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Showing posts from 2004

Scam? Yo Momma! review of Jesse Lee Peterson's book

Scam? Yo Momma! Reposted, by request During the summer of 2002 I was an observer to a dispute between the Asian owners of a Chinese takeout and some of their black customers in Washington, D.C. The month-long boycott began when a local activist accused a cook at a Chinese takeout of attempting to cook a piece of chicken he had allegedly dropped on the floor. Despite the best efforts of human rights activist Dick Gregory, popular talk-show host Joe Madison, and Rev. Walter Fauntroy, the protestors were unable to coax any media to report on the protest. On some days there were, by my unofficial count, as many as 100 people chanting songs and marching. But one key person was missing: Rev. Jesse Jackson. It was important to the foot soldiers at the boycott that someone from the media report on the incident. It was clear that they wanted someone outside of the neighborhood to hear their complaint. The first few days I was asked by protestors if I was a reporter from Fox News or USA-9