Last week, Towson University professor Allen Zaruba was dismissed from the school after characterizing himself as a “nigger on the corporate plantation” during classroom discussion. Read the complete article »

She’s gone black-boy crazy, I’ve gone white-girl hazy
Ain’t no thinking maybe, we’re in love

As everyone ought to know about their Friendly Neighborhood Negro, Rodney Darryl Foxworth, Jr. (my full gov’ment name), I’m a closet romantic. I watch chick flicks… damn, I’ve seen He’s Just Not That Into You four times and perhaps my old roommate Angela has caught me watching the Devil Wears Prada on a Friday night, in pajamas, with a Natty Boh in hand. Obviously, I watch these films to delve into a commercialized version of the female psyche, show women that I indeed have a sensitive side, AND, it’s a good ice breaker / conversation starter… anyone who would like to dispute my claims, you know where you can find me…

Seriously, who isn’t interested in reenacting this spectacular video by Cameo? Obviously I’m going to play the Larry Blackmon role, unless I get healthy competition from a credible competitor (I really just want to adorn that awesome codpiece).

Basically, I just need four other obnoxious black guys and several random white and light-skinned women (shouldn’t be too hard of a task).

All interested parties please contact me immediately at rodney@thatbeigebrotha.com. Casting begins ASAP.

I’ve been behind on my emails lately and failed to uncover this bit of information forwarded to me by Ackneil Muldrow II. Folks send me a ton of email, but I make sure to read what Neil sends my way, because it’s always well-worth the precious few minutes required to digest.

Neil sent me an unnerving editorial authored by Gene Budig, a former president/chancellor of three major institutions of higher learning, which is to say that the man is quite credible.

Budig cites a joint study by the College Board and the Congressional Tri-Caucus, “The Educational Crisis Facing Young Men of Color.” I would suggest that anyone reading this give it a gander.

Now, there’s a lot of troubling information gleaned from the study, but here are some of the more disturbing facts:

• Only 41 percent of black men graduate from high school in America.
• Just 22 percent of black males who begin at a four-year college graduate within six years.
• There are more black males behind bars than enrolled in colleges and universities.
• A young black male has a one-in-three chance of going to prison.
• Black males make up about half of the current prison population.
• More than 50,000 black males are in Florida jails, while only 23,000 black males graduate from high school in Florida each year.

What’s most troubling is that I wasn’t exactly surprised by these figures. I read the stats and came away… unnerved, which is frightening to me. Have we reached a point when reading such alarming things regarding black men and our fellow brothers of color is met with a shrug of the shoulder? My reaction was more like realizing that the sun will rise and set and this scares me. It’s like when some fool decides he wants to call me a “nigger” I barely flinch anymore, because, I sort of expect it now, even in this “post-racial” era of Obama and all the anxious, scared white folks who come along with it…

Admittedly, I have been quite incognegro lately, and I must apologize, but I had to put the whole detached emo-negro thing aside, step away from the computer, and binge drink with my merry band of degenerates, which leads to the quick killing of the brain cells by way of Natty Bohs and Jack & Coke.

Today, however, I managed to grab ahold of the latest issue of Urbanite magazine, an intelligent glossy I’ve written for in the past. The theme of this month’s issue centered around race and race relations. I was particularly drawn to Lester K. Spence’s piece, White Space, Black Space. I’ve always enjoyed Lester’s work, and I’m happy that my city has a mind like his amongst us- we damn sure need it.

Lester’s essay centers on the need for African-American “self-segregation,” or “black spaces.” Black spaces are necessary because it keeps us Negroes rooted, healthy, sane, etc. More apt, the black space allows us to exist without defending our “racial existence, our humanity.” I myself relish engaging in intellectual battle with scared anxious white folks, it reminds them that their friendly neighborhood Negroes can go Nat Turner/Braveheart on them at any moment, but I digress.

Now, I don’t disagree with Lester’s take on this issue, but there’s something about it that, I can’t really articulate it at this very moment, but I’m not sure I can agree with it either. It requires further thought than I can muster today, but expect a follow-up post soon enough.

Remember, Stay black or die tryin’.