Worth Reading

Unless you are living in a cave with limited wireless access, you’ve heard that Mychal Bell is back in jail. This one leaves me speechless, although I’m not suprised. Not one bit.

Black Lawyers for Justice and the Support Committee for Megan Williams (I couldn’t find a link. If anyone knows of one, please let me know in comments) have a Call to Action for Megan Williams: National March Against Hate Crimes and Racism:

ST CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Oct. 12 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — March Purpose: To bring national and statewide support to Charleston resident Megan Williams, the Williams Family, and victims of other hate crimes nationwide. The Jena 6 case, the rise in the hanging of nooses, and other current acts of racially motivated injustice and intimidation against Blacks/African Americans will all be highlighted at this National March against Hate Crimes. Families and victims of hate crimes that are occurring throughout the nation will attend. Black Lawyers For Justice, the Williams Family and organizers are demanding that Federal Hate Crimes charges as well as State hate crime charges be brought in the Williams’ case.

When: Saturday, November 3, 2007 12:00 Noon (Pre-March Rally to begin at 10 a.m.)

Where: March begins at First Baptist Church 423 Shrewsbury St Charleston, W.Va. 25301 and Marchers will proceed to Charleston W.Va. State Capitol Building for National Rally

Contact: Black Lawyers for Justice (BLFJ)
Malik Shabazz, Esq. (Attorney for Megan Williams and the Williams’ Family)
Phone: 202-397-4577 Local: (304) 657-1493
Email: shabazzlaw@aol.com
Web: blacklawyersforjustice.org

Who are the Organizers?
The primary organizers for the march are Black Lawyers for Justice (BLFJ) and the Support Committee for Megan Williams. This march will be endorsed by at least 100 Black organizations, student groups, clergy, and leaders of every stripe. An initial endorsement list will be produced on 10-15-07.

WHY A MARCH TO SUPPORT MEGAN WILLIAMS AND OPPOSE HATE CRIMES?
On November 3, 2007 a historic National March will take place in Charleston, West Virginia. This call to action is to support young Megan Williams, who is the victim of one of the worst hate crimes in United States history. The March is also called to address an astounding yet unacceptable rise in hate crimes and incidents of injustices currently perpetrated against Blacks (African) Americans. On September 12, 2007, and in subsequent preliminary hearings, it was revealed that Megan Williams, a twenty year old Black Woman, was lured into a nearby Logan county trailer house of hatred. Young Megan, who also has special disability needs, was viciously and repeatedly raped, choked, stabbed, forced to eat dog and rat feces while her six white tormentors berated her by calling her “nigger” incessantly. According to evidence gathered, Megan was sodomized with a stick and a noose was tied around her neck for lengthy periods during this week long ordeal all of which has been verified by several of the co-defendants signed confessions. “This is an this ugly and outrageous ordeal.”

Prosecutors said. “Every time they stabbed her, they called her ‘nigger.” Carmen Williams, the mother, told The Charleston Gazette. “She wakes up in the middle of the night screaming, ‘Mommy.’ What’s really, really bad is, we don’t know everything, and they did to her. She is crying all the time. No doubt, had she not been rescued they were going to kill her and throw her in a nearby lake.”

Arrested are: Frankie Brewster, 49, and her son Bobby Brewster, 24., Karen Burton, 46; her daughter Alisha, 23; Danny Combs, 20, and George Messer, 27 -six whites from nearby Logan County, West Virginia. The suspects took turns beating, stabbing, choking and sexually abusing Williams, while consistently threatening her with death, according to criminal complaints. A rope was placed around Williams’ neck, her hair was ripped out and she was made to eat dog and rat feces, drink from a toilet and lick up blood, the complaint charges. At one point, she was sexually assaulted while scalding water and melting hot wax from a candle was poured on her body. At another point she was forced to lick the toes of the sadistic defendants. She was stabbed in the leg at least four times and both of her ankles were cut by a female suspect who allegedly taunted her, saying, “This one is for Kunta Kinte, and that’s what we do to niggers around here.”

“The Megan Williams case is beyond a doubt, one of the worst hate crimes in U.S. History. The Megan Williams case is even worse than the case of the Jena 6…,” said Attorney Malik Shabazz Esq., Megan Williams Family Attorney and Spokesman for Black Lawyers For Justice, speaking at the October 3rd preliminary hearing in Logan County, West VA.

Shabazz also stated, “The number of outright hate crimes and injustice cases against Blacks is rising so rapidly it’s hard for our office to keep track. We are calling for every concerned person in our community to respond to this national crisis with vigor and due diligence. The November 3rd March in Charleston is a big step in the direction of organizing to challenge the tide of attacks occurring against Blacks.”

HATE CRIMES DOCUMENTED
In addition to the Megan Williams case, criminal acts of hatred and intimidation using hanging nooses have sprung up all over the nation. The hanging noose, central to the Jena case, is used by racists as an actionable threat to the safety and well being of Blacks, who have suffered innumerable historical injustices via hanging ropes also known as lynching. On Sept 7th, a three foot noose was found hung at the University of Maryland, College Park, roiling the campus. On October 4th, the Pittsburgh Tribune Review reported that police were investigating several cases in which nooses were left at workplaces to intimidate black employees in the Pittsburgh area. The Tribune reported, “A supervisor at the Verizon Wireless Business Services Center in Marshall found a black doll with a noose around its neck and racial slurs directed at it.”

Several similar hate crime incidents have been reported in the Pittsburgh area in the last month. In Long Island, New York last month, police found a noose hanging in the locker room. Many believed it was hung by a police officer and was in response to the newly elected Black police chief. Last month, in North Carolina, nooses were found hung at a public school. On October 3rd in Washington D.C., white students and historical Galluadet University for the deaf, reportedly held a Black student hostage for over an hour and repeatedly wrote “KKK” all over his body with markers. All over the U.S., Police assaulting and killing unarmed Black victims is on the rise again.

A FOLLOW UP TO JENA
The November 3rd National March against Hate Crimes is also an effort to end the continued persecution of the Jena 6. Mychal Bell and the Jena 6 are still facing jail time after responding to racist persecution at the High school in Jena, Louisiana. Also the addresses and phone numbers of the Jena 6 Families were posted on Neo-Nazi/Klan websites; subsequently, white supremacists have committed acts of aggression near their homes and BLFJ has copies of letters from various Ku Klux Klan organizations directly threatening the Jena 6 families. Members of the Jena 6 are endorsing and are expected at this march.

Over 100 organizations, student groups, youth organizations, clergy, rappers, and leaders are set to endorse the November 3rd March (a list will be released on 10/15/07) Like in Jena, organizers going to get busses, travel the highway and organize to support Megan Williams and organize against these attacks.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

- Friday November 2nd 5:00 p.m.:
A Pre-March remembrance/ prayer vigil will take place at the Logan County trailer home where Megan Williams was kidnapped and tortured

- Saturday November 3rd 10 a.m.:
Pre-March Rally for National March against Hate Crimes and Racism
First Baptist Church 423 Shrewsbury St Charleston, WVA 25301

- Saturday November 3rd 12:00 noon:
National March against Hate Crimes and Racism, Charleston, West VA March will begin in front of the First Baptist Church located at 423 Shrewsbury St Charleston WVA 25301 and proceed to the West Virginia State Capitol Building

- Saturday November 3rd 5:00 p.m.:
Fundraiser for Megan Williams and Town Hall Meeting on Race Relations to take place at Rehoboth Cathedral of Christ in Charleston, West Virginia – Bishop James Carter III is the host pastor.

Information:
To Endorse This March or for Updates and Further Details, Contact us via web at www.Blacklawyersforjustice.org phone at (202) 397-4577 or via email at Shabazzlaw@aol.com.

NEWS SOURCE: Black Lawyers for Justice

This will be as big, if not bigger than the Jena protest. It seems as if many folks thought that hanging nooses all over the place would keep the uppity Negroes in place, but oh no; you were wrong. Very wrong.

Kai, bad ass that he is, brings it with The White Liberal Conundrum.

Thinking Girl tells it like it is and reminds everyone that handholding is not an option and that “objectivity is a myth.”

Chris Clarke weighs in on trolls and moderation policies. You might notice that I’ve linked to his post in my own comments policy. Read it. Understand it. If you don’t, you will probably be banned if you comment here.

Also read Roy’s post on privilege and oppression. I love Roy because he’s always willing to tackle the deep stuff. And he’s honest as all get out about it. The lack of bullshit that I find in his writing makes me happy.

Brownfemipower on the Institutional Violence Against Girls. Another must read. If you don’t follow the link, you are dumb.

And yeah, I’m happy to see Blackamazon, my hero, posting again. I hope she comes back to us.

Keeping Up With The Jena Protest

The protest is on. I’ve yet to see any hard figures on the number of people that are there, but it’s definitely in the thousands judging from the news reports on CNN and MSNBC. The Mayor has declared a state of emergency (he did so several days ago in anticipation of the event), the schools are closed, and most businesses are closed as well. The protest has remained calm, as expected.

The protest was supposed to have ended by now, but people are still showing up. Jena is a small town of 3,000 and obviously the two lane roads there have become overwhelmed.

Shawn Williams of the Dallas South blog and Afrospear member is interviewed by MSNBC (scroll down to the “Town Prepares for ‘Jena Six’ Protests” under “Nightly News’ segments from Wednesday, Sept. 19th”).

Howard Witt, of the Chicago Tribune writes about the growing influence of Black bloggers.

CNN has videos from the rally.

EverythingBlack.com has a live radio broadcast from Jena.

Not in Jena? I hope you’re wearing black (or green).

Also see Color of Change for ways, including a phone calling tool, that you can do your part.

Take part in the Virtual Rally, sponsored by the Ultraviolet Underground:

Not everyone has the means to attend the March on September 20th for the Jena 6, so a Virtual march is being coordinated online as a show of solidarity and support.
Even the smallest show of support can make tremendous difference to the movement seeking justice for Jena 6 and true equality in the living experience of African-Americans and people of color in this country, and globally. A press release will follow, and the link will be included here as an update. For now and even after the date of commencement for the Virtual march for Jena 6′ on September 20th you can sign up as a participant in the comment section of this blog entry.

How to participate:

Take a photo of yourself holding a ‘Free Jena 6′ or ‘Pardon the Jena 6′ sign.
You can make the sign out of available materials in a simple or elaborate style according to your means and intent.
If possible wear black in this photo to coordinate with the efforts of the ‘Color of Change’ March taking place on September 20, 2007 in Jena Louisiana. The final step is to post these pictures to your blogs, preferably in a sidebar or constantly visible spot on your site. These photos should remain until true justice is served in the Jena 6 case. See the sidebar for more information and updates on the Jena 6 case.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

For those who can make it to the Color of Change March on September 20th visit them for more details:

http://www.colorofchange.org/jena/action.html?id=1829-227923

Afrosphere Bloggers Association Recruitment Drive

We would like to invite you to become a member (or friend) of the Afrosphere Bloggers Association (ABA)!

We are a group of concerned African Diaspora bloggers who discuss problems that affect people of African descent, create solutions and action plans to solve those problems, and enact the plans using internet resources. We plan to use these methods to network with other organizations, working on similar projects and moving in the same directions, to provide life improving services to people of the African Diaspora.

We want to change the world and we can do it with your help. Everyone has a value in this project, whether it be contributing ideas, finding resources, doing research, connecting with bloggers, contacting the media, recruiting other members, spreading the word, connecting us to other organizations, or signing petitions. Every African Diaspora blogger is IMPORTANT and VALUABLE to our cause.

Please consider becoming a Friend of the ABA by joining one of our social networking groups (see below). If you are of African descent please consider becoming a registered member of the ABA. All you have to do is reply that you want to become a registered member and please include your screen name, reply email address, and blog address.

We hope that you will accept our invitation and we look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

The Afrosphere Bloggers Association

HOW TO BECOME A REGISTERED MEMBER OF THE AFROSPHERE BLOGGERS ASSOCIATION

1. If you are a person of African descent (Black) please fill out the “Want to Join the ABA” form on the front page of the forum at http://afrospear.jconserv.net/

2. Your membership request will be forwarded to the ABA Recruitment
Committee. After visiting your blog/website the Committee members will announce whether any of them will vouch for your membership. If at least two members vouch for your membership and there is no serious opposition then you will be welcomed as a member of ABA.

3. A welcome message will be sent to your email address with details about how to get involved with the group. The welcome to the ABA e-card will contain a welcome message, instructions to join the ABA Forum at http://afrospear.jconserv.net , and a link to the main section of the forum where new members must go to learn about ABA and how we function. You must complete your profile on the forum–especially with your blog or website address.

After these steps you will become a full member of The Afrosphere Bloggers Association! If you are a new member and you have not gone through this procedure then you have probably not registered as a member of ABA.

HOW TO BECOME A FRIEND OF THE AFROSPHERE BLOGGERS ASSOCIATION

If you are not a person of African descent (Black) then we would like to network with you, but you can not have an account on the ABA forum. The ABA Forum is a private workspace for people of African descent to develop self-determination and self-empowerment campaigns.

Individuals of non-African descent may join one of our many social networking sites, like MySpace, as a friend. Each site has a forum where ABA members and non-member friends can network, find ways to work together, and collaborate on activities that are in everyone’s best interest. Everyone is welcome on the social networking sites as friends and we look forward to working with you on these dedicated sites.

You are also welcome to visit and have discussions with us on the Solutions Blog at and all of our individual member blogs.

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Read about the evolution of the AfroSpear at the Electronic Village.

The Afrosphere has a Myspace group and a Facebook group.

Other social Networking Groups:

Care2.com Group
Change.org Group
Black Planet Group