Florida School Board Allows Teen Marching Band to Perform in Strip Club-Themed Rap Video?

The Miami-Dade School Board is not very happy.

And whoever made the decision to allow members of the Miami Northwestern High School marching band to perform in a music video is not very bright either.

Now, this is no condemnation of hip hop music. But seriously, which school official who knew anything about the past music videos of Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, and Juicy J thought,"Yeah, this video will feature our minor students in a classy light. All ladies will be wearing clothes that cover their lady bits. There will be no poles or fishnet stockings of any kind. Yeah, that sounds about accurate." Really? Do these people not research?

Apparently not.

In August, school officials approved a producer's request to have members of the Marching Bulls in a video called "Bandz a Make Her Dance." Mistake number one.

The video came out recently. Six of the band members can be seen behind the rappers.

School officials claim that the producers told them the marching band students would be performing in a drum line. It seems as if producers neglected to mention that the drum line would be in a strip club with strippers and advertisements for a pornography company. Representatives for the school board say that the band members were filmed performing in front of a blue screen and later edited in to fit the strip club motif of the video. The school district is suing for "unauthorized publication of likeness of students" and trademark violations. However, there was no formal written agreement. Mistake number two. Attorney for Lil Wayne, Ronald Sweeney, has written to general counsel for Sony asking that they remove the students from the video.  

This whole ordeal could have been avoided if school officials used a bit more common sense. Somehow, SBW thinks this was all part of the producers' plan. Currently, the song is in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart, selling over 30,000 copies. We're sure the controversy over the video is only helping the sales.

More here.

Michelle Obama Doesn't Look or Act Like a First Lady?

NPR's Ari Shapiro interviewed Virginia voter Bobbie Lussier about her feelings on the upcoming election, particularly President Barack Obama.

Her response?

"I just -- I don't like him. Can't stand to look at him. I don't like his wife. She's far from the first lady. It's about time we get a first lady in there that acts like a first lady, and looks like a first lady."

She made this first statement at last month's American Legion annual meeting in Indianapolis, which started a firestorm among NPR listeners. Many accused her of racism.

After calls for clarification, Shapiro met up with her again in a local American Legion meeting in Northern Virginia earlier this week.

When questioned about any racial implications in her comments, Lussier doubled down and rejected those accusations. Lussier said, "I don't care what color she is. It's just she just doesn't act and look like a first lady. I mean she's more about showing her arms off. ...I mean, can you imagine you know, Kennedys or the Bushes or anybody doing pushups on the floor? I mean you know. That's just not a first lady."

Lussier must not have noticed that first ladies have been going sleeveless for years.  

True, there was no equivalent of Michelle Obama Watch for First Lady Laura Bush or First Lady Hillary Clinton. But there was really no doubt that they were worthy of the title 'First Lady'. 

Lussier ended the interview by saying that she was frustrated. "I just hope Romney wins."

Is her frustration racial? Decide for yourself.


The full transcript is here.

U.S. Supreme Court Term Begins Monday

The United States Supreme Court term begins on Monday. 

The justices will hear a number of cases, including those regarding affirmative action, same sex marriage, and voting rights.

On October 10, the Court will hear the case of Fisher v. University of Texas. It presents a major challenge to affirmative action at the college level. The plaintiff is a white women who was denied admission to the University, which uses race as one of many factors for admission in order to promote its goal of diversity. It appears that there are enough justices on the bench to accept Fisher's challenge. In the last affirmative action case before the court, which was decided in 2009, Justice Scalia, Silent Thomas, and Justice Kennedy decided against upholding affirmative action. Now, Justice Alito and Chief Justice Roberts, who have expressed conservative views against the use of race in university admissions, could round out a 5-4 majority to strike down or limit the policy. 

In addition, the Court is likely to hear a challenge to the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). DOMA bars the government from providing federal benefits to gay couples who are married in states that allow same-sex marriage. These include tax breaks, burial services, and medical coverage, to which heterosexual spouses are entitled. The Court will also hear a case out of California, filed by Theodore O. Olson and David Boies, which seeks to establish a right to same-sex marriage under the federal constitution. It is somewhat less clear which way the justices will decide these matters. 

The constitutionality of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is also up for argument. Three years ago, the Court implied that it was not fully in support of the section of the act that requires the federal government to oversee procedural changes to the election rules in certain states. Most of the states affected by this provision are in the South because of the obvious history of racial discrimination in regard to voting. The challenges include issues of redistricting and requirements of voter identification, which are vital to the upcoming election and beyond.

More here. 

"Obama Boyz" Gang Member Charged in St. Louis Shooting Spree

A member of the "Obama Boyz" gang was charged after a recent shooting spree in St. Louis, Missouri. Unfortunately, America's 44th President is the ironic namesake behind such low level thuggery that injured at least three individuals.

This is a sad day for the youth of America.

Instead of the first African American President inspiring young adults to go to college, or law school, write a novel, or become an active parent to their children, these individuals formed a gang and at least one member was charged with ten felony counts of first-degree assault, armed criminal action, and firing shots from a vehicle.

St. Louis Today has the full story. Click here to read more.

NBC's 'The New Normal' Teaches Wealthy White People That if You Have No Black Friends, You Can Just Hire Some

NBC's new sitcom, 'The New Normal', is a few episodes into the season and SBW was a little miffed by the last episode. Call us hypersensitive but there were more than a few problematic occurrences that took place.  


Set in Los Angeles, The New Normal has been a fairly cute show about a gay couple [Bryan, a television producer, and David, a doctor] who bond with their surrogate [Goldie] during the whole birth process. Goldie's precocious tween daughter [Shania], her Archie Bunker with Callista Gingrich hair grandmother [Nana], and Bryan's sassy African American assistant [Rocky] round out the cast.

The episode starts when Goldie, originally from Ohio, receives her absentee ballot in the mail. David and Bryan urge her to vote for President Obama. [We know from an earlier episode that the couple has a photo with POTUS next to their bed.]

Shania says that she's thinking of voting for Obama in the mock presidential election at her school in a few days. The couple lectures her about the virtues of the Democratic way and tells Goldie that she must vote for Obama because she is carrying their "Democratic baby."

In the next scene, Nana barges into their home and chastises the couple for teaching her granddaughter to vote for Obama. She calls the couple "left-wing Nancy boys" and notes that her family has voted for Republicans since Abraham Lincoln.

After a bit more banter between the two parties about the candidates, David and Bryan accuse Nana [whom we shall henceforth refer to as Bigot Grannie] of being racist. Bryan accuses her of refusing to vote for Obama simply because he's a Black man. Bigot Grannie gets defensive and calls it more racist to vote for someone because he's Black then the other way around. She wonders aloud whether the couple even has any Black friends, saying "Like every other liberal, you talk the talk but don't walk the walk." Informing Bigot Grannie that the group will be having a party over the weekend, Bryan invites her to meet all of their Black friends on Saturday. BG accepts, saying that she will see the "homies" then.

Realizing that they don't actually have any Black friends, David and Bryan decide whether they can pass off their doctor friend, Amir, as Black but then decide that would not work because he is Indian American. After a brief discussion about why they lack Black friends, Bryan exclaims, "Is it our fault that none of them stick?" They defend themselves by saying that they meet a lot of Black people but the Blacks don't stay around. Bryan asks if they could just get a television cast from an unpopular show to act as their friends for the evening. Without any other ideas, Bryan invites Rocky to the party and tells her to bring as many of her friends as she likes to it. She questions as to why he is inviting her to a social event without a task to do but she agrees. Bryan ends the scene by asking her about which slang words are outdated.

Flash forward to the party. As expected, no people of color grace the room. Except for Amir. David and Bryan are still discussing if Bigot Grannie could possibly perceive Amir as Black. No, they conclude "He's not even dark enough to count." Again, they explain their lack of Black friends away by saying that they are not perfect but have ideals, even though they don't always live up to those ideals. So that's okay.

Rocky arrives and Bryan immediately asks why she didn't bring her friends. Rocky points to three white women and questions why he would assume all of her friends are Black. She says she also invited her brother to the party but he'll be late because, you know, that's how Black people are.

Still refusing to give up on their ploy so quickly, Bryan rushes up to the only other Black person at the event: a waiter. Using his status as a well-known television producer, he asks the waiter if he is an actor. The actor swoons at the potential opportunity to network with someone so influential. Bryan asks the waiter if he wants to audition right then and play his Black friend at the party. The waiter happily agrees and dons the name Charles Worthington III for the evening. 

When Bigot Grannie arrives, she points out to the happy couple that Rocky doesn't count as a friend because she is an employee. BG seems not to be fully convinced by Charles, telling him that she bets he is "not first in line at the Tyler Perry movies." He rebuffs her and continues the act as part of what he thinks is a once in a lifetime audition opportunity. 

Rocky's brother eventually shows up and he and Goldie immediately hit it off much to the dismay of Grannie. She encourages David and Bryan to announce the pregnancy to the partygoers, which, of course, ruins the budding interracial relationship. Goldie storms off but not before Grannie can offend all of the guests with her opinions. 

As the party is winding down, after being held an hour over his shift, 'Charles' throws down his head shot in a huff and reveals that he is an actor. Bigot Grannie, David, and Bryan are caught in an awkward gotcha moment. They explain it away by saying that at least he was a Black actor, a "Black-tor," says Bryan.

The next day, at the mock election, Shania tells Bryan and David that she was leaning toward voting for Romney but voted for Obama because "he believes gay people should be treated as human beings." After the touching moment when David looks longingly at the multiculti children in the room, the couple acknowledges more diversity in their lives would be better, if not for them but for their baby. 

"You know, it's never too late," Goldie says. Goldie introduces David and Bryan to an interracial couple in the hallway to help them in meeting their new goal. The Asian American mother and Black father have an interracial son and are expecting another in a few months. The mother invites Bryan and David to dinner and it looks as if a good-natured friendship is beginning. But no, as the interracial couple walks away, their new friends say, "This is perfect, we were just saying we need some gay friends." Fin.

What was the lesson learned? 



Was the lesson that interracial friendships are only necessary to the extent that individuals need to prove a point to racist elderly people? Is it that it is not problematic for a minority group to discriminate against having acquaintances from another minority group? Is it that there is no problem with hiring Black friends? Is it that if someone votes for a Black person for President they don't possibly have any problem inviting a Black person into their home? Is it that it's problematic to try to make your Indian American friend to pass for other races? Is it that interracial friendships only form because both parties do not want to be perceived as racist?

Whatever lesson there was to be learned - it was pretty unclear from the dialogue. The characters appeared to be happy and feel accomplished by gaining two new acquaintances of color. And even at the end of the episode, they didn't seem too opposed to hiring Black friends in the future. Let's hope this was a one time thing and the writers give these characters a quick dose of enlightenment. Or a swift kick. [Kick to the air, SBW doesn't support violence.]
 

Speaking of Voter Suppression - Felon Disenfranchisement in the Upcoming Election

According to the ACLU, felon disenfranchisement will bar 5.3 million Americans with felony and misdemeanor convictions from voting in November.    




Maine and Vermont allow prisoners, probationers, and parolees to vote.

The District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Utah allow probationers and parolees to vote.

California, Colorado, Connecticut, New York, and South Dakota allow only probationers to vote.  

Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin allow people with felony convictions to vote upon completion of their sentence.

Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Mississippi, Nevada, Tennessee, and Wyoming allow only some people with felony convictions to vote. 

In Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, and Virginia, people with felony convictions are permanently disenfranchised. Some felons may apply to have their rights restored by the governor.


Learn more here.

Mammy Earrings = High Fashion?

Dolce & Gabbana launched its Spring fashion line with pairs of African inspired earrings. Except, the earrings look more like "Aunt Jemima" and "Mammy" caricatures than appropriate runway accessories. D&G claims the earrings are a nod to their Sicilian roots. 

Read more here.

Just because Dolce & Gabbana also produced earrings that featured white woman, does not take away the offensive nature of the Mammy earrings. The Guardian's style blog aptly pointed out that the only black faces sent down the D&G runway last week were in the form of these Mammy earrings.


This fashion faux pas reminds us of another racist fashion icon. Check out SBW's post on Abercromie's racist past.


 

Record Number of Women Running For Congress in 2012

Today, MSNBC's The Cycle featured a segment on the rise of the number of women running for office this election cycle.

Only 16% of elected officials in Congress are women. In fact, the United States ranks 78th in the world in number of female elected officials.

This fall, a record 334 women are running for positions in the House and Senate.

Guest Lea Goldman of Marie Claire discussed an article in the magazine's latest issue titled "Running in Heels," which profiles 11 of the women working to be elected in November.

You can watch the segment here.

 

Election Protection Smartphone App

The Election Protection Smartphone App is here:

It was created by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the National Association of Latino Appointed and Elected Officials Education Fund, the New Organizing Institute, Rock the Vote and the Verified Voting Foundation.

The app provides information to voters in both English and Spanish as it allows them to verify their registration, look up their polling place, review key voting rules and regulations for their state, see what type of machine they will vote on, and contact Election Protection via phone or email to report a problem or get answers to their questions.

You can scan the QR code on your smartphone to download the app.

Learn more here.     Rock the Vote, 866 Our Vote, National Council of La Raza, Voto Latino, Native Vote, 18 Million Rising, Color of Change

"They can bring it!" - Says GOP Candidate Mia Love in Response to Hate Mail

Police are investigating racist pictures sent to GOP House candidate Mia Love of Utah. Love, the incumbent mayor of Saratoga Springs, is in a heat with Democratic Representative Jim Matheson. Love says that she is a "tough cookie." She says,"I want everyone to know I am comfortable in my skin...There isn't anything that anyone can send me that will distract me from that so they can bring it." Love says she is being targeted because her policy positions are against those of the Obama administration.

More here.

Strong Black Woman of the Week: Eboni Boykin

On Sunday's MSNBC Education Nation Student Town Hall, NerdLand host, Professor Melissa Harris-Perry brought together students, teachers, and lawmakers for a frank discussion about the state of education in America. Some of the best ideas and most inspiring stories came from the students themselves.

One of these students was Eboni Boykin, a first year at Columbia University. Boykin graduated from Normandy High School in St. Louis, Missouri. The honor student was a varsity cheerleader, chief editor of the school newspaper, and a member of the student council. 

But unlike many of her peers who shared similar accomplishments, Boykin grew up homeless. She moved from state to state with her mother and mostly lived in homeless shelters or on the floors of acquaintances. She attended around 15 schools through out her childhood as they bounced around in Maryland, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Missouri.

Boykin says she was able to stay focused because her mother always told her that education can create a better life. 

That's exactly what she did and she received a full scholarship to the Ivy League institution. "Getting into Columbia definitely teaches me that just keeping the faith and not giving up pays off. And it just teaches me if you hang in there you can have anything you want if you are willing to work hard for it."

She plans to become a journalist and SBW thinks she's off to an amazing start. Kudos to you, Ms. Boykin. 

Early Voting Information For the 2012 Election, FYI

Sept. 6:
North Carolina: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Sept. 17:
Kentucky: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Indiana: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Sept. 20:
Wisconsin: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Sept. 21:
West Virginia: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Oklahoma: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
South Dakota: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Georgia: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Arkansas: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Idaho: Absentee, ends Nov. 2
Maryland: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Sept. 22:
South Carolina: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
New Jersey: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Maine: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Michigan: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Mississippi: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
New Hampshire: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Tennessee: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Texas: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Vermont: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Delaware: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Virginia: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Louisiana: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Missouri: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Sept. 27:
Alabama: Absentee, ends Nov. 5
Wyoming: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
North Dakota: Absentee, ends Nov. 5
Iowa: Absentee, ends Nov. 5; Early in-person, ends Nov.5
Illinois: Absentee, ends Nov. 5

Oct. 1:
Washington, DC: Absentee, ends Nov 6
Nebraska: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov. 5

October 2:
New York: Absentee, ends Nov. 5
Ohio: Absentee, ends Nov. 5; Early in-person, ends Nov. 2* (Secretary of State’s website still lists ending Nov. 2, but the court decision would indicate that it would be extended through Election Day.)
Florida: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Oct. 5:
Connecticut: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Oct. 8:
California: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov. 5

Oct. 9:
Indiana: Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Rhode Island: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
New Mexico: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Montana: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Utah: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Oct. 11:
Arizona: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov. 2

Oct. 12:
Alaska: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Oct. 15:
Colorado: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Georgia: Early in-person, ends Nov. 2

Oct. 16:
Massachusetts: Absentee; ends Nov. 6

Oct. 17:
Kansas: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Nevada: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Hawaii: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Tennessee: Early in-person, ends Nov. 1

Oct. 18:
North Carolina: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3

Oct. 19:
Oregon: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Washington: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Oct. 20:
Nevada: Early in-person, ends Nov. 2
New Mexico: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3

Oct. 22:
Alaska: Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Arkansas: Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Illinois: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3
North Dakota: Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Colorado: Early in-person, ends Nov. 2
Washington D.C.: Early in-person, Nov. 3
Texas: Early in-person, ends Nov. 2
Wisconsin: Early in-person, ends Nov. 2

Oct. 23:
Utah: Early in-person, ends Nov. 2
Hawaii: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3
Louisiana: Early in-person, ends Nov. 30
Pennsylvania: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Oct. 24:
West Virginia: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3

Oct. 27:
Maryland: Early in-person, ends Nov. 1
Florida: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3

Nov. 2:
Oklahoma: Early in-person, ends Nov. 5















Source: Early Voting Information Center at Reed College