RedEye's Year in Review Top 10 Countdown Part 1

I would like to wish readers, fans and foes, best wishes for a  healthy, peaceful,  and   Happy New Year.  May the upcoming year bring the change we all hope  for.  RedEye

Top 10 Countdown Part 1

10.  Dr. John L. Cashin, An American Hero

9.  Update~Let's talk about the history of New Century Technology High School

8.  New Education Policy Director to push for segregated schools

7.  The DoJ to Huntsville Schools-"Don't even think about it".

6.  The Huntsville City Schools Broad Civil Rights War

Redeye's Week in Review

Radical is not a bad word.  You got that Progressives?   Conservative on the other hand.....Remember this when you hear the TTPH's and the mainstream media talk about candidates appealing to solid conservatives and promoting the centrist meme.  Conservatives are the ones that got us into the mess in the first place. Remember?  Now they are running around calling President Obama a failure because they obstructed the clean up.  They must think we are Suckers. 

Has America's Stolen Election Process Finally Hit Prime Time?  I HOPE so.

Mass Incarceration of blacks coming to an end?  Not if Lawmakers keep making laws like THIS.

Left in Alabama is running a two part ranking of the 10 dumbest things republicans said in 2010.  NewsOne compiled The Top Ten Racist Quotes of 2010.  Psst!  It's the dumb racism.

Mack Lyons said...
Sigh. The state is so damned corrupt that there's little to no hope of fixing any of this shit, save a federally-directed purge. Fat chance of that happening any time soon.

You think?  Federal Appeals Court Balks at Deciding Alabama Education Association Political Case. 

RedEye Week In Review Over and Out for 2011.

Just because the Talking TeeVee Pundit Heads say it doesn't make it true

According to the TTPH's and the polling pollsters who poll them, these three stooges, I mean men,  are the so called "front runners" in the Iowa Primary but Mitt Romney will be republican nominee.

The TTPH's base their  assumption (and that's what it is) on polling samples, but you have to go inside the data for raw numbers and other information such as:
1.  Who are they polling?
2.  How many are they polling?
3.  When are they polling?
4.  How are they polling?

It makes we want to holler every time I hear a TTPH predict who will win an election before the votes are cast.  They are already predicting  ( and that's what it is) retiring democratic Senator Ben Nelson will be replaced by a republican, because according to them  Nebraska is a republican state.  Oh really?  If Nebraska is a republican leaning state,  how did Ben Nelson win as a democrat?  And let's not forget former Senator Bob Kerry ,who is also from Nebraska,  is a democrat.

Let's decode the code words.  When the TTPH's say Nebraska is a republican leaning state, it's code for it's a Sucker state.  There are two kinds of republicans...millionaires and Suckers.  Suckers are the people the millionaires convince to vote against their self interest.  Remember?   I refuse to believe the majority of voters in Nebraska are Suckers.  I refuse to believe the majority of voters in America are Suckers.

Another favorite code word for the TTPH's is Evangelical Christians, which is code for anti women, anti minority, anti union, anti Civil Rights, anti LBGT rights and anti government.  Evangelical Christian=good.  Liberal Christian=bad.

If  you tell a lie over and over again on TeeVee, the public believes it's the truth .  It ought to be against the law to use the public airways and the press to lie to the American people.

I sure do miss the good old days when the candidate with the most votes won, and the media protected us from being lied too by our government instead of  enabling them being fair and balanced.

The truth is not fair and balanced.  It's either the truth or it's a lie.

Black Entertainment Television is not owned by Black Folks

There is a common misconception among some whites Black Entertainment Television (BET) is owned by black folks, run by black folks, for black folks.  That may have been true in the beginning  when Robert (Bob) Johnson and his ex wife Sheila founded the network, however Bob sold out,  I mean sold the station to Viacom in 2000.

Abagond examines The BET Fallacy  and introduces the owners of the mainstream.  Hint. There is not a black or brown face among them. 

Read on.

Republicans are anti public schools and public school teachers

Again, if Charter Schools were the educational  solution for poor, black/brown students republicans wouldn't be pushing for  them.  Republicans don't believe access to a public education is a right, they believe it is a privilege of the privileged, for the privileged, by the privileged.    Some  high profile republicans honestly believe poor, black/brown children can't learn, or don't want to learn, due to life's unfairness.

If republicans really cared about solutions they would focus on creating jobs for the unemployed and under employed parents of poor black/brown students.  But noooo,  instead of creating jobs for them, they create a $70,000 per year job for one person .  I thought republicans were against out of control government spending?

Former Alabama Governor Bob Riley (R), pictured above,  is a lobbyist for Charter Schools.

Enough said.

Stupid is as Stupid does Bama Style

With all the pressing issues facing Alabamians,  State Representative Alvin Holmes, who I usually admire and agree ,  is seeking a ban on sagging pants.  Why?

Psst Rep. Holmes!  What part of you can't legislate personal behavior don't you understand?  If you don't like sagging pants, don't wear sagging pants.   It's like telling a woman she can't choose to have an abortion.  It's like telling gay people they can't serve in the military.  It''s like telling women they can't wear pants to work.  It's like telling grown people they can't gamble  in their own state with their own damn money.  It's like telling Michelle Obama she can't show her arms.  It's like telling someone you can't drink alcohol on Sunday.  You get my drift?

The Declaration of Independence declares We the People are entitled to Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  If wearing sagging pants makes someone happy, so be it.  If they can't get a job because their pants are sagging that's on them.  If they can't run from danger because their pants fall down around their knees and trip them up, that's on them.  If an airline won't let them  board the plane with sagging pants, that's on them.  You feel me?

How about passing some J-O-B-S legislation?

How about repealing the Alabama immigration bill?

How about repealing the Alabama voter ID law?

If your anti sagging bill passes how are they going to pay the fine with no J-O-B?  They will end up in the all ready over crowed jails ,  where the sagging pants culture begin, with the other non violent offenders.

Maybe if they had a J-O-B and a future they wouldn't wear sagging pants.

It's not about sagging pants.  Where are the J-O-B-S?

Quid Quo Pro?

I've said it many times before, I'm not a lawyer, and I don't play one on the Internet, but I'm sure there are legal eagles out there who can clear up my confusion  regarding several cases involving democrats and the long arm of the law here in Sweet Home Alabama.

Yesterday I pointed out the hypocrisy of former state Rep. Sue Schmitz's (D), conviction and sentencing  for being paid tax dollars for not working, and former Huntsville City Schools Superintendent Ann Roy Moore, who was also paid tax dollars for not working. 

Anne Roy Moore presents another interesting comparison (for lack of a better word) to former democratic Governor Don Siegelman's conviction for bribery (Quid Quo Pro).  To make a long story short, prosecutors argued  Don Siegelman appointed Richard Scrushy to the CON board in exchange for a campaign contribution.

Now, turn to the case of Ann Roy Moore, who according to several Huntsville City School Board members was paid to not work so she wouldn't file a lawsuit against the school system.

Topper Birney said that, despite the money Moore's been paid over the past six months, keeping the former superintendent on as a consultant likely saved the district much larger costs with a possible lawsuit.
"This was probably, in the long run, the most cost-efficient way to handle it," Birney said.
David Blair, who was not on the board when Moore was ousted, agreed. Blair pointed out that, until the board decided to fire her, Moore had received nearly perfect performance reviews.
"In my estimation, the system had (legal) exposure," Blair said. "It was the best resolution for both parties."

Question, what is the difference between appointing a campaign contributor to a board, and paying someone tax dollars not work in exchange for not filing a lawsuit?

Charter Schools are not the solution for poor, black students

According to this story in the Chicago Tribune,  Charter schools aren't performing better than public schools, they are perfoming worse because they don't address the underlying issue of poverty.

Despite the right wing spin that low income schools receive more money, the opposite is true.  A study released by the Department of Education proves high poverty school receive fewer state funds than affluent school districts.  Chapter 1 schools receive additional Federal Dollars to make up for the state and local dollars, but it does not address the inequities.

State Rep. Phil Williams (r.) and his gop cronies are pushing for Charter Schools under the guise poor, black children can escape under performing public schools.  Bull Poo.  If Phil Williams and the gop really cared about the education of poor, black/brown  children they would address the funding inequities instead of whining about  the myth of throwing money at the problem, and trying to destroy the Alabama Education Association.

If Charter Schools were the solution for poor, black/brown, students the gop wouldn't be pushing for them.

Charter Schools are a way around Brown v. Board.

Charter Schools benefit the rich while the rest get the shaft.

It's the Poverty, stupid.

Where are the J-O-B-S?

Alabama InJustice/Hypcrisy Alert

Former state Rep. Sue Schmitz (Huntsville Times file photo)

Former  Alabama State Representative Sue Schmitz (D. Toney) was arrested,  indicted (after a hung jury in her first trial), convicted and sentenced to two and half years in prison on  fraud charges because she was paid $40,0000 for doing very little work.  Yes, really.

It was revealed former Huntsville City School Chief Dr. Anne Roy Moore was paid $99,000.00 plus $198,000 for sitting at home and doing very little work. Oh, really now?

For the record, I'm  not saying Dr. Moore should be arrested, indicted, convicted and sentenced because of the terms of her ahem contract buyout.

But I am asking why former  Rep. Sue Schmtiz was arrested, indicted, convicted and sentenced for the same damn thing?

Happy Days with Tax Payers Dollars

According to a  Watchdog Report by The Huntsville Times,   former HSC Superintendent Dr. Anne Roy Moore earned her $99,000 consulting fee,  in addition to her $198,000 annual salary,  by working at home, and providing background information on the firing of Hampton Middle Schools former principal.  Nice work if you can get it.

The reason Moore was paid a consulting fee, in addition to her annual salary, was because theSchool Board  didn't have a valid reason not to renew her contract and replace her with Casey Wardynski,  so he could, according to a comment at al.com,   "restore the school system to it's former glory."

To make a long story short, the school board  paid our money to Anne Roy Moore to avoid a law suit she would have won.  This at the same time they are cutting special education funding and making other costly changes at taxpayers expense.

This is history repeating itself with the same cast of characters.

And we wonder why we keep getting the same results?

What I learned from the BlogOsphere Today

If  our so called mainstream media informed the public, instead of shaping public opinion we wouldn't have The Sad, Spectacle of the Undecided Voter.  What are they undecided about?  I feel the same disgust with those refer to themselves as undecided as I do with so called moderates and independents.  What are they moderate and independent about?  I suspect most are really republicans who are ashamed to identify with the gop infused, media enabled, Tea Party.  You are either for something or against something, there is no in between.  As much as I hate to paraquote pResident Dubya, yer either wit us or aginst us. I'm sick of the both parties are the same meme too.  Democrats represent 99% of we the people.  Republicans represent 1% of the people, by the people for the people.  People are undecided because they're being misinformed.  Period.

Thanks to ObamaCare, More young people have insurance.  Who knew?  To let republicans tell it, they were sent to Washington to keep more young people from having insurance.  Snark

Uh Oh!  The Alabama Democrat Party is handing out Holiday Gifts.  The *ahem* Democratic  party leadership, not to be confused with the brass knuckle wing  of the democratic party,  plan to field a candidate in every gop held Congressional district.  Well, isn't that special?   I can't wait to see the candidates party leadership fields.  RedEye Roll

Repeat after me,  Charter Schools are back door privatization.  They do NOT benefit poor, black children.  They benefit the wealthy.  If Charter Schools were for the benefit of poor, black, children, the gop would not be for them.

What I'm Reading on the Eve of Christmas

H/T The Obama Diary

Even though I am one of three people banned from participating in the discussion at Left in Alabama,  and it doesn't look like a Christmas miracle is in the cards for RedEye, I (pun intended) will continue to read and link to them because I learn something new every day from the informed, involved, progressive commentary.  Anyhoo, there is a ongoing and fascinating discussion taking  place over the question  Are White, Southern, Men The Problem With Today's GOP?  What I'm learning is white, Southern, men, and I might add women, might be the problem with today's democratic party, because angry, white men and women have infiltrated the democratic party, much like the Tea Party infiltrated the gop.  What say you?

Speaking of the gop infused, media enabled, tea party, welcome to the 2012 republican watershed.   I HOPE and BELIEVE the Suckers are waking up and smelling the Coffee.  Thank you republicans for sending Obama some Christmas balls. And not a minute too soon.

What's that you say?  Segregated Charter Schools Evoke Separate But Equal Era in U.S.?  I'm  shocked!  Shocked I tell you!  NOT.     We can't have ALL children having equal access to a quality, public education.  How else are we going to bring back slavery?

What's on your Eve of Christmas reading list?

RedEye's Week in Review

H/T jobsanger.  Republicans proved they want Obama to fail this week.  What they actually mean is they want to put President Obama in his place, thereby putting  future uppity African Americans  in their place so they won't dare inspire to be the leader of the Free World.  President Obama is the only President in modern history who has to fight the gop, the media and even his own damn party.

Republican Congressman and Presidential Candidate Ron Paul's dirty little secret about his pandering to racist, rednecks for personal political gain was exposed this week.  That's what you get for being the front runner Dr. Paul.  Ask Herman Cain, Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich and others.  Who knew there were a  lot of racist, rednecks in Iowa?

The Noah Diaries at DownWithTryanny has the most comprehensive review of 2011 on the web, a must read from top to bottom.

Bigger Butt  Congress Critter Jim Sensenbrenner (r. WI) apologized for commenting on First Lady Michelle Obama's large posterior.  I'm not mad at Sensenbrenner for exercising his 1st amendment right to criticize the FLOTUS.  Although they weren't Congress Critters, some said Barbara Bush looked like George Washington and Laura Bush looked like the Joker on the TV movie Batman.  I'm just saying...

The next time you see Mike Huckabee (r. Arkansas) on you TeeVee talking about repealing ObamaCare because it was passed in the middle of the night, blah, blah, blab, blab, think about THIS.

What's that you say?  American's newsrooms are becoming whiter?  I wonder why?  Snark

TeaPublicans caught between Barack and a hard place

I wonder if John Bohner, Eric Canter and the rest of the TeaPublicans are having Freedom Fries with their Crow tonight after being forced to cave on the payroll tax extension?

So the fight is over...for two months.

 Right in the middle of campaign season.

RedEye tiptoeing away from the computer to go pray.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken us?

This just in.

Former congessional candidate and long-time Huntsville resident Wayne Parker is throwing his hat in the ring for Madison County Commission Chairman.

It get's worse

"We have decided we're going to jump in, and we're going to run to win," said Parker, who narrowly lost the 2008 Fifth Congressional District race to former Congressman Parker Griffith. "A lot of folks have approached me about jumping in this race.  To be frank, I've been approached by both Republicans and Democrats who share my concerns, and they know that I have a passion for this community." 

But THIS is the kicker

Commissioner Strong issued a statement regarding his new competitor Wednesday night.
"I welcome Wayne Parker to this race," read Strong's statement. "My goal is to lead Republicans to take control of the commission, and I believe I'm the candidate with the new ideas and proven leadership to make that happen. Wayne is a seasoned politician and a veteran campaigner, and I'm sure he will run a good and clean campaign."
The Republican primary is set for March 13. Outgoing Chairman Mike Gillespie announced that he would not run for re-election earlier this year after 30 years in office. The Democrats have yet to field a candidate for chairman. 

So, republicans are poised to take Control of the Madison County Commission, Wayne Parker has been approached by DEMOCRATS who, gag me with a spoon, "share his concerns" and The Democrats have yet to field a candidate for chairman????!!!!

Lord, help us.

No mooncat, Southern men aren't the problem with the gop

It's  the many, kind, generous, reasonable, responsible white men, and I might add, white women, who  enable and appease  the  self-centered, angry SOBS because they are afraid to confront them.

It's the culture of racism that is allowed to fester and grow that is the problem.

Martin Luther King, Jr said:
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
But he also said:
When we view the negative experiences of life, the Negro has a double share. There are twice as many unemployed. The rate of infant mortality among Negroes is double that of whites…

On a personal note, I want to take this opportunity to wish you and everyone at Left in Alabama a Happy Holiday Season.  May peace fill your heart, love warm your homes and joy light up your life.  It is my sincere wish  I be allowed to participate in the informed, involved, Progressive dialogue at Left in Alabama again.

RedEye

Tis the season for the gop to be mean, hateful and vindictive

H/T jobsanger

In the spirit of Christmas, Peace on Earth and all that jazz, I'm trying to figure out when did it became acceptable to be mean and hateful?

When did bigotry become acceptable?

When did discrimination, slow justice, and just darn right  ugly  become acceptable?

When did racial profiling become acceptable?


When did it become acceptable to be a hypocrite?

When did it become acceptable to send our troops to war based on DEAD WRONG INTELLIGENCE?

When did it become acceptable for the rich to get richer and the rest get the shaft?


When did it become acceptable to be right wing rather than to do the right thing?

When did it become acceptable to restrict Americans from exercising their right to vote?

When did it become acceptable to be sexist?

When did it become acceptable to be racist?

When did it become acceptable to vote against your party on important issues or switch party's for political gain?

When did it become acceptable for elected and appointed officials to ignore questions/complaints and the will of the people?

Why is it republicans who  engage in this type of behavior are rewarded?

The gop is playing right (pun intended) into President Obama's hand.  I refuse to believe the majority of the American voters, not to be confused with a majority of the American people, are mean, hateful and vindictive.

There is a mean spirit on the lose.

The unOfficial Alabama Holiday Greeting Card

 Enforcing Alabama Law H/T jobsanger

Merry Christmas Suckers!

Why do people vote against their self interest?

When the majority of the American voters , not to be confused with the majority of the American people, handed the House of Representatives over to the Tea Baggers, I wondered how long it was going to take for them to realize they'd been punk'd by the gop infused media enabled Tea Party.... I wonder if they even realize they've been betrayed?

Psst!  Listen up!

President Obama, the TeaPublicans and the Talking TeeVee Pundits Heads are part of the1%.  They are going to be fine regardless, you on the other hand.....

If President Obama, the TeaPublicans and the Talking TeeVee Pundits get sick they have access to the best health care our tax dollars can buy.  You on the other hand....

President Obama, the TeaPublicans and the Talking TeeVee Pundit Heads are going to have a great Christmas with plenty of food and lots of presents under the tree.  You on the other hand....

President Obama, the TeaPublicans and the Talking TeeVee Pundits Heads aren't worried about losing one of their many homes.  You on the other hand....

President Obama, the TeaPublicans and the Talking TeeVee Pundit Heads aren't worried about their pensions and retirement.  You on the other hand......

President Obama, the TeaPublicans and the Talking TeeVee Pundit Heads aren't worried about sending their children to underfunded, under achieving public schools because they have access to the best schools their money can buy.  You on the the other hand....

President Obama, the TeaPublicans, and the Talking TeeVee Pundit Heads aren't worried about caring for aging parents or sick children.   You on the other hand....

President Obama, the TeaPublicans and the Talking TeeVee Pundit Heads aren't worried about an increase in payroll taxes.  You on the other hand......

President Obama, the TeaPublicans and the Talking TeeVee Pundit Heads aren't worried about paying their utility bills.  You on the other hand...

Stoopid is as Stoopid does.

You aren't hurting anyone but yourselves.

TeaPublicans playing Poker with Suckers lives

H/T jobsanger, who reminds us there are two kinds of republicans, millionaires and suckers. If millionaires convince you to vote against your self interest you are a Sucker. The millioniares are betting against America .  Suckers always fall for the Okey Doke .  Suckers can be counted on to hate President Obama more than they love themselves.

God bless America.

Welcome to the real world my child

Remember the commercial when the young man got his first paycheck looked at  and asked "Who is FICA?"  Well something similar happened when my oldest offspring saw the itemized  tax deductions on her first real paycheck, only she said, I agree with those who say no new taxes because they are eating up my paycheck.  

 They aren't talking about no new taxes on wage earners like you, I said They are talking about no new taxes on millionaires and billionaires because the Bush tax cut shifted the tax cut from the rich who could afford to pay more to the middle class who couldn't afford to pay more.

If the Bats#it crazy TeaPublicans have their way, wage earners, not to be confused with millionaires and billionaires, will have an increase in payroll taxes.  Millions of Americans will see their taxes go up at the beginning of the year and millions of Americans will see their jobless benefits end.  

republicans will do anything to win elections, but once they win they can't govern.

Pay your taxes and welcome to the real world my child.

Edited~Why the #AlaGOP is pushing for #CharterSchools

And it has nothing to do with improving educational achievement, it's all about the Benjamin's.  Strike that.  It's all about the AlaGop getting their greedy fingers on the public Benjamin's.

The charter school concept may soon come to Alabama. Gov. Robert Bentley intends to push for charter schools in the 2012 legislative session. Jennifer Ardis, Bentley's press secretary, said the governor wants to try charter schools on a small scale in Alabama.
The Legislature has shot down charter school ideas in the past, but with a new Republican majority, the idea may pass this time. The success of any charter schools Alabama gets may be dependent on how well the Legislature crafts a law allowing charter schools to operate here. Recent studies have shown that how states set up the enabling legislation for their charter schools can have a big impact on their success.
"My concern is that when the Legislature and the governor put in bills that they are very careful because I am completely opposed to charter schools run by non-citizens or private chains," said Betty Peters, a state school board member. "I believe that charter schools are supposed to be public schools, and if schools are going to be run with public money, we should be very careful."

You're darn Skippy we should be very careful, or Alabama will end up like Florida where the Charter School Industry is running amok with taxpayer money.

These days, it is the burgeoning charter school industry that is reeling in taxpayer dollars. As two Miami Herald reporters discovered, the charter school industry in Florida, which has been given the political stamp of approval of a thoroughly conservative state legislature and a series of conservative governors, allows charters to "play by their own rules."
According to an investigative report by The Miami Herald's Scott Hiaasen and Kathleen McGrory, the managers of charter schools in Florida, a project championed by former Governor Jeb Bush, are running amok.
As billions in taxpayer dollars have been shifted from traditional school districts to independently run charter schools, the charter school industry has become "one of the region's fastest-growing industries, backed by real-estate developers and promoted by politicians."

It's not about the children, it's about the bottom line.

While there are arguments to be had over the efficacy of charter schools, there is no disputing the facts presented by The Miami Herald's reporters that, in part due to a lack of oversight and accountability, Florida's charter schools have become a veritable gold mine for a number of corporations.

Now we know why the AlaGOP is pushing for Charter Schools.

But charter schools have also resulted in a "freewheeling system" with minimal oversight that "has given rise to a cottage industry of professional charter school management companies that-along with the landlords and developers who own and build schools-control the lion's share of charter schools' money."
These management companies are reeling in taxpayer dollars in several ways: they receive "roughly $6,000 per student from the state" and they "also get some state funds for facilities and maintenance." In fact, "Most schools rent their facilities-in churches, shopping centers, or brand-new school buildings erected by real-estate developers," and these properties are "exempt from property taxes."
According to Hiasson and McGrory, "Many of the highest rents are charged by landlords with ties to the management companies running the schools, [and] .... At least 56 charter schools in Miami-Dade and Broward counties sit on land whose owners are tied to management companies, property records show."

Remember this mantra, Charter Schools are back door privatization of education.

Charter Schools are NOT a good thing in Alabama or any where else.

Just last Thursday Ron Sparks told the Madison County Democratic Women, "I am against charter schools in Alabama.  ... I will not start dividing our children and segregating our children in Alabama."  Today a release from the Artur Davis campaign accused Sparks of flip-flopping on the issue, appearing with Newt Gingrich and Al Sharpton to highlight the Obama administration's education reform efforts and seeking to "help rally support for lifting restrictions on the growth of high-quality charter schools." 

Isn't it ironic....)

republicans/conservatives/right wingers don't have a problem taking them there federal tax dollars it comes to funding private, I mean charter schools, but they claim to not want government bailouts, I mean handouts. 
Go figure.

I want my Hope and Happiness Back!

 

This is a picture of the late, great, Myrna Copeland celebrating the inauguration of President Barack Obama from a face book page dedicated to her memory.  I remember that night and how excited, happy, and hopeful were all were.  We joined hands, formed a circle, and sang We Shall Over Come because we truly believed the long, national, Bush, Dick, Rumsfeld and Company nightmare was over.  We left the Davidson Center that night full of HOPE for CHANGE we could BELIEVE in.

So what happened?  How did the winners turn into losers, and the losers into the winners?  I'll tell you what happened...the gop infused,media enabled, TeaPublicans  happened.

President Obama didn't help matters by trying to play nice with the TeaPublicans at the expense of people like us  Professional Lefty Retards. What part of you can't play nice with people who hate you didn't he understand?

The Talking TeeVee Pundits Heads helped hijack Hope for Change we can believe in by providing the fair and balanced get a way car.  The truth is not fair and balanced, it's either the truth or it's not.   Case in point, Monday's Jansing and Company line up on MSNBC featured a segment with former RNC chair Micheal Steele representing the republican point of view, and former  Congressman Artur Davis representing the democratic point of view. Big eye roll.

What have the TeaPublicans and the Talking TeeVee Pundit Heads  ever been right (no pun) about?  When have they ever been on the right (no pun) side of history?    I wonder what they are going to say when Ron Paul wins the Iowa Caucus?  

The State of the Alabama Democratic Party is Pitiful

I received notice The Madison County Democratic Women Executive Committee will convene a panel discussion on the state of the Alabama Democratic Party at it's meeting next month.  I don't know what the panelist will say, but IMHO the state of the Alabama Democratic Party is pitiful and here is why.

There is a huge disconnect between the party elite (leadership) and the grassroots (the traditional base).  

Prime example.  CL Holley is the first, and so far, the only, democratic entrant to announce for Alabama's 5th district congressional race against Mo Brooks.  As much as we want an alternative to Mo, no one seems to know much about CL Holley, which mean he wasn't recruited to run by the ADP or the Madison County Executive Committee.  

I disagree with those who say Charlie L Holley is not electable.  This is America, the candidate with the most votes wins.  Or at least that's the way it used to be.  If CL Holley is the real deal, and democrats support him he will win.  The question for leadership is should democrats support him?  

If Charlie L Holley is the real deal he has my support 100%, but I have to know who is driving the wagon before I hitch my donkey to it.

In honor of Myrna Copeland, the finest democratic woman I know

I'm trying to remember if I told Mryna Copeland she was one of my Shero's .  I hope I did, because she was right up there with Viola Luizzio  in my book.  She was a privileged, white woman who used her position of privilege and power  to fight for equal rights, civil rights and human rights for all people.

On a personal note, Myrna was, in my Daddy's words, his buddy.  She drove him to Eutaw, Alabama in Greene County, in her car in the Spring of 1970, along with Dr. John Cashin and others, to introduce him to the community and the School Board when he was named Superintendent of the Green County School System.  Dad says he was scared to death to be riding in the car with a white woman in Alabama at night in 1970, but Myrna was not. My Dad would have been the first African American School Superintendent in the nation if it had been embroiled in the same racial politics that prevail in Alabama and the nation today, and the racial politics Myrna devoted her life to fighting.

It's so like Myrna to be found dead at the health food store she founded and operated for 40 years appropriately named the Pearly Gates.  She died as she lived.  Fighting the good fight.  We will miss her vital presence, her courage, her sense of humor and her comittment to making this world a better place for all of God's people.

 HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- She was considered a woman of strong will, and she had to be to do all that she did during one of the most socially turbulent periods in the history of the Deep South.She was a white woman, one of the few from Alabama, who marched from Selma to Montgomery, belonged to the NAACP and attended strategy sessions at the home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Late in her life, she still lived by the motto she had adopted when she was active in the civil rights movement: "Not to have taken part in the actions and passions of your time is to have never lived.''

Rest in the peace you deserve for a life well lived beyond the Pearly Gates.

Spreading the Good News!

H/T Politic365.com

Davis spoke candidly about Black political power in a state like Alabama and his unsuccessful 2010 Democratic primary bid in Alabama. And the former Congressman fended off whispers that he may be considering a party switch and future run for office, particularly in light of his recent change of heart on Voter ID. ”When people say that, they mean it to be some kind of a smear, or some kind of attack. I don’t believe in that kind of politics,” adds Davis. “I don’t have any plans to run for office.”

Yippie!

Stupid White Men ...and Other Sorry Excuses for the State of the Nation!

Do your remember this book? If so, did you read it? If not, get a copy today. Gene Marks is one of the poster boys for what film maker and activist, Micheal Moore tried to warn us about in 2001, and he was right (pun intended) on the money (pun intended).

Stupid White Men ...and Other Sorry Excuses for the State of the Nation! is a book by Michael Moore published in 2001. Although the publishers were convinced it would be rejected by the American reading public after the September 11, 2001 attacks, it spent 50 consecutive weeks on the New York Times bestseller list (eight weeks at #1) for hardcover nonfiction and is in its 43rd printing. It is generally known by its short title, Stupid White Men.

Fast forward to 2011 and the same stupid white men and 1 white woman are intent on getting the keys to car back from we the people by any means necessary.

All I'm going to say is if the majority of the American voters, not to be confused with the majority of the American people, elect the same stupid white men/women who got us into this mess in the first place,
We
Will
Get
What
We
Deserve.

There is a mean spirit on the lose. We must keep HOPE alive.

It's so much easier
To avert our eyes
From all the suffering
And injustices
That permeate our lives
To be in the midst of
Sickness and pain
And always keep our
Eyes fixed ahead
Can only be explained
Away by killing
Your conscience
Because we all know
That what we can't see
Is of no consequence

There is some truth to the doctrine
That ignorance is no excuse
By knowing nothing you are
A silent partner in their abuse

So just close your eyes,
So you don't have to see
Suffering out of sight,
Is more action out of mind

Knowing what i know
About man's inhumanity to man
I could only hate myself
If i left these words unsaid
Don't be paralyzed by
You're partnership in these crimes
We have the chance to redeem
Ourselves for those who've died

To ignore all the signs
That man is so unkind
And partake in this culture of death
Makes all who don't acknowledge
Just as guilty

There's still so much to fight for
Even though this world
Seems rotten to it's core
I know that life can spring anew
From it's remains
It's worth all we can do
To see it through
To better days

No satire

if all political figures experienced the same level of injustice and misfortune as average American citizens, the former would be more empathetic towards the latter and make better leaders.

Stupid is as stupid does.

If I were a rich white man~Edit

If I were a rich, white, man I would be President of the United States of America. But I wouldn't be a rich, white, male, republican President like Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, George H. Bush, or George W. Bush. Rich, white, males who only cared about the rich getting richer while the rest got the shaft.

Nope. I would be a rich, white, male, republican President like Theodore Roosevelt. I would be a rich, white, male, democratic, President like, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, and Lyndon Baines Johnson. You know, rich, white, males who despite their wealth, cared about, and tried to make the world a better place for ALL people.

If I were a rich, white, man I wouldn't try to keep poor women from having access to a safe, legal abortion.

If I were a rich, white, man I wouldn't send our troops to war based on DEAD WRONG INTELLIGENCE.

If I were a rich, white, man I wouldn't discriminate against LBGT Americans.

If I were a rich, white, man, I would own a media empire that informed the American people instead of mis-informing them with all spin all the time, UNfair and UNbalanced. A media that reported just the facts and didn't promote racism, bigotry, and sexism.

If I were a rich, white, man I use my resources to make sure ALL children, regardless of race, gender, religion, or their parents circumstances, had equal access to a quality education.

If I were a rich, white, man I create jobs in America and not ship them overseas to countries who use slave labor.

If I were a rich, white, man I wouldn't rape and ruin the environment for my personal gain.

If I were a rich, white, man I use my position of privilege and power to make this world a better place for everyone.

But I'm not a rich, white, man, and I will never be a rich, white, man. The only thing I can HOPE for is rich, white, men will CHANGE their ways. I'm not holding my breath though.

white privilege is the only thing that could possibly allow someone to become president when he has voted with George W. Bush 90 percent of the time, even as unemployment is skyrocketing, people are losing their homes, inflation is rising, and the U.S. is increasingly isolated from world opinion, just because white voters aren’t sure about that whole “change” thing. Ya know, it’s just too vague and ill-defined, unlike, say, four more years of the same, which is very concrete and certain…


White privilege is, in short, the problem.