Archive > January 2012
#AfterBLACK 19 | #REDTAILS
#TeamBlackness (Elon James White, L. Joy Williams and Aaron Rand Freeman) discusses the much hyped (in certain circles) “Red Tails.” From the story itself to what the movie represents as a whole in America and especially in Hollywood. Check out the conversation here (Warning: SPOILERS):
#TWIBIU Segment: The NAACP Chairman Roslyn Brock Interview
#TeamBlackness (Elon James White, L. Joy Williams and Aaron Rand Freeman) talks with the Chairman of the NAACP Rosalyn Brock on the place of the NAACP in today’s climate, reaching a new generation of members and Ms. Brock throws down a challenge to Elon…
@BlackingItUp | The Tim Wise Interview
#TeamBlackness (Elon James White, L. Joy Williams and Aaron Rand Freeman) recently spoke with Tim Wise on his recent commentary on Ron Paul and the progressives that seem to be amused by him, the state or race in America 2012 and more. Check out our full extended interview with him here…
A meditation on change
Under a blog post I wrote the other day was a short comment. Okay, I know I’m not supposed to read the comments, but this one struck me because of how often I hear it. It simply said “nothing’s changed.” Sometimes I hear that from people who are hurt by a history I’ve outlined. This history resonates with something that they have seen recently or something that has happened to them. They are thinking about the ongoing struggle against inequality that still stifles opportunities for so many African Americans.
Sometimes “nothing’s changed” is a snarky remark, sarcasm from a person that is uncomfortable with something they’ve just learned about the American past. They use the notion of “nothing’s changed” as a way to push back, reminding me through their comment that “hey, the president is black” or whatever proof they’d like to offer as evidence that the whole race thing is over. Most times they are upset.
The TWiB! Blackout: SOPA & PIPA
Have you heard of SOPA and PIPA? Here’s a small quick breakdown…
SOPA stands for Stop Online Piracy Act and its sibling bill is PIPA, or the Protect IP Act. Both bills are written in a way that makes them appear to attempt the killing of online piracy – the hosting of media like videos, music, software, and the like, and offering it for download when the hosts do not have the right to do so. What they actually would do, instead, is to put up a screen door to block a wave, this stopping all of the law-abiding fish when its the water they’re trying to get. SOPA and PIPA give rights to businesses and the government itself to stop and sue companies out of existence, even if they’re not actually doing anything illegal.
What they are calling “anti-piracy” when enacted can easily become censorship. This is simply NOT okay. This type of law could destroy platforms for artistic expression & technological advancement simply because someone uploaded a single questionable file. This type of law would have destroyed YouTube. And honestly speaking–if that happened there wouldn’t have been a “This Week in Blackness.” These bills claim to only want to uphold the law but at the same time creates a world where the “law” is whatever a corporation or government says it is at the moment. They could have used more specific language in the bill. They chose not to.
You can read up on SOPA and PIPA…well..everywhere. Just Google it. (Google by the way? Also against this bill. Even Skynet can’t back this)
So to show solidarity with those fighting SOPA and PIPA all TWIB properties will be shut down tomorrow, January 18th. This is what it could feel like if one day some corporation claimed that of the hundreds of podcasts, videos and articles we’ve put out–one of them infringed on their copyright.
Please consider signing the petition and tell congress NO to SOPA and PIPA.
@BlackingItUp Interview with Jeff Wartman on Leaving the GOP
#TeamBlackness (Elon James White, L. Joy Williams & Aaron Rand Freeman) talk with Jeff Wartman, author of “Why I left the Republican party” on the art of being reasonable, walking away from your own party’s ideology and more.
@BlackingItUp Van Jones Interview
#TeamBlackness (Elon James White, L. Joy Williams and Aaron Rand Freeman) had a great conversation with Van Jones on Martin Luther King Day touching on Mr. Jones boogey-man status amongst conservatives and his thoughts on those who would love to serve their country but may have issues in their background. CHeck out the full interview here…
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