Soulja Boy Lyrics explained

Posted on October 31, 2007 by Shawn Williams

Soulja Boy's "Crank That Soulja Boy" is pretty hot right now, though it's popularity is probably on the downside.

As of two or three weeks ago, football team from high school to the NFL were getting crunk before games with Soulja Boy as their inspiration.

And as many of you roll down the street bumping 17 year-old Soulja Boy allowing your kids to sing the clean version, I thought you may like to know what some of the songs more popular lyrics actually mean. A friend of mine told me earlier this week, but I didn't want to believe him. I consulted the urban dictionary and found that his explaniation was true.

Take a look at the the urban dictionary definitions for the following lyrics.

Superman Dat Hoe

Super Soak Dat Hoe

While your kids or nieces or nephews are doing the Soulja Boy, think about what the lyrics are saying. The sad part is that most of the kids knew what it meant from the jump.

Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame announces 2007 Class of Inductees

Posted on October 31, 2007 by Shawn Williams

DALLAS, TX— The Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2007's eleven newest inductees are an elite class of history making athletes and coaches:

Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson; former Dallas Cowboy and Super Bowler

Harvey Martin (posthumously); former Dallas Cowboy, Super Bowl co-MVP, and Dallas South Oak Cliff H.S. standout

Calvin Hill; former Dallas Cowboy and Four-time Pro-Bowler

Derek Harper; former Dallas Maverick all-time franchise assist leader

Micheal Williams; NBA Championship Detroit Piston, Baylor University All-American, and Dallas Carter H.S. standout

Nolan Richardson; NCAA University of Arkansas Championship Coach

Larry Centers; former Arizona Cardinal and Pro-Bowler

Roosevelt Leaks; University of Texas standout, College Football Hall of Famer, and former NFL Indianapolis Colt & Buffalo Bill

Beverly Humphrey; NCAA Prairie View A&M University Track star, current Lancaster ISD Coach,

Dr. Thurmin Robins; NCAA Southern University Swimming Record-holder

The inaugural “Rube Foster” award recipient, presented to a non-African-American for unselfish dedication and contributions to the success of those in Black sports history, will be awarded to former Dallas Carter H.S. Coach and DISD Athletic Director, Kedric Couch.

The 12^th Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame Banquet and Auction will be held Saturday, December 1, 2007 at 7 p.m. at the Hilton Anatole Hotel, 2201 Stemmons Freeway in Dallas, Texas. From noon – 2p.m. the day of the Banquet, the African American Museum presents A Family Day and Sports Clinic, featuring current and former inductees.

Children and their families meet the athletes, and can secure photos and autographs. In addition to the public recognition of these sports figures at the annual Banquet, the Hall of Fame’s objectives are to collect and preserve objects documenting the history of the Texas African-American athlete, create a permanent exhibition on the subject, and to develop educational programs that benefit both children and adults. Proceeds from the Banquet and Auction benefit the education programs and exhibitions of the African American Museum.

The Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame (TBSHOF), housed at the African American Museum, was established to chronicle the sports history contributions made by African Americans. It was established in 1996 to honor coaches and athletes of high character and athletic achievement, who are either Texans by birth or by athletic participation (collegiate or professional), and who have made recognizable contributions to African American culture and/or history. The general public submits the nominees, and a panel of judges (including sports/media journalist) makes the final selection.

The Hall of Fame includes legendary Dallas Cowboy Stars such as Tony Dorsett, Drew Pearson, Preston Pearson, Mel Renfro, Ed “Too Tall” Jones, Robert Newhouse, Rayfield Wright, Billy Joe Dupree, Jethro Pugh, and Everson Walls. The Hall of Fame also includes other heroes and heroines such as State Senator Royce West, 1966 “Glory Road” Championship Basketball UTEP Team, Coach Hensley Sapenter, Ervin Garnett, Coach Jackie Carr, Jolanda Jones, Spud Webb, Rolando Blackmon, Spud Webb, Earl Campbell, Ernie Banks, Zina Garrison Jackson, Elvin Hayes, Jerry Levias, Coach James “Bo” Humphery (Founder TSU Relays), and William Nicks.

Other luminaries include 1968 NBA number one draftee and three-time All-American, Elvin “Big E” Hayes; NFL Hall of Famer, the late Dick “Night Train” Lane; former Negro Leaguers Bill Blair and Ernie Banks (Chicago Clubs); Olympiads: Rafer Johnson (also a charter member of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame), Gold Medalist Fred Newhouse, and Track team head coach Barbara Jacket.

The Museum is also supported, in part, by funds from the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs, The Texas Commission on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a Federal agency.

Admission

Admission to the African American Museum is free (except for groups of ten or more).

Group Tours

Tours may be scheduled for groups of ten or more.

To book a tour call 214 219-2049

Hours

Tuesday – Friday, 12 noon – 5:00 pm (Open until 9:00 p.m. on First Fridays)

Saturday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Sunday, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Closed Mondays (except for MLK Jr’s Birthday) and some holiday’s. Hours are extended during the Texas State Fair.

Season Sponsors of the African American Museum are, AT&T, American Airlines, American Express, Bussey Trucking, CHASE, Coca-Cola Bottling Company of North Texas, ExxonMobil, Foundation for Community Empowerment, Harvey House, Hilton Anatole, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, State Fair of Texas, Texas Instruments, The Dallas Morning News, The MLH Children’s Fund, Twenty Something, and Wells Fargo Bank.

Corporate Partners of the African American Museum are, After School All-Stars, Antioch Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, Wanda Charley, Comerica Bank-Texas, DC TV, Friendship West Baptist Church, Frito-Lay, Inc., State Representative Helen Giddings, Good Street Baptist Church, Guaranty Bank, Haynes & Boone LLP, Kenneth and Kay Jarvis Foundation, Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP, Mary Matthews, Liz Maxwell, Janice Nwkobia, Nationwide Insurance, Neiman Marcus, Oncor Electric Delivery, Jack &Aileen Pratt Foundation, Southwest Housing, Tenet Health Care Foundation, The Eugene McDermott Foundation, The Williams Group, and The Warrior Group Inc.

Dallas Morning News accepts the challenge, will begin to use the term ‘Southern Dallas’

Posted on October 30, 2007 by Shawn Williams

In a post on the Dallas Morning News Editorial Blog, Sharon Grigsby states that the DMN writing team has struggled to find an alternative to the term "Southern Sector." "Our writing team has the same negative reaction to the term," Gribsby says in the post, "but we've been hard-pressed to come up with an alternative."

It seems that Dallas South Blog has helped them to solve their problem. "…thanks to Shawn Williams at Dallas South Blog for unintentionally coming to our aid," the post goes on to say. "It's simple: Southern Dallas. Just one more example of what we learn when we leave the fourth floor and actually dig into the communities we are trying to cover."

I commend the Morning News for taking what may seem like a trivial step to some. The change is a subtle yet significant step that helps in the effort to make Dallas whole.

I'd encourage other media outlets to make the same move of ditching the term "Southern Sector." I call on other bloggers and those who leave comments here to do the same.

AfroSpear Bloggers Call for ‘Freedom Technology Christmas’

Posted on October 30, 2007 by Shawn Williams

AfroSpear bloggers are encouraging Blacks to give "the gift of technology" to their children, parents and others, to empower them to communicate in the Internet Age, with recommended gifts of computers, digicams, broadband and open source software.

This Christmas, the same AfroSpear Black bloggers who organized the March on Jena are spear-heading the "AfroSpear Freedom Technology Christmas" (FTC) campaign.

One hundred AfroSpear bloggers in forty US states and five countries are mobilizing their readers to give Christmas presents that increase citizen journalism within the Black community.

"When you have a blog, what happens to you in a small town can become international news, said Field Negro, who won a Black Weblog Award this year. He cited the case of Shaquanda Cotton, a 14 year-old who was unfairly sentenced to 7 years in prison for pushing a high school hall monitor, but who was released when her Freedom Blog caught national attention.

"We're going to teach our children to communicate with the world and give them the tools to do it," said Eddie G. Griffin (BASG), an ex-Black Panther who helps lead the group's outreach to Blacks in the criminal justice system.

Shawn Williams, of the AfroSpear's Dallas South blog, featured on MSNBC and in the Chicago Tribune for his Jena Six advocacy, says the success of the March on Jena has convinced Black bloggers that "Freedom Technology" is essential to their movement.

He said, "This Christmas, our children and families need modern communication tools, like 24-hour broadband connections and digital cameras. These tools can be used to document injustices like the Jena nooses, while at the same time help to narrow the technology divide that continues to widen."

"The gift of communication technology like computers and webcams is the best gift that you can give your children and family, because it empowers them to educate and advocate for the Black community and for themselves," said the African American Political Pundit. "Black blogging encourages writing skills and critical thinking, which are precisely the skills our children need," said the African American Political Pundit.

“Black children are going to jail at a rate 6 times higher than that of white children in America”, said Eddie G. Griffin (BASG), a leader of the AfroSpear's Black Accused Support Groups movement.

"We are expanding the national Black media that focuses on the needs of black people in the context of America and the world. And AfroSpear bloggers will announce the ways in which Freedom Technology Christmas presents have dramatically improved communication among AfroSpear bloggers in five countries and four continents," said Atty. Holland.

Freedom Technology Christmas recommended gifts are laptop or home computers, headphones with microphones and webcams (for computer- to-computer conversations), digital cameras and camera "memory sticks," "pen drives" for saving documents, photographs and music, foreign language software, music production software and writing skills software.

Many excellent Christmas computer software presents are available for free. Open Source alternatives are abundant. For example, the cost of Microsoft Vista Home Premium at Amazon: $219.99, Cost of Ubuntu Linux: $0; Cost of Adobe Photoshop CS3 at Amazon: $619.99, Cost of Gimp: $0; Cost of Microsoft Office Standard 2007 at Amazon: $324.99, Cost of Open Office: $0, and Cost of Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 at Amazon: 398.99, Cost of Nvu: $0.

Many communication programs are available for free download and include Skype (free computer telephone), ooVoo (free televideo communication) Yahoo and MSN (e-mail and instant messages), all available at Download.Com.

“I wholeheartedly support the Freedom Technology Christmas as a way not only to give a gift with meaning, but also to encourage black youth to hone their computer, writing, analysis, critical thinking, photography and other skills. New talents will be unearthed and encouraged to grow”, says Adrianne from the Black Women in Europe blog.

Contact: Francis L. Holland francisholland@yahoo.com
AfroSpear Freedom Technology Blog http://afrospear-ftc.blogspot.com
AfroSpear Bloggers in the News http://afrospear-news.blogspot.com
AfroSpear Think Tank Blog http://afrospear.wordpress.com

Brite Divinity School’s ‘Power of Black Preching Forum’ headed to Friendship-West

Posted on October 30, 2007 by Shawn Williams

The Power of Black Preaching Interdenominational Forum, hosted by Brite Divinity School, is coming to Dallas November 1-3. All services will take place at Friendship-West Baptist Church 2020 Wheatland Ave. in Dallas. Friendship-West is pastored by Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III.

Scheduled to preach during the forum:

Rev. Dr. Brad Braxton

Associate Professor of Homiletics and New Testament at Vanderbilt University Divinity School in Nashville, Tennessee.

Rev. Dr. Stacy L. Spencer

Senior Pastor of New Direction Christian Church in Memphis, Tennessee.

Rev. Dr. Teresa Fry-Brown

Associate Professor of Homiletics at Emory University's Chandler School of Theology.

The forum was created by Dr. Stacey M. Floyd Thomas, director of Brite's Black Church Studies Program. The weekend promises to deliver inspiring messages from some of the country's leading theologians. Services begin nightly at 7:00 p.m.

George Bush takes shot at Louisiana officials while praising California response to wildfires

Posted on October 28, 2007 by Shawn Williams

“It makes a significant difference when you have somebody in the Statehouse willing to take the lead.”

President George W. Bush

It's obvious the above statement made by Bush while with Arnold Schwarzenegger was directed at former Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco.

In a recent article, the New York Post compares the evacuation and emergency response to the fires in California this past week and the Hurricane that struck Louisiana Mississippi two years ago.

See the Post's A Firestorm, a Deluge and a Sharp Political Dig. Here are some of the highlights of the article.

* “I think you’re comparing a paper cut to an amputation,” said Sally Forman, the former press secretary to Mayor C. Ray Nagin of New Orleans and author of a new book, “Eye of the Storm: Inside City Hall During Katrina.” “We had no communication capability, we could not drive on our roads, we had 80 percent of our city under water, we had no power.”

* Mr. Bush’s remarks in California have clearly struck a nerve. Governor Blanco complained to The Times-Picayune of New Orleans that she had spent nearly a week as “the only game in town,” leading without the president’s help. Donna Brazile, a Democratic strategist and Louisiana native who has been active in that state’s recovery effort, and who has in the past praised Mr. Bush, could barely contain her outrage.

“This is a president who flew over the state while people were on their roofs,” Ms. Brazile said. “The president, of all people, should be very careful not to criticize and reopen that wound, a wound that was so deeply felt by the people of Louisiana.”

* “There’s a reason she’s former Governor Blanco,” said Mr. Wehner, the former Bush adviser, who is now a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington. “It’s not an effort to shift blame, because the federal government made mistakes, too. But I think with the distance of time and history, the truth will emerge, and the truth is that it was a massive failure at the state and local level.”

I don't have much to say, other than this a tasteless quote, by a tasteless President, who runs a tasteless administration. There's really no reason for anyone to compare these two tragedies, but least of all the President of the United States.

Governor Blanco (and Mayor Nagin) were prepared to respond to a Category 5 -eventually Category 3- hurricane. Who on Earth knew that they would be responding to destruction caused by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers? Browny didn't.

Dallas City and Community Leaders: Stop saying SOUTHERN SECTOR, NOW!!!

Posted on October 28, 2007 by Shawn Williams

Since I moved to Dallas in 1997, I have heard city and community leaders refer to the area south of the Trinity River as The Southern Sector. Back then, it seemed like a good way to discuss what was happening in what most agreed to be a forgotten area of town.

But the term has run its course and it's time that the area receive a different moniker. Southern Sector has no real value and doesn't sound like a place to go under ANY circumstance. You might as well say Southern 51 or The Southern Triangle.

Southern Sector doesn't even acknowledge the fact that you are in Dallas. Does anyone ever say the Northern Sector? It's always North Dallas or Northern Dallas.

Southern Sector needs the same treatment as the 'N' word; dead, buried, and gone. So you ask, what do we replace Southern Sector with? That's easy:

SOUTHERN DALLAS

I'm sure the lack of creativity of this term doesn't excite anyone. And many would say that the term still divides the city. While both those statements may be valid, there is still a need for addressing the unique circumstances of an area that the city turned its back on for nearly two generations.

Most city officials know better than refer to all things south of the Trinity as South Dallas, but most media outlets erroneously refer to everything below the river as such. South Dallas is a relatively small collection of neighborhoods that surrounds Fair Park. It may not seem like a big deal, but people in Oak Cliff get tired of locals referring to their neighborhood as South Dallas and the reverse is true as well.

A search of Dallas South will find 4 references that I've made to the "southern sector." With one exception, the term has only appeared in quotations marks or proceeded by the words "so called."

This is not an effort to try to name away the city's problems. Many entities in Southern Dallas are trying to do just that.

Oak Cliff Country Club is now The Golf Club of Dallas. Red Bird Mall and Red Bird Airport have replaced Red Bird with Southwest Center and Executive respectively. I believe in branding and don't totally discount what those businesses have done and why they did it.

What I'm suggesting is something different. It's not like there was ever (to my knowledge) a uniform effort to brand Southern Dallas as the Southern Sector. I'm told it kind of happened out of the need to speak to the economic growth and development that has lacked in the region.

And the term is a big hit with politicians, peddling champaign wishes and caviar dreams to residents of the area. Even those against the Trinity proposition tout what it will do for the "Southern Sector." But what's good for the "Southern Sector" is good for Dallas and helps to make the city whole.

I'm asking all officials, leaders, and media outlets to let go of this bogus designation. Oak Cliff, South Dallas, West Dallas, Pleasant Grove, they are all Dallas and should be referred to as such.

So goodbye and good riddance to all references to Southern Sector. Your presence is not welcome here. The time has come for Southern Dallas to take hold.

Dallas South Rewind October 22-October 28

Posted on October 28, 2007 by Shawn Williams

A look back at stories from the past week.

1. Michael Sorrell, President at Paul Quinn College, is in the news at the Houston Chronicle.

2. Dallas Progress reports on the new DPD South Central Division Sub-Station.

3. Interesting takes on J.C. Watts by a young Black Republican.

4. Roland S. Martin says saving marriages must be a national priority.

5. King Tut is coming to Dallas with an economic impact expected to rival Super Bowl. Also visit KingTut.org for more info.

Genarlow Wilson Freed

Posted on October 26, 2007 by Shawn Williams

Genarlow Wilson was released from a Georgia prison on Friday, putting an end to another sad tale of American Justice. Wilson had spent over two years in prison after he was convicted for having consensual (oral) sex with a minor.

At the time of the "crime" Wilson was 17 and the minor was 15. His sentence for the act was 10 years.

On Friday The Georgia Supreme Court ordered that he be released. In a 4-3 vote, the court ruled that his sentence was cruel and unusual punishment.

Wison's release is covered at CNN, The Atlanta Journal Constitution , and The New York Times.

Justice is served, God Bless Genarlow and his family. I have seen and heard enough to believe that Genarlow Wilson will do all of us proud and this situation will only make him stronger.