world that seems unreasonably unfair. Sadly, they lose credibility and are agents of their own disempowerment.

With that said, I like this Sabac Red video (Peace to www.grandgood.com GRANDGOOD for putting me on to this). It's a little too conspiratorial and extreme, but its good place to start.

Laid to Waste