On November 9th, the stars will be coming out in Atlanta for the Michael Baisden Charity Reception, Concert and Fundraiser. Some of you will recognize Mr. Baisden as the radio talk show host who took up the cause of the Jena 6 and helped publicize the September 20th event in Jena. Unfortunately, the Bad Boy of Talk Radio has recently demonstrated that he is no friend of the Jena 6.
Fearful that some folks may want to donate to the Jena 6 Defense Fund via the Color of Change Website, Mr. Baisden has repeatedly informed his listeners that money donated to this fund isn’t getting to the families. Technically, this is true: the money is going to the attorneys to reimburse legal expenses such as travel, investigators and the like.
Moreover, Michael Baisden knows where all the money Color of Change has raised is going because James Rucker and his associates have made a complete financial accounting to the radio personality and his team. They didn’t have to do this; they chose to because that’s the kind of organization Mr. Rucker runs.
Where are the thousands of dollars Mr. Baisden has collected for his fund? You will notice that the Bad Boy never claims that the money he is raising money is destined for the legal defense of the Jena 6. Since two of Mychal Bell’s attorneys are listed among the guest speakers, I am assuming that some of the money (perhaps all of it) is going to fund Mr. Bell’s legal team.
I have no problem with Mr. Love, Lust and Lies supporting Mychal Bell’s legal team; but let’s get one thing straight–not a dime of this money is going to the attorneys representing the other five defendants. To date, none of them has seen dollar one.
And let’s get something else straight; while Michael Baisden refuses to reveal how much money he has raised or how the funds are being dispersed, every penny donated through Color of Change is now in the hands of the attorneys representing all six defendants.
The Atlanta gala makes me a little nervous–possibly because everything associated with the Jena 6 reflects on me and every other person connected to this struggle for justice. Do the sponsoring organizations cooperating with Mr. Baisden know what they are supporting? Are they asking the right questions? Will there be a full accounting of all funds donated?
I don’t know. I don’t need to know. But if you have donated any money to Mr. Baisden’s war chest, or if you intend to, you need to know.
Friends of Justice 
Thank you, Mr. & Mrs. Bean. This controversy has caused some concern among bloggers who support the Jena 6. I have examined the records and find that Michael Baisden is wrong. It appears that Marcus Jones (father of Mychal Bell) wants all the funds donated to his son’s case, at the expense of the other 5 defendants. Evidence show the funds are split 6 ways among the defendants’ lawyers. I wonder what will Atty. Louis Scott say when she appears at Baisden’s rally on Nov. 9 & 10. Will she admit that she received a check from Color of Change in the amount of $33,150, approximately one-sixth of total funds raised? As for David Bowie’s $10,000 donation, the NAACP Legal Defense Funds published a story of receiving it on behalf of the Jena 6. So, where is the problem? I believe the problem is with Mr. Marcus Jones.
Alan,
I think you seriously underestimate the intelligence of some of the people who have been supporting and following the Jena 6. Some of us can and do think for ourselves – separate and apart from the Baisden-Sharpton-NAACP triumvirate. And those of us who are not asleep at the wheel knew full well that when money in the amounts of that which has and is being collected are involved, possible manipulation by SOMEBODY was bound to occur. Right along with critical thinking comes critical giving for those to whom those things matter. Which is why putting money in every box, on every corner along the march route or sending money to every
purported “defense fund” is not what EVERYBODY is doing. Some people will be caught up in the celebrity and some will not. That has become the natural order of things for a lot of people who need to be a part of some group or other to feel useful and whole. And I understand that.
While I appreciate the heads-up, I’m starting to worry about you. Initially, when it was just The Friends of Justice, your tone on these blogs was so harmonious – even as a part of the triumvirate rolled into town (that Aug. 18th blog just keeps popping up in my head!). But I have to say, as the momentum began to build for the September 20th march, in large part to the addition of the “Bad Boy” to the triumvirate, I noticed a more and more irritated Alan Bean. You said in your Sept. 11th reply to my initial post wherein I’d emailed Mr.Baisden about the FOJ, “… there is no reason why other civil rights and civil liberties organizations couldn’t do what we do–they just choose not to for reasons I will explain in another post.”
My reply to that was this – and still is, “Knowing your strengths guarantees longevity I always say. That the Friends of Justice is successful because they know how to frame a story for the media and the advocacy community ensures they will be able to continue to make a difference long after all the “pomp and circumstance” is done – if that’s your ultimate goal. Whether or not other civil rights and civil liberties organizations could do what you do but they just choose not to is arguable. But why argue? Just keep doing what you do and those who know the truth will speak it.
Keep your head up!”
From the day of the march on, as I continued to read the blog, I said, “Whoa! Who is this person??” It seemed the triumvirate, et al. had gotten your goat and forced you to be like them – who should get the credit, why are they getting so much credit?Credit, credit, credit!!!!
In your Sept. 29th blog you said this, “Can we get back on message here? I hope so. I spent two months framing this story before I fed it to the journalists and the bloggers. It hurts to watch celebrity activists wandering so far off-message.” While you may have expressed hurt at what you were watching, your words screamed, “I found this story, I spent a lot of time making this story and MY message is the ONLY message!!” Since then, there’s been a pebble in my shoe, annoyingly causing me discomfort. The only way I know how to deal with that discomfort is to address the pebble – so here I am.
I’m not a fan of “framing.” Quite frankly, I like my truth “straight-up” so I can decide for myself what I want to get behind especially since I don’t have the luxury of “choosing” to support just one unfair agenda from the many which encompass the racism with which I’ve lived for 50+ years in this country. Yes, the criminal justice system is screwed up for Blacks, but so are schools, banks, employment opportunities, the military, health care and the list goes on and on. But let’s be very clear ( for the Cosbys, Winfreys and McWhorters, et al in particular), you will find no “victim” here.
As for the triumvirate, even you acknowledged you could not have accomplished what has been accomplished to date without their help. So if we must talk about credit, let’s be fair. Now if you want to talk motivations, tthat’s a whole ‘nother discussion because there are several to examine and consider. And some are none too pretty, though age-old.
I’ve not heard anything that’s been said on the Michael Baisden Show. The affiliate who carried the shows of the triumvirate here in S. Florida was sold a couple weeks after the march. The same thing’s been happening to quite a few of those affiliates – but I digress. I don’t doubt your assertions because 1) I have read about them elsewhere – and trust me, I’m not the only person reading. 2) Patriarchy is as rampant in the Black community as it is in the society at large – maybe moreso. So, them telling us to whom and to what we should give our money means no more or no less to those who critically give. If I may suggest, put the truth out there and let it speak for itself.
As I offered before, “Just keep doing what you do and those who know the truth will speak it” (as with Mr. Griffin). Anything else really smacks of paternalism at the very least.
Alan,
I think you seriously underestimate the intelligence of some of the people who have been supporting and following the Jena 6. Some of us can and do think for ourselves – separate and apart from the Baisden-Sharpton-NAACP triumvirate. And those of us who are not asleep at the wheel knew full well that when money in the amounts of that which has and is being collected are involved, possible manipulation by SOMEBODY was bound to occur. Right along with critical thinking comes critical giving for those to whom those things matter. Which is why putting money in every box, on every corner along the march route or sending money to every
purported “defense fund” is not what EVERYBODY is doing. Some people will be caught up in the celebrity and some will not. That has become the natural order of things for a lot of people who need to be a part of some group or other to feel useful and whole. And I understand that.
While I appreciate the heads-up, I’m starting to worry about you. Initially, when it was just The Friends of Justice, your tone on these blogs was so harmonious – even as a part of the triumvirate rolled into town (that Aug. 18th blog just keeps popping up in my head!). But I have to say, as the momentum began to build for the September 20th march, in large part to the addition of the “Bad Boy” to the triumvirate, I noticed a more and more irritated Alan Bean. You said in your Sept. 11th reply to my initial post wherein I’d emailed Mr.Baisden about the FOJ, “… there is no reason why other civil rights and civil liberties organizations couldn’t do what we do–they just choose not to for reasons I will explain in another post.”
My reply to that was this – and still is, “Knowing your strengths guarantees longevity I always say. That the Friends of Justice is successful because they know how to frame a story for the media and the advocacy community ensures they will be able to continue to make a difference long after all the “pomp and circumstance” is done – if that’s your ultimate goal. Whether or not other civil rights and civil liberties organizations could do what you do but they just choose not to is arguable. But why argue? Just keep doing what you do and those who know the truth will speak it.
Keep your head up!”
From the day of the march on, as I continued to read the blog, I said, “Whoa! Who is this person??” It seemed the triumvirate, et al. had gotten your goat and forced you to be like them – who should get the credit, why are they getting so much credit?Credit, credit, credit!!!!
In your Sept. 29th blog you said this, “Can we get back on message here? I hope so. I spent two months framing this story before I fed it to the journalists and the bloggers. It hurts to watch celebrity activists wandering so far off-message.” While you may have expressed hurt at what you were watching, your words screamed, “I found this story, I spent a lot of time making this story and MY message is the ONLY message!!” Since then, there’s been a pebble in my shoe, annoyingly causing me discomfort. The only way I know how to deal with that discomfort is to address the pebble – so here I am.
I’m not a fan of “framing.” Quite frankly, I like my truth “straight-up” so I can decide for myself what I want to get behind especially since I don’t have the luxury of “choosing” to support just one unfair agenda from the many which encompass the racism with which I’ve lived for 50+ years in this country. Yes, the criminal justice system is screwed up for Blacks, but so are schools, banks, employment opportunities, the military, health care and the list goes on and on. But let’s be very clear ( for the Cosbys, Winfreys and McWhorters, et al in particular), you will find no “victim” here.
As for the triumvirate, even you acknowledged you could not have accomplished what has been accomplished to date without their help. So if we must talk about credit, let’s be fair. Now if you want to talk motivations, tthat’s a whole ‘nother discussion because there are several to examine and consider. And some are none too pretty, though age-old.
I’ve not heard anything that’s been said on the Michael Baisden Show. The affiliate who carried the shows of the triumvirate here in S. Florida was sold a couple weeks after the march. The same thing’s been happening to quite a few of those affiliates – but I digress. I don’t doubt your assertions because 1) I have read about them elsewhere – and trust me, I’m not the only person reading. 2) Patriarchy is as rampant in the Black community as it is in the society at large – maybe moreso. So, them telling us to whom and to what we should give our money means no more or no less to those who critically give. If I may suggest, put the truth out there and let it speak for itself.
As I offered before, “Just keep doing what you do and those who know the truth will speak it” (as with Mr. Griffin). Anything else really smacks of paternalism at the very least.
Don’t know why it posted twice – sincere apologies for eating up all that space!!
All the comments above are right on. At this point I really don’t see how one would even go about creating or forcing the development of a legitimate news-gathering team but this is very much needed in our community. Garbage in Garbage out means that when our community absorbs flawed info and we build our leaders on it, we end up with an aimless people.