West-Obama Narrative: Shows all Wrong with Black Academy and African Studies

I have always wondered what was the importance and utility of Africana Studies Departments around the Nation, as well the utility of a doctorate in such a field. Over recent weeks I have come to the personal conclusion that there value in the grand scope of collective community betterment is miniscule. This has been personified in recent weeks through the unmerited recapitulation of what some may call the West-Obama narrative.

First, this is not a question of intellect or lack thereof, for I do note the brilliance in many current public relations scholars including but not limited to Cornell West, Eric Dyson, or a Melissa Harris-Perry. But what is more than oblivious is the overt need of such persons to be heard and seen, all scholarship aside.

Now it may just be my locution that is misplaced – one that sees intellectuals as being scientist and researchers first over the pedantic. Although I too am considered to be an intellectual by many, most see me as a scientist first, as my research abides by scientific methods although my academic training is in psychology and statistics. However, I see such rigor lacking in the work of many that proclaim the banner of Africana Studies.

In past regardless of discipline, if one expertise was history, religion, sociology, chemistry or biology, their natural science or philosophy was justification enough to document their intellectual prowess in their said field even when it entailed the study of Africans and their descendants.

The discourse attributed between the confederates of both sides of the West-Obama discussion reflects all that is wrong with the cannon of Africana studies intellectualism. It is an aspersion that one the one side portrays a dismaying senescence and on the other, an “inchoate mutterings” to use the words of Howard Thurman. They miss the need of oration for the sake of science singular for the mundaneness of sound bites and public relations.

Strange it is to me, that when I am called to NIH by a Nora Volkov (Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse) for example for my expertise in infectious disease, I never see representatives of Africana studies. Strange it is that John Hope Franklin, Howard Thurman, W.E.B Dubois or Benjamin E. Mays never claimed the banner of Africana or Black studies. Frantz Fanon was a Psychiatrist, Dubois a Historian and economist, Charles Drew, a Chemist, yet all considered them scientist of their discipline first who served their race through their science.

Even our greatest minds, who did not attend universities, were developed in a discipline like John Henrik Clarke, Fredrick Douglass and Booker T. Washington. Now, there are some scientists that do such that happen to be of African descent who place their discipline of study to better their race without using race as a jumping point. Economist Roland G. Fryer Jr is one example.

I know some would assert I am or may be jealous, but truth be told, I couldn’t tell you about any of the work most in Africana or black studies do. And it has nothing to do with where they work. I mean I was on faculty and conducted research at Emory University for 14 years, and from where was department head in the department of Community and Preventative Medicine at Morehouse School of Medicine. But they are not the folk I look up to and no where close to a Chekih Anta Diop, who was a physicist, chemist and paleontologist as well as historian.

I respect the intellectualism of any scholar, but I will use my science to solve problems and proffer discussion to solve problems as opposed to speak for the purpose of being heard or to propound that I am blacker than another person. For the simple truth remains that such does nothing to tackle food inflation, the 21 percent of children living in poverty in America, the inordinate disparity of disease and incarceration in our community or that somewhere in the world someone starves to death every 3.6 seconds, and 75 percent of those are children under the age of five.

Yes, I may be wrong but I was taught scholarship and intellectualism was to serve the needs of the people, not the self. So I advise all considering doctorate degrees to avoid a PHD in black studies, we need more in math, chemistry and physics, for we are top heave in pedantic who expound expertise in the study of the color black.

She gotta give me my ax

My folk Soulstress has been requesting for some time that I do a post on relationships. I have been hesitant since my last one turned out the be the first episode of Friday the 13^th. I mean women aint like cereal boxes where you can read that they got bipolar first right under the calcium content. And seeing that such disdain manifest itself directed toward me in trying to keep my lil angel away from me as well as property damage and physical threats, when I pay her rent and car note and all else, I was trying to just focus on stacking some chump – thus the bevy of repetitive post on the economy. But with that said, I got to honor my folk since I perceive myself to be a man of honor.

If you read on the right side bar, have a quote by my folk Genghis Khan. I think along with MLK, Voltaire, Chekih Anta Diop and myself (of course) he is the truth. Thus I honor him as such. Now don’t get it twisted, there are others as powerful in thought and action I admire, but his quote seems to set the tone for how I think and what I post her more so than others

All I am saying is that women like Umph in a man as the Soulstress wrote in her last post, but from personal experience, I find when they get it, they really don’t want it. And based on my personal experiences, jones here done heard it all in the form of grievance and complaint. Women complain about my sex drive as well as the size of man hood as well as all else. I mean I meet women who say they like a smart man and say I'm too smart; or a man with street sense but say I shouldn’t carry a gat or my folk dangerous; or they like a man with a big dick but my dick too big; or that they like a family man but I spend too much time w my kids (they the shit); or worse, like a man who can cook but I’m trying to get them fat. Once, I had a woman call me a show off, cause I was speaking with some Nigerians in Igbo and next to them these folk from Senegal in Wolof at same time. All I have is my mind and my family u know, for real though. I believe relationships are give and take and sacrifice. I believe that the prior should be equitable and that someone should not label me as jealous because I think the family, the unit should come first. Or because I believe that there is no longer the I, my or me, but rather the us and we. I don’t ask for much but I give all, that’s just the way folk here get down.

So if you don’t want no Hannibal Baraca, or no Napoleon or not Genghis Khan, then all I say is don’t fuck with jones here mane. Cause truth be told I am a leader and don’t follow or take orders well, shit I don’t order well in restaurants. So if Genghis Khan or any of my folk rode by my camp and said or asked if I was ready to roll, you just give me my ax and have faith that Jones here the truth and that the truth will return and set you free and at the end of the night plant himself at the base of your wetness, wounded or not and let you feel jones here bend inside your back at the base of your spine. But yawl ladies dont hear me though. there is a difference between a man and a fk boy or bich azz n i double G a z. For on the real, yawl dont want no scholar warrior - dogon priest on bail. vote

Lone Lakota Heading East

Point of order: 1] If you don't know me by now, you will never never never know me….Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes

2] Good look was blessed when Blogzilla and Str8 from the A stopped by the shop. His daughter played with mine and they are adorable.

Jones, I write from my heart. My heart as it contains the convictions that I vastly and effortlessly release from this brain and ink to paper. You see, I feel that in some past life of mine I was something or someone else. In my latest book, I used a quote from one of my favorite warriors, Genghis Khan: "I am the Flail of God. If you had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you."

Sickly thing is I believe that I was he who uttered these words once upon a time in history. But he is but one in man in action and speech that I acknowledge that resides in this restless soul and spirit such to the point that I feel to free to express my every desire, my every pain and my every joy with out fear to share such with the world.

And even in this journey we call a blog, feel it is my duty to define my warrior sprit and my passion for thought. I feel it is my job. That it is the Dogon in me, that it is the Two Moons in me, that it is the Gil Scott Heron in me, that it is the Diop and King and Genghis Khan in me. My words and thoughts are my warning to all that have the patience to accept other and listen and learn. Bear with me for I am trying to explain this in human beings instead of plate lunches.

I included Two Moons (in picture) because I will always recant that he, Crazy Horse, Gall and Sitting Bull put it down at the Battle of the Greasy Grasses. They say that Custer was attempting to surprise the Lakota and Cheyenne but that it did not happen due to one lone Lakota warrior heading east who saw the dust of the Calvary on the charge. He ran back to the lodges to warn his fellow woman and man.

I feel as I and my writing, especially as it pertains to my blog is like that lone Lakota heading east, and boy oh boy, how I wish I had a Gall, a Crazy Horse or a sitting bull to answer and ride without question, to my call.

man's man or hybrid

One of my folk recently posted a blog called “mans man, woman’s man, and the girly man...an overview.” Now I must say, it is a great read. In essences, her postulate denoted that there are two types of men: a man’s man and ladies man. In addition, just as if Cheikh Anta Diop in Civilization or Barbarism or the African Origin of Civilization, outlines the lineage of man as if is motion from homo habilis to Homo erectus to Homo sapiens sapiens; she notes a similar transition from man’s man to ladies man.

In her post she writes: “a mans man is self centered, his life and accomplishments are all about him...he proves his worth to himself and his boys...he shouts out his accomplishments and brags about what he has and how much it costs...women are important but secondary to a mans man...they don't really exist except to fulfill his needs, when he wants...a mans man always has a hot young thing on his arm...he will tell a women what HE thinks she wants to hear, without checking with her...he will fuck a women the way HE thinks she wants to be fucked...again without checking with her...he doesn't like to hear the "whining and complaining"...he will hear, but not listen...his actions are male centered...sports, hunting, money, guns...a mans man usually has a stable/harem of many fine girls to chose from...the young girls love the mans man...they attempt to immolate him, generally in sexual ways.” Regarding a woman’s man, she writes “loves women...he fundamentally respects women...he can be seen holding the purse at the mall...his down time is spent at home, watching sports/cooking/talking with his current lady...he can be with strong women and not lose his manhood...a ladies man is very secure in his beliefs/self and does not need to wear his knowledge on his sleeve, or brag about what he has...a ladies man loves every curve, lump, and bump on his woman...he gets great pleasure in pleasuring his women, and knows that when she's satisfied and happy he will be too...a woman’s man can sit in a room with women and not have the need to become the center of attention...he is quite content to listen to the ladies talk while he watches his sports...a ladies man is the protector and will look out for the neighborhood single chick without having to conquer her sexually...he has his own life and is secure hanging with the boys, or letting his lady hang with her crew.”

Now there is another, the “Girly man”, but since I don’t know many of them, I want to briefly talk about the two, and how I see myself in what she presented. I guess first off, I would be a man’s man, given my predilection for “sports, guns and money” among others. However, I would hope there would be room for gardening, planting flowers, cooking and collecting wine. True, it is important to have worth defined via myself and my folk [boys], but it is not essential, for me because I would rather deal with my Id than ego. I figure folks who nurture their ego are not self actualized and got something to prove to themselves. But that can be blamed on both the men and women in my family who taught me “that some one has to be number one, may as well be you – something I teach my son and daughter equally.

Unfortunately, I do not desire nor have a harem, albeit I could probably put one together if challenged in a week or so. I’m not one to really want someone to be a certain way, for this savagebeastmonsta don’t believes he can own anyone nor that they own him.

With respect to the woman’s man, I am one who loves women and respects them period. And at a major cost, I treat them as I would my mother or daughter. But i will put either in place if required, place being expressing what i feel. Not saying I am not a freak (a person with an supraordinate sex drive) – I am. But a desire for sex five times a day in these eyes doesn’t translate into not respecting women, but rather respecting my id. I mean I have no problem with holding my woman’s, daughter or moms purse, I change diapers and have been the only man, not African man, in my son’s PTA for years, and let them tell you, I bake the best shortbread cookies around (lavender, lemon, and blueberry among others; and the women I have worked with still beg for the chocolate and blueberry cheese cakes I make.

Then there is something I would like to call “the warrior brain.” Think in any case each of the aforementioned must have such. For a man’s man, it means that you will think first and be confident, silver back gorilla style, or alpha male style (that is how i look at myself) that no situation is too great, or that no obstacle can produce fear. I mean, for me, the only fear I have is not being able to feed or provide for my family. Likewise, I mean, I KNOW it is possible that another can whoop my ass, but on the real, I just don’t believe such. I really don’t. It takes a warrior brain also, when being a woman’s man according to my sister, to turn the other cheek, and just be able to sustain any grief a woman would give you for not recognizing the real chivalry in being able to do so. Or even with a child, like when I had to travel to Ethiopia a week after 911, and I had to calm my son, All i had to do was say "who you trust, a terrorist with a box cutter, or your poppa? He smiled and said "poppa will beat him down." But with that said, all I am saying is that I see what she is saying, but I am not an absolute, but rather harmonic as the Dogon of Mali explained, I am of both, a hybrid, cause i got lot of a both in me, that is if i am either to start with. So I just ask you, what says you?

I’m adding this last pic FYI. They have flat screens in the gas stations in the ATL. I have two things to say about this: 1] Long live higher illiteracy rates in the US and 2] Flat screen TV’s outside for folks to steal for free.

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4 real though

I have received inspiration for this post from several fellow bloggers – yawl know who you are. I have wanted to do this for myself; I guess another form of soul searching. So outside of the men and women in my family, these are the people that have informed, improved and assisted in proffering the disposition and molecular mass known and Torrance T. Stephens, PhD. And I would advise this as an exercise for all. For it will be fun, introspective and informative. Not to mention folk here consider himself the truth, just as these mutha fukas – yep they the truth, 4 real tough.

1] Cheikh Anta Diop (1923-1986) – I got a chance to see him before he died, and the Nile Valley Conference Meeting held at my alma marta, Morehouse College, if ever I could foster a man crush, it was with him. Got his PhD from the University of Paris, Sorbonne in 1960 in Egyptology after a nine-year struggle to do so.

I have read all of his books at least 5 times, and such may be an underestimation. The reason I rank him number one is because I read an interview conducted by the Third World Book Review. He said in essence that we as Africans in the Diaspora, for those of us who can just do one thing, do it and do it exceptionally. He said for the rare breed of folk such as he, master it all and don’t be afraid to self inculcate on new subject matter. He studied at the top physic laboratory in the country, was a paleontologist, historian, anthropologist, spoke nine languages and developed the test by which one could discern if melanin was I the bones of mummies found I archeological digs. Dr. Diop was the Director of Radiocarbon Laboratory at the Fundamental Institute of Black Africa (IFAN) at the University of Dakar. Diop’s seminal pedagogic challenges, which was irrefutable via science was that African culture and history was older than any other, and influenced the course of other cultures more than usually given credit. I took up his challenge.

2] Martin Luther King Jr. – Enough said. Not to mention he had Coretta.

3] Rube Foster (1879-1930) – Founder of the Negro Leagues (in picture). Made a way when there wasn’t one for the love of his self, his spirit and the love of sport. Didn’t hurt that he was one of the first multi millionaires of our persuasion of his era. As a pitcher and owner, his brand of baseball was solid defense good pitching and hitting. The same way I coached my Old national Pirates – from 14 to 14 yrs of age, had them from T ball to 13,14). His American Giants won all other recorded championships from 1910 through 1922. He was the founder of two things pf importance t me, the Negro Leagues and the screwball or fade-away. In fact he was paid to teach the screwball to Christy Mathewson.

4] Frantz Fanon (1925 – 1961) - In 1953, he was the Head of the Psychiatry Department at the Blida-Joinville Hospital in Algeria Here he was in charge of patient care and learned of the horrified stories of torture his patients -- both French torturers and Algerian torture victims -- told him. This was the period he penned Black Skin, White Masks (1952) and The Wretched of the Earth (1961). A pupil of the philosophical tractates of Jean Paul Sartre, he took exestentialism to the human level. BTW my favorite book by Sartre is “Being and Nothingness" (had to read it at least 8 time). Fanon developed leukemia, and The Wretched of the Earth, was completed in 10 months, and published by Jean-Paul Sartre in the year of his death. He died at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland in 1961 a year before my birth.


5] Voltaire (1694 – 1778) - My Nigga, writer extraordinaire ( the person responsible the most for my motivation to write). I love this quote "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." Jones made me, me, because he was the ultimate humorist, the ultimate satirist and intellectual philosopher. Only difference was that he was an admirer of John Locke. For me his books were the shit. Candide – the optimist, Micromagus (man and geospatial analysis in the anti Alexander Pope sense if you asked me – none center of the universe), Zadig, the philosophical dictionary and his play the fanatical. Must read, again, if u asks me.

6] George Clinton – “Not just knee deep she was totally deep, when she did the freak with me” and “no head no backstage pass”. What else can I say. Oh yea, can u say FUNKY?

7] Malcolm X (1925 – 1965) - Can you say epitome of well read and riffle? Where would I be without my SKS and the 7.52 slug (full metal jacket of course, with potassium cyanide and candle wax over the top, I know TMI)?

8] Arthur Ashe (1943 - 1993) - Character and integrity, faith and truth, that’s what he defines. And last of the powerful one hand backhands, next to me, but you should have known that. My complete tennis idol. Taught me how to incorporate the game of the swed’s into mine. Shouts out to Joakim Nyström, Mats Wilander, Björn Borg, Anders Järryd, and Stefan Edberg. Long live the high looping forehand. Ashe was one of the first to speak out againts Aparthied and as result, he was excluded from the Davis Cup competition. in South Africa on March 23, 1970, because the country denied him a Visa. Add to that, his afro was tight.

9-tie] Denmark Vessey (1767 – 1822) & Nat Turner (1800 – 1831) – The essence of live free or die, and if I have to tell yawl more about folks who had their heads stuck on poles on the road leading out of town, or one who was lynched in Jerusalem, Virginia, the yawl really aint my folk Jones. But for the record, Vessey was a real man, it cost him $600.00 to buy his own freedom, a lot back in the day but he was not able to purchase the freedom of his wife and two children - Thats him in the pic with his back whipped all up. Nat, well after killing ONLY 50 white folks, they celebrated and had picnics on the Sunday of his lynching, I mean execution.

10] Sheldon Gilbert – Young cat, your folk can can learn from themm too. 32 year old CEO of Proclivity Systems. A Yale graduate. Also conducted genetic genetic research at Cornell University Medical Center and Rockefeller University. A self taught computer programer, he dropped out of the PhD program in computational genomics at New York University. His programing genious has moved beyond that of the basic Google-like searh engine. His is predictive, and analyzes the data left behind from a persons interaction on a Web site. Now a search engine that predics one future searches – that’s ingenious.

Rounding out the list: Ida B. Wells, Muhammad Ali, W.E.B. Dubois, Corretta Scott King, Paul Roberson, Pam Grier. Jack Tatum, James Vander Zee, Richard Pryor.