Charlotte is still not ready for us. Last week the CIAA was in town. Unlike the ACC whose main focus is on sports, the CIAA tournament is about profiling and partying in addition to sports. Black men and women of all ages are decked out in their finest threads, pushing fly whips and jockeying for high-post position at the hottest nightclubs, bars and restaurants. What should be a weekend of fun and fabulousness is often ruined by white folks who are terrified at the mere sight of large numbers of black folks. While black folks are dropping hundreds of dollars a second on entertainment, many staff people at these “establishments,” pun intended, are giving extra attitude while calling for extra security and extra help.
How do we handle large crowds of black people? The same way that you handle large crowds of white people every weekend or during the ACC tournament or race week. Perhaps, white folks have been watching too many episodes of The Wire, but most black people that come to this event are not the Timbaland-wearing, gun-toting kind. They are merely here to floss and have fun, not to mention add to Charlotte’s economy. The CIAA tournament brings $28 million here every year in one week, yet black folks are still treated like intruders as opposed to consumers. Jacking up bar prices and admission fees is not a nice way to welcome guests to the Queen City. Again, I say that Charlotte is not ready for dynamic black folks. You pretend that those that have been here do not exist and that those who are coming do not matter. This is year three. Get with the program. Shame on Charlotte for being bad CIAA hosts, again.
This article appears in Mar 5-11, 2008.
Oh Christ –
How can you even type with that large heavy chip on your shoulder?
We aren’t scared of “black folk”, we just don’t want them and the large amount of problems that come with them plaguing our Center City – not to mention the ludicrous (and nowadays almost obligatory) cries of racism everytime something doesn’t go their way, whining and bitching because they felt like the red carpet wasn’t rolled out for some crummy Division II basketball tournament no one gives a damn about, including all the people that are here (alledgedly) to actually see the tournament.
I mean, what would make you happy, free hotel suites?? should we make Steve Harvey honorary mayor on CIAA week, give out free chicken wings on every street corner, what?
Boo-frickin’ hoo. Call Al Sharpton if you don’t like it, or move somewhere else.
What it boils down to is Nsenga thinks we should go out of our way to afford special treatment to these ‘folk’ (her word, not mine) just because they are black. That’s not equality, thats called separatism.
If you want to see a racist Nsenga, look in the mirror.
Brooks, methinks you’re the bigot around here. How does that Confederate flag look in the back of your pickup?
The amount of white guilt fed to children in public schools for the last 15 years is truly staggering. What it means is, everytime a minority feels screwed – it must be racism!
Welcome to the human race, black Americans, where everyone gets the shaft sometime – deal with it.
Thomas you’re a jerk.
Jerk or not, he’s telling the truth. It’s a damn shame more people don’t wake up and realize it.
This chickenhead is all up in arms about how “da CIAA Ain’t reddy fo’ dis” and all that noize – Pfffft. I bet she didn’t even go to one of the ballgames – She’s just looking for an outlet for all that supressed rage she has because she can’t find a responsible gainfully-employed brother that’s willing to marry her.
She a hayta.
What about all the unscrupulous black promoters who charged people outrageous fees to go to ‘parties’ where black celebrities (like R Kelly & Fat Joe) are supposed to show up and obviously were never in Charlotte and had no intentions to be here, huh?? Where’s your indignant outrage on this topic, huh?
No wonder we don’t welcome the CIAA – it’s a crook and con artist’s wet dream. Take it back to the triangle -we don’t want it here.
DJTurnip, I think Charlotte wants that $30 million-plus for the economy that the event generates. Do you want to pay that out of your taxes? Probably not. All you guys are racist morons. Go back to the damn country and chew some hay! Hee haw!
First of all, for all of you that don’t like the idea of seeing a large group of black folks converging in one area at one time, then you need to get a life. Face it, the CIAA is going to be in Charlotte for the forseeable future and you all need to get over it! I don’t see you all complaining about Speed Street and I know you all will gladly welcome the ACC and NCAA Tournaments to town with open arms. I can understand the “thugs” if that’s who you are afraid of, but the majority of CIAA patrons are college educated and I guarantee that they have very good jobs and make a pretty good salary, thus, they should feel welcomed when they come to town. You complainers out there need to stop with that trailer park mentality and enlighten yourselves. This city is too big for its people to be fostering these types of intolerant, bigoted attitudes. The black folks that you don’t want to come to town to enjoy themselves during CIAA week aren’t the ones with the problems, It’s You!