Although I was not present in the genesis of the conversations regarding the Afrospear/Afrosphere, such as Frances mistakingly wrote in his little Wikipedia article, I was here this time last year (summer of 07) when many E-fights, verbal kickdowns/personality conflicts were being played out. I’m so sad that much of what could have been resolved last year is still destroying the very core of the supposed groups.

I’m not down for furthering conflict. However, I do believe that conflicts must be dealt with/managed/resolved in order to move on. And sadly, the communication barriers that are created from just having electronic communication as the platform makes it quite hard to effectively manage many of the conflicts that spring up from time to time. Therefore, I do think that it is impossible to effectively manage a group of varying individuals, who come from all different backgrounds, with different motivations, different communication styles, and even different personality disorders via a e-mail group or on the comment pages on a blog. No disrespect… I’m just calling it how I see it.

I felt back then that there was and would continue to be some confusions about the two groups, being that their names were so close. But many individuals really tried to act like the differences were just apart of some folks imagination, rather than sitting down, taking a critical eye, and making some changes that could help the group in the long run. And just as I suspected, the issues are still there, still being tossed around, but not being effectively dealt with.

My heart goes out to Asa, simply because I understand that this brotha is just completely frustrated. I know he would not have takent his type of stand if he didn’t feel it was necessary. But why was it necessary? Why did it have to get this far? Why is it that we just can’t find a way to work together?

I’ll tell you why… Perhaps many of us are not supposed to be working together. And that’s cool. It doesn’t make you less black because you are not on the Afrospear/Afrosphere’s blog roll. It doesn’t mean that you are not concerned about African issues, just because you don’t read and respond to the avalanche of e-mails that flow from the Afrosphear/Afrosphere’s e-mail groups.

Sadly, we seem to think that just because we are black, we all got to be linked up, joined together at the hip, and singing the same negro spiritual. And it’s not because we all like the same song either or serve the same God… It’s only so we can look like we do. Well, I reject that notion. I turn my back on looking like we embrace each other, but all the while hate each other. That approach has never worked for freeing African people.

After posting this, I will not return here to read any responses. However, I will continue to do as I been doing in the last twelve months. I will continue to read the enlightening posts here. But I will never again waste my time with this discussion, unless real change is being ushered in, and ready to be put in place.

Asa: I wish you the best, brotha. I truly believe that you were just calling it how you see it, and you felt it was necessary to do so. Your courage is to be commended. I say that because many of us have either officially left the group, or just silently drifted away, without confronting certain issues. And it was only because we didn’t want to have to face more drama. But you put it out there. Do I agree with you? I don’t nkow. But I do see why you felt like you needed to do this. Do I think that this post helped matters? Probably not… But it could if some will see it as an opportunity to grow and seek real change. Too bad that strong African people are still battling on the internet over status, power, and a freaking name.

It is my prayer that all of the groups, whatever the hell the names are, get moving, get energized, and get thinking/working/fighting to elevate, empower, and free our people. And it is also my prayer that this time next year, the discussions here and elsewhere will not look like they did this summer and last summer.

Blessings to all,
Angie

I don’t think that many “new” bloggers know that AfroSpear and AfroSphere are two separate entities.

I am confused now about them after reading your post.

Are there TWO e-groups now? Why are the names so similar?

Feel free to hop over to my blog and send me an email.

Lisa

Sometimes we have to violate the letter of something in order to be true to the spirit of it. I’m sure Asa didn’t make his decision without considering that and the consequences.

Everybody is always trying to climb up on a cross. Nothing anybody is going to say is going to change the FACT that Asa broke confidentiality.

You can take what ever side of the issue being argued that you want; and that fact remains the same. It’s funny how people always want accountibility to apply to their enemy; but not to themselves or their friends.

This is indeed a step in the right direction.

I became familiar with Holland on another blog and his beef with the Daily Kos. I read his blog and notice some irregularities with Mulitsas’ biography. I was aware of Mulitsas’ bio some years back when I did research for a paper. When I question Francis Holland in the comments about these discrepancies I didn’t get any response, nor did I see much change in his depiction Some other facts were hard to check by other sources other than Holland’s.

Credibility is important in the blogging community, especially when you want to change society. So I think it important that the Afrosphere scrutinize it members, for that characteristic. When you back up your ideas with other sources, it shouldn’t be circular and should emanate from differing perspectives. Differing opinions do not have to be supported with falsehoods.

Most human beings, regardless of color, are unwilling to look at their shit. And when one among them brings up the unhealthy, the dysfunctional or the perverse, in a community or community member? The person shouting “FIRE” is attacked as if they started the blaze themselves. This is basic human Psychopathology 101.

(I’m reminded of how Malcolm was attacked by members of the Nation, not because he lied on Mr. Muhammad, but because he told the embarrassing truth about him. And folks were willing to kill him to defend an image, a mirage.)

This whistleblower will be attacked for ‘attacking’ the “victim” of his truth tellling and will be defended by his crew in all manner of ways: “its a personal attack”, “whining”,”family business”, “for our eyes only”.

You can’t hide shit from your enemy in this day and age, what with legal wiretaps, shredded Constitution, etc. But to think that “unity” is best achieved by obfuscation and denial…not gonna happen.

What kind of unity is fostered by tabling or ignoring repugnant behavior? What kind of unity is it when folks back the recidivist and not the one speaking truth in the light of day?

The shabbiest, most flimsy kind in my opinion.

No, as Plez says, we will be stronger by dealing with what needs to be dealt with – regardless of the venue. This is a part of why I’m disgusted with how so many of us want to exclusively & robotically talk about the white man and what he’s doing to us. What the hell are we doing to each other???

We need to fix what’s ailing us. We need to ALWAYS be sensitive to complaints raised about group dynamics and personal/interpersonal behavior. Folks are entitled to rip on Asa’s post, outline its, and his, shortcomings. But when we fail to bring the same eye to his initial critique, something is terribly wrong.

i do feel sad for the ‘spear.

these flair-ups occurred with more frequency last year and led to a number of resignations from the group. i always attributed it to “growing pains” that every organization goes through, especially one as loosely tied together as this one.

but time after time, incident after incident included the SAME CAST of CHARACTERS! in most cases, it was one or two instigators. this post comes as no surprise.

it’s a free country and Black folk don’t have a patent on dissent. let’s air it out rather than sweep it under a rug … i assure you, the AfroSpear will be stronger in the long run.

You have every right to be indignant and angry and you handled this matter with grace and integrity.

We need to call a “spad a spad” and call a “cancer a cancer”.

I have no history with this blog. I am only concerned with right now. And right now this blog is charged with being a think tank. So well meaning thinkers get to it!

Oh and I can’t stand hateration….that is NOT a word. See that’s me being intolerant. LOL!

I know I’ve been guilty of “rhetorical excess,” but I’m not selling tee shirts with the AfroSpear logo and my picture on the front of it. And if I was, you all had better check my shit.

PLEASE: Challenge me all you like if you have a grievance, if you see a shortcoming in me, if I’m fucking up. I want to grow. I want to be truly about helping, not hurting. And if you see me trying to profit from this work instead of helping our people, then call my black ass out.

The flipside is, if I see someone who I believe is mistaken in their analysis or action, or is a self promoter, or an out and out fraud, I am going to say something. Our people get taken in by religious or political frauds constantly; we owe it to ourselves to speak up whenever we feel something or someone is amiss.

We shouldn’t be afraid of criticism or critical analysis. What we should be afraid of is patronizing folks quirks, ignoring dysfunction and congratulating people who have raised sabotage to a high art. We need to learn how to have a discerning eye and we can’t develop it without conversation, discussion, disagreement and pain.

Its ironic that it was Bush administration cronies who perfected the use of the phrase: “Move on.” “Just move on.” Don’t resolve anything, don’t see it for what it is, “Just Move On.” Don’t clarify what’s happening. “Just Move On.”

Sometimes we need to be still and listen to what’s being said. Really listen. It is wiser to speak unpleasant crap clearly and openly rather than have it go underground and contaminate the groundwater. I have seen it in families and in communities: people bury so much bullshit that BS becomes standard operating procedure and folks wouldn’t dream of changing it – no matter how much it destroys them. No thank you.

Just as folks have been able to criticize this post, so too must they be able to criticize other folks’ actions that don’t measure up.

PS. It is a strange thing when we can criticize someone for criticizing someone else – but completely ignore and invalidate the initial critique. That doesn’t make sense.

I think it encourages us to be lazy with one another. I think balanced, reason critique of each other and our cultural production is to the benefit and health of black people and our culture.

We need to be thinking people and make distinctions between common hateration and critique.

I don’t really think this post was necessary because I think it detracts from one of the best blogs out there, but I don’t think its fair to quibble with its intention.

i was there when it started. doing a lot of lurking. i remember it all very clearly. remember the big dustup between mike fisher and asa? how about the one that drove bronze trinity away? sometimes the facts really do depend on your perspective. imo francis has been wrong and wronged, asa has been wrong and wronged. each and every one of us that have associated at some point with the afrospear has been wrong and wronged. no matter what part 2 is about, it won’t change that. how you move on past it is the question.

the afrospear/afrosphere is a wonderful thing; a thing i am proud to be a part of. it will survive asa and francis, gina and bronze and any of the rest of us who sometimes get too big for our britches. some people are worried that airing our dirty laundry in public is going to have a negative effect on the group. i say, anyone who let’s a little family disagreement get in the way of moving forward never intended to move forward in the first place.

as bernie mac would say, “let’s move on”

as my sainted 100 year old gramma still says, “y’all go on back outside and play nice now”.

I attended the Blogging While Brown Conference in Atlanta. I enjoyed it immensely. I think Gina did an amazing thing in trying to get Bloggers of Color under one roof for fellowship and dialogue. It is a shame that we have to resort to the crabs-in-the-bucket mentality. We should be rejoicing and supporting this young Sister in her efforts to do something constructive, positive and empowering for bloggers of color.

I was at the BloHer Conference in San Francisco, the week prior to BWB. 3 White Women convened over 1000 women from arounf the WORLD to talk about women blogging. Not a problem. It was well attended well supported. The New York Times covered it and Katie Couric did a special shout out from her network.

Come on. There is a lot of thinking that needs to be done in these very trying times. All this foolish bullshit keeps us from focusing on issues that could be of real benefit to our communities and our personal lives.

Cut it out and lets get on with being a think tank. DAMN!

I wondered why there was a need to create a duplicative entity with a duplicative name. (Afrospear/Afrosphere Bloggers Association)

Rather than joining a movement that was underway or creating an independent thang, taking what other folks created was the “easier, softer way.”

Racism/White Supremacy is a disease and it manifests in many interesting, paradoxical ways. I’ve seen some of the loudest, most vociferous champions of black people, abuse black folks to the exclusion of whites. Not that anyone deserves abuse, but come the fuck on?!

Does Francis stand for us or himself? Did he “borrow” the Afrosphere name to take on some other tributary of the struggle? Or to enhance his vanity project?

I mean, how many blogs does one man need?

Let’s provided proper context. He did not simply post a picture of a Virginia. He posted a graphic with text making a political point about John McCain calling his wife a “cunt”.

It’s his personal blog, with which he has the right to do with it what he will.

I did not care for the graphic myself and when he consulted me about it before publishing it at the group site I suggested he not do so, or if he did to give a warning before people clicked on it to see it. He heeded the advice and did not post it in a common place.

His site is his site. Nobody has to like him; and that’s perfectly fine.

Nonetheless having one of our own violate our group’s confidence to exact his personal vendetta is not justified by whatever oddness Francis is.