Archive for the ‘Open Forums’ Category
Is Marriage Still for Everyone? (Open Forum)
Is Marriage Still for Everyone? by David Lapp, Family Scholars.org Over at First Things, I have an essay in which I argue that, a changing economy notwithstanding, marriage remains a vital institution for people from all classes–including the less-educated. I also suggest that it’s precisely traditional norms like lifelong marriage and bearing children within marriage that [...]
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Transcript from Essence.com Online Chat!
Special thanks to Sophia Nelson, Dr. Janet, and Deborah Roberts, Crunk Feminists, Essence editors and all the participants for such a great and productive conversation!
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Black Conscious Thought: “The Idea That It Takes a Village to Raise a Child is B.S.â€
In my opinion…this is just another way for black folks to OUTSOURCE their responsibility as parents, educators, protectors, and providers of THEIR children.
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William & Policy Review: No Wedding No Womb?
Is marriage a laudable goal to promote within the African-American community and the nation as a whole?
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![Time’s Up: Legitimate Dissent Versus Sabotage ~ by Khadija Nassif of “The Sojourner’s Passport†[Relevant, 2nd Essay, Open Forum]](http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/themes/equator/timthumb.php?src=http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Times-up.jpg&w=200&h=260&zc=1)
Time’s Up: Legitimate Dissent Versus Sabotage ~ by Khadija Nassif of “The Sojourner’s Passport†[Relevant, 2nd Essay, Open Forum]
The topic of online activism, and the difference between dissenters and saboteurs came up during a recent conversation. I believe that far too many African-American bloggers are dangerously naive about the difference between these two categories. I believe this is because most of them have never had the opportunity to participate in an actual, sustained movement (as opposed to agitating about a single individual or incident).
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Think Pretty Smart: NWNW Opponents Focus Too Much on Entitlement Programs
There was an ugly hint of entitlement to a lot of the discussions. Nobody is really entitled to ‘safety nets’–especially in a time when this country is finding it hard to pay for the ones we have, and go to war, and pay contractors, and encourage green energy, and…
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(Open Forum) Can You Be in Both Support and Opposition to NWNW? Well, Yes and No.
This anonymous blog post was sent to me by a fellow NWNW participant. Kind of like the John Kerry, “I was for it before I was against it,” just vice versa. She makes good points, though. I think that if we can move beyond some of the vitriol and address the central issue, we’ll all be better off and I can cancel my prescription for Xanax.
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The Necessary Conversation: Birth Control
But more doesn’t mean always. I suggest that the most underdiscussed factor in all this is that the demand for female-controlled contraception like the pill—which is easier to be consistent with than condoms—isn’t being met.
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Video: Still Think Boys Don’t Need Fathers?
This 12-year-old boy lives with his grandmother. *cough* Not. His. Parents. *cough*
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(Open Forum) Reasonable Criticism of NWNW
I am an advocate of the traditional family structure as what I consider the strongest form in which children may be raised. I thought this was a simple position to hold but being a man that is in this constant state of flux regarding the implications of his words, I immediately took issue with the word “traditionalâ€
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Mollie Hemingway Reviews NWNW Campaign (Open Forum)
Now, I could imagine people protesting that the movement doesn’t go far enough — that it should encourage people to get married before they have sex, not just before they have children. But I didn’t imagine people arguing that the movement is simple “slut shaming.”
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![No Wedding, No Womb, NO WAY ~ by Erika Parker (a.k.a. focsimama) of “Focsi Mama Speaks†[Criticism, Open Forum]](http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/themes/equator/timthumb.php?src=http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/talk-to-the-hand.jpg&w=200&h=260&zc=1)
No Wedding, No Womb, NO WAY ~ by Erika Parker (a.k.a. focsimama) of “Focsi Mama Speaks†[Criticism, Open Forum]
to make generalizations and through around statics without framing or contextualizing them is irresponsible and detrimental. i understand that something needs to change within us all, as a community, but sliding back into history to shame and ostracize single mothers is not the answer.
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![BlackAmericaWeb Says Ending Black Fatherlessness Should Be a Priority [Support, Open Forum]](http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/themes/equator/timthumb.php?src=http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Eddie-Long.jpg&w=200&h=260&zc=1)
BlackAmericaWeb Says Ending Black Fatherlessness Should Be a Priority [Support, Open Forum]
Bishop Eddie Long, a mentor for young boys, had a “ritual” for them declaring them his “spiritual sons” in which his “children” got necessites and goodies at the horrifying price of submitting to him sexually.
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![Sign #123 of the Apocalypse!!! — Me and Ann Coulter Agree on Something! [Relevant Video, Open Forum]](http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/themes/equator/timthumb.php?src=http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/ann-coulter.jpg&w=200&h=260&zc=1)
Sign #123 of the Apocalypse!!! — Me and Ann Coulter Agree on Something! [Relevant Video, Open Forum]
WOWOWOWOW. Just proof that the NWNW message works. We may not all agree on EVERYTHING, but some of us realize the fatherless problem in the black community is killing us. Segueing from her stance against gay marriage *sigh* to illegitimacy in the Black family, Ann lays it out for Marc Lamont Hill and the Larry [...]
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![The Easy, Sexy Silence of Privilege ~ by Kismet of “Nuñez Daughter†[Criticism, Open Forum, Solutions]](http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/themes/equator/timthumb.php?src=http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/cosby-show.jpg&w=200&h=260&zc=1)
The Easy, Sexy Silence of Privilege ~ by Kismet of “Nuñez Daughter†[Criticism, Open Forum, Solutions]
Unfortunately, over the course of the last week, the conversation grew increasingly vicious. Twitfam were getting blocked and swarmed, misconstrued and misunderstood. The vitriol came from both sides (Note to Self: Is “Google it if you want to†the new “Meet me outside�) and none of it is fostered productive and healthy debate.
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![What’s the Real Motive Behind “No Wedding, No Womb� ~ by Bené Viera of “Writing While Black†[Criticism, Open Forum]](http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/themes/equator/timthumb.php?src=http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/IMG_3329.jpg&w=200&h=260&zc=1)
What’s the Real Motive Behind “No Wedding, No Womb� ~ by Bené Viera of “Writing While Black†[Criticism, Open Forum]
“[Christelyn is] a mother of four children–three of them biracial–and has been married to her husband, Michael, (who just happens to be white) for eight happy, hectic years.†Hmmm. Now why would she need to profess to the world that three of her four children are biracial, and her husband is white?
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![NWNW 2010 Follow Up * “Brandale Raw†~ by Brandale Randolph of “Ayce Media Blog-azine†[Support, 2 Videos]](http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/themes/equator/timthumb.php?src=http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/j03096231.jpg&w=200&h=260&zc=1)
![Follow Up … Tackling a Problem ~ by Black Girl in Maine [Support, 2nd Essay, Open Forum, Let’s Discuss Solutions!]](http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/themes/equator/timthumb.php?src=http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/j0302829.jpg&w=200&h=260&zc=1)
Follow Up … Tackling a Problem ~ by Black Girl in Maine [Support, 2nd Essay, Open Forum, Let’s Discuss Solutions!]
In some ways to merely say get married is a rather simplistic response to a rather real and serious problem. One of the questions being tossed around in the twitterverse after this online blitz has been what do we do next? In order to answer that question though and truly come up with meaningful solutions I think we must go back and look at what are the issues that have brought us to the point where the vast majority of African American children are born out of wedlock.
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![Responsible Writing, Stereotypes, and Data ~ by April Joyner [Criticism, Open Forum]](http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/themes/equator/timthumb.php?src=http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/old-fogey.jpg&w=200&h=260&zc=1)
Responsible Writing, Stereotypes, and Data ~ by April Joyner [Criticism, Open Forum]
[Note by CHRISTELYN] –> “My goal is to keep this debate honest. I don’t not wish to silence critics, but I think those who read someone’s INTERPRETATION of the NWNW movement should have the benefit of seeing both sides. I’m really, really trying to keep this fair. The conversation has gotten too important to suppress. Remember folks: If 72% of your house was burning down, would you ask for a program, argue statistics, or propose a study on how it started? If you possess the survival instinct, you would run like hell, or FIGHT like hell to put that fire out because that house means so much to you. Period.”
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![G.D. of “PostBourgie†Labels NWNW As “Anti-Feminist†[Criticism, Open Forum]](http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/themes/equator/timthumb.php?src=http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/j03169691.jpg&w=200&h=260&zc=1)
G.D. of “PostBourgie†Labels NWNW As “Anti-Feminist†[Criticism, Open Forum]
There are reasons besides the push’s barely masked antifeminism to be ambivalent about this whole endeavor. The movement has the stunty feel of holding funerals for “nigger†or stomping on hip-hop CDs (‘member those?) with explicit lyrics; it’s taken a tricky issue and reduced it to a bunch of folks being showily indignant.
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![Why No Wedding No Womb Doesn’t Work ~ by Jamilah Lemieux (a.k.a. Sister Toldja) of “The Beautiful Struggler†[Criticism, Open Forum]](http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/themes/equator/timthumb.php?src=http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/mom-and-baby.jpg&w=200&h=260&zc=1)
Why No Wedding No Womb Doesn’t Work ~ by Jamilah Lemieux (a.k.a. Sister Toldja) of “The Beautiful Struggler†[Criticism, Open Forum]
I understand the spirit of what NWNW is attempting to do: restore dignity to Black women and create better living conditions for Black children. These are noble goals. However, even with evidence that married persons may have greater inroads to class mobility and a stable lifestyle and that children raised in two parent households tend to fare better than those of us raised by single parents…marriage alone can’t restore dignity to Black women or guarantee a better life for Black children. Furthermore, there is an anti-feminist moral code that is implied here that doesn’t sit well with me.
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![PR Watch: Bad Time for No Wedding No Womb ~ by @WhyMeLawd of “Media Strut†[Criticism, Open Forum]](http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/themes/equator/timthumb.php?src=http://www.noweddingnowomb.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/j0308887.jpg&w=200&h=260&zc=1)
PR Watch: Bad Time for No Wedding No Womb ~ by @WhyMeLawd of “Media Strut†[Criticism, Open Forum]
Media Strut mediastrut.com For those who don’t know, No Wedding No Womb is a movement started by Christelyn D. Karazin and Lorraine Spencer to encourage responsible relationships and parenting (broadly speaking). Karazin is now married but spent some time as a single mother and has stated that she wishes she’d made some different choices in [...]
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