MichaelFauntroy.com

Michelle Malkin is an Opportunist -- Racial and Otherwise

Michelle Malkin is a poor-man's Ann Coulter.  She is inflammatory and narrow-minded, yet also annoying and ignorant.  She used the Today Show to flack her book and, at the same time, engage in while racial opportunism.  Calling President Barack Obama a racial opportunist, as Malkin did, is absurd.  There is no reasonable evidence to back up here claim.  If anything, President Obama has consistently avoided ANY real focus on race.  Then again, Malkin is, in calling President Obama a racial opportunist, is showing that it takes one to know one.

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New Video: Fauntroy and Watkins Discuss "Beer Diplomacy" on CNN

Here is a clip of the Wednesday, July 29, 2009 edition of CNN's American Morning in which Professor Boyce Watkins of Syracuse University and I discuss the potential for a "teachable moment" in the aftermath of the Gates-Crowley affair.

More "Birther Movement" Lunacy

Chris Matthews ate G. Gordon Liddy for lunch a few days ago regarding this insane "birther movement." Liddy (R-Insane), went on Hardball recently to contend that President Barack Obama was born in a hospital in Kenya, not Hawaii as all the evidence demonstrates.  Anyway, here's the video:

Gates Got Arrested Because He Hurt Sgt. Crowley's Feelings

The arrest of Professor Henry Louis Gates is an example of poor police work, to be charitable, and the vestiges of racial relationships between Black and White men.  The police officer, after having been presented with two valid identification cards demonstrating who Gates was and where he lived, should have simply moved on.  He didn't.  According to the first-person account I read on The Root, the officer didn't do that, ignored reasonable requests by Gates, and was joined by numerous police officers for backup.  Gates, likely tired after a long flight from China only to be greeted by a front door that was disabled in what may have been an attempted break-in, was likely offended that the officer didn't immediately bring the matter to a close. As a Black man, I've been there and can easily believe that the officer thought Gates was insufficiently deferential and was looking to knock the professor down a peg or two.

Gates' commentary during the incident didn't help and I willing to bet that he may, at some point, regret some of what he said.  But the reality is: once the officer confirmed Gates' identification and address, then the officer should have ended the situation.  Ultimately, Gates got arrested because he hurt Sgt. Crowley’s feelings. That won’t hold up in any court of law.  And prosecutors declined to prosecute because they knew the arrest was complete garbage.

I think it's folly to ignore the history of race in the interaction between some White men and some Black men.  From calling grown men "boy" to the well-documented cases of race-based violence, upstanding Black men are not willing to accept the behavior exhibited by that police officer.  For every Henry Louis Gates, with resources, notoriety, and connections, there are countless others like him who have to live with the reality of racism is anonymity. We don't need hypersensitive cops who didn't like the fact that a Black man stood up and required respect and professionalism.  Professionalism should have prevailed.  Now, the Cambridge police force will pay in the form of a damaged reputation and, perhaps, even monetarily too.  All because one officer got mad because his feelings were hurt.

Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. speaks out on racial profiling after his arrest by Cambridge police.

I thought you might want to see this interview with Professor Gates done by The Root.

Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. speaks out on racial profiling after his arrest by Cambridge police.

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Facebook Comment Train: Skip Gates Edition

I love Facebook.  I’ve connected and reconnected with so many people.  Occasionally, I’ll make a comment that starts a discussion train and the arrest of Skip Gates – for talkin’ loud in his own house – led to some interesting, and funny, stuff.  So, for the first time ever, here is my Facebook comment train – Skip Gates edition (the comments are listed in the order in which they were posted; the names have been withheld to protect the guilty!). Enjoy:

Mike Fauntroy (MF):  I'm a Black professor with a far smaller profile than Skip Gates. Does that mean I have NO chance with the cops? I should just go to jail now, huh? You know, just wait for them to charge me with something.

1.    No chance! I hope you don't lock yourself out on a Friday night because that's a long time to have to stay in the Pokey. I have a few $$$ toward the bail for you because you are my boy.

2.    (From MF) I can't go to the joint (unless it's for a civil rights protest). You mean I have to stay home on Friday's now. I thought things changed with Obama winnin' the presidency! Shit!

3.    I wasn't aware that life with the shorties allowed you to go out on Friday nights so I'm guessing the stay at home thing won't be a problem! Obama's election was two steps forward but Dr. Gates' arrest is certainly three steps back.

4.    Lol they can't keep it a good brother from doin what he does

5.    Baby boy, we would organize to support you. Of course, you might have some local folk representing you--not Ogletree, but we got your back.

6.    Don't worry my brotha -- I got your bail money! For real that's a sad shame!

7.    We all know the deal and aren't shocked that this happened. What is shocking is that the Senators who grilled Sotomayor really tried to paint her as racist when stuff like this still happens. PS - He probably can't get a cab in NYC either.

8.    ....., I'm w/ U. I could only say WTF when I saw that a white, male Congressman had told her to, "stop making things racial!" Why now? Does he really think people are stupid enough to believe the "Fair Treatment" battle has been won? I guess what's good for the goose isn't good for the gander. Our next Supreme Court Justice should've walked up there and pimp-slapped that bamma....TWICE.

9.    Ok Huggy Lowdown! LOL

10.    At a time like this, I hate to act out stereotypical Black violence, but damn, sometimes a pimp-slap really is the only appropriate response!

11.    I'd pull out my hidden jar of cash in the fridgedaire for you too, Michael. I have 4 boys and worry what could happen.

12.    I'll give you .....’s card.

13.    (From MF) Thanks, I always knew I could count on you! Does he give a "friends and family" discount?

14.    for you...bien sur!

15.    Mike, it all depends on your attitude and the energy you are attracting. I have been stopped by white sheriff in VA while speeding to my favorite hunting site at 4am with an arsenal of hunting rifles and guns in plain view. I was told to slow down. I did get a $50 speeding ticket, but no drama. I've been stop going to blockbusters to drop off ... Read Morea overdue video at 2am with no I.D., no driving licenses again by white police officers. My license was suspended. I gave them my license number, which I remembered; I got a ticket for driving on a suspended license. I got the charges dropped in court. all of these stops were at night. I turn on all of the dome lights, ignition keys in hand and say how can I help you officer and not get a azz whipping. lmao Did I mentioned I practiced criminal law. lol

16.    Just don't try to get a taxi...

17.    Just don't get locked out of your OWN home.

18.    catch metro and keep a key hidden outside

Rachel Maddow Broke Off Her Foot in Pat Buchanan's Butt

I'm not late to the Pat-Buchanan-is-a-racist party.  I've been hip to his game for years.  While many others in the country have known this too, his recent comments regarding the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court have taken his racism into new corners of American society.  MSNBC's Rachel Maddow recently debated Buchanan on this and had a subsequent segment in which she responded to some previous comments.  Here's the video:

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Obama's Birth Certificate: Some Conspiracies Are Hard To Kill

We have more than enough people in this country who are quick to embrace conspiracy theories.  Indeed, at some level, we all can believe something that may otherwise be unbelievable.  The ridiculous right-wing zealots who believe that President Barack Obama was not born in the United States won't, or can't, accept what we all know to be true.

Chris Matthews of MSNBC recently tied up into knots U.S. Representative John Campbell (R-Crazy Motherf+&%k23), who is co-sponsoring a bill that will require future presidential candidates to prove that they are natural born American citizens (disclosure:  I have appeared on Hardball).  This bill is a bone to the "birther movement," the collection of conservative, right-wing, bleary-eyed people who can't accept the results of the November 2008 presidential election.  They believe that Obama is not a native born American.

Check out this video.  Be very concerned about people like the woman featured in the clip who don't believe Obama was born in the U.S.

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