Afrospear Mission Statement Revisited

I am reposting here my thoughts after reading about a suggestion about starting an afrospear. And after recents comments I decided to reread the mission statement for clarification.

First my post

I

did it. The it is on my sidebar. I became a member of the afrospear. Names. Call it what you may, blackosphere/afrosphere/African-Americanosphere... But, I got my afrospear.

The symbol represents a concern many share in the blogosphere. Different concerns, but a common theme, a divide in the community.

I was concerned about the lack of African-American male bloggers in responses to Shaquanda Cotton. Of course, there were a few, but many where not presence on the site created for Free Shaquanda Cotton. No problem, just an insight.

So now I get to participate in the Afrospear challenge as it brings its movement. I read much of the material that has been posted on some of the sites. So, I am going to say, I think that many of the great minds will have an impact..the legal, the scholars. I believe they can explain legislations that are having a negative impact on our families in the prison system. I believe that Afrospear can help draft legislation to make changes. A grassroot net that must reach beyond the keyboard.

I find the creation of blogs troublesome. Simply because many who need the service offered by Afrospear are not on the internet. So I believe some other type of outreach program will need to be implemented. I suggest that we form a main blog, as a directory for those who do need the service of the afrospear. I suggest that those who do not have access to the internet be informed about the movement through webcast throughout the various cities that are represented in the afrospear.

I also agree with one of the bloggers, on the lack of brick and mortar participation from the afrospear in advocating for those most in need. I suggest that each blogger join an organization and implement the afrospear within such organizations. And the webcast could be one way of pulling in folks to learn how to blog. I suggest that a post goes up by one member, specifically about Afrospear agenda, once a week, a different blogger each week, and we all go over and comment.

This will change as the membership grows. I don't care who is the author, the article can be emailed to the host blogger, but a shared community. A model in which the Afrosphere can copy is African-American Political Pundit which does an excellent job for bloggers. And has already started a listing on African-American(Black) Opinion on the Afrospear members.

Perhaps these things are already being done, but I offer my two cents.

The post below is just something I wanted to share, and tell me what you think.To read the complete post go to Professor Zero.

None of these movements function effectively when the focus is on catering to the diverse needs of those enlisted in the ranks; the diversity can be acknowledged and supported, but a shared purpose must, for maximum effectiveness, remain the point of concentration. The common assumption that political action should be based on a fully shared–even identical–set of values and perspectives among those committed to a cause isn’t a good operational guide for effective organizing.

Within a given movement, differences are bound to exist among the rank and file in regard to class, race, gender, age, geographical location, religious belief and so on. But when those differences become the prime focus of attention, the energy that should be saved for working against a common oppressor gets diverted and sapped. To form powerful, effective political organizations, individuals cannot be allowed to let the differences that separate them usurp the agenda.

One central reason movements for social reform in this country have rapidly run aground is our commitment to the ideological belief (not the practice) of the supreme importance of the individual

The mission statement:

We live in a forced collective. Hear me out.

This gathering of people of African descent — whether born in the U.S. or Africa or elsewhere, whether descendants of slaves or free men, whether rich or indigent –this gathering arises out of a need for self-determination and a history of forced subordination and removed relativity to an abstract outsider. We face each other under a banner of survivalist solidarity because regardless of our differences — whether they be our sexualities, our disabilities, our religions or our interests — we are viewed as one. What jerks at one of us sends tremors through all of us. So we need to understand each other.

This space is an area to gather our thoughts — thoughts that we do not or should not expect to mesh into a single river of black unity. Thoughts that we do not write to bolster our Afro-credibility. Thoughts that may seem contradictory at times. We come together to share what we think works best for us as people who have had our fates forcibly woven together. As human beings, however, this weaving can read as a blessing or a curse. These writings, presented by a variety of different perspectives of those cut from the African cloth, intend to explore the mountains and the valleys of the landscape of being a person of African descent.

What does being a person of African descent mean? How does it guide individual and collective politics? Does it influence the formation of identity? Should we abandon identity altogether? What problems do we face, and what clear goals should we set to solve them? When should we band together? When should we break apart? Where should our priorities lie? This think tank does not claim any political affiliation; it does not claim any religion; it does not profess any specific philosophy as the guidepost for our people. Here, we unite to teach and to listen, to share and to withhold, to grow and to develop into people we pride within this forced unifier. We aim to loosen the restraints of these perceptive chains and to join our hands in unity — but only if we choose to do so.

These stories and ideas are thoughts of action, of ambition, of revelation, and of courage within our collective AfroSphere. We want to be interactive with those who share the above vision and want to add a positive contribution, i.e., their stories and ideas to this collective. We welcome interaction through comments, posts and essays. We will utilize the voices of guest contributors. However, we will have a zero tolerance policy on comments whose goal is to sow dissention, engages in personal attacks and/or attempts to demonize others because of their beliefs and/or opinions. Only positive criticisms, analysis and comments that educate, enlighten and edify will be allowed. This does not mean that we are only looking for those who will agree with our points of view. Far from it. However we are creating a space where discussion, discourse and debate can be exchanged in a respectful environment.

Welcome to AfroSpear. Share your insight.

The AfroSpear Circle.


My insight:

I think that we in the afrospear are reading the writings of the debates going on in the afrospear circle. And from that insight an action agenda has arisen from the thoughtful writing as well. It's all good.