I Love Your Blog Award

There are many villagers that quietly join us to enjoy the posts and comments without sharing their village voice. You never know if your work as a blogger is appreciated by those stealth villagers.

One of our stealth villagers is Tey, a busy working Filipina mom living in Toronto. Tey publishes a blog titled, 'My Daily Thoughts'. We were surprised when Tey presented the 'I Love Your Blog Award' to "Villager for his informative posts about Black people (just love it)."

Tey, I appreciate the love. Following Tey's lead, we want to show a little love for other blogs that deserve it. The Electronic Village presents the 'I Love Your Blog Award' to five others that we read and enjoy often. They are more than welcome to pass along the award to other blogs which they love to read as well and so on.

1. The Field Negro - Field provides the best social and political commentary on the Internet for people of African descent. Period.
2. Too Sense - This brother is part of the upcoming revolution of thought that will free the minds of our people.
3. Eddie Griffin, BASG - Eddie brought Black bloggers into prominence with his work on Shaquanda Cotton case.
4. Dallas South Blog - Shawn went to Jena, LA for the march on 9/20/07. He is becoming the face of Black bloggers for mainstream media.
5. Black and Missing, But Not Forgotten - Deidra breaks the silence on all the missing Black women in America.

Congratulations to all of you and thanks for writing such great blogs. Villagers, who are the blogs and bloggers that YOU love?

Happy Birthday Desmond Tutu From Everyone Except Folks in Minnesota

Drumbeats from Retabile tell us about St. Thomas University decision to ban Desmond Tutu from speaking on their campus. It turns out that having an enemy of the state speak on a college campus is easier than getting permission for a Nobel Laureate who was instrumental in ending apartheid in South Africa. C'mon St. Thomas University ... where is the love?

I thought that the decision to cancel Desmond Tutu from speaking on campus was simply a misguided birthday present of some sort. Today (October 7) is Desmond Tutu's birthday. But, it appears that the university officials were concerned that Jewish contributors might be offended by having a Nobel Laureate on their rooty-poot campus. Can you believe it? Who knew that Jewish power brokers held such power in Minnesota. I wouldn't be surprised if these same jerks at St. Thomas University aren't found regularly in Larry Craig's stall at the Minnesota airport.

I hope that some other major university will seize upon the opportunity to invite Desmond Tutu to speak on their campus since St. Thomas is too afraid of the dark to do so. Villagers, any thoughts you care to share on this issue?

Lyrics Anger Jena Mayor More Than Nooses Ever Did

Drumbeats from Kristi told us about flap between John Mellencamp and Jena mayor. I saw Mellencamp in a movie called Falling From Grace back in the day. Earlier this year he wrote a song called 'Jena'. Mellencamp's song opens, "An all-white jury hides the executioner's face; See how we are, me and you?"

As he sings, images of Jena, the high school and the tree are followed by video from the 1960s, including civil rights marchers, police beatings, and President John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King speaking. Still images include one of a protest sign reading, "God demands segregation," a stylized drawing of people in Ku Klux Klan robes and an older image of a black man in shackles, begging.

The mayor of Jena is pissed off about the song and video. The mayor wrote, "The town of Jena has for months been mischaracterized in the media and portrayed as the epicenter of hatred, racism and a place where justice is denied".

The mayor said he had previously stayed quiet, hoping that the town's courtesy to people who have visited over the past year would speak for itself. "However, the Mellencamp video is so inflammatory, so defamatory, that a line has been crossed and enough is enough."

Perhaps the outrage over Jena never materializes if Mayor McMillin showed this anger about the whites only tree in the local high school or if the Jena City Council didn't feel that nooses being hung in trees were no more than a prank.

Villagers, you be the judge. Click here to see the video or read below to see the lyrics:

An all white jury hides the executioner's face
See how we are, me and you?
Everyone here needs to know their place
Let's keep this blackbird hidden in the flue

Oh oh oh Jena
Oh oh oh Jena
Oh oh oh Jena

Take your nooses down
So what becomes of boys that cannot think straight
Particularly those with paper bag skin
Yes sir, no sir we'll wipe that smile right off your face
We've got our rules here and you must fit in

Oh oh oh Jena
Oh oh oh Jena
Oh oh oh Jena

Take your nooses down
Some day some way sanity will prevail
But who knows when that day might come
A shot in the dark, well it just might find its way
To the hearts of those that hold the keys to kingdom come

Oh oh oh Jena
Oh oh oh Jena
Oh oh oh Jena

Take those nooses down

Oh oh hey Jena
Oh oh Jena
Oh oh Jena

Take your nooses down
Take those nooses all down

Villagers, what say u?