The Illusion of Progress/Freedom for Black People

By Alphonso McGriff III How we think, or how our consciousness is developed, is what determines how we see progress. Progress is always defined by someone. The idea of progress for Black People cannot be determined until it is first defined by Black People. The question is Who is defining progress for Black People and what are the standards for progress? Three Key indicators of the Illusion of progress for Black People are: - when we celebrate the first Black anything In America in particular, each time we celebrate the first Black anything, we confirm that White people are our standard for what is best for us. We confirm that we need to be validated by White people in order to achieve success. The celebration is saying in essence Because we are able to do what White people have already done, we have made progress and are now successful and better as

a result. There is no other group of people on the planet who defines their success based on what another group of people has already done. Progress has always been defined as advancement or moving forward. In most cases moving forward requires that something is being done that has not already been done. Progress for Black People in America is in part, a form of recovery or reconnection to a consciousness and thought process that existed long before we were enslaved, and not the adaptation and celebration of a way of life defined by those who enslaved us.

The Hart Monitor Issue 10 January 2013 Page 1 The Illusion of Progress/Freedom for Black People Page 4 Mass Incarceration Roundtable Protecting your Hood vs. Protecting your community Page 5 The Three Choices of Oppressors DCF Hypocrisy Page 6 In Brief (Did you Know?) Page 7 Hartfords First MIA Day

- when we accept the American Dream as our own The American Dream is a definition of success created by White people, for White people. For Black People, the American Dream is like that rabbit the greyhound chases (dog races). White people hold the rabbit just far enough away so that we keep chasing it. When they choose to, once in a while theyll allow one of us to catch and hold it. This is done only so the rest of us will continue longing for that same opportunity. While at the same time, we never

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figure out that as long as our focus is on the rabbit, we are being controlled, distracted, still enslaved, and can never define for ourselves a dream that will free us, serve us, and result with true progress. Its like we exist with blinders on. We cannot see to the left or right or even inside our own spirit, the very places freedom and progress actually reside. - when we use the period of enslavement as our standard for measuring progress Based on my own limited understanding of history, we, Black People were here long before the period of enslavement and White people. The entire world is studying Africans and other indigenous people, trying to figure out how we did some things thousands of years ago. When we eliminate all of this history and make our history the beginning of the period of enslavement, we also guarantee that our only hope for survival, progress, peace, and the understanding of life, is in the hands of White people, the same people who enslaved us and told us we have no history. The period of enslavement was so foul, barbaric, sadistic and inhumane, it takes very little to up the bar associated with progress from that time. This is no true measurement of progress. All three of these factors keep us in denial and operating under an illusion of progress. We have to acknowledge the reality of how our consciousness has been adversely affected by the period of enslavement.

Immediate Progress is moving forward with the recovery of prior knowledge and understanding after a traumatic or negative experience. True progress is moving forward based on the uninterrupted accumulation of prior knowledge and understanding.

In the case of Black People who have been colonized (traumatized), we would have to move from the full historical context and experiences of Black People before colonial contamination, in order to begin the recovery process. When those who enslaved us told us that we were free, that was immediate progress. When we actually begin to move toward based on our knowledge and understanding what our ancestors knew and understood, and Black People are actually free as defined by Black People, this would be an example of True progress. White people have never had any human respect for any

The definition of Progress for Black People has to include knowing and understanding everything our ancestors once knew and understood. If we do not at least know and understand what they knew and understood, how can we claim we have made progress? There are two types of progress, Immediate Progress and True Progress.

other group of people they have encountered. They have never respected the history and culture of any other group of people they have encountered. Anything they dont understand about the history and culture of another people is labeled wrong and/or primitive and/or assisted by aliens. The consistent, documented history of White people suggests that they are motivated by acquiring profit and power with the desire to control everybody and everything including the air, water, land,

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weather, human life, plant life, animal life, and the entire planet by any means necessary and unnecessary, at the expense of everything including the air, water, land, weather, human life, plant life, animal life, and the entire planet. When confronted with an international incident associated with the pathological behavior of one or some of their own, they always come up with some type of psychological anomaly as the culprit. The onus is on White people to demonstrate that they have the capacity to behave in a way that is consistent with the preservation of life, rather than the destruction of life. Until then, their own consistent history remains as their identifier and opportunity for others to understand who we/they are dealing with. This statement is a perspective based on my

The problem with Immediate Progress is, change usually does take place; however, change does not always equal progress. When change is automatically misperceived as progress, this becomes the illusion. - we can ride the front of the bus - we can go to school with White people - we can eat at the restaurant with White people - we can live where White people live - we can play sports with White people - we can sleep in the same hotel with White people - we can dream that Black boys and girls can hold hands with White boys and girls - we can be the president of the United States The illusion is our belief that if we are able to attain these so-called successes, which are all standards that depend on our ability to be White people and get

own limited understanding and experience and not necessarily a universally accepted fact.

In each of the three Key indicators of the Illusion of progress, mentioned above, White people are directly and indirectly the standard for our definition of progress and success. It is my opinion that their historical behavior does not support progress for any people, especially Black People. Based on this historical understanding of White people, they cannot represent the standard for progress and success for Black People. Because we have not taken the time to define progress for ourselves, Black people stay stuck in Immediate Progress, while never experiencing True Progress.

cooperation from White people, we will be validated by White people and as a result, then progress has been made. As long as White people and what has been defined by them as important, remain our standard for what is best for us, and as long as our actions continue to be a reaction to White people rather than actions that serve our best interests, and as long as we continue to believe we are oppressed and inferior, we will never know what it means to experience True Progress/Freedom. Until we begin to experience True Progress, as defined by us, while not being dependent on the cooperation of White people who continue to be who they are, we will just go on living with the illusion of progress looking outside of ourselves for solutions that reside in our own history and consciousness. This is a form of slow genocide.

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Mass Incarceration Round Table

On Wednesday, January 23 at 6pm in the SAND/Ropkins Library (1750 Main Street, Hartford) the Hart Monitor will be holding its second round table discussion on mass incarceration. The meeting will be facilitated by Kevin Muhammad of the CAAEC and Joanna Iovino of the Hart Monitor. During the

neighborhoods across the US. Protecting your community is staying active on your block and keeping a healthy relationship with police, so that if a crime takes place they are aware of it right away and have leads. Growing up on the North End of Hartford I too was accustomed to the no snitching rule to honor my so called hood. Now, as a grown man looking back at it, I find it to have been really immature and stupid. Why should one stay silent to honor a hood that will forget about you once you are locked up for an interfering in a police investigation charge? Why should one stay silent for their so called niggaz who, if given the opportunity, would snitch on them in a heartbeat behind closed doors? Looking at many documentaries that honor drug dealers and gangsters, most of them met their demise at the hands of their partners who gave them up to save themselves. As a matter of fact, some of these gangsters were snitches themselves and yet still get glorified by our youth despite the no snitching perspective. It appears that even some of our youth are confused themselves: How comical and backwards is that? Most of the guys that do stay silent usually regret their decision and reform after being released, if they ever get released. Besides protecting our hood, I believe interaction with unfriendly cops also keeps people silent. Ive seen incidents where a concerned citizen that informs the cops of what has taken place becomes the main suspect in the crime and is half way interrogated for volunteering information. Ive also seen cases where people who wanted to remain anonymous after reporting a crime got put on center stage for everyone to see who was responsible. Why some cops act like this I dont know, but I do know that if we had a healthy relationship with law

January 23rd meeting, we hope to begin strategizing on ways the issue of mass incarceration can be addressed, Discussion will include suggestions of specific committees that the group feels will be beneficial for our future strategy sessions. All will be included in the decision making process. We will also discuss the outcome we as a group are striving for as a result of these sessions, and ways that we can, as individuals and as a group, get involved in being change makers. The Hart Monitor will be hosting these meetings on mass incarceration on the 4th Wednesday of every month at the SAND/Ropkins Library.

Protecting your Hood vs. Protecting your Community

By Timothy Fraylon I know many of you read the title and may be confused, so let me explain this theory. Protecting your hood would be the stop snitching policy or the snitches get stitches policy that is heavily promoted in most urban

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enforcement it would make people more open to reporting crimes. I may not have grown up in the 60s or 70s but Ive heard many stories of how, in those days, neighbors would be the first to punish each others kids when they did something wrong outside of the home. They didnt hesitate to inform one another when something went wrong. Nowadays, weve lost that sense of unity and have truly become divided as a people. If most people would patrol over our own neighborhood we would, in fact, have a lot less crime and drug activity. This would be a great way of being proactive in our community. We as a people have an obligation to protect our neighborhood along with our youth. Its time to put the unity back in the community and it starts with each one of us.

management has discarded two choices, focusing on punitive measures instead: several CJTS employees are being singled out for reprisals even though there is an air of using proper procedure to promote this punishment. For CJTS administrators to do anything different might mean giving up or sharing power with employees: never in history have groups nations, classes, racesvoluntarily relinquished a favorable position writes Reinhold Niebuhr. To expect the CJTS hierarchy and their DCF bosses to do anything less than oppress employees, is foolish or magical thinking of nave people.

The Three Choices of Oppressors

By Cornell Lewis A fierce war is raging at Connecticut Juvenile Training School in Middletown, Connecticut between employees & management. This war is centered on how a state institution seeks to continue oppression of employees (mostly of blacks & Latinos). At the present time employees are determined not to let a culture of bias, discrimination, or racism continue at a facility under the aegis of Department of Children and Families. Yet now there are hints of reprisals against some leaders of opposition at CJTS, with management using policy & procedure as weapons. In Poor Peoples Movements Why They Succeed, How They Fail, authors Piven & Cloward state: institutional or governmental leaders have three obvious options when disruption occurs. They may ignore it; they may employ punitive measures against the disruptors; or they may attempt to conciliate them. These are the three choices of oppressors at CJTS. Now we focus on how CJTS

Community members need to focus on a civil rights struggle within a state agency claiming to protect children while oppressing employees. Might I add most leaders at CJTS are white, front line employees black or Latino (is the spirit of Mr. Charlie hovering over CJTS?)

DCF Hypocrisy
By Joanna Iovino On the DCF website, particular attention is given to the discussion of Joint Juvenile Justice Strategic Planning: DCF and the Court Support Services Division have

embarked upon an initiative designed to examine and improve the juvenile justice system in Connecticut. One of the purported focuses of the initiative reads as follows:

Workforce Development and Training Both families

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and stakeholders involved in the development of the plan emphasized the importance of having a workforce that reflects the population it serves, and is competent to address the intricacies of cultural and gender related issues because race, culture and gender matter in service considered of great importance in system reform, is delivery. The planning process revealed that training, long insufficient in many essential areas including information sharing, court procedures, cultural competence, gender responsive services, the impact of trauma, and family engagement. The strategies in this plan seek to create a

How can the Black and Latino employees of CJTS be

effective role models and advocates for the children they are charged with taking care of when they are constantly of CJTS should be encouraged to provide a safe bombarded with discriminatory practices? The employees environment for the children housed there, rather than having to fight for even the most meager scraps of respect from management. Who can possibly function adequately by an unjust system? as a role model when they are being victimized themselves The DCF needs to redress the complaints of their If an employees. employee does not feel safe in his work environment, how can he help promote a safe space for the children he is supposed to care for? It is a damn near insurmountable task! Yet the DCF refuses to see that there is a problem! Until the DCF ameliorates the problem of discriminatory employment practices, both the employees of CJTS and the children at CJTS are in a dangerous, psychologically vulnerable position. All concerned residents of the employees and to the children of this state. community need to hold the DCF responsible to its

structure for developing effective training programs and recruitment efforts to provide clients with more informed and sensitive staff. Now, notice the words I have emphasized in bold print. The DCF claims it recognizes the importance of its workforce being reflective of the children in its custody, AND that it strives to provide an environment conducive to this goal. From the experiences of Black and Latino employees of the Connecticut Juvenile Training School, this seems to be about as far from the truth as possible. for children where their cultural backgrounds are If the DCF is truly dedicated to providing an environment respected and reflected in the programming, then why has management of CJTS continually refused to treat their Black and Latino employees with a modicum of respect? Shouldnt the DCF foster an environment in which Black and Latino employees can serve as mentors and positive role models for the predominantly Black and Latino sense right? Instead, the DCF has consistently ignored the information provided by Black and Latino They have ignored the voices of their Black male employees about the hostile work environment at CJTS. employees, who have expressed frustration time and time again about unfair disciplinary practices. They have refused to address the dearth of Black and Latino children at CJTS? It seems like that would make a lot of

In-Brief (Did you know?)

By Mykal Kafi Fact #1- 37 million people in the U$ have student loan debt. Fact #2- Since 1973, the U$ medical establishment has performed more than 50 million abortions. Fact #3- Since 1982, the U$ has had an estimated 62 mass murders. Also, since 1999, there have been 31 shootings in the U$ schools.

representation in the upper levels of the managerial ranks.

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Fact #4- During a 40 year period (1950s to 1990s) the U$ (military AND medical systems) have experimented on half a million American victims. Fact #5- In 2010, U$ prison labor produced $2.6 billion in sales nationwide. Fact #6- During bondage (slavery) whites (Nordic, Aryan, European) received the death penalty only for a murder charge, while Blacks (Nubian, Moor, Afro-Asiatic) in AmeriKKKa received capital punishment for 77 offenses. Fact #7- 30 U$ corporations did not pay taxes in 2012, but earned $160 billion. Fact #8- The Europeans forced the people of Hispaniola to pay tributes of gold dust four times a year, and an estimated 30,000 inhabitants had their hand chopped off when unable to meet their quota. Fact #9- Europeans forced the people of the Congo to supply rubber and chopped off body parts if the Afrikans did not provide a certain amount per person.

Hartfords First MIA Day

By Brother Kevin Muhammad On December 1, 2012 between the hours of 12pm-5pm at the Kabbalah House, the Self Injury Awareness Network (SIAN), Connecticut African American Emancipation Challenge, and the Hart Monitor hosted MIA Day for the Black Community in Hartford, Connecticut. This day was also supported and sponsored by the Connecticut African American Summit and the Connecticut Multicultural Health Partnership organizations. It should also be noted that this event came a day after Kansas City Chiefs linebacker, Jovan Belcher, fatally shot his girlfriend on Saturday, then drove to Arrowhead Stadium and committed suicide in front of his coach and general manager. The Acronym MIA is short for Mental Illness Awareness, or Missing in Awareness. The days activities and presentations included ways that the Black Community could deal effectively with and maintain its mental health, meanwhile dispelling the stigma that surrounds getting treatment or preventing illness. According to Dr. Cadmona A. Halls 2012 qualitative study titled We Shall Overcome, she exposes that there are unique barriers to therapy for African Americans. She points out that in the African American Community, there may be shame and embarrassment associated with needing mental health services. She also says that some African Americans possessed negative attitudes and were fearful of mental health labels, and rejected therapy as being potentially helpful. Lastly Cadmona revealed in her scholarly work that Blacks still had high levels of mistrust for White Americans, and particularly health care providers based on historical deeds and racist experiences such as the Tuskegee Experiment, where Black males were unknowingly injected with an extremely virulent form of

Fact #10- Scalping of Indians produced income for the Nordic group (whites). A male scalp earned $50, a womans $30 and a childs $20. Those who think they can change the system dont understand the power of the system Steve Biko Sources: Citizens for Tax Justice; Anton Treuer, PhD; US Census Bureau Suggested reading- Disciplined Minds by Jeff Schmidt

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syphilis. MIA Day was purposely planned to confront and address these negative attitudes so that Black people can overcome their cultural barriers that may be preventing them from seeking the needed help, guidance and assistance with their mental health issues. We understood that these attitudes could not be changed in one day, but that we could begin having these conversations, which would at least open up the subject matter so our people could begin to change their perspective to a more positive one as it pertains to counseling, therapy or even non-traditional therapeutic practices. MIA Day presentations included effective communication strategies, guided meditation practices, Chi-gong/tai-chi, yoga, mindfulness, and Dianetics auditing. The thought in mind was to get the Black Community thinking about ways to maintain psychological health on a daily basis, while warding off some of the stresses that build over a period of time which may lead to protracted mental illness in the long run. Since Dr. Janet Taylor, a leading mental health practitioner, mentioned that Blacks normalize trauma and dont deal with it effectively, we strived through MIA Day to provide some effective ways to lessen the trauma that may exist in each and every one of our lives. The presentation information was interactive and the practices that were taken away were easy to do and user friendly. Children in many urban schools are using 20 minutes of meditation before and after school to deal with the

constant anxiety and stress that would normally hinder them from learning during their school day. These meditation exercises have proved to assist students to maintain better grades on standardized tests and quarterly assessments while procuring a more peaceful and less violent classroom environment. As a follow up on this topic, The Hartford Guardian will sponsor an event focusing on mental health in the Black community called Black Pain, Negotiating Health Disparities in the African American Community at the Center for Contemporary Culture in the Hartford Public Library located at 500 Main Street. This event will take place on January 24, 2013 at 5:30-8:30 p.m. Please come out and support this event as it will inform and inspire our community to be more proactive when it comes to our mental health concerns.

If you are interested in contributing to the Hart Monitor, email info@thehartmonitor.com or call 860-461-2611. Please visit www.thehartmonitor.com All articles in the Hart Monitor are the opinion of the

writer listed only, not necessarily the Hart Monitor as a whole or of its sponsors. The Hart Monitor is edited by African American Emancipation Challenge (CAAEC). Larry Risby and Joanna Iovino, and sponsored by the CT

The Hart Monitor Issue 10 January 2013