The Day I Met Geronimo Ji Jaga Pratt

by Eco.Soul.Intellectual

I knew Geronimo Ji Jaga Pratt through books and stories passed by old head revolutionaries in Los Angeles. He was part myth and part hero---a comrade and political prisoner in conscious circles, and a brother effed by the police in the larger black community. 

I can recall going to Leimert Park in Los Angeles circa 1997-98, to celebrate and see Geronimo upon his release. He was like Mandela and Michael, and pre-Obama, much more grassroots, and more like a legendary dream. 

Leimert Park, the black arts Mecca in Los Angeles was packed with everyone from thugs to business folk. On that day, we all one. Every person that was unjustly treated by the justice deparment, from all walks of life, and races, hugged and shook hands in a small slice of victory. 

Los Angeles used to be a blood bath during the 60s and 70s when it came to black liberation struggle. There were more Panthers killed in Los Angeles, than any other city, including the home of BPP, Oakland. We couldn't believe that not only did he get released and was acquitted of the bogus charges, but he also got paid several million dollars.

Folk gathered and hugged, and waited to see Bro. Geronimo.

But as soon as we saw him he was whisked away to finally get a small taste of a life that was robbed from him.

I never once spoke to Geronimo, but I met him in the living room of Johnny Cochran. That day I met Geronimo, through the thick narrative of Mr. Cochran who was miles away from O.J. or gloves. He spoke with a passion that epitomized his practice of being a revolutionary with a 3-piece.

I had made the trek to a nice area of the city to go speak with Mr. Cochran on his next career venture. It was my last interview for a black local paper. I was thinking about suing them, but Mr. Cochran talked me out of it. Instead he shifted to his law firm and all the cases he vividly served as counsel.

En Memorium: Manning Marable (1950 - 2011)

Fox clown Glenn Beck responds to my challenges to his reality-challenged diatribes (click here).

More importantly…

* * *

... we have to be aware of the power and importance of organizing not just around identity, but the materiality of daily life, which still, in many respects, is racialized for people of color. You build from that, but you have a grander social vision that transcends it and recognizes the strengths and limitations that are drawn from the particularity of identity.

-- Manning Marable

Manning Marable, scholar, writer, lecturer, and civil rights activist who founded the Institute for Research in African American Studies at Columbia University, died yesterday, April 1 at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City after a long illness. He was 60.

I first became acquainted with Prof. Manning’s work when his book, How Capitalism Underdeveloped Black America was recommended to me by a mentor. A classic study of racism and class in the United States, it was central to my education and development as political activist (as it was for countless others). I was immediately taken by his grasp and range, his academic acumen and his ability to deconstruct complex processes in a way that made the bigger picture easier to understand.

Years later, I was invited to participate as a panelist at a conference organized by Manning Marable on mass incarceration at Columbia University and I had the pleasure of meeting him and speaking with him briefly. I was struck by his humble manner and his willingness to support the work of those who otherwise would not be heard. I was also overwhelmed that the Manning Marable would ask me, an unknown, to present my ideas. I was, like fuckin’ high, that day.

I, like many of us familiar with his work, was looking forward to his magnum opus, his biography of Malcolm X, Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention, a project he devoted ten years of his life to bring to fruition. The book is scheduled to be published on Monday, and Mr. Marable, as was his wont, had been looking forward to leading a vigorous public discussion of his ideas. The book promises to be intellectually stimulating and challenges both popular and scholarly portrayals of Malcolm X, the black nationalist leader, describing a man often subject to doubts about religion, politics and other matters, a departure from the authoritarian figure of unswerving moral certainty that became an enduring icon of African-American pride.

The work is particularly critical of Alex Haley’s often cited work, the “Autobiography of Malcolm X,” now a regular fixture on college reading lists, which Mr. Marable described as “fictive.” Drawing on diaries, private correspondence and surveillance records to a much greater extent than previous biographies, Manning’s book also suggests that the New York City Police Department and the F.B.I. had advance knowledge of Malcolm X’s assassination but allowed it to happen and then deliberately bungled the investigation.

I will be looking forward to reading this work and I will definitely mourn the passing of what was surely one of the intellectual giants of The Cause. It is said that no one individual truly dies. That the actions we commit in our lives continue to reverberate long after we are gone. It is said that one has died only when the memory of that individual is lost. If this indeed the case, then Manning Marable will live in our heart of hearts for a long time.

RIP Prof. Marable…

My name is Eddie and I’m in recovery from civilization…

Jailed Akron Mom, Kelly Williams-Bolar Exclusive Interview From Jail [VIDEO]

(H/T @AllAboutRace)

Spoke about this travesty of justice yesterday; there's also a featured circulating petition  also in that post. She still sits in jail serving her sentence for sending her kids to a "different" school district. But the good news is that she had a visit by her state representatives. They've vowed to ensure that she gets her sought after job as a school teacher upon completion of her degree. Today I have an exclusive jailhouse interview via newsnet5.com. Take a minute and a half out of your life (that's the entire length of the following video) to check it out, and should you feel compelled, do sign the petition supporting her appeal:

Homeless DC Man Uses Social Networking to Advocate for the Homeless

I saw this brother's story over at the Washington Post and I had to share. Also, since there's a soft spot in my heart for the homeless, I decided to friend him on Facebook. I don't know, I think what he's doing is great. He's using new world technology which one would think would be a last resort as far as availability to folks caught in a bad spot. But to me, his story is inspirational; and also, a good example of what can be accomplished with the use of social networking as a tool for awareness and change. But somehow, I can hear detractors wishing that this brother get a real job; and become, a productive member of society.

Eric Sheptock has 4,548 Facebook friends, 839 Twitter followers, two blogs and an e-mail account with 1,600 unread messages. What he doesn't have is a place to live.

"I am a homeless homeless advocate," he often tells people. That's the line that hooks them, the one that gives Sheptock - an unemployed former crack addict who hasn't had a permanent address in 15 years - his clout on the issue of homelessness.

His Facebook friends and Twitter followers include policymakers, advocates for the homeless and hundreds of college students who have heard him speak on behalf of the National Coalition for the Homeless.

Being homeless has become Sheptock's full-time occupation. It's work that has provided him with purpose and a sense of community. But it's also work that has perpetuated his homelessness and, in a way, glorified it.

Sheptock, 41, wouldn't take a 9-to-5 job that compromised his advocacy efforts or the long hours he spends tending to his digital empire, he says. He wouldn't move out of the downtown D.C. shelter where he has slept for the past two years if it would make him a less effective voice for change.

"Too many homeless people have come to look up to me, and I can't just walk away from them," he says in a recent blog post titled "Tough Choices." "My conscience won't allow it."

Having 5,000 friends on Facebook is more important to Sheptock than having $5,000 in the bank. And he lives with the consequences of that every day. 

[...] On most days, Sheptock takes a shower as soon as he wakes and then walks the four miles from the shelter near Judiciary Square to Thrive DC, a nonprofit organization in Mount Pleasant where he gets a free breakfast and Internet access. On the days he can afford it, he'll take the bus.

His income varies. November was a good month: He made $330 from his blog posts ($25 a pop at Change.org) and his speeches ($40 for those he gives in the Washington region and $100 for those farther away).

[...] Ask city officials about Sheptock, and they'll describe the countless e-mails they've gotten from him complaining about the D.C. government's performance on homelessness.

In a city where 6,500 people have no place to live, affordable housing is scarce and shelters are full, Sheptock "aims to pressure them into actually being effective," his Facebook page says.

His e-mail signature includes his cellphone number, links to his blogs and a slogan: "Outgoing Mayor Fenty has a headache and his headache has a name - Eric Jonathan Sheptock." Then he offers Fenty's office number. (Read More)

Georgia Prisons Still On Lockdown As Prisoners Continue their Strike

by Joanna (JuJuBe)

On December 9, prisoners across the state of Georgia staged a strike to protest the conditions under which they are incarcerated. Cell phones purchased from prison guards were reportedly used to organize the action. Four of the prisons participating in the protest are still under lock down today. This work stoppage has cut across racial and religious boundaries, as leaders of various factions, normally at odds with each other, worked together to find an effective means of resistance to the conditions under which they have all been forced to exist.

The demands of the prisoners are reasonable, and include educational opportunities, wages for work performed, and decent health care. Prisoners in various facilities have reported that prison officials have attempted to provoke violence from the peaceful protesters. Prison officials have used such tactics as turning off the heat, forcing prisoners to shower without hot water, and leaving prisoners outside in a cold prison yard without adequate protection from the elements. Several prisons have been inundated by tactical teams brandishing weapons and tearing apart inmates cells and property. But the prisoners have expressed a determination to remain on strike until their demands are met. Prisoners have expressed the need for outside entities to intervene in order to help force the DOC to provide adequate living conditions for the incarcerated population.

On December 8, a press release was issued that outlined the demands of the striking prisoners. The men participating in the strike have expressed that they will not give up the fight for their rights, that no matter the consequences, they will continue to peacefully demand decent treatment from the DOC. The following are the demands of the striking prisoners. I'm not sure how you may feel about them. But I'd really like to get some feedback from you as to whether they're unreasonable or not:

In the Age of Obama (Part II) Police Terror, Incarceration, No Jobs, Mis-education: What Future for our Youth?

Because I love nothing better than a progressive discussion which advances issues experienced and not exclusive to the black community. I just wanted to take the time out to invite you to attend, and spotlight an even going down in New York City tomorrow night.

The event is billed as a "game changing dialogue," between one of my favorite black scholars, Cornel West, and Carl Dix, the national spokesman for the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA. And it is scheduled for October 29th at 7:00pm, on Harlem Stage, at the Aaron Davis Hall, Harlem, NYC.

Here's an excerpt from last years conversation:


This is a conversation that we in the black community, who often exist as the canary in the mine should have. It is common knowledge that when America catches the common cold, blacks and other minorities come down with the bubonic plague. However, any policy that directly improves the lives of the least of us, translates into something positive and beneficial for society at large.

So let's have a conversation, and figure out a plan of corrective action so as to affect change.. in the age of Obama. Ironically the Obama administration has been reaching out to the black community of late, in an attempt to gain electorate support for next weeks midterm elections. Too bad they turn a blind eye to this:

So Was Discovery Channel Hostage Taker James Lee "Mentally Unstable" or Dedicated to his Ideals?

by Joanna (JuJuBe)

When an individual who feels so strongly about his ideals decides to take people hostage or resort to any other sort of violent action, we are quick to label them "mentally unstable" or "mentally ill". But is that just a convenient way to dismiss the sometimes legitimate concerns underlying their actions?

Now, I am NOT saying that I agree with the philosophy of Discovery channel hostage taker James Jay Lee regarding immigration and "anchor babies. Nor do I find his "extreme" ideas about population control acceptable. In fact, I find much of what he says pretty disgusting However, if you read his ENTIRE MANIFESTO, there are some areas in which he expresses LEGITIMATE concerns.

It was interesting to note that as the situation unfolded, immediately, the right wing was pointing to the "liberal agenda" as the cause of this man's actions, while the left wing is pointing out the more "conservative" elements of his manifesto and calling him right wing nut. In truth, he was neither. He was a man with a single minded goal.... that of reducing the human population in order to reduce its impact upon the earth.

But, was the media correct in immediately characterizing him as "mentally unbalanced"? It seems like the most convenient way to dismiss the ideals of someone who we do not agree with is to attack his state of mind instead of his ideas. Because it is often hard to dismiss someone's agenda outright. Lee may have had some views that many, if not most people consider absurd. The truth is, Lee had been evaluated in 2008 following his conviction for disorderly conduct stemming from a previous protest against the discovery channel, and was NOT found to have any mental illnesses. But, if he had NOT been dismissed in the media as "mentally ill", maybe people around the country would have been discussing the FACTS that led him to take such extreme actions.

We see this is every case where someone takes hostages or kills FOR A CAUSE. NO MATTER WHAT the cause is, the person is AUTOMATICALLY dismissed as mentally ill, in order to deflect attention away from any kernel of truth that resides within his ideology. As I said, I find much of Lee's manifesto deplorable. BUT, we DO need to take better care of the environment. We DO need to find an end to the constant wars and conflict. We DO need to change our economic system. But, no one will be paying any attention to THOSE parts of his "manifesto" if he is dismissed as "mentally unstable."

A few weeks ago, a young man name Omar Thornton killed several of his coworkers because he was a victim of their racism. As in this case, his LEGITIMATE concern was ERASED when the media gave him the label of "mentally unstable". The same thing happened in the case of Colin Ferguson (LIRR shooter). The label of "mentally ill" or "mentally unstable" is slapped on anyone who takes drastic action to make a point, in order to dilute the impact of their violent statement.

When a soldier is willing to kill and be killed for the values that his nation holds sacred, we call him a hero. But, when an individual is willing to kill or be killed for the values that HE personally holds near and dear to his heart, we call him misguided, and label him mentally ill. And no one pays attention to his message. Whether his reasoning is rational or not, he is dismissed as a loon. And no one pays attention to the point he was trying to make in the first place. Whether we agree with James Jay Lee or not, he had a message to convey to the world. Did anyone pay attention to his message, or were we all convinced by the "mentally unstable" label to dismiss everything he believed in?

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Guest Blogger: Aren't Black Women Worth Fighting For? [By MsLadyDeborah]

[Editor's Note: This month we plan to highlight issues concerning minorities and the criminal justice system. It's only right that MsLadyDeborah of FROM MY BROWN EYED VIEW gets it started off right.]

Let's start out this post with a "what if," situation.

What if there were two Black males from the same family were being held by the Mississippi Department of Corrections, serving a double life sentence for allegedly committing a robbery of $11.00, what would the national response be to the extreme sentence for this alleged crime?

Once the information hit the MSM, it is not hard to imagine the outcry from Reverends Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. We would see the familiar go to Black folks on the air giving their opinions about this miscarriage of justice. There might even be a march planned down in Mississippi to protest this extremely harsh sentence. The inter net would be filled with opinions that ranged from support to let them die there in the comment section. The heat would be turned on full-blast towards the MCOD to reduce the sentence and free the brothers because they have already served 16 years behind bars.

In reality there is such a situation in existence. The only difference in that what if moment, is the fact that two Black women are actually living through such a situation. Their names are Jamie and Gladys Scott. For the past 16 years they have been incarcerated by the MDOC for the crime of stealing $11.00. They were handed a sentence of double life for this alleged theft.

Where is the outrage? Where is the national out cry for The Scott Sisters? Why haven't we seen the go to Black leadership up in arms over this situation? Why isn't this case filling the airwaves instead of just receiving the support of individuals and grassroots organizations? It is not difficult for me to pinpoint one obvious reason why there is minimal support for their release . If these two women were Rashawn and Pookie, it would be on to have their sentences over turned. This whole situation would be a part of the national conversation. Whatever resources were needed to put up a fight would appear.

But these are just two Black women. Who don't seem to warrant support for a wrongful conviction. Which leads me to question why not? Aren't we worth saving?

PeTA’s 2010 State of the Union and the Sexualization of Black Women

The following video includes full female nudity and may not be acceptable for work.

PETA's 2010 State of the Union Undress

Once again PeTA reveals that its true objective is not ending cruelty to animals but debasing women.  When we consider that there has never been a female president, putting a woman in this mock situation and showing her stripping off her clothes to the cheers and jeers of a mostly white male audience is highly problematic.   Black women in particular have been historically constructed as Jezebels.  Our femininity is often soundly rejected, unless the goal is to paint us as sexually depraved.

If PeTA cared about how Black women have historically been treated, it would never have staged a mock up with one taking off her clothes in front of cheering White men.   To justify the rapes that occurred in the slave cabins, Black women were said to have tempted White men with our uncontrollable sexuality.  Even though the power dynamics clearly favoured the White male slave holders, it has him that was constructed as powerless. This ad  promotes the idea that Black women exist to perform for White men thereby asserting that Black women's bodies are ultimately consumable for the purposes of sexual pleasure.

PeTA recently ran an ad featuring Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey and Tyra Banks.   They used the first ladies image without prior approval causing the White house to demand that PeTA cease and desist.  Simply because someone does not wear fur, does not mean that they support PeTA.  It never occurred to PeTA to ask beforehand because it does not value women’s bodies and after viewing this video, it is even more clear that they put even less importance to the bodies of WOC and how they are perceived.

At the end of the video, PeTA has shocking images of animal abuse.    If their real desire was to end animal cruelty, these images are more than enough to make a significant point.  The truth is, PeTA’s objective is to paint all other marginalizations as secondary to that faced by animals and that is why they routinely features ads that are sexist, homophobic, racist, transphobic etc.,  The oppression Olympics engaged in by PeTA only serves to reify the very same hierarchy that PeTA claims to be against.

PeTA is simply a predatory organization whose message gets lost because it is intent upon reductive tactics.  It is their belief that any publicity is good publicity and therefore; they will not acknowledge that continually demeaning marginalized bodies is not only harmful but extremely dangerous.  If certain groups are not seen as human, it is much easier to target them for violence, hatred, rape etc.,

I have been asked why I always spell PeTA with a lower case e and the answer  is quite simple,  they can never be understood to be ethical as long as they continue to  use such reductive tactics to get their message out to the public.  No PeTA ad I have ever seen, has convinced me of anything other than the fact that isms hurt people. 

Could you smile if you were facing 15yrs in prison for cutting in line at Wal-Mart? Will Heather Ellis receive a fair trial? Only we can ensure that she does.

On the day that the president of the United States signed the Mathew Shepard Hate Crimes Bill into law, it’s ironic that I run with this story. Imagine that, a Black man as president signing a federal hate crimes bill. If that doesn’t make our ancestors proud I don’t know what would, but I guess I’m just sentimental like that.

Sadly, the smiling lady in the picture above may not be smiling too brightly these days. No she’s not one of those angry sisters unhappy because some guy took a hike leaving her to raise children all by her lonesome. Instead, she’s a pre-med student with a promising future who stands the chance of being sentenced to 15yrs in prison for cutting in line at a Wal-Mart shopping center in her hometown.

Check it out:






Wait a minute; did somebody say something about the KKK?






Dang, and here I thought the Klan was dead in this here post-racial America...

These fools have business cards? Stepping up in the world aren’t they?

Oh well, as always, there are two sides to every story, and as for the Klan angle:

“It has been a total nightmare,” said her father, Rev. Nate Ellis, a Church of God in Christ pastor. “My daughter has been mistreated. She has been convicted before trial.”

Rev. Ellis said at one point a Kennett police officer brought KKK cards to two people participating in marches on his daughter’s behalf. Ellis said the officer indicated he had collected the cards from along a street and laughed as he delivered them. Ellis and supporters read the move as an attempt at intimidation.

County Prosecutor Sokoloff, reached at his office, said that on the day of the rally for Heather Ellis, “somebody, and it’s unknown who,” had strewn some KKK cards that were not associated with any chapter or locality on one of the streets of the parade rally.

“The police went out, found them and picked them up and took them and showed them to one of the family members organizing the thing and told them, ‘we’ve found these laying on the ground, we picked them up and we thought you might want to know about this.’ They instantly accused the police of actually distributing them.” (Read more here)

Guest Blogger: Black People are working off old paradigms in a 21st Century World - STOP CALLING REV. AL SHARPTON!! (by Citizen Ojo)

(EDITORS NOTE: Citizen Ojo has been a longtime reader of my blog, and one the very first people to comment and support my blog. He blogs over at The Desultory Life & Times of a Public Citizen; a blog that I visit for brain food and laughs. It's a pleasure having him here on the corner as he attempts to convert some of you who need Jesus. Do visit his blog, show him love, and don't be afraid to share your thoughts.)

I will admit that I listen to the Reverend Al Sharpton show. I know that is not a popular thing to say because of how he is viewed by some people. To some people he is a race baiting con artist and to others he is a champion for the underprivileged. I’ve been watching Rev. Al for a while and I believe he is getting wiser in his old age.

I personally feel when he is right he is right and when he is wrong he is wrong.

I don’t believe that he is the ambulance chaser that some portray him to be. If you listen to his show, black folks are always asking him to come to their town or city. Apparently they feel that only Rev. Al can provide the justice that they need. But sometimes people call him for some of the dumbest things this side of the Mississippi.

The problem with some of his listeners is that they subscribe to this false notion of the “Monolithic Black Community”. It’s a falsehood that has been peddled by many of America’s Black Intellectuals and Commentators (including you Rev. Al). Another falsehood is that “we” need “leaders” to lead us because we can’t lead ourselves. Why does Rev. Al need to fly to Detroit to make your Mayor do what he or she is supposed to do? We have elections to remedy these situations. If you don’t like someone, you vote them out.

The problem with many of “us” is that “we” have let the same people continue to stay in office. Some black politicians have become permanent fixtures that have turned public office into their personal playground. 10, 20 30 plus years of chicken dinners and handshakes and you can’t even come out of you neighborhood at night. Then on Election Day “we” barely show up to vote and the day after have a nerve to complain about what’s wrong with our local government.

Van Jones Resigns: Score one for the assholes of America who are always against progress.

From the minute I made my post the other week a day after Glen Beck dubbed Van Jones a communist Black supremacist I knew it was coming. I figured it was going to be a matter of time before he either resigned or was thrown under the bus by president Obama. Looking back at the rhetoric on my post it was clear; and as I stated, this was indeed an attack on Black intelligentsia and community activism. Well, score one for the assholes of America folks because Van Jones has resigned.

White House environmental adviser Van Jones resigned Saturday after weeks of controversy stemming from his past activism.

"On the eve of historic fights for health care and clean energy, opponents of reform have mounted a vicious smear campaign against me," Jones, special adviser for green jobs at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, said in a statement announcing his resignation just after midnight Saturday. "They are using lies and distortions to distract and divide."

He continued: "I have been inundated with calls -- from across the political spectrum -- urging me to 'stay and fight.' But I came here to fight for others, not for myself. I cannot in good conscience ask my colleagues to expend precious time and energy defending or explaining my past. We need all hands on deck, fighting for the future." [Source: The Washington Post]

Way to go muthafuckas; so much for the whole Green Jobs concept being trickled down to our urban communities. Yep, just a day or so after it was revealed that the current unemployment rate (9.7%) is at a 26yr high. Ya happy now bitches? While Republicans and the Glenn Beck Fool-Aid drinking crew relish in this as a victory, ultimately, it is the country who loses. Yes, America loses at the hands of dis-informed mental midgets who would love nothing better than to see the current president, and former "community organizer" fail.

Well you know what? Like Bernie Mack, we ain't scared of you muthafuckas; and us Nazi's in the community are going to keep fighting. We're going to keep organizing and fighting the big machine for social justice and change. If anything, this should be a wake-up call for progressive minded political individuals the likes of myself (i.e. Progressive Negroes). As a group we must fight fire with fire. No, unlike the opposition we should not push lies and espouse vitriolic rhetoric for political expediency. What we should do is speak truth to power and educate the masses harder than ever. Surely we cannot change the minds of all. But our voice is powerful, and with the truth is on our side, we'll never lose.

Black people, it is imperative that we do a better job of defending our images and distorted perceptions in the face of the right wing sharks who do not have our best interests at heart. Van Jones will be ok; he's going to continue the good work he has always done. He will continue to champion the fight for the disenfranchised among us, the fight for saving our environment, and the fight for economic equality among ethnic groups. If these issues makes him a communist, or a Black Supremacist as he has been labeled, then I guess him and I are one in the same. On Friday Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) called on Jones to resign, saying in a statement, "His extremist views and coarse rhetoric have no place in this administration or the public debate." Really? This coming from a representative of a party who welcomes racially divisive and extremist rhetoric at town hall meetings?

My only disappointment through all of this, is that as a people (Black people) we slept on this one. We pitched a bitch about not enough key Black appointees within the current administration. But we stood bye and allowed another one of ours to be railroaded in the media. We did the same thing with the good old Rev. Jeremiah Wright as the media with it's soundbite after soundbite made him out to be a pariah. Well, are we just going to continue to allow them to do that to everything and everyone Black associated with Barack Obama? Jones was right, those of us who are not Barack Hussien Obama, are going to have to get uppity.

Well done assholes...

Reason #4080 as to why Black people are wrong when they say we're not a post-racial society

Remember the good old days when race relations in this country was different? You know, back in the days when "certain people" felt the need to hang nooses all over the country as an act of intimidation after the Jena 6 movement took off? Remember that? Yeah, that was back in the pre-post racial days when, well, quite frankly, we were racist? But not anymore; see, unlike back then, "certain people" are happy. Yes, they make a point to go out of their way to show it as they show so much love to our recently elected Black president. You know, sending "special" emails expressing their gratitude and affection. Yeah, some of them would even like to go as far as to give the man a 21 gun salute at these town hall meetings but the cops just won't let them. Oh how times have changed for the better, and I love it.

Check out what happened yesterday:

Four teenagers were arrested in connection with racist phrases and symbols made from strips of sod at an elementary school in the Manassas area, Prince William County police said Tuesday.

The strips, spelling "KKK" and "White Power" with a swastika in the middle, were found about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday at a parking lot at Sinclair Elementary School, said Sgt. Kim Chinn, a police spokeswoman.

The male Stonewall Jackson High School students, ages 14, 15, 16 and 17, three of them white and one black, were released to their parents, Chinn said. As of late last night it appeared that they had not been charged. [source:washingtonpost.com]

Ok, so I know many of you - especially you Black readers - are going to say that it's messed up that a Black kid would be a party to something like this. But see, that's just you seeing the glass as half empty as Black people often do. Uh huh, my non-minority friends tell me that's one of our problems, and who better than they to psychoanalyze Black people, right? The way I see it, this is a triumphant moment in Black history. What this does, is to show just how Black and White people can come together for one common cause.

Sure you might be thinking that if you were the parent of the Black kid you'd be beating his ass 'till dawn. But hey, what type of message would that be sending to the kid, his White friends and their parents. Do you really want to be known as a non-teamplayer? I mean hell, those kids were just having fun just like the kids who hung those nooses in Jena Louisiana. I mean hell, it was a Swastika for crying out loud! It's not like they're not following in the footsteps of some of the adults we see on TV at these town hall meetings expressing their undying love for socialists and Nazis like myself [see my recent post on this].

So look, let's collectively as Americans come together and embrace this event as a necessary act of progression. It's a new day in this country folks, and yes, it is time to move forward and beyond the days of old - circa Jena Louisiana 2006. Lets be honest, it's not like any of those four teenagers in D.C. were charged with anything. The last thing we need is to get a few of you angry Negroes upset over nothing and get to marching and stuff all because of a prank.

How Capital Punishment Can Be Fun For The Whole Family (white family)

Recently, while sitting on death row, Troy Davis received some great news. No, he has not been exonerated and cleared of his conviction. And no, he is not set to walk out of the prison gates anytime soon. Instead, Troy Davis' appeal for a new trial in light of new evidence was reviewed and granted by the United States Supreme Court. In my opinion, this news is a testament to the hard work that many here and around the world have exerted on behalf of Mr. Davis, truth, and justice, through activism.

As his new trial is set to start, we must all remember the undeniable truth of not only our judicial system, but more specifically, Capital Punishment here in these United States:

Um, just for the record, being the almighty racism chaser, and champion for truth and justice that I am. I hope you enjoyed this presentation and illustration of what Rush Limbaugh has asserted in that racism is made up, and a figment of the imagination of liberals. Hey, somebody has to put this stuff out there. And here's to hoping that the truth shall set Troy Davis free.

I guess PETA has given up on Michael Vick and has moved on to fat women. Yup, let's save the whales.

I don't know, maybe I missed it, but did a big girl get caught-up in dog-fighting or something? I try to stay abreast of the latest news but I think I missed this one. Down in Jacksonville Florida PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has launched a new ad campaign promoting veganism. Pictured above is one of their billboards with the caption: "Save The Whales, Lose The Blubber: Go Vegetarian."

Here's their press release:

A new PETA billboard campaign that was just launched in Jacksonville reminds people who are struggling to lose weight -- and who want to have enough energy to chase a beach ball -- that going vegetarian can be an effective way to shed those extra pounds that keep them from looking good in a bikini. [....]

Anyone wishing to achieve a hot "beach bod" is reminded that studies show that vegetarians are, on average, about 10 to 20 pounds lighter than meat-eaters. [...]

"Trying to hide your thunder thighs and balloon belly is no day at the beach," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "PETA has a free 'Vegetarian Starter Kit' for people who want to lose pounds while eating as much as they like.[source]

Ouch! I gotta give it to them, they sure now how to get attention. Way to go being sensitive and empathetic towards women with image and weight issues. I guess as an organization you can get away with that sort of brutally honest advertisement campaign especially when you hire Playboy models scantily dressed in lettuce leaves to promote veganism. Which is actually funny because most of those women, usually get their start at Hooters serving hot wings with their titties hanging out.

I don't know if plus size women are going to rally together and protest PETA for the unethical treatment of "big-boneded women" (I hate when people use that term but it's better than fat chicks), but I think they should. I sincerely doubt whether this campaign will have any impact and I view it as just another publicity stunt. But hey, PETA pretty much makes life hard for people so why not protest them. Some women may find this sort of ad campaign to be quite sexist and exploitative. But hey, isn't this how our society works. Last time I checked sex still sells, no?

CNN isn't playing fair with THIS health care reform ad

One thing I love is how useful the internet has become as a tool for political activism. That said, if you're like me and interested in affecting change this post is for you. If not, then I suggest you go play in rush hour traffic. OK, so the hot topic is health care; yep, something I haven't touched on for some time on this blog. The last time I did, people didn't give a rats ass or commented. But anyway, the heat is on and yes, health care reform is a must. There's a war going on outside that directly impacts your life and well being; and that would be the current health care debate. Things are so heated that you cannot watch a show on television without seeing and ad which is either for or against health care reform.

You know, like this one:

Interesting ad isn't it? Unfortunately, CNN is refusing to air this ad on their channel. Why you ask? Well because according to them “it unnecessarily singles out an individual company and person.” Here's some news folks: these "individual companies and persons" are spending millions of dollars to spread mis-information about health care reform. And why would they do this? Because a government ran public health care option would create competition. And why is that a bad thing? Oh because they would see a slight shift in their profit margins in a direction they would rather it not go. I'm sorry, but this is America and everybody competes. Competition is a good thing. Yep, if it wasn't for competition we would never have "Ladies Night" at our favorite night-clubs, nor would we have "Quarter Beer Night".

Listen, these cable news channels like CNN are beholden to corporate interests just like politicians. Yes, and these corporations like the one mentioned in the ad above spend millions buying of donating contributions to election campaigns. That's right folks, the bottom line is money. Yep, money talks and bullshit runs marathons trying to play catchup. So listen, do me and yourself a favor. If you're about health care reform, take a few seconds of your time to click THIS LINK and tell CNN to air this ad. It's bad enough that they (CNN) allow Lou Dobbs to have a show where he pushes racist conspiracy theories, but now they want to be fair and balanced; oops, that's a whole different network...I think; checkout my sidebar on the right to see what you can do about that Lou Dobbs mess.

BTW: Click HERE and send a message to our Senators and tell them that health care cannot wait. To date, Democratic Senators have received up to $80 million from from special interest groups opposed to a public option.

If you don't think it's a big deal or unimportant, checkout what can happen to you:

I Am Not a Nigger!

I have to admit, like most of you who read this blog and comment, I'm often cynical about our youth. Yes, just like most of you I shake my head when there is a news story which involves their behavior. With that said, it felt good reading about the actions of a few students of Berkely High School out in California last Friday.

Check it out:

BERKELEY, Calif.--Some 300 students protested against racism June 5 at Berkeley High School, in the midst of preparation for finals and presentations of final projects.

The protest was organized by the Black Student Union in response to two racist images placed on Facebook. One image was of a Black student with the word n----, and the other was a doctored photo of a Black teacher in chains.

The group of almost exclusively Black students protested twice during the school day. In the morning, they wore small signs on their chests reading "I am not a n-----." In the afternoon, the students marched back and forth through the halls for about half an hour, ending their protest with a sit-in and speeches in the entrance of a central classroom building.

The demands of the Black Student Union include ethnic studies as a requirement for graduation, reinstating a full African American studies department, hiring more Black teachers with student input, implementing cultural awareness training for students and teachers, and setting up truth and reconciliation forums for perpetrators of hate crimes or disrespect because of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or disability.

Berkeley High is a large urban high school of 3,100 known for its academic achievement and its student diversity. White students are a plurality, but not a majority. Black students are the second-largest group, with about a third of the population.

One of the stated goals of BHS is to overcome the equity gap (also known as the achievement gap) between white students and students of color. One big step toward this goal is to put the demands of the BSU into place and incorporate an understanding of race and racism into the life of the school.

All members of the BHS community will benefit from and should support these demands. [Source]

With these kids taking a stand, and realizing the effects of activism, all I can say is that all is not lost. It's good to know that there are kids out there who care, and are not afraid to protest or demonstrate an act of Democracy 101. The children are indeed our future, and we should never forget that. Don't give up folks, and do continue to work and inspire our youth to affect change in whatever way you can because all is not lost.

God hates abortion; murder? Not so much.

Just when Black folks have finally put to rest the image of the D.C. Sniper, and the shame and embarrassment of him being Black, here comes this shit. Yeah, that brother in the pic above is named Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad. Yes his hands behind his back means he’s doing the now infamous media perp walk that Black men are bound by the constitution to do. If you have yet to hear of his crime; he was the person responsible for the drive-by shooting at the military recruitment center in Little Rock Arkansas. Yes, his actions lead to the death of one military recruiter and the wounding of another.

As of right now, there is no clear motive as to why this brother did what he did, but I find it funny he’s already considered a terrorist in the media. I don’t know, but if his name was “Tyrone Jenkins”, I sincerely doubt that the label terrorist would be attached to him. Black men run around shooting other Black men everyday but they’re never referred to as terrorists. But nevertheless, he is now sitting in jail charged with one count of murder, and 15 counts of committing a terrorist act.

So the brother is a terrorist. Why because he has a funny sounding name and is a convert to Islam? Or is it because he shot up a military recruitment office? I mean is he a part of that silly New York Muslim terrorist cell who were dumb enough to buy fake bombs after being entrapped by an overzealous FBI informant? I don’t know if this guy is a terrorist folks, but I do know that guy who shot that abortion doctor in Wichita Kansas definitely was. But then again, maybe he’s not given that title given the fact that religious clowns on the far right side of the political spectrum are applauding his actions.

And you know what else is ridiculous? I have yet to see in the MSM the perp walk of Mr. Anti-Abortion /Pro-Murder White guy in the news. Hell, if it wasn’t for the picture of his mug shot from a previous arrest, I would have never known what he looks like. I guess at the end of the day it all comes down to the fact that God hates abortions, but not so much murder. Yeah, when you kill somebody and you have God on your side when you do, you’re a hero and not a terrorist. Oh well, so much for prosecuting George Bush, Dick Cheney, and Donald Rumsfeld for war crimes. After all, wasn’t it God who told him to invade Iraq?

As I mentioned before, unlike the crazy White dude, there is no motive for what the brother did in Arkansas. If it were determined, that he was opposed to war. The question I’d like to ask, is: would he be considered a hero, or revered as was that guy in Kansas in the eyes of those God loving God fearing folks who call themselves real Americans? I known dissent is the highest form of patriotism, but when did committing a crime as heinous as murder make one a hero.

A Global Day of Blogging for Troy Davis: Get off ya ass and do something!

Much like the Strange Fruit hanging from southern trees sung by Billie Holiday is Troy Davis. The only difference, is that the rope has been placed around his neck, but he has yet to meet his fate as set by the miscarriage of justice which has held, and still holds his life in the balance. If you haven't heard the Troy Davis story, don't feel bad. I mean it's not like the media has been covering this case anyway. I've written about him before on this blog, and I've decided to join others around the globe to speak out on his behalf again. You see, he sits on death row in a Georgia state prison awaiting execution for the murder of an off duty police officer. Like most convicted criminals, he has sworn his innocence.

Umm, just watch the video:

In the face of all this new evidence, the courts have denied him a retrial. They have however given him a 30 day extension to furnish or pursue another appeal. He has been granted 3 stays of execution all at the 11th hour, but yet and still, no retrial. Yup, the judges are not convinced that the new evidence is not sufficient for a jury to find him not guilty. I mean you have witnesses recanting their testimony, and there is also no murder weapon, but yet and still no justice? This recent loss was as recent as of the month of April and this is what the Judges concluded in a 2 to 1 decision:

Judges Joel Dubina and Stanley Marcus said they agreed with those conclusions. “Davis has not presented us with a showing of innocence so compelling that we would be obligated to act today,” they wrote.

The judges said they view the recantations with skepticism and, after reviewing Davis’ claims, “remain unpersuaded.” - Source

Look, I really don't care whether you are for or against the Death Penalty, what I do care about is this man being put to death when there is sufficient evidence to prove his innocence. As a man, I care about justice, and in my opinion, to deny his appeal for a new trial in this instance is absurd. I don't know about you, but I cannot sit by and allow this to happen. I watched with tears in my eyes the way residents of New Orleans were left to die after Hurricane Katrina. Back then it was all I can do from a distance. I'd be damned if I sit around and say or not do anything in this instance. This is why I urge you to assist me and others in bringing light to this issue. Not only that, I ask that you take the time to click the link below and send a letter via email or Fax to the Georgia Governors office.

Yes, we are all writing the governor and I'd appreciate it if you took just a few minutes of your time to do so as well. Don't worry, it wouldn't take anymore than probably 2 minutes of your time doing so. I'd also like to encourage you to pass this link or information along; Blog about it if you have to. I don't care how you do it, but dammit do something. To do nothing would make you just as guilty as the people who have chosen to deny this man the justice he deserves. Please, don't let the blood of Troy Davis lay on your hands as well as the leaves of the southern trees who have bared enough Strange Fruit.

EMAIL THE GEORGIA GOVERNOR: CLICK HERE

Death Row innocence and exoneration in Georgia

So What's Wrong with Single Payer Healthcare Coverage?

The most important piece of legislation in America today, with nearly 100 cosponsors in the house, H.R.676 is the only health care bill that will truly reform our tragically broken health care system. What would you think about a health care system that actually works for everybody, costs billions of dollars less, provides greater coverage, truly protects you from financial ruin due to medical bills, improves quality, increases innovation, and returns medical decisions to you and your doctor instead of some claims adjuster at an insurance company 1,000 miles away.

31 cents of every health care dollar spent is wasted on administrative expenses and insurer profits in the US system. This is why the US spends double what other industialized nations spend on health care yet has worse outcomes. We need to save that money and spend it on better health care for you, me, and all Americans. Our system is sick and dying, and this is the cure. And just for the record, this is NOT what President Obama is proposing. Don't let the word UNIVERSAL in his healthcare proposal fool you. This is what America needs. Can you tell me why it won't work?

For more information, contact:

California Nurses Association www.calnurses.org

Physicians for a National Health Program www.pnhp.org

Healthcare-NOW! www.healthcare-now.org