Did Marion Barry Compare Michelle Rhee to Saddam Hussein?
LL was doing some multitasking on Monday evening, listening to a D.C. Public Schools oversight hearing with one ear while finishing up some other work. Ward 8 Councilmember Marion Barry, on the dais that night, started into one of his usual tirades about Chancellor Michelle Rhee, and LL's ears perked up when he started on a rant involving Iraq and Afghanistan.
That led to this tweet: "Marion Barry just compared Michelle Rhee to Saddam Hussein on the dais." But a fellow livetweeter, @classic74, challenged that characterization, saying that Barry "was talking about the culture."
Today, LL went back to the videotape to check what exactly Barry said. Indeed, Barry's remarks were indeed about the culture, not about Saddam. But, in a way, they were even more telling.
Barry could not have distilled his worldview any more potently. Where Rhee—for her well-documented faults—holds as a base principle that children can learn regardless of whether they're rich or poor, black or white, born east or west of the river, Barry is all about excuses.
His view of urban education is essentially deterministic—that because the kids in his ward are born to poor, illiterate parents, that lets everyone off the hook when they don't learn. Except for Rhee, because she doesn't understand their "culture."
To put a finer point on it, Barry says that the Korean-American Rhee—who, he says, comes from a culture that's "autocratic," "dictatorial," and "hierarchical"—can't possibly understand how to teach poor black kids. It's a mission, he says, as futile as bringing democracy to Iraq.
Here's what Barry said, verbatim:
I'm gonna raise a subject that I know is going to set off the Washington Post. We have a clash of cultures. We have a clash of cultures. Everybody that comes here talks about Michelle Rhee not including people, not being collaborative, not listening....
The reality is that this school system is 90, 92 percent African American, Latino American, and a small number of white students. Everyone knows that this country is a melting pot, but there are distinct cultures in this country. The African-American culture, because of our history and a lot of other reasons, has a distinct culture difference with non-white America. Latinos are the same thing. Does not mean that non-African-American, non-Latino cannot teach, cannot administer, but when the cultures are so great, Ms. Rhee comes from a culture...that's autocratic, a culture that's dictatorial, a culture of hierarchical in their discussions.
We see it every day in Iraq—the American government trying to change a culture that has been totalitarian, that has been nonexclusive, that has been a police state. And we're having a hard time now, after 10 or 12 years in Iraq, getting that culture shifted to democracy. We see it in Afghanistan, and so until we face that, we're still going to have those problems.
I read the chancellor's educational plan...It looks at though it was designed for Montgomery County, or Long Island, N.Y., or some other affluent county. It was not designed for Washington, D.C., for an urban area. Not designed for a city, a ward where 82 percent of the parents are single family in my ward, where 54 percent are in poverty....
You can't teach a child to read when you can't read yourself. You can't teach a child values of respect if you don't respect yourself. And there's a lot of that going on around....We have to recognize this culture clash. Be ready—the Washington Post is going to be going crazy....I'm raising reality on where we are.
3:42 pm
What's telling is that no one even bats an eye when Barry goes off on these racist rants. Shows how seriously his colleagues take him.
3:50 pm
That is pretty much the arguement that was made in the book The Bell Curve a few years ago. But it was arguing against providing minority scholarships in universities because the disadvantaged (black/latino) culture created intellectually inferior students.
Basically,the authors said don't waste the money. If a kid isn't from the educated culture they are going to fail once in school.
Barry's statement reminds me of something my dad says. "There are two types of people that think Blacks can't learn. White Folk and Black Folk.". Maybe it is best to listen to a Korean?
3:51 pm
ahaha- After 10 or 12 years in Iraq. It seems Barry knows something about this that we don't...
3:56 pm
It takes a whole sea of scandal fatigue to float Barry's boat.
3:59 pm
With the lack of intelligence that Barry, aka. (Crackatowa) displays if he was in DC schools he would be put in a class of special needs students, and shaking down other students for their lunch money!
4:05 pm
Adrian-bent me,
We never should have gone to Iraq. We should not have tried. It would be best to give up and focuse on our economy.
Is Barry saying that we should never have tried to reform DCPS? And, would it be best to give up on our Children? Or just leave things the way they were?
You can't hate Adrian so badly that you support this non-sence. I mean, according to Barry, a Black or Latino is lucky to be able to read this article. It shouldn't be expected to be the norm.
4:13 pm
hymesb- I don't support the war, never have, never will. I just thought it was funny because Barry has always reminded me of Bush or Bush reminded me of Barry. Both are frigthening stupid yet have held great positions of power by convincing a lot of people that they weren't as stupid as they really are. This 10 or 12 year thing just brought it all back because from the onset, Bush was looking for a reason to Invade Iraq, so Barry's timeframe meshes with Bush's.
I do also intensely dislike Fenty because he's no bettter than any of these guys. Whatever people write in his defense don't know the guy personally. I do. He's a royal fucking douche and as stupid as they get.
4:26 pm
Barry is a moron when it comes to his views regarding DC schools and has perpetuated the notion that nothing will ever get better for African-American kids. Of course it won't if you keep doing the same dumb things over and over to try and teach them that haven't worked in the past.
At least Rhee understands that the schools have to be solely about the kids and not just a job machine for teachers and administrators, whether they continue to be effective or not.
4:49 pm
Marion Barry need to sit down right now. He is such a cancer to this city and has not done any good to the city for about 30+ years. When are people going to wake up and send this fool to the pasture with his broke down Corolla. Uggh.
4:52 pm
It is truly unbelieveable what an incredible racist he is. Those comments are so offensive and outrageous. No one should be subjected to that type of language, no matter what their racial background or the background of the person slandering them.
5:04 pm
Who's gonna call him out? Other black councilmembers (have you heard "Tommy" Thomas speak)? How about the white ones? Yep, tackling a race-baiting idiot like this in a City that's as racially divisive as any in the world- no one wins, no one can win. As it goes- it's not racism if you're racist to non-black minorities. But if a non-black minority (let alone a white person) were to make similar statements, they'd be run out of the City with Barry leading the charge. Hypocrisy abounds.
5:09 pm
The reality is that Marion Barry is Right ! The history of Koreans and their interactions with African Americand is like Nazi's demeaning Jews . This is a Cultural Geonicide based on Rhee's disrespect and lies .
5:14 pm
Samantha- You seem too stupid for your own good. That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. I guess the Koreans wide-spread massacring of so many African-Americans might make sense if it had happened on any capacity in any comparable form. Rhee is one fucking lady you idiot.
5:32 pm
Given that Marion Barry was elected mayor after smoking crack AND remains a fixture in DC politics, what he is saying makes sense. NOT!!!
The fact that 99% of DC General residents are black makes sense. The fact that Wards 7 and 8 are number one in the city for every social ill totally makes sense!
Seriously, why do niggas wanna blame being dumb as hell on "black culture"? He could have at least brought up class, but no... in DC there is only one type of 'black"; the kind recognized by simple ass niggas like Barry and the dullards who support him.
5:46 pm
Mr. Barry makes an excellent point and it's unfortunate that most people will disregard it due to cries of "racism." Whether we want to admit it or not, student academic performance has less to do with the public school system and much more to do with the students themselves. Students primarily receive their study habits from their parents, and the culture they're raised in.
Why do Asian American students so consistently perform better academically than other ethnic groups? Because of their culture, which highly values education, and their families, which instill strict study habits from an early age. Though we like to think that we do, Americans, sadly, do not highly value education (at least in comparison) and this lack of value is passed on to our children, perhaps moreso in certain subcultures than others. To ignore Mr. Barry's comments and the great significance of culture in our classrooms because they seem "racist" would be a huge mistake, in my opinion.
7:00 pm
@nick
Even if all you say is true, the greatest crime is to not do all we can- to let reasons (or excuses) prevent our maximum effort. That is the real effect of blaming parents and families.
And the kids; our future, are deserving of better.
7:34 pm
For anyone too dumb or too racist to understand Barry's statement, allow me to translate: "DC public school students are mostly black. DC public schools have been among the worst in the country for years, but an Asian woman cannot improve them because she's from a culture where parents push their kids to learn."
LL, could you please identify all CM's present during Barry's ignorant rant? I would like to ask them why they didn't condemn this crap.
8:25 pm
Yup. Pretty much exactly the same. Neither one has WMDs.
10:38 pm
I have never told this story before. I was at a friend's house in the 1980s. His parents came home from their dinner party. They laughed nervously but seemed shaken by something. Eventually my friend asked his parents what the hell was wrong, the Mom said that he was too young to understand and it was about politics. His father finally piped up-
Marion Barry was at the party.
"Wow" we both said in unison.
Well he's not a nice man.
Long Pause.
I talked to him about my concern about you fellows going to the 9:30 club.
"Daa-aaad" my friend said
Now listen, When I complained to him about the concern nighttime violence he responded that I shouldn't be afraid of it because it was "N***ers killing N***ers" and the city would be better off with them dead rather than pay for them to be in jail or in special ed. White kids could go listen to their music all they wanted, he said, none had ever been killed by the 9:30 club.
I had NEVER heard an adult use the N word before, especially paraphrasing a black man.
There are other times where friends told me stories about Barry wishing death upon the lower classes in DC. Everyone who has heard him talk like that to white people seems equally stunned. Something is up with that man and it's not what you think
11:55 pm
YOU MOUTHA FUCKERS ARE SO ANTI-BARRY THAT NO MATTER WHAT HE SAYS WHETHER ITS TRUE OR NOT YOU WOULD BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF HIS STATEMENTS.
@Truth Hurts IM IDENTIFYING MYSELF AND CONDEMING YOUR IGNORANT CRAP! YOUR WHINING COCKSUCKING ASS IS REALLY STARTING TO BOTHER ME.
AS A GRADUATE OF DUNBAR 1984 I CAN SPEAK TO THE "RHEE NOT UNDERSTANDING THE URBAN BLACK STUDENT". FIRST YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE MAKE UP OF THE URBAN STUDENT HERE IN WDC.
FIRST AND FOREMOST WE HAVE TO FIND OUR OWN WAY TO SCHOOL. WE COMMUTE JUST LIKE THE REST OF YALL. TRANSPO IS NOT PROVIDED. THE TREK THROUGH THE CITY TO EVEN GET TO SCHOOL IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER BECAUSE OF THE DENSELY POPULATED CITY. THE DISTRACTIONS ALONG THE WAY ALONE IS ENOUGH TO PREVENT CHILDREN FROM ATTENDING SCHOOL.
SECOND, MOST BLACK STUDENTS COME FROM SINGLE PARENT HOUSEHOLDS. THAT IS IF THEY HAVE A PARENT IN THE HOME AND NOT THEIR GRANDPARENTS. THE CHILDREN OF THIS GENERATION ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE CRACK EPIDEMIC WHICH LENDS ITSELF TO ANOTHER SET OF PROBLEMS. THAT STANK HO WASNT EVEN AROUND THEN SO HOW WOULD SHE RECOGNIZE THIS.
ALOT OF THE HOUSEHOLDS EAST OF 16TH ST DONT VALUE EDUCATION LIKE MOST OF THE FOLKS WEST OF 16TH ST. THE MAJOIRTY OF THE FOLKS EAST OF 16TH DONT HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE SO THEIR EMPLOYMENT SITUATION OR HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS LACKING IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A STABLE HOME FOR MOST CHILDREN TO COME HOME TO. SHIT MOST STUDENTS HAVE A JOB OR HUSLIN' DRUGS TO KEEP CLOTHES ON THEIR BACK AND FOOD IN THEIR STOMACHS. THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE HERE AND NOW. NOT THE FUTURE.
I COULD GO DEEPER BUT RHEE CANT EVEN IDENTIFY WITH THE BASELINE I JUST ESTABLISHED. SO WHAT YOU HAVE IS A KOREAN WOMAN WITH VIRTUALLY NO TEACHING EXPERIENCE IN THE INNER CITY FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME, NO EXPERIENCE AS A COUNSELOR OR EVEN A PRINCIPAL OF A URBAN SCHOOL WITH A MAJORITY BLACK STUDENT BASE. SO HOW CAN SHE LEAD WHEN SHE NEVER FOLLOWED? HOW CAN SHE TELL WHATS GOOD FOR URBAN BLACK STUDENTS? SHE CANT!
I STATED A FEW DAYS AGO THAT FIRING ALL THOSE TEACHERS WAS BORDERLINE CRIMINAL. HALF OF THOSE TEACHERS TAUGHT THE PARENTS OF MOST OF THE CHILDREN WHO ARE ATTENDING DCPS. THEY HAVE A RAPPORT WITH THE CHILDREN AND PARENTS. YEAH YOU GET RID OF ALL THE ONES WHO ARE NOT PERFORMING BUT I DOUBT VERY SERIOUSLY THAT 100% OF THEM WERE. WHAT QUALITY TEACHER WOULD WANT TO COME HERE WITH THAT BIRD BRAIN RUNNIN THE SHOW?
BOTTOM LINE IS SHE HAS NO CLUE AS A KOREAN WOMAN. SHE DOESNT HAVE A PLAN AS A KOREAN WOMAN. THERE IS NOT ONE IOTA OF HOPE PORTRAYED BY HER. I ASK THE SAME QUESTION ABOUT HER I ASKED ABOUT FENTY. WHAT HAS SHE DONE? WHAT DID SHE IMPLEMENT THAT WAS NEW? WHAT CAN SHE SAY THAT WAS HER IDEA? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!
SHE IS NOTHING BUT A TYPICAL KOREAN AND HER ACTIONS SHOWED IT. SHE TOLD THOSE WHO WERE RIF'S TO BUY HER SHIT OR GET OUT!
2:37 am
C'mon this is ridiculous race bating by the citypaper. Barry didn't argue a view of education that is deterministic. And the autocratic, dictatorial and hierarchical culture that Rhee comes from is Harvard with some TFA mixed in. Nothing to do with her skin color.
2:44 am
Yeah, yeah, more ignorant, racist, dumb ass dribble from pompous whiteys and COWARDICE ass, UNCLE TOMS AND AUNT JEMIMMAS!!!
Marion Barry has been in the game long enuff to know, understand and predict anything coming or going within D.C.!!
In order to place blame, you must go as far back as 1954 when the "courts" called the shots, all up and throughout the times the FEDS bullshitted not only the youth, but the entire city!
Rhee's "submissive", disrespectful and prejudiced ass can't save what she don't understand!!
DC schools were and STILL ARE a victim of politics and its problems have clearly rested with boards of education, local and state legislative bodies, and executives. Their failure to respond affirmatively to various issues is clearly the problem.
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND didn't fair to well either....the aquisition of quality education in DC has been sporadic and virtually IMPOSSIBLE, so to blame Barry is BULLSHIT, just like most of you!!
2:55 am
adrian-let-whitey bend him over-n-over-n-over again
YOU ARE A PATHETIC TOM COON I SWEAR!!
YOUR TRAITORIOUS ASS NEEDS TO BE TARRED AND FEATHERED FOR YOUR IGNORANCE!!
MR. BARRY IS CORRECT IN HIS COMPARISON TO "CULTURE" CLASH AND ONLY IN A "BLACK" SYSTEM WOULD A GOT DAYUUM KOREAN BE ALLOWED TO CHASTISE, POLITIC, ADMINISTER, LEAD, REFORM AND DITATE POLICY TO SAD SYSTEM......LAST TIM I CHECKED, KOREANS WERE ONLY GOOD FOR COOKING "BAD" FOOD AND RUNNING CORNER STORES WITH HIGH PRICED GOODS AND TAKING THE $$$ OUT TO THE SUBURBS!!!
I WONDER HOW MANY "BLACK" $$$s PUT HER THROUGH SCHOOL????
3:01 am
Yeah, yeah, more ignorant, racist, dumb ass dribble from pompous whiteys and COWARDICE ass, UNCLE TOMS AND AUNT JEMIMMAS!!!
Marion Barry has been in the game long enuff to know, understand and predict anything coming or going within D.C.!!
In order to place blame, you must go as far back as 1954 when the "courts" called the shots, all up and throughout the times the FEDS bullshitted not only the youth, but the entire city!
Rhee's "submissive", disrespectful and prejudiced ass can't save what she don't understand!!
DC schools were and STILL ARE a victim of politics and its problems have clearly rested with boards of education, local and state legislative bodies, and executives. Their failure to respond affirmatively to various issues is clearly the problem.
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND didn't fair to well either....the acquisition of quality education in DC has been sporadic and virtually IMPOSSIBLE, so blaming Barry is BULLSHIT!
7:05 am
Noodles is right. You people need to get a life. Who is going to go after those Jews that Jesus spoke of in the Bible? Those involved in wickedness in "high places"? Those who are of the "Synagogue of Satan"? Those whom he said are of their father, "the Devil"? Those who are liers and the father of lies? Does ANYONE in the City Paper have the courage to speak truth to REAL power in America?
Doubtful.
7:52 am
Let me start off my saying: saveDabay- shut the fuck up. When you have something of substance to argue about, then approach me. Until then, calling me uncle Tom is really a fucking compliment, so thank you, you little bitch. You make no sense in anything you say.
Prob- what the fuck? Where did that come from?
Noodlez- You limp-dick basturd. Dunbar son? Dahhham. I was there for a year but moved to Ballou. Look, if it was really a Korean style approach to education, then the first thing Rhee would have changed would have been parents involvement. She hasn't done that. She's so bloody far removed from her own culture that she would not even know where to begin, if that was to be her approach. What Barry said was simply stupid. Typical Barry. He said it knowing full well that no one would challenge him. As much as I dislike Rhee and everything Fenty- it really is unfair to disparage her entire race and cultural background as a result. Attack her for her shortcomings, not her upbringing.
8:14 am
@Adrian Bent-Me "Attack her for her shortcomings, not her upbringing."
THEY GO HAND IN HAND. THATS THE POINT!
9:44 am
Noodlez- I should have been more specific. Attack her for for professional shortcomings, not her personal upbringing. If you really believe that a person, pigeon-holed into a stereotype, should be judged by this "cultural standard" rather than by their accomplishments or failings, then my point to you is moot.
10:45 am
@Adrian Bent-Me COMMENT #27 MOST FOLKS CULTURAL AND PERSONAL UPBRINGING HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE DECISIONS THEY MAKE WHETHER THOSE DECISIONS ARE PERSONAL AND/OR PROFESSIONAL. OF COURSE YOU JUDGE FOLK BY THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS BUT I BET YA $1 THOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND FAILINGS ARE TAINTED WITH A PERSONS CULTURE
WHETHER YOU WANT TO BELIEVE IT OR NOT WE ARE ALL PIGEON-HOLED AND STEREOTYPED BY WHAT WE DO AND OR SAY.
12:03 pm
@ adrianwillhave2waitcuz right nowwhiteybends-me-over-n-over-again
your commitent to TOM COONERY is impressive to say the least!! This mentality right here is the REAL problem here in D.C., this thread and this paper, it keeps BLACKS off balanced and misguided, weak and disrespected, marginilized and cheated!
Your coward ass don't even understand your OWN comment, but YOU made it!!
NOODLEZ is absolutely correct, Rhee's "professional" shortcomings are a direct result of her "cultural" upbringing, ESPECIALLY if her parents maintained businesses in or around black hoods!
I know for a fact that if this was a predominantly "white" school makeup, she would have not "handled" things as such!!
Stick to what you do best; kiss ass and cosign bullshit!
12:52 pm
Why have test scores risen across the city under Rhee? I thought black kids couldn't learn in her system? And note much of what she implemented was proposed by C. Janey, so her policies are still sort of black. Face it, Barry wants a permanent underclass and cannot reconcile his own philosophies with a more-equal society (with a black mayor, majority black council, black president, etc). Neither can many residents of this city, who greatly prefer the free money of wellfare to the onerous responsibility of political empowerment. Its easier to maintain a slave mentality, unfortunately, and get your meals and checks sent to your door. Sad, the maintenance of a permanent underclass.
1:34 pm
Test scores haven't risen across the city. The racial gap in tests scores (which had previously been shrinking) has increased. The gap between rich and poor students in test scores has increased as well.
1:41 pm
One other interesting tid-bit revealed at the hearing that was stated, there aren't enough white-children in the 8th grade to have any comparative data for the test. Which leads me to say if they are not in the 8th grade...then why are preparing the ne Eastern for them to arrive?
1:47 pm
Tom, do you blame Janey or Rhee for that then? Math scores have risen, a little, based on Janey's plans and Rhees implementation. NCLB also showed progress in various DC schools and in different topics. I doubt anyone could make scores improve in every school across the city, while narrowing racial and class gaps, esp. as the vast majority of DCPS students are poor and black (ie tough to make comparisons in the system with other classes / racial groups).
1:55 pm
WAT, standard procedure for many parents in DC is to move to MD or VA ASAP as their kids age. DC elementary schools are good enough, but upper levels can be nightmares unless you can afford to live in Wards 2 and 3 and part of 1. Not many people can afford to live their, few people likewise can afford private schools, so the solution is emigration. The ones left behind are generally poor and black, exhibiting the trend known as poverty distillation (not confined to blacks of course).
2:01 pm
Racist, racist, hypocritical son of a gun.
9:32 am
Noodlez: Your comment #20 couldn't have been stated any better. Smooches to you on that one!
5:41 pm
Candycane1 wishes and hopes for a permanent underclass. Let me guess.... you're a teacher who keeps black kids uneducated. Did I guess right?
6:03 pm
CDB: Nope! You're not even close. As for my wishes and hopes, don't even go there. I doubt that you can think that far. Attacking me because I disagree with you? I don't make it a practice to attack anyone's opinions but for you, EAT SHIT AND DIE!
12:30 am
You are a frightening individual.
12:49 am
I googled your handle and saw you have posts in dozens and dozens of teacher's blogs and all over the Post and other sites where you stalk Michelle Rhee and post negative things about her.
I'm right, I am completely correct! You just made a massive fool of yourself! buh-bye!
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&q=%22michelle+rhee%22+candycane1&fp=1
CDB: FTW
CandyCane1: FAIL
3:07 am
@ adrian has2getn'linecuz whitey been-bend'n-me-over-n-over-again
you are a boot lickin', jim dandy typ'a NEGRO! That shit ain't no compliment and the last time I checked, all a nigger like you wss goof for was fetchin' massa's boots or smilin' at his jokes about YOU you clown son of a bitch!
Stand up for yo'self and be a man for once in yo' life! Make a "sacrifice" for someone other than yo'self! All that fake ass tuff talk you do'n while your kind still "falling" by the waist side cuz of the likes of you!!!
YOU are the problem in this city right along with WHITEY!
YOUR naivete' and lack of CONSCIOUS enables and empowers the scheme of white supremacy her in DC!
LQQ at your life, BOY!
7:35 am
I blog about public officials and what is in the press, but if you are that interested in what I say, where I blog and you are googling me, then you are the stalker and I suggest that you get a life and stop being so obsessive. You are the frightening individual indeed.
12:36 am
@ adrianwillhave2waitcuz right nowwhiteybends-me-over-n-over-again
your commitent to TOM COONERY is impressive to say the least!! This mentality right here is the REAL problem here in D.C., this thread and this paper, it keeps BLACKS off balanced and misguided, weak and disrespected, marginilized and cheated!
Your coward ass don't even understand your OWN comment, but YOU made it!
NOODLEZ is absolutely correct, Rhee's "professional" shortcomings are a direct result of her "cultural" upbringing, ESPECIALLY if her parents maintained businesses in or around black hoods!
I know for a fact that if this was a predominantly "white" school system, she would have "handled" the entire situation differently!
Stick to what you do best, kissin' ass and cosignin' bullshit!
2:41 pm
saveDAbay- it's hard to reason with ignorance. I wish there were more people like me and less like you, then we wouldn't have needed a person like Rhee. But there are too many ig-nant ass bitches like you in this City. So, fuck it, I'm grateful her culture in superior to ours and that she's doing her best to make ours more like hers- you dumb fucking asshole. I guess this stuff is too much for you, so go back trying to clean up the chesapeake or something and leave grown folks business alone.
2:53 pm
WTH? My first reaction to any display of ignorance from someone who shouldn't be ignorant is, "I can't believe you just said/did that." Forget Rhee for a minute. She is just a symptom of DC's gentrification movement. Let's dissect Barry without anesthesia for giving The Uppity Negroe Fenty more reasons to sweep DC's most vulnerable populations into the neighboring counties in Maryland and Virginia. Marion "D. Fool" Barry said that DC's poorest children are stuck on stupid, because their parents are either functionally illiterate or just plain illiterate, with no hope of becoming literate. Am I wrong for my assessment of this excerpt?
If I'm right then...Ward 8, wake the hell up!
3:09 pm
@ adrianwillhave2waitcuz right nowwhiteybends-me-over-n-over-again
HOUSE N*GGER please!!
You give yourself WAAAAAY too much credit!
3:12 pm
@Manor:
I didn't wait until DCPS could screw up my child. I moved my family to VA from DC, before we registered her for kindergarten. You know what goes in my family when we visit other family members for the holidays? Jokes about how my children talk like they're white...because they use standard English.
Screw how they sound...Three of them could pass the GED test by the time they were 10. Funny though, how my oldest niece and nephew spent some of their post-ES education outside of DC (THANK GOD!) and they sound "a little white" too...but their educational achievements are also to be lauded.
People, don't just say that Marion Barry needs to go, get him off of the DC Council!
3:19 pm
saveDAbay- That's the best you have. Aight, no more responding to a stupid asshole like you. Not worth my time.
Carpet- I don't disagree with you wanting what's best for your kids. I might end up moving there soon enough because saveDAbays are everywhere now. They ignore the importance of parent participation in the education of their children and then bash the hell out of anyone that changes Barry's old guard system. Enough is enough- this Uncle Tom wants change.
4:00 pm
Adrian Bent-Me
any "man" who is a self proclaimed UNCLE TOM is not only a threat to himself, but to any and everything "progressive" in this city as it relates to BLACK PEOPLE!
Yeah, please move coward because you miss the importance of self reliance, personal accountability, pride and civic responsibility! "Tom" I have children and thanks to my conviction and SELF CONSCIOUSNESS ALL of them are successful student/athletes who are excelling at a "high" level because they are supposed to!
Marion Barry is and never was the problem! When you are a "follower" you will always believe what some1 else tells or shows your dumbass! Moving will not help your kids, their dad is a coward who is a follower and has NO self kmowledge! COMMON SENSE can't be taught!!!
you are pathetic!
4:39 pm
saveDAbay- Finally, something of substance to knock your dumbass over on.
You seem to have a problem with me because I have a problem with idiots. So utilizing circular logic, you are an idiot.
As far as your children being high performing student/athletes, keep pushing their asses cause the only way out of the hood is with a basketball scholarship right? Schools aren't that important and Marion Barry never fucked us over. We did it ourselves. Maybe you're right, but I didn't force the man to smoke crack nor advised him to run this City down into the gutter. If bashing him for that makes me an Uncle Tom (and you really really should read the fucking book before you criticize someone for it), then I have no problems bitch. It's ignat assholes like you that has kept DC as much of a shithole as it is. I'm don't mind the new wave of folks coming because they'll force idiots like you to do better or fucking leave.
5:46 pm
@Adrian Bent-Me- "I'm don't mind the new wave of folks coming because they'll force idiots like you to do better or fucking leave."
MY HOMOSEXUAL HOMEY, YOU JIVE CATCHIN UP WITH RICK "MANGY" MANGUS WITH YOUR TONE. ITS NOT A GOOD LOOK. BESIDES AND ONE HATEFUL, VENGEFUL AND VINDICTIVE COCKSUCKER ON THIS SITE IS ENOUGH.
saveDAbay IS RIGHT. A BROTHER SHOULD NEVER REDUCE HIMSELF TO "TOM" STATUS AND EVEN IF ONE DOES YOU STILL DONT ADMIT IT TO THE WORLD. YOU ON THE VERGE OF GETTING YOUR NEGRO CARD REVOKED!
YOUR BUSH/BARRY COMPARISON IN YOUR COMMENT #7 WAS JUST WRONG ON SO MANY LEVELS. JUST VIEWING THEIR EDUCATION LEVEL ALONE YOU MUST RECOGNIZE THAT BARRY HAVE A MASTERS IN CHEMISTRY. WHILE DUBYA MAY HAVE AN MBA FROM HARVARD IM SURE HIS DADDY HAD A LOT TO DO WITH HIM OBTAINING IT. BUSH'S FATHER HAD A HAND IN EVERYTHING THIS MAN DID RIGHT UP TO HELPING HIM OBTAIN THE PRESIDENCY.
WHAT IM TRYIN TO SAY IS BARRY MAY HAVE MADE SOME DUMB MOVES BUT HE IS NOT STUPID. EVERYBODY HAVE THEIR WEAKNESSES AND WOMEN JUST HAPPEN TO BE HIS. YOUR BOY BUSH ON THE OTHER HAND IS JUST A STRAIGHT UP ROCK HEAD AND ITS BEEN PROVEN!
SO YOU MAY WANT TO TAP YOUR BRAKES ON THIS CHAMP BECAUSE YOU DRIVIN REAL WRECKLESS.
7:35 pm
@ adrianwillhave2waitcuz right nowwhiteybends-me-over-n-over-again
hey moron I'm not trying to best you here, but I am baiting your stupid ass though, because the more you type, the more you reveal in terms of your IGNORANCE!
Play sports to get out of "da hood" huh, where'd you learn that bit of self hate, JELLEFF boys n' girls club back n' da day????
Dude you are a fucked up individual, REAL TALK!
My kids do well based on WHO AND WHAT THEY ARE, NOT WHAT OR WHO SOMEONE WANTS/BELIEVES THEM TO BE!
9:58 am
saveDAbay- like I've said before, trying to make sense to some as stupid as you will never work. You obviously lack the basic foundation to decipher through things and will continue consuming the shit idiots like Fenty and Barry feeds you. If this is what you're teaching your kids, they're destined to be as fucked up as you. You little bitch.
Noodlez- Feud back on? And I was only now getting to not hate you as much. I mean that statement about embracing new folks in the City and having dumbasses like save, either try to do better or leave. All we've ever done in the District has been bitching and moaning about the "Man" fucking us over. Well, the Man is our own and has been our own for a long ass time. I'm being called an Uncle Tom because I refuse to embrace this mentality, so until these stupid fuckers, and sadly Noodlez, you might be included in this one, understand what it means to be an Uncle Tom, then I have no problem with it. Both Save and you are more of who Uncle Tom was than I ever will because you continue pandering to the plantation mentality. We are beyond that shit now. And I have no qualms about being verbally asbusive to anyone, white, black, yellow, who needs it. Stupidity needs to end now. I don't want to live in a City where retards like Save are scared of progress because it's coming from someone who isn't black. That's just simple-minded shit.
1:50 pm
@ adrianwillhave2waitcuz right nowwhiteybends-me-over-n-over-again
"like I've said before"
BOY that's about the gyst of what and who you are, repeating the same SHIT over n' over on a different day!
Your "wife" and kid must be proud!?
WEAK ASS FLAKE!
2:05 pm
Adrian Bent-Me
"So, fuck it, I'm grateful her culture in superior to ours and that she's doing her best to make ours more like hers- you dumb fucking asshole"
LASTLY, have you noticed anyone other than "black" addressing you "TOM" after this sad piece of detail was "disclosed" by your RETARDED ASS???
YOU "TOM FOOLERY" are on display and the joke, the absurd; a nonsensical idealist who's derisory, laughable, ludicrous, preposterous, ridiculous and all the while having no intelligible THOUGHT OF YOUR OWN!
YOU SHOULD "NEVER" BE ALLOWED TO PROCERATE!!
3:00 pm
saveDAbay- you dumbass. Barry and others supporting Barry's racist remarks, such as yourself, stated that Rhee's culture is dominant to Black culture. That was the whole point of Barry arguing so hard against her. She's from a culture that forces their children to do better and for parents to take a more active role- things that does not happen with Black families in the District. He's upset by this and your stupid ass is too. So, I stand by my statements, you fucking retard. Go and reread your own damn words. Go and reread Barry's statement- you stupid fuck.