Whitlock: Why Doesn't He Like Negroes?

Jason Whitlock is at it again.

Pandering to the white media. Betraying his community. Turning his back on the agenda of Negro America. Siding with racists and users of horrible language directed at destroying the self esteem, self worth and self respect of young Negro women.

For shame Mr. Whitlock, for shame!

The Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton have launched a defense through offense. Exhorting the media to understand and report the damage that Imus' comments caused not just the scholar-athletes of Rutgers, but Negroes in general. The Revs have cemented a united front to challenge the racist language used by Imus and proliferated on the airwaves of CBS and MSNBC. To allow Mr. Imus to continue to use their airwaves would be condoning his language and it would be a complicit act of racism.

Mr. Whitlock suggests that the Revs only involve themselves in such an issue because they see the opportunity to hijack the news and to somehow line their pockets. That they neglect to speak out on other issues that might not present them with the opportunity to monopolize the headlines and add to their bank accounts.

We suggest that the Revs reserve such actions for only the most important and socially repressive actions. That the good Revs have been involved in the struggle and have built the credibility to determine which issues require kid glove treatment and which ones require a maelstrom.

The Negro community has grown to trust their judgment. They have rarely let the Negro community down. Why else would they be able to generate such response and such coverage? Would the media grant them such privilege and respect and input if the Revs did NOT reflect the accumulated voice of Negro America?

"We have more important issues to deal with than Imus. If we are unwilling to clean up the filth and disrespect we heap on each other, nothing will change with our condition. "

But, isn't that hate and disrespect heaped on Negroes by other Negroes a reflection of the fact that people like Imus say what they say? If the Imus's of the world can be censored. If the Revs can complete this dialogue on what is acceptable to say and what is not, won't we then see the Negroes self-image improve? If white America is silenced, Negro America will certainly be able to flourish. And the incestial disrespect will cease. Can't Whitlock see that the disrespect Negroes have for other Negroes is a product of white Americans getting on the radio or tv and saying whatever they want about Negroes? Is this not clear?

We believe Mr. Whitlock is the one completely out of touch with the community that the Revs gracefully and fully represent. Perhaps Mr. Whitlock should take to heart Snoop Dogg's assessment of the situation. The suggestion that rappers say worse things than Imus is out of touch with what Negro America believes.

"It's a completely different scenario," said Snoop, barking over the phone from a hotel room in L.A. "[Rappers] are not talking about no collegiate basketball girls who have made it to the next level in education and sports. We're talking about ho's that's in the 'hood that ain't doing sh--, that's trying to get a n---a for his money. These are two separate things. First of all, we ain't no old-ass white men that sit up on MSNBC [the cable network home to Imus] going hard on black girls. We are rappers that have these songs coming from our minds and our souls that are relevant to what we feel. I will not let them mutha-----as say we in the same league as him."

Could this be more clear? Rappers using those terms are ART. It is how they feel. White folks using them is hate. Understand, Mr. Whitlock?

And Snoop went on to further illustrate the REAL hypocrisy of the incident.

"Snoop Dogg insisted "this punk" Imus deserved much more than a two-week suspension. He deserved to be fired. He should at least be punished like the NFL suspended Tennessee Titans football player Adam Jones for an entire season for scrapes with the police:
"Kick him off the air forever," he said. "Ban him like they did [Adam] 'Pacman' Jones. They kicked him out the [National Football] League for the whole season [for numerous violations of the NFL's personal-conduct policy, including multiple arrests], but this punk gets to get on the air and call black women 'nappy-headed ho's.' "

So, before self indulgent panderers attack the only people with the fortitude to stand up to white, corporate America and its flagrant and profitable racism; we'd ask that you fully understand the plight of the Negro. That you fully understand the needs of the community. That you fully consider WHY Negroes use the terms they do. That you concede that the hypocracy ISN'T in who can say what, but is in how the system doles out retribution.

And, sometimes, that system needs the maelstrom of the Revs to right it.

Get in line Mr. Whitlock, as a Negro, your resistance is only hurting yourself.