Yep, no different than what Rand Paul and others believe, right? I'm not sure if you know much about Walter E. Williams, but for the sake of brevity, let's just say that he subscribes to the Libertarian precept. He's a noted black academic professor of Economics, scholar, and syndicated columnist. He is also an esteemed colleague of one of my favorite Negroes I love to hate, Thomas Sowell, who also writes for the Cato Institute.
Williams is also of the belief that racism, and the legacy of slavery is overemphasized as problems faced by black people today. This would explain his views as a critic of affirmative action and the minimum wage. In the following clip he explains why Title II of the 1964 Civil Rights Act is unconstitutional; and, most importantly, how a private business owner's right to discriminate, is no different than his right to not marry a woman who doesn't bathe:
I'll admit that I do not know much about Libertarianism. However, with that said, what Williams expressed above sounds more like a case of a muthafucka being too smart for his own good than anything else. Too smart to the point where his esoteric philosophical views are indeed intended for a select few. That would be, the Fraternal Order of Smart Dumb Negroes & Slave Catchers.
What's funny is how everyone regards men like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Cornel West, and Michael Eric Dyson as poverty pimps and race hustlers. But yet very little attention is paid to the likes of Walter E. Williams and others who wouldn't have a problem turning back the hand of time to a society that was more free than it is today. A society where laws are not needed because, well, the idea of an uneven playing field, is yet another fallacious notion upon which regressive people of color find comfort.
As some of you celebrate and recognize the sacrifice made by this country's fallen soldiers. Do me a favor and give some thought to what the Buffalo Soldiers endured as they "forcibly" served a country at a time when they were not "free". Black folks in the military have made significant sacrifices in championing the American ideal of freedom and democracy.
And given just how the African-American narrative encompasses the fight for freedom and equality. It must be acknowledged, that their service came with much much honor in the face of skepticism - individually and otherwise. They're almost always overlooked when it comes to any "celebration" of bravery and courage in America; but, they were there. Oh yeah, black folks were always there, and will continue to be:
After calling the president racist on national television, and recently reducing his daughter's intelligence to that of the typical short bus rider. One can close that Glenn Beck doesn't like black people. That is, unless they self-identify as, well, American and not African-American; and, appear on his show beating the drum of conservatism as they let it be known that Kunta Kinte was himself, a Republican. But no, there's no way Beck doesn't like black people. If he did, would he have gone out of his way to challenge the very history of America?
A history which up until his show the other night never embraced the African-American narrative of black folks being heroes, and freedom loving patriots who helped shape this great nation? See, I usually give Glenn hell on this site from time to time; but, this time around, I must give him as we say in the streets, some "dap". Don't worry white reader, "dap" isn't a violent act nor anything even close to a Haitian voodoo curse brought over from Africa as taught to the captain on the slave ship by his cargo.
After watching the clip above, I'll go even further and suggest that we do away with Black History Month. Who needs the same tired historical accounts of African-American achievement? Achievement which only serves to stir up antipathy towards the Africans who sold us into slavery. Surely there's nothing prideful about some guy being forced to invent a traffic light here in America, when the only option other than, was to be hanging from somebody's Oak tree somewhere in the Compton section of West Africa.
But see, that's black folks for you; they forever play the victim card. The truth is, just as Beck points out above, that there are hundreds of thousands of untold stories of Black Republicans who made more significant contributions to the American tapestry. Black Republicans who have been egregiously depicted in paintings as "cowering" behind the white people whom they willingly served.
Yes, the Black Republican. These are the heroes that will never be acknowledged across this great land this weekend as we fire up BBQ grills in memory of the many fallen soldiers who gave their lives for nothing other than freedom, and democracy. It's good to know that great men like Glenn Beck are not afraid to challenge the efforts of the "liberal media" in their attempts to keep us blindfolded as we're all lead to slaughter, like the sheep that we are.
So apparently the mayor of Columbus, Ohio, has pissed a few people off by proclaiming a city boycott of the great state on Arizona. This comes in wake of the recent passage of their racist anti-immigration laws.
"Well damn RiPPa, are you just gonna keep bombarding us with this immigration shit?! Is this all you are ever gonna talk about?!!"
Yes I am! As long as people don't see the need for this to be an issue; especially, a racial issue some say black folks should not concern themselves with? Um, I'm gonna have something to say about it.
Also, as long as "certain people" feel the need to dehumanize another group of people who just so happen to be born in another country? You know, like these clowns in the following story? Yes, I'll have something to say:
Immigrant groups are asking a local talk-radio station to apologize for promoting a Phoenix giveaway that it launched after Columbus' mayor suspended city travel to Arizona to protest its new immigration law.
WTVN-AM (610) promoted the giveaway as a trip to Phoenix "where Americans are proud and illegals are scared."
The contest, which ended tonight, was designed to capitalize on the maelstrom kicked up by Mayor Michael B. Coleman's decision, said WTVN program director Mike Elliott.
It was the most popular the station has had, he said. About 5,000 people entered the drawing for round-trip airfare to Phoenix, hotel accommodations, a "few pesos" and the opportunity to "spend a weekend chasing aliens and spending cash in the desert."[...]
[...] At a news conference today, Reform Immigration for America called the promotion insensitive and offensive and said it inferred a racial bias. The group supports providing documents to immigrants already living in the country without permission.
Jose Luis Mas, chairman of the Ohio Hispanic Coalition, said at the news conference that the station was inviting the contest winner to "spend a weekend hunting human beings."
"I think it's an attack on the immigrant community," said Cristina Villacinda-Farr, a 40-year-old Dublin resident who came to the states 20 years ago from Venezuela and became a citizen. Villacinda-Farr took issue with the promotion's use of the word alien. "I am an alien, but not illegal," she said. [...]
[...] Elliott said the station does not plan to apologize. He disagreed that the promotion contained racial overtones.
"It comes down to the word illegal for me. It's not a race thing. It's a legal thing," he said. "If you're breaking the law, it doesn't matter where you're from." (Source)
Listen, the late Howard Zinn once said, "The cry of the poor is is not always just, but if you don't listen to it, you will never know what justice is." From where I'm sitting, there's nothing "just" or "humane" about a contest that promotes the hunting of human beings.
But I suppose something like this is no big deal to "certain people" across the country. I mean what's the big deal, right? It's not like they hunting niggers, or anything like that, right? I suppose that if the shoe were on the other foot like in the following video, stuff like what the radio station proposes wouldn't be funny:
I used to watch Bill O'Reilly on Fox regularly a few years ago. Oh don't get mad at me for admitting that. It was somewhat of a training exercise for me. I mean with "Jim Crow" and racism officially dead. I would watch his show just so I could stay on my toes; you know, being the best racism chaser that I am, right?
See I worked with and around nothing but white folks in an everyday professional office setting. And not that I needed conversational pieces to properly interact with them. I watched Bill so I could be able to spot the racist assholes from a mile away. You know, the ones who made it a point to mention just how many black friends they have?
Unlike my man Chauncey DaVega, who has an official "Be White for a Day" retreat from time to time. An exercise where he pretends to be white for a day to see how life is on the other side. I would watch Bill O'Reilly every night religiously to pretty much learn the ways of, well, "certain people". Yes, Bill O'Reilly was my Drunken Master when it came to schooling me on the art of communicating the best racial etiquette, as only the privileged can..
Alright, having said all of that, check him out in a discussion with Dr. Marc Lamont Hill the other night. I have no idea why Dr. Hill punishes himself time and time again by appearing on his show. Clearly he doesn't need the money; but, maybe he's like me and is conducting some social experiment up close and personal. Damn if only I could be so lucky! But anyway, check them out as they discussed the situation down on the border with "illegal immigrants", and the deployment of troops by Barack Obama:
This has to be the strangest justification ever for the need for border security along the southern border. In my opinion, it amounts to nothing but more of the same old politics of fear. A tactic that Republicans have advanced with much success under the previous administration:
I don't know, and I could be wrong, but ain't no way a Somali is going to pass him/herself off as no damn Mexican. Yeah, sure there are dark skinned Latinos; I'm not stupid, and I know that. Hell, I came up in Brooklyn, New York. But, er, um, some cat trying to sneak into the country sounding like Manute Bol trying to pass himself off as a Lucha Libre wrestler? Yeah, that one just ain't happening.
You just don't slap a Sombrero on a black dudes head and he automatically becomes a bull fighter. Now of course this throws that whole racial profiling thing in a quandary; and yes, I could understand how frustrating and embarrassing it could be for border patrol personnel, should they allow some Somaili-Mexican terrorist to sneak into the country. But trust me, this is bullshit, and it's not gonna happen. But just for the sake of argument, how do you "train" someone to look Mexican? Wait a minute, forget that question. I mean if Brad Pitt can get away with playing The Mexican, then anything is possible.
Since writing about the recent tragic death of two police officers in West Memphis. I've come to realize that there are lord knows how many crazy people, like Jerry Kane among us. I posted the video discussing the news story last week to my YouTube channel, and ever since I've been at a loss reading the responses from some of the viewers (no seriously, you gotta go to my channel and read that shit). Sure there was the occasional fuck the police comment here and there. But what got me, was the fact that people were heralding him as a hero.
Many of them self-identify as sovereign citizens themselves. Some of them left comments about grand conspiracy theories involving Barack Obama of all people! Yes, these crazy folks are of the belief that Jerry Kane and his son were targeted by the Obama administration! Yep, according to them, he was taken out by CIA assassins. One of them even pointed me to a website that had the inside scoop or the truth on the entire incident written by famed internet hoax queen, Sorcha Faal.
So it appears that president Obama has come under fire for his response to BP, in regards to the thirty days plus and counting oil spill in the Gulf. Not exactly as insignificant and easy to clean up as a Jheri curl stain on the back of your couch. But environmentalist, bloggers, and everyday regular citizens alike are upset.
Sheryl Contee aka"Jill Tubman" from the blog Jack & Jill Politics wrote a pretty scathing piece critiquing the response of the president. Her piece features the below video, and commentary of Democratic political strategist, and Louisiana native James Carville.
Here's an excerpt:
I’ve held my tongue about the oil spill in part because I wanted to support the president I admire so much and in part because it’s like a rolling nightmare everyday knowing that oil is just gushing without stop into our ocean. Lives have been lost already — human ones. And every oil-covered bird or turtle breaks my heart. The true toll on animals and plants — including some we like to eat — is yet to come. For the people of the gulf region, lives and livelihoods are being destroyed at an unknown scope because BP can’t — or won’t — stop the oil.
I agree with James Carville and share his frustration. Check out the video above. I want to knock loudly on the White House’s door and ask — is anyone home??? Where is the focus — if clearly not on this? I’m guessing it’s been somewhere between moving Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in Congress (YAY!) and preventing all-out war between South and North Korea (also very important).
Still, why was there not a Haiti-like all-in dedicated effort on the part of the administration. I get that they wanted the focus to be on BP and make it about their screwup and their need to clean it up. But it’s not that simple now, is it? It’s clear that there was inadequate enforcement by the Mineral Management Service, which loosened up under the Bush Administration and apparently wasn’t tightened up enough under Obama’s guy in charge of that: Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar. Um, exactly why hasn’t that guy been fired yet, btw?
If there was ever proof that President Obama is no socialist and far from being a communist, well Tea Party, you can rest easy. Because Obama has clearly allowed himself to be soothed by BP’s promises and lies about how much oil was actually coming up and how they were going to be a good corporate citizen and pay for everything — that he dropped the ball. He blew it. When Bobby Jindal looks like a hero, you know things have gotten off track. Rather than taking a tough tone re: BP after the first week or even for pete’s sake — the SECOND WEEK and using this as an opportunity to talk yet again about the need for a green economy, we heard the same kind of soothing, baby talk nonsense that I assume the administration was rolling downhill from BP. (Read More)
Her piece was met with much criticism from more than a few of her regular readers. To me, this was very disappointing. I mean here was an honest opinion from an Obama supporter being met with vitriolic commentary that questioned her level of education and intellect. I believe her analysis to be valid, and like her, I too agree with James Carville.
Of course I realize that the president is unable to jump into a phone booth whip out his cape and fly to the bottom of the Gulf and plug the source of the leak. However, I don't think that many Americans have that expectation of him. Americans are simple minded people; for the most part we're satisfied with tough talk to pacify our frustrations; tough talk we have yet to see from my man Barry-O.
"Take me to another place, take me to another land, make me forget all that hurts me..." - Arrested Development (Tennessee)
So Tennessee's state legislators are spending tax payer dollars, in an effort to congratulate Arizona, for recently passing what amounts to racistanti-immigrant legislation. Now I'm all for giving props where props is due, but this one ain't it:
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee House has passed a resolution to commend Arizona on its tough new immigration law.
The chamber voted 67-25 on Monday to pass the resolution sponsored by Republican Rep. Joe Carr of Lascassas.
The measure congratulates Arizona lawmakers and Gov. Jan Brewer for "their actions to protect their citizens and the borders of our great nation."
The Arizona law requires authorities to question people about their immigration status if there's reason to suspect they're in the country illegally.
Democratic House Minority Leader Gary Odom of Nashville said Tennessee shouldn't become involved in the national controversy over the law and argued that the resolution could cause the state to lose hotel and convention business.
The resolution now heads for a Senate vote.
The state of Tennessee taking up a vote as they did on this bill, is reminiscent of those old photos of crowds of jovial white folks at one of those lynching scenes circa back-in-the-day. So no congratulatory "Thanks for being stand up bigots Arizona," or "Way to go sticking it to those Asians," Hallmark cards?
The anti-immigrant faction likes to hide their bigotry mostly as “concern” for the largely fabricated crises attributed to immigration. In effect, they’re demanding that my rights (or the rights of any person of color) be abridged in the name of “national security.” In this way, they hypocritically hide behind the racism of the “show me you papers” Arizona immigration law (AZ SB1070) and other such measures.
Never mind that a large body of research on undocumented immigrants from a broad range of sources show the allegations of the anti-immigrant crowd are groundless. Disregard that the most vocal and well-funded anti-immigration organizations are hate groups -- documented nativists and white supremacists. No! Don’t look at that! The anti-immigrant bigots assure us that all they want is to make us all safe from the feces-smearing, disease-ridden, promiscuous, lazy, shiftless messakins, and their third world ways, who come here to live off welfare and (paradoxically) take away all the good jobs.
Two organizations, FAIR and CIS (actually, they are one organization, both founded, funded, and run by documented eugenicists, nativists, and white supremacists) are often cited by the goobers as viable, credible supportive evidence for their claims. (I will have more to say about the historical connection between immigration and white supremacists, xenophobes, and racists at a later date.)
Over at The New York Times I read a piece discussing recent cuts in child care subsidies; and how they negatively impacting single mothers. The article told the story of Alexandria Wallace, a 22yr old single mother struggling to find employment in our tough economy.
Ironically, Alexandria lives in the state of Arizona, and she is also white. And as you know, all eyes are on Arizona given their recent "effective" legislative introductions to their resident. Check out Alexandria's story as highlighted and titled, The New Poor: Cuts to Child Care Subsidy Thwart More Job Seekers:
TUCSON — Able-bodied, outgoing and accustomed to working, Alexandria Wallace wants to earn a paycheck. But that requires someone to look after her 3-year-old daughter, and Ms. Wallace, a 22-year-old single mother, cannot afford child care.
Last month, she lost her job as a hair stylist after her improvised network of baby sitters frequently failed her, forcing her to miss shifts. She qualifies for a state-run subsidized child care program. But like many other states, Arizona has slashed that program over the last year, relegating Ms. Wallace’s daughter, Alaya, to a waiting list of nearly 11,000 eligible children.
Despite a substantial increase in federal support for subsidized child care, which has enabled some states to stave off cuts, others have trimmed support, and most have failed to keep pace with rising demand, according to poverty experts and federal officials.
That has left swelling numbers of low-income families struggling to reconcile the demands of work and parenting, just as they confront one of the toughest job markets in decades.
The cuts to subsidized child care challenge the central tenet of the welfare overhaul adopted in 1996, which imposed a five-year lifetime limit on cash assistance. Under the change, low-income parents were forced to give up welfare checks and instead seek paychecks, while being promised support — not least, subsidized child care — that would enable them to work.
Now, in this moment of painful budget cuts, with Arizona and more than a dozen other states placing children eligible for subsidized child care on waiting lists, only two kinds of families are reliably securing aid: those under the supervision of child protective services — which looks after abuse and neglect cases — and those receiving cash assistance.
Ms. Wallace abhors the thought of going on cash assistance, a station she associates with lazy people who con the system. Yet this has become the only practical route toward child care.
So, on a recent afternoon, she waited in a crush of beleaguered people to submit the necessary paperwork. Her effort to avoid welfare through work has brought her to welfare’s door.
“It doesn’t make sense to me,” she says. “I fall back to — I can’t say ‘being a lowlife’ — but being like the typical person living off the government. That’s not what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to use this as a backbone, so I can develop my own backbone.” (read more)
Now of course the larger issue here is that states are cutting back on programs that provides funding for child-care. They are doing so even after the Obama administration added $2 billion the $5 billion the federal gov't gives to states for said programs in last years Stimulus. The Obama administration has also proposed a $1.6 billion dollar increase in funding for the 2011 fiscal year. However, I do take issue with the presentation centering on single white mothers as "the new poor". Ethnicity aside, I think what Arizona and other states have done, dangerously sets low-income, single unemployed mothers back.
So, um, if the "illegal" Mexicans are taking all the jobs? How come two years ago legislators in Arizona were scrambling to create a guest worker program of their own? How come they did this complete one hundred and eighty degree turnaround after enforcing strict immigration laws? I mean, what the fuck Arizona?
They even unsuccessfully tried to hire a "lost boy from Africa." So is that what happened, Arizona? Did you folks pass SB1070 to stick it to the Feds because they didn't approve your guest worker program? What, white folks aren't into picking cotton lettuce anymore? More importantly, who's picking the lettuce now?
Let's see what the good folks over at FoxBusiness has to say about this:
The most thorough study on the fiscal and economic impact of immigration was done by the non-partisan Texas Comptrollers’ Office in 2006, which showed Texas earned more in taxes and economic output from illegal immigrants than governments spent to provide services.
According to the Comptrollers’ office, state and local governments spent $1.16 billion to provide services like education, health care and safety, but raised an estimated $1.58 billion in tax revenues. Based on the data, the Texas taxpayer made a $424.7 million profit on its illegal immigrant population in 2006.
Fiscally, illegal immigrants contribute mostly to state and local coffers primarily through sales and property taxes, which are mostly unavoidable. A majority of illegal immigrants pay federal, state and local income tax as well - 50% to 75%, according the Congressional Budget office.
Figures found in studies such as Texas’ 2006 study, or another 2007 study by the CBO, which did a survey of all data for the past 30 years and concluded that fiscal impact of services provided to illegal immigrants “is mostly modest,” stands in contrast to political rhetoric that fueled the passage of Arizona SB1070.
Well damn, look at all them there jobs good white folks could be having; and, subsequently providing a positive impact on the economy. Huh? What? Black folks? Um, y'all tried than one out already; didn't turn out too good for us. And in spite of Rand Paul supporting Emancipation, but thinking it shouldn't apply to private plantation owners. Let's just say that we ain't going out like that for free, or even at the rates white folks refuse to work for. .
Pay close attention to this as it speaks to our new level of "post racial-ness" in America. After watching this, one can appreciate the delicate nuances of the presentation. A style that has come to epitomize the genius of series creator and writer Aaron McGrudder.
I think this episode speaks volumes of our political and social climate. A reality that is denied by white and black people alike. And as Sean Walton Jr,. editor-in-chief of theFreshXpress.com points out. The Boondocks has pushed the limits of mainstream television acceptability, even for the very black folks who the show represents.
This episode in particular tackles the question of just how we're all supposed to "act" in this newfound uncharted territory of Americanism with a Black president at the steer of the ship. At least, that was my interpretation as I saw it.
So pay attention to the symbolic representation of, racist Republicans, Tea Party activists, and the obvious Negro enablers in this one. And just how the corporate machine profits from our further polarization:
So apparently Newark, NJ. mayor, Corey Booker, has been doing great job of transforming the once crime riddled city. So much of a good job that not only did he secure a second term in office. He was also invited to the White House along with a couple other mayors, to attend a security briefing on violence in inner cities. When I read that, I thought, "Cool, my man Barry-O is lookin' out for the hood; way to go remembering where you came from O-Beezy!"
I mean, Obama being a former representative of the city with the largest black population per capita in the country; a city that has already seen one hundred homicides to date. Certainly as president he's concerned about violent crime in the inner-city, right? Surely he's not out of touch and unconcerned, right? But then I read this story on NJ.com:
The meeting, conducted in the White House situation room, was focused on terrorist groups recruiting people on American soil. Officials briefed on the discussion said it was not centered on Islamic extremism but the larger context of violence, its root causes, and means of prevention.
"The Administration routinely meets with state and local officials to obtain their perspectives and better understand the issues they are facing. One issue is the threat of domestic radicalization," said one Obama Administration official familiar with the meeting but was not authorized to discuss the issue publicly. "During the meeting, mayors provided invaluable insights into this issue and discussed the ways in which the Federal government can help them address the threat."
According to other officials briefed on the discussions, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and Columbus, Ohio Mayor Michael Coleman were also present at the meeting. Because of high Somali populations in their cities, Rybak and Coleman discussed radicalization among that group in particular, but it was not the focus of the discussion,
FBI investigations in both cities made headlines last year with both cities suggested as jumping off points for domestic attacks perpetrated by Somalis elsewhere in the U.S. Coleman’s spokesman, Dan Williamson, said he didn’t know the extent to which the radicalization of Somalis was discussed.
Somali pirate terrorists? No seriously, they had a discussion on violence in "the hood", and the issue was that of "radicalization" of citizens by Somali natives? OK, maybe I don't get out much, but when did Somali pirates hijack the hood? Call me stupid, but I sincerely doubt whether "Captain Black Gums" running around singing, "Yo ho ho, and a bottle of Hennessy," has ever became a problem throughout the urban landscape.
I mean when I think of crime in the inner city, I don't exactly connect it to Somali nationals. Nor do I worry about them radicalizing citizens by them being Muslim. OK, so there used to be Jamaican gangs runnin' mad dope back in the day. But Somali pirates in the hood? Hell, as long as brothers been on the corners selling bean pies and ain't one of them ever flew a plane into a tall building(?). Why the hell are Somali nationals a concern?
I was not tripping when LeBron James gave the worst performance I have ever seen by an MVP Player in the playoffs.
Now I know why his spirit was messed up. It has been confirmed that his Cougar of a mother, Gloria James was indeed having butt-naked hot sex with team member Delonte West and another player (who has not been revealed).
And according to sports announcer Calvin Murphy, everyone on the team knew except LeBron.
Goddam! Now that is a raw deal.
Murphy was interviewed on ESPN satellite radio a couple of days ago and said that his sources are legit. Click here for interview.
It is now official, Gloria James is on the cougar list and she is collecting names.
But me being a woman who has befriended a couple of cougars, I had to look into Gloria's life and see what was her reasoning. I applaud love and how it manifests in the strangest ways so I will not condemn, initially.
One of the sports announcers who interviewed Calvin Murphy about the incident vocalized their disgust, but I am not one who believes in putting the Scarlet letter on the woman.
But this incident makes you wonder. Out of all the young men that could've waxed Gloria's ass, she had to plug his team members. Come on sis', you could've fucked an irrelevant player, like someone on the Timberwolves, Nets or the Clippers.
However, after a cursory investigation, it is unfortunate to see that Gloria is like a middle version of Keisha Cole's mother, Frankie, the abominable cougar crackhead and Beyonce's daddy, Matthew Knowles, dick'em down dingo who recently had a baby with a woman 20+ years younger than he and not his soon-to-be-ex-wife Tina.
And what I saw after my investigation, a little girl who loves thugs, disregarded her son and went for self and hooked up with a bad-boy who also is a selfish son-of-a-bitch and stabs his brothers in the back. What a nice toxic cocktail.
Like me, you've probably never heard of Jerry Kane. Chances are, the two West Memphis police officers he killed after a traffic stop a few days ago didn't either. But here we are a few days removed from that tragic event where four lives were senselessly lost here in the mid-south. And just what was his reasoning? Well, the picture seems to be a bit clearer as to just who 45yr old Jerry Kane actually was:
Jerry Kane was not a man wanted by the police; he wasn't on the run for murder or any other serious crime. Instead, like a few we've seen emerge over the last year and a half. He was a man with a belief. A firm belief which suggests, that government encroaches upon his freedoms, here in the US of A. Yes, Jerry Kane was a right-wing, anti-government, white supremacist who made no bones about what he stood for or believed. He believed himself to be a sovereign citizen, or more specifically, a member of the Christian Patriot movement.
People like Kane with a similar mindset, or ideology, have long existed in this country. But the question I have is why does it seem like these folks are coming out of the woodwork all of a sudden? When within months of each other, an angry white man flies a plane into an IRS building, and a group of people identified as a Christian Extremist Militia are arrested by the FBI. One has to ask: What the fuck is really going on in America?
What's causing all of this? Surely it cannot be the election of a black president, or the subsequent racist anti-government rhetoric that has suddenly dominated our political landscape. Surely that has nothing to do with it, no? I'm guessing we'll have to wait on an assassination attempt on the president before that question can be answered.
I mean this isn't exactly one of those cults waiting on a spaceship to take them to another world beyond the stars. These are people who aren't afraid to act on their beliefs. These are people who are resigned to the fact that if innocent people are injured in the process, then so be it. In the case of Kane, those innocent victims were not only two West Memphis police officers, but also his 16yr old son who he has withheld from attending school his entire life. A life cut short because of the marriage of politics and religion.
Look, I often highlight the wrong doings of police officers across the country on this site; police officers who are sworn to uphold the law, who deserve to be exposed for their actions. But I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the fact that theirs is a function that is extremely dangerous. It is bad enough that they have to encounter the obvious criminal element among us, and risk their lives. But it is even scarier to think that there are people like Jerry Kane who though not criminals, are willing to commit murder and assault authority, all because of his belief.
I hate to say it, but the world is better without him. And lastly, his friends and family have some nerve demanding compensation from the West Memphis police department for the burial of this asshole. But hey, that's how that white privilege thing works, no? Ideology aside, I say that much of his entitlement is predicated on him being a white man. But I could be wrong, and Barack Obama could be right. Maybe they do cling to their guns or religion or antipathy towards people who aren't like them, as a way to express their frustrations.
Talking to a friend last night, we both agreed that Rand Paul has a major communications problem. That would be, the lack or almost absence of a suitable campaign spokesperson. Speaking of which, I've got some dirt on the last one he had who was forced to resign in December - read about why he had to resign.
Here's a hint: It had something to do with pictures of a lynched black man on his Myspace page, and a problem he has with "niggers". Though forced to resign as spokesperson, in a response to the press, Paul noted that his then former spokesperson wasn't racist. And of course you know Paul knows a thing or two about just exactly what racism is, right?
But anyway, the stuff he said on the Rachel Maddow show the other night, though perceived as a major career implosion, could actually be a blessing in disguise. You know what they say, when life hands you a lemon, you squirt some in someone's eye! That said, now that the cat is out the bag on Dr. Rand "Bad Haircut" Paul, checkout his latest campaign ad that's is sure to fire up "his base", or members of the Tea Party:
Mark Twian once said, "I want to be in Kentucky when the end of the world comes, because it's always 20 years behind." There's some obvious truth to that given the contradiction that is Rand Paul who is running for a Senate seat to represent Kentucky. But sadly, Mark Twain may have been off by at least 100yrs.
Somewhere along the line in my blogging about the need for comprehensive immigration reform. I forgot to mention the fact that there are 5.5 million American-born children of undocumented immigrants living in the country.
Yes, according to the Pew Research Center: 73% of the children of undocumented immigrants are born in the United States. I was reminded of this a few days ago after I witnessed the exchange with a Maryland second-grader and the First Lady Michelle Obama a few days ago:
[Editors Note: Simply put, if you don't read this post from my favorite "Respectable Negro" from the blog We Are Respectable Negroes, you'll fail to see what's happening right infront of your eyes.]
History is one part truth. History is also one part fable. It is a site of political contestation and struggle. As the state of Arizona (with its rules banning “Ethnic Studies”) and the state of Texas (reimaging its U.S. history curriculum to conform with the Tea Party and Christian Nationalist perspective) have both embraced a more “conservative” view of history, it only seems fair and reasonable to take their efforts at face value. Theirs is not an assault on academic freedom. No, it is an effort to diversify and make more inclusive and “American” the curriculum taught to our children.
Many, on both sides of the political divide, have treated these new guidelines with much derision and complaint. I suggest that the best way to understand the teaching of history as imagined by this brave new world is to work through the reality it offers. To that end, I present U.S. history as outlined in the politically correct guidelines offered by Arizona and Texas. Sometimes the old is indeed the new…welcome my friends to Tea Party U.S.A.
The Essential Dates and Events of U.S. History as Approved by the States of Arizona and Texas
1607– Jamestown founded. Capitalism, which can trace its roots to the Bible, is now firmly rooted in the New World.
1660-1800–Triangular Atlantic trade continues to bring wealth and prosperity to America while giving opportunities to new immigrants.
1776–War for Independence against the tyrannical, evil British empire. Colonists suffer oppression that is unprecedented in human history. Minutemen singlehandedly defeat the evil British Empire in 1783.
1788–The United States Constitution is signed as a document to stand for all time, inspired by God, and never to be changed.
[Editor's Note: The following comes from a relatively new blogger in the blogosphere. Her name is Joanna and I found the following post from her blog My Name is JuJuBe, to be thought provoking. Do check it out as well as her site, will ya?]
The other day I was speaking to a male friend, and asked him when he lost his virginity. He told me he was 8 years old the first time he had sex with a 16 year old girl. So, I said “In other words, you were molested” but he vehemently denied it. He said he is the one who made the first move. Now, I remember when I was young I had a very strong curiosity about sex. By the time I was 11, I was flirting with men in their late teens are early twenties, even making advances on one man who worked at a record store. So, I can understand that he was curious as a child, and was interested in finding out more about sex. BUT, if the man at the record store had RESPONDED to my advances, he would have been a child molester. To me, a 16 year old girl who has sex with an 8 year old boy is just as much a predator as a teenage boy who has sex with a little girl. I asked this man how he would feel if a teenage girl had sex with his 8 year old son. He said he would have no problem with it. So, I turned it around and asked what he would do if a teenage boy had sex with his daughter, and he said he would be out for blood.
I do not understand the mindset of so many men who feel that it is OK for a woman/to prey on an underage boy. Some men even consider it something to be proud of. I remember the case of the teacher who was impregnated by her middle school student. I heard numerous men claim that is was not molestation, because “She was a hot teacher!” Imagine the outrage if that had been a middle school girl having sex with her teacher!! An 8 year old boy who is sexually assaulted by a teenage girl or a grown woman is still a victim. He will still have issues revolving around sex throughout his life. People seem to think boys are immune to the psychological damage cause by molestation as long as the molester is a female. Not true.
So I've been focusing a lot on the immigration debate as it involves our neighbors to the south lately. Forgotten in the discussion are our friendly, less criminal neighbors to the north. I know it's hard to believe, but there's actually another border other than the southern border. I'm aware that a significant number of visitors to this site are actual residents of Canada. They don't comment, but I guess taking a peek to see e'ry now and then, to see how fucked up life is here in the America, is enough to deter any thoughts of sneaking into our country in seek of a better life.
That's with the exception of the parents of Brendan Fraser who who could possibly be considered terrorists for the assault their son has had on American popular culture. But other than the Fraser family, it's safe to say that Canadians are all law abiding, unlike our Latin American neighbors to the south. I mean think about it. We never hear about a Canadian drug war, do we? OK, so the fact that all the dope gets consumed before gets to Canada might be a contributing factor, but you get what I'm saying. I'll posit that Canadians do not sneak into America, because unlike Latin Americans, they respect the laws that govern the United States.
Of course there are exceptions to the rule, as was the case of Maher Arar, a suspected terrorist, and Canadian citizen with Al Qaeda connections. Sure he was arrested here in the U.S., beaten, tortured, and eventually deported to Syria; but hey, you can't take any chances with those ethnic middle eastern looking guys; what more "reasonable suspicion" does law enforcement need, right? I mean, why else would the Obama administration through the Justice Department, urge the Supreme Court to not hear his case, right?
So I watched the following interview on Rachel Maddow's show and, I'm not surprised. See, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Ron Paul is racist, and so is his son Rand. And what's sad is that people like him hide behind the First Amendment to shield their bigotry, and, he made this quite clear a recent interview on NPR .
That's why I always laughed at the silly Negroes who called themselves Libertarians who are supportive of Rand and his daddy. Silly Negroes, the freedom they speak of doesn't apply to the melanin afflicted which is why there was a need for the Civil Rights Act. If Black people were truly free, would we have had to enter the restaurants through a back door?
But I digress...
That said, what else do you expect from some wing-nut supposedly coming from, and representing a far right fringe? I gotta give it to these Republicans, they're not accepting our post-racialness; and, they are not going down without a fight. Listen to this turd deflect (as most Republicans do in a debate) from the central questions as it relates to his thoughts on the 1964 Civil Rights Act:
I'm not going to take up much of your time with this one, and I won't repeat myself by saying that the law is indeed racist in nature, intent, and design. But a closer look at the law, raises serious questions as it relates to voter suppression. Now here on this very blog, I've already shown how the author of SB1070, Kris Kovach, once bragged to his Kansas Republican cronies by email, about purging the votes of minorities back in 2008.
Now, add to that, the report by the Brennan Center for Justice in 2008, which highlighted just how shrouded in secrecy and manipulation these practices are [read here]. With that in mind, journalist Greg Palast, makes a compelling case via truthout.com, that SB1070, has more to do with legal voters and their subsequent suppression, than the "problem" of "illegal" immigrants.
Check it out:
Now of course I expect the average republican party hardliner who reads this, to just chalk this up as yet another one of those "liberal media" mumbo-jumbo conspiracy pieces. Yes, that is just how life is out there in bizarro world; liberals lie, and conservatives are handed the truth from God everyday on 5000lb tablets and iPads. But hey, if Bush was able to steal the elections in 2000 down in Florida by purging minority votes. Who's to say that what they're cooking up out in Arizona, wouldn't work, like it did before in Florida?
All of the condoms and safe sex talks that underfunded clinics distributed through the years in inner city and poor rural areas to prevent the "scorn" of teen pregnancy.
The gorge of HIV warnings with the absence of youth employment and recreational programs.
Then you have the shun of being an African-American or Latina teen mother have haunted, no, have plagued our communities.
And now you have Bristol Palin, the born-again-virgin, getting paid $15k - $30k to speak about popping her couchie with a moose-killer who loves to "shoot shit."
Just to think, a sigificant portion of this country were about to put in the White House, two generations of inbred breeders.
I puke at the fact that Sarah and her sperm collecting daughter, Bristol, use their children to make money off of the very things they rail against in political spaces.
I really believe there is some pimp in the back ground directing these two or possibly some real life "V" aliens pulling strings because this is outrageous.
[Editor's Note: The following piece comes from my good friend, and newest member of our writing team, Eddie Blue Eyes. His blog, [un]Common Sense, is highly recommended as daily food for the soul.]
My first morning here, a bright sunny Sunday morning, I was awakened by a hushed but insistent, not particularly good mariachi singing right outside my window. Annoyed, I got up to see who it was and to request they take their singing ass somewhere else. When I looked, I saw a short, older Latino, dressed in black, with black cowboy hat and boots. He wore dark wrap-around shades, and with the small accordion he held, he played the same three chords over and over again. He sang songs of heartbreak, of love lost and regained and lost again, in his hushed, not particularly good, but insistent voice.
Next to him, stood a large shopping cart full of roses for sale and young Latino/a families on their way from church would occasionally stop and purchase a few. I realize he is blind, his cane pressed up against his armpit. He comes here most mornings to sing of love lost in that same hushed, not particularly good, but insistent voice.
I have moved from the largely upscale, yuppie Brooklyn neighborhood of Park Slope to SunsetPark. It’s not that far away, and still somewhat upscale, but there is definitely more diversity. It's a neighborhood first colonized by a wave of Puerto Ricans in the 50s and 60s and later revived by an explosion of Latin American and Asian immigrants. One avenue block up, on 5th Avenue, you can walk the main drag and see scores of businesses offering their goods and services to the many different Latino/as that live here. Young Salvadoran teen girls and Mexicans from Puebla pass by Dominican hair salons, Puerto Rican and Mexican restaurants, or buy treats from sidewalk vendors selling everything from aguacates to mangoes, caña, and piraguas.
Here's yet more evidence of how people of color are suffering due to the mortgage meltdown crisis. The following story is depressing as hell, but should not be ignored:
Yet and still, there is no moratorium on foreclusure evictions by the Federal government. Of course her story is out of the prdinary. But could you imagine how many stories like this we never hear about? Especially in our current economic state, where people of color are disproportionately affected? But still, nothing is done to directly assist the hundreds of thousands of people in the country who's hopes and dreams are washed away by the economic tsunami.
I recognize that this is a matter that should be rectified by city and state officials. But I can't help but to think that there is something the Federal Government can do, besides investigating the Federal Reserve (and other financial institutions) for their culpability in the mortgage meltdown crisis. While doing the dog and pony show for the media, people are being tossed out onto the streets.
So here's John McCain, or whatever he calls himself these days, making an attempt to be the un-maverick "tough guy", and capitalize on the current immigration debate. Sure he voted YES on building a border fence in 2006. But I realize that he is in a political fight for the survival of his career, so yes, ushering in the sound-bite, "Just build the danged fence," bodes well for him as yet another battle cry. I mean, he is fighting for his political life, right?
In the sales and marketing field expertise, it is often said that a bargain is what is perceived. So while McCain appeals to the sense of larceny of mainly his supporters in Arizona and elsewhere. Let's take a look at the cost of building the Great Wall of Mexico, shall we? Yes, let us examine the cost of construction and maintaining a supposed fence across the 2,000 mile southern border.
According to the independent, non-partisan citizen watchdog group, Taxpayers for Common Sense. In a recent report, it is estimated that the cost of building and maintaining the fence will cost an astronomical "$300 million to $1.7 billion per mile, depending on materials." [Fact Sheet: Border Fence Cost Out of Bounds]
Congress mandated the constuction of hundreds of miles of fencing along our Southern border in 2006 without any real knowledge of its true costs. Taxpayers have paid $2.4 billion for fence construction to date, and annual funding has jumped from $6 million in 2002 to $843 million in 2008. Yet all signs indicate the fence is bound to cost us much more.
The only estimate of the fence’s cost in 2006 was a 1999 Army Corps of Engineers study which said the most common type of pedestrian fencing would cost around $431,000 per mile. The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol reports the fence already costs ten times that amount. In some locations, costs can run as high as $12 million per mile.
Construction contracts, however, indicate actual costs are even higher. These contracts show average costs at $4.5 million per mile for primary fencing and $1.6 million for vehicle barriers.
But the biggest future cost to taxpayes may be the high price of fence maintenance. U.S. Army Corps estimates for maintaining the 370 miles of “primary” fence range from $5 and $8 million per mile each year. The Congressional Budget Office estimated annual maintenance costs at 15 percent of construction costs. That means maintenance costs will surpass construction costs within seven years. These estimates—probably low, as they do not address the increasing problem of fence vandalism—indicate taxpayers are looking at least $8 billion to maintain the fence over its 25-year life cycle.
Yep, and keep in mind, those figures don't factor in:
Fluctuating fuel, labor and materials prices, exacerbated by the use of private contractors.
The high costs of purchasing land from private owners and fighting lawsuits challenging the Department of Homeland Security’s waiver of nearly 40 environmental and regulatory laws. Though CBP added $0.8 million per mile for land acquisition costs in their most recent estimates, this figure is likely low considering the more than 100 cases challenging the DHS awards currently before the courts.
Environmental mitigation. The $50 million Congress added to DHS’ 2009 budget for “regulatory and environmental requirements” is a drop in the bucket. Taxpayers often end up with the bill for long-term environmental impacts when the government is exempted by legal waivers.
So yeah, while the solution to the problem of "illegal immigration" may be the holes in the border. Why then don't we just go ahead like John McCain suggests and build the danged fence? Certainly the people who rallied against the Health Care Reform Bill, or the $787 billion for the Stimulus, wouldn't mind the very runaway spending spending they rally and complain about.
That is, only if it involves keeping "illegals" out of the country. Who needs to worry about a budget deficit then, when you're willing to spend more in enforcement than could be gained from true comprehensive immigration reform. Like I mentioned before, they think this way mostly because they believe that "illegal immigrants" are taking away jobs from citizens who are willing to commit crimes. That plus they're willing to work for $1.48 per hour...
Listen, I'm not particularly good at math, but even I can see that this is not a bargain. But then again, we could just make the fence a priority like the two wars we're involved in and borrow some more money from China to make it happen. But here's an even better idea. Why don't we save the expense and build a fence around the entire state of Arizona, so as to keep everybody else out. Ethnic studies ban aside, if that were the case, them being their own country, we couldn't say much. Sounds good to me; after all, do we really want to be all Arizonans now, as Sarah Palin alluded to this past weekend?
I heard the news of the death of Aiyana Jones at the hands of a Detroit police officer on Sunday night and I was a bit upset. Upset at the fact that this innocent child lost her life as innocently as she did, at the hands of an individual sworn to serve and protect the community. Sure, somebody is going to say, "Well, if they weren't harboring a murder suspect none of this would have happened." Well, you're probably right about that; but, lemme hit you with a fuck you, and politely ask that you miss me with that bullshit.
I don't give a rats ass if they had Bin Laden holed up in the apartment; this child didn't deserve to die this way. Yep, and then they say it was an accident because her grandmother was wrestling with the police officer for the gun? Look, that's the type of shit you see in movies, and I'm not buying it. Yep, try again Detroit police. Yep, you muthafuckas have to come better than that especially in the face of this following press release:
DETROIT – Police who carried out a raid on a family home that left a 7-year-old girl dead over the weekend were accompanied by a camera crew for a reality television show, and an attorney says video of the siege contradicts the police account of what happened.
Geoffrey Fieger, an attorney for the family of young Aiyana Jones, said he has seen three or four minutes of video of the raid, although he declined to say whether it was shot by the crew for the A&E series "The First 48," which has been shadowing Detroit homicide detectives for months.
Police have said officers threw a flash grenade through the first-floor window of the two-family home, and that an officer's gun discharged, killing the girl, during a struggle or after colliding with the girl's grandmother inside the home.
But Fieger said the video shows an officer lobbing the grenade and then shooting into the home from the porch.
"There is no question about what happened because it's in the videotape," Fieger said. "It's not an accident. It's not a mistake. There was no altercation."
"Aiyana Jones was shot from outside on the porch. The videotape shows clearly the officer throwing through the window a stun grenade-type explosive and then within milliseconds of throwing that, firing a shot from outside the home," he said.
A&E spokesman Dan Silberman said neither he nor anyone else from the network would comment about the case, and he denied a request by The Associated Press for the footage.
Detroit police were trying to obtain the film crew's footage, Assistant Chief Ralph Godbee said Monday.
Fieger said the investigation into what happened during the raid "needed to go no further than the videotape."
"The videotape shows clearly that the assistant police chief and the officers on the scene are engaging in an intentional cover up of the events," Fieger said. He said more than one camera was recording at the scene, and that the footage includes sound.
Oh hell-to-the-naw on this one po-po. And the officer in question as the article goes on to say, was cleared of another shooting last summer? Thankfully nobody died that time, but dammit if this isn't some bullshit! Shooting into the apartment from the porch? Did they really think the story of a tussle for the gun would fly when the cameras from The First 48 was along for the ride? If anything, I think the presence of a camera crew had a lot to do with the actions of the officer in question. Something tells me he may have been on some 'ol extra shit, and showing out as he played Super Cop for all the world to see when the episode aired.
I could be wrong, but this guy scares me; and, I don't even live in Alabama:
Um, I don't know what he - Dale Peterson - is talking about with that whole his opponent stealing yard signs thing, and Facebook? And frankly, I don't care. All I know is that this is the most scary campaign ad to the eyes of a black man. I'm sorry, you could be a black person living in Zimbabwe, and still be disturbed by what sounds like a slave master or overseer running for office. Uh-huh, and Agriculture commissioner at that?
"We're Republicans, we should be better than this." - Dale Peterson
Ummm, yeeeah, something tells me that if he had it his way, those "illegals busting in the door," and the black people who live in Alabama - plus Charles Barkley just for having aspirations of becoming Governor one day - will all be working for free picking cotton in the Crimson state. Um, he did say that, "he'll name names and take no prisoners," as he hoisted that rifle, didn't he? Uh-huh, all he needed was a few nooses to make it complete, no?
I could be very wrong, but this is way more epic than Charlton Heston's "Cold dead hands," bit. Yep, it doesn't get any more white, more American, and more Republican than this guy. As funny as it may sound, I'd be more comfortable voting for a guy who goes by the name Young Boozer than this guy; he seems harmless.
Oh yes, I am back!Right after LeBron "Punk Ass" James failed to deliver again.
Now, now, he's not overrated, he's just spoiled. Send his ass to the Clippers and let him understand hard times.
That's right, I forgot, he's trying to slither his way to the NJ Nets under the influence of Jay Z who has secretly snatched the only source of entertainment for black folks in Jersey and send the b-ball team to Brooklyn.
Let's hope the recession puts that on an indefinite hold. I live right down the street from the Prudential Center and I'm getting some tickets. They've got great funnel cakes and beer.
But if James does come to the Nets (and damn do they need a savior) and chokes like he did for the Cavaliers, he needs to be prepared to face Brick City. There will be some goons ready for that ass.
Okay, so let's talk about ass and the assholes in Arizona. Wait a minute, let me back up a bit. I will start with some of the messages on my Facebook page from African-Americans who are praising the racial profiling and racist policies in Arizona.
“He who warned uh, the British that they weren't gonna be takin' away our arms, uh by ringing those bells, and um, makin' sure as he's riding his horse through town to send those warning shots and bells that we were going to be sure and we were going to be free, and we were going to be armed.” -- Sarah Palin on Paul Revere
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