In honor of our most esteemed sister, Bravenak

[DemocratSinceBirth]

[SunSeeker]

1. K & R

[DemocratSinceBirth]

2. Comparing someone to my idol is the greatest show of respect I can show to someone./nt

[brer cat]

5. I saw that,

and appreciate that you shared it for this thread.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

6. I remember that photo...I forgot what prompted him to take it.

eom

[lovemydog]

22. Ali was drafted for the war in Vietnam and refused to go.

He famously said 'No Vietcong ever called me ni****.' He was sentenced to prison and stripped of his heavyweight title. The photo was probably taken during that time. Lower courts ruled that since the Koran speaks of holy war, he couldn't be a Muslim and a conscientious objector. The Supreme Court reversed the early court opinions and granted him conscientious objector status. It found that the 'holy war' referred to in the Koran is metaphorical, not literal, and that Ali was correct in citing the Koran as the source of inspiration for his pacifism.

[aggiesal]

25. HBO made a movie about this very subject and is currently playing ...

It's called "Mohamad Ali's Greatest Fight".

And it discusses exactly how they came to their opinion.

Very entertaining, and I really enjoyed it.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

42. Actually the photo was from a simpler time in Clay/Ali's life

Original caption: 3/13/63 New York - Cassius Clay's mouth is shut - or at least covered with tape - as he arrives for weigh-in here 3/13 for his heavyweight bout with Doug Jones late 3/13. Just before the actual weigh-in, the usually loquacious Clay removed the tape but maintained silence



http://www.corbisimages.com/stock-photo/rights-managed/U1371867A/muhammad-ali-with-his-mouth-taped

[lovemydog]

76. Interesting, thanks.

I watched a bunch of Ali stuff on youtube last night. What an amazing athlete and person.

[Anansi1171]

3. And how!

Look up indefatigable, there she is!

[brer cat]

4. Huge K&R!

Whatever they do to her, she will not back down, she will not fold, she will not STFU! I love her and respect her.

[1StrongBlackMan]

7. Recommended and Kicking the sh!t out of this ...

It is clear, some liberals prefer, this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=468394

to, this:

http://thumb9.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/140458/140458,1284667194,2/stock-photo-africa-kenya-masai-mara-november-masai-warriors-dancing-traditional-jumps-as-cultural-ceremony-61219927.jpg

and certainly, this:

[freshwest]

20. My reply to your post:

306. Docile now? I think not. The adage, 'Still waters run deep,' isn't the half of it:

Must I at length the Sword of Justice draw?
Oh curst Effects of necessary Law!
How ill my Fear they by my Mercy scan,
Beware the Fury of a Patient Man.

~ John Dryden

I could have added more, but it might scare some to know me.

[F4lconF16]

8. Ooh! I saw the one in the Clinton group.

I'll kick it here, too.

She's the best poster I've ever seen here--her insight is astounding, her compassion unrivaled, and she's hilarious, to boot.

[onpatrol98]

9. +1

[mwrguy]

10. K&R

[Dont call me Shirley]

11. Much appreciation of bravenak, she speaks truth and honor.

I've been gone for a while, what happened?

[lovemydog]

18. It's explained here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/118719109

Some posters have been alerting on and voting hide her posts. It must stop. She's got heart, soul, intelligence, compassion and humor in abundance. She should not be silenced here at DU!

[brush]

32. Thanks so much for this tribute and the photo. Something stinks though!

First 1StongBlackMan and now Bravenak.

What's up DU?

[heaven05]

39. The whiny hypocrites on here win battles

but know they are losing their war to keep people from voicing the truth in opinions that sting their little consciences. Let them keep it up. They are no better than any of their ancestors who have continually and stupidly squandered amazing human assets in the name of white superiority and dominance since the first americans were slaughtered in the genocidal wars of that period. They are losing and don't wake them up. I want that train barreling down on them to take them by complete surprise..

[lovemydog]

47. They're asleep and can't hear

that train a-coming. Some have been unduly hostile toward President Obama & our coalition. For six years! Burning bridges! Now their candidate can't win without us. They can't even see their predicament. We're the fun ones. It makes me laugh.

[TexasProgresive]

12. Take that gag off NOW! K & R

[George II]

13. Free Bravenak

[sheshe2]

14. Love you bravenak!

They won't keep you down. You are fierce!

[sheshe2]

15. Kick!

[JDPriestly]

16. Bravenak, hold steady.

You are an important and wonderful voice on DU. Thanks.

[mcar]

17. K&R this one too

bravenak

[oasis]

19. Thoughtful and passionate postings of Bravenak liven up this joint.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

21. Kick!

I've missed the latest, but knowing her track record, I want to make sure my voice is here too.

[lovemydog]

23. K & R for our brilliant beautiful sister Bravenak.

[calimary]

24. EXCELLENT! And AGREED!

Sometimes I'm wondering if somebody somewhere here decided they needed a punching bag or something...

It's made me very angry and very embarrassed the way bravenak has been attacked and targeted and smacked around and piled on. EMBARRASSING!!! And RATHER discouraging, too. Whatever happened to the "we're all in this together/we're all on the same side" stuff? I can't believe the blood-lust here! Somebody on another thread here just tried to pick a fight with me, too. Just now. I just refuse to engage anymore. I'm NOT playing.

But I am inspired by bravenak's strength and fortitude. Glad you're here, bravenak! Hope you stay! And I hope you don't get discouraged. This is really starting to get ridiculous. bravenak, you deserve so much better. You are loved and respected here - and needed.

[Hatchling]

30. K&R

[blm]

26. Sad state of affairs - right when DU needs to join together to fight FOR the Iran nuke deal.

The warmongers will win because DU and other Dem sites are pre-occupied with their primary skirmishes.

[Warpy]

27. She's still active at this point, thank goodness

She's one of my favorite posters here at DU. She's a truth teller, a first class one.

I suppose that's why she's been targeted.

[ismnotwasm]

28. K&R

[greatauntoftriplets]

29. A toast to bravenak, who tells it like it is!

[BainsBane]

31. Yeah for Bravenak!

A voice desperately needed on this site.

[Bobbie Jo]

33. Bravenak!

K&R!

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

34. I've been reading her posts and thinking about my son

He was 18, living with my mom while he went to college. The small town was having a street fair, and all were out and about. My son, being 18 got drunk and loud. A cop walked him home and told him to stay. He went out again. Same cop took him home again. Drunk makes you stupid. The third time, the cop took him to jail for 24 hours.

I was furious, but unworried. I knew no cop would kill him or beat him up. No chokehold, or throwing on the ground occurred. He was released sheepish and ashamed, the very next morning. He has grown into a productive adult with a family.

What if he had been black? Bravenak truly has me thinking. And it's a good thing to think about. And I appreciate all of her posts, even when, maybe especially when, they make me uncomfortable.

[calimary]

35. THIS^^^ and THIS:

[img][/img]

On the cover of LA Progressive this morning, on the death of Sandra Bland.

THIS PHOTO. That's all I need to see, yet again, to understand what BLM means. Mothers and other women - sobbing in unimaginable grief after their precious beloved babies were taken from them - FOREVER.

It's just too damn much. THIS mother says "ENOUGH!!!!!!! ENOUGH, DAMMIT!!!!!"

[lovemydog]

48. My gosh. That is just heart breaking.

I want to hug those women.

[calimary]

49. I know what you mean. I do too.

I've seen TOO MANY of them. We all have. WAY WAY WAY TOO MANY. This HAS TO stop. As a mother I say that. I worry about my kids when they're not here at home, too. But I have NOWHERE NEAR the worry that ANY black mother does, at ANY given moment.

[SusanCalvin]

45. ^THIS^ nt

[Starry Messenger]

36. I associate myself with your remarks.

Anybody hated by that many assholes is my kind of people.

[heaven05]

37. HEAR! HEAR!

to a brave soul indeed....

[Number23]

38. K&R Bravenak is about 1000 times more concilliatory than I and a few others are here

So for her to have the target on her back does nothing but tell you how utterly fucked up this place is and has been for a while.

I know we all know this already, but it bears repeating. Five Negroes still post on DU, practically all of us have one foot out the door and they still chasing after us.

[BainsBane]

40. LiberalStalwart is on a forced leave

also. Remember the "race nagger" comment that was left? Someone just got a hide for referring to the person who made the comment as a "race nagee." If the comment itself wasn't over the line, why should reminding them of it be?

[Number23]

41. Yep. I know LS is gone for a while. 1SBM still has a bunch of hides and now they're going after B

Soon, DU will look just like this

[KoKo]

59. Deleted..This is a Group and not Open Forum.

Last edited Fri Jul 24, 2015, 11:23 AM - Edit history (2)

Sorry about that....

[Number23]

61. Your first post in the AA forum! Such a momentous occasion and over such an important topic!

Almost four years this forum has been here, with hundreds of issues we've discuss on topics such as police brutality, racial oppression, MLK, housing discrimination, minority representation in media etc. etc. etc., and yet -- this Norman Rockwell photo of ALL WHITE PEOPLE is the one that prompted you to finally participate in the AFRICAN AMERICAN form. What an occasion!

I don't know if everyone in that photo is old. Does that matter to you or your outrage?

[KoKo]

60. Deleted.

Last edited Thu Jul 23, 2015, 10:50 PM - Edit history (1)

[mcar]

54. I was on that jury

Voted to leave. I honestly had to read the results twice and I still don't understand why it was hidden.

[rbrnmw]

43. K&R

Love ya Bravenak you speak truth all the time

[bravenak]

44. The struggle continues!!!

[SusanCalvin]

46. Good! Thank you.

[calimary]

50. Indeed.

[lovemydog]

51. Everyone on this thread - I love all y'all!

Bravenak speaks the truth. She kicks ass. Those mofos are all punching themselves out. They may win a couple rounds but we're here to stay.

[Gothmog]

52. She was just alerted-I was on a jury for one of her posts

[DemocratSinceBirth]

53. For what? This site is going to look like a NASCAR crowd if we don't stop.

eom

[Cha]

67. Of course, brave was "alerted".. they want to silence her. Evidently it didn't work this time.

Mahalo Gothmog

[MADem]

55. We can fight back, and we should....

Like so: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1187&pid=19312

[BumRushDaShow]

56. K&R and

bravenak - I miss your Boondocks avatar! Here's one for ya!

[blackspade]

57. I'm getting really fucking tired of the alert stalking around DU.

I don't always agree with Bravenak and others, but I'm sure as fuck not going to go along with silencing their voices.
Use ignore or just move on. Or argue, whatever, but knock off the bullshit alerts.
It's going to be a long 16 months or so. sigh.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

68. Bravenak and 1SBM have been targeted.

...

[blackspade]

70. I know and it sucks.

Both are passionate about their point of view and coupled with others that have equally passionate views can lead to some fireworks.
But the alert stalking that I see all over DU has gotten ridiculous.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

71. I sent both of them PMs to be careful as possible because I admire them and their voices...

And they did...Some of the hides were for absolutely innocuous stuff...

[blackspade]

72. Good advice.

But it's ridiculous that it needs to even be given.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

73. One of 1SBM's hide was for telling his interlocutor his "point went over his head"

eom

[blackspade]

74. Seriously?

sigh.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

75. As a heart attack./nt

[Efilroft Sul]

58. Swarmers are cowards.

I don't care who their primary candidate is. What's being done to certain members of DU like Bravenak and 1SBM is harassment and the stuff of political purges. We should know who alerts repeatedly on other posters because the system is being abused here. Are the owners of this site listening? Do they even care?

[marble falls]

62. Hear! Hear!

[lovemydog]

63. Unshackle Bravenak!

[Cha]

66. Teach It, lovemydog!

[Scootaloo]

64. Damn! For a second I was afraid she'd gotten a T/O

hell yeah I'll come in and give bravenak some appreciation.

And hell, cake if she wants it.

[Cha]

65. Brave has been steady, strong, and comforting after the surreal rage broke loose against

#BlackLivesMatter when they dared to Protest @ NRN.

“To be black and conscious in America is to be in a constant state of rage.”- James Baldwin



Don

This Sandra Bland murder has touched me in a way like most of the murders of African Americans by the police haven’t. I think of this black woman driving alone cross country for her dream job getting pulled over and arrested for no apparent reason, and then being killed. Some of you can sit and wait for the investigation to conclude all you want to, but I don’t have. I’ve seen th after the surreal rage against #BlackLivesMatter when they dared to Protest @ NRN.
is movie before, and it always ends the same way. African Americans are no safer today than we were in the 60’s. Yes, we are richer and more educated and more socially mobile, but at the end of the day that won’t stop some police officer from putting us in our place if he or she feels like it. If Denzel Washington can’t get a cab in New York City, then what chance does a Sandra Bland have in driving cross county safely?

http://theobamadiary.com/2015/07/23/a-constant-state-of-rage/

Mahalo, DSB for posting in honor of our esteemed sistah, bravenak! She will not be silenced!

http://rhrealitycheck.org/ablc/2015/07/22/youre-white-marched-dr-king/

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251470024#post31

[TBF]

69. Bravenak was incredibly patient in explaining

the issues re BLM to those of us who want to be supportive but don't always know what to say (ie white folks). I feel her voice is extremely important and should never be silenced. I don't care who she is voting for in the primary. Much respect.

[Lilith Rising]

77. Back Off Of Bravenak!!

She's (you're) one the best

[SwampG8r]

78. Well DSB.... Happy now?... You made me speak in my listening place

Bravenak is a treasure. I look to her for clear analysis on issues from the perspective of an aa and a woman.
Even when I don't agree she always gives me another view on issues
She's a good person trying to do the right thing. Whats better than that.
As to my reply title I come to this forum and have for a while but I only listen DSB got me to break that policy with this post
So first post here likely the last

[SidDithers]

79. DU rec...

Sid