Friday, October 24, 2008

Bsi 1,488.23 +15.69 +1.05%

The week ends on a positive note as the Index regains yesterday's losses.

WINNERS

Gaius Charles (GC20) 9.12 +2.78 +30.48%

Charles brings a swagger and vulnurability to Brian "Smash" Williams, his character on the best drama on television right now, "Friday Night Lights".

LOSERS

Larry Johnson (LJ27) 4.52 -22.48 -83.26%

From the TV gridiron to the real deal, where the news isn't as good.  Kansas City running back Larry Johnson is being investigated for assaulting a woman in a bar.  It's the fourth time in five years he's been accused of assaulting a woman.

Why are you grinning?  You're about to throw it all away.

Johnson's once-promising career has gone off the rails and he's truly in need of help.  That being said, since when is fighting dogs worse than beating women?  Where's all the outrage that accompanied the Michael Vick case?  Is an athlete committing violence against women not out of the box enough to rouse people's emotions?  Here's hoping we're all just waiting for due process to run its course.  Otherwise, that's fairly damning assessment of where we are as a nation and what we let our athletes get away with.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Bsi 1,472.54 -12.32 -.83%

First, the housing crisis, now the possible passage of California Proposition 8 is being blamed on blacks (and Hispanics).  The Proposition would amend the California constitution to outlaw gay marriage, and there are those who believe, given the 20% margin by which blacks support the measure, that the suspected high black voter turnout could be the difference in what looks like a very close race.

Should the ballot measure pass it certainly won't be the "fault" of blacks, who are less than seven percent of the population. 

That being said, VOTE NO ON PROP. 8.

People are free to believe in what they believe, but there's no doubt that voting for Prop. 8 and amending the constitution would codify tyranny of the majority in this instance.

Ironic, isn't it?

Were people ready for school integration in 1954?  Hell no -- people weren't ready for it in Boston in the '70s.

What's that about Boston being hostile to black folk?

On some things, particularly issues of social justice, government needs to take the lead.  How shameful and ironic it would if on the day this country elects its first black President a vast majority of black Californians also punched their ballot in favor of taking away the civil rights of another group.

Dr. King with friend and colleague Bayard Rustin, an openly gay civil right leader and architect of the 1963 March on Washington.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Bsi 1,484.86 +27.34 +1.82%

Six consecutive days in the Black... excuse me, African-American.  With over 12% gained over that time, analysts here are feeling bullish about November.  Black Bullish.

Get it?  Stevie Wonder?... Black Bullish?... Black Bull?... his publishing company?... C'mon people, read your history!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Bsi 1,457.52 +27.51 +1.89%

Market anxiety gives way to excitement as either way you look at it, America's two week away from making history (for better or for worse... for much, much worse).

This thing kind of has turned into a circus, hasn't it?

BUY

Garrett Oliver

Since 1994 Oliver has been the Brewmaster for Brooklyn Brewery -- overseeing the company's more than twenty varieties of beer.  And it's some mighty fine beer.  

Score one for the black nerd.

Oliver reminds us that it's important to highlight success stories that take place outside of sports arenas, music studios and Hollywood backlots.

SELL

Blipsters

Is it really so extraordinary that there are black kids who shop at thrift stores and listen to The Smiths that we need to come up with a whole classification for them?

"And my favorite movie's 'Annie Hall', what about it?"

Ft. Greene

We're not the first to stick a fork in it, but gentrification has won the day.

Buggin' Out would really be buggin' out today.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Bsi 1,430.01 +36.71 +2.57%

Despite losses (Rudy Ray Moore), the Index gains ground behind an important endorsement.

Now there are those who say that Powell's endorsement is coming down along racial lines.  Funny, they never say that when someone white endorses John McCain.  And if you're looking for racialized politics...

This, clearly, was a set up.  Analysts here believe in freedom of speech and association and all that good stuff.  We don't shout down black Republicans and conservatives just because of their party affiliations.  We're even moderately uncomfortable with the fact that 88% of African-Americans voted Democrat in the last Presidential election because of host of consequences it creates.

Van Damm... it's hard to be a free thinking black voter.

But then you look at the other party.  The guys that now propose all these black people are voting Obama... not Democrat (again... 88% last election).  What they're really saying is too many black voters are registering and that math doesn't tip in their favor.  And they're scared of losing.  So they're trying to scare the public at large...

Making this campaign much more about race and identity than it ever needed to be.  That is why we can't support them.  Even if you believe in small government or low taxes or what have you.

C'mon, girl... you know better.

This, of course, means black are, in a way, given fewer choices at the ballot box.  But what else is new.  The good news, is that we're not alone.

Yeah, Log Cabin Republicans, I'm calling you out.