Like the faces that are woven in the fabric of my consciousness
From cities where making 21’s a big accomplishment
Like when my people understood their prominence
And my past life visions of the continent

Talib Kweli “Memories Live”

“And fantasy it was, for we were not strong, only aggressive; we were not free, merely licensed; we were not compassionate, we were polite; not good, but well behaved. We courted death in order to call ourselves brave, and hid like thieves from life.”

- Toni Morrison “The Bluest Eye”

Last night, I had the opportunity to appear on The O’Reilly Factor. After engaging in a spirited conversation about appropriate speech during war time, I received dozens of emails. Here are a  few, copied verbatim, that reflect the sentiments of most of the correspondence:

• You are just another piece of black shit that  has to have air time. That is referred to as QUOTAS!! How many whites did you get to go around to get your hand out type degree?
• You are the perfect reason why affirmative action should not exist.  What a total asshole.  Please it is a shame in this country that they give people phds because of there color.  You are a total unitelligent idiot.  Everything you say on the television is so canned. You can tell it was fed to you. This country is in such trouble that you are allowed to teach kids.
• My only question sir, do you truly have a doctoral degree? While this question may seem adversarial, it does beg to be answered.  I have seen you on various programs and judging from your tenuous speech, apprehensive command of the language, and transparent attempts at circumlocution, I felt compelled to inquire.
• AFTER WATCHING YOU ON THE OREILLY FACTOR DEFENDING THE LIKES OF ROSIE O’SLUT I WAS WONDERING IF YOUR DAMN BIG MOUTH EVER GOES IN LOW GEAR. IT IS PLAIN TO SEE YOU ARE A COLLEGE GRAD WITH NO COMMON SENSE AND IT IRKS THE HELL OUT OF ME TO THINK THAT I RISKED MY LIFE FOR TRASH LIKE YOU AND IDIOTS LIKE ROSIE AND CINDY SHEEHAN, SEAN PENN, SUSAN SARANDON AND OTHER POOR LITTLE HALF-WITS. IF YOU BUNCH OF PEACE FREAKS WOULD HAVE JOINED THE SERVICE MAYBE YOU COULD SEE WHY WE INVADE OTHER COUNTRIES. I WAS A VIET-NAM VET THAT SAW BABIES BLOWN UP AS WELL AS WOMEN PULLED APART. DON’T YOU KNOW THE SAME THING IS GOING ON IN IRAQ. DO YOU WANT THEM OVER HERE/ I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT 9-11 WOULD HAVE TAUGHT YOU SOMETHING. I HOPE WHEN WE DO GET INVADED AGAIN THE INVADERS SHOVE A LIVE GRENADE UP ALL YOUR ASSES. NOW DEAL WITH THAT
• So, you’re a “public intellectual” eh? What a joke. You’ve gotten your degrees out of a veritable crackerjack box of a university. You and Rosie O’Donnell are in the same league, except that she could probably kick your ass.