[Mpls] A Black Minister takes the money/ Black Bourgeoisie

[Jhpalmerjp at aol.com]

I read this most recent installment from Booker Hodges and his investigative 
team with a level of disappointment of how talent can be wasted on tilting at 
windmills.

I send this, by the way from Atlanta, Georgia, where tomorrow my alma mater, 
Morehouse College will graduate over 500 young Black men.  500 young Black men 
who haven't fallen by the way side, gotten killed in a gang war, been lost to 
drugs or otherwise end up with a fate worse than death.  My heart swells with 
pride as I see these young brothers who've struggled over the last 4+ years 
to stay in school and beat the odds and will now go on to being upstanding 
members of society to change the world around us as the alumnus who came before 
them did like Julian Bond, Maynard Jackson, Spike Lee, David Satcher, Michael 
Lomax and a host of many others.

And then I read these two articles and I can't help but wonder about the 
talent and ability being wasted on scrabbling over scraps and blanket insinuations 
and allusions.  And I find it truly sad.

I've read a number of these pieces where Booker makes vague references to 
people and the horrible things that they've done such as Jayne Khalifa being an 
elitist and member of "several" elitist organizations which actually turned out 
to have no merit and be referring to one organization the Links, which like 
Booker's own fraternity has a membership fee and admission criteria.  The one 
difference is that the links doesn't have any hazing and makes significant 
contributions to the community like the $20K they raised for African American 
family services.

And I'm really tired of people beating around the bush and talking behind 
your back and yet not really making any significant contribution other than to 
complain and lob unfounded accusations.

So I'm putting the challenge to Booker and anyone else out there to put there 
money where there mouth is.  I've heard the same story about the preacher, so 
if you've got proof and investigated it, say it.  Stop hiding behind your 
column and be the "community activist" you claim.  Put the truth out there so 
that everyone can know it and will not fall prey to being duped in the future.

But also back up what you say.  Who is this Black Bourgeois?  The only person 
that took you to take on this list was me, and all I did was ask you for 
evidence or support for that which you claim....not really hard if it's true and 
you have it.  I watched with a mixture of annoyance and bemusement as you, Ron 
Edwards, Al Flowers and Zack Metoyer accused me of saying I wanted to fight 
you (physically) in those emails.  Along with the subsequent threats from Al of 
"putting me in my place".  So if it's me you're referring to, put it out, if 
it's others, stopping beating around the bush and say it.

You know, ever since Jayson Blair, it is more important than ever for 
reporters to have integrity, and lying on TV isn't it.

So put out the evidence, tell people what you know, not vague allusions.  
Call people to the carpet on their behavior, but be sure you have your facts 
straight.  The people deserve to know the truth, but they deserve to know the real 
truth, not what you felt like writing on a whim.

We have serious problems in the City as a whole, and even more concentrated 
in the Black community.  And those of us trying to work on the issues don't 
have time to be sidetracked by people who wish they were.  It's time for people 
to put their money where there mouth is, act with integrity and actually do 
something besides just complain.  And any time you're serious about it, I welcome 
you to the table to get some real work done on helping our community.

Jonathan Palmer
Victory
writing from Atlanta