Line Crosser 21

Shifting Blogs

2010-01-29T16:07:00.005-05:00

You haven't heard from me for a while. Actually, I decided to shift - well, broaden - my focus. I have a new blog, The Pen Warrior: tpw215.blogspot.com If you enjoy LC21, you'll like this new blog. It's got lots of the same great topics, only with even more added in. In fact, I just posted an LC21-ish musing, so go check it out, and be sure to leave comments. Peace, Kevin

The "wise Latina" Comment

2009-06-02T16:45:00.006-04:00

Whether born from experience or inherent physiological or cultural differences, a possibility I abhor less or discount less than my colleague Judge Cedarbaum, our gender and national origins may and will make a difference in our judging. Justice O'Connor has often been cited as saying that a wise old man and wise old woman will reach the same conclusion in deciding cases. I am not so sure Justice

A Quick Note

2009-05-28T15:08:00.002-04:00

Black people don't like Clarence Thomas. So when Republicans complain that Democrats got to oppose Thomas without alienating black voters, it just makes them sound out of touch and stupid.

Bonnie Sweeten Proves I'm Still a Default Criminal

2009-05-28T07:17:00.003-04:00

This is the last thing that I wanted to write this morning.Over the last few days, the nation has been gripped by the story of a mother and daughter abducted. The family is from Bucks County, just outside of Philadelphia, the same region I have lived in my entire life.Today, I awoke to find out that it was all a hoax. I also found out for the first time (although there were probably others paying

Do the White Kids Have to do This, Too?

2009-05-27T22:52:00.005-04:00

Consider these BackgroundsBarack Obama:Columbia UniversityHarvard Law School, first African American editor of the Harvard Law ReviewNotably successful community organizerConstitutional law professor, University of ChicagoEffective state legislator for seven years, popular on both sides of the aisleHistory-making U.S. SenatorSonia Sotomayor:Princeton UniversityYale Law School, editor of the Yale

Thoughts on Likely SCOTUS-Justice-To-Be Sonia Sotomayor

2009-05-26T10:38:00.003-04:00

President Obama has selected federal judge Sonia Sotomayor as the next new Supreme Court justice. If confirmed, she will be the first Latina and the third woman to serve on the court. Here are some relevant things that popped in my mind while watching coverage:NBC analyst noted that the pick should excitete liberals because she is Latina. What? Let me just say that I'm a liberal and picking

Louis Ramirez - Apparently, it's OK in PA to Beat People to Death

2009-05-22T06:00:00.005-04:00

How incredibly disgusting can the racist debate over illegal immigration get? How much further can or xenophobia plunge us into a love of lawlessness? Apparently, in my home state of Pennsylvania, it can get to the point where beating a man to death is OK. I received this e-mail yesterday:KEVIN: After they had beaten Luis Ramirez to death, the white teenagers who attacked him sent an ominous

Race, Drugs, and Michael Phelps

2009-05-21T08:21:00.007-04:00

Last week, swimmer Michel Phelps, arguably the greatest Olympian in the modern history of the games, returned to the sport for the first time since pictures of him smoking weed surfaced. I was shocked, and, frankly, offended by the way in which the situation was discussed. Understandably, many in the media were excited for Phelps's return after the way he electrified the Beijing games. From a

Why Do Republicans Think They'll Ever Get Black Votes

2009-05-05T08:14:00.003-04:00

It seems like for the past two election cycles, Republicans have been talking about how they need to expand their party to include more minorities. It's as if they think that by simply saying that they want black people to be Republicans, we'll suddenly become Republicans, never mind the issues. I find it hard to believe that the reason many blacks never or almost never vote Republican is not

How Race Impacts Perspective

2009-05-04T08:25:00.002-04:00

Just a quick note: I've been less active in writing lately, due to some computer problems. Hopefully, I'll reach a final resolution soon.Now, on to the topic at hand. I stumbled on this video of Andy Campbell while spending some time on YouTube. I don't really know who Andy Campbell is, but I thought this video of him presented an interesting case study.Now, on the surface, this seems all good,

News: US Citizens Illegaly Deported

2009-04-14T06:37:00.005-04:00

From ABC News / The Associated Press:Pedro Guzman has been an American citizen all his life. Yet in 2007, the 31-year-old Los Angeles native — in jail for a misdemeanor, mentally ill and never able to read or write — signed a waiver agreeing to leave the country without a hearing and was deported to Mexico as an illegal immigrant.He's not the only one: In a drive to crack down on illegal

Speak For Yourself: Buchanan thinks more Latinos bad for US

2009-04-13T08:14:00.004-04:00

Is Pat Buchanan racist? Is he a xenophobe who wants only whites to live in the United States? Well, there are lots of clips I could show you to let him answer that question for himself, but I'll post this more recent exchange with MSNBC's Andrea Mitchel.Pat Buchanan, speak for yourself:So, Buchanan sees a rising Latino population as a threat to the United States? Well, that's what he just said,

The New Confederacy: Tea Bag Revolution

2009-04-11T11:16:00.002-04:00

So, while watching the latest installment of the Rachel Maddow show, I find out that what I've named the new Confederacy has moved into a new stage of aggression. On tax day, they will be tea bagging to protest taxes (which, by the way, Obama and the Democrats cut for the vast majority of United States citizens).That's right, tea bagging, blatantly paying homage to the Boston Tea Party a protest

Stat of the Day: Being Searched By the Police

2009-04-11T08:50:00.007-04:00

According to the US Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2005, whites, African Americans, and Hispanics were essentially equally likely to be stopped by police for a traffic stop.However, once stopped, blacks and Hispanics were more likely to be searched or to have their cars searched.3.6% of whites were searched9.5% of blacks were searched8.8% of Hispanics were searchedThis

News: Black College accused of Racism

2009-04-09T09:07:00.003-04:00

From CBS News / The Associated PressA historically black college in South Carolina has been sued after three white faculty members say they were passed over for jobs or let go for because of their race, federal officials announced Wednesday.Alleging that Benedict College "engaged in unlawful practices," the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission also said that the Columbia school had agreed

Stat of the Day: Hate Crime Increase

2009-04-09T08:43:00.005-04:00

So, obviously, I'm not going to be able to do these EVERY day.Also, feel free to submit a stat, and you can even submit one to counter one that I've posted, just be sure to include a source.In 2006, the FBI reports a 7.8% increase in the number of hate crimes from the previous year.Source: Human Rights FirstAs I can gather, this is the most recent information available.After reading the Human

This White Privilege Thing

2009-04-06T08:34:00.003-04:00

Just some thoughts here...Recently, I've been thinking a lot about this whole concept of white privilege. Growing up as an African American in suburban Philadelphia, I've always had an awareness that certain avenues were open to whites that I could not as easily pass through. However, it wasn't until I was about to go to college that I read an article that pulled together all the things that I

Stat of the Day: Diversity in Public Education

2009-04-03T11:43:00.004-04:00

According to the Pew Hispanic Center Publication:In the 1994 - 1995 school year, 35% of white public school students attended nearly all-white schools (less than 5% non-white); In the 2005 - 2006 school year, this number shrank to 21%Over the same period, the number of Hispanic and black students attending nearly all-minority schools grew. For Hispanics, this number grew from 25% to 29%, and for

White Privilege: Tim Wise

2009-04-03T08:50:00.003-04:00

Not long ago I posted a set of videos attacking the teaching of white privilege, among other things, at the University of Delaware. For this post in our ongoing series on white privilege, I decided to post a video that takes an opposite view. In this video, Tim Wise makes the case for the existence of white privilege.I don't want to offer too much commentary here, but I do want to say that I

LC21?: Why Focus on Minorities?

2009-04-02T14:12:00.003-04:00

Haven't had one of these in a while. Here are some questions to think about.Why, when we talk about race, do we focus on minorities? Why do we always talk about what non-whites can or can't do?Why, during the presidential campaign, was the focus on how Barack Obama's blackness would help or harm him? Why was their not a focus on how John McCain's whiteness would help or harm him?Why, when we talk

Stat of the Day: Incarceration Rates

2009-04-02T13:36:00.005-04:00

Nationwide, black men are sent to prison on drug charges at 13 times the rate of white men.Source:Human Rights Watch, "Racial Disparities in the War on Drugs" (Washington, DC: Human Rights Watch, 2000)

Oh, No. Here We Go. More from O'Rilley the Hate-Monger

2009-04-02T13:27:00.005-04:00

This headline made me sick:O'Rilley's Writing Obama Book.This just made me wish that hate was a commodity. I wish there was only a finite amount of hate in the world that couldn't be waisted on ignorant baboons like Bill O'Rilley. The man makes me sick, and the idea that he could be considered even close to being a journalist, or that his show could be considered anything close to news is

News: Philly Cop Under Fire for Racist Comments

2009-03-31T06:09:00.002-04:00

From the Philadelphia Inquirer:A college class assignment may have gotten a Philadelphia police officer into some hot water. William Thrasher, a white cop in the 22nd District, at 17th and Montgomery, has been put on desk duty after an article written by a Temple University student quoted him describing his disgust for black people in the district where he works, likening them to animals and

Chair of RNC = Leader of Free World

2009-03-30T19:14:00.002-04:00

Michael Steel, chair of the Republican National Committee, and source of perpetual entertainment for Democrats, apparently thinks that his job is on par with being president, and he even left the door open to the possibility that President Obama is jealous of him.Each time this man opens his mouth, I simultaneously am amused and a little less desiring to acknowledge my blackness. Again, why does

Stat of the Day: Racial Violence?

2009-03-30T07:46:00.004-04:00

Ever hear people talk about how it's really black people who are so racist because they are so much more likely to commit violent crimes against white people then the other way around? Conservatives often use this argument to paint a picture of white America under attack from blacks. This is an image in which blacks are some great threat to the white community.Well, according to the U.S.

White Privilege: Teaching Race at The University of Delewar

2009-03-27T13:21:00.003-04:00

For a long time I debated myself on writing on the topic of white privilege. Did I really have the skill to describe and debate such an important and complex topic? Did I really want to get into all of that? I could keep a whole blog for a long time on just the topic of white privilege. Recently, with all the talk of living in a post-race society now that we have a black president, and with the

Stat of the Day: Black Vote in Presidential Elections

2009-03-27T08:12:00.004-04:00

I was thinking about how everyone complained during the election that blacks were being racist by voting for Obama. I decided to look at the previous Democratic nominees, who, surprise, surprise, were white, and see how their share of the black vote compared. What I found was that Obama did perform better than them, but not by much. Democrat's also managed to win more than half of the Latino vote

Steel For President

2009-03-26T08:12:00.002-04:00

Michael Steel says he'd run for president if he felt God leading him to.Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the EconomyPlease, God, don't do it. Even though it would be really entertaining, and guarantee a Democratic win, black people already have enough problems. Obama just convinced people that we're not all crazy.

Stat of the Day: Minority Enrollment in Public Schools

2009-03-25T09:28:00.002-04:00

From the National Center for Education Statistics:From 1993 to 2003, minorities increased as a percentage of total public school enrollment, from 34 percent to 41 percent.You can read more about this trend and other trends in the area of public education here.

Stat of the [Tues]Day: Rise in Hate Groups

2009-03-25T09:12:00.004-04:00

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the number of hate groups in the United States is on the rise. Here are the stats:926: number of active hate groups identified by the SPLC in 200854%: the rise in the number of hate groups from 2000 to 20084%: the rise in the number of hate groups from 2007 to 200840%: the rise in hate crimes against Latinos from 2003 to 2007, according to the FBIAs

Stat of the [Mon]Day: Employment Discrimination

2009-03-25T08:53:00.004-04:00

A study conducted by Princeton University Professors Bruce Western and Devah Pager found the following disparities in employment opportunity:"White males with criminal records were just as likely as blacks with no criminal history to find employment""Having a criminal record reduced the number of positive responses from employers by 57% for black applicants but only by 35% for their white

Technical Difficulties

2009-03-24T10:25:00.002-04:00

I'm lagging behind on the stat of the day due to some technical difficulties. I will catch up on that, plus a shortened version of my last post soon.

What is Racism? (the long version)

2009-03-23T00:00:00.000-04:00

Sunday afternoon, I came home to find out that another blogger (Denis Navratil), one who has offered thoughtful and challenging comments on my own writing, chose to use the way that I define racism as a launching point for one of his own post. After reading what he wrote, realized that, neither on this blog nor in the comments that I had made on his blog, I had never explicitly offered my own

Stat of the Day: Minorities in the Senate

2009-03-22T08:07:00.004-04:00

In the history of the United States Senate there have been:6 African American Senators(1 currently serving - may soon be zero)5 Asian American Senators(2 currently serving)6 Hispanic American Senators(2 currently serving - one set to retire)3 Native American Indian Senators(zero currently serving)Since it's inception in 1789, nearly 1,900 individuals have served as United States Senator.This

News: Medical Racism

2009-03-22T07:52:00.003-04:00

From The Boston Herald:A patient alleges racism in a hospital's handling of a botched surgery and the lax investigation that followed. Here are excerpts from his letter that appeared in the Herald:My name is Michael K. Hicks and on June 27, 2008, I had a liposuction and breast reduction procedure at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center by Dr. Loren Borud. This is a high-profile case because of

Stat of the Day: School Spending in Philadelphia Area

2009-03-21T07:51:00.007-04:00

Today's stat of the day looks at the per-pupil spending for the Philadelphia school district in relation to surrounding districts.$10,189: 2005-2006 per-pupil spending for the School District of Philadelphia. This places the district in the LOWEST quintile for all school districts in the five-county Philadelphia.Surrounding school districts by comparison:$19,543: Lower Merion$15,093: Colonial

Stat of the Day

2009-03-20T14:02:00.003-04:00

Each day (hopefully), I'll bring in a new statistic that is in one way or another related to issues of race. For our innagural "stat of the day," we'll start with the criminal injustice system, where blacks and latinos are overrepresented.Blacks constitute 13 percent of all drug users, but 35 percent of those arrested for drug possession, 55 percent of persons convicted, and 74 percent of people

Poster: The Ice Queen

2009-03-20T13:54:00.002-04:00

The Ice Queen: a title befitting for a heart so cold and rock solid

News: Russian Ads Using Obama Seen as Racist

2009-03-20T11:05:00.004-04:00

From Asiaone News / Associated Free PressMOSCOW, RUSSIA - Obama ice cream, anyone? Chocolate-vanilla ice cream is one of several Russian products being marketed using America's first black president, even as critics call the ads racist. Other ads featuring US President Barack Obama have promoted tanning salons and tooth-whitening services.But the creator of one Obama-themed ad - for ice cream

President Obama Can't Talk About Race

2009-03-18T07:06:00.004-04:00

Every superhero has something he can't do. Superman can't read your mind. Batman can't fly. Spiderman can't turn into a giant tiger.Sometimes, it seems like President Obama is a superhero. He defeated what was considered the nation's most potent political machine. He was elected president, despite being a black man in a white America. He even plays basketball, and actually plays well. And he does

Speak for Yourself, Chuck Norris

2009-03-14T09:09:00.006-04:00

Straight from Chuck Norris's own blog post, "I may run for president of Texas":On Glenn Beck's radio show last week, I quipped in response to our wayward federal government, "I may run for president of Texas." That need may be a reality sooner than we think. If not me, someone someday may again be running for president of the Lone Star state, if the state of the union continues to turn into

News: NAACP Sues Mortgage Lenders, Alleging Racism

2009-03-13T18:33:00.003-04:00

From CNN.com:The NAACP filed lawsuits Friday against two of the nation's largest mortgage lenders -- HSBC and Wells Fargo -- alleging "systematic, institutionalized racism" in their subprime lending.

Meet the New Confederacy

2009-03-13T16:51:00.004-04:00

For fun...

Speak for Yourself, Peggy Noonan

2009-03-13T08:34:00.004-04:00

Peggy Noonan on Morning Joe earlier this month:Thanks for letting us know that you think having a diverse staff means sacrificing quality. It's good to know where you stand on the issue.

Chuck Norris and the New Confederacy

2009-03-12T23:52:00.002-04:00

When Abraham Lincoln, a lawyer-turned-congressman from Illinois, relatively new to national politics was elected president in 1960 at a time of great national turmoil, many panicked. Even though Lincoln insisted that he would not abolish slavery, many feared the young radical would do exactly that. As a result, most of the Southern states decided that they no longer wanted to be part of the

Joe Scarborough: Shut Up and Listen

2009-03-12T23:45:00.002-04:00

I probably shouldn't say this, but when will white people shut up and actually listen to black people when we talk about race?Seriously?So, black people aren't allowed to talk about racial injustice or inequality or the lack of substantial dialogue on race if we do something successful? Do we need your permission to speak our minds?And are you really responding with "guys our age don't think

Various Repots: Obama is the Preident! Get Over It

2009-03-10T22:04:00.004-04:00

And now, time for an LC21 News tri-fecta.This all centers on the notion of Obama not being eligible/worthy of being president, and flat out rebellion against the President of the United States. We start with the article that exposed me to this triplet of news alerts.From the "Attywood" blog in the Philadelphia Daily News:It was just one year ago that right-wing martial arts guru Chuck Norris was

News: Advertisement Industry Under Fire

2009-03-06T10:28:00.004-05:00

From Target Market News:The inability of the advertising industry to fill its desks, cubicles and offices with a diverse work force is coming under fire again, this time from a lawyer with a track record of extracting large settlements on behalf of employees of giant corporations like Coca-Cola, Morgan Stanley and Texaco who believed they had been the

The Left Can Be Racist, Too

2009-03-02T13:59:00.003-05:00

I don't like Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. Can't stand him. His speech last week - I couldn't decide if I was annoyed, horrified, or amused it was so horrible. But none of that excuses this.We have to stop this. How can those of us on the left combat racism if we participate in it. There are about 197,298,200,912 things to make fun of Bobby Jindal for that aren't racist. Let's stick to those.

Report: Housing discrimination on LI 'routine practice'

2009-03-01T00:57:00.001-05:00

Newsday.com Report:In 2004, Kirk and Orlandina Carter, a young African-American couple soon to marry, started to look for a house to buy in a "good neighborhood.""We probably had about three to five Realtors," said Orlandina Carter, 32. "They would always lead us to neighborhoods that were low-income, rundown."A new study released today suggests the Carters' experiences were not unusual.In "

Nation of Cowards?

2009-02-28T23:05:00.003-05:00

Not long ago, our new Attorney General Eric Holder (the nation's first black top prosecutor) gave a speech where he addressed the history and present of race relations in the United States. Holder asserted that, in spite of our progress, we remain a "nation of cowards" when it comes to race. As you can imagine, this sparked a brief but intense controversy.As I was gearing up to write this post, I

News: CA Mayor Resignes over Racist E-mail

2009-02-28T10:06:00.005-05:00

From the Los Angeles Times:The mayor of Los Alamitos said he will resign after coming under fire for an e-mail depicting the White House lawn as a watermelon patch, saying the controversy over racism has made it difficult to lead the city.Click for full storyHere's the picture:

NY Post Cartoon - Racist?

2009-02-21T19:06:00.003-05:00

What do you think? Is this racist?I think there are a few options for explaining this political cartoon:Straight-up racism: Throughout history, African Americans have suffered the insult of being portrayed as monkeys. Some may see this cartoon as an attempt to call the first black president, President Obama (so fun to type) a monkey. It is Obama who was the chief promoter of the simulus bill.

Mounting a Comback

2009-02-21T18:58:00.002-05:00

After being gone for far too long, I'm glad to be back posting on LineCrosser 21. Where was I? Well, let's just say I've been busy, but that recently I've been so inspired to write that I've decided to carve out at least a few hours each week to let you all into my head.What can you expect from LC21 version 2.0 (or is this 3.0?)? Well, hopefully not more double question marks. I hate that. In the

Unfortunate Technical Error

2008-11-15T20:17:00.004-05:00

How long before the folks at MSNBC.com pick this one up?"Long road to the White Ho"?!?!?! What?!?!?Of course, this is just a technical error - the "use" in "House" got cut off because the column is too narrow. But it almost seems like a subconscious Freudian exposure of deep seeded racial fears. That's so much more interesting than an HTML problem.

Speak For Yourself III: More McCain/Palin Rally Insanity

2008-10-31T12:04:00.004-04:00

This time, McCain-Palin supporters at a rally in Ohio express their views.Again, one must ask, what is it about these rallies that attracts this element? Why would people who think like this also support John McCain? What does that say about McCain and Palin? What does it say that these people support McCain's policies?

Apparently, I Will be a Deadbeat Dad

2008-10-31T10:54:00.005-04:00

That's right, according to Bill Cunningham, if I should father any children, I will promptly abandon them, on account of my blackness, because "that's what black fathers do." Yeah, it sounded unbelievable to me, too, until I played the Media Matters audio clip, and heard it for myself.Oh, and since I made it to age 18 without being abandoned by my father (thanks, Dad!) I guess that means my dad

Speak for Yourself II: Obama the Father and Baby Killer?

2008-10-31T06:47:00.007-04:00

Because, as Rachel Maddow points out in this clip, being a father of two and wanting to see infants run over by a train aren't exactly congruent characteristics, this right-wing mailing is just insane.Is this racism? Maybe. But it's probably more just bitter partisan hatred mixed in with a healthy dose of hopeless stupidity.

What?!?!?!

2008-10-29T23:21:00.004-04:00

Growing up, I was always taught that three things would never happen. Well, we're now two for three:#1: The American economy won't crash because regulations put in place in th 1930s during the Great Depression by Franklin Roosevelt would prevent it.Well, while we're not near the devastation of the great depression - yet - we're inching closer, and we're facing possibly the worst financial crisis

Speak For Yourself I: Racism in Pottsville, PA

2008-10-29T07:33:00.004-04:00

I'm starting a new series, entitled "Speak For Yourself," in which I will offer minimal commentary and allow the words of others to speak for themselves. This first installment is a video featuring a slew of persons outside a McCain rally in Pottsville, PA, making racist comments about Senator Obama and even blacks in general.Now, some of the comments are obviously racist, like "I'll never vote

Apparently, I hate Real Americans

2008-10-21T14:44:00.007-04:00

Yes, it was revealed at a John McCain rally that liberals, like me "hate real Americans that work hard and achieve and believe in God." This is in spite of the fact that I am a real American that works hard and achieves and believes in God. I guess this makes me a self-hater.You can read about my self hatred here: http://thinkprogress.org/2008/10/20/hayes-liberals-hate/I have go to class, more

Why Can't Barack Be Black?

2008-10-14T11:27:00.004-04:00

My question is simple.Why do so man people - mostly whites, but some blacks - have such a problem with the idea of Barack Obama being black?I hear so much, "He's half white," "His ancestors weren't slaves," "Why do we talk about him as a black man, not as a white man?" Before he called him an Arab, Rush Limbaugh called Obama (and Halley Berry) "Halfrican" in reference to their mixed heritage.Why

Respect the Truth of Lewis's Statement

2008-10-12T23:09:00.005-04:00

The latest distractions in this year's presidential election revolve around race. The mess started as V.P. Candidate Sarah Palin made it a point to attack Barack Obama on his non-relationship with William Ayers. Palin also suggested that it might be a good idea to attack Obama on the issue of his former paster, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Now, if you've been reading this blog for long enough,

Even Little Kids Know We're Racist

2008-10-05T20:42:00.002-04:00

A new study shows that children are well aware that we have never had an African American, Latino, or female president.Calling into question the idea children live in a color- and gender-blind world, researchers at the University of Texas, Austin, reveal "most elementary-school-aged children are aware there has been no female, African-American, or Hispanic President."What's even scarier is the

Palin's Low Blow on Michelle Obama

2008-10-05T19:56:00.006-04:00

Unless they do something so deplorable that they raise reasonable doubt about the judgment of the candidate, the candidate's spouse should be off-limits in political contests. Apparently, Sarah Palin doesn't abide by this standard.This was a clear and direct attack on Michelle Obama's much noted comments about not being proud of being an American. For Palin to take such a shot during the Vice

Here We Go

2008-10-04T22:05:00.003-04:00

Finally, we've reached the beginning of the end of the 2008 presidential campaign, and this beginning is marked by a new line of attack from John McCain and his campaign. Finally, they are beginning to unleash the below-the-belt, outlandish and baseless attacks that many feared would come at some point in the electionWith McCain's numbers slipping both nationally and in key battleground states,

Is John McCain Racist?

2008-10-01T11:34:00.005-04:00

It's been about a week that I've been debating doing this post. Throughout this entire presidential campaign, I've maintained that I don't think John McCain is racist, and I think it's a just wrong to accuse him of being so without any type of proof. So, one can imagine the internal conflict I felt when I found reason to believe that John McCain's views of other races are less than

John McCain is Insaine

2008-09-26T19:03:00.003-04:00

I'm beginning to think that maybe we're getting to the point that we should start thinking about calling on Senator McCain to drop out of the presidential election. I mean, he does know that this isn't a game or a movie, right? Seriously, outside of the tragic disasters of September 11th and Hurricane Katrina, I can't recall any series of national events that have been so surreal. Much of it has

Why does Rush Limbaugh Need Obama not to be Black?

2008-09-24T09:41:00.006-04:00

This man should have his voice surgically removed. Conservative radio shock-jock Rush Limbaugh lamented over media coverage of Barack Obama as an African American, because, according to him, Obama's lineage is Arab, not African.Read More: Media MattersAside from the absurdity of claiming that an American born U.S. citizen of African heritage is wrong for self-identifying as an African American,

Let Justice Prevail

2008-09-23T07:04:00.004-04:00

Toady, a potentially innocent man is scheduled to be executed in Georgia. Troy Anthony Davis was convicted on killing an off-duty police officer in 1991. However, since that time seven of the nine key witnesses against Davis have recanted their testimony, helping to cast doubt on his guilt.Click here to read the details from the Atlanta Journal Constitution.Davis has appealed to the U.S. Supreme

Racist "Obama Waffles" Box

2008-09-22T16:42:00.002-04:00

I thought it was bad when I first saw the box......which reminded me of the racist image of Aunt Jemima.And the top:And then there was the video. This is one of the more disgusting things I have witnessed in my 2+ decades:

He Has No Substance Besides His Substance

2008-09-22T15:44:00.002-04:00

I recently read this about a Democratic ward leader from Northeast Philadelphia:Bednarek was a Hillary Clinton delegate to the Democratic convention, and Clinton overwhelmingly won her ward in the April primary. "I supported Hillary because she had specific ideas and plans, and they were all on her Web site," Bednarek said. "Obama tends to be more abstract." Asked if she'd visited Obama's Web

Gifted Children

2008-09-22T08:40:00.006-04:00

I'm sitting here watching the Today show and they're doing a segment on child prodigies. I have one question: WHERE ARE THE BLACK CHILDREN?Why don't we ask why black children are not often found in stories about these groups?They define a prodigy as a child under ten years of age who is performing at an adult level. So what if a child has the ability to do such a thing, but they don't have the

Philly Inquirer Articles Raise Key Question

2008-09-21T20:31:00.008-04:00

After reading two very good pieces of commentary from the Philadelphia Inquirer, both criticizing Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, I found myself asking this question: could a liberal black man get away with nearly as much as she does?First, Mark Bowden took Palin to task for criticizing Barack Obama for wanting to treat humans as humans: But it was in that much-heralded speech at the Republican

Will Racists Cost Obama the Election?

2008-09-20T14:29:00.006-04:00

Over the past few moths, I've heard many people complain that Barack Obama may lose the presidential election, not because of a lack of experience or good ideas, but because of racial prejudice. On the other hand, others have argued that this is an inappropriate complaint. Such individuals insist that the fact that Obama has gotten this far, with the help of white primary voters, is proof that if

World's Biggest Idiot

2008-09-15T21:49:00.002-04:00

Is it humanly possible to be a bigger idiot than DeShaun Jackson?

McCain's New Low - The Sex Ed Lie

2008-09-10T14:17:00.006-04:00

This presidential campaign has gone to a whole new low level that I think few could have predicted it would have. Over the past few months we've endured lies, distortions, smears, and an abandonment of the issues that I'm sure would turn anyone's stomach. We though, “Well, this is real bad. I guess this is what the campaign is going to be like.”Then it got worse. Much worse.Yesterday, I returned

Chris Matthews Calls GOP on Racial Tactics

2008-09-08T18:50:00.005-04:00

It seems that finally someone in the mainstream media is almost as fed up as me with the racial/cultural tactics being employed by the Republican party and their blatantly hypocritical promotion of their empty-suit vice presidential nominee and their "change you can't believe in" presidential nominee.Today on Hardball, Chris Matthews (who may have decided to just let loose and be open after being

The Oppression Sweepstakes

2008-09-08T12:35:00.009-04:00

Well, here we go again. During the Democratic Presidential Primary, lots of people got caught up in what came to be known as the “Oppression Sweepstakes,” a fight over which was more historically significant and barrier-breaking: the nomination of an African American or a woman. The nomination of Sara Palin by the GOP for vice president is sure to revive this debate. Personally, I am not

More Republican Lies

2008-09-06T20:21:00.003-04:00

So, apparently Republicans don't just lie about Obama. They lie about themselves,too. And what a surprise: the mainstream media let's them get away with it. CALL A LIE A LIE!Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin touts her record as a reformer who worked to end the "abuses of earmark spending in Congress." But Palin has embraced earmarks from early on in her career as a mayor of Wasilla to the governor's

Palin's Racist Comments

2008-09-06T09:30:00.005-04:00

I'm posting this, even thought I'm not sure it's true, because I think it needs to be investigated further, yet I see it nowhere. I can not stress enough how important it is to consider the source of this maybe-news. I am not saying that the following story is true, only that it should be taken seriously, and it's validity should be investigated. If it turns out to be true, I can only hope that

Palin's Speech

2008-09-04T10:01:00.002-04:00

Let me just say that I haven't yet watched Sarah Palin's speech. I have read excerpts of it, which is the reason why I have not watched it - yet. To be quite frank, I decided not to watch it after reading parts of it released before she actually gave the speech. I was so offended by what I read that I decided not to watch it. I knew I just couldn't handle it emotionally. Maybe I'll watch it in

It's Okay to Lie About Black People

2008-09-03T08:16:00.007-04:00

If there's one thing that can be learned from this year's presidential election, it's that, in spite of the great progress our nation has made over the past century in terms of race relations, it's still socially acceptable to lie about black people. In fact, you can tell a bold-faced lie about a public black figure and get away with it. Even when your lie is exposed, you won't be called to

Councilman Clarke Victime of Hate Crime

2008-08-29T18:24:00.002-04:00

The Philadelphia Daily News on philly.com is reporting that Councilman Darrell Clarke was the victim of a hate crime:.City Councilman Darrell L. Clarke was the victim of an apparent hate crime, police and Clarke just told Philly Confidential.Clarke said he walked outside his house this morning and found Nazi symbols and the letters "KKK" spray-painted on his car, a vehicle belonging to a relative

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2008-08-29T00:14:00.002-04:00

I just returned home from watching something that I spent most of my life believing I would never see - a black man accepted his party's nomination for president. I don't think that I have fully comprehended all of what this means or all of what it will mean if this journey is completed and this nation for the first time elects an African American. However, it is with great hope and anticipation

No Win With Fox

2008-08-28T08:40:00.002-04:00

Apparently, being successful it not a quality we want in our president and first lady.I stumbled upon this video on Blog Obama '08.Now, aside from the general disgustingness throughout (mainly from FOX "news," although I think Keith Olbermann was a little over-excited), the part that stands out to me is that one of FOX's commentators took a cheap shot at the Obamas' elitism based on the colleges

How About This Week?

2008-08-28T07:31:00.002-04:00

What a week the Democrats picked for their convention:The week immediately after the Olympics end - no better way to get up that USA pride.Tuesday was the 88th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote. Hillary Clinton addressed the convention on this day.Wednesday would have been President Lyndon B. Johnson's 100th birthday. President Johnson signed

What's he Supposed to Do?

2008-08-27T12:56:00.000-04:00

I read this post over at - JammieWearingFool talking about how the McCain campaign is making fun of Obama's set for his acceptance speech at Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium (why such a long name?). This is just another example of the racism you can't see. What, exactly, is Obama allowed to do? Does he need to have an ugly set? Does he need to find someone who can't sing to sing the national

A Disturbing Comment

2008-08-27T08:30:00.002-04:00

Last night I was glued to my TV and computer screen, watching the coverage of the Democratic National Convention. In the run-up to Senator Hillary Clinton's speech, PBS was discussing the historic nature of her candidacy and the women's vote (it was also the 88th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote). One of the commentators, historian Michael Beschloss, said

Is It "Bayh, Bayh, Veepstakes"

2008-08-22T20:20:00.006-04:00

So, does this mean that it's safe to assume, pre-text message, that Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana is going to be Obama's VP? A TV station in Kansas City found out that these bumper stickers were being made. This could be the unexpected leak in the lead up to the announcement. It's not really an exciting pick after all the build-up, but it is surprising for me. I expected Deleware Senator Joe Biden

Democrats go to Church

2008-08-22T18:25:00.003-04:00

Is it just me, or does the stage for the Democratic National Convention look like church. Granted, it would be a megachurch.In fact, one of the first things that I thought when I saw the pictures was, "Wow! That looks like Joel Olesteen's church." I mean, compare the pictures. Here's another shot of the Pepsi Center in Denver, where the convention will be held:And here's an image from Olesteen's

McNabb & Race

2008-08-21T09:56:00.003-04:00