I'm a fan of Ashley Judd and Marisa Tomei (who got her start as "Maggie" on "A Different World"), so naturally, at some point in 2001, I didn't turn the channel when a movie entitled, "Someone Like You" aired, since they appeared on screen. Unless they're of the Jerry McGuire or Bridget Jones variety, I try not to consume hoards of romantic comedies centered on white people. And you know why, including all the intelligent white folks reading... I'm trying to maintain a high level of self-esteem, a somewhat healthy body image and the hope that Mr. Right will show up with a Malcolm X fedora, a Morpheus trench and set of shades and wearing flip flops like "Black Jesus". We shall see...
In any event, "Someone Like You" is, well, this review is so doggone good and gets right to the point, so let's just read it aloud together:
Consider Someone Like You, in which heroine Jane Goodale (Ashley Judd) is summarily dumped just before embarking on a live-in relationship. This so devastates her that she begins compulsively poring over psychological, anthropological, and philosophical tomes, all in an effort to make sense of the inconstant way the male animal conducts himself. Eventually she alights on a possible explanation in the natural world -- the reluctance among bulls to mate with a given cow more than once -- and less-than-scientifically projects this characteristic across great swaths of the mammalian kingdom to conclude that unfaithfulness is inherent to the male gender, regardless of its species.
Her research for this theory, which she dubs the "New Cow" theory, takes for experimental subjects not only Ray (Greg Kinnear), the aforementioned ex-lover, but also Eddie (Hugh Jackman), a womanizing coworker with whom she must move in after her falling out with Ray leaves her homeless. As Eddie brings home one sex partner after another, Jane psychoanalyzes him relentlessly -- culling information for a monthly column she eventually begins writing for a men's magazine, yes, but also trying, by proxy, to distill Ray's actions into an abstract principle. This will let her turn her recent breakup into an inevitable act of nature and she can thereby avoid the unthinkable alternative, the possibility that something in her identity leaves her singularly susceptible to rejection: "If this theory's wrong," she wails to Eddie later in the movie, "men don't leave all women -- they leave me."
The "New Cow" theory was bunk and, ladies and gentlemen, such is the case for the "No Wedding, No Womb" campaign. By the way, if you're thinking of any words that begin with the letter "H" right now, I'm judging you---and me.
As I explained in Part I: Sloganeering and Slacktivism: The No Wedding, No Womb Campaign, organizer, Christelyn Karazin, was so ashamed of her symbol of unprotected, premarital sex---pregnancy---that she bought a cubic zirconia ring and wore it on her wedding finger to protect herself from the ridicule and judgment of strangers. I guess she didn't like it, so she put a ring on it.
Is that a ring you're wearing? Look, Bish, don't judge me!
But without a general understanding of Women’s History and previous attempts at policing women’s expression, in general, and their sexuality, in particular, delineations and reformations of the Victorian-era-derived “Cult of True Womanhood” will continue, in spite of itself. This is why the dichotomy continues and why, even in Black Christian churches, various choirs (hilariously) reformulated Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” and turned it into some type of spiritual hymn (or Deacon remix), curiously wagging the finger (like Mother Wisdom) at single women in the congregation.
What? Y'all think I waited? I'm way too flexible for alla that!
And, yet, if my understanding of the song, “Yes” on the “Dangerously in Love” album is correct, one could easily conclude that Beyonce had sex before and during her premarital relationship with Jay-Z. Perhaps if she spoke more about their (obviously) effective use of birth control, as opposed to pretending as though “Sasha Fierce” only gets down on the dance floor, then “Single Ladies” might be understood in its proper context. But we can’t blame Beyonce’ for other peoples’ misinterpretations of her lyricism and imagery or how she manipulates the confining dichotomy she didn't create. That's probably why this Saturday Night Live skit with Justin Timberlake always leaves me in stitches. But I digress...
Uh uh Oh, oh oh oh oh oh ohhhhh...
I find myself usually alarmed (and then quickly annoyed) whenever I see attempts at moral suasion without any substantive, socio-political analysis or inclusion of social justice or any form of direct action. For example, listing the many statistics which showcase the results of “single parent” and/or “fatherless households” relative to education, crime, poverty, etc., is important but short-sighted, especially when the focus is placed upon people of color---and No Wedding, No Womb, is nothing if not focused upon African American women who have the highest rates of female-headed households in the country.
This is What an Effective Campaign Looks Like *side eyes* NWNW
We all have concern for our families and children in America. But to deny or otherwise diminish the role of the system of white supremacy, the impact of structural inequality, poverty, discrimination against the working poor and to exclude any direct action (or even moral suasion!) against the injustices of ongoing segregation, disinvestment from public education, the school-to-prison pipeline and the prison industrial complex upon people of color, in particular, is wholly irresponsible and ultimately, as Christelyn, participants in “No Wedding, No Womb” and many others have seen, ineffective and irrelevant to the daily realities of our lives---despite seemingly good intentions.
Why would I talk about the system of white supremacy, structural inequality and the relationship between that and the condition of Black families? Because in 1960, many of our families were in tact, not only as nuclear families but extended as well (yes, the African village some wish to deny exists). But something else happened in 1960 and it was the dramatic, climatic rise of an extraordinarily successful campaign that would further ignite the Civil Rights Movement. I'm going to get to that in my next post.
Y'all see all this hate? Whatev, I'm not turning back the clock! I'm not your Auntie!
Suffice it to say, the Conservative backlash to the Civil Rights Movement's successful display that separate was NOT equal, was intended to make Americans think that the reason why equality (measured in equal results) isn't necessary is because there is something inherently wrong with Black people and Black culture. Thus, if the country is "separate", it's because Black people separate themselves from real, hardworking Americans who value education and family.
It's a white supremacist idea, rooted in economic competition, disguised as a "New Cow" theory. And too many people have fallen for it, including too many persons in the Black Church. Mind you, George Bush's Faith-Based Initiative checks helped, didn't they, Eddie?
"You like my cologne? The secret ingredient is holy water. Praise Him!"
Another such person who seems to be entirely ignorant or in deep denial of what's happening here is Christelyn Karazin. But she has many in the Black blogosphere who unconsciously, unknowingly and unfortunately harbor and perpetuate these notions as well. Quite often, they appear as a brigade of intelligent Black women (and they are) whose painful life experiences with Black men and their clear inability to understand or counter the system of white supremacy has led to the "Black men ain't sh*t" messaging of internalized racism. In some ways, they beckon my compassion, as we have all been hurt, but like Ashley Judd's character realized in "Someone Like You", the "New Cow" theory is not the solution to our problems; and neither is internalized oppression. Instead of theories, take a look at the facts from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention on parenting, especially non-marital parents (thanks, @saigrundy).
We don’t need a professional, Black, Bristol Palin who feels the need to prescribe an abstinence to which she didn’t subscribe. The fact of the matter is, had Sarah and (ex-patriate promoting) Todd Palin been pragmatic about their daughter’s curiosity and engaged in full sex education and birth control (even with an emphasis on abstinence) as opposed to turning a blind eye to the realities of a teenage life in America while preaching abstinence-only, then we would not have to suffer through seeing her on “Dancing With the Stars” or Levi Johnston’s pitiful run for Mayor or his interview with Lawrence O’Donnell but no, they didn’t spare us, so I won’t spare them.
"Hmmm, how can I get out of this and still shame other women to please my Mom?"
And as much as I might like to, I can’t spare Christelyn; because when she appeared on Michael Dyson’s radio program, she would not even own up to her own campaign. Despite being the organizer, she insists she’s not the leader. Despite focusing upon African American women in her own narrative, she denies that the focus on fatherlessness leans disproportionately towards Black men. And she insists that despite having intense shame about being a single parent, “No Wedding, No Womb” has nothing to do with shaming single mothers today. She even went so far to (hilariously) suggest that she doesn't even really mean "wedding", per se, but to simply be "wedded" to the children. Oh Christelyn... please immediately head over to the stellar Co-Parenting 101 Website and free yourself.
On the NWNW FAQ page (which she tweeted to me), in answering the question, “What gives you the right to do this?”, she responded: I’m a baby mamma’ LISTEN TO MY MISSION: [which was a plug to the theme song] I do this for my daughter, and my daughter’s daughter, and all the children of our future.” I find this more than interesting because a “baby mamma” is actually a woman who has a child and is not married. According to Christelyn, she found a man who happens to be white, they fell in love and he accepted her and her child as a package deal. So, technically speaking, she is NOT a “baby mamma”. But what would make her say such a thing? Being plagued by having been one…
I should note that almost 24 hours after having written a large portion of this post, I asked Christelyn a few questions on Twitter and she never responded. I was extremely respectful to her (see below). My questions were:
Start from the bottom and scroll up. That's how Twitter works.
And she blocked me. I learned shortly thereafter that she had blocked many others who questioned or disagreed with her point of view in any way, shape or form. Way to go Christelyn, excellent campaign strategies you have there…
There is just too much that doesn’t add up and there are tons of other ways to support children, create a more egalitarian society and provide holistic education about safe sex, the realities of parenting and available options for birth control (including abstinence), that can and will continue despite a campaign that cannot sustain the shame upon which it is founded.
I'm amazed at this album cover. It's brilliant!
I love Salt N Pepa's fun, sexy and outspoken feminist imagery, so when “Let’s Talk About Sex” and “Do You Want Me?” debuted on their “Black’s Magic” album, released December 8, 1992, it was perfect for my burgeoning sexuality and, apparently, many others’. “Let’s Talk About Sex” became the anthem for a number of different campaigns more than happy to have a theme song that would allow parents and guardians to more comfortably enter into conversations about sex and reproduction with their children. After all, we couldn’t rely on Grease’s “Reproduction” and the characteristic bass line, “I’ve got your pistol right here” forever.
Let’s talk about sex, baby
Let’s talk about you and me
Let’s talk about all the good things
And the bad things that can be
Let’s talk about sex
Let’s talk about sex!
Notice how we have a great song which invites open conversation and learning without shaming or placing a heavier emphasis upon the female body? You had no idea Salt-N-Pepa were this deep, hunh? On this same album, “Do You Want Me?” provided an anthem that helped me decipher man-speak and manipulation and gave me a phat beat with which to jam as well:
You said it loud / and I heard ya
Never tried to hurt you
Some say I’m old fashioned
I like to take my time and do it slow, you know?
But don’t try to rush it
So, ride it like a horse / and let nature take its course
Get to know each other
Be my friend, no just my lover
Share your thoughts with me
Love my mind, not just my body, baby!
Do you really want me, baby?
Let me know
Cuz if you really want me, I suggest you tell me so
Got no time for playing games, that ain’t even why I came
Cuz I may be / the kinda guy you like
Those lyrics became an anthem. I was not ashamed to say I was old fashioned and I loved how the question was posed to the man, asking "Do You Really Want Me, Baby?" while rejoicing in the phat beat that could make our booties shake but did not require us to give them up.
“No Wedding, No Womb” does actually have a nice theme song (which is why they call this a multimedia campaign) to which I promptly did the snake and began gyrating my pelvis:
So maybe, like other artists, this campaign should stick moreso to its singing than anything else.
We must be ever vigilant so that we do not end up evaluating each other using a standard of measurement created by white supremacist thinking - bell hooks
Jesus Be Solange’s Womb Producing Julez.
Special Shoutout to Saida Grundy @saigrundy for her excellent timeline, @alvinthethird for the bell hooks quote and Twitter's continued elucidation on #NWNW
The multimedia campaign, “No Wedding, No Womb” debuted on my brother’s birthday (Hey Paul!) and while I was in D.C. feeling bad that I had not properly prepared to send my brother a card to make sure it arrived on his actual birthday (My bad, Paul!), a girlfriend asked me if I had heard of the “Movement” and if I knew one of the bloggers participating. I knew nothing of the campaign but I admit the title, alone, made me chuckle.
I started seeing murmurings and the uproar about “No Wedding, No Womb" (NWNW) on Twitter and still did not understand because I did not make the time to do so. I was still reeling from having attended Ron Walter’s funeral, as well as participating as a poet in the Furious Flower Poetry Center’s Tribute to Lucille Clifton, after responding to an invitation from Nikki Giovanni and Dr. Joanne Gabbin.
I really cannot speak for Lucille Clifton but I imagine she would get a chuckle out of “No Wedding, No Womb”, even as she would deride the male or female too irresponsible to properly care for and/or raise his/her own children.
Thus, it was perfect timing for me to see a tweet come across my timeline advertising the discussion of “No Wedding, No Womb” on Michael Eric Dyson’s radio program. The radio interview included Christelyn Karazin, the organizer, and Jamilah Lemieux, who blogs and tweets as "SisterToldja". The exchange was quite telling and I’m glad I waited to hear the information directly from the source because it became clear that Christelyn was confused and generally lacking in self-awareness regarding her own campaign and the motivations therein.
There is a disturbing undercurrent of “No Wedding, No Womb” and Karazin's narrative that self-consciously promotes (and then denies) interracial marriage as a solution to the problem of fatherlessness in the Black community. And, yet, consistently, I have found that Black women who champion interracial marriage (and, let’s face it, it’s largely with White men) turn a near complete and total blind eye to the many White men who leave White women with children out-of-wedlock, who leave their White wives struggling and suffering with children; and who otherwise use or abuse any woman of any ethnicity, from trying to take her money unjustly in a divorce (ask Whoopi Goldberg about that) to conveniently “discovering” their homosexuality post-marriage and family (ask Jim McGreevy’s ex-wife about that) to cheating on them after decades of support and the birth of five children with women from another continent (ask Mark Sanford’s ex-wife about that) and to great extremes such as killing them to prevent paying child support or revealing an ongoing affair (unfortunately, we cannot ask Laci Peterson about that, now can we?). Indeed, the romanticizing of relationships with White men is unrealistic, categorically racist and out-of-control.
Yep. I had four boys and a loving white wife and I still bounced! Hey Sistas!
Whether anyone will admit it or not, “No Wedding, No Womb” implicitly smacks of a consistent theme I have discovered in the Black blogosphere, in particular, which is essentially, “Black men ain’t sh*t”. And, you know, that really does not help anybody.
As she shared in her interview with Dr. Dyson, Christelyn mistakenly believes that her own motives and engagement in an interracial marriage should be excluded from analysis or consideration when discussing, evaluating or critiquing “No Wedding, No Womb”. No way. This campaign is one borne of an intensely personal situation (which she revealed), in that she was a middle-class African American woman in college who, through her own volition chose to:
1. Engage in sex
2. Engage in unprotected sex
3. Engage in a full-term pregnancy --- all of which she did with an African American male who, for reasons unbeknownst to us, chose to engage in unprotected sex and then failed to live up to his responsibilities as a result of making those choices.
Christelyn admits that she was so ashamed of being a single, pregnant woman that she purchased a fake wedding ring and wore it to fend off negativity and criticism from strangers. Of course, that type of effrontery does not work on one’s own friends and family, so at some point, she had to face their judgments alone.
“No Wedding, No Womb” seems to be a full projection of what Christelyn must have feared and, later, endured from her friends and family who had much higher expectations and judgment than Christelyn had of herself at some point in time. Sadly, I can relate, Sistergirl, so I do not stand in judgment of your personal turmoil at that time.
I think I understand where you’re coming from. It appears as though the underlying message to “No Wedding, No Womb” is “Value yourself more to protect yourself at all times and enter into a committed relationship with someone who is committed to you and your eventual offspring”. I get that. I dig that. I support that.
Sadly, a public media campaign entitled, “No Wedding, No Womb” does not do that.
Even Christelyn may admit that she has spent more time than she thought necessary trying to defend and explain “No Wedding, No Womb”, when that is not the sign of a successful campaign. The message should be clear. It should be pointed and it should be understandable and easy to defend. Instead, Christelyn (and some of her supporters) are all over the place with vague, contradictory and sometimes offensive retorts and explanations.
Hey, Baby, pass the hot sauce, please? I'm glad I don't have to explain why...
One cannot help but notice that in all of the aforementioned campaigns, Christelyn's interracial marriage does not apply. Hmmm. Even more, perhaps what inspired “No Wedding, No Womb” was Beyonce’s mega hit, “Single Ladies”, (an anthem which focuses upon a woman's narrative) in which she sings to her jilted ex-lover trying to block on the dance floor:
If you liked it, then you should’ve put on a ring on it!
That, coupled with a video based on Bob Fosse’s choreography, heavily showcasing Beyonce’’s gyrations in her now infamous onesie (otherwise known as a leotard in the dance world) as well as her Michael and Janet Jackson-esque flaunting of a single-handed glove and the aggressively strategic point to the absence of a ring on the ring-finger seems to have been the ticket for Christelyn. Perhaps...
Beyonce’ is a perfect example of the Madonna / Whore dichotomous trap in which women have been wrestling, largely stemming from a Westernized construction of Christianity that seeks to overcome human urges while also chastising (and in some cases, flogging) the self for its seeming inability to control them. Hence, the Victorian era focus upon women being chaste, obedient, submissive and domestic, after a period of wanton displays of sexuality and promiscuity. More often than not, the attempt to control a woman’s sexuality is most often aligned with and maintained by efforts at colonization and nationalism. It has very little to do with morality and much more to do with conquering nations and preventing babies mixed with the blood of “the enemy” (however so defined, given the historic period). Indeed, that's why Victoria had a "secret".
"No Wedding, No Womb" also belies a collective “mothering” and “fathering” tradition in many communities but the African (American) community, in particular, that does not rely on biological parentage. I even saw one blogger laugh at the concept of "It takes an entire village to raise one child", claiming the African American community had abandoned the idea. She apparently had no idea that's why we're still here.
But it’s not my job to try to sort out the campaign. I believe in women valuing their bodies. Indeed, I believe women are goddesses; but “No Wedding, No Womb” is a race game, a shame game and a publicity stunt that should be understood within its proper context.
Many other bloggers on the site make perfect sense, are clear, direct and substantive. But they did not come up with the campaign so it's the equivalent of serving a gourmet dish on a garbage can.
There is no direct action to "No Wedding, No Womb." There is no contextual call for justice or any real attempt at providing solutions beyond a grandiose wagging of a blog & song finger. And this is why Christelyn and far too many of her supporters have have spent more time defending and blocking people online than actually finding peace in this process.
Stay tuned for Part II.
Special shout to the Twitter family going in on the hashtag: #NWNW
Antoine received his own Brown Twitter Bird. He's Our Hero.
So, I was trying to at least partially explain why Black people love Twitter and what we do on the medium when I decided to include the overnight sensation of Antoine Dodson.
Thus, I wrote the following:
Thus, if they can't understand something so simple, then they wouldn't understand why, even though we are really (really!!!) appalled by both home invasion and rape, we love the Antoine Dodson story and find he, his sister, Kelly, (and his other family members) so funny.
But I couldn't let that be the end of my commentary on Antoine. His story, how and why he became an overnight sensation says so much about America, Black folks, race, class, gender and sexuality, so I HAD to write on it.
The Reasons Why We Love Antoine And Think He's Funny is Because:
1. His sister, Kelly Dodson, said she was "attacked by some idiot from out here in the projects...and it ain't just 'cause I'm cute. I KNOW that! Okay, first, we all know an idiot in our community but we think it's hilarious that she applied this term to an attempted rapist. Second, saying "in the projects" is just funny, period, probably because it's unnecessary or maybe because it's even funnier that she pointed it out. Third, because unlike the popularized notion that poor people who need public housing are synonymous with lacking intellect or reason, Kelly is here to let you know otherwise, hence the distinction---and we love it! Kelly also seems to have a very healthy self-esteem...
2. Antoine begins the (aired) phase of his interview with "Well, OBVIOUSLY, we have a rapist in Lincoln Park". For me, it sounds like a retort to the reporter who, undoubtedly asked something akin to "So, what do you think about your sister's attempted rape?" And, despite lacking media training, Antoine delivered (well!) what media experts say you should do, breaking down his thought into three main points:
a. They're climbing in your windows
b. They're snatching your people up
c. They're trying to rape you
And then a call to action:
a. Hide your kids
b. Hide your wife
c. Hide your husband
With a repeated main point and public warning:
a. They rapin' everybody out here!
3. Antoine is signifying VERY well. Not only does he know his multiple audiences, he is unafraid of the camera, so he tells the news reporter what is "obvious", warns the community and then has a message for the rapist, while personifying and rolling up on and into the camera.
4. Antoine threatens the rapist with bodily harm, even though he looks like he weighs approximately 105lbs, soaking wet. Nevertheless, when Antoine heard his sister scream, he ran into her bedroom and fought off the attacker, who eventually got away The camera shots in the bedroom demonstrated some heavy physical activity in the bedroom, which shows that Antoine is a man of his word. Still, the footage was funny because it points us back to Antoine's use of his lean, muscle mass.
5. Antoine produced an excellent soliloquy (in exactly 14 seconds) ending with, "cause they rapin' everybody up in here". How Antoine turned one home invasion and attempted rape into a maelstrom of kidnappers and rapists to inspire public mayhem is beyond me; but then, if there was more protection perhaps hyperbole wouldn't be necessary. (Update: After I wrote this, I found out how real this statement actually was. Keep reading...)
6. We are a bit unsure as to where we should hide everybody. And, yet, we feel safe with Antoine. What I most appreciate about his soliloquy is that he holds marriage and the family unit in high esteem (hide your kids, wife, husband). It's not the religious right, it's Antoine that knows about family values!
7. Antoine exposed the utter lack of concern for security in "the built environment" of the projects by demonstrating how easy it was for someone to just to a "two-step" (garbage-can-to-ledge, ledge-to-window) climb up into a resident's bedroom. It's appalling, really---and yet shamefully funny when we laugh to keep from crying.
8. Antoine's (lack of) faith in (or understanding of) the justice system that leads him straight to a declaration that is simultaneously inclusive of the police investigators ("you left your fingerprints and everything!") and completely devoid of their further involvement ("we gon' find you and when we do...").
Do recall that "9-1-1 is a Joke" was a very popular song by the rap group, Public Enemy.
9. Although it would be easy to try to classify Antoine as one of the lesser visible "homothugs" in the Hip Hop music world, it is probably more accurate to simply acknowledge that Antoine is just a more "feminine" man and/or gay. He is also neither a rapper nor a musician.
10. Interestingly, in this interview, the newscasters revealed that they received some backlash at the station for airing Antoine's interview. And we certainly know why, don't we? Lazy news reporters usually find the first (and sometimes only) ignorant person they can find (usually with rollers in her hair or him only partially dressed) to interview about a story in the Black community, despite how many other persons are standing around that could offer a more articulate analysis (and a seemingly better representation of Black folks).
And in that context, they are most certainly right.
But herein lies the problem of what Cornel West calls "the white, normative gaze" and our seeming need to promote middle class sensibilities; because there is nothing wrong with Antoine. Or his story. Or how he chose to express himself. Kelly and Antoine were very clear...they live in the projects. They are also Southern...they live in Huntsville, Alabama. And they both had a right to be exceptionally angry about Kelly's attempted rape. Yet, even in their rage, they exhibited more intelligence and articulated a sense of well-being than many of the persons who have been elected or otherwise appointed (and some self-appointed) to represent us.
Embarrassed by Antoine?! Please. We should be thankful he's here. He may just force us to redefine our priorities and how we think we understand one another.
Antoine Dodson's character seems to be better than most.
This is what led me to delve further into his story. I had written all of the above before talked to a girlfriend who sent me to this NPR news story. I like it and agree with it. It just did not go far enough for me. When I found Antoine Dodson's YouTube Channel, I watched an NPR Interview.
2. His sister, Kelly and her mother were so afraid during the attack that they both urinated on themselves.
3. Before calling the police, they called six friends to help and for support.
4. After telling the Housing Authority officer, she just laughed the situation off and never took it seriously.
5. The police “eventually” showed up and opened an investigation.
6. It was Antoine, his sister and friends who were infuriated that no one was taking the situation seriously, so they started calling the news stations themselves. They did not receive an answer. They called WAFF first.
7. To their surprise, WAFF News showed up and Antoine and Kelly willingly gave interviews because they wanted everyone to know what happened to them and what could potentially happen to others.
Unsurprisingly, some people wondered if Antoine was acting, to which he offered a negative and said, “I was so mad, I wanted to choke the camera…” and when he was asked whether or not the perpetrator had been found, he answered:
No, they haven’t found the guy, yet, that’s why it’s still not safe to bring the kids out… hide your kids, hide your wives and hide your husbands…but when he do get caught, we will let the world know.
Just remember, Antoine, that catching the perpetrator is not your responsibility.
Now, I enjoyed The Gregory Brothers’ AutoTune The News Remix and heard it, for the first time, driving down the highway in Los Angeles. I, too, was shocked by the popularity of the “bed intruder”. And by the time you have read this post, Antoine Dodson will have been viewed 10 MILLION TIMES.
In response to his newfound fame, Antoine offered the following and as he shared his story, it forced me to spring into action:
I went to bed a nobody. Woke up, all of this happened. Woke up again the next day and it’s like, bam, Antoine Dodson, everybody knows him.
We wanted our stories to be heard so, be careful what you ask for… ‘cause now the whole world knows and now I’m glad because I want the whole world to know. You can’t sweep situations like this under the rug… and it’s been a lot of complaints…and even before my sister [was] attacked, there was a lot of people complaining about how people [were] getting raped in the projects…and people would just sweep it under the rug and not talk about it.
The next day [after] that happened, a lady came to us and was like, “There was a man standing at my window but I called my boyfriend, he went to the window and the guy left. Same projects, the very next day. So, I’m like, are you serious, you know what I’m saying? Like, what do we need to do as people to keep our community safe?...You know what I’m saying like..’cause nobody’s talkin’ about it now, I mean, the world knows but here, locally, here in Huntsville, it’s like, okay, it’s a joke, everybody’s takin’ it to be a joke, it’s funny to them, you know what I’m sayin’… I’m makin’ their city look bad, I’m makin’ their community look bad, you know what I’m sayin’ so, I guess…?
Stupid interviewer guy sweeps that issue under the rug (even after Antoine told him earlier that Kelly WAS hurt in the struggle) and reminds Antoine that “thankfully, no one got really hurt…it was an intrusion, you intervened…everybody’s okay, people need to watch out for this guy who’s on the run…but I mean, as far as how you’re dealing with it now, as someone with a celebrity status…”Can you believe it? He goes right to Antoine’s newfound fame on the internet. Darn you, interviewer! Darn you!
Antoine thinks the Gregory Brothers’ Remix is quite funny, also. It makes him laugh and since it doesn’t seem as though Antoine is a singer or a rapper, he seems to enjoy the part-fantasy of himself as a singer. But Antoine is not so blinded by his fame that he ignored the central issue nor abdicated his responsibility to articulate what other community members have shared.
So, I have a different message for Antoine because Kelly and his family are VICTIMS and although I appreciate their resilience, the interview makes it clear there is a pattern of disempowerment, disengagement and even disbelief that these issues keep being “swept under the rug”.
Kelly and Antoine Dodson, I just sent a letter to Mayor Battle and Mr. Michael Lundy of the Huntsville Housing Authority on your behalf because I am a concerned citizen and can’t just sit back and laugh at the hilarity of the videos on YouTube and then not do something to assist you all.
Since YOU were the ones that were proactive about the lack of proper safety in Lincoln Park and having your needs taken seriously, please make sure you follow up with these persons and please pass this information on to every single one of your neighbors. You all do not have to be silent and, although the auto-tune song is funny, all of you all’s claims need to be taken seriously. So, please use this information as you see fit and I will encourage everyone else to do so as well. Your story has only just begun, Sweethearts!
Please keep us updated and I'll do the same. We have to hold these people accountable.
Your City Housing Authority Office is:
Michael O. Lundy, Executive Director/CEO His Email
200 Washington Street • P.O. Box 486 • Huntsville, Alabama 35804-0486
Phone: (256) 539-0774 • Fax: (256) 535-2245
Assisted Housing (Section 8) Fax: (256) 539-5982
Your Congressional Representative is:
Congressman Parker Griffith, 5th District of Alabama
He doesn’t have a regular email address and only wants to hear from Constituents.
Others can contact him here:
Huntsville District Office
2101 Clinton Ave. W. Suite 302
Huntsville, AL 35805
Phone: (256) 551-0190
Fax: (256) 551-0194
Antoine, I want you and Kelly and the community of Lincoln Park to have "the last laugh", so here is a letter any of your supporters can use to contact the Mayor and the President of the Housing Authority. I sent a longer one already that I will email to you for your records. Your supporters should feel free to change this letter or write their own. Let's make sure they take care of the issue and protect the community.
August 13, 2010
Dear Mayor Tommy Battle and Mr. Michael O. Lundy:
I am writing out of concern for the safety and quality of life of the Lincoln Park residents residing in the Huntsville Housing Authority properties, in general, and Kelly and Antoine Dodson’s family, in particular.
When I looked on the Huntsville Housing Authority website, I observed that, “the mission of The Authority is to eliminate the negative influence of poverty in public housing.” I am inspired by your mission but troubled by what appears to be the lack of application of your mission by one or more HHA employees. When I listened to Mr. Dodson’s interview, I was struck by his narrative (outside of the hilarity of his flamboyance and the creativity of the two brothers who created the song now popularized on the internet) because it pointed to a particular failure on Housing Authority officials to take the home invasion and subsequent attack upon his family members seriously. They did what they were supposed to do. They called the police and reported it to the Housing Authority.
According to Antoine Dodson, despite his internet fame, no one is addressing the issue locally and his story is treated as more of a joke and an embarrassment to the community and the city, as opposed to the real threat of public well-being that their horror demonstrates.
I am writing this open letter to you because the situation is already out in the open and by the time you read this, 10 MILLION people will know about Antoine Dodson, his sister Kelly and the attempted rape in the Lincoln Park projects in Huntsville, Alabama. As you know, being poor does not have to mean being a perpetual victim and never heard. This is why we love Kelly and Antoine Dodson, are proud of their heroism, resilience and outspokenness.
The only thing embarrassing about this situation is the manner in which the Dodson family has been dismissed by the very persons who are supposed to represent them and help provide for their well-being.
I would appreciate hearing back from you and wish you and the community the best as you seek to resolve this issue and further empower your residents to live in a safe and wholesome environment, “Growing community one family at a time.”
Sincerely,
INSERT YOUR NAME
UPDATE: Both @happybrowngirl and @Wakandan_Knight sent me this video of North Carolina A & T's band playing the Gregory Brother's Auto-Tune "Bed Intruder" song:
This is amazing talent and I love it.
All that I ask is for all of you reading and all of you making pictures and T-Shirts and all of you posting & RT'ing the videos and sending it on your phones (and that makes about 11 MILLION (!!!) of you now, PLEASE just take 10 more seconds to post this blog, email a letter and RT this message:
Petition Mayor @Tommybattle to protect Kelly and #AntoineDodson and the Lincoln Park Comm. http://act.ly/2aq RT to sign
Please remember there are Human Beings and a Horror Story behind this great curiosity and explosion of creativity. Taking a moment to help Kelly and Antoine Dodson and the entire Lincoln Park community will make all of you as genuine a hero as they are. Let us support their resilience with a piece of ACTION to end the nightmare.
I say this especially to all of you White people and Black college students on the internet and the Brothers and Sisters in the hood on their cell phones. You don't realize how influential you really are. Take 2 seconds to tweet the Mayor by signing the petition on Twitter.
Poor people deserve civil and human rights, too, no matter what they look like, no matter how they sound, no matter how much or how little education they have had.
And often times, we as young people, as Black and Brown and/or poor and/or White and poor, rarely understand how policy decisions affect our lives and how we can live as empowered beings. You have a voice. Use it. Antoine and Kelly did, so follow their great example.
Sincerely and With Love,
Dr. Goddess
(Special thanks to my Twitter family for keeping this story alive, RTing the blog and adding to a great discussion. Follow the hashtag: #AntoineDodson)
