Racial Profiling in the Name of the Lord. Let the church say Amen.

A screenshot taken from a viral video involving officers of the Huntsville Police Department

Here we go again.

You know the drill.

Young black men stalked, profiled, arrested (if lucky) for walking, shopping, seeking help, going to church, while black.

Neighborhood watch,  police (on or off duty) acted appropriately.

The latest case of racial profiling happened in  Huntsville, Alabama, nicknamed the Rocket City because of it's close association with the U.S. military and NASA.  Huntsville is also known for its abundance of churches.  A friend once described the city to a Canadian saying if you see something tall and it has a cross on it, it's a church, if it doesn't it's a rocket.

The Church pictured above is First Baptist Church,  it is a beautiful edifice not only on the outside but inside as well.  According to the Huntsville Police Department and reported by the media,  Joshua Chukwuedozie Ude, 23, was arrested in the parking lot of the church, located at 600 Governors Drive, after Huntsville police said he was questioned about disruptive behavior during a service inside. Police said he became uncooperative and refused to leave. 

According to a statement on the First Baptist Church website that is not what happened.  The young men were taking pictures of the outside of the church (no crime), an usher invited them to attend service, initially they declined (should have followed their first instinct), decided to take him up on the invitation to see inside, walked down to the front row, sat down, took some pictures, and left. Unfortunately, their appearance inside the sanctuary made some members nervous and they alerted HPD and that's when all hell broke out in the parking lot.

Why did the young men make some members nervous and HPD react they way they did?  For the answer, we have to look no further than THE  ATTACK MACHINE, who says "people  in Huntsville are giving benefit of doubt to a guy screaming he was arrested for going to church when you know that wasn't what he was stopped for."

What we know:

• These guys appeared at the church, took video, alarmed people.
• This guy was under arrest
• He is fighting them from the minute the video starts
• They were not going to let him go.
• He kicks them

Here is what we can assume:

• The cops were alerted to this incident, they did not just spawn out of nowhere
• The cops told this guy he was under arrest
• He was combatitve (sic)
• They were not there to “go to church”
• This guy will get a check.

Amazingly if this guy puts a bullet in these cops, the same people whining about this would be the first grieving for a fallen officer.

"This guy" didn't have a gun, he had a camera (thank God).  The only ones with guns were the police.  You know, the people who are trained to protect and serve?  Amazingly if these young men had run the police probably would have shot them and been acquitted.

Let's go back to the: These guys appeared at the church, took video, alarmed people declaratory statement. Why did these guys appearing at a church alarm people? Could it be the media enabled racial stereotype of the dangerous black man?  I could understand their fear if black men had a documented history of violence towards whites, you know like slavery, lynchings, and bombing churches.  

If there is any race of people who should fear another race of people and wonder if they are friend or foe,  it's black people.  What if black people automatically assumed every white person was a member of the KKK and wanted to bring back Slavery? 

"There is a mean spirit on the loose, not only in Alabama, but America, and that's what makes this election so important". Alabama State Senator Hank Sanders (D. Selma)

This is what happens when a jury finds you not guilty of murder and second degree manslaughter

Will there be justice for Trayvon Martin?

 It would be great to live in a country that has outgrown its painful history of hatred and violence. Sadly, it appears that America may still have some growing left to do.

It seems like every year we get some brainiac who thinks it a good idea to do something incredibly tasteless, but this certainly ranks up with the worst.  The “costume” includes Trayvon in blackface, wearing a hoodie, with a big red blood stain on his chest.  The Zimmerman character sports a “neighborhood watch” t-shirt, and while posing for the camera, Zimmerman pretends to shoot Trayvon.

 

Boo!

An open Letter to Mayor Tommy Battle

Bob Gathany / The Huntsville Times Huntsville Mayor Tommy

Dear Mayor Battle,

It's me, RedEye.  How's that "One City, One Vision "  thingy working out for you?  The reason I ask is because it appears you have a new Battle Plan, one that doesn't include residents/taxpayers who live/work/play in north Huntsville.  Or, should I say, those who try to live/work/ play in north Huntsville?  In case you haven't notice, the quality of life is on the decline in north Huntsville, but I digress, the purpose of this letter is to address the J.O.Johnson name change controversy,  which I know you are aware of, because representatives from your office attend community meetings, marches, and school board meetings.

During the Huntsville City Council meeting Councilman Richard Showers  said the following in regards to the J.O. Johnson issue (emphasis mine):

7:30 pm. During council comments, Richard Showers said Johnson High School supporters opposed to changing the school's name were treated "less than a dog" at last week's Huntsville Board of Education meeting.
Despite a petition signed by about 1,500 people wanting to keep the Johnson name on a new northwest Huntsville high school on Pulaski Pike, the school board voted to name the new school for Mae Carol Jemison. A Decatur-born astronaut, Jemison was the first black woman to travel in space.
Johnson supporters "were talked down to (at the school board meeting) as if they were animals," said Showers. "I couldn't believe this was happening in this city."

Former J.O.Johnson assistant band director Reggie Hill said changing the name of a failing school does not address the underlying problems. "Are we really going to fix any issues by simply changing the name of the school?" said Hill.

Michelle Watkins said new and expanding industry will continue to avoid northwest Huntsville as long as there are "substandard" public schools. "A name change does nothing if the stigma remains the same and the resources continue to be focused on other areas," .


Casey Brown, president of the J.O. Johnson Alumni Association, said the school board "actively ignored" the wishes of 1,500 people who signed a petition opposing the name change.
"If we're One Huntsville, how come no one in northwest Huntsville has their vote respected or their word respected?" He then asked where you stood  on the Johnson name change?

And you, Mayor Battle,  said this:

While not addressing the name change directly, Battle said he believes Superintendent Casey Wardynski is attacking the problem of "disparate" schools through better technology and an aggressive student assessment program. Some struggling schools in northwest Huntsville have posted 25 percent gains in reading and math, he said.

Well, I guess it depends on what your definition of attacking the problem of "disparate" schools IS.  If you believe  Wardynksi  is attacking the problem of "disparate" schools by replacing books with laptops/IPads (without parental input), replacing certified teachers with Teach for America Teachers (in north Huntsville Schools), and testing instead of teaching, I have some swamp land in Arizona to sell you.

"We have to have good schools; we have to have schools that are equal," said Battle.

 In order to have good schools, all schools have to be good.  In order to have schools that are equal, all schools have to be treated equally. The J.O. Johnson name change issue is a prime example of separate and unequal treatment.  Case in point, Lee High School.

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Students marched from the current Lee High School to the new one this morning in reaction to a proposal to eliminate the Lee High School name when a newly constructed replacement school opens in the fall.
Superintendent Dr. Casey Wardynski showed up at the protest and talked to the students, convincing them to go back to class and promised no repercussions for the walk-out.
"These young people obviously have an opinion," Wardynski said. "I think the way that young folks express themselves is important, but there is a safer way to do it."
The 250 or so students walked out of the current Lee building at about 8:05 a.m. and around to the front of the new building. They stopped there and started chanting "Lee High School!", "Save Our School!" and "Show your L!"
They went back to class after Wardynski walked into the middle of them and told them he appreciated their opinion and would not punish them for protesting.

Compare and contrast the treatment of Lee High protesters with the treatment of J.O.Johnson protesters.

First, they stacked the agenda with long presentations, and seats were saved for teachers/employees prior to the public being allowed to enter the board room.  Second, citizens were told to write down their questions on cards to be given to the board members and they would decide which ones were to be read or answered.  Citizens were not allowed to ask questions of the BOE.  A handpicked Pastor was "asked" and allowed to speak, however Reverend Mark Johnson, nephew of J.O. Johnson left because the BOE kept changing the rules and he thought he wasn't going to be allowed to speak.

Compare and contrast the outcome of the Lee High School name change controversy with the outcome the J.O.Johnson name change controversy.(Emphasis mine)

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Dr. Casey Wardynski, Huntsville's new superintendent, backtracked on his proposal to change the name of Lee High School Thursday night following a day of protest by students, alumni and parents.
Lee High School students carried signs boasting "General pride" and beseeching the school board to keep the school's name as board members walked into their meeting. It was the second, albeit smaller, protest of the day as students and alumni expressed anger over Wardynski's proposal.
Wardynski was considering a name change in conjunction with moving both Lee and New Century Technology High School students into the new facility.
Initial reports indicated that hundreds of students might converge on the Annie C. Merts Center. The protest outside fizzled to about a dozen students, though parents and students packed into the board room for the meeting.
In the end, Wardynski heeded the opinions of the students -- and the school board -- and announced that the words "Lee High School" would be added back to the new school's facade, where they had been removed earlier in the day. Audience members in the board room and in the hallways of the Merts Center cheered.

So why is Lee allowed to keep it's name after protest but J.O.Johnson is not?  Here's why:

 "There's been any number of councilman and officials call to inform me that I've made a gargantuan mistake," Wardynski said, to applause from the crowd that made him smile. "Thank you for acknowledging my mistake."
Wardynski said that while the objectives of the new school is to increase student achievement and give students a bright future, another objective is to be a good neighbor.

Oh really? A number of council and officials called to inform Wardynski it would be a gargantuan mistake to change Lee High Schools name, but the same council (with the exception of  Showers) and officials are quiet as a mouse when it comes to J.O.Johnson.  Evidently it's not important to a "good neighbor" to ALL anymore.

Mayor Battle, north Huntsville residents voted for you in record numbers both times because you promised there would be One Huntsville. Now don't get me wrong, north Huntsville taxpayers aren't asking for special treatment, nor are we asking city government to take care of us, we are asking for equal treatment because we pay taxes and vote too.  We love the city of Huntsville, but we have to ask, does the city of Huntsville love us?

And no, a meeting to discuss renaming Church street after Rev. Joseph Lowery is not going to appease us, if you can discuss renaming Church Street you can discuss renaming J.O.Johnson High School.  Now if you want to discuss renaming Pulaski Pike or Meridian Street after Rev.Joseph Lowery......

Sincerely,
RedEye

What is Wrong With This Picture? Hint~The young people are protesting about something.

Fist Dap Hans offmyschool

"Those who make the rules get to break the rules"

Superintendent Dr. Casey Wardynski answers questions from the press following Thursday night's Huntsville school board meeting. (The Huntsville Times/Michael Mercier)

Did the Huntsville City Schools Board of Education violate it's own naming policy, and does the local  news media even care?

If get all your news from AL.com, or the local television stations, you are aware of the J.O. Johnson High School closing/renaming controversy, and calls for the resignation of school board representative Laurie McCaulley.  If you've been reading this blog, or The Geek Pavaler's blog, you would know that in their haste to treat the taxpayers of District 1 like second class citizens, the HCS BOE violated it's own naming policy.

Last night the Huntsville City School Board of Education violated their own policy on the Selection of School, Facility, and/or Property Name (Policy 2.9, presented September 5, 2013) by concluding the process and voting on the new names approximately three weeks before they were allowed to do so.
On September 5, 2013, the board met and discussed during their work session a new policy entitled, “Selection of School, Facility, and/or Property Name” (Policy 2.9). This policy was necessary to ensure that the process of receiving new names for schools would be as open to the public as possible. Laurie McCaulley, who was at that time serving as the School Board President, assured the public present that evening that the public would have every opportunity to “have input on these changes.”

Now you would think this would be breaking, front page news, but there's not been a mumbling word about this in the mainstream media. I wonder why?  Usually the news media is all over it when students, principals,  parents , teachers,  coaches,  and  support personnel  violate HCS/ BOE Policies.

I  wonder why the media is silent when the school board violates it's own policy?

Culture of fear of reprisal develops in which teachers, principals, staff, even parents feel afraid to speak up against the policies of the district or the superintendent.

Ballooning of the central office at the same time superintendent makes painful cuts to schools and classrooms.

Superintendent attempts to sidestep labor laws and union contracts.

Superintendent lays off teachers for questionable reasons.

Your school board starts to show signs of Stockholm Syndrome. They vote in lockstep with the superintendent. Apparently lobotomized by periodic “school board retreat/Broad training” sessions headed by someone from Broad, your school board stops listening to parents and starts to treat them as the enemy. (If you still have a school board, that is — Broad ideally prefers no pesky democratically elected representatives to get in the way of their Supt's and agendas.)

 Local newspaper fails to report on much of this.

 Local newspaper never mentions the words “Broad Foundation.”

 Broad and Gates Foundations give money to local public radio stations which in turn become strangely silent about the presence and influence of the Broad and Gates Foundation in your school district.

 “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
― Edmund Burke

Tweet of the Century & Today's Must Read(s) and Weep

Funny how the same Repubs whining about 7 hours on ACA website never had problem with ppl waiting in line 7 hours to VOTE. @FoxNews @cspanwj
— Physguy (@physguy2) October 22, 2013

 Read 'Em and Weep

Hell Naw we ain't fergittn!   The Alabama Secretary of State released it's voter suppression guidelines.

Don't you wish democrats had the nerve to shut down the government until the  Voter ID law was defunded?

Republiklan governors are hurting more people than the Affordable Care Act Website. Warning Rude language.

With  Annoying Dems like Debbie Wassermann Schultz who needs republicans?  Real Democrat Alan Grayson is under fire for telling  the truth.  I mean, really?

Speaking of the Tea Party.... Tea party groups seeks to hide donors under Jim Crow-Era exemptions

What's on your must read list?

An Open Letter to Dr. Mae Carol Jemison~Edited

Dear Dr. Mae Carol Jemison,

It's me, RedEye.  Have your ears been burning lately?  The reason I ask is because you are being talked about 24/7 in the Rocket City.  In case you haven't heard, the Superintendent and the Huntsville City Schools Board of Education, voted to replace the name James Oliver Johnson  with  your name, despite opposition  from the majority of Alumni, parents, students, and the community.  The reason the BOE states for wanting to replace the name  J.O. Johnson with  your good name is because you are well....black  and because JOJ is a so called  "failing" school. In other words, they don't want to fix the problem, they want to slap your good name on it and call it fixed.  Nod.  Nod. Wink.  Wink.

Due to changing demographics, J.O. Johnson High School is predominately African American.  With all due respect to you and your many accomplishments, many consider the actions of the BOE to be a slap in the face to J.O. Johnson and it's proud alumni and an attempt to "pacify us" adding  insult to injury.

Johnson High School is not black or white, it is blue and gold and to connect Johnson High to a certain ethnic background is disrespectful, and it's hurtful to those alumni and current students who are not of the same background. You are alienating us with racial prejudice and segregation. And 100 years from now, when Johnson's ethnic landscape has morphed again, the only thing that will hopefully still be intact is its legacy. Its Alma mater. It's mascot, the mighty Jaguar that has come to symbolize perseverance against all odds in this city and beyond.

I also want you to let you know that in their haste to place your good name on the new school building,  the BOE violated their own naming policy.

Last night the Huntsville City School Board of Education violated their own policy on the Selection of School, Facility, and/or Property Name (Policy 2.9, presented September 5, 2013) by concluding the process and voting on the new names approximately three weeks before they were allowed to do so.
On September 5, 2013, the board met and discussed during their work session a new policy entitled, “Selection of School, Facility, and/or Property Name” (Policy 2.9). This policy was necessary to ensure that the process of receiving new names for schools would be as open to the public as possible. Laurie McCaulley, who was at that time serving as the School Board President, assured the public present that evening that the public would have every opportunity to “have input on these changes.”

 The public did not have every opportunity to "have input on these changes", as a matter of fact, it was the opposite.

The board was receiving political heat over this decision, and they don’t like political heat or pressure. Despite their claims to the contrary, they actually do prefer it when the board room is filled with nothing but employees whom they control.

That was why they held between 10 and 15 seats in a standing room only crowd last night for TFAers. (There are, by the way, only about 50 seats in the room that aren’t always taken by school district employees.)

 That was why they kept the general public waiting outside until 5:15pm.

 That was why they instigated a new policy of requiring all questions from the public during the work session part of the meeting to be submitted in writing (that they then refused to read out loud).

That was why Dr. Robinson decided that it would be a good idea to berate Johnson parents for supposedly caring more about the name of the school rather than the test scores when she said, “My challenge would be to those folks who have been spending a lot of time focused on the name that you might want to put that same focus on the test scores.”

That was why Ms. McCaulley seemed to have such difficulty reading citizens’ questions or putting forth a coherent statement on her position.

That was why Mr. Blair seemed incapable of doing anything other than demand complete silence from a crowd of interested citizens.

That was why Dr. Wardynski asked security to remove the few non-employees who managed to get seats in the room.

Mr. Culbreath’s only contribution was to claim, by holding up a folder that he “had received only a few hours ago,” that he just didn’t understand how anyone could claim that this process had been anything other than transparent.

Only Mr. Birney seemed genuinely concerned about the process that they were pushing through when he shared that Mae Jemison didn’t appreciate her southern heritage by pointing out, “You may have the possibility of Dr. Jemison refusing this as she has publicly declaimed the fact that she was born in the south. She resented that heritage.” Mr. Birney was the lone dissenting voice on this matter last night.

Anyhoo, I just wanted to let you know what was being done in your name, and wondering if you approve?

Your friend,
RedEye

"This isn’t about education; it’s about control"

Dr. Wardynski has gotten better at controlling the school board meetings to suit his own purposes. With a little help from Mr. Blair in shuffling the speakers around, he’s even attempting to control the message coming out of the citizens’ comments section of the board meeting. I suppose having on average two hours to say and push any message that he wants isn’t enough. He needs those few three minute blocks at the end as well.
So it was easy to smirk at my suggestion that it was time for him to resign for what he’s done to our teachers. First, he doesn’t care about them or about parents. This isn’t about education; it’s about control.
And second, he knew he had stacked the deck tonight. And it’s a lot easier to win when you’re playing footsie with the dealer.
Perhaps I didn’t go far enough tonight in my call for his resignation. I should have called for all six of them to step down.~Geek Pavaler

Tweet of the Day and Today's Must Read

RT @RedEyesPage: @TheDaleJackson What do you think about the HSV BOE violating their own policy? // DJ: I think you fools got played, again.
— Dale Jackson (@TheDaleJackson) October 18, 2013

Read all about how they played us for fools again, again, and again.

School Board Violates Their Own Naming Policy

Violating Trust:  Wardynski Abuses Position

Nepotism, Favoritism, and Intimidation to Control Schools

To be continued.

UPDATE! Huntsville City Schools BOE to the taxpayers of District 1, "Your name is Toby", I mean, Mae Jemison

It is official Johnson and Butler will merge and become Mae Jemison High

BREAKING NEWS!  IN THEIR HASTE TO TREAT JOJ SUPPORTERS LIKE SLAVES THE HCS BOE VIOLATED THEIR OWN POLICY.

Last night the Huntsville City School Board of Education violated their own policy on the Selection of School, Facility, and/or Property Name (Policy 2.9, presented September 5, 2013) by concluding the process and voting on the new names approximately three weeks before they were allowed to do so.

You won't read it on al.com,  or see it on TV, but the Huntsville City Schools BOE stooped to a new low last night.   We all knew the fix was in and the BOE  had made up their minds(sic) to rename J.O. Johnson High School. We also learned Butler High School was rezoned from District 5 to District about "7 months ago", still not sure when the board voted to close J.O.Johnson and S.R. Butler, but I wish we had known before they made us sit through two long presentations about how wonderful the schools are.

It was painful to watch democracy, fairness, and justice, die last night. I went to bed last night  and woke up this morning with that same sick feeling I had after the not guilty verdict in the  George Zimmerman trial.

First, they stacked the agenda with long presentations, and seats were saved for teachers/employees prior to the public being allowed to enter the board room.  Second, citizens were told to write down their questions on cards to be given to the board members and they would decide which ones were to be read or answered.  Citizens were not allowed to ask questions of the BOE.  A handpicked Pastor was "asked" and allowed to speak, however Reverend Mark Johnson, nephew of J.O. Johnson left because the BOE kept changing the rules and he thought he wasn't going to be allowed to speak.

BOE member Dr. Jeannie Robinson, who represents Grissom High School, took it upon herself to scold the J.O. Johnson taxpayers about what they should and should not focus on. 

There were dozens of Johnson supporters in attendance, and District 3 Representative Jennie Robinson said if the people who have put a lot of focus opposing the name change of Johnson when it moves to a new building, would put the same effort into all the school's needs, the school would be stronger.
The comment drew snide looks and comments from some of the Johnson supporters.
One woman said, "Why does she got to put her foot in her mouth."

Grissom High School gets to keep it's name after overwhelming public support, J.O.Johnson  High School does not get to keep it's name after overwhelming public support.  Wardynski listened to any number of councilman and officials who called to inform him he was making  a gargantuan mistake regarding Lee High School, but he's ignoring the councilman and officials who call to inform him he's making a gargantuan mistake regarding J.O. Johnson.  Go figure.

Casey you have to break the mold and prove you're not afraid of minorities, democrats, liberals, aclu types and the entire entitlement crowd! Do that, and you'll be doing the job you were hired to do! Oh yeah, not to mention striking down all racial transfers. And that includes allowing not allowing whites to racially transfer either. If you don't like where your child goes to school, move to where they can be zoned into a school of your preference, that's what I had to do!

Mission Accomplished.

BTW, The city will pay the school system $8 million to acquire the current Grissom and Johnson campuses once the new schools are built. Last week, Madison County Commissioner Phil Riddick unveiled plans to turn the old Grissom into a public library, community theater, police precinct and city parks and recreation facility for southeast Huntsville.

The city will acquire the current J.O. Johnson off Winchester Road, which may be converted into a public safety facility and training center for police, firefighters and National Guard members.

Oh, and there are plans to build a new low income housing project on Winchester Road, which student won't be allowed to transfer from because Mae Jemison is not on the failing school list.  

"This city belongs to us, the people. It doesn’t belong to the Huntsville Times. It doesn’t belong to the Huntsville Board of Education. It doesn’t belong to Dr. Wardynski. It belongs to us."  ~Geek Pavaler

Edit~ 'What is done in the dark".....You know the rest. (McCaulley / Wardynski Caught On Tape!)

This is a video/audio of the march to Save J.O. Johnson.  The school board is taking away a community's past in an effort to have them removed from the failing school list. Instead of making changes that would positively affect the students they have decided to simply change the name when the school is rebuilt in 2017....a very temporary solution to a very real problem.

Click and Listen to McCaulley / Wardynski Caught On Tape!

So, the narrative from Radio Boy, via the Huntsville City Schools is  North Huntsville Leaders are pretending this deal to close J.O. Johnson was a backroom deal, not so fast

The narrative from the press is the poor folks in North Huntsville were shocked by decisions to close and rebuild schools, including removing the illustrious name at J.O. Johnson High School…

Casey Brown said the decision to do away with J.O. Johnson High School was made in a “back room” and he is starting a petition today calling for the resignation of Laurie McCaulley, who represents the district on the city school board.
Speaking at a rally and march this morning to support keeping the name J.O. Johnson when a new school is built, Brown said McCaulley should resign because she has not properly represented the people of her district

Wardynski and Company would have you believe North Huntsville Leaders knew Johnson was closing for months, after being approached by a citizens group to have the J.O. Johnson name changed or retired. 

NOT.
Click and listen as School President Laurie  McCaulley admits that she only consulted certain people privately about the name change on facebook. She admits she knew about it as far back as January and didn't inform her constituents.

Click and hear HCS Superintendent Casey Wardynski admit that no citizen's group approached the board in any official capacity to have the Johnson name retired or changed. This means it was only discussed with a few and then acted on. This violates the open meetings act.

 Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the LORD, who do their work in darkness and think, "Who sees us? Who will know?" Isaiah 29:15

"You tell me how you interpret that" ~Laurie McCaulley

Huntsville City Schools  need a lecture on the state's open meetings law. Honesty and public trust should be part of that lesson.

Tweet of the Day

REPUBLICAN official position: Democracy failed. Plantation Life was much better. So let's go back.
— Donn Cole (@DemsChgTheTalk) October 16, 2013

Liar Liar Pants on Fire Dale Jackson!

 

 A crowd of approximately 300 participated in the JOJ March Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013, from Huntsville City Hall to the Annie C. Mertz Center to oppose changing the school's name. (Bob Gathany/bgathany@al.com)

Here he goes again....... Attacking ...African American.... leaders, and elected officials because it looks like the Save Johnson High School Movement is going somewhere, and Mr. Dale Jackson has to find some way to make it about him. Sigh

First Radio Boy attempted to "alert" the "media"  Madison County Commissioner Robert "Bob" Harrison used county Vans to "bus protesters in".  The media ignored him (and rightfully so)  because that was L-I-E. Vans were not used to bus protesters to the march, vans were used to transport elderly and handicapped taxpayers who wanted to participate in the Save J.O. Johnson march from City Hall to the Annie Mertz Center.

This is the latest L-I-E: North Huntsville Leaders are pretending this deal to close J.O. Johnson was a backroom deal, not so fast.

The narrative from the press is the poor folks in North Huntsville were shocked by decisions to close and rebuild schools, including removing the illustrious name at J.O. Johnson High School…

Not so fast Dale!  It's not a "narrative from the press", that's how they treat "poor folks in North Huntsville", and BTW, aren't Y-O-U  The  Press?

Tweet of the Day

"Was It Worth It?": Republicans Are Now Competing With Shingles And Herpes For Popularity  They are a Cancer http://t.co/Dor9BLVV1N @raemd95
— Arthur Pedicini (@ArthurA_P) October 15, 2013

America held hostage by Sore Losers Day 14

Would someone please tell the TeaPublicans and the white, male dominated Talking TeeVee Pundit Heads that President Obama won twice?  It's not just political districts.  Our news is gerrymandered too.

It isn’t just politicians that are feeding their bases, it is the media outlets, as well. The village common — you know, that place where we all meet to discuss our problems, relying on the same set of facts — has shrunk to the size of a postage stamp, surrounded by the huge gated communities of like minds who never venture into the great beyond.

 Case in point

 There is no such law, I am aware who would need to indict Showers but a little MSM media attention would go a long way…

Tweet of the Day

So it upsets you when a poor person buys some Mountain Dew with their #EBT card, but not when a rich person buys your congressman?
— Grand Old Parody (@GrandOldParody1) October 13, 2013

Today's Must Read

Fox Recruited Mob Call For Reversal Of Policy Demanded By Previous Fox-Recruited Mob

H/T Rachael Maddow Fan Page

Psst Senator John McCain! Republicans are humiliating themselves.

"There is a mean spirit on the loose" Day 12

Fist Dap jobsanger via the Los Angeles Times

"Well there's a certain mean spiritness out there, not only in Alabama but in America and that's what makes this election so important."  Senator  Hank Sanders

Remember those words by Alabama State Senator Hank Sanders in response to CNN Talking TeeVee Pundit Head Anderson Cooper's (and others) accusation of a so called "race baiting robo call" made to democratic voters during the Alabama primary?

Well, can you hear him now? Instead of  DEMOCRATS/LIBERALS/PROGRESSIVES  focusing on WHAT was being said , they joined the MEDIA ENABLED, GOP INFUSED, TEAPUBLICANS, and  focus on WHO was saying it.

"We live in a country where health care is a privilege for the wealthy " Senator Bernie Sanders (I.VT)

Need proof?  Look no further than the Lord of Loud promoting the brazen L-I-E that insurance rates are going up in Alabama, based on State Senator Phil Williams ( republican), State Senator Paul Sandford ( republican), and Representative Mike Ball (republican) whining that their insurance rates are going up, and blaming the Affordable Care Act, because they know their base  hates President Obama more than they love themselves. 

I wonder what part of the Affordable Health Care Act is for those who can't afford health insurance don't Williams, Sandford, and Ball understand?   I wonder when their base is going to wake up and realize the people who can afford, and have access to quality, affordable health care don't want them to have the same?

Thanks to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that mandated voluntary participation, 22 states have opted out or are leaning close to opting out of the federal government's Medicaid expansion through the ACA. That means if you make more than 100% of the federal poverty level, you can buy your health insurance coverage through the exchange for a significant discount. If not, you're left to the tender mercies of your state's income thresholds for Medicaid eligibility.
In the Great State of Alabama, the Medicaid income threshold for a family of three is $3,221. Per year. Make more than $3,221 but fall short of the $19,530 required to qualify for Obamacare? You're just about as screwed as the folks stuck in the Medicare Part D "doughnut hole".

And what are some (not to be confused with all) Alabama democrats (and I use that term loosely) doing while the republican mean spirit  is on the lose with a vengeance?  They are fighting Joe Reed like he's  a republican, trying to dilute minority participation in the Alabama Democratic Party under the guise of diversity, because everybody wants to be a minority when it's convenient. But here is the kicker from non other than Left in Alabama's countrycat.

Attempts to stifle dissent and open debate.  Worley took pains to lecture the assembly about "criticizing fellow Democrats."  (it's on the video) According to our new leader, we shouldn't be discussing problems with the party on Facebook or other "technology."  Instead, we should gripe to our spouses.  So I guess family harmony is less important than political lockstep.  
Worley also told the SDEC members that they should be helping to promote the party and recruit candidates because they (members) were the best cheerleaders for the party.  Ok.  She said this with a straight face at a meeting where kicking about 40% of current SDEC members off the committee was an amendment pending on the agenda.

What do you suppose those folks who lost their seats would have said about the party?

That's right, one of the persons who kicked my Ebony Donkey  off Left in Alabama because I dared criticize fellow Democrats , did not follow lockstep with them, and wrote about racism and  classicism,  has the nerve to accuse Acting Democratic Chair Nancy Worley of attempts to stifle dissent and open debate.

Long Sigh

'Economic Treason" Day 10

 

Angry Black Men are destroying our lives?????

 No matter your take on the debate over the shutdown and the debt ceiling, there’s one irrefutable fact: All of the major players in the negotiations are white men. On the right, you’ve got Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), and House Majority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA).

This shutdown isn't about ObamaCare, it's about Obama

I’ve said something for a long time and I will open this piece with it:
The Republican Party DECIDED to commit ECONOMIC TREASON against this country beginning January 20, 2009.
The very night of Barack Obama’s inauguration, a group of GOP leaders met, and decided, in the midst of the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression that they only would not work with this President to try and fix the economy, but that they would actively work against ANYTHING that he brought forth.

Tell the truth and shame the Devil.

Tweet of the Day & Today's Must Read

Live from the WH: Well, at least the four of them have the grace to hang their heads in shame.... pic.twitter.com/r8JZvejmSD
— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) October 8, 2013

Today's Must Read (Warning language)
Dear Republicans

F#^k you. No, I'm not joking. I'm sick of this bull#hit.

  I'm sick of the way you've made the populace stupid. Around a fifth of your populace thinks the sun orbits the earth, over half think evolution never happened. Your populace actually believe the media has a liberal bias. Not because it has, you have the most conservative media in the free world, but because you've shouted it so loud and so often that you've brainwashed the public into believing it, like the battered wife who parrots her husband's insults. You've got a whole segment of the populace shouting about socialism and fascism and none of them know what the f#^king words mean. You've convinced them that fascism is a left-wing thing. You've got them so turned around that some of them actually believe global warming isn't happening. F#^k you.

My sentiments exactly!

Call it Satire and go back to sleep

Here we go again.  Another radio haox gone bad.

 A stunt leading into a new format for URBan Radio’s CHR “Star 94” 94.9 WMSR Collinwood, TN/Muscle Shoals, AL has somehow escalated into local law enforcement placing extra security at area schools.
On Monday, WMSR began airing drops from “two aliens” planning on taking over the station later this week. At 9am this morning the station began stunting with a different micro-format every hour which included the aliens commentary on the music. The new format is expected to launch on Friday.
Somehow some of the early drops from the aliens led to listeners to believe that the 9am takeover today were going to lead to bombings at area schools. Despite warnings from local police that it was just a programming stunt, local towns placed extra police officers at schools to placate those who thought the threat was real.

 Alabama Residents Panic After Radio Station's Joke Alien Invasion

When it comes to media, the line between truth and fiction is sometimes hazier than the Milky Way. Just ask Star 94.9, the Alabama radio station that aired a mock warning of an extra-terrestrial invasion on Aug. 27 and subsequently sent the town of Tuscumbia into a spiral of panic about an impending bomb attack.

Apparently, the broadcast, which included an alien reading Goodnight Moon, spiraled into an elaborate rumor of a bomb threat at a local school.

Sorry, but I'm not laughing.  The line between truth and fiction is not hazier than the Milky Way and the public airways shouldn't be used to promote lies and scare people in this hypersensitive post 9/11 world.  The power of the press is awesome, and in this case awful.

Favorite Comments:

Alabama will soon ask congress for border patrol in the sky.

 The stupidity lurking down there just gets creepier...the gene pool down there must surely be shallow.

 "Ain't nobody touching my sheep but me..." (Racks shotgun) ~ Alabama'(ns?)

Oh well, at least Alabama is # 1 in football.  Sigh

America on Cruz Control Day 7

The GOP infused, media enabled, Tea Party has been planning the government shutdown since last year.  They knew they could count on the Suckers from the Gerrymandered districts to waive their right to have access to quality, affordable, healthcare, while waiving their Confederate Flags.  Republicans take Soreloserdom to a different level.  I wish the democrats had closed down the government until all the votes in Florida were counted in 2001.

Today's Must Read

The "Welfare Queen", The "Homeless by Choice" Reagan's Toxic Legacy

You remember the Welfare Queen, don't you? The welfare queen stereotype (circa 1976) is a picture that some whites still have in their heads about black women.
The Welfare Queen lived very comfortably (after all, she had 35 different IDs and 35 monthly checks from welfare, plus child support), and raised her many children without a husband or partner.  All of the children had different fathers.  The pervasive stereotype was that black women are unwilling to work, unwilling to control our insatiable sexual appetites, and unwilling to better ourselves (because the world, or the federal government to be precise, owes us a living). 

“You and other journalists have a real shortcoming in that you are trying so hard to be fair that you are unfair,” Reid said. “Democrats have had almost nothing to do with the problems here. It’s all Republicans.”

You think?