Black

A while ago, I wrote an essay called, “On the Nature and Meaning of “Bitch Slap,” ” in which I explained why a “bitch slap,” far from being heroic, is actually a profound act of cowardice.

I wrote that essay because I had observed that white and particularly white male “progressives” were fascinated with the term “bitch slap” and were using it constantly, like children repeating newly-discovered slang words for male and female genitalia. In fact, white (usually male) "progressives" have taken the term “bitch slap” entirely out of its originally limited underclass context and usage and are using it instead as a generally applicable synonym for “to castigate” and “to put in one’s place.” In so doing, they are celebrating violence against and subjugation of women, particularly Black women.

Now, Michael Bouldin of Culture Kitchen has visited one of my diaries there to accuse me of diary “pimping.” Merriams defines “pimping” as “solicit[ing] clients for a prostitute.” Merriams (Certainly, Michael does not intend to literally accuse me selling women’s flesh for profit.) But, is it not unacceptably and intentionally offensive for a white man to falsely accuse a Black lawyer of “pimping”? I’ll let readers be the judge of that. Blacks and many women will generally say it IS unacceptably offensive, while white men who regularly use the terms “bitch slap” and “diary pimping” (or simply “pimping”) will vociferously insist that they mean no color-aroused offense by these inherently linguistically color-bound insults.

Today, I read the following message from Shaquanda Cotton, a 14 year-old Black girl who was sentenced to seven years in a Texas juvenile correctional institution for pushing a door guard at her high school:

About Me

Shaquanda Cotton

Paris, Texas, US

I am a 14-year-old black freshman who shoved a hall monitor at Paris High School in a dispute over entering the building before the school day had officially begun and was sentenced to 7 years in prison. I have no prior arrest record, and the hall monitor--a 58-year-old teacher's aide--was not seriously injured.

I was tried in March 2006 in the town's juvenile court, convicted of "assault on a public servant" and sentenced by Lamar County Judge Chuck Superville to prison for up to 7 years, until I turn 21.

Just three months earlier, Judge Superville sentenced a 14-year-old white girl, convicted of arson for burning down her family's house, to probation. Squaquanda Cotton Blog

So, I called the Texas Courthouse at which Shaquanda was sentenced and I spoke to Judge Superville's receptionist.

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I watched the promotional video based on last year's gathering, and I saw six Black people among 1,500 participants.

Cross-posted at http://francislholland.blogspot.com/2007/02/is-yearlykos-and-overwhelmin... and MyDD.

Today, I came across a link to a publicity video for YearlyKos and I watched the entire video to confirm a suspicion:  That YearlyKos is an overwhelmingly white gathering -disproportionately white considering the number of Blacks in the Democratic Party.  http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=

-1234580617661540850&q=Mark+Bowllan  Watch the film for yourselves and tell me if my perceptions are in error.

Here's what I saw:  Watching a thirty-nine minute video of "1,500" "progressive" Democratic Party bloggers at a hotel in Las Vegas, in all of the shots where the camera panned the crowds, the hallways, the hotel rooms, and speakers diases, I saw two Black women and four Black men among 1,500 people.  If accurate, this would mean that YearlyKos was about .03% Black in a Democratic Party that has 20% elected and appointed Black delegates at the Democratic National Convention.  What is it about DailyKos and Yearly Kos that makes it so white in a Party with so much Black participation?