Redeye's Front Page

Criminologist Works to End Racist Prison System

2012-02-13T11:55:00.000-08:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The failed war on drugs feeds a prison system built on racism, but how can it be ended? Now, conservatives, tea partiers, occupiers, unions, the church and influential people like Russell Simmons and former NAACP director Ben Chavis join together in support of Criminologist David Kennedy's work. He authored of "Don’t Shoot: One Man, A Street Fellowship, and the End of Violence in Inner-City America."

Anyone who is concerned about democracy and freedom should be concerned about the legal lynching of former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman

2012-02-13T09:42:00.000-08:00

The definition of lynching in the unlawful hanging of a person by mob action. Historically the term is most commonly applied to racist violence in the post-Civil War American south. It is the worst kept secret in that Alabama democrats, with a few republicans thrown in for flavor, are being legally lynched by the republican controlled InJustice Department, under the guise of cleaning up democratic corruption and restoring faith in state government.

The case of former Governor Don Siegelman and others, defines what those of us who live in the post-Civil War South call a legal lynching. The unlawful conviction of democrats for political gain.

This is one of those "we tried to tell some of y'all" moments. George Will, Of All People Stands up for Justice in the Don Siegelman case.

Who could have imagined that George Will would prove to be more progressive than Barack Obama on fundamental matters of justice?
Will, probably the nation's foremost conservative columnist, writes in his most recent piece that the U.S. Supreme Court should review the convictions of former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman and codefendant Richard Scrushy to ensure that overzealous prosecutors are not criminalizing standard political behavior.

Today's Must Reads
Quid Pro NO
I believe you and I have different definitions of racism, black Jefferson County Legislators
A Back of the Bus Idea

RIP, Whitney

2012-02-12T20:16:00.000-08:00

If it's Sunday it's time to Meet the Pest!

2012-02-12T07:22:00.000-08:00

Also known as, the complete opposite of the Sunday Talking TeeVee Pundit Heads telling us what they want us to know, instead of telling us what we need to know. ~RedEye

Sunday Reading List with commentary

O-M-G! Run for cover!!! Pigs are flying!!! Conservative Pundit Head George Will is defending former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman (D), against allegations of bribery, versus former Alabama Congress Critter Artur Davis (DINO), who says Governor Siegelman should just give up on a new hearing. I can only shake my head.

The coverage of Whitney Houston's death is already annoying me immensely too.

What's that you say? White Supremacist showcased at CPAC Conservative Conference? I am shocked! Shocked I tell you! NOT.

Attention Alabama Democratic Party Chair Mark Kennedy, republicans didn't beat us in 2010 b/c of the grassroots, they beat us on message, money ,and in the media.

I read it on Daily Kos first, anonymous hackers accessed Mobile's amnesty program.

If you don't vote, then yes, the other side will win, and yes, they are going to turn you upside down and shake you until the change falls from your pockets.

Teaching to the Test

3 Black Alabama Legislators Defend Racism, After They Opposed Racism

2012-02-11T08:23:00.000-08:00

Sigh. Poor Alabama State Senator Scott Beason (racist, Gardendale). In a pathetic attempt to defend himself against allegations of racism, three House Negroes are defending the indefensible. The only problem is, two of the three black legislators are on VIDEO speaking at a press conference in OPPOSITION to Scott Beason. Ooops! h/t CM

This situation is proof White people fail to see how racism harms white people, as well as black people. Instead of accepting responsibility for his words and actions, Beason resorts to the Plantation Mentality and finds 3 black people to defend him against his own words and his own actions. What gets me, it they honestly believe they are credible, and we the people are stoopid.

Judge Myron Thompson said Scott Beasons' motives were racially and politically motivated for becoming a whistler blower in the alleged vote-buying scheme to pass pro-gambling legislation in Alabama. Key word, motives. What Scott Beason said was racist. I don't care how many black legislators come forward to defend him. Watch how to tell people they sound racist.

I don't care what Scott Beason IS, I care about what Scott Beason DID.

Today's Must Read

5 Right Wing Governors Gutting Schools to Fund Prisons, Tax Breaks for the Rich...and a Bible Theme Park. Yes, Alabama made the list.

I guess it depends on what the definition of 'Pro Life' IS

2012-02-10T08:08:00.000-08:00

Republicans are pro life as long as it's in the womb, but once a person is born they find lots of reason to kill them. Which brings me to white male, media enabled, Catholic Church so called controversy over President Obama's decision to provide women with basic healthcare.

Viagra and Cilas for male employees are covered by health insurance, but contraceptives for female employees are not covered by health insurance. What's wrong with this picture?

How any self respecting woman can vote for a republican is a mystery to me.

Paging Chris Christie!

2012-02-09T07:13:00.000-08:00

New Jersey republican Governor Chris Christie (no, that's not a typo) is calling for the head (literally) of the New Jersey Teachers Union to resign after he tell's poor families life's not fair.

WESTFIELD — Gov. Chris Christie on Wednesday called for a top leader of New Jersey’s teacher’s union to resign or be fired over for saying “life’s not always fair” while discussing poor families’ inability to afford private schools and union opposition to vouchers that could help them do so.
New Jersey Education Association executive director Vincent Giordano made the comment in an interview over the weekend on NJTV during a discussion focusing on school vouchers, which would in some cases let students use public money to attend private school.
When pressed on the dilemma faced by parents who can’t afford to remove their children from failing schools, Giordano, whose annual salary in 2009 was more than $326,000 — not including more than $165,000 in deferred compensation — replied: “Life’s not always fair and I’m sorry about that.”
He went on to say: “We should work more closely with administrators and with this administration and we should provide the best possible education within our public schools. Our public schools are among the best in the nation. There are areas, urban areas in particular, that are challenging and that’s where we should be focusing more of our energy and more of our efforts.”

Psst Chris! How about coming to Sweet Home Alabama and calling for Madison County republican leaders Hugh McInnish head (pun intended), for telling the DoJ 'unfairness of life is the cause for racial disparities in schools'.

HUNTSVILLE, AL -- A leader in the Madison County Republican Party has written a letter to federal officials stating that disparities between white and black students in Huntsville's school system exist because "life is unfair."
"If there is unfairness, it is because life itself is unfair. The unfairness is not manmade," said Hugh McInnish, at-large member of the county's Republican Executive Committee.
McInnish sent his letter to U.S. Department of Justice attorney Allison R. Brown following a Tuesday morning news conference at his home in the Ledges, a gated community in south Huntsville. The letter was in response to a Feb. 16 letter from Brown to school board attorney J.R. Brooks that detailed racial disparities Justice Department investigators found in Huntsville's schools regarding student and teacher assignment, advanced course offerings and discipline.

There is more than a whiff of hypocrisy. Chris Christie isn't concerned about poor families/students any more than Hugh McInnish, but they both use them as pawns in their political games.

God, please help America.

Today's Must Reads
Entirely Unacceptable: Moral Matters
Say it Ain't So
The right's stupidity spreads, enabled by a too- polite left

"Segregation Today. Segregation Tomorrow. Segregation Forever."

2012-02-08T08:43:00.000-08:00

The "Southern Strategy" never gets old h/t Field Negro

Let's get one thing straight right off the bat...if Charter Schools provided options for poor/black/brown children, it would NOT be a top priority for Alabama republicans. Charter Schools are the vehicle republicans drive on the road to privatized public education. Although Charter Schools are funded with tax dollars, Charter Schools don't have to accept ALL children, regardless of race, income, gender, disability, or athletic ability.They can pick and choose the cream of the crop and leave the rest behind.

Alabama republicans don't care about educating poor, black or brown children today, they won't care about them tomorrow, or in the near future. IMHO, republicans consider poor, black and brown children inferior beings who don't deserve access to a quality public education. If poor, black and brown children have access to a quality education they might have a future outside of the, snark free labor market, the new Jim Crow.

Former Alabama Governor George C. Wallace may have had a death bed conversion, but today's republicans still long for the promise of Segregation today. Segregation tomorrow. Segregation forever via Charter Schools because it is the only way they can continue to ignore the United States Supreme Court.

Today's Must Reads

Charter Schools promoting segregation, studies say

Study: Charter Schools Increasing Racial Segregation in classrooms -republicans are anti same sex marriage but pro single sex schools, against an education lottery before they were for and education lottery. Go figure.

The racial politics of the Huntsville City Schools Pinnacle Policy

2012-02-07T09:02:00.000-08:00

The motto of Huntsville City Schools used to be Education is the Hope of the Republic, with the dismantling of the Fletcher Seldon Center and other radical changes, this motto is no longer true for black/brown/poor and special education students because the superintendent, enabled by the school board, is destroying any hope for the future of our republic, choosing to fuel the cradle the prison pipeline instead.

One of the many, many, things wrong with the Pinnacle Policy is the denial of students right to equal protection under the law and due process. I turn the floor over to The Mertz Center Monitor.

So, kids, the bottom line is this. Don’t fight on school property. If you fight there, you could find yourself living in a teepee for a year — or maybe longer. You won’t have legal counsel (“Ordinarily no attorney will be present in an advisory capacity for the expulsion hearing”), which you are provided in juvenile court. Unless you do someone an obvious serious physical injury, if you fight away from school, and get arrested, and the case isn’t diverted from the courts, and you are found guilty or enter a consent agreement, likely you’ll end up with six months probation. Shipped off without legal counsel to a teepee for “however long it takes” — that, kids, is scary, very scary.

It is very scary indeed, especially for the parents of poor/black and brown students who are given the choice of expulsion, or sending their child to a private, "Therapeutic" facility for fighting on school property. A fight we never would have known about if it hadn't be recorded on a cellphone and posted on the WHNT TV website. For the record I don't condone fighting by anyone, anytime, any place. My question is, where were the school resource officers/administrators/teachers while this fight was going on? Adult supervision is required so students won't have the opportunity to fight.

It is a documented, historical, fact Huntsville City Schools are still racially inequitable.

The investigation further found that the city's predominantly black schools reported significantly more discipline issues.
Ed White Middle reported 1,115 disciplinary actions compared to the predominantly white Hampton Cove Middle School's 285, according to the investigation.
Even kindergartners were being suspended as forms of discipline in black elementary schools. At Montview Elementary School three students were suspended, two on multiple occasions, and at University Place Elementary, seven students were suspended a total of nine times.

There are some who say it's the parents fault, and/or, black students are natural born thugs. Unfortunately, these are the voices the Superintendent and the majority of the School Board choose to hear.

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!

None dare call it racism but that is exactly what it IS.

Today's Must Read
The Poor as Politically Expendable

RedEye's Monday Must Reads in "Perfect Context"

2012-02-06T08:28:00.000-08:00

Voting: A privilege guaranteed by the Founding Fathers to Conservative White Christians-h/t What Would Jack Do

The Real Voter Fraud Culprits

No, Alabama is NOT Nazi Germany. There Are No Gas Chambers There.

Following former republican Mississippi Governor Haley Barbours' breadcrumbs to Alabama. What the heck was he thinking? Good question.

Onward Backwards Soldiers! Shadrock, I mean, Shadrack McGill soldiers on

Susan G. Komen Puts Romney's 'Not Concerned About the Poor' in Perfect Context

Race and Death Penalty Juries

An Open Letter to the Huntsville City Schools Board of MisEducation

2012-02-04T16:28:00.000-08:00

Dear Members of the Huntsville City Schools Board of Education,

In the Sunday, January 29,2012 edition of The Huntsville Times, school board member David Blair is quoted as saying the superintendent is doing what he was hired to to. That may be true, however the current members of the Board of Education aren't doing what WE THE VOTERS hired YOU to do.

I recently attended a community luncheon where table conversation turned to the sad, sorry, state of the Huntsville City School System. Adjectives such as, cold blooded, Hitler, mean spirited, harda$$, gestapo and clueless are just a few of the adjectives used to describe HCS superintendent Casey Wardynski. To make a long story short, we didn't hire YOU for you to hire someone like this.

We didn't hire you so you could hire someone who would privatize public education and wage war on public school administrators, teachers and support personnel. Board President Laurie McCaulley is also quoted in the article saying she has heard positive feedback from some of the principals in the district. Oh really? What Principals?

We didn't hire you so you could hire someone who would close down the Fletcher E. Seldon Progress Center and fuel the cradle to prison pipeline.

Red flag alert: “Students would be referred to the program by a designated representative of the school system.” Really. I wonder which socio-economic and racial populations would land at Pinnacle. Would you expect a program that chooses its participants by “a designated representative of the school system” rather than through publicly available guidelines to be equitably available to all?

We didn't hire you so you become real estate brokers, and sell off valuable property for "in kind services" to non profit agencies.

We didn't hire you so you could balance the budget on the backs of our children.

We didn't hire you so you could hire someone who would double our legal fees while cutting special education funding and not keep their promises.

We didn't hire you so you could refuse to address our concerns, or answer our questions.

We didn't hire you so you could hire someone who paid the former superintendent almost $300,000.00 to sit at home, while continuing to hire aides for himself.

Casey Wardinski may be doing what you hired him to do, but you aren't doing what we hired you to do.

I have a strong feeling ALL of YOU will be FIRED in the near future. That's not a threat. It's a promise. It's not wise to ignore your employers.

Sincerely,
RedEye

PS Huntsville Times reporters, how about asking Laurie McCaulley to name names of the principals who support the plan? How about talking directly to the taxpayers and see what they have to say about the present state of the school system? How about talking to the students and see what they have to say? Is it too much to ask for some fair and balanced coverage of the HCS system?

It's b.a.d.!

2012-02-03T06:52:00.000-08:00

It's Blogroll Amnesty Day, aka b.a.d!

b.a.d. is the holiday wherein we ask everyone in blogtopia (and yes, we coined that phrase) to link to 5 smaller blogs w/less traffic than theirs (no bad jokes about no blogs having less traffic than yours, please).

RedEye's Links
Geek Pavaler-Who is recovering from being hacked this week.

Different Day Same Shit-The Man takes a closer look at the Kromen's Decision to Withdraw Planned Parenthood Funding.

Progressive Eruptions-The Susan B. Kromen Organization is a Political Organization

Angry Black Bitch-Pondering Breast Cancer, Politics and the 2%

The Simple Minded Savior-Providing Clarity to the Simple Minded Sheep in the Bible Belt

In honor of b.a.d I am adding King Cockfight to my Blogroll. It's really bad!

b.ad. must read

RedEye around Alabama the Stoopid

2012-02-02T07:58:00.000-08:00

So, the same people who cost Alabama billions with their immigration crackdown are some of the same people who want to keep public teachers from getting a raise and reform education, code for a racist dog whistle. H/Tarchangelsk

Take the following:
Charter schools are necessary in areas of chronically failing schools and underserved children, [House Speaker Mike] Hubbard said.

Translation:
"White folks are getting tired of paying taxes for public education, and being forced to send their children to private school because they don't want their children fraternizing with brown kids"

White Alabama gop leader issusing white paper on President Obama's birth certificate on the white steps of the cradle of the Confederacy, as two Tea Party candidates in the reddest of the red states, run on the platform of impeaching President Obama. Can you say stuck on stoopid?

The reddest electorate in red-state Alabama arguably resides in Baldwin County, home to some of the state’s most conservative voters.
How red? Start with the fact that not a single Democrat qualified to run for any elected office in Baldwin County this year. If that doesn’t speak volumes, consider a recent exchange from a candidate forum in Fairhope.
The tone of the Tea Party gathering, sponsored by the Common Sense Campaign, was set by its opening speaker.
Roy Moore, running to reclaim his position as chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, seized the microphone and delivered a fiery defense of individual liberty and states’ rights.

Today's Must Reads
Voters should challenge campaign insults against Obama

Fighting the vast right wing with pea shooters, Part One: Books and Bookmakers

That was no gaffe. That was a brand- new talking point.

Would some people rather have Parker Griffith represent them in Congress than a black man?

2012-02-01T19:24:00.000-08:00

Left in Alabama promoted a diary by blogger caterwaul begging democrats to be bad for one day and vote for Parker Griffith although he is an idiot , get this, he is a much less hideous prospect than Mo Brooks, and, because democratic candidate, C.L. Holley, doesn't stand a chance of defeating Mo Brooks because he's well...a black man (my words).

Want to get rid of Mo Brooks? You can do it in the primary: Cast your vote for Parker Griffith. This is probably the only chance to dispose of Mo, because in the general he would almost surely defeat Mr. Holley. However Mr. Holley would have a fighting chance against Griffith.
In an unprecedented shift many local candidates have switched to the Republican party. The politicians have seen the writing on the wall and they have switched parties. There are no more conservative Democrats in the South. They are all now Republicans. The only hope a citizen has of having an impact in an election is by voting in the Republican primary.

No! No! No! The only hope a citizen has of having an impact in an election is by voting your conscience. Stop voting for or against candidates based on the color of their skin, or the party they affiliate with. Vote for candidates based on the content of their agenda/platform.

What countrycat said! Emphasis mine

When you go to the GOP primary to vote for the least crazy candidate, what happens? You strengthen the GOP's appeal to moderate and independent voters. How many Democrats crossed over in the runoff to vote for Bob Riley instead of Roy Moore for governor?
I know this Parker Griffith thing is different, but it's still a bad idea and the large number of local Democrats jumping on board really annoys me. Are you planning to ONLY vote for Griffith or will you vote in all the other contested races as well?
And if you do, will you be voting for "the crazy" or for the most moderate candidates?
If you vote for the moderates (or what passes for moderate in the Alabama GOP), you're doing your part to strengthen the ALGOP and marginalize the ADP.

Enough! It's time for the people to stand up to the right wing crazies, not become them. C.L. Holly can win if we vote for him. There is no need for democrats to stain our soul by signing the gop book. This is what emboldens and enables the Parker Griffiths and the Mo Brooks.

H/T GrannyStandingforTruth

Mitt Romney doesn't care about poor people

2012-02-01T14:54:00.000-08:00

That ain't right! Pun intended.

The Suckers have spoken in Florida, and things you will learn about black people from the gop candidates

2012-02-01T07:29:00.000-08:00

The Suckers in Florida have spoken, and the winner(s) are the poster boy for the 1% and the lobbyist for the 1%. Willard "Mitt" Romney is NOT just like the rest of us. None of the gop candidates are. You get what you vote for.

Speaking of getting what you vote for, here are some things you can learn about African Americans from the gop candidates. H/T Mack Lyons

Black people have lost the desire to perform a day’s work. Black people rely on food stamps provided to them by white taxpayers. Black people, including Barack and Michelle Obama, believe that the U.S. owes them something because they are black. Black children should work as janitors in their high schools as a way to keep them from becoming pimps. And the pathologies afflicting black Americans are caused partly by the Democratic Party, which has created in them a dependency on government not dissimilar to the forced dependency of slaves on their owners

.

Who knew?

Barely a Post, But Funny

2012-01-31T16:57:00.000-08:00

"Eustace Tilley 2.0: If you STAND in front of a mirror and CHAT "DICK Cheney" five times, he'll appear BEFORE YOU covered in BEES with a bloody HOOK instead of a HAND and tell you DEFICITS DON'T MATTER UNLESS THERE IS A BLACK MAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE."

In comments: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/01/deficit-cuts-are-about-to-hurt-the-economy-report-suggests.php?ref=fpnewsfeed

"There is a mean spirit on the lose"

2012-01-31T07:44:00.000-08:00

Watch CNN's Anderson Cooper call Alabama State Senator Hank Sanders out for his "race baiting robo call".

Then read;
Who's afraid of Saul Alinksy?

Time Warp

Civil War

Low IQ, Conservatism, and prejudice: Here comes the science...

The Ugly Words of Newt Gingrich

RNC Chairman compares President Obama to the Captain of the Shipwrecked Costa Concordia

Cooper asked Sanders " What evidence he had the Republican opponents would take Alabama back to Jim Crow days"

Sanders said, "Well, there's a certain mean spiritness that's out there, not only in Alabama but it's in America. And that makes this election extremely important."

It's not wise to blog about The Huntsville City School System

2012-01-30T08:18:00.000-08:00

Strike that.

It's not wise for Geek Pavaler to blog about the Huntsville City School System.

Here we go again.

You know the drill.

Blogger gets hacked after skewering the Status Quo.

It can happen to you.

I thought I was secure. I was careful about how I set up my blog, my e-mail, and my Twitter. I used unique, complex passwords. But it didn’t matter. I was hacked. It happened to me, and it can happen to you.I was hacked because I am criticizing the Birmingham News. I was hacked because of what I have said. But it’s not just me and my blog that were attacked, it was free speech.The people or organization behind this attack committed a crime. They hired skilled hackers to attack me and hack my accounts. They used resource that a regular person like me does not have access to in an attempt to shut me down.It happened to me because of what I have written. And if you write something these people or this organization doesn’t like, it will happen to you. These people do not believe in free speech. They do not think that you or I have a right to criticize or express our opinions about issues.

It has happened to me.

Freedom of Speech isn't Free.

I thought we were fighting them over there so we wouldn't have to fight them over here?

God bless America?

Today's Must Reads
Blog about Siegelman, Lose your Job
Hacked? Riiiight......

RedEye tiptoeing away from the computer to go pray for my city, my county, my state, my country and the world.

Gov Bentley and Company "Feeding the cradle-to-prison pipeline"

2012-01-29T18:55:00.000-08:00

Sweet Home Alabama Governor Bentley and his red, republican controlled legislature propose giving more power to local school boards allowing them the opportunity to implement innovative strategies currently restricted by state law. In other words, allowing local school boards to give state law the middle finger.

I thought school boards were elected by the people to make policy for the school district and it's powers and duties are set by state law?

Sorry, but I don't want my local school board to have the opportunity to implement innovative strategies currently restricted by state law. There are so many, many things wrong with my local school board it's not funny. I can just imagine the innovative strategies they will implement.

Today's Must Reads

Pushing Kids Out

Blacks are disciplined at far higher rates than other students

The Cradle to Prison Pipeline: America's New Apartheid

Teach for America Explained

Always the Help, never an Equal Redux

2012-01-29T06:53:00.000-08:00

What is wrong with this picture?

Here we go again. Black folks from President Obama ,to Huntsville City Councilman Richard Showers, to RedEye still find ourselves being put in our place when we get uppity in post racial America. Some people will look at the above picture and say nothing is wrong with Gov. Jan Brewer (r. AZ) actions. I submit if an African American elected official did the same to pResident Bush they would have been shot on site, or whisked off to Gitmor for some Water Boarding, or worse. Snark

Sunday's Must Read h/t my friend JB, who said it was a teachable moment for this honkie.

A Teachable Racial Moment: On Fingers Pointed in Black Faces

Excerpt:
Usually, my blog posts deal with African American community or political issues, and I talk as one cultural insider to another cultural insider.However, I’ve realized that sometimes, well-meaning, really nice White people (of which there are many, by the way) want Black folks to talk to them in non-angry, non-confrontational, and patient ways about Black cultural issues they don’t understand.

So I wondered if it might be useful for me to write blog posts that break racial things down for good White folks who mean no harm—and who either have Black friends or are in the midst of acquiring friendships with Black people– and are just trying to navigate these racial waters that ironically (and to me, bewilderingly) have become far more treacherous since the election of our first Black president.

It was the unofficial law of “reckless eyeballing” created by White southerners, and many a southern Black man swung at the end of a rope for committing that supposed crime. The case of Emmitt Till was a variation of “reckless eyeballing,” because he whistled at a White woman and ended up murdered.

The Help, chapter 7, page 95

"I feel that bitter seed growing inside me, the one planted after Treelore died I want to yell so loud that Baby Girl can hear me that dirty ain't a color, disease ain't Negro side of town. I want to stop that moment from coming--and it come in every white child's life-when they start to think that colored folks ain't as good as whites."

Knowledge is Power.

Friday Photo Blog with Commentary

2012-01-27T08:34:00.000-08:00

Remember when liberals ruined the country?

H/T Leftwing Nutjob via Progressive Soup Welcome to my Blogroll!

This is the latest gop pResidential debate in a nutshell, 4 white guys with the access to the best health care their millions can buy telling millions of Americans who don't have access to quality, affordable health care they don't need access to health care because it's ObamaCare.

This is the new face of the gop. And she felt threatened by the President of the United States of America because he's a scary African American man surrounded by the Secret Service? ROFLMAO!

Racism Chasing? I report. You decide.

Did you know Sean Hannity got his start in Alabama? Are you surprised Hannity helps promote Newt Gingirchs foodstamp attack on President Obama? Naaahh. He's just helping Gingrich find his race card.

Happy Friday!

Who will stand up for the least of these?

2012-01-26T10:08:00.000-08:00

The Two Party System-found at Truthdig

We've already established there are two kinds of republicans, millionaires and Suckers, the above cartoon makes me aware the democratic party has it's on ahem shortcomings. The rich are getting richer at the expense of the middle class and the poor are getting the shaft. God bless America?

Today's must reads

GOP Candidates are ready for a national conversation on race Yeah right. Snark

Despite Economic and Social Ills, Blacks give Obama a pass because blacks are caught between Barack and hard place.

How to waste your vote in 2012- damned if we do vote, damned if we don't vote. Where to go and what to do?

Anti- poverty duo criticize Obama and either get slammed for it.

Of Targets and Victims

ABC's The View Hightlights Less Media Interest in Black Missing Children/Adults

2012-01-25T19:57:00.000-08:00

Whoopi Goldberg and Sherri Shepherd recently did a segment on ABC's The View discussing the reasons for less media and police attention for black missing children and adults. You can watch here.

In the segment, ABC Investigative Reporter Chris Cuomo and "Law and Order" series actress S. Epatha Merkerson describe how the media often decide what missing children and adults to cover based on their estimation of media ratings. One mother describes how her child's school failed to notify her that her 7 year old daughter wasn't in class until the end of the school day. Another mother describes how a home invasion led to the abduction and disappearance of her teen daughter. In both cases the police stalled doing their investigations, instead concocting speculation about the causes of the disappearances - by attributing their disappearances to their own willful, disobedient behavior.

S. Epatha Merkerson has made filling this gap her mission by hosting a new series on TVOne called "Find Our Missing" where you can watch complete episodes, post in a forum, as well as a link to the Black and Missing Foundation, another site chock full of resources.

There's an extremely comprehensive, practical guide to "What To Do If Someone Goes Missing" at Black and Missing But Not Forgotten run by Deidra Robey, "a single parent, student and full time employee who is responsible for hundreds of individuals pursuing continued education to better themselves and their families. Ms. Robey volunteers weekly at her local church as an officer in ministries that serve minority causes."

If you suspect your child or adult has gone missing, the most important thing you can do is to take action yourself, without waiting for any one else to do it. In the turmoil of confused emotions, Ms. Robey's guide will provide you with tools and techniques for starting and maintaining your diligent search efforts most effectively and efficiently.

Post SOTU Commentary

2012-01-25T11:14:00.000-08:00

"Do you think we should spend more federal dollars we don't have to keep people in houses they can't afford?" Imus in the Morning replacement Joe Scarborough said NO, they should be tossed out into the street, in response to President Obama's proposal of a new task force to tackle investigation of bank's mortgage lending practices. So, how did investigating banks who put people in homes they couldn't afford morph into spending more federal dollars we don't have to keep people in houses they can't afford?

The gop infused, media enabled, Tea Party politics of Obstructionism and Negativity is coming home to roost. Despite what the Talking TeeVee Pundit Heads say, the majority of the American people,not to be confused with the Suckers, blame republicans, not democrats, for the grave state of our Union.

Despite the misinformed opinion of some, food stamps is not an entitlement program, and black folks aren't issues food stamps because their black. Food stamps are issued based on need. Thanks to republican polices and obstructionism, more Americans need food stamps.

The gop doesn't have a plan, so they use weapons of mass distraction like an Atlanta, Georgia judge orders President Obama to appear in court on Thursday to counter a birther claim. I thought republicans were for tort reform? Snark

Although President Obama used his speech to obliterate the gop lies and obstructionism, his team must desegregate.

Do the math.
In 2008, encouraged by Obama’s surprisingly strong showing in the caucuses in overwhelmingly white Iowa, Black voters launched their own grassroots efforts to elect the “first Black president,” Obama won, despite receiving just 43 percent of white voter support nationwide.
The problem in 2012 is that Axelrod and “Team Obama” seem intent on delivering the same basic approach they used in 2008, wrapped in high-tech gadgetry and bolstered by more money than has ever been spent in a presidential campaign.
At its core, however, the outreach strategy, is flawed, and unless the campaign takes steps very soon to ensure African American senior-level strategic input, and an effort that reflects a healthy respect for Black voters, the “First Black president” will only get to serve one term in office.

Today's Must Reads
With Democrats like Artur Davis who needs republicans?
Hollering Anti Semitism-Edited

Must See Videos
TYT on The State of the Union
S#it Republicans say about Black People

Mitt Romney is a rich man in the wrong party

2012-01-24T18:04:00.000-08:00

Does anyone believe people who earn $21 Million Dollars a year wash their own clothes? I mean, really? After viewing Mitts' tax return it's obvious he's the poster boy for the 1%, and that's fine. I'm not mad at Mitt because he's filthy rich. I'm mad at Mitt for trying to sucker the Suckers into believing "President Obama wants to raise their taxes."

Uh, No Mitt, President Obama wants to raise YOUR taxes, as well he should. It's time to shift the burden from the working poor and the middle class who can't afford to pay more, to the mega rich like Y-O-U who can afford to pay more.

Mitt Romney is a nice, rich, man in the wrong party. If he were a democrat there wouldn't be a problem with him having a fortune. Democratic Presidents, Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Baines Johnson were all rich men. Former Democratic Presidential candidates John Edwards and John Kerry are rich men too. They didn't whine about paying their fair share, or try and sucker people into voting against their self interest to protect their riches.

So you see, it's OK to be rich if you belong to the right (pun) party and use your riches for good.

Mitt Romeny is a nice guy in the wrong party

2012-01-24T08:41:00.000-08:00

Watching poor Mitt struggle to be mean and hateful during last night's gop debate reminded me of something I overheard someone say about Robert Bentley (r) when he was running for Governor of Alabama~ He's really a nice guy, just hooked up with the wrong party.

Although the gop establishment and the mainstream media have decided it's Mitt's turn, the gop base says Hell to the NO! Mitt's just too damn liberal, I mean decent.

The gop base doesn't want a nominee who was for quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

The gop base doesn't want a nominee who supported a woman's right to choose to have a safe, legal abortion.

The gop base doesn't want a nominee who supported gun control or equal rights for LBGT citizens.

The gop base doesn't want a nominee who supported amnesty for immigrants.

Nope, the gop base wants an adulterer, a radical or a homophobic. I'll bet the gop establishment and the media regret enabling the Tea Party concept now.

Psst Mitt! You have a better chance of being elected President of the United States if you are on the right (pun intended) side. As Kelle Patterson sings "If it don't fit don't force it. Just cause that's how you want it doesn't mean it will be so."

Teaching Racism Through Math

2012-01-22T18:55:00.000-08:00

"Get them while they're young" is a phrase applied to numerous endeavors, basically meaning to reach youngsters with the proponent's ideas or message at a young age.

Sometimes it takes on a broader meaning as it did when The Angry Black Woman wrote "Get Them While They're Young: An Idea Toward Creating An Anti-Prejudice Future". She proposed a curriculum to give people, starting at the elementary school level, the tools to combat prejudice, bias, and bigotry or, at least, work toward that change on an individual level.

She wrote the proposal in response to an event over a year ago in Prescott, AZ, where an artist who depicted children in a multi-racial mural on the side of an elementary school was ordered to change their skin color to white. Ultimately, sanity prevailed, and with apologies from the school principal and the school superintendent, the mural remains unchanged.

But designing and implementing the kind of anti-prejudicial curriculum The Angry Black Woman proposed carries with it the moral imperative to avoid promoting racial stereotypes.

A Gwinnett County, GA third grade teacher who tried to teach math using racial stereotypes under the guise of social studies learned that the hard way.

He included "math questions" involving slaves, beatings and cotton picking.

The teacher has resigned and is deeply apologetic, saying he "cannot apologize enough." True. "You ain't just whistling 'Dixie'!"

The South Carolina Suckers have spoken!

2012-01-22T08:44:00.000-08:00

And the winner of the gop South Carolina Presidential Primary is Newt "Sho I'm a Ho" Gingrich! Yee Haw! The Holy Rollers, I mean Evangelical Christians, Rope a Doped poor Mittens, I mean Willard. Snicker I wonder how the gop elite feel about that Super Pac money now?

We have already established there are two kinds of republicans, millionaires/billionaires and Suckers. Suckers are the people the millionaires/billionaires convince to vote against their self interest. South Carolina Suckers care more about putting Juan Williams in his place, and punking John King ,than they care about having a job, a home, access to health care, and access to a quality education for their children.

Psst Mitt, I mean Willard! They don't like you because you're too darn nice, Resurrect the Ghost of Jim Crow and you will win too. That's how the Holy Rollers, roll.

Newt claims he won because he's the only candidate who can put President Obama in his place (my words not his). Oh really? Newt must think we have forgotten his history, and I don't mean his cheating ways. I mean the fact he and his gop brethren impeached President Clinton for trying to conceal a private, consensual sexual relationship from his wife, daughter and the country. Or, that his mother said he called Hillary Clinton a B*tch on national TeeVee and it cost Connie Chung her job.

Yep, Newt is filled with more excrement than your average politician.

Bring.
It.
On!

Today's must read-In SC the far right raises the white flag.

"Best Country in the World?"

2012-01-16T07:12:00.000-08:00

Can't we do better than this?

I don't celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday as a holiday because it reminds me the reason he is not here on earth is because he was murdered in Memphis, Tennessee standing with striking sanitation workers.

The gop Presidential candidates chose this day to hold a debate in South Carolina of all places. I can't wait to see how many times they mention MLK, or not.

Here is a preview.

Newt will try and tell the audience they didn't hear what they heard him say about black folks and food stamps.

Rick Santorum will deny he called black folks lazy .

Ron Paul won't be asked about the racist newsletters published in his name.

Willard "Mitt" Romney won't be asked about the curse of blackness and talk about how his father marched with Dr. King....or not.

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day?

I think NOT.

It's RedEye's BlogOversary!

2012-01-14T21:27:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe it's been three years, 652 posts and 53,474 page views since I was forced to start RedEye's Front Page after being booted from Left in Alabama that fateful Friday, November 13th , 2009, because of the content of my comments and other post.

It still hurts I'm no longer allowed to participate in the Informed, Involved, Progressive conversation at Left in Alabama, but I will be eternally grateful to mooncat for encouraging me to blog, and to countrycat for forcing, I mean encouraging me to get my own blog. I assumed we were equals who could agree to disagree and still remain friends. Oh well, no use crying over spilled milk. It is what it is.

RedEye request the pleasure of your company on a special a stroll down memory lane on the anniversary of RedEye's Front Page, and the fifth anniversary of my first blog post, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday.

Those were the good old days. My very first post at Left in Alabama, Monday November 5, 2007. (Who would have thought those days could look good?) Who would have thought indeed?

Happy Birthday Martin Luther King, Jr. - Monday, January 21, 2008.

Celebrating the Life of Martin Luther King, Jr.-, Monday January 19, 2009

RedEye's Random Thoughts - My very first post at RedEye's Front Page, Sunday, January 17, 2010

Happy 81st Birthday Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.-Monday, January 18,2010

Martin Luther King, Jr. Links I Like- Monday January 17, 2011

Become a contributor to RedEye's Front Page! Why should I have all the fun? Drop me a writing sample at redeyeblog.alabama@yahoo.com.

You can also follow me on twitter.

Thank you for reading, lurking and commenting. Let us march on until victory is won.
RedEye

Today's Must Reads
Martin Luther King, Economic Equality and the 2021 Election
Why I carp and whine, and why I wish I didn't have to~a very personal diary

What I'm reading today about punks, biscuits, treason , dogs,and Tim Tebow

2012-01-14T14:05:00.000-08:00

Questions for Republicans Others Are Too Punk to Ask because they are getting paid thanks to Citizens United.

Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit. I can vote again! If democrats aren't saying anything, nothing is what they'll hear. Hannah has a plan!

None Dare Call it Treason. I refuse to believe the majority of the American Voters, not to be confused with the majority of the American people, are HATING HATERS and the people who HATE black/brown/poor folks more than they love their country.

Mitts Vick Problem Paging PETA!

Headgames ,President Obama (bi-racial black guy)= racist, Ron Paul (white guy with dubious ties)=not racist, and The Road Not Taken.

Tim Tebow and the Denver Brocos; What's Race Got to do With it? What's that you say? Some Christian Compassionate Conservative republicans are begging for Tebow's endorsement? I'm shocked! Shocked I tell you!

Not.

Read on. Read often.

Update~Are the Rattlesnakes beginning to turn on each other in Bama?

2012-01-13T08:28:00.000-08:00

William Barnes qualified as a candidate for the democratic primary in CD-6. Barnes represents the democratic wing of the democratic party,which is probably why he didn't have the full support of the ADP when he ran against Dick Shelby for Senate in 2010. I'm glad he didn't let the experience sour him against running for political office again. I admire his courage and his tenacity. I don't live in CD-6, but if I did, Barnes would be my candidate. Penny Bailey's thoughts on abortion are troubling. You either support a woman's right to choose to have a safe, legal, abortion, or you don't.

Down here they say rattlesnakes don't commit suicide much~Agent Rupert Anderson, character played by Gene Hackman in Mississippi Burning.

Today is candidate filing deadline for Alabama primaries and the Rattlesnakes, I mean republicans are coming out in force...against each other. Be still my Democratic heart.

Not to be out done by the three way CD-6 showdown between Scott Beason (r. racist), Spencer Bachus (r. inside trader), and Blount CountyProbate Judge David Sandridge, the gop side show moves to the 5th district with Parker "I was a democrat until I got elected" Griffin challenging Mo"I'll do anything short of shooting them, name calling, clueless" Brooks. It. Is. On!

Now if Alabama republicans were smart, and I'm not saying they are, they would say pox on all their houses and not vote for any of them. It's not like they have an agenda other than hating on President Obama because he's an African American democrat. They are victims of their own ignorance.

If republican voters in CD-6 were smart, and I'm not saying they aren't, they would vote for Penny Bailey to represent them in Congress. You are what/who you vote for.

If republican voters in CD-5 were smart, and I'm not saying they aren't, they would vote for for C.L. Holley to represent them in Congress. Someone who will represent ALL of the citizens.

Photo h/t Left in Alabama

Today's Must Read

Black leaders speak out on education and persistent African American Unemployment

"Ripped from today's headlines"~Update

2012-01-12T12:02:00.000-08:00

Oops! Ex Gooberner Haley didn't follow the law when he released rapist and murders. In Mississippi, identities of pardon applicants must be made public.

Remember the Scott sisters of Mississippi ,who were released from a prison after serving 16 years for a petty crime, on the condition one sister donate a kidney to the other? Well, the Scott sisters didn't get a full pardon. "I guess if I had been a murderer, he would have pardoned me."~Gladys Scott

Today's Must Read-Discrimination in Presidential Pardons

The title of today's post is ripped from the Law and Order television series. Join me as we go inside today's headlines.

M-i-s-s-i-s-s-i-p-p-i Burning? Ex Mississippi Governor Haley "Boss Hogs" Barbour pardoned nearly 200 prisoners, 4 or whom are convicted killers, on his way out office. Barbour didn't publicize the pardons, (I wonder why?) but defends them on the grounds they had good behavior while pouring drinks and serving food at the Governors Mansion.

Huh? Convicted killers worked at the Governors mansion? Why? Because it's F-R-E-E labor or slavery by another name. Barbour freed his slaves. The only problem is, some of these slaves are also convicted killers and Barbour may have violated the states constitution.

I thought republicans were for law and order? Snark It's too bad Troy Anthony Davis didn't live in Mississippi...all he wanted was a new trial. But I digress.

This illustrates what's wrong with the Convict-Lease System republicans use to take the country back to the days of slavery and Jim Crow. Convicts get job training and jobs while they are incarcerated but can't hold once they are released, because they are convicted felons with a record. Meanwhile, there are no such job training programs for unemployed, law abiding citizens. Inmates jobs and training, law abiding citizens, nothing. What's wrong with this picture?

It should come as no surprise the majority of Mississippi' voters passed a voter ID bill in November to disenfranchise minority voters so folks like Barbour can keep getting elected.

White man fighting Obama candidacy ask black Jefferson County Judge to step aside due to racial bias. Sweet Home Alabama...where the skies are blue and the people are bible thumping, suckers who hate President Obama in the name of the Lord. Enough said.

A GOP Civil War is breaking out in the State of Alabama, it's TeaPublican vs TeaPublican in Alabama's 6th Congressional district. Y'all can bet your Donkey's it's going to get U-G-L-Y.. got popcorn?

Meanwhile, on the democratic side, C.L. Holley goes where skeered white democrats fear to go. Tired of waiting for Alabama democratic party insiders to field a candidate to run against republican Congress Critter Mo "I'll do anything short of shooting them" Brooks, C. L. Holley stepped up to the plate to offer CD-5 DEMOCRATS (not to be confused with progressives) an alternative in November. I admire and applaud his courage. For those who say he can't win I say Poppycock! If we vote for him he will win. Yes we can fire Mo Brooks!

Today's Must Read-The Expatriate: Santorum's Red Roots

Welcome to my Blog Roll

NewsHounds

AngryBlackBitch

240,000 white republicans have spoken in New Hampshire, now it's on to South Carolina. Yee Haw!

2012-01-11T09:25:00.000-08:00

And the winners are, Willard "Flip/Flop Mitt" Romney, Ron "racist newsletters" Paul, and John "country first McSame" Huntsman, in that order. Willard may have won, but 60% of voters voted for for the other guys. Which tells me republicans aren't sold on their front runner. I wonder why? Snark

So now it's on to the racist, I mean conservative, Christian, red, republican, confederate, slave state of South Carolina. Which may explain why Willard starting slinging red meat in his victory speech, accusing President Obama of not knowing what it means to be an American, who wants to turn America into a European-style entitlement society. Code for birth certificate, welfare, food stamps.

Here are some facts about the conservative state of South Carolina, which according to the Talking TeeVee Pundit Heads, is known for it's bare knuckles politics.

South Carolina is the home of The Orangeburg Massacre at South Carolina State University where three black students were shot and killed by police during a peaceful protest.

South Carolina is the home of former republican U.S. Senator Strom Thurmon, racist by day, hypocrite by night.

South Carolina is the home of current republican U.S Senator Jim "Waterloo" Demint.

South Carolina is the home of U.S. Congressman Joe "You Lie" Wilson. Speaking of Congressman Joe "You Lie" Wilson, he will address a group of defense and military leaders at a $1,000.00 per person luncheon in Huntsville, AL today. Dale "voter suppression with the state seal of approvall" Jackson will introduce Congressman Mo "I will do anything short of shooting them" Brooks who I'm assuming will introduce Wilson. What's up with out of state/city Congress Critters raising money in North Alabama?

South Carolina is the state vowing to sue the United States Department of Justice, to enact a sate voter ID law, which they have already said punishes black voters.

South Carolina is the state where republican Governor Nikki Haley rejects the NAACP push to remove the Confederate Flag from atop the Statehouse.

I can't wait to see which candidate will emerge victorious in the Battle for South Carolina.

Orangeburg, S.C.

A student loaded onto a gurney after the shooting on Feb. 8, 1968. Photo by Bill Barley.

Today's Must Reads
The Rude Pundit, A Brief List of Conservative Men Who Need to Be Punched in the Balls.

Shock Treatment

A Massachusetts Mormon vs The Safe Black Guy for President

Hope and Change for everyone but black folks

2012-01-10T09:57:00.000-08:00

Black Agenda Report managing editor Bruce Dixon ask once black America gets over bragging rights what difference have presidential and congressional politics made lately? The answer is none. Despite the recent drop in unemployment figures, everyone gains while black folks lose. President Obama's agenda is working for some, but not for ALL.

According to gop , black folks are lazy, plantation democrats and welfare queens on food stamps, who want the government to take care of them. Yet this is the same party who behaved like young thugs extorting democrats to get what they want, forcing them to make cuts in programs intended to help the American people in their time of need.

The gop is not solely to blame for the condition of black folks... those who advised the President to move to the center are also to blame. His advisers were afraid if the first African American addressed issues relating to black folks it would look like blacks were getting special treatment like this.

President Obama didn't help the situation by listening to them, ignoring the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. , pandering to conservatives at the expense of the traditional democratic base.

Blacks voted in record number for HOPE for CHANGE we could BELIEVE in, not bragging rights.

Today's must reads
Rachael Maddow Exposes The Republican Party's Election Fraud Hypocrisy

Will the Supreme Court strike down part of the Voting Rights Act?

Alabama is the #1 State for College Football

2012-01-09T15:08:00.000-08:00

More than 1 in six Alabamians live in poverty.

1 in 4 children in Alabama live in poverty.

Alabama has the 2nd largest income gap.

Alabama has a 41.4% high school dropout rate.

Alabama is the second most obese, 4th most diabetic state.

Alabama is responsible for the increase in Food Stamp recipients

Alabama has one of the toughest immigration laws in the nation.

The Poverty rate for Louisiana is 19.6%

Louisiana is ranked 49th nationwide on the well being of children.

Louisiana is ranked 44th in graduation rates.

Just something to chew on while you're watching the Allstate BCH championship game tonight.

So this is America?

2012-01-09T07:29:00.000-08:00

Political Prosecutions for partisan gain

The word above aren't describing a Communist country or a Dictatorship. Nope. They are words citizens, teachers, and support personnel whisper to describe the sad, sorry, state of the Huntsville City School System and education in general in Sweet Home Alabama. Note I said culture, not person(s).

The case of Geek Pavaler confirms and validates the whispers.

Geek Pavaler ask the board for answers to important questions regarding Special Education funding cuts

The Board ignores the questions.

Geek continues to press for answers.

The board gives a response of sorts.

Geek attempts to file a grievance against the board with the Board.

The Board tells him there is no process for filing a grievance against the Board.

Geek Pavaler filed a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

Geek Pavaler was silent and made eye contact with Board during a public meeting

Geek Pavaler was told his inaction Made People Uncomfortable there would be consequences if he did it again.

Today's Must Read-Freedom: An Endangered Species in America

'Comfort the disturbed, disturb the comfortable"

2012-01-08T08:03:00.000-08:00

Fellow Blogger Geek Pavaler is being threatened with being banned from speaking at Huntsville City School Board public meetings by the Head of inSecurity, because he "Made People Uncomfortable" by standing silently making eye contact with the Superintendent and the ELECTED School Board members during the Public Comment section. I kid you not.

I feel Geeks pain, because that's exactly what happened to me at Left in Alabama when I made the powers that be uncomfortable. As my friend yellowdog said at the time, attacking the messenger is so creepily republican. But I digress.

Evidently The Huntsville City Schools needs a Civics refresher about things that ARE in the Preamble and the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America..

Regulating pubic comments infringe on freedom of speech, why have public comments if you are going to regulate them?

Today's Must Read- Can Standing Silently for 65 Seconds Constitute a Threat?

Newt Gingrich at the NAACP Convention (Satire)

2012-01-06T07:15:00.000-08:00

Newt; Good morning all you Darkies, you don't have to bow and scrape, just bow

Audience bends over, drops their pants, and show Newt their backsides in unison

Newt; More of you lazy black folks are on food stamps under President Obama than ever before.

Audience You Lie!

Newt: Y'all need to make some more babies so they can grow up to be janitors.

Audience Yo Mama

Today's Must Read God's candidates

Operating within police policy in black and white

2012-01-05T08:36:00.000-08:00

I didn't go looking for this story, it found me during my morning blog stroll on al.com with the headline Woman leads Huntsville Police on slow speed chase around Target Shopping Center, charged with attempted murder (updated).

Sounds sensational doesn't it? Well it's not. Once you get past the headline and go inside the story, HPD was called after reports of a woman driving erratically in the parking lot of the Westside Shopping Center. According to the al.com report she appeared to ram a police car and attempted to run down a police officer, shots were fired by the police officer, they missed. I'm glad the shot fired didn't hit an innocent bystander, but I digress.

WHNT 19 reports on the Wild Night at Huntsville Shopping Center click here to watch full raw video, woman rams car officer shoots in Target Parking lot. The video is about 5 minutes from start to finish. IMHO it shows a woman making the HPD officers look like the Keystone Cops. IMHO the only ones in danger of being murdered were the shoppers at the shopping center being hit by a stray bullet, but that's just me. I report, you decide.

Compare the arrest of the woman in the above incident to that of of 80 year old William Fraizer(pictured above) who filed an eight million dollar excessive force and brutality claim after his arrest for attempting to elude police.

This is the video of Frazier's arrest narrated by the City Attorney . Please watch from beginning to end, about 6 minutes.

This is a photo of William Frazer after his arrest.

Allegations of police brutality by concerned citizens were dismissed by the District Attorney's office and the Mayor, who said police operated within policy.

Looks like there are two different policies to me.

What say you?

Why are voters in Huntsville hosting a fundraising reception honoring Terri Sewell?

2012-01-04T18:33:00.000-08:00

Honoring her for what? Representing Alabama's 7th district? What about the 5th district? A district currently misrepresented by Mo "I'll do anything short of shooting them" Brooks (r).

The Huntsville event isn't listed on Sewell's website , but a similar fundraiser is being held in Birmingham.

I can understand the Birmingham fundraiser because it's a part of the 7th district, but why are Huntsville/Madison County democrats investing in who represents the 7th district, and not the announced democratic candidate from the 5th district, C.L. Holley?

How many members of Congress does the 5th district need?

What about the voters in the 7th district? What has Sewell done for them lately? Are her constituents hosting fundraising receptions honoring Sewell? Do they want her to continue to represent them in Congress? Or, is this another case of the voters who don't live in the 7th district, deciding who should represent the voters who do live in the 7th district?

Psst Huntsville Host Committee! Help the 5th District first. It's time for Mo to go.

120,000 white republicans have spoken in Iowa

2012-01-04T08:01:00.000-08:00

Here in the morning, it looks like Romney pulled out a narrow climax with Santorum right on his back

In three way between Willard "Mitt" Romney, Rick "Dog Whistle" Santorum, and Ron "racist news letters" Paul, 120,000 white republicans chose none of the above and defined the gop infused, media enabled, Tea Party as a homophobic, racist party. "If Santorum and Paul hadn't split the homophic, racist vote, Romney would have been toast." Un Huh.

I wonder how long before Santorum gets his up close and personal treatment from the Super Pac Attack Squad?

Rick Santorum seems to think the rules are different for him. But once you see reality behind Rick Santorum exposed, his rhetoric reeks of hypocrisy. And after a dozen years in the Senate, it makes you wonder…how come life is good for Rick Santorum, but hasn’t gotten any better for most Pennsylvanians?

Now it's on to New Hampshire, another predominately white state, for more vitriol while clinging to their guns and their bibles. Lord, help us.

And you wonder why.......

Photo Blog of lazy black people who want the Government to take care of them

2012-01-03T18:13:00.000-08:00

Rick Santorum needs a lesson in American history because he believes black folks are lazy and want to paid for sitting around making babies so they get a welfare check from white folks to buy a Cadillac. All you have to do is look at the picture above to see black folks working hard while the white man sits on his horse making sure they don't slack off.

The 12 year boy and his 6 year old sister are working hard, while their white counter parts are either in school or resting.

Advertising for blacks so they could be taken care of by the government, for the government, of the government. They even fought a war in order to have the government take care of black people.

I wonder if this was punishment for being lazy or trying to run away from being taken care of by the government?

Blacks were considered property with monetary value but no human value.

Who is working in this picture? Hint, it's the Blue Room of the White House which was built with slave labor.

America was built on the backs of black people while white folks were sitting on the porch sipping mint juleps.

You want blacks to work where Massa Rick" DOG Whistle" Santorum?

2012-01-03T08:22:00.000-08:00

gop presidential candidate Rick Santorum (r. Pennsylvania) says he want to stop making black folks lives better by giving them white folks money for doing nothing. Santorum wants black folks to get off their lazy, shiftless, Donkey's and work for their money.

Uh, you want blacks to work and earn money where Massa Santorum Suh?

I guess Rick forgot how his republican brethren shipped all the jobs over seas, then blocked President Obama's jobs bill.

You won't hear it on TeeVee or Talk Radio but, more white Americans are on welfare than black Americans, thanks to republican follies like all war all the time, raiding the surplus, giving the rich a tax cut, massive deficits , bank bailouts, and chronic unemployment, which lead to record mortgage foreclosures.

Not only does Santorum not want to make black folks lives better, he doesn't want women to have control of their uterus and reproductive organs. How any self respecting woman could vote for him or any of the other gop a$$ clowns is a mystery to me.

Psst Rick! The next time you want to blow your dog whistle, get someone else to do it for you.

Quote of the day

Choosy Moms choose Jiff.....

....and likely republican voters prefer zealots, homophobes, and hypocritical lying sacks of sh#t.

Today's Must Read

Next!

Starting off the New Year with a RedEye Rant

2012-01-02T11:41:00.000-08:00

If the graphic above (h/t Las Vegas Gleaner) doesn't skeer the BeJeezus out of you and make you get off your Donkey and VOTE, I don't know what will. This system cannot stand. Despite what the Talking TeeVee Pundit Heads and Talk Radio Hate Jocks tell you, the Iowa Primary is a JOKE that is so not funny.

Let's stop beating around the bush (no pun) with nice code words like fiscal conservatives, Evangelical Christians, Religious Right, Blue Collar voters, Values Voters, Moderates, Undecided and Independents to describe the electorate.

If you vote for and elect a racist, you are a racist.

If you vote for and elect a homophobic, you re a homophobic.

If you vote for and elect a bigot, you are a bigot.

If you vote against your self interest you are a Sucker.

It's not about Black Voter Fraud. It's about keeping blacks from voting because republicans know that is the only way they can steal, I mean win the election and kick President Obama's African American Donkey out of the White House. But first they had to get rid of ACORN so they could stop them there voter registration drives. Yep, when republicans change the rules it's for freedom and democracy. Snark

republicans can't handle the truth. They would RATHER believe a lie.

My resolution for 2012 and beyond- I will not vote for any candidate who can't come out in support of health care, gay marriage, public education, or any other issues I care about.

Rant over.

For now.

RedEye's year in review top 10 countdown part 2

2012-01-01T20:29:00.000-08:00

It's a New Year and it's time to put the TeaPublicans out of work so they will know how it feels as GrannyStandingforTruth says to be evicted from their homes due to foreclosure, or watch a love one die because they were denied health insurance.

I can't wait for the Iowa republican primary to be history .

I'm glad President Obama to get more aggressive with Congress and will stop playing the moving to the center game. All he has to do is ask Artur Davis how that Centrist meme worked out for him. There are no Centrist, you are either with us or against us. The only thing down the center of the road is a yellow line. If politicians and candidates pander to the right at the expense of their base they will get what they deserve. If we elect candidates who will say anything to get elected we will get what we deserve.

Top 10 Countdown Part 2

5. Update; The sad, sorry, state of public education in Huntsville, Alabama

4. New Huntsville City Schools Chief is Judge, Jury and Executioner

3. The "Ethical" Lynching of an Uppity Black Man

2. Welcome to my world~A very personal diary

1. New Alabama Education policy director to push for segregated public schools

RedEye's Must Reads for 2012

1. What is a Charter School?

2. Hopes for the New Year

3. African American Students Suspended and Expelled More than Whites

Peace!

RedEye's Year in Review Top 10 Countdown Part 1

2011-12-31T21:00:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-30T08:11:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-29T14:39:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-29T08:46:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-28T14:04:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-28T10:55:00.000-08:00

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?

2011-12-28T09:49:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-27T13:31:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-27T10:41:00.000-08:00

Former Alabama State Representative Sue Scmitz (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

2011-12-26T22:49:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-26T12:24:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-24T07:21:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-23T08:07:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-22T19:39:00.000-08:00

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?

2011-12-22T13:29:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-22T10:54:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-22T08:12:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-21T12:03:00.000-08:00

Enforcing Alabama Law H/T jobsanger

Merry Christmas Suckers!

2011-12-21T11:03:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-20T21:02:00.000-08:00

H/T jobsanger who also 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 . the suckers are falling for the Okey Doke because they can be counted on to hate President Obama more than they love themselves.

God bless America.

Welcome to the real world my child

2011-12-20T08:27:00.000-08:00

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.

Why the AlaGOP is pushing for charter schools

2011-12-19T13:36:00.000-08:00

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

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 darn Skippy we should be very careful or Alabama will end up like Florida where the Charter School Industry is running amouk 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 amuck.
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 privitation 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!

2011-12-19T11:42:00.000-08:00

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 truely 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 been right (no pun) about? When have they 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

2011-12-19T07:37:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-18T07:58:00.000-08:00

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!

2011-12-17T06:32:00.000-08:00

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!

2011-12-16T09:49:00.002-08:00

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

2011-12-15T06:38:00.000-08:00

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.