Posts
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January 23, 2009 - I posted the following comment on the Huffinton Post website:
Now imagine how folks who think like Limbaugh are likely to deal with black folk: Cops, judges, politicians, businessmen, teachers, and on and on. The truth is black folk have to deal with "Limbaughs" every day without end. A lot of folks on this thread are upset with Limbaugh, but I say to all of you don't waste your time and energy on this person because he is not worth it. You have to understand that not everybody was happy with what went down in the 1960s. They don't believe that blacks should have been given the same rights as white Americans. They don't see black Americans as their equals. They believe that black Americans have dragged down the country through their criminal activity, out of wedlock births, lack of education, and so forth. So there is no argument you can make that will change their minds. Never mind that a black American has risen to the highest office in the land. To them he is and always will be just another n*gg*r. Instead focus your energies on working with your fellow Americans who want to work with you. I'm sure that they will profess their Christian values and the like, despite the venom that they carry in their heart. So be it. They really don't matter in the scheme of things because the rest of us have more important concerns to address like reshaping America into the country we once knew. Peace.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
The Southern Strategy
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This current bunch of conservatives is still stuck in the 1960s and carry many of the same attitudes of 40 years ago. After 40 years the "Southern Strategy" is no longer fully operational and there is no plan B. The Southern Strategy worked well in 1968 because a lot of white folks didn't think that much of blacks and their views were hardened by the Civil Rights Movement and the many riots that occurred during the period.
Television shows were mostly white so the images that most white saw were blacks "whining" about equal rights and burning down cities. These images persisted into the 70s and once equal rights were gained and the riots stopped it was time to focus on crime, illegitimacy, drug, illiteracy, and so on. Then came the Cosby Show in the 1980s and white folks saw a different kind of black American. Well that was 25 years ago and now we have the first elected black president. In the 1960s most sports team were predominantly white and now they are predominantly black.
The problem for conservatives is that there are enough enlightened white folks who no longer, or never did subscribe to their ideology. These conservatives can't change their views or their ways because they can not allow themselves to even consider the notion that their beliefs and value systems are somehow flawed.
This current bunch of conservatives is still stuck in the 1960s and carry many of the same attitudes of 40 years ago. After 40 years the "Southern Strategy" is no longer fully operational and there is no plan B. The Southern Strategy worked well in 1968 because a lot of white folks didn't think that much of blacks and their views were hardened by the Civil Rights Movement and the many riots that occurred during the period.
Television shows were mostly white so the images that most white saw were blacks "whining" about equal rights and burning down cities. These images persisted into the 70s and once equal rights were gained and the riots stopped it was time to focus on crime, illegitimacy, drug, illiteracy, and so on. Then came the Cosby Show in the 1980s and white folks saw a different kind of black American. Well that was 25 years ago and now we have the first elected black president. In the 1960s most sports team were predominantly white and now they are predominantly black.
The problem for conservatives is that there are enough enlightened white folks who no longer, or never did subscribe to their ideology. These conservatives can't change their views or their ways because they can not allow themselves to even consider the notion that their beliefs and value systems are somehow flawed.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Who Is Responsible For The Demise Of The Republican Party
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As a moderate Republican who has fought the neo-con and the confederate wings of the Party for the past 20 years, the blame should not be placed solely on the politicians. The people that voted for them to stick it to the liberals and minorities are as much at fault as the politicians. They slavishly and mindlessly repeated the mantra of the #1 angry white man in America: Rush Limbaugh, who led them over the cliff to their own demise. For those of you who supported these folks with votes and money, where is their support for you, now that you've lost your house, job, health care, and in general the life that you once knew? These very politicians spent the last eight years bankrupting the country with your blind support. Now that the government that your taxes help to support is growing more insolvent by the day, where is the return on your invest? Of the people, by the people and for the people, remember your civics lessons? This is supposed to be our government, run and managed by us. You let them use your anger, bitterness and resentment to their advantage and to your own detriment. Personal responsibility? Please, these same politicians, pundits and media types have grow rich off of you and now that they have bled you dry, your services are no longer required. Your values were never theirs, they were only commodities, traded and bartered for profit and sold to the highest bidder.
As a moderate Republican who has fought the neo-con and the confederate wings of the Party for the past 20 years, the blame should not be placed solely on the politicians. The people that voted for them to stick it to the liberals and minorities are as much at fault as the politicians. They slavishly and mindlessly repeated the mantra of the #1 angry white man in America: Rush Limbaugh, who led them over the cliff to their own demise. For those of you who supported these folks with votes and money, where is their support for you, now that you've lost your house, job, health care, and in general the life that you once knew? These very politicians spent the last eight years bankrupting the country with your blind support. Now that the government that your taxes help to support is growing more insolvent by the day, where is the return on your invest? Of the people, by the people and for the people, remember your civics lessons? This is supposed to be our government, run and managed by us. You let them use your anger, bitterness and resentment to their advantage and to your own detriment. Personal responsibility? Please, these same politicians, pundits and media types have grow rich off of you and now that they have bled you dry, your services are no longer required. Your values were never theirs, they were only commodities, traded and bartered for profit and sold to the highest bidder.
Monday, March 23, 2009
My Ode To A Love Lost
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She Never Looked Back
Despite the love I had for her
I never told her so
And when she left that very day
I just let her go
She walked quickly down the street
I should have begged her, “Stop.”
But being the fool I came to be
I let my gaze just drop
I raised my head to watch once more
A heart is what I lack
For still I could not find the words
And my love, she never looked back.
She Never Looked Back
Despite the love I had for her
I never told her so
And when she left that very day
I just let her go
She walked quickly down the street
I should have begged her, “Stop.”
But being the fool I came to be
I let my gaze just drop
I raised my head to watch once more
A heart is what I lack
For still I could not find the words
And my love, she never looked back.
A Poem Dedicted to My Youth
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The Young Man Gone
I once was young with lots of strength
I could run all day and night
But that youth has run away
And now he’s gone from sight
He left me quick without a word
He had so much to do
He’s been replaced by a tired old man
Someone he hardly knew
His youth is gone someplace unknown
Never to be found again
But still the old man smiles as he makes his way
Still looking for his long lost friend.
The Young Man Gone
I once was young with lots of strength
I could run all day and night
But that youth has run away
And now he’s gone from sight
He left me quick without a word
He had so much to do
He’s been replaced by a tired old man
Someone he hardly knew
His youth is gone someplace unknown
Never to be found again
But still the old man smiles as he makes his way
Still looking for his long lost friend.
March 8, 2009 Email to the White House
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While I generally applaud the President's effort in dealing with the race question, he needs to fully digest his Attorney General, Eric Holder's comments regarding race and cowardice. Obama's just getting a taste of the racism that his election has unleashed. He can choose to ignore it or confront it, but he needs to understand that it's just not directed at him. You've got a group of angry and bitter white folks who want to lash out at the Negro in the White House. So far they are using words and political tactics like not supporting Obama's policies for helping the country out of this mess that they helped create. They would just as soon have the country implode than to let a Negro beat them and prove that he is the better man. I am using the term Negro to be polite because I can assure you that they are using another term to refer to the President that begins with an "N" and ends with a "r." High minded rhetoric has its place, but it will only take us so far. The Limbaughs and Hannitys are going to continue to foment this white resentment with every ounce of bitterness and anger that they can muster. So, either Obama can put his head in the sand and wait for the racial fuse that the racist right has lit to explode or he can try to address these cowards directly and in a timely manner. The choice is his, but he's going to have to deal with the issue sooner or later. Peace.
While I generally applaud the President's effort in dealing with the race question, he needs to fully digest his Attorney General, Eric Holder's comments regarding race and cowardice. Obama's just getting a taste of the racism that his election has unleashed. He can choose to ignore it or confront it, but he needs to understand that it's just not directed at him. You've got a group of angry and bitter white folks who want to lash out at the Negro in the White House. So far they are using words and political tactics like not supporting Obama's policies for helping the country out of this mess that they helped create. They would just as soon have the country implode than to let a Negro beat them and prove that he is the better man. I am using the term Negro to be polite because I can assure you that they are using another term to refer to the President that begins with an "N" and ends with a "r." High minded rhetoric has its place, but it will only take us so far. The Limbaughs and Hannitys are going to continue to foment this white resentment with every ounce of bitterness and anger that they can muster. So, either Obama can put his head in the sand and wait for the racial fuse that the racist right has lit to explode or he can try to address these cowards directly and in a timely manner. The choice is his, but he's going to have to deal with the issue sooner or later. Peace.
March 12, 2009 Email to the White House
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A word of advice to the foreign policy novices who are giving the President advice. Stay out of the Turkey/Armenian Genocide debate. The Ottoman Empire isn't slaughtering Armenians now and hasn't existed since 1923. The Three Pasha of the Ottoman Empire were all tracked down and assassinated for their actions. Turkey wasn't established as a democratic republic until 1923. The United States is in no position to cast stones. If you want to make a statement label slavery in America as a crime against humanity, whuch it was. If you can't recognize our country's sins in a declaration, then you don't have the moral authority to judge other countries. Besides Obama's message regarding race is not to keep bringing up the past. If his advice is good enough for black folk in the United States then it's good enough for the Armenian folk.
A word of advice to the foreign policy novices who are giving the President advice. Stay out of the Turkey/Armenian Genocide debate. The Ottoman Empire isn't slaughtering Armenians now and hasn't existed since 1923. The Three Pasha of the Ottoman Empire were all tracked down and assassinated for their actions. Turkey wasn't established as a democratic republic until 1923. The United States is in no position to cast stones. If you want to make a statement label slavery in America as a crime against humanity, whuch it was. If you can't recognize our country's sins in a declaration, then you don't have the moral authority to judge other countries. Besides Obama's message regarding race is not to keep bringing up the past. If his advice is good enough for black folk in the United States then it's good enough for the Armenian folk.
March 20, 2009 Email to the White House
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Tell the President to stop with the George W. imitations. Geithner is doing a lousy job and both he and the President need to quickly learn the politics of this economy and understand the level of the public's anger in seeing all of this corporate greed or he and the President will be one-termers. President Obama is going to learn quickly the politics of race in America. The appearances on the various late night talk shows need to cease. The talk about the NCAA tournament should stop. White folks and black folks will hold Obama to a much higher standard than they did Bush and he better get with the program or suffer the fate of an ineffective presidency. Obama needs to understand that he is auditioning for every potential black presidential candidate to come and he needs to be strictly about business, stick to his word, and don't bs folks. It doesn't matter if my concerns are heeded or not because if he continues his current path he will experience first-hand the drop in support that his actions are fostering. Where are his so-called advisors now? Winning the election is one thing, but it is a totally different challenge running the country. With 24/7 news coverage, the Obama Administration is subject to constant scrutiny and fairly or not is being judged by the hour and day. Cheesecake photos only serve to anger the public, who question these types of activities when folks are hurting across the nation.
Tell the President to stop with the George W. imitations. Geithner is doing a lousy job and both he and the President need to quickly learn the politics of this economy and understand the level of the public's anger in seeing all of this corporate greed or he and the President will be one-termers. President Obama is going to learn quickly the politics of race in America. The appearances on the various late night talk shows need to cease. The talk about the NCAA tournament should stop. White folks and black folks will hold Obama to a much higher standard than they did Bush and he better get with the program or suffer the fate of an ineffective presidency. Obama needs to understand that he is auditioning for every potential black presidential candidate to come and he needs to be strictly about business, stick to his word, and don't bs folks. It doesn't matter if my concerns are heeded or not because if he continues his current path he will experience first-hand the drop in support that his actions are fostering. Where are his so-called advisors now? Winning the election is one thing, but it is a totally different challenge running the country. With 24/7 news coverage, the Obama Administration is subject to constant scrutiny and fairly or not is being judged by the hour and day. Cheesecake photos only serve to anger the public, who question these types of activities when folks are hurting across the nation.
Friday, March 6, 2009
All Abuzz about Twitter! Much ado about nothing
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The reason why the country is going to hell in a hand basket is because Americans spend too much time blogging (like me), texting, cell phoning, emailing, surfing and now Twittering. It's no wonder not much is getting done. I do the blogging and surfing, but that is as far as I go. This Twitter business takes the cake. Who really gives a sh*t what folks are doing at any given time and who wants to let everybody know their business? Folks complain about identity theft, but spend hours each day putting their business on the street. Maybe it's time that we put some of this information-generating crap away and pull out a sheet of paper and a pencil and start communicating the old fashion way once more. Hell those days are probably long gone, but at least back then communication was not as frivolous as it seems to be these days.
The reason why the country is going to hell in a hand basket is because Americans spend too much time blogging (like me), texting, cell phoning, emailing, surfing and now Twittering. It's no wonder not much is getting done. I do the blogging and surfing, but that is as far as I go. This Twitter business takes the cake. Who really gives a sh*t what folks are doing at any given time and who wants to let everybody know their business? Folks complain about identity theft, but spend hours each day putting their business on the street. Maybe it's time that we put some of this information-generating crap away and pull out a sheet of paper and a pencil and start communicating the old fashion way once more. Hell those days are probably long gone, but at least back then communication was not as frivolous as it seems to be these days.
Friday, February 27, 2009
The Problem with Michael Steele
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The biggest problem with Michael Steele is that he be tryin' too hard to be down. Youngin' wanna be like "what's up?" It's all good. He's sweatin' both white folk and black folk tryin' to swing it both ways and just ends up frontin'. He don't know what it be like in the hood and starts a-fakin' by kickin' it street. All he needs to do is make it plain and stop perpetratin'. (The preceding was a mixture or so-called black english and standard english.) Just because I grew up speaking street doesn't mean I have to use it to appear "cool" and "there lies the rub." Steele is trying to have it both ways trying to be both hip and conservative and is coming across as a caricature instead of just being himself. Most black folk and probably Obama when he is around the brothers may drop some slang every now and then, but Steele is taking it to the extreme to create mass appeal to young folks. He needs to just speak normally and express his ideas and vision for the future like Obama did. Either folks will buy it or they won't.
The biggest problem with Michael Steele is that he be tryin' too hard to be down. Youngin' wanna be like "what's up?" It's all good. He's sweatin' both white folk and black folk tryin' to swing it both ways and just ends up frontin'. He don't know what it be like in the hood and starts a-fakin' by kickin' it street. All he needs to do is make it plain and stop perpetratin'. (The preceding was a mixture or so-called black english and standard english.) Just because I grew up speaking street doesn't mean I have to use it to appear "cool" and "there lies the rub." Steele is trying to have it both ways trying to be both hip and conservative and is coming across as a caricature instead of just being himself. Most black folk and probably Obama when he is around the brothers may drop some slang every now and then, but Steele is taking it to the extreme to create mass appeal to young folks. He needs to just speak normally and express his ideas and vision for the future like Obama did. Either folks will buy it or they won't.
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