The documentary “Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic” provided a deductive reason for why he lit himself on fire. Throughout this past Black History Month I had a tendency to add gasoline to my shampoo.
While in college I took a course in Logic. A philosopher at heart, I was eager to study a system of proof, conditions and consequence. Plus, I thought it would be easy. It ended up being a failed attempt. I couldn’t adapt to the concept of a “truth table” while applying the math of P’s & Q’s. There were too many intentional flaws that were not fallacies.
Take the theory of exclusive disjunction. While I’m not sure how to explain it, conjecture of a prime example would be the mistrial of Michael Dunn. The jury failed to identify racism as a pre-meditated (and nostalgic) motive for a white person to kill a brown person under the guise of self-defense.
When 21 year-old Creshuna Miles (Juror #8) appeared on CNN stating that the case wasn’t about race, it was inexcusably sad. Regardless of how non-monolithic any race claims to be, I feel overwhelmed by the challenge of collective awareness, or lack thereof. Best believe we have the right to judge a juror for reasons that include a legal strategy of natural selection.
The evolution of animal rights in the jungle, zoo and circus has always been limited to an obvious language barrier. Yet, the mere threat of a lunge to make a human flinch is all that is needed to justify death. Here’s the thing about supremacy, it doesn’t matter whether a theory is cogently disproven by a writer, actor,correspondent, comedian or a talking unicorn. Michael Dunn ordering a pizza and not calling the police makes total sense because most animals eat after they kill.
Adding insult to flagrant WTF, around the time of Trayvon Martin’s birthday, here comes Jorge (ring announcer voice) , a/k/a young Gee-Zee, the “creepy-ass cracker,” dynamic white hispanic, Kel-Tec killer, mixed-martial eBay artist in residence, 99 problems but a bitch pressing charges is not one, Mr. “they always get away” and so do I, this guy, comes looking to pick another fight. I’ll refrain from sharing my feelings and just highlight a tweet that follows the theme of logic:
Now back to a real sporting event. The month was kicked off with a 2nd year black quarterback winning the Superbowl against Peyton “Clinton” Manning. Even Richard Sherman’s intelligence was vindicated with thug compassion from multiple appearances with product placed white people. Later in the month, ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” aired a balanced intergenerational discussion on the N-word and user regulation. Besides for addressing a potential policing of the word in the NFL (#15yards), a subject Herm Edwards later addressed in commentary about personal responsibility stating “We’re MALE by birth, we’re MEN by choice;” the show focused on the opinions of Teaneck High while another New Jersey school showed how their wrestling team endearingly uses “a nigga” to bond in 1000 words.
On the same day that Dr. Maya Angelou supported the #AintNoNinFeb campaign on her Facebook page, Nicki Minaj posted controversial artwork for her single “Looking Ass N*ggas” using a famous image of Malcolm X looking out his window holding a rifle. The photo is iconic because it was taken after several attempts on his life (and that of his family). Ms. Minaj’s apology came with social statements somewhat analogous to advocating a stripper’s right to be mad at voyeurs mixed with motivational harangue to be a playa in the NFL (N*ggas For Life). She states:
“The word “n*gga” causes so much debate in our community while the n*gga behavior gets praised and worship. Let’s not.”
Hmmm…let’s not what? Let’s not remind the parents of Jordan Davis that no matter how wrong, their son got killed by the stigma of self-infused real nigga stay thuggin rap music? I wonder how many rappers donated to the Jordan Davis legal fund? I didn’t donate but had Jordan and his friends been bumping the audio version of my blogs I may have considered it.
Rappers have been so successful selling the words “Nigga” and “Thug” as commodities; they’ve bamboozled themselves into a delusional definition of black prosperity. In the long run, a small minority have benefited from being a “real nigga,” while most end up in jail or disenfranchised. I HATE criticizing Hip-Hop but it’s definitely become “trap music.” I may partake in the ignorant hypocrisy but like a pitbull, I have trouble defending it. Especially when harrowing sacrifices of ancestors are being overshadowed by some shallow achievements and an abundance of award shows that give trophies by low standard default.
The future of Black History Month is in jeopardy (lol) as it becomes harder to discern from Black Music Month. I laugh at egos who sell the “Tanning of America” knowing there are no black-owned salons. A friend put it best when she asks, “…aren’t tans temporary?” Maybe Fallon and Timberlake can make a medley that brings black history back because they seem to be more in tune with our roots than…others.
Speaking of good music, Kanye’s tour merchandising must have inspired the Sons of Confederate Veterans. The organization got state approval to plant their flag on license plates in Georgia. I’ll move on.
America is going through an identity crisis that’s more confusing than transgender categories. The law however is still pretty black and white. The cases of Trevor Dooley, Michael Giles, Claudius Smith are throwbacks to separate and unequal inconsistencies that prove blacks have less ground to stand on when they have a gun.
Copycat crimes based on this rigged law keep a Walking Dead marathon on my news feed. The black ensemble of John, Steve, Chiwetel and Lupita may have been sterling enough on the silver screen to collect top awards, but until the book is part of school curriculum, too few whites will not understand the American invention of “the nigger.” Empathy is the key to more epiphanies like THIS and fewer idiots trying to make the “dead nigger acquitter” hall of fame (coined). Even if Tea Party-goers got their closet wish of segregation re-instated, they’ll still want to burn down the brown community (fear of a black planet, president, penis – let’s not). “Hate Crimes in the Heartland” have extended way beyond Oklahoma and the same show, different city spin-offs are part of our regular programming.
Here’s an episode you might have missed. In Dallas, on September 3, 2013 a 46-year-old white man named Brian Cloninger shot an 8-year-old black boy in the face. The boy lived. His name is Donald Maiden Jr. Donald was playing tag at the time he got shot while Cloninger was playing laser tag with real bullets, yet, Cloninger wasn’t charged with attempted murder. When asked why he shot the boy, in the face, he responded, “because I wanted to.”
It all makes sense now. Pass the lighter.
T. Better Baldwin is a creative mercenary and ethical lobbyist who was born, raised and resides in New York City.
