Michigan Lawmaker Says Kids in Foster Care Should Only Wear Clothes from Goodwill

Michigan State Sen. Bruce Casswell

by Joanna

If you believe, as I do, that all politicians and the majority of "common" people in this country just do not give a fuck about the poor, then you should recognize how important it is for us to raise awareness to issues which impact the poor. The truth is, politicians, no matter what party they belong to, simply will not do the right thing, unless they feel significant pressure to do so from the electorate.

Earlier today, this story was brought to my attention:

Under a new budget proposal from State Sen. Bruce Casswell, children in the state’s foster care system would be allowed to purchase clothing only in used clothing stores.

Casswell, a Republican representing Branch, Hillsdale, Lenawee and St. Joseph counties, made the proposal this week, reports Michigan Public Radio.

His explanation?

“I never had anything new,” Caswell says. “I got all the hand-me-downs. And my dad, he did a lot of shopping at the Salvation Army, and his comment was — and quite frankly it’s true — once you’re out of the store and you walk down the street, nobody knows where you bought your clothes.”

Under his plan, foster children would receive gift cards that could only be used at places like the Salvation Army, Goodwill and other second hand clothing stores.

The plan was knocked by the Michigan League for Human Services. Gilda Jacobs, executive director of the group, had this to say:

“Honestly, I was flabbergasted,” Jacobs says. “I really couldn’t believe this. Because I think, gosh, is this where we’ve gone in this state? I think that there’s the whole issue of dignity. You’re saying to somebody, you don’t deserve to go in and buy a new pair of gym shoes. You know, for a lot of foster kids, they already have so much stacked against them.”

Caswell says the plan will save the state money, though it isn’t clear how much the state spends on clothing for foster children or how much could be saved this way. SOURCE

I did a little research into the story, and found out that foster parents and parents who are on welfare in Michigan receive $80 a year as a clothing allowance for their children. This lawmaker wanted to limit the ability of foster parents to spend the allowance in thrift stores.

I wasn't exactly sure how much of a saving this would be for the state; he was not putting forth the idea of a reduction in the allotment of funds. Instead, he was trying to distinguish where the money could be spent; and, it seemed kind of like an attempt to punish kids in the foster care system.

Well, after looking online for more information, I found an article on NPR that indicated that Caswell apparently changed his position. He is now putting forth a proposal that would have the state issue the clothing allowance in the form of gift certificates to major retailers. He also proposes that the state work with stores such as Walmart or Target to allow discounts for children on assistance so that the clothing dollars will go further. He has now changed his tune, and says that the reason for his proposal is not to save money, but rather to insure that the clothing allowance actually goes towards the purchase of clothing.

Would you leave your kids with this couple?

by Joanna

See, now stories like this one are the reason I plan on staying home with my children. I do not care how much I have to scrimp and save, if I am lucky enough to become a mother, I will be a stay at home mom. No day care centers, no public schools, I am not having any of that. For good reason. After all, why would I want to trust a stranger with the most precious gift in the world?

Snack time could have been terrifying at a North Carolina day care center that was discovered to also house a secret meth lab.

Police arrested the owner of Kit Kat's Place Family Child Care and her boyfriend Tuesday after records showing the pair had purchased large amounts of pseudoephedrine -- a key component for cooking methamphetamine -- raised red flags.

"It’s not good to have a meth lab period," said Sgt. Rick Hasson, who made the bust in Morganton, N.C. "To show up at one that is licensed as a day care is that much worse … I hope this is the last one we ever run across that is a licensed day care."

Katrina Epperson, 27, received her license to operate the day care center the same day investigators swarmed the place and cuffed her, local health department spokeswoman Lori Walston told the Morganton News Herald.

No children had yet been enrolled at the center, which was cleared to care for up to eight kids up to age 12.

Cops also busted Epperson's boyfriend, 32-year-old Christopher Webb, who appears to have been living with Epperson at the residence they allegedly set up as a day care on the ground floor and a meth kitchen in the basement.

They both were held in lieu of $25,000 bail, and Epperson's license to operate a day care immediately was suspended.

Epperson has four children -- all under age 10 -- who were taken into custody by social services.

Local authorities said it was the first time a day care has been used to front a methamphetamine lab in the area.

"I think it is alarming to all of us, not only for the children who could have been there but for our staff that has to monitor it," said health department official Tammy Barnes.

"I guess people are using anything they can for a cover, and it’s just really scary to all of us." SOURCE

Religious Group: Anti-bullying efforts "promote homosexuality in kids"

Remember Carl Joseph Hoover-Walker, right? Kid who committed suicide after his school ignored complaints from his mother about being bullied constantly for being effeminate? Oh yeah, remember that now Well, speaking against the Safe Schools Improvement Act, this is what Focus On The Family says:


So what do you think about the debate? Share your thoughts, will you? I say this is yet another example of just how the religious-right misses the mark when it comes protecting the rights of citizens. These same "religious folk" protested the passage of an extension to the federal hate crimes bill; an extension that covered crimes committed against members of the LGBT community.

According to them, such a bill erodes their right to free speech because it prevents them from preaching against homosexuality from the pulpit. I suppose the solution to the bullying of openly gay kids would be an exorcism of the gay demons that run rampant. Only an idiot would support this view, and I hope you're not one of them. Yeah, let's not protect the kids; instead lettuce all pray.

WTF?!

Jessi Slaughter: Bad Parenting and The Sexualization of an 11 Year Old Girl

If you are unfamiliar with 11 year old Jessi Slaughter (aka Kerligirl13), then you could either count yourself lucky or blissfully unaware. I admit that I saw the tail end of this unfold on the internet last Thursday, and I almost wish I hadn't. I guess it is one of those things that has you seriously questioning our future if this child went so far for so long.

Jessi Slaughter is an 11 year old girl who damn near had the internet going nuts, attracted the ire of the guys and gals at 4Chan's /b/ board (something that you really don't want to do at 11 years old that's for sure) and Tumblr and fed the internet a Double Down-size of schadenfreude.

As Gawker (they also have the back story there) put it, "the internet beat up an 11 year old girl."  It wasn't pretty.  It looked an e-Mike Tyson fight when Iron Mike was in his prime, only that would've been akin to Mike beating up your mom. They literally went in on her.

To summarize, Jessi Slaughter is an 11 year old girl who had foul mouthed YouTube videos (like the one above; her account has been closed) and very foul, extremely vile posts with borderline child pornographic photos on her Tumblr account (which has also been closed).

When Art Imitates Life: Sandra Bullock Adopts a Black Baby

I'm going to do something I almost never do on this blog, I'm going to preface this post by saying: The race of an adoptive parent has no impact on said adopted child... with the exception of Steve Martin in the movie The Jerk. Truthfully, adopting and successful child rearing has more to do with love, and very little to do with race, creed, color, or ethnic origin. Yep, it's hard to believe but it's true. I'm of the belief that transracial adoptions are not as complicated as we as a racially polarized society makes it out to be. But that said, let's not pretend that it's as easy as running out to the pet store and picking up a chihuahua.

OK, with that said....

What the f*ck is up with Sandra Bullock adopting a black baby?! I mean damn, I know the movie The Blindside did well and all, but did she really have to become the real life Ms. Save-A-Negro? What, the Academy Award wasn't enough? Nope, she couldn't stop there, she had to go for one of those elusive NAACP Image Awards to sit next to her Oscar on her mantle, didn't she.

Lemme guess, they'll be casting her as Harriet Tubman next, right?

SIDENOTE: Did they really have to put the X-Clan African beads on the kid in the pic above?

Oh, and also filed for divorce from her cheating ass husband Jesse James? And we hear this shit all in one day? Just great, when your husband cheats on you, do the natural thing, adopt a baby or get pregnant. Yep, just like that she's managed to become that no-man-having single successful black woman that everybody is chattering about. Uuh-huh, and you black women complain about how hard it is being a single parent? Well, none of that fazes Ms. Bullock, by God. Just like Black women, "she don't need a man telling her what to do."

Now of course, her being white makes it hard for anyone to portray her as the jilted angry black woman in the media. Sorry black women, it sucks, but that's just the way it is; and, Bullock will forever be seen as a savior of the black male, unlike yourselves. Her adoption of three month old Louis Bardo Bullock, who is from New Orleans, may indeed come as a public relations blessing. You know, sorta the same way one lowly down-trodden Negro from Mississippi upped her stock in Hollywood? Yes, I can see the headlines now:

Chicken, Beer & Babies

So I'm cruising around on Facebook a couple of days ago catching up on family and friends as I do from time to time. Yep, just trying to reconnect with my folk and not looking for any f*ckery when I ran into this on one the page of one of my homies who happens to be a popular D.J. in Indiana. A good friend of mine who is all about his paper and has been quite successful as a D.J. on the club scene as well as in radio:




Yeah, I was stunned when I read that status update, or advertising for childcare services during club hours. You mean to tell me people actually drop their kids off at a daycare that opens at night to be able to go to the club? You mean they actually pay for this service? F*ck that; they advertise this shit? Two locations? Pick up and drop off services? Probably not a bad idea especially if little Deandre and Tyeisha's mom gets pissy drunk at the club. Oh well, I guess providing this service is better than running a weekend crack house. Hell, you gotta get that money, right? You know, sorta like the ladies in this next clip:

The Blindside II: White Folks Stealing Haitian Babies

It's often said that the road to hell is paved with bibles and people with good intentions. But don't tell that to the ten Christian missionaries from the United States currently sitting in jail in Haiti charged with conspiracy and kidnapping. And  from what I've been told, Haitian jail cells do not come with tropical resort-like accommodations. But hey, when you try and steal kids from a country cross the border without proper documentation other than the idea that God's on your side, it's to be expected:

115 baby mommas, in one high school?!!

OK, the brother in the picture above has not impregnated 115 women. I just thought the above pic goes well with this next story. From the looks of it, this brother is in for an early grave as he hopefully works himself to death to provide for his children. Yep, what you see above in my opinion should be plastered on a billboard in urban communities as an ad for either Trojans or the county child support prosecutor. But like I said, this isn't about him, but instead yet another negative and troubling story coming out of Chicago Illinois. What is it about all the negative stuff coming from the Windy City lately?



Check it out:

Teen pregnancy is obviously not a welcomed situation; and yes, ideally it would be best if teenagers waited until they're responsible adults before taking on the task of child rearing. But this is the real world, and it just doesn't happen that way; and the story above leaves you with the feeling that Black teens are out of control, did it not? Yep, I saw this as another one of those “look at the Negroes,” exposes. Which they did a damn good job at I might add; they even went as far as to highlight the fact that the school principal himself was born to a 15yr old mother.

But you see, to me this is what I call irresponsible journalism. They highlighted what they saw as a “problem” within that school, but were unable to present you any empirical evidence or information as it relates to teen pregnancy in the entire school district. Instead, you're supposed to walk away with the impression that, well, Black teenagers (because that's the only ethnic group represented in the piece) are rather promiscuous. Which goes right along with the idea that Black folks are hyper-sexual beings - yeah, it's exclusive to our DNA.

And then there was this tidbit from the piece:

“LaDonna Denson and two other Robeson students say parents not talking to teens and, in some cases, the pursuit of public assistance also factor into the pregnancies. None of them thought they'd be moms at such a young age.” - (Source)

Yep, they identified the possible causation, and they had to include that “the pursuit of public assistance also factor into these pregnancies.” Uh-huh, Black people love them some welfare don't they? Did they really have to include that opinion in the piece? They never provided any solutions, and yes I know three minutes isn't enough time to even go there. But at least they did offer us a bit of hope by way of highlighting the fact that a one-time crackhouse will soon be used as a daycare center for those students who intentionally got pregnant just so they can get welfare.

What say you?

Meet the newest cast member of "Real Housewives of Atlanta" (VIDEO)

I know upon viewing this some of you are going to be upset, but...

You gotta admit: she'd give those ladies on that show a run for their money. I'm just sayin': why get mad or even upset after seeing this verbal display, wasn't it as entertaining as the show? Hell, with Real Housewives of Atlanta currently carrying a total viewership of 2.9 million according to Nielsen Media Research, why not add this kid to the mix and be even more entertaining. Teach her how to pull out a white woman's hair, sleep with married men, wear shitty weaves and makeup and she'll be set, right? I mean the show is about reality, is it not?

I wonder if her mother's last name is Leakes...

Police Gone Wild: Police officer beats 15yr old special needs student, and now in jail for rape

There are good cops, and there are bad cops. Christopher Lloyd is a very bad cop, and dare I say a very bad human being. You may not have heard about this guy, but he’s the police officer who was caught on tape giving 15yr old special needs student Marshawn Pitts (pictured above) a beat down in a Dolton Illinois school hallway back in May. Allegedly, according to Lloyd, Pitts refused to tuck his shirt in his pants. The parents of the 15yr old as recent as a few days ago decided to release the tape to the public.

Check it out:

Well, according to a story ran in the Chicago Tribune, officer Lloyd is currently sitting in a Hammond Indiana jail cell on rape charges. According to the story, on September 14th, Lloyd sexually assaulted a woman he knew while he held a pillow over her face. The story also revealed that he had previously threatened the very same woman with a knife.

B-b-b-but wait it gets worse!

Last summer while working in a different jurisdiction, Officer Lloyd shot and killed his ex-wife’s new husband 24 times in the presence of his kids. But guess what? He was never charged and per a currently pending lawsuit filed by his ex-wife, this was as a result of the Chicago police believing his story that he acted in self defense. I don’t know how true that may be, but I know cops do tend to stick together and lie to protect each other - you can click here to read about how that has happened recently in Chicago. Of course Lloyd was suspended from the Robbins Police Dept after the fatal shooting last summer, but according to his father he was able to find work with the Dolton Police Department in January.

Here’s the question: Why was Christopher Lloyd allowed to be employed by another police department? OK yeah he was never prosecuted for the murder of his ex-wife’s husband. But still, was it appropriate to hire a man who clearly had anger management issues? Clearly his anger issue was evident per the recording of him pummeling that 140lb 15yr old kid the way he did. Did it take him sexually assaulting a female the way he did for him to be kicked off the police force?

Not taking anything away from police officers as they do perform a very stressful job. But all too often in their daily lives their everyday on the job activities can have negative effects on them which can be played out in similar ways as was the case of officer Lloyd. I don’t know departmental policies as it relates to psychiatric evaluations and police officers, but given the actions of this individual, isn’t it something to think about?

I mean, is it any wonder why a police officer would be involved in a series of unrelated events as Officer Christopher Lloyd has? We've seen in recent weeks just how violent youth in the city of Chicago can be and are. I just wonder if we're going to attribute the behavior of this cop and others like him to bad parenting as in the case of the kids without giving any care or concern to their mental state given the environment within which they live.

Jon Gosselin has enough b*tch in him to be on The Real Housewives of Atlanta

Albert Einstein once said, “The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.” With that said I’d like to know what would possess a married man with a wife and eight kids to sneak out and get some side booty. Oh and let’s not forget that this married man at the time had a very successful television show centered on the fact that he and his wife are raising eight kids. You know, eight kids who without a television contract they would be in a commercial with Sally Struthers begging for money with flies on their faces while daddy is out on the corner slinging crack?

Seriously Jon, I’d like to hear your excuse for that one. Now grant it, having eight kids at home would mean you’re gonna jerk off 94.6% of your time for the rest of your life when you and the wife aren’t sneaking into the closet to get some. But damn man, you’re on TV, on a reality show – nothing you do is ever going to be private, or on the down low as you think. Shit, TMZ knew Michael Jackson was dead a week before you, I, and the rest of the world. Did you really think your wife would never find out about you creeping with that young chick? C’mon son! At least have the brains to mess around with a Black woman if it was all about the booty. Oh don't look at me crazy, you know a “sister” would have made sure none of this would ever come out.

Equally as foolish was the woman with whom he had “the affair” if you ask me. I’m sorry, but maybe it’s just that I’m used to Black women making a conscious effort not to get involved with Black men with kids, and the baby momma drama that comes with it. But err, if I were a woman, why would I want to get with a guy with eight children unless we lived in some polygamist compound, and I was obviously brain washed? I mean I could understand wanting to be with someone famous, or at least some form of celebrity assuming they may have some money; actually, I think that’s how The Flava of Love got started, no? No but seriously, how much money could this guy have with a wife and eight kids at home?

Well let’s see, shall we…

Oh so now he decides that he “cares” about the kids and doesn’t want them on television anymore. Yep, now that his “role” on the show will be limited, he decides to act an ass. Not only act like an ass, but act selfishly as well by withdrawing all of that money from their bank account! I’m sorry Jon, but you f*cked up royally with that one. Yes Jon, $1000.00 dollars won't buy enough Ramen Noodles to feed those kids. C'mon son! Just in that one move you went from idiot status to super douche bag; yep, and old wrinkled up red one like my grandmother used to have. Forget about even getting laid after pulling a stunt like that. What about the kids Jon? The only thing keeping them afloat is in fact the show. So what they dropped your name from the show; if you were against them being on TV you would not and should not have agreed to the show in the first place!

What’s surprising to me is that when the “Octomom” was in the news “certain people” gave her hell. People were all over her case and had her pegged as a “Welfare Queen” for being unmarried with fourteen children. But yet no such outrage at the actions of Jon Gosselin; imagine that. The way people are treating this, you’d think Kate Gosselin was a Black woman...

White folks, you people need to get it together and show this guy how he’s messing it up for you people. If you don’t, I’m afraid that this will become the new trend in America with white men. I mean damn, we Black men already have the running out on the wife and kids thing covered; can’t we just leave it that way? You folks are always quick to talk about and down to us for what we do. Can’t you all at least do the same for one of your own? Who knew white men were capable of the same type of behavior; I dunno, bad parenting, maybe?

The cherished concept of family which as you know is exclusive to white folks, is in jeopardy. So white people, since you’ve never cared about anything other than white women as evidenced by the love you all collectively share for Orenthal J. Simpson. I urge you to stand up and do your part to protect American family values as only you people can. I know you people hate Barack Obama and all, but he takes care of his kids. I’m sorry, but Jon Gosselin makes you people look bad, and next thing you know, single white mothers at the welfare office will be the rage, and we can’t have that now, can we?

Save the White woman!

Oh just great! Now Barack Obama wants to turn our school-kids into little Nazi soldiers

That Barack Obama is one dangerous man. First he wants to give free medicine and money away to Black people, but kill all the old White people. And now he wants to give a speech to kids going back to school across the nation on September 8th? No wonder people are praying for his death. How dare he reach out to our stupid ass kids and offer them words of encouragement and inspiration to do well. Doesn't he know that's how that whole Jewish Holocaust thing started? Yeah, one guy reaching out to a bunch of stupid kids in Germany? This is America buddy; we like our kids dumb.

I don't know about you, but this latest move must be stopped. We cannot afford to have our kids grow up with hopes and aspirations of attending college or encourage them to grow up to be productive citizens. It's very rare that I'm wrong, and I'm beginning to think that conservatives are right about this one. Yeah, we should keep all of our kids out of school and not let them hear Obama speak. What are you, some kind of idiot? Bush's No Child Left Behind policy seems to be working fine, and was the savior of poor minority children; especially the Black ones; but Obama is taking money from HBCUs [read it here] and you people love him? Seriously folks, this does sound like some form of Nazi indoctrination. Next thing you know we'll all be driving Volkswagen's n' shit.

She had sex with the social worker to make sure Child Protective Services would let her keep her kids

OK listen folks - ladies especially - we got some shit to talk about (hat-tip to African American Political Pundit for this one). Yeah I know y'all stuck on that "Real Housewives of Atlanta" bullshit drama (yeah, I got something for their ass coming soon), but it's time to talk about some real stuff for a change. Recently I read a post at a blog on my very first visit that moved me. The blog is Just Jo Nubian, and the post is titled Brothers Remove Your Masks. I've shined some spotlight on this post because it deals with the subject of mental health in the Black community. Now the post speaks specifically about Black men. But since we're all unified (minus the "I hate Black men so I bash them every chance I can get" bitches), I think it's important to understand, that a substantial amount of behavioral "problems" within our collective, is a direct result of what I term: brain damage.

You know, sorta like the lady crying in the picture above? Her name is Theola Nealy, and she lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and no, she's not crying because she misses the sitcom "Laverne & Shirley". You see, she was under investigation by social services for alleged child neglect; she had two kids at the time. Of course, a state employed social worker was assigned to her case (thank the lord that there is still money in state gov't to pay hard working social workers) with the interest of her children in mind. Don't you love the idea that there's a system in place which protects children by any means necessary? You know, especially how they did in this woman's case?

MILWAUKEE -- A social worker who was supposed to be helping a Milwaukee woman got her pregnant instead, the woman said. Now, she's fighting to get her daughter back. The baby's father was assigned to investigate a child neglect complaint about the woman's other children.

The agency said the social worker broke rules by having sex with a client and but then placed the child with him after they removed the baby from her mother's home.

"I missed her birthday. He had her," Theola Nealy said. Nealy's daughter, Melina, turned 1 year old in the custody of her former child welfare worker, who is also the baby's father. "He started coming over, and it evolved into sex, and I told him I did not want to have sex," Nealy said.

Nealy said she had sex with the social worker to make sure Child Protective Services would let her keep her kids. She said when she became pregnant, he told her to have an abortion. After she refused, Protective Services soon removed her kids from her home. [click here to read more and watch the video on this story]

Well isn't that just wonderful? I've heard that the post man always rings twice, but not the social worker? Sure I know to many of you reading, this woman is probably just another "Welfare Queen" sitting on her ass making babies and getting fat. But would we be hard pressed to consider her mental state? I don't know if it's done or not, but don't you think a mental evaluation should be considered for parents investigated for child neglect? Of course I'm assuming that it's never done. But in the interest of children, shouldn't it be? Especially when we're trying to break cycles of learned behavior?

So now she doesn't have any of her kids - including the baby who was taken away and given to "Mister Horny Predator Social Worker Guy" who is taking her to court to obtain full custody of the child. Now ain't that a slap in the face? I guess he really cares about kids now, considering he has lost his job as a result of his actions. Some people are of the opinion that a crime was committed. But I'm not sure if betrayal of trust is actually a crime these days in this country. Sure he compromised his integrity, and that of the state; and yes, he may have taken advantage of a poor Black woman. But in this country were there's a high price to pay for being poor, this is to be expected. But it's my belief that this gentleman should never be allowed to work for any governmental agency in life ever again. I'd sure love to hear your thoughts on that. Or whether his actions were criminal and deserves jail time as Theola Nealy believes.

The real tragedy here, is that she is now separated from her children. Who knows if she'll be able to get them back. What's sad is that in her mind she did what she had to do for her kids. It may not have been the best decision in the world sleeping with her case worker. But hey, when it comes to your kids, most parents will do what they have to do. To me, the real f*cked up person in the head, is in fact the social worker. But I get the feeling that as always, it's the victim who will bear the brunt of the responsibility, and scrutiny. Hopefully her children doesn't wind up in the care of the system through Foster Care. If they do, speaking of mental health issues, hopefully this doesn't happen to them:

Hurricane Katrina: 4yrs later, and....

Isn't it quite telling how we're always reminded every year about the events of 9/11, but not the catastrophic event that was Hurricane Katrina? There are no memorial services, no moments of silence, no 24/7 documentaries on cable television that chronicles the event. Nope, it's almost as though it never happened. Here we are 4yrs later and people are still struggling in New Orleans. Well, for me, Hurricane Katrina is one event that has left a lasting impact on my life. No I wasn't there in New Orleans or nearby Biloxi Mississippi, but I did live on the Gulf Coast that day and several months after.

I lived in Pensacola Florida back then, and even to this day it's hard for me to even forget the events leading up to that day, and the days afterward. I don't know what was more terrifying: not knowing where the hurricane would hit land and being in its path, or watching what people endured and realizing that I too could have met such a fate. I'm sorry, but the combination of fear, disappointment, and the eventual anger was enough to make me move from the Gulf Coast the following year.

For the first time in my life I stared southern bred racism directly in the eye, as I watched displaced Black people bussed in to a shelter I volunteered at because "certain people" didn't want them in their "Lilly White" towns or neighborhoods in nearby Alabama. I met and spoke to people at that shelter who had no clue where they were, or even where other family members may be. I saw entire families sleeping in cars, babies and grown men crying; I saw a lot. To this day I don't know if it was worse watching what most people saw on television or living and seeing what I saw firsthand; I can't imagine being at ground zero, could you? And just think: four years later and people are still not where they should be.

I also remember the shock and horror of watching the World Trade Center fall on September 11th. I remember watching and thinking about my mother and the rest of my family and friends in New York City. Yes, that was indeed a morning full of terror, but I got over it eventually. I wish I could say the same thing about the events following Hurricane Katrina because I'm still mad. Sure it could be debated that the gov't had the power to prevent the 9/11 event; a debate often riddled with conspiracies. But I'm sorry, what they did not do in the wake of Katrina, or even in not repairing the levees in years prior is not debatable.

To me, it was no conspiracy, but instead affirmations that the lives of poor people - especially people of color - are disposable. But hey, I guess this would explain why it's easy for "certain people" to argue against social policies in this great nation of ours. After all, the underclass must be preserved at all costs, no? How ironic is it that Katrina has hit this country again in the form of our current economic meltdown? Payback maybe? How ironic is it that there are people who still believe that the gov't shouldn’t do anything to assist it's citizenry in these times while people are drowning...

Hurricane Katrina, just like 9/11 is one event that should never be forgotten. Yes, and just like my man Mos Def says in the song Katrina Clap: "Stop being cheap nigga, freedom ain't free!!" But I guess James Baldwin said it best when he said: "To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time."

And now, I delectably present to you a song, most suitable for the occasion: