I really do appreciate it when people comment favorably about my writing, but most of the time just getting “atta girls” is not all that fulfilling for me. Case in point: Last week’s Soulvine in which I decried the blatant racism of the Latino dominated Los Angeles Unified and Lynwood school districts. I received a lot of comments about that column. Telephone calls, e-mails and in-person “congratulatory” remarks to the effect that “It’s about time somebody spoke out on this issue,” “I’m so glad you wrote that,” “I can tell you some things...” I didn’t write it to hear that. I wrote it to spur us into action, to make us stand up and fight for our rights like we used to. I wrote it to push our teachers, principals, administrators and other discriminated-against professionals into forming action groups and Mau-Mauing the racists; into picketing, protesting and making noise; into getting lawyers and suing the bastards.

I wrote it so we can push our NAACP into fighting for our rights the way it did back in the day. Do you know what the NAACP is doing these days? It’s referring people whose civil rights have been violated to me!! Yes, people are going to them with racism complaints and the NAACP is telling them that they can’t help them and is giving them my number and suggesting that they contact me!!! What’s wrong with this picture?! The NAACP was quick to move on that “Black hoes” fiasco, but it couldn’t help a good Black teacher who was being denied a teaching credential by a racist college administrator or a hard-working Black man who has been railroaded into prison by a racist federal prosecutor.

And SCLC was quick to attack the mayor for disrespecting a handful of show-boating Black “leaders” at this year’s Black History Month reception and is annoying the hell out of Black people by supporting gay marriage — something we don’t care about — while Marguerite LaMotte is sitting up there on the school board trying to fight blatant and pervasive institutional racism all by herself. Where are our priorities? Where is our outrage? Our indignation? Where are we?

I wrote last week’s Soulvine so we can get off our butts and save ourselves. I’m glad you liked it and I thank you for your support.

PASSINGS — Rep. Diane Watson announced that her mother, Dorothy Elizabeth Watson, died Sunday after a short illness. Mrs. Watson, who was born in Chicago on Jan. 4, 1910, was feted with a gala 100th birthday party this year. In addition to the congresswoman, she is survived by her son, William Watson Jr., daughter Patricia Bradfield and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and other relatives. Funeral services will be held at Holman Methodist Church at 11 a.m. Monday.

A musical memorial tribute also will be held Monday in honor of the late Walter Hawkins at the First Goodwill Baptist Church, 6900 Compton Ave., at 7 p.m. The Grammy Award-winning gospel singer died July 11, and many of Southern California’s gospel soloists, groups and choirs are expected to gather that evening to celebrate Hawkins’ life. An inductee in the Christian Music Hall of Fame, Hawkins was also an ordained minister, pastor and bishop.

THIS, TOO, IS FOR US — Here’s a little something-something for the persistent Red Soda Water drinkers among us: President Barack Obama’s financial reform measure that even Republicans praised when Congress passed it last week, is a major stroke toward improving the lot of the country’s African-Americans. The bill provides sweeping financial regulations designed to protect all Americans, but especially Black ones, against financial abuse. I say “especially Black ones” because African-Americans have always been the special prey of every kind of victimizing finance institution in the country: redlining insurance companies, banks, unscrupulous mortgage lenders, payday loan vendors, shady neighborhood check-cashing concerns and the like. Even though the 2,300-page bill is called the Wall Street Reform Act, it reforms Crenshaw Boulevard and Central Avenue, as well. And don’t you forget it.

PRESIDENTIAL PICK — Speaking of my president, he appointed our own Gene Hale to the President’s Export Council, which is the principal national advisory committee on international trade. The council advises President Obama on government policies and programs that affect U.S. trade performance, promotes export expansion and provides a forum for discussing and resolving trade-related problems among the business, industrial, agricultural, labor and government sectors. Hale, who is CEO and president of G&C Equipment Corp., one of the nation’s largest Black-owned businesses, is the longtime chairman of the Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce.

THIS AND THAT — State Sen. Roderick Wright confirmed what I’d been hearing all week: He is seriously considering running for 8th District councilman next year. I had heard that he’s been buttonholing downtown power brokers about his chances and gauging potential support and such, and frankly, I think his chances of victory are better than the incumbent’s because Rod in the race would erode the incumbent’s base. Rod would provide conservative voters in the 8th District an alternative to the current conservative councilman. And Rod points out that he won’t have a residential issue, such as that which plagues the incumbent, because he owns two houses in the 8th District and he takes no homeowner’s exemption on any of the four residences that belong to him. This thing just gets merrier and merrier.

Councilwoman Janice Hahn is in deep — and thus far fruitful-sounding — discussions with officials of Porteon, the makers of electric cars, about bringing a portion of their manufacturing operation to Watts. So far, Porteon seems amenable to setting up shop on the nine-acre site at 930 E. 111th Place, which was the troubled Lanzit site owned by the city of Los Angeles. That’s a boon for that community, which could provide at least 300 badly needed jobs.

DATEBOOK — The Rancho Cienega Tennis Club will host its annual Summer Night Tennis Mixer Friday from 6 to 11 p.m. at the Arthur Ashe Tennis Center, 15001 S. Rodeo Blvd. Both adult and junior tennis players at all levels are welcome and the event is free and open to the public. (It’s potluck; so bring something to eat.)

TV’s Divorce Court Judge Mablean Ephriam will sign her new book, “Life Lessons: Tools for Weekly Living,” in the main gallery of the Museum of African American Art, located on the third floor of Macy’s in the Crenshaw Mall, ( 4005 Crenshaw Blvd.) on Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m.

A re-election reception for Assemblyman Mike Davis will be held Aug. 5 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Velvet Room, 3470 Wilshire Blvd. Mike’s things are usually a lot of fun so I’ll be there, as I don’t want them having any without me.

AND FINALLY — Tell me this: If those larcenous city officials in Bell were Black, wouldn’t D.A. Steve Cooley have them indicted and in jail by now? Shouldn’t Dave Demerjian, head of Cooley’s holy Public Integrity Division, be up on his high horse galloping through Bell roping in these egregious violators of public integrity? Of course not. None of them are African-American.