This "race war" will not be televised.

"Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real peace"
~Dalai Lama~

Years from now a new generation of Americans will look at this age we are living in as one of the most regressive and backwards time in our history. Yes I know we elected an African American to be our president, (albeit a half one) but that might have been the catalyst that is helping to take us back to the dark ages.

Yesterday in North Carolina the citizens of that state voted for an amendment to their state's constitution declaring that marriage should be between a man and a woman. ---Yes, because marriage between a man and a woman in those Southern states have been working out so beautifully. Not!

Of course these types of events should come as no surprise to us. Not when almost half of republican voters in one state believe that Loving V. Virginia was decided the wrong way.  I suspect that these are the same types of people who keep preparing for the coming race war. (Great, a brotha can't even go to Disney World anymore without having to worry about  some Deliverance type dude with an AK-47 trying to split his wig. BTW, FOX calls them a "civil rights" group.)

In a way, it has already started. Most of you just don't know it yet. But the folks who control the narrative in this country certainly do, and they use it to play on the fears of the naive and innocent without them even knowing it. (h/t Tia)
And don't expect so called scholars and journalist to call it out. Most of them have already chosen which side they are on.

So anyway, with all of this as a backdrop, it was nice to see O come out in support of marriage equality. ---Better late than never I guess-- Although we all know that this was part political calculation and part conscience. He says he is "evolving." That's fine. Whatever it takes to get you there, O. At least you are there now. The folks on the other side will have to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21 Century. It could be awhile. Look how long it took them to recognize us black folks as citizens.

“I have the same view on marriage that I had when I was governor and that I expressed many times. I believe marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman,” Romney told reporters and about 30 supporters at an appearance with Republican Gov. Mary Fallin...Romney called same-sex marriage a “tender and sensitive topic,” and he acknowledged that not everyone agrees with him. Decisions about hospital-visitation rights and other benefits should be determined by the states, he said. “But my view is that marriage itself is a relationship between a man and a woman.”

"Should be determined by the states"? Hmmm, where have I heard that before?


   

   



        

"Incontinent Speeches", and those racist anonymous trolls.

I have been reading and hearing about these empty seats at Obama's kick- off in Ohio, recently. George Will had a snarky remark about O's ego and why there were empty seats at the event. Trudy Rubin wrote about it in her daily Romney Talking Points section, and wingnut radio hosts like Hugh Hewitt cant stop chirping about how his Oness is in trouble because of his poor start.

Anyway, I keep looking at that picture of Flipper's stadium debut, and I can't help but wonder what type of gas they put in the ventilation system in conservative homes. Whatever it is must have them seeing into some type of  parallel universe. Because, unless I am missing something, that bad boy is EMPTY!

Can you imagine if O had opened to a crowd like that?

The sad thing is that the national press is playing right along. I guess they will do anything to not appear to be in the tank for O. In sports we call this a make up call.

Still, if I was a wingnut I wouldn't start measuring the curtains at 1600 Pennsylvania, Avenue just yet. To stay with the sports metaphor: we are just in the first quarter. There is a lot of playing left to do.

Finally, I read an interesting article by Latoya Livingston and Kenneth Mallory from the online MMTC news letter.

They talk about something that we know all too well about on this blog, and what drives it.*

"It happens all too often: We read an interesting article and feel compelled to add our two cents about the topic, so we scroll down to the comments section only to be faced with a barrage of hate. Arguably, most people who write articles would love for their work to be a catalyst for discussion and learning. Unfortunately, many journalists have found the opposite, their words being a springboard for racists and Internet trolls to graffiti their work with odium.

According to digital scholar Vint Cerf, "The Internet is a reflection of our society and that mirror is going to be reflecting what we see. If we do not like what we see in that mirror the problem is not to fix the mirror, we have to fix society." But is this true? Are the vile words of so many on the Internet true representations of American society? And what effect does that have on minority broadband adoption and their desire to allow access to this type of expression into their home?

Several online events seem to call into question Cerf's remarks by forcing many to ask whether the Internet can engender racism not seen during day to day "real world" interactions.

Many have expressed outrage and shock at what they contend are racist comments made online regarding minorities portrayed in and producing popular media. These expressions of hate, from tweets to comments, which would never have been voiced in public or "mixed-company," thrive on the Internet"..[More]

Yes, "But if a tree falls in the forest, and no one is around to hear it, did it really make a sound?" Look, I know they are out there, but I actually think that the racist and ignorant among us do more damage in the real world than they do on the Internet.  

Now once they start acting on their Internet urges we might have a problem.

Still, at least the Internet lets us know that they are out there, and that things aren't always what they seem. 

* Pic from MMTC Broadband&SocialJustice.org   

   

A secret trip to Afghanistan and a not so secret trip to Negromerica.

O made a secret -and surprise- trip to Afghanistan and gave a "win one for the Gipper" speech to the troops.  (That sound you hear is wingnut heads exploding. I think he is "spiking the football" in the end zone. )"I could not be prouder of you...there is a light on the horizon because of the sacrifice you have made". Good for you, O. The troops needed a pep talk from their CIC.

Unfortunately, it looks like we will be in Afghanistan for at least two more years. That is not what I wanted to hear. One more day in Afghanistan is one day too much as far as I am concerned, so I will have to jump off the O train when it comes to his Afghan policy.

But enough of all this foreign policy talk. Let's talk about a little national politics.

Did you know that President Obama won the election because he is black?

 "He was a historic figure. He’s our first African-American president. The country voted for him because of that. It made us feel good about [our]self. I’ve said it before, it helped that John McCain was about 142 years old. It helped that the economy was tanking. A lot of these things helped. But he never would have gotten there without his historic nature. " [Source]

Yes, because God forbid a black man actually got something on merit.

I love these comments:

" Never happened to the good old days when being black wasn't so cool? I bet they miss slavery, Jim Crowe, the 50's...Good times...Good times...

· 95% of blacks voted AGAINST Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton, Alan Keyes, Shirley Chisolm, Lenora Fulani, in favor of Carter, Mondale, Kerry, and Gore. Those are the facts....

· So Obama won because he was black ? Is it safe to assume that the 43 white president won because they weren't ?

· I'd rather be elected because I was black; than be elected because I lied about being a dead-beat dad.

· Boehner was only elected speaker of the house because he's orange.

· thought Clinton was the first black President. Obama is the first white black President.

· We elected 1 black guy because he's black ? Why did we elect 43 white men in a row ?

Yes, because every other Black person who's run for President has been extremely successful!

We all fondly look back on the Presidencies of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Alan Keyes, Carol Moseley Braun, Cynthia McKinney, and Herman Cain, right?

I mean that's all you need to be is Black, right?

Black folks vote for Black folks right? Who cares if John Kerry got 90% of the Black vote in 2004? That must mean he's a secret Black!"

Oh yes, there is that "dead beat" thing. Isn't this the guy who owes his wife over $117,000.00 for child support? Owed field. He settled with her.

Well that explains it. No wonder he is chirping off about O's race. There is nothing like clearing up those child support issues to help you get your voice back.

Anywhoo, I took a trip to Negromerica today, and I have some thoughts:

First, you Negroes need to stop sending your children off to school with soda pop and potato chips. That is not a "breakfast of champions". No wonder your kids can't learn in school.

Second, it's called a child safety seat for a reason. If you have a damn toddler in your car they should be strapped into a child safety seat. Their little bodies need all the protection they can get in case of a sudden impact. This device really doesn't cost that much. I see some of you with handbags that are worth twice as much. Invest a little of that money into your child's safety.

Third, why are there so many satellite dishes? It seems like every other house in Negromerica has a satellite dish. That cannot be a good thing.  

Finally, if I ever get elected to city council, the first bill I will introduce will be one limiting the amount of churches and liquor stores within certain areas.

Why? Because driving through Negromerica you would think that all Negroes do is drink and pray. 

    

   

Cool??

The latest Karl Rove Super Pac ad. (Why is this guy still around?) attacks his Oness for being too cool. In the ad. O is portrayed as an empty headed celebrity who got elected because of the cool factor. Not!

If you ask me this is just more dog whistles from the old white man crowd. (Barry White? Are you serious?)      

So anyway, I was thinking about this whole cool thing. I mean it is all so subjective. Who determines what truly makes a person cool?

While contemplating that question, I made a list of some people (living and dead) who made my cool list. Hey, I am Jamaican, I know about this stuff.

They are not in any particular order, and I am not going to explain why each person qualifies. O isn't on the list, because in spite of what wingnuts would have you believe, a politician just can't be cool.  

Here goes-

1.  Tony Bennett

2.  James Baldwin

3.  Maya Angelou

4.  Miles Davis

5.  Willie Nelson

6.  Nelson Mandela

7.  Angela Davis

8.  Bunny Wailer

9.  Robert De Niro

10. Denzel Washington

11. Andy Warhol

12. Grace Kelly

13. Sean Connery

14. Curt Flood

15. John Coltrane

16. Condy Rice

17. David Beckham

18. Che Guevera

19. Gregory Isaacs

20. Muhammad Ali

21. Christopher Walken

22. The Edge

23. Ringo Starr

24. Toni Morrison

25. Bruce Lee

26. Steve McQueen

27. Frank Sinatra

28. Paul Newman

29. MLK

30. Johnny Cash

31. Althea Gibson

32. Al Kaline

33. Bob Gibson

34. Judy Mowatt

35. Beverly Johnson

36. Oscar Wilde

37. Jimmy Cliff

38. Jesus Christ

39. Hideo Kojima

40. Marvin Gaye

41.  Mos Def

42. Lena Horne

43. Colette

44. Tom Wolfe

45. Cary Grant

46. Arthur Ashe

47. Andre Benjamin

48. Malcolm X

49. Rene Lacoste

50. My parents.

Honorable mention:

Every single person out there working to make the world better is cool in my book.

Obama, the leftist Americans like.

So most A-merry-cans believe that O is to the left of them politically. And given how A-merry-cans feel about leftist, it's shocking that his Oness is stacking up so well against each of the republican candidates for president of these divided states. Even the right wing leaning Rasmussen Poll can't put O away just yet.

Maybe it's because most of them admire him so much personally that they can look past his political leanings.

I also wonder if this curious contradiction has something to do with the economy picking up in the last quarter of 2011. The housing market is picking up. Unemployment numbers are down. And there has been growth in the manufacturing sector.

This, of course, is bad news for Flipper Mitt and company. No one is praying for a failing economy harder than my republican friends. Four years of power is at stake. A-merry-cans, as is usually the case, do not care about foreign policy. All they care about is their pocket books, and that is what will influence their vote in 2012. If a leftist commie helps to put steak and potatoes on the table; well then so be it.

Speaking of Flipper Mitt; I see where he recently compared O to Marie Antoinette.

"Mitt Romney says President Obama is out of touch with average Americans and compared the man he'd like to replace with the former French queen who came to symbolize extravagance.

"When the president's characterization of our economy was, 'It could be worse,' it reminded me of Marie Antoinette: 'Let them eat cake,' " Romney told The Huffington Post in an interview Thursday."

Hmmmm.....this is an interesting observation from Flipper. I say that because I just read the following:

"DAVENPORT, Iowa--I'm told the reason it remains illegal to raise chickens in Iowa City, where I live, is because Iowans moved to our relatively cosmopolitan college town to get away from the country people and, by extension, their chickens. Twentysomethings from bigger cities, where it is fashionable to raise your own chicks and harvest fresh eggs and place them decorously on gingham dish towels, come to Iowa thinking they will live the country life for a little while, only to find their neighbors shutting them down. I mention this by way of explaining my first impression of the 400 people who came to see Mitt Romney in a hotel in Davenport, Iowa, on Tuesday night: These are the people who would call the police on your illegal chickens.

The women have accessorized. They're wearing foundation, bronzer, silk scarves, pearls. There are men in ties, men in Banana Republic sweaters, over-scrubbed little blond boys in blue fleece. It is a crowd in which it is possible to linger on a face that seems remotely recognizable and wonder if you're staring at a news anchor whose name you used to know." [Source]

Mitt, those all sound like folks Marie Antoinette would love to me.

Finally, shout out to the folks over at the Black Weblog Awards for recognizing the field for the best political or news blog. That is serious FNB on your part.

What's Wrong with This Picture?

I have stated that everyone needs R and R, and (outside of assault issues) This Blog generally avoids american politics unless there is humor or free speech involved, but I'm starting to get weirded out.
Pakistan cuts supply lines to our troops in afghanistan ?
burning effigy of U.S. President

Student supporters of Islami Jamiat Talaba, a student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, hold a banner while protesting against NATO forces in front of a burning tyre in Lahore November 26, 2011.  The banner reads, "Terrorist NATO and America, leave our country." Credit: REUTERS/Mohsin Raza

while
the president golfs and goes to BB games again?

I know dropping drone bombs is easier than torture,

and instant death of terrorists solves the whole gitmo problem,

but i feel confused somehow...

http://news.yahoo.com/pakistan-24-troops-dead-nato-helicopter-attack-140517725.html

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/26/us-pakistan-nato-idUSTRE7AP03S20111126

excerpt:

..."Pakistan retaliated by shutting down vital NATO supply routes into Afghanistan, used for sending in nearly half of the alliance's shipments by land.

The attack is the worst incident of its kind since Pakistan uneasily allied itself with Washington immediately following the September 11, 2001 attacks on U.S. targets.

Relations between the United States and Pakistan, its ally in the war on militancy, have been strained following the killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden by U.S. special forces in a raid on the Pakistani garrison town of Abbottabad in May, which Pakistan called a flagrant violation of sovereignty.
A spokesman for NATO-led troops in Afghanistan confirmed that NATO aircraft had been called in to support troops in the area and had probably killed some Pakistani soldiers.

"Close air support was called in, in the development of the tactical situation, and it is what highly likely caused the Pakistan casualties," said General Carsten Jacobson, spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

He added that he could not confirm the number of casualties, but ISAF is investigating. "We are aware that Pakistani soldiers perished. We don't know the size, the magnitude," he said.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani said the killings were "an attack on Pakistan's sovereignty" and added, "We will not let any harm come to Pakistan's sovereignty and solidarity." ..."

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2009/jan/14/counting-obamas-campaign-promises/

Spider with headlight-- always scary

"Assimilationist", Irene is gone, and another day another stupid comment from a wingnut.

So O won't give a posthumous pardon to brother Marcus. (h/t to Asabagna over at the Afrospear for hipping me to this story) That's a shame. I know that it's all symbolism at this point, but it would send a nice signal to folks like moi. But then again, we know that it would send a totally different message to certain folks, and O needs their votes come November, 2012. He can always count on us Negroes for our support.  Forget the fact that Garvey was the hardest working man in the Negro self improvement business, and with his ideas for the advancement of African people (not just African Americans) he was way ahead of his time.

Anyway, I know that some folks are not pleased:

"The Obama administration has rejected a call for a posthumous presidential pardon for Marcus Garvey, calling it a waste of time and resources.
The denial of a pardon came only recently, in response to a campaign waged by attorney Donovan Parker, who had been writing Obama weekly since January 2011 calling for Garvey's pardon.
The denial letter stated:

"Many posthumous pardon requests would likely be based on a claim of manifest injustice, and given that decades have passed since the event and the historical record would have to be scoured to objectively and comprehensively investigate such applications, it is the Department's position that the limited resources which are available to process requests for Presidential clemency — now being submitted in record numbers — are best dedicated to requests submitted by persons who can truly benefit from a grant of the request."
So the Obama administration says pardoning Garvey is a waste of time and resources, yet he has found the time and resources to pardon a turkey on Thanksgiving.

The denial is ironic, considering that the struggle waged by the Garvey Movement in the early 1900s — and subsequent struggles influenced by it — set the stage for Obama's election.

That the U.S. government even needed to deliver a black president to African people as a last ditch effort to undermine struggle for true self-determination is a direct effect of the struggles influenced by the Garvey Movement.
Marcus Garvey was the founder and leader of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA-ACL), a global organization of African people that held at least 11 million members during the early 1900s.
His work to organize for self-determination for African people has influenced every subsequent struggle of African people.

The U.S. government sought to destroy Garvey and his organization, including utilizing FBI agents to infiltrate his organization.

J. Edgar Hoover — the FBI director who initiated the vicious COINTELPRO war on the Black Power Movement of the Sixties — first made his name by destroying the Garvey Movement. It was to infiltrate Garvey's movement that the FBI integrated.

Though Hoover stated in an October 1919 memo that Garvey had committed no "crime" to justify deporting him, the FBI eventually set the black leader up.
Garvey was imprisoned and, in 1927, deported to Jamaica.

Independentist vs. assimilationist struggle continues

While ironic, it is not surprising that the Obama administration has taken a denial stance on the question of pardoning Garvey.

Obama represents the same trend that opposed Garvey in the 1900s.
Garvey represented the aspirations of African people for independence, self-determination and power over our own lives.

In opposition to him were assimilationists like W.E.B. DuBois and the NAACP, those who saw their future working within the oppressive system that exploits African labor and resources for its continued existence.

The assimilationists attacked Garvey while he was alive, uniting with the U.S. government to undermine Garvey's movement, which was based among the African working masses.

Today, Obama represents the highest expression of the assimilationist trend.
His administration has already waged war on Africa in Libya, Somalia and elsewhere through AFRICOM, so it is only consistent that he would continue that trend by maintaining the criminalization of this African incredible leader." [Source]

Ouch!

Finally, Irene has come and gone, and, as is usually the case, the hype was more than the actual hit.

Some winners and losers:

Winners: The emergency management coordinators from state, municipal, and federal agencies. I know I always rip Governor Krispy Kreme, but he did a good job over in Jersey, and our HNIC here in Philly did a good job as well. Folks got the message to stay indoors and various public agencies were right on the spot when the going got tough.

Losers: The clueless news media. I know you have to hype and sensationalize every story for your ratings, but watching some clown stand in a puddle of water in the middle of Manhattan while the ticker is reading "BREAKING NEWS, NEW YORK FACES CATASTROPHE" is a bit much. This type of scene repeated itself over and over again. And when these idiots interviewed normal citizens who tried to tell them that things weren't as bad as they seemed, it was funny to see their reaction as they tried to scare more people into watching their over the top news cast.

One man who was just rescued from his truck here in Philly was being interviewed by a correspondent on the scene, when the anchor in the studio chimed in and asked the man if he managed to make it out -I swear to you that's what she said.-The poor man looked long and hard into the camera and and everyone watching made a silent connection with him. Everyone, of course, except the clueless anchor.

Folks, in the future, please give us less hyperbole and more of what is actually happening with the damn news.

Biggest Loser: Who else but a wingnutGlenn Beckkk for saying that Irene was actually a blessing.

"The Washington Post reports radio personality Glenn Beck has declared Hurricane Irene is a "blessing." He touts the strong storm lashing the East Coast of the United States as a harbinger to warn Americans to be prepared for anything and to stock up food."

I know Glenn, after we elect Governor Big Hair all these natural disasters will just suddenly go away. "Prayer changes things."







 


   

He just didn't want to be Br'er Rabbit, that's all.

"Even if some people say, 'Well, the Republicans should have done this or they should have done that,' they will hold the president responsible," Lamborn said. "Now I don't want to even have to be associated with him. It's like touching a tar baby and you get, you get it, you know ... you are stuck and you are part of the problem now and you can't get away."

That was a wingnut republiclown politician (they sure love that word) allowing his color arousal (thanks for that word, Francis) to kick in....publicly. If it's one thing that some folks in A-merry-ca hate it is for their "color arousal" to kick in publicly.

Poor O, so now he is a "tar-baby". Lord have mercy, can you imagine if he was one of us full blooded Negroes? (The man's mama is white and he is still a "Tar Baby"!) What's blacker than tar? Oil baby, maybe?

Let me stop, this isn't funny. And I know I know, the PC police should just leave the poor man alone, because we all know that he is not a racist. How could he be? Isn't he an elected politician in our great republic?

OK, so let's say, for argument sake, that he is not. Couldn't he be more sensitive about his choice of words given the fact that we do happen to have a president who is closer to tar than cement, and we know that some of us sensitive Negroes--- and whites with a conscience---- might be offended? I think he is a college educated man with some  smarts, you would think he would know better.

But sometimes, you know, you just can't hold in your true feelings anymore. Sometimes you just want to say f&^% all of this PC stuff and let it rip. Watch, one of these wingnuts will call O a nigger soon and he will quickly apologize (kind of like Mr.Lamborn is doing now) and chalk it up to a bad night's sleep.

 "Lamborn was attempting to tell a radio audience last week that the president's policies have created an economic quagmire for the nation and are responsible for the dismal economic conditions our country faces," said the statement from Lamborn's office.

"He regrets that he chose the phrase 'tar baby,' rather than the word 'quagmire.' The congressman is confident that the president will accept his heartfelt apology."

Of course he will. That Obama guy is such a gentleman. He always takes the high road.

Anywhoo, Mr. Lamborn is not alone; it seems that someone else allowed his color arousal to kick in on national television:

"If Lamborn’s comments have created a bit of a political morass, MSNBC political analyst Pat Buchanan also found himself in a sticky political situation about race.

Buchanan appeared on his cable network’s “Morning Joe,” program Wednesday to explain his remarks the night before when he referred to Obama as “your boy” during a discussion with the Rev. Al Sharpton.

The pair, an opposite sides of the ideological road, were discussing Obama's actions when Buchanan, a conservative who has tried to win the GOP’s presidential nomination, told Sharpton that “your boy,” Obama, had caved during negotiations.

“My what?” Sharpton asked. “My president, Barack Obama? What did you say?”

Buchanan, using a boxing analogy, replied that Obama was “your boy in the ring.”

“He's nobody's boy,” Sharpton said. “He's your president, he's my president, and that's what you have to get through your head.”

Buchanan took note on Wednesday.

“Some folks took what I said as some kind of a slur,” Buchanan said. “None was meant, none was intended, none was delivered.” [Article]

We know that "none was intended", Pat. We never say these types of things.....publicly.


    

Politics is Like an Angry Beast Awakening from a Grouchy Sleep

The stories are all mean. Fasten your seat belts for the sneakiest political ride of your life....and I don't think you can believe much of what you read.. Better do your own research.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/16/progressives-break-up-with-obama_n_878698.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/17/libya-advice-lawyers-obama_n_879644.html?ir=Politics

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/the-future-does-not-belong-to-white-christians-over-55-howard-dean-slams-tea-party-gop-as-dangerous-desperate-religious-bigoted-haters/

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/new-auditors-shock-claim-tucson-ethnic-studies-program-promotes-peace/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rcsu2uNeQo&feature=player_embedded

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/06/quote-day-obamas-plan-ruin-medicare

http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/06/search-sarah-palins-emails

this was a quick sampling-- and i think things are getting ready to become quite violent.

http://hotair.com/archives/2011/05/18/new-progressive-ad-paul-ryan-literally-pushes-grandma-off-a-cliff/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/16/russ-feingold-progressives-democrats-losing-identity_n_878817.html

It kind of makes me sad that people i like are becoming unhinged. Nonviolent heart will do more than anger to change things for the better.

Is the Press Afraid to Criticize President Obama? White House Correspondent Dinner 2011 Changes Course.

I remember having a lot of laughs at the expense of George Bush, Bill Clinton, Reagan, and others. It was the one time poking the president was OK, and done with leveity by those who had the best knowlege of what was happening in politics. Sharp, witty, but with class and good nature. Like the Dean Martin Roasts.  But last night's Press Dinner although funny in parts felt more like watching some bullies who were a lot bigger than their prey, and reminded me of a meanspirited chicago Political Campaign more than the typical WHCD dinner*.
I am hearing from my friends in DC, and reading a few reports, that it appears as if reporters are afraid of the administration....
and BTW
where are all the reports about the protests against the war?*** wars?
Protests?

Obama's birth "video" "oops, back to square one..." heh.

The worst part for me, that made me cringe, was when the President knew and recited details about

 the TV show trump hosts, and sarcastically said, "nicely managed" or some such spank.

That is, he was actually, seriously trying to --at best discredit trump (discredit trump!)- or worse, engage in a snarky insult contest with donald trump at this dinner as if he needed to start running against him campaign-wise. Holy moley. It just felt tacky.

*"Often a reflection of the times, the after-dinner comments by the president are generally an opportunity for taking a few shots at the media, their political opponents and, most importantly, themselves... For his last of eight straight appearances at the dinner, Bill Clinton starred in one of the most memorable video productions in the history of the event, portraying himself as a latch-key president who wandered the halls of the White House, answered phones and manicured the grounds as the rest of the staff, his vice president and his wife abandoned him for future endeavors."

***John Stossel states, "The anti-war movement was all over the news before President Obama was elected. But apparently they weren’t really anti-war ... . Two college professors just released a study of national protests between 2007 and 2009. What did they find?… After January 2007, the attendance at antiwar rallies [measured in] roughly the tens of thousands, or thousands, through the end of 2008.… After the election of Barack Obama as president, the order of magnitude of antiwar protests dropped [...] Organizers were hard pressed to stage a rally with participation in the thousands, or even in the hundreds. For example, we counted exactly 107 participants at a Chicago rally on October 7, 2009.Amazing. Especially because the war in Afghanistan ramped up after Obama was elected. American fatalities shot up in 2009 and 2010. The protesters have remained silent over Libya. "

I"m just curious about our integrity as individuals and as groups and as press...

You angry black men.

*

Oh Lawd! Now Tyler and Spike are having words. Seems Tyler told Mr. Do the Right Thing to "go straight to hell."

"Tyler Perry voiced his frustration with Spike Lee on Tuesday at a Beverly Hills press conference for the West Coast premiere of his new film Madea's Big Happy Family, according to Box Office Magazine.

In a 2009 interview with Black Enterprise's Ed Gordon, Lee alluded to Perry's work on film and television in particular as coonery buffoonery.

"I'm so sick of hearing about damn Spike Lee," Perry said during the press conference. "Spike can go straight to hell! You can print that. I am sick of him talking about me, I am sick of him saying, 'this is a coon, this is a buffoon.' I am sick of him talking about black people going to see movies. This is what he said: 'you vote by what you see,' as if black people don't know what they want to see."

"I am sick of him -- he talked about Whoopi, he talked about Oprah, he talked about me, he talked about Clint Eastwood. Spike needs to shut the hell up!" Perry reportedly said." [Story]

Now now Tyler, Spike is just as frustrated as the rest of us about the choices us black folks tend to make at times. It's not a knock on you. You found a way to plug into what black folks love to see: Laughter and religion. (That has always worked with black folks. Just keep em laughing or going to church and they will be content.) So go ahead and make your paper. Hey, if you don't do it somebody else will.

Speaking of angry black men. I see that O got into a reporter's grill in Texas the other day. Now O, you have to be careful here, you won over A-merry-ca's heart by being a calm and happy Negro; don't go making them think that you are angry like the rest of us. Nothing turns off A-merry-cans more than an angry black man, and nothing brings them more joy than to see a smile on your face.

O, you have to chill. I know that man was from Texas, and the only thing that they hate more than your beige behind in the Lone Star state is....well I can't think of anything right now. You seem to be pretty much it. Anyway, you have to suck it up and play nice. The man was just trying to ruffle your feathers. (No pun intended Obamaholics.) He would have loved for you to get up, rip off the mike, and tell him to go and f&*^ himself.

"See honey, he is just like the rest of them. I told you that it was just a matter of time before his father's side came out..."

So hang in there O, and when you leave office, you can ask Spike to direct the movie about your life, not Tyler.

* Pic from theGrio.com

"..the course of history poses challenges that threaten our common humanity and common security"

I am watching O deliver his I had to bomb Libya speech to the A-merry-can people as I type this, and I must say that I could finish the sentences for him as he goes along. We had to do it. We did not act alone. Gaddafi was going to slaughter his own people. There is a strong and growing coalition. As the commander in chief I am here to tell you that America's role will be limited. We will not put troops on the ground in Libya....... you get the idea.

But I also know what they will be saying on FOX: He is weak. He should have done this weeks ago. He did not consult congress. Who are the rebels? What if they are members of al- Qaida? America should not be nation building. What is the end game? And over at MSNBC you will here the following: Why are we fighting another war? The American people have war fatigue. He should have consulted congress. We can't go around policing the world. O is still talking.

I think we are finally hearing an "Obama Doctrine" manifest itself. We will not stand by and watch innocent people slaughtered. We acted because it was the right thing to do. But we will not go as far as to take out Gadaffi and try to institute regime change. We will not repeat in Libya what we did in Iraq. "As Commander in chief I have no greater responsibility than keeping this country safe...." There will be times, though, when our national security interest is not directly threatened, but we have to act in a way to make sure that the principals of justice and human dignity are upheld by all... I paraphrased some of that, but again, you get the point.

He is finishing now. Whenever an American president says, "My fellow Americans", you know he is about to either start or finish a speech. "But let us also remember that for generations, we have done the hard work of protecting our own people, as well as millions around the globe. We have done so because we know that our own future is safer and brighter if more of mankind can live with the bright light of freedom and dignity. Tonight, let us give thanks for the Americans who are serving through these trying times, and the coalition that is carrying our effort forward; and let us look to the future with confidence and hope not only for our own country, but for all those yearning for freedom around the world. Thank you, God Bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America."

OK, that took 28 minutes. Now we will hear one full week of criticism on one side and and praise on the other. Politics in A-merry-ca is so predictable.

Hey, at least he didn't say "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED". Or, did he?

Compare White House Treatment of Dalai Lama and the Chinese President

China, currently being feted by the white house, does not want President Obama to be nice to the Dalai Lama. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35480038/ns/world_news-asia-pacific/
  excerpt:   BEIJING — China said President Barack Obama's meeting with the Dalai Lama "seriously harms U.S.-China relations," but the way the two countries have handled the White House chat indicates instead that both would rather avoid a major crisis. Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai summoned U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman on Friday to protest Thursday's meeting...
"The behavior of the U.S. side seriously interferes in China's internal politics, seriously hurts the national feelings of the Chinese people and seriously harms U.S.-China relations," a Foreign Ministry statement said, quoting spokesman Ma Zhaoxu...

Human Rights <  Money

excerpt 2: "For its part, the White House gave the Dalai Lama relatively low-profile treatment, holding the meeting in the Map Room, a less prominent venue than the Oval Office.There was no welcome fanfare, and Obama made no public comments. The White House banned journalists and distributed a single photo of the two leaders... Obama declined to see the Dalai Lama during his Washington stay in October because it would have come before the president's China visit in November."

I must compare the way the Dali Lama was rushed out the back door of the white house past some trash (seriously, can you IMAGINE the current Chinese delegation being photographed here!?) and the pomp and lavish, or slavish sumptuousness currently being displayed for Hu.

Pics and Video here

Really?!

400 dollar bottles of wine
Lavish or ridiculous?


no peace prize for Chinese Man

By The Trashy Way --
OK the wine was only 399 dollars