Monday, April 5, 2010

Update on local Bloggers

The Southern Poverty Law Center describes hate blogs as any blog that constantly try to "present (pick any group) in a bad light. They profile the Council of Conservative Citizens as being well known for presenting African Americans in a bad light. Some of the most recent headlines they point to was "Gonorrhea is now almost exclusively a black disease” and “Black thugs hold white teens captive while raping and torturing them" In similar faction the SPLC also profiles the Anti-Immigrant hate group "American Patrol" as taking the same approach.

The SPLC describes the American Patrol's report as a report that "endlessly maligns Latinos, especially those in the United States illegally. Some recent headlines on its website: “Mexican police chief decapitated” and “More than 100 illegals, others arrested at cockfight.” The SPLC also points out that "Not as well known, but equally racist is an Internet blog called White Watch. Its target: White folks." SPLC's hate report says that all these hate blogs and site have something in common. "They all have a fondness for posting what are seen as embarrassing news stories about the racial group they are skewering." At White Watch that means the worst and wackiest of white people. Headlines have included: “HIV Positive White Man Rapes Teenage Boy,” “Lazy Brit fined for walking dog from his car” and “White Woman Attacks Cop…With Her Breast Milk.” Of course she had nothing on “Germans Caught Having Sex In The Middle of a Busy Street” — with a photo of the amorous Aryans.


The Southern Poverty Law Center
is one of the most prominent civil rights organizations in the world. They don't take any sides. They call it how it is. With that definition of what hate looks like. Can anyone realistically believe that the Ditmas Park Blog does not fall into the category of a hate blog?

Some of the latest post on the Ditmas Park have been:

"Brooklyn Crime Rising" with questionable statistics about the supposedly crime wave in the 70TH precinct. Another says "Murder at the Parade Ground" this time skewing Dominicans. Another has the headline "Million $ Bucks" showing how much money is spent on prisons block by block. What is so strange about that last posting was that it is data from more then 5 years ago. There is no Rhyme or Reason to the "Million $ Bucks" posting. What exactly were they trying to point out? What this shows is clearly a problem. They've also been comments about how day laborers should be put into some type of holding center because "it would be good for the aesthetics of the Neighborhood"

This is not something recent. As far back as 2007 they were postings that showed the African American Community in the worst possible way. One of their supporters even wrote


"But look at the posts you put up that have engendered so much controversy.
Look at the posts regarding the Heather Louise Bennett dolls. Did you post an image of her “Bat Doll’s” with white or checkered faces? No you posted a black faced doll then feigned surprise at the reaction.
You work a political blog at http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/ so you know what provokes and what doesn’t.
I’m sorry you can’t be a professional blogger and think that no one will see that you are looking for controversy.
I, for one, think your blog is fun but if you continue to post about robberies, dead cabbies, black faced dolls, blood at Newkirk, the Pakistan forum, Stabbing on Westminster, Getting run over crossing Cortelyou, Shooting on Cortelyou, Sander Hicks as Jason Bourn, “Go Back to Park Slope”, Harasser on a Bike, Early morning shooting on Rugby and Newkirk, and the post office still sucks you will get strong comments.
It’s clear you know how this blogging game works, so be honest about the provocation and be ready for the reactions."


This is actually from one of their strongest supporter who has since had a change of heart. Obviously these people know what they are doing. They know how to manipulate the public. They know how to stir up enough controversy to keep their blog rolling. They also know how to use plausible denial by having posts about restaurant openings, new bars, dance studios in between skewing and showing Mexicans, Dominicans, Blacks and other minorities in the most embarrassing and worst ways. They can also have as many people as they want defending them. At the end of the day the truth will prevailed.

The SPLC has 10 ways a community like ours can fight hate.

There has been some questions as to who the realflatbush is.

We at the Realflatbush believe that humanity has always constituted one group, but that ignorance, prejudice and power-seeking have prevented the recognition of the oneness of humanity. We believe that there is Unity in Diversity. The Diversity of the human race should be valued and celebrated instead of being skewed. We believe that all humans have been created equal in the image of God, and that God does not make any distinction between people. We believe that the world of humanity is like unto a rose garden and the various races, tongues and people are like unto contrasting flowers. The diversity of colors in a rose-garden adds to the charm and beauty of the scene as variety enhances unity. The very diversity of the human race is, in fact, a means for creating a world based on unity rather than uniformity. It is not by the suppression of differences that we will arrive at unity, but rather by an increased awareness of and respect for the intrinsic value of each separate culture, and indeed, of each individual. It is not diversity itself which is the cause of conflict, but rather our immature attitude towards it, our intolerance and misconceptions of others. For these reasons we don't see eye to eye with the Ditmas Park Blog. We will continue to fight for Humanity. For too much of its history and in so many places the human race has squandered its energy and resources in futile efforts to prove the unprovable: that one portion of itself, because of separation by geography, a difference in skin color, or the diversity of cultural expression, is intrinsically distinct from another portion. The ignorance and prejudice on which such efforts are founded have led to endless conflicts in the name of the sanctity of tribe, race, class, nation, and religion. Paradoxical as it may seem, in the consistency of these negative efforts across the spectrum of the race, humanity has proved the exact opposite: it has affirmed its oneness. The proof is in the fact that, given the same circumstances, all people, regardless of ethnic or cultural variety, behave essentially the same way. As Ted Kennedy said "The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dreams shall never die."

3 comments:

Tami said...

Great article. This needed to be said.

Kevin said...

This is a must read for everyone!!

Eloise said...

On point as usual.

You keep up the great work that you have been doing. God's work.