Twitter

Friday, November 28, 2014

Thursday, November 27, 2014

It's Not a Happy Thanksgiving in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave



There is not a lot to be happy (not to be confused with grateful) about this Thanksgiving.  In case you've been living under a rock the United States of America looks like Syria, or some other place in the Middle East in need of some Free Dumb and Democracy quick, fast and in a hurry.  African Americans are under attack in the USA.  I can't confirm, but I suspect this is a black, I mean back lash because we dared exercise our civic duty and elect an African American President not once, but twice.  I know you are mad we have a black President, but please don't take it out on us.  If I had known white America was going to go this crazy I would have voted for Hillary.  

I don't know why white America is mad because we have an African American President, he's done more for them than he has black folks.  I kind of figured black folks were going to get screwed when candidate Obama threw his long time pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, under the bus so white folks would vote for him.  

My second clue was when President Obama backed down from saying a Boston policeman acted stupidly when they arrested Dr. Henry Louis Gates in his own damn house for being uppity. 

My third clue was when the white, male dominated media made him distance himself for Attorney Eric Holder's "America is a nation of cowards when it comes to discussing matter of race" statement during a Black History Month program at the Justice Department of all places

I could go on and on about my disappointment and disillusionment in America's first half black President, but that's not the topic I want to write about today.  I want to write about Ferguson Burning.
Ferguson burned. The police protected the White side of town while allowing businesses on the Black side to be robbed and burned. At least 12 buildings were on fire. Most protesters, though, were peaceful. At two in the morning the police held a press conference. They blamed protesters for tearing apart “the fabric of the community”.
Now you won't hear about this in the white, male dominated mainstream US  media, because it doesn't fit the media driven racial stereotype of "violent protest" out of control black brutes, angry because they can't have their way, but Mike Brown's fathers church was burned to the ground.
A Ferguson, Mo., church gutted by fire on Monday was targeted by white supremacists because the pastor had publicly called for Police Officer Darren Wilson to be arrested, Rev. Carlton Lee alleged in an interview.
Flood Christian Church was one of more than a dozen buildings and businesses damaged by arsonists in the St. Louis suburb overnight after a grand jury chose not to indict Wilson in the shooting death of a black teen.
Lee was an ever-present fixture next to Michael Brown Sr. in the months after his son, Michael Brown Jr., was killed in a violent confrontation with Wilson on Aug. 9. The elder Brown was even baptized at the church on Sunday.
 Let me put this black folks can't demand equal rights because of black on black crime meme to rest once and for all.  Black folks don't march when black folks kill each other for the same reason white folks don't march when white folks kill each other.  Black folks do not commit the most crimes because they are black, black folks are convicted of committing the most crimes because they are black.
What is wrong with this argument:
  1. It is a deflection. The people who make it do not truly care about black-on-black crime.
  2. It creates a false choice: Most who are truly concerned with black-on-black crime were upset about the Zimmerman case too.
  3. It allows the white press to determine reality, which makes it seem like Zimmerman is an exception while no one is doing anything about black-on-black crime. As it turns out, on average there is a Zimmerman-style shooting (armed security person or vigilante killing an unarmed black person) once every 28 hours. Trayvon Martin is just what made the papers. His case is hardly the worst nor the only one to get protests. Likewise, there is plenty being done about black-on-black crime, like by the Nation of Islam, but the white press is not particularly interested in reporting that either. Even worse, the white press turns a blind eye to the bad policing that leads to a high black crime rate. Yet, somehow, it always seems to find time to show black male suspects on the 11 o’clock news.
  4. Crime is mostly intra-racial. That means there will always be way more black-on-black crime than white-on-black crime. While it is true that 94% of black murders are black-on-black, it is just as true that 86% of white murders are white-on-white. In fact, most crime in America is white-on-white – yet for every web page that mentions “white-on-white crime”, there are 25 that mention “black-on-black crime”.
  5. It makes the worth of black life conditional. Conditional on good behaviour, like low crime rates. Once blacks get black-on-black crime under control, then they can act as if their lives matter, then they can act as if they should have justice, then they can act as if they are human beings with human rights. Meanwhile the worth of white life is taken seriously, as absolute, as not being conditional. Compare Nicole Simpson to Trayvon Martin:
    • No one belittled the killing of Nicole Simpson by quoting white crime statistics, saying “white people kill each other all the time, what’s the big deal?”
    • No one deflected by talking about white parenting or violence in white films.
    • No one made Nicole Simpson posters for target practice.
    • No one pretended to be a dead Nicole Simpson for laughs.
    • No one questioned Nicole Simpson’s character – or her choice in clothing.
Ferguson is right to resist by any means and all means necessary.   We shall not remain calm while we're being attacked.  We shall Overcome.....

We didn't land on Plymouth Rock Plymouth Rock landed on us.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

#FergusonDecison: Truth Spoken Here, Watch it and Weep


"In post racial America it has come to this"

H/T TimesFreePress.com

 "In many ways Ferguson meets the prototypical structure of a southern plantation"

Serious Question
Look, I am not going to pretend that this is some kind of new development, but can anyone seriously say that black people don't have every right to be terrified of letting their kids out of their sight? When their children can be murdered with absolute impunity by our law enforcement officers, that sends a message that cannot be understood by non-black people. It cannot be understood because it isn't felt.
I suspect that even our president, our First Lady, and our Attorney General are terrified.
Why wouldn't they be?
Read for yourself what Darren Wilson told the grand jury.  It reads just like the right wing talking points you've been reading in the comment section on this blog.

No indictment of Darren Wilson means the system has failed us again, and President Obama wants us to remain calm?

Oh, OK. 

RedEye over and out..... for now.

Monday, November 24, 2014

Michael Eric Dyson exposes Giuliani: It’s ‘the defense mechanism of white supremacy in your mind’

We owe a debt of gratitude to Rudy Giuliani, who the main stream media dubbed America's Mayor because he happened to be the mayor of New York  on 9/11,  for decoding the code words behind Governor Nixon's decision to declare a pre-emptive state of emergency in #Ferguson.
The decision by Governor Jay Nixon (D-MO) to declare a state of emergency in his state ahead of the grand jury decision in the killing of Michael Brown has been a hot topic this week, and resulted in a very clarifying moment on NBC’s Meet The Press Sunday morning. In discussing cities with disproportionately white police forces, giuliani decided to change the subject to, what else, so-called “black-on-black crime,” a favorite hobby horse of police apologists, but one which is usually played for concern-trolling effect. Not this time.
Giuliani brought up the statistic that 93% of black homicide victims are killed by black people, and wondered why this doesn’t sufficiently distract people from caring when cops kill unarmed black people. “I would like to see the attention paid to that that you are paying to this, and the solutions so to that,” Giuliani said.
Yeah, let's talk about black on black crime every time a white police officers kills unarmed black people so we won't have to talk about why white police officers kill unarmed black people!
To Giuliani and his ilk, black people aren’t being killed by criminals, they are killing each other, so the cops aren’t there to protect black people, they are there to pacify a population that is killing each other.
There's just one little problem with this ahem theory,  according to statistics, white people are killing each other too, and most mass murders are privileged white males.  
Well, what do you know. So, do white people also need to “stop killing each other,” too? For Whatever Reason™, people like Giuliani look at those stats and see black people as the threat, but not white people. The unfortunate thing is that it is becoming ever more acceptable to share this view in polite company.
Thank you Rudy Giuliani for decoding the code words, and for illustrating the absurdity of the police mindset that has them “reasonably suspecting” nine innocent black men out of every ten, for example, or gunning them down for holding toys.

Sunday, November 23, 2014

#Ferguson Sunday

Watch Bassem Mari destroy CNN's resident Right Winger Michael Smerconish as he tries to defend the execution of Mike Brown by advancing right wing talking points.
Now is the time for state and federal officials to keep protesters safe from police violence. If you agree with Baeem Masri's powerful words take action and urge Gov. Nixon to secure a special prosecutor before it's too late. NixonJustice.org
And take a moment to also demand President Barack Obama and A.G. Holder do everything in their power to keep protesters safe from police violence post grand jury decision: http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/mikebrownpresobama/…

The Ferguson Grand Jury will reconvene on Monday
The timing of the decision remains unclear, even after Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency about a week ago, fueling speculation that a decision was imminent. But the decision could be delayed until the January 7 deadline, reports say.
I wonder what is taking so long?  Here is my theory (not to be confused with facts), either the grand jury is afraid to indict and afraid not to indict, or, there are holdouts for an indictment.  Which is why this case never should have gone before a grand jury in the first place.  

NO SPECIFIC CHARGE
It's fairly common in Missouri for a prosecutor to first file a complaint charging an individual with a crime, then go later to a grand jury asking it to indict the person for that offense. In this case, St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch hasn't publicly suggested any particular charge against Wilson.
The media is stoking the flames of black violence if the grand jury doesn't indict Darren Wilson, with the false narrative black folks are going to riot if they don't get their way because that's just what they do.  It's not about getting our way, it's about justice, on in this case injustice.





RedEye tiptoeing away from the computer to go pray for justice.

Saturday, November 22, 2014

#Ferguson: "These people want a lynching"




Fox Nation Readers Want to Kill Ferguson Protestors
Fox Nation editor and O’Reilly Factor producer Jesse Watters has some ‘splaining to do about the racist, murderous comments we found on Fox Nation about Ferguson protesters. And then tell us again about how black people complaining about racism is “old, tired rhetoric.”
Aria found 42 extremely disturbing comments earlier this week. 
Some were on this thread with the inflammatory title, "Rep. John Lewis Calls for 'Massive, Non-Violent Protests' Nationwide if Wilson Isn't Indicted." This is the same John Lewis that Bill O'Reilly and Bernard Goldberg recently chided for being too civil rights-y.

Psst President Obama, protestors aren't the ones using Ferguson as an excuse for violence, Sir.  
The protests have been peaceful and the fact is civilians aren't the ones perched atop armored vehicles with military rifles, clad in riot gear firing rubber coated bullets and making violent arrests -- that's law enforcement.
If you believe that federal officials must protect peaceful protestors from local, county and state law enforcement then take action and demand that President Barack Obama and A.G. Eric Holder do everything in their power to keep peaceful protesters safe from a militarized crackdown following the indictment decision: http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/mikebrownpresobama/
And so we wait to see if The United States of America is the the land of the free and the home of the brave, or the land of the suppressed and the oppressed.

Friday, November 21, 2014

If #DarrenWilson is not Indicted what are black Americans NOT going to do?





As the world waits for the secret grand jury decision whether to indict (or not) Darren Wilson for shooting and killing Mike Brown, elected officials and police are calling for peace as they prepare for violence.  In all the pleas for peace in Ferguson, I've not heard one plea for justice.

People we seem to have lost the thread of what Ferguson is all about
-- the reasons this story has stirred the passions of millions of Americans. The so-called leaders of St. Louis County, the scene of the crime, have spent most of the last two months focused on these three things. 1) Stocking up, and I mean stocking up big-time, on the latest state-of-the-art riot control equipment, to the tune of at least $100,000. 2) Amassing a civilian army of 1,000 police, who've received, in total, at least 5,000 hours (costing God only knows what) of training in battling civil unrest, etc. and 3) Constructing an artificial, bogus narrative that will keep the focus on the possibility of violent protest (something there's actually been very little of over the last three months) and away from any culpability for the reckless actions of Darren Wilson...or the separate and unequal society that Wilson's department props up.
Black people are not the ones stockpiling weapons and making threats, however, if Darren Wilson is not indicted don't expect us to say Oh OK, go back to sleep, and wait for the next Mike Brown to happen. No, we are going to protest our outrage in the non-violent, peaceful tradition of the Civil Rights movement.

We are black, but that doesn't mean we are stupid enough to think we can prevail against government-issued, taxpayer-funded, weapons of mass destruction.  Nor are we crazed, out of control savages seeking revenge against our oppressors because of Obama.  All we've ever asked for is justice

Know Justice
Know Peace
No Justice
No Peace
There will be no peace until there is justice.  This is not a threat of violence, this is a promise we will march on until victory is won.

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Who is preparing for violence in #Ferguson Governor Nixon?


# Ferguson: A Racial State of Emergency in America

Sara (L) and Dennis Happel shop for a gun at Metro Shooting Supplies on November 12, 2014 in Bridgeton, Missouri.  (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Sara (L) and Dennis Happel shop for a gun at Metro Shooting Supplies on November 12, 2014 in Bridgeton, Missouri. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
What do you want to bet if this were a photo Bertha (L) and Bubba Washington shopping for a gun in Ferguson, Missouri they wouldn't make it out of the store alive?

The picture above is a direct result of the fear mongering  promoted by government officials as fearful residents await a grand jury's decision on whether to indict #Darren Wilson, the white police officer who fatally shot unarmed black teen, #MikeBrown.

 Between shoot-to-kill police, the KKK,  and trigger-happy vigilantes (see picture above), and a militarized police force,  unarmed people, and sympathetic, peaceful, protesters are sitting ducks! Then, once they're murdered, all the killers have to say is, "I feared for my life!"
 We hold our breaths. We wait for the explosion. Of police weapons – of their tear gas canisters, their stinging rubber bullets, their hundreds of thousands of dollars of new artillery, that will be brought out to intimidate citizens. We wait, reminded that we are unprepared, because one can never prepare to accept violence to our personhood.
Government officials are talking about protecting citizens and businesses from angry black folks, but who is going to protect angry black folks from angry, armed to the teeth white folks with government issued, taxpayer funded, weapons of mass destruction at their disposal?  Ain't black folks citizens too?  Don't black folks  have the right to protest without white folks arming up like they are getting ready to put down a slave revolt?  I'm beginning to think they really do hate us for our freedoms.
"I am fighting so that we have the luxury of simply living".

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

All #Ferguson All the Time


Watch this amazing video that truly captures what #Ferguson is about.  Fist Dap to Molly Crabapple,  an artist and writer living in New York.



Read this passionate Open Letter to the People of #Ferguson

 protes

 Stop the Media's reckless provocation of violence in Ferguson.


NEWS: As the nation patiently waits to hear whether a Missouri grand jury will indict #Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson for killing #MikeBrown 102 days ago, the FBI is warning law enforcement agencies across the country that the "decision “will likely” lead some protesters to threaten and even attack police officers or federal agents."

This type of dangerous and inaccurate narrative only serves to criminalize the victim and peaceful protestors and fails to acknowledge a longstanding crisis of violent policing. The fact is; it's not civilians that are clad in riot gear, firing rubber-coated bullets, launching flash grenades and perched on top of armored trucks with military style rifles, making unjust arrests and leaving hundreds injured -- it's law enforcement. 


You won't see this on TeeVee because it doesn't fit the false narrative.  KKK Threatens Liberal Blogger for reporting on Anonymous unmasking of Hate Group
Willis says she will not let a threat from small-minded racists to dissuade or intimidate her, though. "Here is how this works. I'm not stopping anything that I do, ever. I am going to get up every day for the rest of my life and do what I think is right - just as I have every single day prior to this one," she wrote. "Threaten me and you're just going to make me even more determined. Please understand that I'm one of those crazy liberal b*tches who is willing to die for what she believes in. Do you really think an anonymous threat is going to deter me?"
Gov. Nixon's Pre-Emptive Strike threatens to stir up tensions:
 Hands Up United organizer Tory Russell noted on Twitter that Nixon does not have the authority to declare a preemptive state of emergency, as Missouri law mandates that a disaster of "major proportions" must have actually taken place before such a declaration can be made. Russell quoted a state General Assembly statute that reads, "The existence of an emergency may be proclaimed by the governor or by resolution of the legislature, if the governor in his proclamation, or the legislature in its resolution, finds that a natural or man-made disaster of major proportions has actually occurred within this state[.]"
Psst!  Governor Nixon! This is what a state of emergency looks like.

Black on Black crime my Donkey.

Monday, November 17, 2014

#FergusonSpeaks

You won't see this on TeeVee.

Ferguson Speaks: A Communique From Ferguson from FitzGibbon Media on Vimeo.

In Ferguson, Tactics Set for Grand Jury Decision in Michael Brown Case
Now, with the grand jury’s decision expected in the coming days, the groups are preparing with intricate precision to protest the no-indictment vote most consider inevitable. Organizers are outlining “rules of engagement” for dealing with the police, circulating long lists of equipment, including bandages and shatterproof goggles, and establishing “safe spaces” where protesters can escape the cold — or the tear gas.
And they want us to sing God Bless America?
And the United States of America government, when it came to treating her citizens of Indian descent fairly, she failed. She put them on reservations. When it came to treating her citizens of Japanese descent fairly, she failed. She put them in internment prison camps. When it came to treating her citizens of African descent fairly, America failed. She put them in chains, the government put them on slave quarters, put them on auction blocks, put them in cotton field, put them in inferior schools, put them in substandard housing, put them in scientific experiments, put them in the lowest paying jobs, put them outside the equal protection of the law, kept them out of their racist bastions of higher education and locked them into positions of hopelessness and helplessness. The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing "God Bless America". No, no, no, not God Bless America. God damn America — that's in the Bible — for killing innocent people. God damn America, for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America, as long as she tries to act like she is God, and she is supreme. The United States government has failed the vast majority of her citizens of African descent.
No.  No.  And NO!

"Protestors, Rioters, and Looters" code for Black folks exercising their 1st Amendment Rights in "My Country Tis of Thee"

140813_POL_FergusonCops2
It's dangerous and wrong to treat Ferguson MO as a warzone
As the world braces for the secret grand jury decision in #Ferguson, area police, homeland security, and the National Guard stand ready to rock and roll out their government issued, taxpayer funded, Weapons of Mass Destruction, on protestors  if  the grand jury decides not to indict  officer Darren Wilson , for the execution of #MikeBrown, in the middle of the street, for the crime of jaywalking/ talking back while black.

For some reason African Americans are supposed to accept the decision of the secret grand jury without question.
 Even as verdict after verdict continues to excuse White authority figures of their wrongdoing, the Black community is expected to understand that police officers have a very hard job. The Black community is expected to understand that approximately 150 police officers are killed in the line of duty each year, the Black community is expected to understand that police officers are human too, the Black community is expected to understand that police officers are just doing their job and the Black community is expected to understand that even if a police officer is in the wrong, you are supposed to remain submissive and never talk back.
For some reason when African Americans peacefully assemble to voice their outrage, or, to plead for justice, it's called a riot.
  During questioning, she referred multiple times to "riots" in Sanford after Trayvon Martin was killed. "I knew there was rioting, but I guess [the authorities] had it pretty well organized," she says at one point. In fact, despite a great deal of salivating anticipation by the media both before and after the trial, there were no riots in Sanford, Florida.
I believe the reason is rooted in what is known as Slave Codes ,  laws in each U.S. state, which defined the status of slaves and the rights of masters. These codes gave slave-owners absolute power over the enslaved.  For example, the Alabama Slavery Code of 1833 made it illegal for more than five male slaves, with or without passes, to assemble at any place off the proper plantation to which they belong, and if any slaves do assemble together, the same shall be deemed unlawful assembly.

Protestors are being warned by the Governor, a United States Senator, the local District Attorney,  and ironically,  the Klu Klux Klan, violence will not be tolerated (excuse me while I laugh out loud).

Terrified whites are arming themselves, prepared to protect their lives and property from the looters and rioters masquerading as peaceful protestors.   There's just one problem with this scenario, how are they going to differentiate the peaceful protestors from the looters and rioters when they all look alike?  It seems like they are preparing to put down a slave rebellion to me.

I HOPE and pray our government isn't allowed to treat peaceful protestors like "rioters and looters" again.

I HOPE and pray America lives up to it's promise of liberty and justice for ALL.

I HOPE and pray for justice, peace, and reconciliation in the Sweet land of liberty.

#BlackLivesMatter

Friday, November 14, 2014

Countdown Complete! It's RedEye's 5th Blog-O-Versary!


Real life responsibilities interfered with my my blogging life yesterday and I couldn't squeeze the time to post a diary celebrating my 5th Blog-O-Versary.  Better late than never!

Eye consider November 13th, 2009 the anniversary of RedEye's Blog because that was the day my front page privileges were revoked because of the content of my comments and other posts.tone of my post and some of my comments.  Translation: The content of you comments and other post made us uncomfortable.

After my front page privileges were revoked at LIA I saw the writing on the wall, and Eye knew it was only a matter of time before Eye was banned for life.  Prior to my front page privileges being revoked Eye was constantly being advised how to write, what to write, and finally informed if Eye wanted freedom of  speech  Eye should start my own blog, which Eye did, on January 17th 2010.  My debut post was RedEye's Random Thoughts.

Eye said then, and Eye say now, I am eternally grateful to LIA founder Mooncat for inviting me to be a contributor at Left in Alabama, and for encouraging me to blog. Although our association has ended, my gratitude and  sincere appreciation has not.  Eye HOPE to continue to be a voice for the voiceless.  Eye strive everyday to be the media Eye wish we had instead of the media we have.

So here we are guys and gals,  320,554 page views,  3243 comments, and 5 years later. Looking back over this blog,  Eye can honestly say, the more things change, the more they don't.

Why are we talking about the same issues in 2014 that we were talking about in 2010?

Eye submit it's because the white male dominated media are cowards when it comes to discussing issues of race.

What say you?

Thank you for another year of reading, lurking and commenting.  Your continued support is humbling.
RedEye

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

RedEye's Re-Post Countdown to my 5th Blog-O-Versary #4


As the date of my Blog-O-Versary draws nearer I'm finding it harder and harder to decide which of content of my many post, or the tone of some of my comments actually got me kicked off the front pages of Left in Alabama, and eventually banned for life, but I think it's fair to say Hollering Anti Semitism Edited , posted on June 16, 2009 kinda got the ball rolling...

Redeye's Post Election Blogstroll  posted on November 4, 2009, 9 days before my front page privileges were suspended was probably one of the nails in the coffin....
 Pay attention all you candidates out there who pander to the right wing/conservative/moderate white crowd at the expense of your baseGive us a reason to vote for you or we'll stay our Donkeys' at home.
It's like Deja Voodoo All Over Again. 

Remember, Support our Troops on Veterans Day and Everyday.

Eye report, you decide.

Monday, November 10, 2014

Joe Reed is right (pun intended), the opposition to Obama is rooted in racism

TEACHERS TO SUE
Joe Reed, long time vice chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party


"I know I'm right. All you have to do is look at all those ads the Republicans ran, not against the Alabama Democrat running against them, but against Obama. Hell! They mentioned him so often that I expected to see his name on the ballot Tuesday."
I know Joe Reed is right too.  All you have to do is read the comments following the articles written and posted by Charles Deen on al.com for verification and validation.

Let's recap.
After (not to be confused with before) the midterm elections, Charles Deen asked the most hated black man in Alabama, I mean, Joe Reed, why whites (including white democrats) voted against their self interest, and against Obama.  Joe Reed is quoted as saying this:
  "Too many whites in Alabama are motivated to vote against Obama because he is black. Now they will tell you it's because he's liberal but he's really not liberal in my view. But he sure as hell is black," added Reed, 76.
Gasp!  What did he say that for?  How dare Joe Reed tell the truth!
 "White voters, especially the middle class and poor white voters should be the very ones demanding a lottery to help pay their kids college costs and expanding Medicaid to help pay health care costs. And what did they do in the governor's race? They voted against those things by voting for Gov. Bentley who will nothing to get a lottery and who has said he's opposed to expanding Medicaid."
Reed is also quoted as saying the state democratic party shares the blame for Tuesday's debacle, and I agree.  Instead of petty bickering and infighting, and distancing themselves from Joe Reed and his bunch, the Alabama Democratic Party should have circled the wagons and formed a unified front against the republican extremism and bigotry (yes I said it) that "won" on Tuesday.

I saw the writing on the wall when the Alabama Democratic Majority was formed.
The Alabama Democratic Majority was formed because the Alabama Democratic Party is seen as the party of black citizens (like that's a bad thing,) and it drove white men out in droves.  I remember being at a local Democratic County Meeting where the topic was how to get white men to come back to the democratic party.  I said then, and I say now, the only way to get  white men to come back is for the Alabama Democratic Party to turn it's back on it's core principals and beliefs.  In other words, turn into the Alabama Republican party.
Democrats "lost" because the red, republican, confederate, slave states have way too much power and influence.
Own it.
All of it.

Friday, November 7, 2014

Why did Huntsville City Schools pay a former FBI agent to spy on black students? Because they could?


Huntsville, Alabama School Board
  #hsvboe members Elisa Ferrell and Walker McGinnis, Laurie McCaulley, Superintendent Casey Wardynksi

Alabama media group state enterprise reporter Challen Stephens investigative reporting of the Huntsville City Schools SAFe program garnered national attention.  Although they were tardy to the party, the story was eventually picked up by mainstream blogsprint media, and television. Oh the shame of it all!

So how does Huntsville City Schools respond?  The newly installed President of the board, who didn't know nothing before she knew something, announces they cutting the security consultant services from the budget and will operate the program internally with the district's security team headed by Al Lankford, the system's chief security officer.   Nod Nod Wink Wink

Uh, how do you cut services from the budget that were never in the budget?  And is this the same district security team whose budget was just slashed and work force reduced?  Is this the same chief security officer who thought he was talking to the NSA (National Security Agency)?  Oh, OK

Now, let's separate fact from spin.

HCS is NOT ending the program.

They have NOT answered any questions about the origins of the program.

We still do not know who authorized the expenditure $157,190 for Mr. McRae.

We still do not know exactly how the $2,295,608.00 that we've paid T&W Operations since 2013 has been spent since only about half of that was approved by the board.

They are attempting to sweep this under the rug in the hopes that the public will forget.
 A better question, perhaps, is whether Alabama — land of the fiscal conservatives — should be spending $110 an hour looking for kids bragging about their pot-smoking exploits online. At the very least, they should've funneled a little more cash into designing that logo.
We must laugh to keep from crying.

Thursday, November 6, 2014

#TBT Re-post countdown to my 5th Blog-O-Versary #3


Here is installment 3 in my series of post leading up to the 5th anniversary of my being banned for life from Left in Alabama.  Today's re-post comes on the heels of Artur Davis' failed bid to become the first African American Governor of Sweet Home Alabama.  I thought about this post because it shows the pain the Cats and other Critters felt because black voters didn't fall for the Okey Doke and vote for Davis out of "racial pride".  They falsely assumed blacks voted for President Obama, who they tried to portray Artur Davis as his second coming, because of the color of his skin.  When I tried to tell them black voters don't vote based on the color of a candidates skin, we vote based on the content of their agenda/platform, I was banned.

Anyhoo, first read Artur Davis -Anatomy of a Loss (be sure and read the content of some of the comments), then read,  Back Away from the Catnip.

Para quoting Dr. Joe Reed (fellow enemy of the Cats and Critters at Left in Alabama for not being a Davis supporter);

Instead of applauding Senator Hank Sanders for applying the same standards to a black candidate as a white candidate, and judging candidates based upon the content of their character and not the color of their skin, your post condemned him as though he had some obligation to support Davis. Senator Hank Sanders is decried as a "power broker" because he endorsed Ron Sparks, but check out the Left in Alabama endorsements complete with color pictures and numerous post to extol the virtues of Artur Davis. Does that make Left in Alabama a "power broker" too?
Eye Report.  You Decide.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

"The Murican people have decided" the South shall rise again! Yee Haw!

It is all still about race: Obama hatred, the South and the truth about GOP wins
Credit: AP/Dave Martin

Before I type another world let me say republicans could not have gained control of the Senate without the help of democrats who would rather lose than support a black man, or black people.  As a matter of fact, that's kinda how we got into this mess in the first place.  Remember when the Congressional Black Caucus tried in vain to contest the 2000 election results and not one white Senator would support them?  I'm just saying...

Black folks were made to believe if they got out and voted in massive numbers like they did in 2008 and 2010, they could save the Senate.  But it was a set up.  Between gerrymandering, court sanctioned voter suppression, and Citizens United, black voters didn't stand a chance of saving the Senate.  Black voters were being set up to take the blame.  But that dog won't hunt.

It's not black voters fault white voters can't stand the idea of an African American male being President of the United States of America.  The only African Americans republicans like are republican African Americans.

The person who could have saved the Senate is soon to be Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D.NV) who could have pulled the nuclear trigger on the filibuster, putting an end to the organized GOP obstruction, but that would have been too much like right.  Pun intended.

We have to give the white, male dominated media their props too.  Thanks to the dark (pun intended) money, republicans were able to fund an effective, methodical, truth-be-damned 24/7 media blitzThe public airways were filled with republicans, unfair and unbalanced, distorting what we decide, with all spin all the time.

So now that the Suckers have spoken, what are they going to do?

Are they going to start impeachment proceedings, or are they going to dismantle the Affordable Health Care Act?

Are they going to send our troops and treasure to war to spread freedom and democracy to the Middle East?

Are they going to shut down the IRS, the Department of Education, and the Energy Department?

Are they going to send all them there illegals back to Mexico?

Are they going to bring back Slavery?

Are they going to take away a woman's right to have a safe legal abortion?

Are they going to privatize social security?

Are they going to ship jobs overseas?

Are they going to let the banks fail and the stock market crash?

Or, are they going to work with the man and the party they ran against and govern?

Time will tell the truth.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014