‘Ragin Cajun’ Tarnishes H.B.C.U. Image!
‘Southern University Betrays Black Community'
By: Takuna M. EL Shabazz, C.C.B.E. Representative
The Community Council of Black Elders (C.C.B.E.) is a network of progressive multi talented, resourceful and conscientious Black Men and Women who value the concept of self-determination. As an independent community based organization and advocacy group out of Lafayette, LA., we are committed to advising/counseling, producing and/or researching available resources for the purpose of building, representing and protecting the collective interest of the Black Community. Our central areas of focus for improving the upward mobility and equity in Black communities includes politics, economics, education, social values, history and culture by any means deem necessary.
In light of the growing racial tension that is currently consuming the media, C.C.B.E. felt compelled to publicly respond to the recent decision by one of our valued H.B.C.U.s regarding an up-coming athletic event. When one of our historical Black colleges/universities agrees to schedule a football game with a university that has as its’ mascot a historical White derogatory slur term ”Cajun” that was equivalent to the slur “Nigger” with 85%-90% of its athletes being Black; that university by default become an agent of destruction and a model of self-hatred for Black people. Given the fact that the scheduling of the event seemingly took place without objections from the current Black students population of that H.B.C.U. and it's thousands of beloved and faithful graduates and followers, speaks to an ugly reality and a greater problem with some of our so-called H.B.C.U.s.
Consequently, for a so called H.B.C.U. to voluntarily participate to help finance and promote Black cultural genocide, in the name of an athletic event for the benefit of a fist full of dollars, is to capitulates to the tenants of institutional racism and oppression. It further glaringly points out the destructive impact of mis-education under the delusion of academic progress. Obviously, there are still a disproportionate number of multi talented intellectual idiots that many of our so-called H.B.C.U.s are still producing. In the title of the book “Mis-Education of the Negro”, by Dr. Carter Woodson, he accurately captures and defines this destructive behavior. For a Black educational institution and the so-called educated Black people it produces, to enthusiastically become a co-conspirator with an open oppressor of Black people, by helping to finance and celebrate the oppressor’s victory over them, are the actions of mis-educated idiots or cowards at best!
Unfortunately, Southern University of Baton Rouge LA, one of our treasured H.B.C.U.s has cast itself into the role of a co-conspirator with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette to economically and culturally exploit the Black community of Southwest LA. By every measure, as an educational institution of higher learning, U.L.L. has manifested the same racist attitudes towards its Black athletes as that of Donald Sterling of the LA Clippers of the NBA!
In their season opening for football, on August 30th 2014 the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, with a mascot of Ragin Cajun, is scheduled to play Southern University Jaguars (H.B.C.U.) out of Baton Rouge, LA., the fact that the terms Cajun and Nigger were equivalent historical racial slurs should be enough for any of our H.B.C.U.s to take pause before engaging that university in non-conference unnecessary athletic events.
Historically, given the defensive manner in which Black people used the term Cajun against Caucasians who referred to them as a Nigger; is no less then culturally insensitive and absurd for U.L.L. to call its nearly 90% Black athletes Ragin Cajuns. To propagandize and indoctrinate all students to a controlled and wrap precept of Cajun, U.L.L. has gone as far to create a required course for all incoming freshmen students entitled Cajun 101. Hence, the cleaning up of the term Cajun may very well serve as a rebirth for Cajun people but has no cultural, ethnic, social, or traditional value for Black people in Southwest Louisiana. It is immoral for a public tax supported educational institution, to inflect mental anguish on an entire community by attempting to RAPE that community of its' uniqueness as a people and true identity for the purpose of economic, political and cultural exploitation driven by greed! “If U.L.L. Black athletes are Ragin Cajuns, then black birds are white doves!”
U.L.L.'s inappropriate and insulting mascot is only the tip of the iceberg for Black people in Southwest Louisiana! The selfish and reckless promotion of Cajun by U.L.L. is essentially part of a massive government funded modern day “ Nigger” making process for Black people in Southwest Louisiana all over again. Note, every person of worth, place and thing have been relabeled as Cajun or assumed to be! It is clearly an expression of White Supremacy in the form of White colonialism. The systems of institutional racism in the name of Cajun are perpetrated by the abuse of political powers, mis-education, taxation without representation, economic exploitation, social engineering, cultural terrorism, cultural piracy, spiritual cowardliness and a gambit of psychological warfare tactics, that have been unleashed on Black people in Southwest Louisiana in the name of “ Cajun Mania”. The persistent cultural war-like atmosphere has exacerbated divisions, Black cultural genocide, and self-hatred for Black people. Most notably affected are Black children who are in danger of being the greatest potential casualties.
The systematic dummying down of U.L.L.’s Black students is over whelming evidence of this disturbing trend! In spite of an ongoing blatant cultural assault on Black communities in Southwest Louisiana, most Black students at U.L.L. (University of Louisiana at Lafayette) both current and recent past, appears to be content with being passive self hating victims of Cajun mania. A disturbing number of Black students seemed to have been made comfortable with accepting a cultural and historical standard of abnormality regarding self and kind. The Black students, especially the Black athletes, appear to have been dummied down to the point in which they are totally unaware or have been mentally disengaged from the issue and feel immune to the contradictions and damaging consequences of their malignant self-hating behavior. The greatest motivation for some of the U.L.L. Black athletes to remain ignorant on the subject is fear of losing their scholarships. It is insane (not normal) TO PASSIVELY participate economically, culturally and politically in our own cultural genocide as a Black community!
Mr. Donald Sterling recent racist remarks directed at the Black NBA players, I believe were not new and were known by others in management but were over looked because institutional racism is alive and well in the NBA, NFL and professional sports in general. Realistically, many predominantly White colleges and universities mirror the NBA in that regard!
U.L.L. has to be ranked in the top five among racist educational institutions with a mascot as Ragin Cajun, the twin slur for Nigger, but recruits 85% to 90% Black athletes.
Now we have Southern University, one of our H.B.C.U.s, endorsing that racist system for a few dollars. Who wins and who loses in this situation is obvious! Southern University potentially will generate millions of dollars for a blatantly racist institution and a predominately White controlled business community that has no vested interest in the economic or cultural well being of the Black community! Southern will also serve as the token H.B.C.U. to under mind the local resistance for Self-Determination against Black cultural genocide and economic exploitation. Proponents of Cajun mania and their token Negroes are counting on the political immaturity of the masses of Black people to not perceive or over look this truth and attend the event in mass numbers. Also, the exploiters are depending on the blind emotional love that many in the Black community have for Southern University as a Black Institution. Be clear, the exploiter anticipate this blind love and loyalty to over ride common sense and intelligent behavior as a Black community.
Let the truth be told! It is not uncommon for the Caucasian exploiters and their Negroes to think like that! It worked very well in the past. The last football outing between the two schools in 2009, U.L.L. average attendance was 4,000 to 5,000 per game. The night Southern University played U.L.L. the attendance spiked to 43,000. Southern lost the game and a number of Black fans reportedly were mistreated or disrespected. Ironically, some Black fans were embarrassed and disappointed that Southern lost the game but seem to be immune to the insult of Black people (U.L.L.'s Black athletes) being called Ragin Cajuns all night. Given the historical Black perspective regarding the use of the term Cajun, for informed and conscious Black people that’s equivalent to being called a glorified Ragin White Nigger! How much more glaring can the ignorance of Black self-knowledge present itself?
At least, to the credit of the NBA commission, efforts are now being made to reign in the hidden supporters of Donald Sterling to protect the economic interest of the greater professional athletic plantation. . Even the NFL is being questioned on its adverse position regarding the plight of the Native Americans resistance to the naming of the Washington’s football team mascot as Red Skins. The Native Americans 30 year battle of insisting that their perspective for their cultural and historical values be properly respected and acknowledged have always been a real issue but ignored by the powers of institutional racism. However, I am encouraged by the words and action of Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabbar and LeBron James and others who are standing firm against institutional racism. Perhaps, U.L.L.’s Black athletes might benefit from their courage and stand strong as Black men and Women and say loudly, " I will ‘Not Play’ If I am called Cajun"! Black I am Cajun/Creole I am NOT! Dr. MartinLuther King said it: "I am Black and I'M Proud!"! Check out video below!
As a Black community all we have to do in support of our talented and gifted athletic young men and women is to not buy a ticket to attend the games! Simply put- boycott all U.L.L.'s athletic events! Start by making a statement with the Southern game. What will it take for Black people to stand in unison and realize that U.L.L. and its Ragin Cajun mascot is the Donald Sterling for the Black communities in Southwest Louisiana? Freedom is not Free! It never was and never will be in a world that is predicated on racism, sexism, materialism, classism and greed!
For more information and details on Cajun Mania: Purchased the book 'Black I am Cajun/Creole I am not!' www.blackiambookstore.net or amazon.com (paperback and e-book version available). To keep up with what comes next follow my blog on: Facebook or www.ccbe.weebly.com.
‘Southern University Betrays Black Community'
By: Takuna M. EL Shabazz, C.C.B.E. Representative
The Community Council of Black Elders (C.C.B.E.) is a network of progressive multi talented, resourceful and conscientious Black Men and Women who value the concept of self-determination. As an independent community based organization and advocacy group out of Lafayette, LA., we are committed to advising/counseling, producing and/or researching available resources for the purpose of building, representing and protecting the collective interest of the Black Community. Our central areas of focus for improving the upward mobility and equity in Black communities includes politics, economics, education, social values, history and culture by any means deem necessary.
In light of the growing racial tension that is currently consuming the media, C.C.B.E. felt compelled to publicly respond to the recent decision by one of our valued H.B.C.U.s regarding an up-coming athletic event. When one of our historical Black colleges/universities agrees to schedule a football game with a university that has as its’ mascot a historical White derogatory slur term ”Cajun” that was equivalent to the slur “Nigger” with 85%-90% of its athletes being Black; that university by default become an agent of destruction and a model of self-hatred for Black people. Given the fact that the scheduling of the event seemingly took place without objections from the current Black students population of that H.B.C.U. and it's thousands of beloved and faithful graduates and followers, speaks to an ugly reality and a greater problem with some of our so-called H.B.C.U.s.
Consequently, for a so called H.B.C.U. to voluntarily participate to help finance and promote Black cultural genocide, in the name of an athletic event for the benefit of a fist full of dollars, is to capitulates to the tenants of institutional racism and oppression. It further glaringly points out the destructive impact of mis-education under the delusion of academic progress. Obviously, there are still a disproportionate number of multi talented intellectual idiots that many of our so-called H.B.C.U.s are still producing. In the title of the book “Mis-Education of the Negro”, by Dr. Carter Woodson, he accurately captures and defines this destructive behavior. For a Black educational institution and the so-called educated Black people it produces, to enthusiastically become a co-conspirator with an open oppressor of Black people, by helping to finance and celebrate the oppressor’s victory over them, are the actions of mis-educated idiots or cowards at best!
Unfortunately, Southern University of Baton Rouge LA, one of our treasured H.B.C.U.s has cast itself into the role of a co-conspirator with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette to economically and culturally exploit the Black community of Southwest LA. By every measure, as an educational institution of higher learning, U.L.L. has manifested the same racist attitudes towards its Black athletes as that of Donald Sterling of the LA Clippers of the NBA!
In their season opening for football, on August 30th 2014 the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, with a mascot of Ragin Cajun, is scheduled to play Southern University Jaguars (H.B.C.U.) out of Baton Rouge, LA., the fact that the terms Cajun and Nigger were equivalent historical racial slurs should be enough for any of our H.B.C.U.s to take pause before engaging that university in non-conference unnecessary athletic events.
Historically, given the defensive manner in which Black people used the term Cajun against Caucasians who referred to them as a Nigger; is no less then culturally insensitive and absurd for U.L.L. to call its nearly 90% Black athletes Ragin Cajuns. To propagandize and indoctrinate all students to a controlled and wrap precept of Cajun, U.L.L. has gone as far to create a required course for all incoming freshmen students entitled Cajun 101. Hence, the cleaning up of the term Cajun may very well serve as a rebirth for Cajun people but has no cultural, ethnic, social, or traditional value for Black people in Southwest Louisiana. It is immoral for a public tax supported educational institution, to inflect mental anguish on an entire community by attempting to RAPE that community of its' uniqueness as a people and true identity for the purpose of economic, political and cultural exploitation driven by greed! “If U.L.L. Black athletes are Ragin Cajuns, then black birds are white doves!”
U.L.L.'s inappropriate and insulting mascot is only the tip of the iceberg for Black people in Southwest Louisiana! The selfish and reckless promotion of Cajun by U.L.L. is essentially part of a massive government funded modern day “ Nigger” making process for Black people in Southwest Louisiana all over again. Note, every person of worth, place and thing have been relabeled as Cajun or assumed to be! It is clearly an expression of White Supremacy in the form of White colonialism. The systems of institutional racism in the name of Cajun are perpetrated by the abuse of political powers, mis-education, taxation without representation, economic exploitation, social engineering, cultural terrorism, cultural piracy, spiritual cowardliness and a gambit of psychological warfare tactics, that have been unleashed on Black people in Southwest Louisiana in the name of “ Cajun Mania”. The persistent cultural war-like atmosphere has exacerbated divisions, Black cultural genocide, and self-hatred for Black people. Most notably affected are Black children who are in danger of being the greatest potential casualties.
The systematic dummying down of U.L.L.’s Black students is over whelming evidence of this disturbing trend! In spite of an ongoing blatant cultural assault on Black communities in Southwest Louisiana, most Black students at U.L.L. (University of Louisiana at Lafayette) both current and recent past, appears to be content with being passive self hating victims of Cajun mania. A disturbing number of Black students seemed to have been made comfortable with accepting a cultural and historical standard of abnormality regarding self and kind. The Black students, especially the Black athletes, appear to have been dummied down to the point in which they are totally unaware or have been mentally disengaged from the issue and feel immune to the contradictions and damaging consequences of their malignant self-hating behavior. The greatest motivation for some of the U.L.L. Black athletes to remain ignorant on the subject is fear of losing their scholarships. It is insane (not normal) TO PASSIVELY participate economically, culturally and politically in our own cultural genocide as a Black community!
Mr. Donald Sterling recent racist remarks directed at the Black NBA players, I believe were not new and were known by others in management but were over looked because institutional racism is alive and well in the NBA, NFL and professional sports in general. Realistically, many predominantly White colleges and universities mirror the NBA in that regard!
U.L.L. has to be ranked in the top five among racist educational institutions with a mascot as Ragin Cajun, the twin slur for Nigger, but recruits 85% to 90% Black athletes.
Now we have Southern University, one of our H.B.C.U.s, endorsing that racist system for a few dollars. Who wins and who loses in this situation is obvious! Southern University potentially will generate millions of dollars for a blatantly racist institution and a predominately White controlled business community that has no vested interest in the economic or cultural well being of the Black community! Southern will also serve as the token H.B.C.U. to under mind the local resistance for Self-Determination against Black cultural genocide and economic exploitation. Proponents of Cajun mania and their token Negroes are counting on the political immaturity of the masses of Black people to not perceive or over look this truth and attend the event in mass numbers. Also, the exploiters are depending on the blind emotional love that many in the Black community have for Southern University as a Black Institution. Be clear, the exploiter anticipate this blind love and loyalty to over ride common sense and intelligent behavior as a Black community.
Let the truth be told! It is not uncommon for the Caucasian exploiters and their Negroes to think like that! It worked very well in the past. The last football outing between the two schools in 2009, U.L.L. average attendance was 4,000 to 5,000 per game. The night Southern University played U.L.L. the attendance spiked to 43,000. Southern lost the game and a number of Black fans reportedly were mistreated or disrespected. Ironically, some Black fans were embarrassed and disappointed that Southern lost the game but seem to be immune to the insult of Black people (U.L.L.'s Black athletes) being called Ragin Cajuns all night. Given the historical Black perspective regarding the use of the term Cajun, for informed and conscious Black people that’s equivalent to being called a glorified Ragin White Nigger! How much more glaring can the ignorance of Black self-knowledge present itself?
At least, to the credit of the NBA commission, efforts are now being made to reign in the hidden supporters of Donald Sterling to protect the economic interest of the greater professional athletic plantation. . Even the NFL is being questioned on its adverse position regarding the plight of the Native Americans resistance to the naming of the Washington’s football team mascot as Red Skins. The Native Americans 30 year battle of insisting that their perspective for their cultural and historical values be properly respected and acknowledged have always been a real issue but ignored by the powers of institutional racism. However, I am encouraged by the words and action of Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabbar and LeBron James and others who are standing firm against institutional racism. Perhaps, U.L.L.’s Black athletes might benefit from their courage and stand strong as Black men and Women and say loudly, " I will ‘Not Play’ If I am called Cajun"! Black I am Cajun/Creole I am NOT! Dr. MartinLuther King said it: "I am Black and I'M Proud!"! Check out video below!
As a Black community all we have to do in support of our talented and gifted athletic young men and women is to not buy a ticket to attend the games! Simply put- boycott all U.L.L.'s athletic events! Start by making a statement with the Southern game. What will it take for Black people to stand in unison and realize that U.L.L. and its Ragin Cajun mascot is the Donald Sterling for the Black communities in Southwest Louisiana? Freedom is not Free! It never was and never will be in a world that is predicated on racism, sexism, materialism, classism and greed!
For more information and details on Cajun Mania: Purchased the book 'Black I am Cajun/Creole I am not!' www.blackiambookstore.net or amazon.com (paperback and e-book version available). To keep up with what comes next follow my blog on: Facebook or www.ccbe.weebly.com.