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When Whitney Houston told us all last year that "crack was whack," I don't think anyone realized her foresight. A recent Virginia law is requiring people (youth specifically) to pull up their pants:

VIRGINIANS who wear their pants so low that their underwear shows may want to think about buying a stronger belt.

The US state's House of Delegates passed a Bill yesterday authorizing a $50 fine for anyone who displays his or her underpants in a "lewd or indecent manner".

Delegate Lionell Spruill Sr, a Democrat who opposed the Bill, had pleaded with his colleagues to remember their own youthful fashion follies.

He said the measure was an unconstitutional attack on young people that would force parents to miss work to take their children to court just for making a fashion statement.

The Bill was approved 60-34 and now goes to the Senate.

I take this a bit more seriously because the state capitol Richmond, Virginia is my second abode, and with at least a 50% black population it's fairly clear who this Bill is aimed towards. While support for this bill has been bipartisan, Delegate Lionell Spurill Sr., a Democrat has been outspoken against the "Droopy Drawers Bill" because he thinks it unfairly targets black men. The Washington Times reports:

It's not clear if the fine would apply to plumbers, carpenters or other laborers who have problems with low-riding pants. The bill states the fine would apply to those who display their below-the-waist underwear in a "lewd or indecent manner."

Several lawmakers and civil rights groups said the legislation — sometimes referred to as the "droopy drawers" bill — is excessive and would encourage racial profiling, arguing that exposed underwear is simply a fashion statement by mostly black youths."

I'm mixed on the issue. Inevitably, people will try to make this some assault on free expression. They will use lots of flowery words and claim the state legislature has unfairly become arbiters of good taste in order make a case for why the entire world has to see somebody's underwear. Quite frankly, I don't buy it. It's disgusting. Considering the negative history behind sagging, asking young people to pull their pants up certainly doesn't take anything away from society. I say it all the time to my brother and his friends. They usually comply.

If young black men are the target, the Bill might be misdirected. In reality, the hip hop generation's gone more preppy these days and the new "saggers" on the block are the skater dudes. Lawmakers were unable to pass a similar Bill in Louisiana. This will undoubtedly continue to be an issue in certain states.

That said, racial tension in Virginia is palpable. My concern here is two-fold. One, I feel police officers will be given another platform to inappropriately harass people. Two, I worry about if this type of legislation will be wholly enforced. As in, will Miss "Busted Can'o Biscuits" in the too-small t-shirt with her thong showing also be fined? Only time will tell.

 

I am happy to present my first guest editorial (and hopefully regular) column in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The subject? None other than our beloved Michael Jackson. If you live in the state, pick it up!

 

Considering the names I've been called since starting this website, I'm not one to be suggesting much of anything by way of racial authenticity but I MUST say this: will the real black woman please stand up!?

Although I'm on television hiatus, I have been following this latest installment of "The Apprentice" and as predicted, the show's producers have managed to scrounge up yet another crackhead of a black woman.

Verna Felton is her name; quitting is her game. Felton was the first "Apprentice" contestant to actually quit within three episodes. She complained of lack of sleep and exhaustion. Please.

What's worse? She's from SEATTLE! Which leads me to my next question: Where on EARTH are they finding these black women?

Felton, an Account Manager for Microsoft, claimed it was the lack of professionalism and backstabbing that led her to quit the show. I think she was too prideful and scared to get fired, but what do I care? It's just television. It's not even real. All I'm asking is for some proper representation...please?

 

From SAT prep to Graduate school, America's higher educational system has become a gigantic racket. A recent USA Today feature explores the rising pre-college financial costs that are preventing many young people from getting their feet in the door. Besides being unprepared educationally, students are often shocked at the expenses associated with simply taking the SAT. USA Today reports:

When Karin Iuzzolino applied to college, she skimped to hold down costs. She applied to four schools rather than the eight that interested her. She did not visit several colleges because transportation costs were prohibitive. She chose not to take an Advanced Placement exam because it cost $82.

The Boothbay, Maine, resident couldn't afford an SAT preparation course and settled for an inexpensive CD-ROM. The only thing she did not skimp on was standardized tests; she took the SAT four times and the ACT once.

Looking back, Iuzzolino, a 21-year-old sophomore at the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine, says applying to college was more expensive than she had ever imagined.

"I didn't expect a lot of the costs that came at me, especially the $50 and $60 application fees," she says.

While students from families of modest means know that it costs a lot to attend college, the expense involved in applying often comes as a surprise. And the cost will increase in March when the price of the SAT Reasoning Test (formerly the SAT I) rises from $29.50 to $41.50 because a writing component is being added.

The article doesn't even go into depth about the costs that follow the SAT. Additionally, students have to pay to have their required SAT score sent to every school to which they're applying.

Last year, Harvard University had a total of 19,750 freshmen applications. At $60 a pop, Harvard is raking in $1,185,000 a year in application fees alone. Not too shabby.

When I was a senior in high school, I used to joke about how I needed financial aid to apply for financial aid. The article continues to point out the setbacks to being middle class and jumping through the financial aid hoops:

Some students seeking scholarships also have to lay out money to send schools financial information. While most colleges accept the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, better known as the FAFSA, several hundred colleges ask students to fill out the College Scholarship Service Financial Aid Profile, which they feel provides a more accurate picture of a family's finances. The College Board, which runs the College Scholarship Service as well as administering the SAT and AP exams, charges a $5 registration fee and $18 for each school to which a copy of the financial profile is sent.

There are so many more factors involved in getting into the best school beyond just being a good student. With SAT prep teachers commanding $800 a class, it's no wonder certain people score better. I probably have more negative theories surrounding the SAT because I realized it had little to do with how smart you were. I went to a private school that taught us how to think in terms of scoring high on our SAT.

College admissions have become a rat race mostly because of improper perceptions that attending a certain school guarantees success. Now we have pyschotic mothers enrolling their preschoolers in college prep classes, hoping one day for an admittance into Stanford. While I certainly think students should be educated on the different loopholes to getting accepted to college, it's all beginning to get a bit ridiculous.

Past Observations on Higher Education:
The Great Educational Hope
Great Educational Hope Part II
Generation Broke
Graduating Slaves

 

Following last year's halftime show charade, I figured Fox would play it safe this year. And safe they were; can't get much safer than Paul McCartney. Plus, if McCartney were to expose his nipple, chances are people would probably look away. For the record, although warranted, I think the FCC's crackdown was fairly hypocritical considering every other questionable aspect of the Superbowl and oh gee, half of the programming on television. Every year, the coveted Superbowl time slot offers commercials that dig deeper into the pit of eternal raunch.

This year's most highly publicized Superbowl commercial was for GoDaddy.com, a web domain registrar--in fact, the domain registrar for nykola.com and every other domain I own.

The alternate version of GoDaddy's commercial wasn't allowed on the air. After seeing the version that did go on the air (a Janet Jackson spoof not void of a buxom brunette with an apparent wardrobe malfunction) next to full on exposure, I can't imagine how much worse it could get. Not everyone was pleased.

Are Americans--men in particular--so completely overtaken by that thing between their legs that sex is the only to which companies need to appeal? Although that's what many would have us to believe, I think humanity is capable of better.

Surprisingly, New York Daily news called GoDaddy's ad one of the worst. Unfortunately, taste doesn't count in these matters. Not only did GoDaddy's banned version get publicized in the media, the whole Janet Jackson spoof has put their company name in the spotlight. The irony here is that I'm giving them publicity too. Up until now, I liked them as a company. Safe to say, they won't be getting my business anymore.

 

Along with others, I too was saddened to hear of legend Ozzie Davis's passing last week. Every time one of our "greats" dies, I am always reminded of how quickly time flies. Only recently, Shirley Chisholm passed; then Johnny Carson died and we can be certain that 2005 will see more deaths. C'est la vie. What is difficult is not esteeming people so highly that they become "invincible." Nevertheless, we should take these things as major indicators of time. What saddens me the most is when it doesn't seem like there are many successors to the thrones. If we're not careful, my generation is bound to crap away the legacies.

We still have time.

What struck particularly struck me about Ozzie Davis is that he was married to his wife Ruby Dee for 56 years. Count'em five and six. That's something deserving of praise considering that I just heard some entertainment anchor comment that in Hollywood, "Marriage is the new dating." Let the Davis' be an example.

 

In a sentence:

"These next four years ain't g'on be cute."

Well...

 

• Report Says MTV is Sleezy: Duh. I love the Parent Television Council. I think they do great work, but they wasted their time on this one. The first three minutes of "Real World: Philadelphia" makes their sleeze factor abundantly clear. In one week in March, the media watchdog counted 3,056 flashes of nudity or sexual situations and 2,881 verbal references to sex. We get it. MTV peddles immorality on nearly every level possible. I still say someone at the PTC needs a hobby.

• PETA Drafts Al Sharpton To Fight KFC:
  I've tried very hard to understand the psychopathy of PETA, but they lost me with that whole "Fish Amnesty" bit last year. Similarly, blogger D.C. Thornton shares disgust with their recent assault against the Colonel (that's KERNAL for all you ignorant people like me who always say it phonetically "ko-lo-nel"). What's worse is they've drafted Al Sharpton for their campaign, and now he's waging war on one of my favorite foods, telling us all not to eat. Nice pitch, but I'm not buying it. Look at this picture and tell me this isn't the face of a man who would secretly send his assistant to buy him some KFC on the down low.

• Joe Jackson cries "Racism":
  Michael Jackson's parents are claiming racism for their son's bad press. The jokes here are just too easy. This aside, I'm really having trouble with this one. Jackson has been given at least nine lives in this little sick game of his. This isn't the first time Jackson or his family has claimed racism. The Rabbi and Michelle Malkin aren't buying it. Neither am I.

• Do You Have Internet Friends?:
  Ethel, a great writer of the webjournal "Luscious and Uppity" confesses and asks others to as well. Being that I grew up during the AOL revolution (you know, before they became the devil), I've probably had more "internet friends" than the average person. Owning a blog brings in a whole new element: "blogfriends". Not many of those. I guess I need to start linking more. But as you'll see in the next installment of "How to Blog Like a Rockstar", I think over-linking is overrated.

• Bill Cosby's Unfavorable Press:
  Not quite sure what to make of this latest "improper sexual contact" madness. Infidelity on any level is disappointing to me. This article suspects Cosby may have been set up by the media to be discredited in light of his recent outspoken activism. If it were a set-up, it would be from within, not from without.

 

Name: Erika Harold

Age: 23

Representing: Urbana, Illinois

Why You Should Fear Her: Ms. Harold is no joke. In 2003, she deferred acceptance into Harvard Law school after being crowned Miss America. With her primary platform being "Preventing Youth Violence and Bullying: Protect Yourself, Respect Yourself," she faced a firestorm of controversy at the beginning of her reign, when she wanted to publicly discuss her past platforms of abstinence education. The Miss America Organization attempted to bully her into not discussing the "Sexual Abstinence" platform, but Harold did not relent.

In response to pressure to back down from one of her platforms, Harold said the following

"One of my jobs as Miss America is to be a role model to young people and to provide them with my story as an example of how they can achieve positive things in their lives. My personal commitment to abstinence from drugs, sex and alcohol in my opinion helped me to accomplish many of my goals. If I were prevented from speaking about that I think it would be very disingenuous in terms of serving as a role model."

Nothing more to say there. Harold has worked closely with Project Reality, a nonprofit organization promoting abstinence. She also spoke at the last RNC and has worked on many political initiatives.

She's a classically trained vocalist, a brilliant student, and can work an evening gown better than the average woman. Most importantly, she's a no-joke, on point, pull no-punches, woman of God. Oh, and she's gorgeous.

Accomplishments: Erika is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Illinois, a three time member of the National Dean's List, a National Spokesperson for the Teen Victims Project of the National Center for Victims of Crime, and a member of the National Board of Directors for the Center of Youth as Resources. She has received numerous academic and community awards.

She currently attends Harvard Law School and hopes to pursue a career in public interest law and public policy. Harold is also a classically trained vocalist.

Press/Interviews: NPR Interview, Woman's Touch, Salon.com, Young Money, The Black Collegian

Other Rebels: Farrah Gray, Hans Zeiger, Adam Hunter, Dwight Howard, Sheri Valera, Princella Smith

 

Every February, it starts. The United States commemorates what we somewhat affectionately call "Black History Month". So begins the 28 days during which much of white America runs around trying to be "deep" and "in touch" and "ethnic" and as far as I'm concerned, "fake".

The January lead-in to this month is the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday, the day on which the "opressor" makes atonement for their racial sins by being cleansed in the fountain of guilt, hokeyness and requisite chorus of "We Shall Overcome". Similar to Martin Luther King Day, "Black History Month" has become overwhelmingly trite over the years.

This isn't to say that setting aside a part of the year to acknowledge the historical contributions of black Americans is a bad thing. Considering what's being taught in the average U.S. History course, the holes certainly require some filling in. However, I often wonder if what was once a good means is no longer proper for the end. That is merely to say: I’m getting a little tired of singing “Lift Every Voice And Sing”.

Growing up under the banner of the typical elementary and secondary school "Black History Month" curriculum can give a person a cynical attitude toward the month and its purpose.

By high school graduation, we all knew just about everything there was to know about Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King, Jr., Frederick Douglass, and Malcolm X. These were of course the heroes of "Black History Month", or what I affectionately call "the token Negroes".

Not to negate their achievements, but it always came across as a bit patronizing to me that we spent the better part of 12 years of our education learning about the gaggle of accomplishments of Mr. White Man “the Great”, only to spend less than 28 days a year studying everything but the lint in the pockets of the same four black Americans.

The worst of it occurs when the subject of black achievement comes up and everyone and their mothers point to Martin Luther King like he was the only black person of significance ever to walk the planet. Growing up, it seemed to me that black people certainly had more to offer than that. It didn't take me long to find out that they did.

And while I've heard some "conservatives" argue the reason white people get so much play in history curriculum is because "they built this country", I’d like to point out that we often fail to recognize on whose backs the “building” was achieved.

The way I see it, the inherent problem with "Black History Month" is that it further isolates a subject that has already had its share of isolation. In singling out the issue of black history, we never call people to account for the fact that black history isn't just "black" history; it's all peoples' history. It shouldn't just be taught alongside or in addition to our "regular" history, but instead should become a part of the curriculum that was lacking wholeness in the first place.

Perhaps I'm delusional to think that something so monumental could really take place, but I believe we need to start holding our educational systems accountable to more objectivity in how history is taught. Changing the way we think about this topic may not take place in the older generations, but we can certainly start with the young.

Throwing together some month full of festivals, special commercials, and school assemblies is no excuse for our failure as a community to acknowledge the accomplishments of black people throughout the year.

While we can't get rid of "Black History Month" yet, here's to hoping that one day we can, and our end goal is such.