111 Search Results for "wright"

• Why I love African Americans

  • From: Thanubianone
  • Description:

    Why I love African Americans

     

                 History affirms that African Americans have done more towards the obtainment of equality in the United States than other ethnic group. Where of which other ethnic groups, victimized by white racism, such as Asians, Latin’s, Native Americans etc had painfully accustomed their lives around America’s blatant system of white institutionalized racism African Americans however unified themselves and fought against it.  During the 1960’s African Americans fought white institutionalized racism on every front using militant means, non violent civil disobedience methods and through Black lawyers pleading their cases for equality within America’s Supreme Court. The brilliant organization and mobilizations of mass bus boycotts, marches, freedom riders, and sit ins that were peacefully conducted through the unified protest of civil disobedience by African Americans was remarkable and demonstrated an immense degree of Black unity.

              These methods of civil disobedience gave the world images of African Americans being violently attacked by Whites and not violently responding to them in return.  These images touched the hearts and consciences of others, gaining national and global support that eventually lead to white America abandoning its blatant and legalized forms of Jim Crow racism.  The degree of unity and organization demonstrated among African Americans then was extraordinary and arguably remains unrivaled by any other group in the history of America.

             Additionally African American contribution towards the advancements in the fields of science and technology during and following reconstruction has also been remarkably astounding.  This was made evident by the overabundance of patent applications submitted by African American inventors to the U.S. Patent office. Many of us know that the Wright Brothers invented the airplane but most of us are deliberately eluded of the fact that the motor and the propeller required to fly the airplane were invented by African Americans. It was also an African American that performed the first open heart surgery, made advancements on the light-bulb, invented the method used for blood banks around the world etc… These significant contributions are especially miraculous considering they were done under such racially oppressive conditions and so relatively shortly after slavery.  It was even an African American that invented the cell phone; an invention that has impacted the entire world and millions of people.

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     What is more, the premise that there exists an innate proclivity for divisiveness among African Americans is also totally inaccurate. This premise is inconsistent with the true history of African Americans.  While perhaps difficult to believe, Black unity (Umoja) was historically, the cornerstone of the African American community and a crucial factor in the survival of Black America for more than four-hundred years of White racial oppression.  It is credited for the success of the Underground Railroad system that secretly led to the escape of hundreds of African slaves to the North.  Black unity and cohesion also contributed to the survival of millions of African Americans not only during slavery, but also during the aftermath of brutal Jim-Crow era lynching and through the financially crippling years of the United States’ great depression era.  Black unity was the most significant factor in the success of the 1960's civil right movement.

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    This positive narrative of Africans Americans is a factual one but it is also one that is deliberately never heard neither within America’s educational system nor within its media. In fact their common portrayal of African Americans is deploringly contradictive of what has been presented here.

    Within the American society African Americans are most often depicted as the race and or group that can’t get it together, being intellectually inferior, more prone to crime, as having health disparities and diseases and as being societal burdens that have contributed very little if anything at all to the American way of life.

    Although sadly many Blacks themselves have come to accept these given negative assessments of them, they are however harmfully untrue.  Despite what is most often presented in the U.S. media, most crimes are not being committed by Black males and nor are Black women the largest recipients of welfare and affirmative actions. (White women are)  Also regardless of the prominent showings of Black athletes that marry white women, most Black men in the United States do love, prefer and most often marries Black women.  In addition the down low gay life style is not highest among Black males and nor are Black women more prone to possessing the most abrasive and rudest attitudes among their gender.  

      Furthermore, the belief that Blacks don’t enjoy reading is also totally fallacious, because Black readership is at its all time highest. For never before have there been more published African American authors, publishers and Black owned book stores. The Johnson publishing company, for example, is one of several African American publishing companies that have made the fortune five hundred list almost exclusively on the backs of millions of Black readership alone. Thirty years ago the popular Jet Magazine was published once a month now it’s published once a week if African American our reading less today how then is this possible?

     

        The more pressing question is why are African Americans being so grossly inaccurately portrayed within the United States media?  The monumental answer to this profound question will be answered within this article; however it will be quite difficult for many African Americans to accept because they have been conditioned away from realizing the truth. Also because of its immense degree of sophistication therefore many will find it too shocking and stunning to contemplate. However, it is imperative that all Black people become cognizant of what is really being done to them.

     

    Malcolm X once said (paraphrasing) that the media has the ability to turn villains into heroes and turn victims into villains. He also said (again paraphrasing) that the white controlled media and educational system bamboozles and hoodwinks us. His profound words uttered some forty years ago are precisely what is being done to African Americans today. Moreover it is now the most detrimental, proficient and sophisticated system of racism ever deplored against African Americans.

    As a means of maintaining its white dominance and control, the U.S. government now uses a modern covert system of control and suppression of its Black population that uses false disinformation disseminated through the national media that is deliberately designed to confuse, and divide its Black population and to create a consensual environment of where in which Blacks are more easily exploited and ultimately suppressed.

    The white controlled media deplorable portrayal of Black people is a

    deliberate psychosocial program that is designed to engender self hate, disunity, and confusion among African Americans as a means of maintaining America’s white dominance and control. Not only does it conditions African Americans to accept white dominance over their lives, but also conditions them to prefer it.

    This covert revamped system of white racism is so proficient that it directly contributes to the ill self perceptions among millions of African Americans and the myriad problems now adversely affecting Black America.  Black people’s images of themselves are being defined to them by white men whom they’ve never met. Powerful elites white men that are secretly still committed to maintaining white dominance and control in the United States and therefore are doing so by feeding Black people those fraudulent stories of themselves that convinces them of white superiority and their own inferiority .

     It is these media reports comprised completely by white men, that African Americans can in fact neither confirm nor refute, that tells Black people who and what they are. As a result of this unfair arrangement many millions of African Americans have now come to accept the deplorably inaccurate perceptions of themselves as a race; a view that Black unity, racial pride, and educational aspiration-- collective characteristics that were once hallmarks of Black culture and identity-- all merely disintegrated when integration and other subsequent opportunities became available and that they themselves are totally the blame and now their own worst enemies. The harmfully inaccurate self perceptions among millions of African Americans today are not merely coincidental.

     

    It no random coincident that so many Black people in the U.S. are now saying that they hate Black people. These feelings are the result of a deliberate covert psychosocial mass manipulation is program that is being deplored against America’s Black population as a means for maintaining white dominance and control.

     

    Because African Americans are inundated with fraudulent negatively depictions of themselves they are therefore operating from a false perception of themselves. Although some blacks may experienced negative interactions with their fellow Blacks that make these negative portrayals appear accurate they are however not. Blacks own negative experiences with their fellow blacks merely acts as a confirmation of what is being fraudulently perpetuated.  For example, a Black woman who has been hurt by three Black men in her life time may become totally convinced, when such hurtful experiences are constantly support by the media’s negative portrayals of Black men, that all the other 12 million Black men in the U.S. that she hasn’t met are all dogs incapable of love.

    The U.S. government has used fake news reports to support its governmental objectives for several decades. Its unrelenting objective of maintaining its white racial dominance and control unrelenting has resulted in it secretly uses this same proven method of media manipulation through fake news reports against its Black population. It is an insidious yet very sophisticated system of control. Deliberate fraudulent statistics, media and news reports about African Americans are disseminated unrelentingly everywhere through news releases in magazine articles, radio, television, press releases, documentaries, and false census reports perpetuating and framing the myth of Whites’ racial, moral, and ethical superiority over its Black population. However, the weapon is not in how the message is carried, but is instead within the messages that it carries and how these messages adversely affect its targeted Black recipient group. Its constant relentless bombardment of deplorably negative imageries of African Americans is a very carefully and deliberately designed psychological conditioning program. It is designed to adversely manipulate and shape the minds and collective consciousness of America’s Black population by subjecting them to seeing only the fraudulent worst in themselves.  Its unrelenting daily assault on the Black psyche drills the message that Blacks are powerless, of lesser moral, and intelligence and that they need Whites to govern over their lives.  It totally detaches African Americans from their sense of power and reality. Moreover, it corrupts African Americans’ sense of racial unity and cohesion, mold the character of self-hatred, engender self-doubt, self-loathing, and distrust among their group while insinuating that Blacks admire, respect, and trust only Whites. Additionally it conditions America’s Black population to accept the dominance of Whites and white institutions over their lives by misleading them to believe that they are, themselves, their own worst enemies, therefore engendering an aberration of internalized self contempt that pulverizes Black unity and halts Black upward mobility.     Its propaganda and manipulations practices divides to conquer and misinforms to exploit and suppress it Black population and it is being deployed in all sectors - government, media, health and welfare, entertainment, and education, etc- nationally and internationally.

     

    It is surmised that this modern method of control was implemented in 1968 in the face of widespread violence that ensued after the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  Dr. King’s brutal assassination led to many demonstrations of unrest and rioting disturbances; that of which were reported in more than 100 cities across the nation. This violence resulted in the loss of lives and property that cost the nation and taxpayers millions of dollars and increasingly placed the peace and stability of the nation in dire jeopardy.  America’s brutal racial mistreatment of African Americans had appeared to have reached its boiling point creating much unrest and discord. These factors, combined with the rapidly tarnishing American global image, led the U.S. Government’s agents of White supremacy to quickly reform their techniques of institutionalized racism.

     The problem led to the then president, Lyndon B Johnson, ordering that a commission be formed, later known as the Kerner Commission, to investigate and prescribe a cure or recommendations for the problem. The Commission concluded that blatant White racism was the single aggravating factor for the collective problems.

    The Kerner report’s findings required that the U.S. Government abandon it’s condoning of open, blatant forms of racism to control and maintain White dominance. This abandoning of dated tactics led to the need for developing an improved method of controlling and suppressing its Black population.  Changing times made it necessary for the U.S. government to change its methods to a much more subtle and socially acceptable means of continuing its racial suppression of Blacks and to maintain its White dominance.  Clearly, the sophisticated method of psychological warfare met such a need.  It was the logical choice, perfect for the changing times.  Unlike the blatantly brutal forms of racism used in the past, which Blacks were able to identify easily and therefore unify and form counter strategies, this modern method of racism works from a psychological perspective. This provided the U.S. government a more socially acceptable method of continuing the White racial hierarchy for dominance and control given that it is not as easily recognized.  This new method exists in the space between overt racism and racial respect.  Its methods include the ability to both influence the national climate and engender personal psychological feelings among Americans that meet the U.S government objective. 

     

        The basis of this concept of mind manipulation is that the human being's most critical aspect is the mind and it works by affecting the unconscious mind through deception. Its weapon is the message that it carries and the way that it adversely affects the targeted recipient group in terms of their behavior. Here is a simplified example of how this is being implemented against African Americans.  Let us, for example, imagine that a crew of people was aboard their own massive ship and that this ship was being shadowed by another neighboring ship that was constantly broadcasting derogatory messages to the first group. Such messages as that their ship was lesser, smaller, not seaworthy, perhaps slowly sinking or that their crew was incompetent and was planning a mutiny.  With time, the group receiving the negative messages, being unable to refute or to confirm these derogatory messages and deficiencies will grow weary and paranoid of the negative messages and will eventually comes to accept these negative assessments of themselves. The perception created by the taunting now unconsciously influences how the taunted group perceives themselves, subsequently causing them to become distrustful of themselves, doubting themselves, hating themselves and, eventually, fighting among themselves. The taunted group may even become so besieged by deep feelings of inadequacy that they may even jump into the sea and attempt to swim towards the taunting ship now believing it to be superior to their own boat even if their own ship was in fact better.

     

    Within a real life setting this mortifying psychological manipulation is precisely what is being done to African Americans through an immense campaign of false derogatory misinformation and false negative media reports, fake news, and statistics that are created by U.S. governmental agencies and then leaked to its collaborators in the news media, which either knowingly or unknowingly carry the stories as their own. These false information about African Americans is then disseminated unrelentingly everywhere; it is deliberately perpetuated through news releases in magazine articles, radio, television, press releases, documentaries, and false census reports perpetuating and framing the myth of Whites’ racial, moral, and ethical superiority over its Black population. However, the weapon is not in how the message is carried, but is instead within the messages that it carries and how these messages affect the targeted recipients.

    The constant relentless bombardment with deplorably negative images of themselves that of which African Americans are so inundated with throughout the media  is a very carefully and deliberately designed psychological conditioning program. It is designed to subject African Americans to seeing, through a controlled national media, only the worst in themselves-- while insinuating that they admire, respect, and trust only Whites. This unrelenting daily assault on the Black psyche is designed to corrupt African Americans’ sense of racial unity and cohesion, mold the character of self-hatred, and engender self-doubt, self-loathing, and distrust among their group.  Many Blacks may even begin to feel that there is something not quite right about their Black humanity. To the detriment of Blacks, this system of applied psychological conditioning has been an extremely effective. It has successfully conditioned many African Americans to accept the dominance of Whites and white institutions over their lives by misleading them to believe that they are, themselves, their own worst enemies, therefore engendering an aberration of internalized self contempt that pulverizes Black unity and halts Black upward mobility.

    Moreover, all African Americans have experienced the burden of this psychological warfare, some more severely than others have.  It is experienced every time we [Blacks] read a newspaper, watch the evening news, enter a classroom, and read its racially biased textbooks.  And while many Black Americans have successfully navigated through the psychology mortifying mine field and have gone on to lead successful, productive lives, but for far too many African Americans this immense devaluation can seem inescapable and tragically, over time, many begin to accept subconsciously and painfully the negative portrayals of themselves. Many also become discouraged by the acceptance that their society is also preconditioned to see the worst in them and that, therefore, if they were ever to gain acceptance, if it is to be won at all, that success would be hard won and likely to manifest negative internalized psychological pain and distress within many African Americans that can take many forms. In fact, this governmental mortifying psychological warfare against African Americans may be the most aggravating, if not core, factor of the national phenomenon of self hatred; loss of educational aspirations; loss of unity, cohesion and racial pride; and fragile psyches of many African Americans today. Moreover, this type of psychological manipulation program has been proven very effective in rapidly destroying a group’s ethical and moral values and cultural norms with regard to violence, brutality, and even murder.  All people are products of cultural conditions and their worldviews operate outside of their level of consciousness. Therefore, no group can be preconditioned to see only the worst in themselves and not exhibit some degree of negative psychological impact.  This mass manipulation program is In fact, so proficient at damaging the Black self-perception that tragically it has become easier for many Blacks to accept derogatory premises of themselves rather than recognizing this program.

     

    This mass psychological conditioning program also significantly influences society as a whole. Its ultimate goal is to foster a consensual national setting of where in which Blacks are more easily divided, exploited and ultimately suppressed. The media’s constant negative imagery of Black Americans is not only fraudulently inaccurate but is actually being done to engender a shift of victimization that changes the root problem of racism in America to be due to Black’s behavior rather than White’s proclivity for racism. Therefore insinuates that America would be a better society as a whole if African Americans were gone, thus engendering increasingly prejudiced distorted perceptions and acrimonious beliefs about African Americans that are designed to makes the nation and the entire world insensitive to their plight, tranquilizes efforts on their behalf, lessens pressure for social change on their behalf and makes any serious criticism of White racism almost impossible today and attempts discourage miscegenation between Blacks and whites.  It also creates a false justification for the legal system’s mistreatment of African Americans. Wherein they are disproportionately incarcerated, given stiffer sentences, and are more likely than other racial groups to be treated brutally, beaten, and fired upon by police officers while they are unarmed. These injustices now goes ignored because the perception has become that it’s all now justified.

    When contempt of Blacks is made to appear to be justifiable, it is the most fiercest and effective type of racism because its witnesses, bystanders, and even world audiences will sit by idly allowing African Americans to be brutally mistreated disproportionately incarcerated under the belief that it is justified.] It also affects attitudes that when enacted through governmental policies, laws, and other legislation actions, serve to ensure that African Americans will not advance. Its effects are manifested in ideas, education, governmental policies, economic stratification, social segregation, housing markets, hiring and promotion practices, psychological issues, and minority access to a variety of social services and opportunity. This campaign successfully stripped African Americans of the national and international support that was acquired during the 1960's civil rights struggles. This anti Black governmental campaign of psychological warfare also creates a false justification for the legal system’s mistreatment of African Americans wherein they are disproportionately incarcerated, given stiffer sentences, and are more likely than other racial groups to be treated brutally, beaten, and fired upon by police officers while they are unarmed. Moreover, some studies have shown that this shift of victimization now reflects increasingly acrimonious beliefs and prejudiced perceptions about and against African Americans that are arguably stronger today than they were after emancipation. 

    The objective of the United States government has always been to maintain its White dominance over its Black population, and clearly, psychological warfare meets this need—because it covertly creates a national climate that allows the government to suppress consensually the advancement of its African American population and to maintain its White dominance and national stability.

           The present despairing state of Black America is neither a baffling phenomenon, nor the result of some innate racial deficiency among Blacks, but is rather, in fact, a deliberate design and out come of a very sophisticated, more detrimental and proficient system of racism t hat has been secretly implemented against African Americans--as a means of maintaining America's white dominance and control. In order to recognize it requires that African Americans                                                                                                                                reexamine some of their most basic beliefs and prior assumptions.  It will also require that African Americans first overcome a psychologically ingrained “White is right” preferentiality that has been thoroughly indoctrinated upon the Black psyche. To learn and support the cause order your copy of the book the Black Matrix: the modern suppression of Black People at www.DivineBlacktruth.org 

     

      
    
    

     

    [The essential purpose of defining people through the media is to create two sets of consciousness, in other words, to establish two sets of realities. The first set of realities is to put limitations on those defined and create a demarcation to exclude them and constrain them to accept such definition as providence or inevitability. The second set of realities is to subjugate the conscience of the one who defines, in order to create a disposition that justifies or rationalizes his actions, however contrary to reason they are, for example the mistreatment of others —the people they have defined.

    The definition of people by other people has fundamental implications. Definitions such as “race” establish attitudes of racial superiority and inferiority, prejudice and bigotry. These attitudes ultimately evolve into an institutionalized system of discrimination, exclusion, deprivation, and oppression; based on superficial and imposed qualities or characteristics such as skin color, other racial definitions and sentiments associated with race definition—superiority and inferiority complex, prejudice and bigotry. Through the ages, definition has been used as an instrument of domination, exclusion, and oppression.

    Such definitions also bring about racial and cultural aggression, all of which are highly destructive to the people so defined. This is particularly true of African Americans, who have experienced extreme cases of the impact of definitions that inspired and established racism and cultural aggression towards them.

    Historically, the definition of people, such as race or race definition, constitutes a system of special privileges and benefits. It guarantees psychological, symbolic, and material rewards for those who have successfully defined others as to exclude those they have defined from the benefits of privilege. It also guarantees special privileges to those included, by reason of based on the object of definition, for example skin color, ethnicity, etc. In essence, the purpose of defining people is to establish a system of privilege, designed to exclude or include them.

    Definition has been used and is still being used as a servo and strategy to divide, exploit, and destroy people. Such is the color complex associated with dark skinned people, particularly Africans. Increasingly, poor and low wage working “class” of people are subjected to similar treatments, albeit without the destructive power of the presuppositions that inhabit racial definitions. ]

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• Daily Inspiration

  • From: etsaman
  • Description:

    Today's Daily Word Wednesday, December 31, 2008

     

    Faith

     

    My focus is on faith, and my way is clear.

     

    Watching a parade, I hear the upbeat cadence of the next marching band in the distance. I wait and watch. Then the school banner, held high, appears. This standard introduces the band members, who are confidently following behind.

     

    Just as students choose a leader they can trust to carry the flag high, I choose my faith in God to lead me through any situation. Faith leads me through all circumstances and is with me at journey's end.

     

    I trust that with God I can do all things. My faith goes before me, and I follow, assured that I am on my right path, certain that my route is safe, and secure that all needs are met. I move forward with my focus on faith, and my way is clear.

     

    "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going."--Hebrews 11:8

      

     

    Renaissance Unity

     

    Wednesday, December 31, 2008 – Reflection

     

    "New Year's eve is like every other night; there is no pause in the march of the universe, no breathless moment of silence among created things that the passage of another twelve months may be noted; and yet no man has quite the same thoughts this evening that come with the coming of darkness on other nights."

    ~Hamilton Wright Mabie

     

    Today's Affirmation

     

    I make time to reflect on my recent path and progress.

     

    Today's Meditation

     

    Dear God,

     

    As this years draws to a close, we reflect on the many

    events of our lives and in our world.

    For the many blessings we have enjoyed,

    we give You our thanks and praise.

    If we walked though challenges,

    we give Thanks that You were with us through every experience.

    For many of us, this is a time to evaluate the path we have been on

    and make any adjustments that might be necessary.

    Help us make mindful, spiritual resolutions.

    We bless and release 2008 as we know that the best is yet to be.

    Thank You.

     

    Amen

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• Brit Hume Quits FoxNews - 11/7

  • From: starchild50
  • Description:

    Daily Cartoon

    (click here to view)

    David Horsey Seattle Post-Intelligencer Nov 7, 2008 EditorialCartoonists.com

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    REUTERS

    In India, a sand sculpture of US President-elect Barack Obama has become quite an attraction. India hailed Obama's "extraordinary journey" to the White House.

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    Obama's New Website is now Active

    http://www.change.gov/

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    Headlines from Around the World

    This is impressive !

    

     

     

     

     

    Click Here to View: http://obama2008.s3.amazonaws.com/headlines.html

     

     

     

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    Obama and the dawn of the Fourth Republic

    His victory really may mark the beginning of a new era in American history.

    By Michael Lind

    
    

    Nov. 7, 2008 | WASHINGTON -- The election of Barack Obama to the presidency may signal more than the end of an era of Republican presidential dominance and conservative ideology. It may mark the beginning of a Fourth Republic of the United States.

    In the past generation Bruce Ackerman, Theodore Lowi and I, in different ways, have used the idea of "republics" to understand American history. Since the French Revolution, France has been governed by five republics (plus two empires, a directory and a fascist dictatorship). Since the American Revolution, we Americans have been governed by several republics as well. But because we, like the British, pay lip service to formal continuity more than do the French, we pretend that we have been living under the same government since the federal Constitution was drafted and ratified in 1787-88. Our successive American republics from the 18th century to the 21st have been informal and unofficial.

    

    As I see it, to date there have been three American republics, each lasting 72 years (give or take a few years). The First Republic of the United States, assembled following the American Revolution, lasted from 1788 to 1860. The Second Republic, assembled following the Civil War and Reconstruction (that is, the Second American Revolution) lasted from 1860 to 1932. And the Third American Republic, assembled during the New Deal and the civil rights eras (the Third American Revolution), lasted from 1932 until 2004.

    Read More Here: http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2008/11/07/fourth_republic/

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    Jeremiah Wright: Media Used Me As "WMD" Against Obama

     

    MILFORD, Conn. — Barack Obama's former pastor complained Thursday that the media used him as a "weapon of mass destruction" in an attempt to derail Obama's campaign for the presidency.

    Speaking at a forum about race and religion, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright accused the media of taking out of context videos that showed him cursing the government and accusing it of conspiring against blacks from the pulpit of the Chicago church where Obama had worshipped for 20 years.

    The videos, which included Wright thundering "God damn America!", dominated cable television for weeks. The public outrage that followed caused the president-elect to sever ties with his longtime spiritual leader.

    Wright told an audience of about 200 people at the forum that he was trying to convey the anger and desire for vengeance that people felt after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. He said the media failed to mention that he was a proud Christian who was raised in a Christian home.

    "Their intention was to use me as a weapon of mass destruction, to tear down that man's integrity," said Wright, former pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

    In a question-and-answer session with the audience, Wright said he didn't believe Obama shared his opinions publicized on the videos.

    Read More Here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/07/jeremiah-wright-media-use_n_142094.html

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    4 Marines Charged in Murder of Sergeant, Wife

    Interracial Couple Tortured

    Click Here to Read Story : http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/4_Marines_Charged_in_Murder_of_Marine_Wife.html

    Updated 4:56 PM PST, Thu, Nov 6, 2008

    Court records indicate four Marines acknowledged they had roles in the robbery, sexual assault and murder of a Camp Pendleton-based Iraq veteran and his wife last month in Riverside County.
     
    Pvt. Kevin Darnell Cox, 20, of Tennessee; Pvt. Emrys John, 18, of Maryland; Lance Cpl. Tyrone Miller, 20, of North Carolina; and Pvt. Kesuan Sykes, 21, of California face murder charges in connection with the case.

    The four were charged Tuesday with the execution-style slayings of Marine Sgt. Jan Pawek Pietrzak and Quiana Faye Jenkins-Pietrzak. The couple, who were originally from New York, were found gagged, tied and shot in the head on Oct. 15 in the living room of their home in Winchester. Sheriff's deputies were called after the sergeant failed to show up for work.
     
    The couple's home was ransacked and jewelry and other items were taken. A fire was set, apparently in an effort to destroy evidence. The Camp Pendleton-based Marine sergeant and his wife were tortured before they were shot execution-style, according to a published report.

    Investigators said they believe the motive was financial in nature.
     
    Pietrzak's mother, Henryka Pietrzak-Varga, prepared herself the possibility that her son could die in Iraq, but, in her words, "to die like this, in their own home? They were good kids. They didn't deserve to die like this."

    The couple married in August and had been living off-base in Winchester in a five-bedroom home they recently purchased that had been foreclosed, according to the paper.

    Read the New York Daily News story "Brooklyn Marine Sergeant & Wife Tortured" story for more details. 

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    Police: Prayer scared off attempted robber

    

    GREENSBORO, N.C., Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Police in Greensboro, N.C., said a woman scared off an attempted robber by praying too loudly for the suspect's comfort.

     

    Investigators said Kathy Headen, 39, was approached by a man with a handgun at about 8 p.m. Wednesday while she was taking books out of the rear seat of her car at the Vance Chavis Library, the Greensboro News & Record reported Thursday.

    The suspect, described as a 5-foot-4 man in his mid-30s, demanded the woman's cell phone and purse, police said.

    However, Headen instead began praying and police said the man fled empty handed after she refused to lower her voice.

    Police said they are searching for a suspect.

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    Palin backlash continues as Republican lawyers head to Alaska to take back her $150,000 campaign clothes
    

    By Mail Foreign Service

    The bitter McCain backlash against Sarah Palin continued today as it emerged that Republican Party lawyers were heading to Alaska to retrieve her $150,000 (£95,000) campaign clothes.

    
    

    The vice-presidential candidate's hopes of challenging Barack Obama in 2012 took a big dent as simmering tensions with the McCain camp finally boiled over into wide-ranging criticism of her conduct.

    In a string of damaging briefings, it was claimed that Mrs Palin had spent 'tens of thousands' more on her clothes than budgeted for, that she once met McCain aides dressed in nothing but a towel and that she did not know Africa was a continent.

    She  was also unable to name the nations in the vitally important North American Free Trade Agreement. 

    There are only three. Her own, its northern neighbour Canada and its southern neighbour Mexico.

    The 44-year- old former Republican running mate's lack of general knowledge  -  and a storm over her designer wardrobe  -  emerged as she returned to her home state of Alaska. 

    Extraordinary details of bitterness and jealousy between the Alaska governor and John McCain were laid bare following their White House defeat.

    Read More Here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1083563/Republican-lawyers-head-Alaska-Palins-150-000-campaign-clothes.html

    
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    Italian leader: Obama 'handsome and even tanned'

    By MIKE ECKEL
    Associated Press Writer

    MOSCOW (AP) -- Italy's famously impolitic Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi described U.S. President-elect Barack Obama on Thursday as "young, handsome and even tanned."

    Berlusconi appeared to be joking about America's first black president at a news conference following talks with Russia's president.

    The Italian leader, who has a history of controversial remarks, was asked by a reporter about the prospect for U.S.-Russian relations, which have plummeted to Cold War-levels in recent months.

    Berlusconi responded by saying that the relative youth of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, 43, and Obama, 47, should make it easier for Moscow and Washington to work together.

    Then, smiling and speaking in Italian, he said through a translator: "I told the president that (Obama) has everything needed in order to reach deals with him: he's young, handsome and even tanned."

     Read More and Watch Video: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_RUSSIA_BERLUSCONI_OBAMA?SITE=AP

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    Brit Hume To Step Down As Fox News Anchor 

     by David Folkenflik

    All Things Considered, November 6, 2008 · Tuesday marked the final Election Day for Brit Hume — in the Fox News anchor's chair. Hume has been a central figure at Fox since its early days. He brought the news channel credibility he had earned investigating corrupt public officials as a young reporter, and later covering the White House for ABC News. But the veteran journalist says he no longer has the hunger for the job.

    While he looked as if he was having fun anchoring the network's election coverage, it was an exclamation mark for Hume's decades-long career covering politics. The 65-year-old, who anchors the evening newscast Special Report, will soon become a part-time pundit. He's expected to make the switch by year's end.

    Read More and Listen Here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96701501

    ******************************

    The Daily Show: Obama Victory Coverage

    By Nicole Belle Thursday Nov 06, 2008 5:00pm

     Jon Stewart looks at the Obama Victory coverage, including the new and very, very strange toys the networks employed to jazz up the electoral results.

    Click Here to Watch: http://crooksandliars.com/nicole-belle/daily-show-obama-victory-coverage

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    Lieberman begs Reid not to oust him from Chairmanship

    By John Amato Thursday Nov 06, 2008 3:01pm

     Is Harry Reid going to do the right thing and boot this guy out? He said some of the most vile things against Obama that were spoken. Especially after Obama saved his bacon in CT.

    Watch Video Here: http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/lieberman-begs-reid-not-oust-him-chairm

    **********************************

    Joe the Plumber is a welfare queen too...

    By John Amato Thursday Nov 06, 2008 1:04pm

     Is there anything this guy hasn't been involved in? What's next for Joe, "Dancing with the Stars?" I was watching H&C last night and made this clip after I almost couldn't stop laughing at this guy. Joe "the Plumber" Wurtzelbacher is the perfect definition of what a wingnut is if you never understood the term before. You see, he survived in our country using welfare, a program designed to help the needy, but now says Obama is not loyal to our country because he wants to take our money and give it to other people. Does he drive a Cadillac too? I guess if it wasn't for welfare he wouldn't be littering our air waves. His 15 minutes are almost up.

    Watch Video Here: http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/joe-plumber-welfare-queen-too

    *****************************

    Fox contributor mocks black reporter's tears during Obama win

    David Edwards and Stephen C. Webster

    Late night Fox News host Greg Gutfeld makes a living off controversy. But this is low, even for him.
    
    On Tuesday night, Gutfeld talked with correspondent Bill Schulz as the two mocked a video clip of a black ABC reporter breaking into tears as Obama's election to the presidency was announced.
    
    "I grew up in a neighborhood that was mostly black," said ABC's Steve Osunsami. "And my father used to tell us that there's no way this country would elect a black president. Well, this evening, the country has proved my old man wrong, and we're the better for it."
    
    Several times, the reporter's voice wavered, as he was obviously emotionally moved by the news.
    
    "I so wanna comfort him, right now," sneered Gutfeld. "... Bill, you were convinced he was faking it."

    Watch Video Here: http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Fox_contributor_mocks_reporters_tears_during_1106.html

    *****************************

    BREAKING: Michelle Obama to be Named First Lady

    and they don't like it!!!

    Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 04:55:29 AM PST

    Just in from the Obama Transition Team: It has been confirmed that Michelle Obama will be named the First Lady in Barack Obama's Administration.  

    Conservatives asked to comment on the pick were almost all angry arguing that after Obama's choice of Rahm Emmanuel, long time friend and close advisor, as Chief of Staff this decision to keep Michelle Obama on as First Lady is proof positive that Obama is going back on his promise of a unity government.

    Joe Scarborough and Mika Brezinzski on Morning Joe were in complete distress.

    Joe said sourly, "You know, she will be the most liberal First Lady in the White House in eight years."

    Mika responded by lamenting, "I think he should have picked Sarah Palin for this position.  She's a mother, she is a stylish dresser, and she is a conservative.  If Obama was really committed to bringing this country together he would have picked Palin to be the First Lady."

    Read More Here: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/11/7/7746/59436/450/656526

    ************************

    Myths and Tall Tales Of the 2008 Election

    by DemFromCT

    Thu Nov 06, 2008 at 07:00:05 PM PST

    One of the more interesting things about 2008 was receiving emails, listening to cable, reading the pundits... and if you paid attention you would have heard a remarkable amount of nonsense about who Obama could not win over. Big states, rural states, whites, Latinos... well, the astute Chuck Todd, in reviewing exit polls, has pointed out that Obama's win was across the board, and not just because women went with him 56-43, or 18-29 year olds went with him by an astounding 66-32.

    Exit polls are to help us sort through this stuff. Here is 2004, and here is 2008, if you want to do your own spelunking.

    Selected Results vs 2004

    Everyone knows Obama won with women, but did you know Obama won men 49-48? Bush won men 55-44 in 2004 (a 2 point improvement for Bush over 2000.)

    One of McCain's big pushes was with older voters in PA. In PA, McCain won 50-49 while losing all other age groups. Kerry won that demo 52-48 in 2004, along with the 18-29 year olds, but lost everyone else (the comparison age brackets do not exactly align.) Obama also did better with white voters of all ages in PA (losing 51-48) than Kerry did (he lost 54-45.) Obama also did better with PA Democrats (90-10) than Kerry did (85-15.)

    How about Jews? Obama won that national demo 78-21 (compare to Kerry's 74-25.) Florida, alas, is reporting the Jewish vote as N/A, but we do know Obama did better than Kerry among FL Democrats 87-12 (compare Kerry in FL with Democrats 85-14.) Speaking of Jewish voters, Lieberman only got 65% of Jews in his native CT in 2006, so in that sense Obama did better than Lieberman. It hasn't been a good week for Lieberman.

    White Catholics? They always vote for the winner. Well, not this year. McCain won nationally 52-47.

    Bush did marginally better in 2004 with White Evangelical/Born-Again (78-21) than McCain (74-24.) By the way, they increased their vote share from 23 to 26, so they did not stay home.

    Who won Latinos in Florida? It wasn't McCain.

    

    In fact, not only did Obama win every Latino age demo in Florida, he won the 18-29 year olds 76-21. That can't be good for the GOP.

    Democrats increased their share of the vote by 2 and Republicans decreased theirs by 5. The Party ID split in the exit polls was D 39 - R 32 - I 29, whereas in 2004 it was 37 - 37 - 26. Yes, that D +9 in the R2K poll was not far off. The actual number was D +7. Obama did the same with Democrats (89) and much better with independents (52-44) than Kerry (49-48.) The indies likely came from the ranks of disaffected Republicans, since McCain did marginally worse than Bush (90 vs 93) with Republicans.

    Another target for Bush McCain nationally was the high income voter, with stories and scares about "redistributing the wealth" and socialism". How'd that work out? Well, nationally Obama won 52-46 among those who made $200,000 or more (Bush won that group 63-35.)

    Bradley effect, anyone? How about race? Obama lost the white vote 55-43, but Kerry did worse (58-41.) In fact Obama did better with white men (losing 57-41) vs Kerry (62-37) and white women (losing 53-46 for Obama, 55-44 for Kerry), suggesting something we repeatedly came back to. People may be racist, but they didn't lie about it to pollsters.

    How badly did McCain do with Latinos? Pretty bad. McCain lost Latinos 67-31 whereas Bush managed a respectable 53-44.

    2008 Only

    Hey, did you know the late deciders were supposed to go mostly for McCain? Well, they didn't. Whether it was last week deciders or last three day deciders, they split 50-50.

    Did you know that for those who thought SCOTUS appointments were "the most important factor" (7% of voters), Obama won 57-41. He also won every other voter ("important" was 47% of voters, "minor" 21%, "not at all" 21%).

    90% of voters were confident the vote would be counted accurately.

    How about that "far left" crap the McCain camp, Republicans and conservatives were peddling? Massive fail. Of those who thought Obama was too liberal, 9% voted for him anyway. ;-P

    

    Okay... Hillary voters. If Hillary were the nominee, she would have beaten McCain in a theoretical match-up 52-41. Maybe. (She likely would have won, but you can never tell because there were no negative ads run.) The Hillary voters preferred Obama 85-14, and that's one of the main reasons McCain lost. Interestingly, of the McCain voters in a McCain vs Clinton match-up, 7% of them preferred Obama. Not all voters are rational.

    

    Well, 38% aren't.

    Does this look familiar?

    

    You'll hear a lot about non-college whites... it's one of the few demos the GOP did well with.

    

    And one last thing... remember the war?

    

    63% disapprove, Surge™ or no Surge™. Ouch.

    Odds And Ends

    Brian Schaffner has more exit poll goodness, including this graphic from the NY Times highlighting the historic nature of the youth vote:

    

    Behold the future.

    ********************************

    Obama Inauguration Theme: "A New Birth Of Freedom"

    Barack Obama will be sworn in as president just days before the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth, and his inauguration theme will reflect the timing: "A New Birth Of Freedom," a phrase from the Gettysburg Address.

    From Lincoln's speech:

    The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

    Read More Here:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/06/obama-inauguration-theme_n_141695.html

    ***********************

    Bachmann praises Obama's win, now

    By DANIEL LIBIT | 11/6/08 4:16 PM EST    After suggesting that Barack Obama had anti-American views in an exchange three weeks ago with MSNBC host Chris Matthews, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) told Politico Thursday that she was “extremely grateful that we have an African-American who has won this year.” She called his victory “a tremendous signal we sent.” “I have not seen the United States as a racist nation,” said Bachmann, who represents Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District, in the east-central part of the state. “In my district, I don’t sense racism, and that’s why I’m thankful that hopefully this will send a national signal across our country that America is not a nation made up of racists. ... On the same hand, I hope that the national media will not confuse disagreement with Obama’s policy positions with being consumed [by] racism.” Read More Here: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15378.html

    *******************

    Olbermann to right-wing pundits: 'You don't matter anymore!'

    David Edwards and Stephen C. Webster Published: Thursday November 6, 2008 In his first show since the election of President Obama, MSNBC host Keith Olbermann gleefully mocked right wing pundits. As be began to recite what landed them on his 'worst person in the world' list, Olbermann tossed his notes on each and jeered, "You don't matter anymore!" First up, neoconservative writer Bill Kristol. "Of Obama's election, Kristol today writes, quote, 'Sarah Palin ...'" began Olbermann, but then paused. "Wait a minute. What's the difference what he wrote? Bill Kristol, you don't matter anymore!" Next up, "comedian" radio show host Rush Limbaugh. "Ok, our runner up, comedian Rush Limbaugh, who told his disbelieving sheep today that after Obama's election, the conservative movement needs ... Needs to ..." Olbermann paused, then threw his hands up in the air. "Wait a minute! What's the difference what he said? Comedian Rush Limbaugh, you don't matter anymore!" jeered the Countdown host. And finally, Keith's "Worst Person in the World," Fox News television host Bill O'Reilly. "And our winner, Bill-O the clown, who insisted that John McCain failed because, quote, 'He's not a...'" Olbermann paused for a final time, grinning slyly. "Wait a minute! What's the difference what he said? Bill-O the clown, you don't matter anymore! Bill Orely [intentional mispronunciation], today's worst person ... Who doesn't matter anymore ... In the world!" Watch Video Here: http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Olbermann_to_rightwing_pundits_You_dont_1106.html

    ********************

    Ahmadinejad Congratulates Obama, Urges 'Real' Change

     

    By Thomas Erdbrink

    Washington Post Foreign Service

    TEHRAN, Nov. 6 -- President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has congratulated President-elect Barack Obama on his victory, the first time since Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution that an Iranian leader has offered such wishes to an American counterpart.

    Ahmadinejad wrote a letter to Obama saying Iran would welcome "major, fair and real changes, in policies and actions, especially in this region," according to the official Islamic Republic News Agency. Analysts here say the letter indicates that Iran is ready to improve relations with the United States.

    In his campaign for the presidency, Obama said he would be ready to talk to Iranian leaders without preconditions. The Bush administration has long insisted that Iran stop enriching uranium before any negotiations can begin; Iran has resisted those demands, maintaining that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

    Ahmadinejad wrote to Obama that the expectation in the Middle East "is that the unjust actions of the past 60 years will give way to a policy encouraging full rights for all nations, especially the oppressed nations of Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan." Israel celebrated its 60th anniversary as a state this year.

    Read More Here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/06/AR2008110601486.html?hpid%3Dtopnews&sub=AR

    **************************

    Protesters 'willing to risk jail' to urge Bush, Cheney indictment

    RAW STORY Published: Thursday November 6, 2008 Anti-war protesters plan to gather outside the Department of Justice next week to urge Attorney General Michael Mukasey to indict President Bush and Vice President Cheney on war crimes charges. The protesters, being organized by The National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance say they are willing to risk going to jail to urge Bush and Cheney's indictment. The campaign is gathering signatures for a petition to urge Mukasey to meet with them. The group has worked closely with Code Pink, Iraq Veterans Against the War and others to protest US involvement in Iraq and urge President Bush's impeachment at myriad demonstrations over the last several years. The protest at the Justice Department is scheduled for Monday at noon at the department's headquarters in downtown Washington.

    ***************************

    Unemployed Nation: America's Shrinking Payroll

    More Than 1 Million People Have Lost Their Jobs in the United States in 2008

    By SCOTT MAYEROWITZ
    

    Carol Steinbrecher is a 55-year-old mother of three who, like many Americans, has spent most of her life working hard to provide the best for her family.

    But today she is part of another group of Americans, one that is growing larger every day: the unemployed.

    In the first ten months of this year, the nation's employers have cut nearly 1.2 million jobs and the unemployment rate is now at 6.5 percent, the highest it has been since March 1994. The Department of Labor released new data this morning showing that October was the tenth straight month of job losses, with another 240,000 lost just last month.

    Fidelity and Mattel were some of the latest to announce layoffs, coming out yesterday with 1,300 and 1,000 job cuts, respectively. And this morning Ford said it would cut its North American salaried workforce by an additional 10 percent.

    Read More Here: http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Economy/story?id=6199501&page=1

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• 1 November - 9:30 PM

  • From: starchild50
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    Daily Cartoon

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    Scott Stantis Birmingham News Nov 1, 2008 EditorialCartoonists.com

    ****************

    Saying Goodbye To The Winkers

    The Jed Report

    
    

    
    

     

     

     

    ****************************

    McCain supporter turns away children of Obama supporters during trick-or-treat

    Diane Sweet - Raw Story.com
    Published: Saturday November 1, 2008

    A Metro-Detroit Michigan woman refused to give candy on Halloween to children of Barack Obama supporters.
    
    Shirley Nagel of Grosse Pointe Farms gave out treats Friday evening, but only to those who share her support of John McCain and running mate Sarah Palin.
    
    Fox 2 News reports a sign posted outside Nagel's house, about 12 miles west of Detroit, served notice to all trick-or-treaters. It read: "No handouts for Obama supporters, liars, tricksters or kids of supporters."
    
    Nagel told a Fox 2 reporter that "Obama's scary." When asked about children who'd been turned away empty-handed and crying, she said: "Oh well. Everybody has a choice."
    
    The following video is the Halloween night report live from the home of the McCain supporter who turned away sad, crying children and toddlers.

    SEE VIDEO HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NGAYR7RHfQ

    ****************************

    Obama Congratulates McCain On Dick The VP's Support

    In his prepared remarks for Pueblo, Colorado, Barack Obama saluted John McCain for earning the support of Dick Cheney:

    President Bush is sitting out the last few days before the election. But earlier today, Dick Cheney came out of his undisclosed location and hit the campaign trail. He said that he is, and I quote, "delighted to support John McCain."
    
    I'd like to congratulate Senator McCain on this endorsement because he really earned it. That endorsement didn't come easy. Senator McCain had to vote 90 percent of the time with George Bush and Dick Cheney to get it. He served as Washington's biggest cheerleader for going to war in Iraq, and supports economic policies that are no different from the last eight years. So Senator McCain worked hard to get Dick Cheney's support.
    
    But here's my question for you, Colorado: do you think Dick Cheney is delighted to support John McCain because he thinks John McCain's going to bring change? Do you think John McCain and Dick Cheney have been talking about how to shake things up, and get rid of the lobbyists and the old boys club in Washington?

    Watch the Endorsement HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3Y8n9FWz4E

     

    ****************************

    Anti Muslim Prostester at Obama Rally (Video)

    Watch it Here: http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1417423198/bctid1890029878
    

    ****************************

    Palin suggests U.S. is at war with Iran.

    Think Progress By Satyam Khanna at 3:59 pm

    In her interview with Fox News’ Greta van Susteren last night, Gov. Sarah Palin appeared to claim that the U.S. needs to “win” the non-existent war with Iran:

    We realize that more and more Americans are starting to see the light there and understand the contrast. And we talk a lot about, OK, we’re confident that we’re going to win on Tuesday, so from there, the first 100 days, how are we going to kick in the plan that will get this economy back on the right track and really shore up the strategies that we need over in Iraq and Iran to win these wars?

    Watch it Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4D9LofMCa8A

    ****************************

    Obama says he didn't know aunt's illegal status

    NEDRA PICKLER | November 1, 2008 01:43 PM EST |

    CHICAGO — Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama said Saturday he didn't know his aunt was living in the United States illegally and believes that laws covering the situation should be followed.

    The Associated Press found that Obama's aunt had been instructed to leave the country four years ago by an immigration judge who rejected her request for asylum from her native Kenya. The woman, Zeituni Onyango (zay-TUHN on-YANG-oh), is living in public housing in Boston and is the half-sister of Obama's late father.

    A statement given to the AP by Obama's campaign said, "Senator Obama has no knowledge of her status but obviously believes that any and all appropriate laws be followed." Traveling with Obama in Nevada, campaign strategist David Axelrod declined to elaborate on the statement, but said: "I think people are suspicious about stories that surface in the last 72 hours of a national campaign."

    The campaign said it was returning $260 that Onyango had contributed in small increments to Obama's presidential bid over several months. Federal election law prohibits foreigners from making political donations. Onyango listed her employer as the Boston Housing Authority and last gave $5 on Sept. 19.

    Onyango, 56, is part of Obama's large paternal family, with many related to him by blood whom he never knew growing up.

    Obama's father, Barack Obama Sr., left the future presidential nominee when the boy was 2, and they reunited only once _ for a monthlong visit when Obama was 10. The elder Obama lived most of his life in Kenya, where he fathered seven other children with three other wives. He died in a car crash in 1982.

    Obama was raised for the most part by his mother and her parents in Hawaii. He first met his father's side of the family when he traveled to Africa 20 years ago. He referred to Onyango as "Auntie Zeituni" when describing the trip in his memoir, saying she was "a proud woman."

    Obama's campaign said he had seen her a few times since that meeting, beginning with a return trip to Kenya with his future wife, Michelle, in 1992. Onyango visited the family in Chicago on a tourist visa at Obama's invitation about nine years ago, the campaign said, stopping to visit friends on the East Coast before returning to Kenya.

    *****************************

    After millions of votes, Democrats outnumber GOP

    (CNN) -- Early voting is changing campaign strategy and voter behavior like no other presidential race in history, experts say, as Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama make final cross-country pushes this weekend.

    Both candidates are hoping to reap the lion's share of more than 23 million votes that have been cast nationwide. They're targeting states where polls remain open through the weekend -- and, in some cases, into Monday.

    Calculations by CNN and other news organizations indicate that many, if not most, of the early votes in more than 30 states are being cast by registered Democrats, although it's unknown who voted for which candidate.

    "It would surprise me, but Republican voters in early voting states may simply be holding their ballots," Paul Gronke of the Early Voting Information Center said Friday. "But I wouldn't be surprised to see the Republican race start to catch up a little bit." See where people are voting early »

    Of 23,298,564 total in-person and mail-in ballots in 25 states, at least 6,057,527 -- or 26 percent -- were cast by Democrats or Republicans, according to election officials. Of that 6 million, 57.8 percent were Democrats, and 42.2 percent were Republicans. iReport.com: Did you vote early?

    READ MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/31/early.voting/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

    *****************************

    Chambliss: The rush of African-Americans to the polls has ‘got our side energized.’

    By Ryan Powers on Oct 31st, 2008 at 8:01 pm

    On Wednesday, the chairman of the Hillsborough County, Florida Republican party forwarded an e-mail to several hundred party members that warned of “‘the threat’ of ‘carloads of black Obama supporters coming from the inner city to cast their votes.’” While the McCain campaign condemned the email, the sentiment does not appear to be isolated. As Tapped notes, earlier this week, Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) proclaimed that the the “rush” of African-Americans to the polls has “got our side energized“:

    “There has always been a rush to the polls by African-Americans early,” he said at the square in Covington, a quick stop on a bus tour as the campaign entered its final week. He predicted the crowds of early voters would motivate Republicans to turn out. “It has also got our side energized, they see what is happening,” he said.

    Similarly, Chambliss has been warning his “predominantly white base” in North Georgia, “The other folks are voting.”

    **********************************

    Ron Reagan:

    Making It Official: I Endorse Barack Obama

    Hear and Read Here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ron-reagan/making-it-official-i-endo_b_139932.html

    ***********************************
    

    Sarah Palin speaks on the First Amendment

    Glen Greenwald Salon.com

    Friday Oct. 31, 2008 13:38 EDT

    Somehow, in Sarah Palin's brain, it's a threat to the First Amendment when newspapers criticize her negative attacks on Barack Obama.  This is actually so dumb that it hurts:

    In a conservative radio interview that aired in Washington, D.C. Friday morning, Republican vice presidential nominee Gov. Sarah Palin said she fears her First Amendment rights may be threatened by "attacks" from reporters who suggest she is engaging in a negative campaign against Barack Obama.

    Palin told WMAL-AM that her criticism of Obama's associations, like those with 1960s radical Bill Ayers and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, should not be considered negative attacks. Rather, for reporters or columnists to suggest that it is going negative may constitute an attack that threatens a candidate's free speech rights under the Constitution, Palin said.

    "If [the media] convince enough voters that that is negative campaigning, for me to call Barack Obama out on his associations," Palin told host Chris Plante, "then I don't know what the future of our country would be in terms of First Amendment rights and our ability to ask questions without fear of attacks by the mainstream media."

    Read More Here: http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/10/31/palin/index.html

    ***********************************

    U.S. Attacks Syria & Pakistan & "Refuses to Comment..."

    Watch Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz_0mMvqcVw

    ***********************************

    Police: "DC Madam" Not Murdered

    Police in Florida closed the book Friday on the suicide of the alleged ''D.C. Madam,'' confirming that she hanged herself with a nylon rope instead of facing prison time for running an elite prostitution ring.
    
    The report is meant to silence speculation that someone connected to prominent Republicans killed Deborah Jeane Palfrey to keep her from identifying more high profile clients of the Washington-based escort service.
    
    During the investigation of the agency, U.S. Senator David Vitter was exposed as a client of Palfrey's escort service spreading panic through the DC cocktail set. Vitter today officially closed his legal defense fund that was created following his involvement in the prostitution case last year.
    
    
    Vitter officially closes 'Madam' legal fund; see complete list of donors

    ************************************

    Poll: Early Voters Strongly Prefer Obama

    CBS News Survey Shows Democratic Ticket With 19 Point Edge Among Early Voters, 13 Point Lead Among Likely Voters Overall

    (CBS)  sphereit start With just three days left until Election Day, a new CBS News poll finds that the Democratic presidential ticket of Barack Obama and Joe Biden leads its Republican counterpart by 13 points among likely voters, 54 percent to 41 percent. That margin reflects an increase of two points in the Obama-Biden ticket's lead from a CBS News/New York Times poll released Thursday.
    
    About one in five voters say they have already cast their vote, either in person or through the mail, and these early voters prefer the Democratic ticket by an even greater margin. Obama leads among early voters 57 percent to 38 percent, a nineteen point advantage.
    
    The economy is by far the issue of top concern to voters, and they continue to view Obama more favorably on the issue than they do his Republican rival, John McCain. Fifty-one percent of registered voters say Obama would make the economy better, while just 29 percent say McCain would.
    
    On the question of who will raise taxes, the candidates are roughly even: Forty-seven percent say Obama would raise their taxes and 48 percent say McCain would do so.

    Read Complete Story Here: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/01/opinion/polls/main4563051.shtml?source=RSSattr=HOME_4563051

    ************************

    Obama takes largest lead yet in Gallup poll of likely voters

    John Byrne
    Published: Saturday November 1, 2008

    Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) has taken the largest lead yet among likely voters against Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) in the national Gallup poll released Saturday. Obama expanded his lead to ten percent from nine percent on Friday.
    
    Obama's lead is a dramatic rise from the 49-47 percent margin that Gallup registered just four days ago.
    
    Gallup added, "This is the first time since Gallup began estimating likely voters in early October that there is no difference between Gallup's two likely voter models. Obama's lead of 52% to 42% using Gallup's traditional estimate of likely voting criteria takes into account past voting as well as current intentions. Obama's identical lead using the expanded model takes into account only current voting intentions."
    
    "Both of these likely voter estimates in turn are almost identical to Gallup's 52% to 41% registered voter estimate.
    
    
    
    Read more from Gallup here.

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• 31 October - 6:30 PM

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    Robert Ariail The State Oct 31, 2008 EditorialCartoonists.com

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    FL GOP Chair Sends Out Racist E-mail: Beware Of The Car Loads Of Blacks

    By Logan Murphy Friday Oct 31, 2008 12:30pm
    
    
    Watch Video Here: http://www.tampabays10.com/video/default.aspx?maven_playerId=articleplayer&maven_referralObject=911814618
    
    

    From TampaBays10:

    The head of the Hillsborough GOP, David Storck, distributed an email from a Republican Party volunteer saying the voters are a threat.

    That's because, as the volunteer says in the email, he sees "car loads of black Obama supporters coming from the inner city to cast their votes for Obama."

    It goes on to say, "This is their chance to get a black president and they seem to care little the he is at minimum a socialist and probably Marxist in his core beliefs." The Republican volunteer says that is because, "After all he is black- no experience or accomplishments but he is black." Read on...

    If the McCain/Palin campaign has done anything, it has exposed the worst in our society. Couple that with the hate talk that infests the once-public airwaves from the likes of Rush Limbaugh and the xenophobic, racist rants of the right wing blogs and this is what you get.

     

    ***************************

    CNN's Rick Sanchez does it again!

    by Rudyard

    Fri Oct 31, 2008 at 01:04:41 PM PDT

    UDATE #2 - Sanchez was interviewing Ben Ferguson (remember this?)
    UPDATE #1 - UPDATED WITH POLL WHILE I'M WAITING FOR VIDEO TO POST

    A couple of days ago, the McCain campaign charged that Obama shares or is influenced by "anti-Israeli" sentiments of Rashid Khalidi"

    With this segment, CNN first broke this topic with interviews with John McCain, quotes from the Los Angeles Times, quotes from Rashid Khalidi, and quotes from the Obama campaign. Tom Foreman of CNN concludes at the end of this segment that the assertion from McCain is
    misleading and "flat-out false".

    Then yesterday, Rick Sanchez had a bizarre interview with Michael Goldfarb of the McCain campaign (diaried by Prosediva) in which Sanchez tries to extract from Goldfarb one single example of Obama palling around with anti-semites. Goldfarb stuttered that there was one-who-must-not-be-named but that "everybody knows who that is" and "I think we know who we're talking about".

    polls come after this

    • Rudyard's diary :: ::

    Despite repeated queries from Sanchez, Goldfarb refused to name that name...(This segment went viral in a BIG way, with Jimmy Kimmel, the Daily Show and a host of others weighing in.

    Just now (12:20pm PST) Sanchez announced on CNN that he finally had THE NAME (cut to commercial) and that the NAME is.......

    Jeremiah Wright.

    And then the fun started...

    Sanchez then interviewed one of Republican talk radio's famed wingnuts, Ben Ferguson (remember Ben?) who (since he's not bound by the McCain campaign's pledge not to use Wright's name) had no hesitation at saying the NAME and spewing more charges that Obama pals around with anti-Semites.

    Much to my delight, Sanchez was pre-armed with quote after quote and document after document, and refuted EVERY SINGLE CHARGE with facts and quotes that exposed the charges for the false smears that they are. Sanchez wrapped with the most devastating quote of all:  a formal statement from the Anti Defamation League that the ADF does not now or has ever considered the Reverend Jeremiah Wright an anti-semite.
    (more stuttering from the wing-nut to the effect that the ADF only had "12 hours to do research")

    I will update with video links as soon as I can find one.
    Here's the link to the Rick Sanchez Twitter page which Rick says is about to be
    updated with this latest interview.  I have a new-found respect for Sanchez.  He is on fire
    this week!

    
    
    ***************************

     

    The GOP Meltdown Continues

     

    The Jed Report Fri Oct 31, 11:45 AM Pacific

     It seems everybody is jumping aboard the Obama express. The latest: Ken Duberstein, Ronald Reagan's former chief of staff offered his endorsement this morning.

    After endorsing Obama, Duberstein appeared on MSNBC, where he launched into a full-fledged assault on John McCain's judgment for selecting Sarah Palin. It was a sight to behold, not just for the denunciation of John McCain, but also for the sheer joy of watching the collapse of the GOP coalition before our very eyes:

     Watch Video Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9ImySRVdO4

     ******************************

    Totally Awesome Obama Ohio Video Hits YouTube

    You know this whole thing could still come down to Ohio.

    The presidential race was so close last time, in fact, that the margin averaged out to just nine votes per precinct across the Buckeye state. That's one of the motivating points in a new GOTV video on YouTube, which Obama's aides uploaded on Thursday night, appealing for more volunteers in the homestretch.

    The feature starts with footage from Obama's recent address to a statewide meeting for organizers, and then dashes through images of Ohio scenery and hard-working volunteers. Like other Obama GOTV messages, the video closes by pressing supporters to remember that victory would be enthralling, but defeat is always possible. In other words, Don't Let Up.

    Watch it here: http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters/378753/totally_awesome_obama_ohio_video_hits_youtube

    *************************

    The Republican Party is dead

    The Republican Party is dead. Yes, I'm saying this before the election. Even if McCain wins, which could happen if Obama supporters stay home thinking the election is in the bag, the GOP still has lost its way along with a substantial number of members. While high-profile Republicans like Susan Eisenhower and Frank Schaeffer have made the headlines, the real exodus is on Main Street.
    
    Contrary to popular belief, a large percentage of Republicans are unhappy not because of the Bush administration itself, but because of the recent clear revelations of what direction the Party is heading. Actually, we've started realizing the problems began all the way back in Reagan's presidency, and the only thing that has remained "Republican" has been the talking points. Let's quickly review the Republican Principles listed on the GOP site itself.

    "I BELIEVE in equal justice and equal opportunity for everyone else, regardless of race, creed, sex, age or disability, unless we're talking about lazy black people, illegal Mexican people, uneducated women, homosexuals, or, if justice and opportunity for disabled people costs businesses money."
    Read More: http://open.salon.com/content.php?cid=35856

    ********************************

    Charles Barkley: Fox News "F**ed Up," Fox Hits Barkley On Gambling Debts

     

    OCTOBER 30, 2008 12:11AM

    Time for a New Third Party Republican Party Offshoot

     Chuck Lasker

     

    Charles Barkley, the former NBA star, 2014 candidate for Alabama Governor, and one-time proud Republican, trashed Fox News in an interview with television trade publication Broadcasting & Cable, saying the network is "fucked up" and "corrupt," and that he prefers CNN.

    B&C's Ben Grossman reports:

    "I watch CNN, they're not fucked up like Fox," Barkley told B&C. "They are a mouthpiece for the Republican Party. I watch [Fox] a couple times when there is someone I want to see on there. But they're corrupt."
    When asked whether he is just shilling for his parent company (TNT and CNN are corporate cousins), Barkley denies that he has to stick up for his team.
    "Hell no, I don't," he says. "I like Wolf Blitzer and Anderson Cooper and John King. They at least try to give both sides."
    But Fox News Channel doesn't see it that way, as a network spokesperson fired back immediately.
    "It's hardly a surprise that Charles is a shill for a Turner owned network.... He obviously needs the steady paycheck to pay off his consistent gambling debts," the spokesperson told B&C.

    Read More: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/29/charles-barkley-fox-news-_n_138820.html

    *************************

    An "Idiot Wind"

    John McCain's latest attempt to link Barack Obama to extremism

     Washington Post Editorial Friday, October 31, 2008; Page A18

    WITH THE presidential campaign clock ticking down, Sen. John McCain has suddenly discovered a new boogeyman to link to Sen. Barack Obama: a sometimes controversial but widely respected Middle East scholar named Rashid Khalidi. In the past couple of days, Mr. McCain and his running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin, have likened Mr. Khalidi, the director of a Middle East institute at Columbia University, to neo-Nazis; called him "a PLO spokesman"; and suggested that the Los Angeles Times is hiding something sinister by refusing to release a videotape of a 2003 dinner in honor of Mr. Khalidi at which Mr. Obama spoke. Mr. McCain even threw former Weatherman Bill Ayers into the mix, suggesting that the tape might reveal that Mr. Ayers -- a terrorist-turned-professor who also has been an Obama acquaintance -- was at the dinner.

    For the record, Mr. Khalidi is an American born in New York who graduated from Yale a couple of years after George W. Bush. For much of his long academic career, he taught at the University of Chicago, where he and his wife became friends with Barack and Michelle Obama. In the early 1990s, he worked as an adviser to the Palestinian delegation at peace talks in Madrid and Washington sponsored by the first Bush administration. We don't agree with a lot of what Mr. Khalidi has had to say about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict over the years, and Mr. Obama has made clear that he doesn't, either. But to compare the professor to neo-Nazis -- or even to Mr. Ayers -- is a vile smear.

    Perhaps unsurprising for a member of academia, Mr. Khalidi holds complex views. In an article published this year in the Nation magazine, he scathingly denounced Israeli practices in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and U.S. Middle East policy but also condemned Palestinians for failing to embrace a nonviolent strategy. He said that the two-state solution favored by the Bush administration (and Mr. Obama) was "deeply flawed" but conceded there were also "flaws in the alternatives." Listening to Mr. Khalidi can be challenging -- as Mr. Obama put it in the dinner toast recorded on the 2003 tape and reported by the Times in a detailed account of the event last April, he "offers constant reminders to me of my own blind spots and my own biases."

    It's fair to question why Mr. Obama felt as comfortable as he apparently did during his Chicago days in the company of men whose views diverge sharply from what the presidential candidate espouses. Our sense is that Mr. Obama is a man of considerable intellectual curiosity who can hear out a smart, if militant, advocate for the Palestinians without compromising his own position. To suggest, as Mr. McCain has, that there is something reprehensible about associating with Mr. Khalidi is itself condemnable -- especially during a campaign in which Arab ancestry has been the subject of insults. To further argue that the Times, which obtained the tape from a source in exchange for a promise not to publicly release it, is trying to hide something is simply ludicrous, as Mr. McCain surely knows.

    Which reminds us: We did ask Mr. Khalidi whether he wanted to respond to the campaign charges against him. He answered, via e-mail, that "I will stick to my policy of letting this idiot wind blow over." That's good advice for anyone still listening to the McCain campaign's increasingly reckless ad hominem attacks. Sadly, that wind is likely to keep blowing for four more days.

    *************************** 

     

    Plastic Cups and Pop Cans Contain A Compound Which Can Double Your Chance of a Heart Attack

     

    By: kirk murphy Thursday October 30, 2008 6:00 pm

     On one level, the study Reuters reports is real news: extensive direct correlations of BPA levels and disease in humans. On another level, the fact the study's results are "news" to the EPA so frustrates me I could just scream.

    In the bookshelf nearest me sits a copy of Theo Colburn, Dianne Dumanoski, and John Peterson Myers' Our Stolen Future. Pages 130-135 describe how BPA is the prototype of a class of toxic chemicals known as endocrine disruptors.

    "Endocrine disruptors" are chemicals that mimic the body's natural hormones, and send false signals to developing and adult bodies. "Endocrine" is medical-speak for "hormone system". Ain't medical terminology grand?

    Endocrine disruptors are the toxic substances that:

    • have been linked to miscarriages,

    • make fish and polar bears have both male and female genitals,

    • impair human sperm function,

    • increase breast and prostate cancer risks,

    • appear to be crashing the percentage of boy babies born to some Arctic communties.

    Ain't endocrine disruptors grand?

     

    Endocrine disruptors are old news. In 1998, I joined a group of activists who wrote and persuaded the LA Unified School District to adopt an "Integrated Pest Management Policy" that used the precautionary principle to protect LAUSD students and staff from endocrine disruptors (and other toxic substances). The LAUSD -- responsiible for 750,000 students -- adopted that policy in the spring of 1999.

    We used Our Stolen Future as a reference. As the group's medical consultant, I used the information Theo Colburn and her colleagues assembled to persuade the LA School Board to protect students and staff against endocrine disruptors.

    In my paperback copy of Our Stolen Future, the paged are yellowed: it was printed eleven years ago. The hardbound version was printed in 1996.

    Oh - and the first research showing BPA's endocrine disruptor activity at astonishingly low concentrations...concentrations we are are all exposed to, often even before we are born? It was published in 1993.

    Fifteen years before the Bushie FDA told us the endocrine disruptor BPA is "safe at current exposure levels".

    Old news, right?

    Watching the corporatists strangle public safety regulations is bad for my blood pressure. Sucks for the rest of us, too.

    Study links common plastics chemical to heart disease

    A major study links a chemical used in many plastic products including baby bottles to human problems such as heart disease and diabetes, while U.S. regulators on Tuesday said they still believe it is safe.

    The chemical bisphenol A, or BPA, is widely used in plastic food and beverage containers and in the coating of food cans.

    [snip]

    The study by British researchers in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that among 1,455 U.S. adults, those with the highest levels of BPA were more likely to have heart disease, diabetes and liver-enzyme abnormalities than those with the lowest levels.

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials said they would review the new findings, which were not taken into consideration when the agency issued a draft conclusion in August that BPA is safe at current exposure levels.

    [snip]

    "There are things you can do if you choose to reduce your level of bisphenol A," [FDA official] Tarantino said. "But we have not recommended that anyone change their habits or change their use of any of these products because right now we don't have the evidence in front of us to suggest that people need to."

    BPA is used to make polycarbonate plastic, a clear shatter-resistant material in products ranging from baby and water bottles to plastic eating utensils to sports safety equipment and medical devices.

    It also is used to make durable epoxy resins used as the coating in most food and beverage cans and in dental fillings. BPA can mimic the hormone estrogen in the body.

    LEACHING INTO LIQUIDS

    People can consume BPA when it leaches out of plastic into liquid such as baby formula, water or food inside a container. Some retailers and manufacturers are moving away from products with BPA. Canadian officials concluded BPA was harmful.

    [snip]

    The 25 percent of people with the highest levels of bisphenol A in their bodies were more than twice as likely to have heart disease, including heart attacks or type 2 diabetes, compared to the 25 percent with the lowest levels.

    At the FDA panel meeting, several scientists and activists said the FDA ignored animal studies finding health concerns and some called for it to be banned in food container products.

    Senior Democratic U.S. Rep. John Dingell of Michigan, who heads the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, said the FDA has "focused myopically on industry-funded research."

    Tarantino said nothing was ignored but industry-funded studies finding no harm were important in the conclusions. The panel is expected to present its advice to the FDA next month.

    What a group of community activists and the massive LAUSD accomplished in less than fifteen months, the EPA hasn't been willing to do in the last fifteen years. Fortunately for Canadians, their nation's regulators actually work to protect the public, and moved to ban use of the toxin in baby bottles. In April. Five months ago.

    Here in the wholly owned corporatist subsidy we call the United States:

    Tarantino, head of the FDA's office of food additive safety, said there is talk of government scientists doing their own BPA safety studies, but that could take years to conduct.

    Makes ya proud to be an American, doesn't it? Knowing "we're number one" just makes me feel all tingly and safer already. Don't you?

    Bon appetit.

     

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 90

• Conservative Group To Run Anti

  • From: pinkiehot52
  • Description:

    Get ready for a deluge of Wright rantings.

    The National Republican Trust PAC, which has been airing an ad attacking Barack Obama's association with Reverend Wright in three battleground states, has now put down for a national buy on five networks that will last from now through election day, a consultant with the group confirms to me.

    The ad will run nationally on Fox, CNN, ABC, CBS, and NBC for the next five days, the consultant, Rick Wilson, says -- "all the way until election day."

    The ad, which you can watch here, features the now-infamous footage of Wright's livelier sermons, and intones that Obama "never complained" about Wright "until he ran for President," adding that Obama is "too radical, too risky."

    Previously, the ad was only running in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida, as Ben Smith reported the other day.

    Now, however, the ad will run nationally, Wilson says, adding that the group just got through getting the spot vetted with network lawyers and is good to go.

     

    There needs to be equal time given to Palin's wacky church, and other extreme right wing preachers, they are on TV every day. Witch-hunters and such.

    MacShame and the Pale witch/ We have to please send her back from where ever racist world she came from.

    But Bless her and MacShame for showing us. Who they are and their clan. We are not parnoid like it has been suggested. RACISM IS STILL ALIVE AND GROWING IN AMERICA!

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 92

• Frank Keating on Obama

  • From: pinkiehot52
  • Description:

    From HuffingtonPost

     

    Former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating, a McCain campaign co-chairman, edged up to an explicitly racial attack on Barack Obama on Thursday, describing the Illinois Senator as a "guy of the street" before raising his youthful drug use.

    Appearing on Dennis Miller's radio show, Keating charged that the Democratic nominee was covering up his "very extreme" record, and urged Obama to be more honest with Americans. "He ought to admit," Keating said, "'You know, I've got to be honest with you. I was a guy of the street. I was way to the left. I used cocaine. I voted liberally, but I'm back at the center.'"

    Keating began to address Obama's former pastor Jeremiah Wright -- a topic that John McCain himself has said should be off-limits -- but Miller interrupted him to return to the discussion of cocaine.

    Listen to the audio here.

    The criticism is the latest in a spate of increasingly aggressive attacks from the McCain-Palin camp.

    It's unclear what Keating meant by "a guy of the street," but his assertion that Obama should "admit" his brief drug use in high school makes little sense, since it was Obama himself who did disclose it in his memoir published 12 years ago.

    Keating was one of McCain's earlier supporters, endorsing the Arizona Senator even before he officially launched his 2008 presidential bid. Keating is a member of McCain's National Campaign Committee, and serves as co-chair for various campaign groups, such as Catholics for McCain and Sportsmen for McCain.

    Here's the transcript from Miller's program today:

    MILLER: It's the most liberal, let's just say that. We're talking to Frank Keating, former Oklahoma Governor, John McCain supporter. Frank, let's just say, it's the most liberal. The thing that bothers me the most about all this with Barack Obama is not the -- I know he's the most liberal guy. You know, I know he's gotten this close to the White House and I know most people don't realize he's probably the most liberal senator we have. The thing that bothers me the most is I recognize the obfuscation and the smoke and mirrors as Clinton-esque. When I hear him reduce Ayers to "this is a guy who lives in my neighborhood" or Rev. Wright, "I was there 500 times and never saw him." The acts themselves don't bother me as he's starting to treat me like an idiot too when he's blowing this smoke my way. He ought to just come clean and say, "listen, I came up through Chicago, you make some errors there." I'd almost be able to absolve it more easily then.

    Story continues below

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    KEATING: Well, and that's what concerns me, Dennis, because when I was in the State Senate and statehouse of my state, if someone had voted against the entire state budget because it had too much money for corrections, all of us would have, you know, strained our necks to find out who is this because that would have been a very extreme position, basically saying to a law enforcement officer as I was or my son was a state trooper, "you know, you make an arrest, you risk your life, for nothing" because we're going to make sure that person doesn't go to prison even though the laws of the state require it. So, that puzzles me. Just he ought to admit, "you know, I've got to be honest with you. I was a guy of the street. I was way to the left. I used cocaine. I voted liberally, but I'm back at the center." I mean, I understand the big picture of America. But he hasn't done that...

    MILLER: He's copped to that...

    KEATING: Jeremiah Wright is...

    MILLER: Wait, I've got to jump in Frank. He has copped to the blow use, right? I mean, he did so in his own book he said he did blow.

    KEATING: Oh yes, he did.

    MILLER: Well, I'm just saying that doesn't enter this to me.

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 160
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• "Sit Down Boy!"

  • From: starchild50
  • Description:

    Obama Hatred At McCain-Palin Rallies: "Terrorist!" "Kill Him!" (VIDEO)

    John Aravosis at AmericaBlog writes:

    McCain was speaking today in New Mexico, doing his usual personal attack on Barack Obama, as the stock market plummeted (you can see the ticker next to McCain on the screen, an apt reminder of what McCain and his fellow Republicans represent), and McCain asked the crowd "who is Barack Obama?" Immediately you hear someone yell "terrorist." McCain pauses, the audience laughs, and McCain continues on, not acknowledging, not chastising, not correcting. Oh, but McCain does say in the next sentence that he's upset about all the "angry barrage of insults."

    Marc Ambinder notes that the shouter advances McCain's Bill Ayers and Jeremiah Wright attacks, while Jonathan Martin suggested the campaign would need a third party to do it:

    Judging by McCain's slightly startled reaction, he clearly didn't anticipate that reaction, and McCain's in no way responsible for the utterances of anybody in his audience. But he must have some idea of how deeply this fear/outsider/other meme has spread. A tripartite strategy isn't needed.

    UPDATE: The Washington Post reports on a similar moment at a Palin rally today:

    "Now it turns out, one of his earliest supporters is a man named Bill Ayers," Palin said.

    
    "Boooo!" said the crowd.

    "And, according to the New York Times, he was a domestic terrorist and part of a group that, quote, 'launched a campaign of bombings that would target the Pentagon and our U.S. Capitol,'" she continued.

    "Boooo!" the crowd repeated.

    "Kill him!" proposed one man in the audience.

     

    And Dana Milbank highlights another incident from Tuesday:

    Worse, Palin's routine attacks on the media have begun to spill into ugliness. In Clearwater, arriving reporters were greeted with shouts and taunts by the crowd of about 3,000. Palin then went on to blame Katie Couric's questions for her "less-than-successful interview with kinda mainstream media." At that, Palin supporters turned on reporters in the press area, waving thunder sticks and shouting abuse. Others hurled obscenities at a camera crew. One Palin supporter shouted a racial epithet at an African American sound man for a network and told him, "Sit down, boy."

    "Getting ugly out there," says ABC's Jake Tapper.

    American News Project went inside a pro-Palin rally set up by the McCain campaign to watch the vice presidential debate, where supporters booed moderator Gwen Ifill and laughed when Sen. Joe Biden got choked up talking about his first wife and daughter's deaths. Watch:

    http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1417423198/bctid1834283910

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 159
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• SARAH PALIN WITCHCRAFT

  • From: nmcgee8198
  • Description:

    Why is it that we have only seen the video of Sarah Palin and the pastor that prayed regarding witchcraft and we saw the video of Jeremiah Wright every day for almost a month.  Please go to Utube and insert the words Sarah Palin and Witchcraft and see what is out there.  When will our media give fair treatment.  Today they continue to loop Sarah Palin talking about Barack Obama palling around with terrorists.  Please send those videos around to friends and family because it is really frightening what we may get as a President.  If she becomes Vice President, she is only one step away from the White House.  We must stop the Republicans.

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 238
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• IT IS TIME TO EDUCATE OUR BLAC

  • From: nmcgee8198
  • Description:

    We are a month away from this election and I am still hearing young people questioning lies that they are hearing  through the media regarding Barack Obama.  Some of these young people believe that Barack Obama is going to tax people under $250,000 instead the percentage above $250,000.  We still have some young and old people that do not read or really keep up with what is going on only through gossip.  We must use the only true Black Media that I know.  We must act like this is the American Idol and Barack is Fantasia.  We must call, we must read for others and we must get the message out anyway that we can that we cannot let the Republicans win.  They ran the story about Jeremiah Wright over and over but I have only seen the story about Palin's having a minister pray Witchcraft from her twice.  She is now spreading new lies about Barack but we must do our own attack of McCain and Palin.  Barack may not be able to fight but we can fight for him by getting the truth out to our families.  Have a family talk and find out how many of your family members really are aware of what is going on.  Don't let one person tell you that they are voting for McCain because he is more experienced.  If we do not want to turn back the clocks to a time that I do not want to see again, we must act and act fast.

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 176

• Why the Polls are so Close

  • From: starchild50
  • Description:

    The Huffington Post

    Bob Cesca - September 17, 2008

    Enough! Here's Why The Polls Are So Damn Close

    Today's edition of Morning Joe on MSNBC was especially ridiculous. And Pat Buchanan wasn't even there, which meant that everyone else had to overcompensate to make up for the conspicuous absence of awful.

    Back story: Senator Obama released a two-minute commercial about the economic crisis -- also known as "the worst financial crisis in a century," according Alan Greenspan and Mort Zuckerman. It's a smart, effective ad that serves two purposes: it outlines what Obama plans to do about the crisis, and it continues to hammer home Senator Obama as a tough yet presidential would-be chief executive and steward of the economy.

    Yet despite the seriousness of this crisis, Joe Scarborough (along with Wee Willie Geist and Salon's Joan Walsh, oddly enough) mocked the ad for its lack of soundbytes and its abundance of specifics.

    Lack. Of soundbytes.

    Now there's an argument to be made in favor of short, pithy framing in politics, but this isn't a short, pithy crisis. It's a crisis that's nailing ordinary Americans quite literally in their own back yards. It's entirely symptomatic of 30 years of Republican deregulation and Reaganomics. 30 years of free market wingnut crapola culminating in something close to the Great Depression, with Senator McCain quoting Herbert Hoover dozens of times this year alone -- and, what? A two minute commercial is too long, Joe? Are you so basted in savory McCain barbecue sauce, Joe, that your candidate's cluelessness has, by some form of dry rub osmosis, infected your already shovel-shaped view of this global disaster?

    Soundbytes and nonspecifics. Yessir. That's just what (and I repeat) the worst financial crisis in a century deserves. Soundbytes and nonspecifics like, "The fundamentals of the economy are strong." Heckuva job. Your candidate is a total doof when it comes to the economy, Joe. Admit it.

    So then, with the addition of Newsweek 's very serious Jon Meacham, the very serious conversation evolved into concern-trolling about the polls. Why, Scarborough wondered, is Senator Obama not way ahead of McCain in the polls? Why is the race so tight?

    Hmm. I can't imagine why that is. It's not like Senator Obama's patriotism and character is being assassinated for three hours every morning on cable news -- six hours if we include the spasmodic howler monkeys on FOX & Friends. I can't imagine why the polls are so close when Joe Scarborough is helping his Republican allies to once again turn this critical national debate into another blind recitation of Lee Greenwood lyrics .

    Why are the polls so close? Not only do around 25 percent of Americans watch FOX News Channel on a regular basis, but, from coast to coast, there are more than a thousand far-right talk radio stations occupied by shows that make Morning Joe sound like an Olbermann Special Comment. And 17 percent of Americans are glued to it at work and in their cars. Talkers like Hugh Hewitt, Sean Hannity, John Gibson, Rush Limbaugh, Michael Medved, Bill Bennett and Glenn Beck broadcast on your public air around the clock. Non-stop. Unrelenting. Only interrupted by Accu-weather and traffic. Free to anyone with an AM radio.

    I don't know if you've dared to listen to far-right talk radio lately, but I can assure you that they're not ignoring Senator Obama -- or his family. Put it this way: if you only got your news and opinions from talk radio, you'd probably believe that Senator Obama is some kind of foreign-born baby-killing Manchurian Candidate terrorist -- if not a sexist uppity black man who, if he loses in November, will incite race riots in every city.

    Last night, Keith Olbermann reported that convicted Watergate burglar and radio talk show host G. Gordon Liddy continues to insist that Senator Obama was born in Kenya and that his birth certificate is a forgery. Lies. Debunked months ago by numerous nonpartisan experts .

    Sean Hannity continues to beat the Reverend Wright and William Ayers drums every chance he gets while making wild claims that Senator Obama is an anti-white bigot .

    Alleged sex-tourist Rush Limbaugh , whose show is carried in almost every American city, is routinely accusing Senator Obama of infanticide and referring to him as a "little black man-child," clearly stopping short of blurting out the name "Sambo," thus indicating that the drugs seem to have left intact a shred of discretion in Limbaugh's otherwise melty cheese brain.

    And that's just three of the more popular hosts out of hundreds more. There's Mike Gallagher, Lars Larson, Laura Ingraham, Monica Crowley, Mike Savage, Dennis Prager, Neil Boortz, Bill Hussein Cunningham -- the list goes on and on. Nothing is out of bounds. Devoid of shame and accountability. Inventing its own stories and spreading lies in soundbyte chunks easily passed along via listeners to non-listener friends and family.

    We too-often overlook the influence of far-right talk radio given the overproduced, groomed-monkeys on far-right cable news shows. So radio talkers too often operate with impunity and a dangerous lack of watchdogging despite their market saturation -- their menacing ubiquity. Consequently, concern-trolls like Joe Scarborough and Jon Meacham can go on television and thump their chests -- questioning why-God-why have the Democrats only won three of the last ten presidential elections?! What's wrong with these foreign-sounding, smarty-pants Democrats who, as Meacham mentioned today, are incapable of "speaking American."

    Could it be -- I don't know, just a hunch -- that the opinions of perhaps a third of all Americans are shaped by FOX News Channel, cable news shows like Morning Joe and, especially, far-right talk radio? Could it be that the lies and blind-patriotism of these far-right propagandists are painting an historic, brilliant, accomplished, patriotic presidential candidate as some kind of Bin Laden meets Farrakhan chimera? 24 hours a day? In every town in the Union? Distracting Americans from this economic crisis and skewing their priorities -- making pocketbook issues seem less important than bullshit lies. And political hacks still wonder why half of Americans vote against their financial interests every two years. Joe Scarborough still wonders out loud why Senator Obama isn't 20 points ahead in the polls.

    Riddle me this, Joe. Given the ideological landscape of cable news, talk radio and the nefarious lie-based caricature therein of Obama as a black-power, fetus-crushing Muslim terrorist, why isn't John McCain 20 points ahead in polls?

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 238

• Righteous Indignation

  • From: escarp15
  • Description:

    it appears to me tha Sen Obama really needs to show more anger or disgust with the lies that the Mc Cain campain is conducting. Either Sen Mc Cain(campaign) is being truthful or he is a senile participant to some blatant lies. From my perspective, Sen Mc MCain is being very deceptive and doing his utmost best to mislead the public. I believe in my heart that if he was representig the truth about issues or even positions that he honestly believes in, I would respecr him more. Maybe there is some truth That Sen Obama see himself differently, I believe he does; However even Moses, Martin (mlk)Jesus or Elijah at one some point in their mission (life) showed some form of righteous indignation.

    Just mabe this is what Rev Jackson was referring to.

    To be politically correct is good, but I also believe that standing UP FOR TRUTH and against lies and deception is also a critical aspect of one's character. Like a Malcom X or even Tupac or a Rev Jerimiah Wright. Could it be that that's one of the reason that Sen Obama Stayed there so long? Rev Wright provided the needed outlet(source) for emotions and beliefs that Sen Obama was unabe to demonstrate.

    If this is the case,Sen Obama'a campaign including his vp, needs to be more vigilant and agressive against the distortions and deceits of the McCain's campaign.

    Let me know what you guys think.

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
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• babysmoma66

  • Views: 90
  • Since: 1 year ago

• fraggamaggin

  • Views: 113
  • Since: 1 year ago

• What About the Black Community

  • From: percyb03
  • Description:

    “Teacher” I agree with you 100%. Let me make it perfectly clear, I look forward to seeing a Black person become the primary resident of the white house; but at what cost? “Teacher” I’ve been having this very same conversation with so many Black folk prior to and since I first saw the Florida incident.

    Are we loosing our souls just to get a Black person in the white house? Why was Tavis Smiley tarred and feather for doing what he’s done during every recent past election? Tavis has always asked the tough questions and set a bar for our elected officials to address our concerns. Why didn’t Mr. Obama attend the King dedications and celebrations in Memphis? Why did Mr. Obama denounce Rev. Wright knowing that the media simply picked and chose small segments of his sermons? Does he plan on returning to that church after he is elected? Why don’t the majority of us know about Mr. Obama’s positions on various Black concerns? Is it because he hasn’t done it the “way we want him to make it known?” Do you have to buy and read all of his books in order to know what he has done? I can’t remember any presidential candidate pushing their literary writing before being president in order to let folk know what they’ve done. Why hasn’t Mr. Obama spent some of his record setting campaign funds with the Black media outlets? I listen to and watch Black media all day long and I subscribe to a number of Black publications and I have yet to see or hear an Obama commercial or see an ad in any of them. But, during the primary elections Mr. Obama received a ton of “FREE advertising on Black radio simply by making an appearance on various shows. Just imagine for a moment the magnitude of a message that would be perceived by Black communities if Mr. Obama spent moneys back in the Black community. Is he perpetuating the same old adage of seeing our moneys leave our communities to never return? Or is he taking the Black vote for granted?

    Why are so many Black people concerned of Mr. Obama’s Black image and perception of being too Black? Why isn’t Black issues being asked of Mr. Obama? Yes, I get the same answer too; “because he can’t seem to be too Black because he has to appeal to all Americans. The last time I checked I was born, raised and pay taxes in America. I don’t get it. Why is he getting a PASS from Black media outlets, Black leaders, Black political strategists, Black barber shops and beauty salons? Is it really because we have to get him elected first? If this is the strategy; when should we expect him to address our issues?

    · Crack v. Powder Cocaine (thanks to Ronald Reagan) that has placed too many young Black folk in prison for too many years?

    · Unequal education levels among inner city schools?

    · Corruptness among Black churches that are preying on its members just to have big “A” houses and cars as its members suffer to keep food on their tables?

    · When should we expect him to address why there are so many money laundering “pay day” stores in Black communities?

    These are some of the issues that every past democratic nominee has been asked at this point in the campaign. Why is he getting a pass? One radio host says “it is a game.” Well let us know the players, rules, strategy and objective. The latter I assume is to get him to Pennsylvania Ave., but we must be very, very careful because of two things.

    1. He is a politician

    2. He owes a lot of people

    If the strategy is to really get him elected first, is this a strategy that has worked? I presume that is another conversation.

    I’m not one to rely on the government to solve all issues, but as a tax payer it is only reasonable to expect an elected official to address the concerns of those that casts votes!

    Teacher, thank you bringing this avoided topic to the surface.

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  • 1 year ago
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• DIFFERENT STANDARDS FOR BLACK

  • From: nmcgee8198
  • Description:

    During the campaign, I kept asking why the media was not covering any of the other candidate's ministers and with the way that they had used their churches during the KKK days, I know that there had to be some information regarding these preachers and not just Jeremiah Wright. We have to start making the media accountable for what they report on Black America.

    Rudy Giuliani's priest has been accused in grand jury proceedings of
    molesting several children and covering up the molestation of
    others. Giuliani would not disavow him on the campaign trail and
    still works with him. http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?
    id=3753385

    Mitt Romney was part of a church that did not view black Americans as
    equals and actively discriminated against them. He stayed with that
    church all the way into his early thirties, until they were finally
    forced to change their policies to come into compliance with civil
    rights legislation. Romney never disavowed his church back then or
    now. He said he was proud of the faith of his fathers.
    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/222739 24/page/2/

    Jerry Falwell said America had 9/11 coming because we tolerated gays,
    feminists and liberals. It was our fault. Our chickens had come home
    to roost, if you will. http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-
    dyn/A28620-2001 ep14 John McCain proudly received his support and
    even spoke at his university's commencement.

    Reverend John Hagee has called the Catholic Church the "Great
    Whore." He has said that the Anti-Christ will rise out of the
    European Union (of course, the Anti-Christ will also be Jewish). He
    has said all Muslims are trained to kill and will be part of the
    devil's army when
    Armageddon comes (which he hopes is soon).
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008 /02/29/john-hagees-mccain-
    endor_n_89189.html John McCain continues to say he is proud of
    Reverend Hagee's endorsement.

    Reverend Rod Parsley believes America was founded to destroy Islam.
    Since this is such an outlandish claim, I have to add for the record,
    that he is not kidding. Reverend Parsley says Islam is an "anti-
    Christ religion" brought down from a "demon spirit." Of course, we
    are in a war against all Muslims, including presumably Muslim-
    Americans. Buts since Parsley believes this is a Christian nation and
    that it should be run as a theocracy, he is not very concerned what
    Muslim-Americans think.
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008 /03/12/john-mccains-spiritual-
    _n_91203.html
    John McCain says Reverend Rod Parsley is his "spiritual guide."

    What separates all of these outrageous preachers from Barack Obama's?
    You guessed it. They're white and Reverend Jeremiah Wright is not. If
    it's not racism that's causing the disparity in media treatment of
    these preachers, then what is it?

    I'm willing to listen to other possible explanations. And I am
    inclined to believe that the people these preachers go after are more
    important than the race of the preacher. It's one thing to go after
    gays, liberals and Muslims -- that seems to be perfectly acceptable
    in America -- it's another to accuse white folks of not living up to
    their ideals.

    I think there is another factor at play as well. The media is deathly
    afraid of calling out preachers of any stripe for insane propaganda
    from the pulpits for fear that they will be labeled as anti-
    Christian. But criticism of Rev. Wright falls into their comfort
    zone. It's easy to blame him for being anti-American because he
    criticizes American foreign and domestic policy.

    If Rev. Wright had preached about discriminating against gay
    Americans or Muslims, there probably would not have been any outcry
    at all. That falls into the category of "respect their hateful
    opinions because they cloak themselves in the church."

    But one thing is indisputable -- the enormous disparity in how the
    media has covered these white preachers as opposed to Rev. Wright.
    Have you ever even heard of Rod Parsley? As you can see from what I
    listed above, all of these white preachers have said and done the
    most outlandish and offensive things you can imagine -- and hardly a
    peep.

    If the disparity in coverage isn't racist, then what is it?

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  • 1 year ago
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• Polly-Ticked-Called Spin

  • From: E_Joyce
  • Description:

    There are lots of ways to convey a thought. Today I am choosing the poetic verse:

    Media noise
    Played by the boys
    Planning the next move
    All this is new.
    And not expected.
    How did a man who don’t think like us
    Won’t do like us
    Don’t look like us
    Get past the door.
    He wasn’t invited to our party.
    No need to worry.
    This is the plan
    They’re all suspect
    So we’ll just fan
    The fire.
    It didn’t work.
    What’s that you hear?
    I hear it too.
    The roar of a crowd
    For someone who
    Don’t look like you?
    Walked through the fire did he?
    Don’t understand.
    They’re just emotional
    Who knows the man?
    Can’t find a fault
    We can make stick
    Nothing important
    Let’s call him slick
    Say he’s a muslim (what’s wrong with that?)
    Say he’s a terrorist
    Say he’s a secret
    Say something's amiss.
    Say it’s his fault
    The actions of others
    Cast doubt in the minds
    Of all our brothers,
    And sisters and mothers
    And fathers like us.
    I don’t understand
    What’s the big fuss?
    A gaffe, innuendo,
    An outright lie,
    If we get caught
    Just apologize.
    Say we misspoke.

    Still can’t stop him.

    New plan in play?
    What can it be
    Perhaps a bait and switch
    We’ll see?
    Put someone else
    Better able than cain
    In place so that
    We can remain
    In power.
    It’s not about Wright
    Or wrong you see
    Or gaffes
    Or even policies.
    It’s about the courage
    To see the truth
    That the color of skin
    Is not the proof
    Of what makes a leader
    What makes him right
    Can you get past
    His skin, not white?
    'Cause if you can
    And if you do
    Then change will come
    For me, for you.
    And it will be good.

    (c)2008

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  • 1 year ago
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• Political Musings: Journalism,

  • From: E_Joyce
  • Description:

    Sigh. As I read yet another commentary about the lack of professional behavior on yet another cable news station, I have to step back, take a look at the lay of the land as we get ready to experience both parties set it off in the race for the lone seat in the White House.

    Tim Russert was one of the last true national journalists we had in this country. He took his role seriously and, to his credit, maintained a true standard of unbiased reporting, asking tough, but honest questions and not accepting non-answers. As the accolades, attributes and memorable anecdotes continue to stream in from every medium in the journalism industry, I wonder…has a single one of these who has the power of the microphone, the pen (okay, the keyboard) reflected upon the sudden death of Tim Russert and asked him/herself: What journalistic legacy will I leave behind? What will be said about how I took responsibility in conveying an unbiased reporting of the truth? I am not in any of their heads but I certainly hope that more than a few of these men and women who take a seat in front of the camera, the microphone or a flickering monitor will spend a minute looking at where they are and who they want to be when they grow up as journalists.

    Ever watch a movie with a court scene, and the lawyer makes a statement or asks a question knowing that there will be an objection, even an admonishment by the judge? Ever wondered why this is done? It’s because when anything is suggested, implied, or flat out stated by someone deemed to have some credibility, i.e., a lawyer…or a journalist, there will always be someone who will believe it to have some element of truth associated…even if said individual wasn’t supposed to say it. The latest trend – following the lead of the Imus mess where an apology ultimately gets you your job back – is to say or write something that isn’t the truth, is slanderous, harmful, hurtful, demeaning or an assassination of character, then immediately apologize for it. I got one of those "apology" e-mails from the head of the Tennessee Democratic Committee, who I wrote about Fred Dobbs comments about Senator Obama. The saccharin aftertaste was overwhelming. Can I just say that I am sick of the ongoing trend of saying what is grossly inappropriate or untrue, then following up with an apology is getting real old? And the goal is the same: every innuendo gets lodged in the minds of those most susceptible to gossip and rumor-mongering, doing as much damage as possible, creating doubts and suspicion. When it’s about African Americans – who are never beyond suspicion, no matter who we are or what we do – there will be people more than willing to become verbal suicide-bombers, ruining their own careers, in order to achieve the greater goal of destroying someone whose goals are to affect the changes they fear the most.

    We need to prepare for what is to come, because the future holds some pretty ugly behavior by those who are willing to do anything to keep Senator Obama out of the White House. I even expect a “dark horse” candidate to show up out of the GOP convention as their actual candidate, because McCain is just not doing as well as they thought he would. Or Bin Laden will be "magically" located...right before the election. Kind of far-fetched, but possible? Meanwhile the “beware of the boogey man” strategy will continue. As I look at various message boards, especially the AOL board called Black Voices, where it is clear that all the voices are not Black voices and folks waste a lot of time and emotional energy reacting to the innuendos, skewed facts and utter nonsense that these folks post as they feign Black heritage while hiding behind a computer screen, I want to encourage us all to stop reacting and start responding . Not just on the Internet, but everywhere you go, wherever you participate in a dialogue about politics and race. Telling someone he/she is a racist, bigot, or stupid will not help you get your point across; they already know who they are, they just want you to believe that their point of view is right. I have found that the best way to stop their rhetoric is to 1) demand that they provide irrefutable facts to back up their allegations 2) provide them with irrefutable facts that blow apart their allegations.

    I love what Tim Russert said to an Indiana voter, while he was there to interview Senator Obama. I remember being in Indianapolis covering the Indiana primary and a man came up to me and said he wasn’t going to vote for Senator Obama because he was very concerned about the comments made by Jeremiah Wright, Obama’s pastor. I said, “That’s interesting. As a reporter, I’m curious what comments particularly bothered you?” He said, “Well, I can’t think of any that come to mind, but I also read on the Internet that he’s a Muslim.” And I said, “Now wait a minute. You can’t have both. You can’t be offended by his Christian minister and then say he’s a Muslim. You’ve got to pick one.” (Russert on Politics, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25137286/ )

    Too many of us take what we read on the Internet at face value, without verifying the information as factual. As one who forwarded a few e-mails to others before checking Snopes.com, which debunks urban internet legends, I can honestly say let the reader beware when you come across what looks like creditable information. AOL, for example, selectively lists some of the Black Voices message board commentaries as though they are actual news and it took a couple of reads before I realized what they were doing and who was being targeted in this process. Surprise, even some of the articles in Huffington Post are nothing more than biased innuendo housed in a fairly creditable resource. All to say: take the time to back up the news you receive with other resources before you allow it to settle in as your truth. Everyone doesn’t have to agree with your point of view, everyone doesn’t have to agree with mine. It is exhausting to try and catch every wave, in an effort to make sure that we all see things the way you or I do and it’s a long journey between now and Election Day, so pace yourself. There are always at least two sides to every story. Somewhere in between is where the truth is hidden. Those who seek the truth, even when it is not what they want to hear, will live the most genuine life. Your decisions may be the same, but they will be based upon an unadulterated integrity. If there is a small voice inside you whispering questions, have the courage to seek the answers, lest your personal truth becomes counterfeit by omission. Decisions made, actions taken, judgments ruled -- sans listening to every faction with as much objectivity as humanly possible -- will always be based upon warped evidence, ultimately causing those who continue stand upon such flawed reality, to fall. This is one of my favorite quotes; not just because I wrote it.

    Pick your battles. Search for truth as best you can. Use your voice to speak up when you know someone is smearing another without facts. Then you will always be on the winning team, no matter which side you’re on.

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  • 1 year ago
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• Reponse to TheFlyJock's Blog:

  • From: dmwjr13
  • Description:

    After reading TheFlyJock’s post, I felt the need to repost my one and only blog post. Also, there are a couple of things I want to add before you get to the repost. One, I am an Obama supporter and I have given to his campaign until it hurts. I will be with him until the end. Two, for those people who seem to be upset with Tavis Smiley, you should give that man a break. We need dissenting opinions at the table of African American discussions. Especially, when the opinions encourage us to think more analytically about the decisions we are making. I have a personal saying, “if the majority of the people should walk out on a sheet of cracking ice, there is no virtue in my making the decision unanimous.” Tavis made me look at that sheet of ice. But after careful thought and deliberation, I have determined that the ice as it relates to Obama is solid. This is not to say cracks will not appear. As my repost shows there are going to be costs and I believe the church issue is just the beginning.

    Below is my repost.

    I do not normally write or participate in blogs, etc., so excuse me if I do not have all the etiquette down. What has compelled me to add my two cents in the Obama/Wright conversation is my wife.

    I am seeing things at the various blog sites and listening to the pundits on television that do not match what I think and feel. My wife heard my opinion and thought it was one she had not heard spoken about and said I should join the conversation, so here I am.

    I have a lot I could say on this issue but I will only talk about what I consider to be the most important point. People are saying that this issue is not an attack on the black church and that Pastor Wright is wrong and arrogant for saying that it is. That it is about him and his ego. You know that may be true. But rarely in life is anything that simplistic or clear. Most issues or motives are multi-factorial.

    Just yesterday on Hardball, a guest black commentator, said that it was not an attack on the black church and that it was about Pastor Wright. In her assessment she is not alone because many of you seem to think that way. However, there is a larger and more compelling issue that needs to be addressed.

    This is my most humble opinion.

    This is an attack on the black church. It is a back door attack because coming in the front door would be unaccepted and would be meet with and immediate show of verbal force from black people.

    What do I mean by back door attack?

    Think of it this way, when a black person goes into church now there is one thing that is going to be on their mind that wasn’t there before. What is my pastor going to say that could be used against me in some way? Should I go to this church or that church because of what the pastor says or the type of people in the congregation? They (the majority) will have gotten into the heads of black people all over this nation.

    We have not historically had many places we could speak our minds openly but the church was one of them. You know the old saying that the majority gets nervous when a lot of blacks congregate together. The church is the one place we could do that and historically has been a source of strength for the black people. Now in an indirect backdoor attack, if we are not careful, that will have been changed in an instant. In some ways it may be more correct to say that is was an attack on black people’s minds who attend black churches across this nation. It was an attack on the congregations that attend the churches.

    Remember no one said anything about Pastor Wright’s right to say what he wanted. They asked why did Obama stay and listen to what he said. Which indirectly asks why did any of the congregation stay and listen to him? Which is like saying why was his church not empty, which is exactly what the majority race in this country would like to see all over America.

    Do not take my words to mean I think there is some sort of concerted effort by the majority race to attack black churches. But for those people who are in the majority race that would like to silence all voices that say things that they do not like. What has transpired between Obama and Wright is the first step in achieving their objectives.

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  • 1 year ago
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• TheFlyJock's Blog: What Happen

  • From: TheFlyJock
  • Description:

    Hey, everybody. I told you I would be blogging on the ship. In fact, I started on Saturday.
    
    By the way, we have a new motto for the cruise in light of all the technology: "What Happened on the Cruise Never Happened.” Just like that. Yes, there are pictures. Yes, there's video; you just saw it. But it never happened, and I'm sticking with it. It works for everyone else who gets busted -- LAPD, NYPD, governors, R. Kelly!
    
    I think I started the whole party of at the Conrad Hotel in Miami when I bought Bobby Brown his first drink of the day. I heard he was going strong late into the night. Bobby said he wants to perform seven nights instead of the two we have scheduled for him. I told him to go ahead and stay on stage seven nights straight! Bobby is a performer to his heart, the nicest guy you ever want to meet, and he's nice to everyone.
    
    Everybody got here Saturday -- Sybil, J., Myra J., Ms. Dupree, Huggy Lowdown, Jawn Murray, who on Sunday was representing with the baddest Obama shirt I've seen yet, and believe me, there are a lot them here. Haven't seen any McCain T-shirts yet or Hillary either for that matter, but if you paid to get on the ship, I say, do your thing!
    
    Jacque Reid showed up at the hotel straight from shoe shopping. Sheryl Underwood was trying to convince Jacque's mama to go with her to see Tyrone Davis. The Two Live Stews’ mama is here too telling everyone she's the Two Live Stews’ mama. \
    
    The Bon Voyage party at Dreams was very crowded, and it took people three hours to get back to their hotels -- six hours if it was a player making an excuse to his girl!
    
    Sunday morning, Spinderella was walking around the hotel looking like she didn't miss Salt or epa. When she was on our show a few weeks ago, she said she was looking for an ordinary guy on the cruise. Okay, we'll see what happens when a chipped-tooth brother with a gut tries to holla at her.
    
    I saw a slow-moving George Wallace boarding the ship. We may have to put an age limit on the cruise. We have a minimum age 21, but we might have to make the max 102. George has two more years!
    
    Minister Louis Farrakhan is here, looking as healthy as can be. He said he's not going to speak this time because he doesn't want to say anything the media could twist and use against "Brother Obama." If only my frat brother, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, had thought that way!
    
    Ran into The Emotions, and they were a little emotional about hearing that I said they would be wearing bikinis on the pool deck. But they laughed about it … well, one of them wasn't laughing.

    Aruba Tommy is here, of course. He and a bunch of people squeezed into an elevator, and when he looked out and saw a brother who couldn't get on, Tommy said, "I'm coming back for YOU!"
    
    Blog with you tomorrow when I tell you about the show from Sunday night!

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  • 1 year ago
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