EYE #FeltTheBurn and it was HOT! HOT! HOT!

The parallels between the white moderates whom Dr. Martin Luther King criticized in 1963 and certain white progressives whom many Black activists are criticizing in 2015 couldn't be clearer.

Let me see if EYE have this right (pun intended), EYE am supposed to support a candidate whose fans calls #BlackLivesMatter Activist everything but a child of God because he marched with Martin Luther King, Jr., and because these same supporters say he is the best candidate to address our issues?  Nah.  That's not going to work for me.

When black women interrupt your candidate, don't call them "thugs." And when protesters hijack your hero's microphone to have their story heard, it doesn't mean they're paid provocateurs in some elaborate plot involving George Soros and Hillary Clinton. You know who else propagates wild conspiracy theories about George Soros funding left-wing protesters? Glenn Beck and Allen West. So congratulations, white progressives – your fanaticism for Bernie has turned you into the thing you hate. - 

EYE would like to thank the Black Lives Matter Activist for speaking truth to power, and in the process exposing the large white crowds attending Bernie Sanders events for who, and what, they really are. 

Bernie's supporters need to realize that Bernie Sanders is not the leader of this political revolution. We all are. Let the revolution unfold – Bernie is welcome to join if he's ready. -

What you accuse others of doing is what you are doing yourself. The accusation/allegations the Black Lives Matters Movement is a George Soros/Hilary Clinton, Sarah Palin, Outside Agitator front group, could be a cover for republicans masquerading as progressive/liberals/Bernie Supporters. 

Eye Am Just Saying...

Black Lives Matter—which has challenged and called out respectability politics and the ties that Black politicians have to a structurally racist political system—has engaged in a backlash against Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton and the civil rights establishment. This comes as young Black men were being dismissed by elders such as Bill Cosby and the old guard civil rights groups, often lectured to, and told to pull their pants up rather than provided with any guidance or assistance. As a result, Alicia Garza, a co-founder of #BlackLivesMatter, said, “Ferguson marked the first time in my lifetime‚ in which the Reverends Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson were begged to leave the scene of a civil rights crime.”

It's a new day and there is a new way. Bernie Sanders has ripped his drawers with me, thanks to his supporters. 

"there can be no unity when you demonstrate that you care more about order than justice."

Know Justice.  Know Peace. 

"Was blind but now I see"

Please read this powerful, provocative, and persuasive Facebook post by a young person who has seen the light. You will see the reason people are talking about, and sharing this post. 

How do you not condemn the waving of the Confederate Flag in front of the White House?

The more I researched about the history of the flag, the worse I felt. What I had been told about its history was wrong. Thousands of southerners still fly the flag with no racist intent. They still defend the good things they’ve been told about the flag. They, like I once was, are WRONG. The flag is a symbol of a way of life that was wrong. Not that it needs to be stated, but slavery is one of the most evil and cruel things this world has ever seen. The Confederate flag represents this evil. Where is the pride in that?"

 "I believe the Children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way." The Greatest Love of All

Throwback Thursday: It's voter fraud because Artur Davis say's it's voter fraud

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On Voter ID Law- Outspoken AL State Rep Hides Behind Blue Dog Dem turned Republican.

Politics Nation's Al Sharpton did a good job of hitting Alabama State Rep. Kerry Rich for just that during an interview this Wednesday on MSNBC and with pushing back at the notion that invoking Davis justified the impact of the law and the fact that it is designed to do exactly one thing, and that's keep people from voting. As Sharpton noted during the interview, actual cases of voter fraud are virtually nonexistent, but that didn't keep Rich from insisting repeatedly that it was a problem. Of course there's voter fraud going on, because Artur Davis told me so. Pitiful. And these guys claim to be the party of "personal responsibility." Except of course they never want to take responsibility for anything they do. Either blame it on someone else, deny the facts and if that doesn't work, just make up your own alternate reality.

Alabama Republicans are totally delusional.

WAFF 48 tells voters to turn in "suspected voter fraud" to the GOP (RedEye Roll)

Today's primary is the test for the new voter suppression, I mean, voter ID law in Alabama, which republicans tout as a preemptive strike against imagined voter fraud.  So,  in addition to moving a lot of polling places from public facilities to churches and corporations , for good measure, the GOP, enabled by WAFF 48, offers voters some Last-minuet tips about Voter ID, Fraud.

While at the polls, it is important to remember that your vote is a representation of your voice - and you shouldn't let anyone take either away.
The Alabama Republican Party wants your help in preventing voter fraud at the polls Tuesday.
Voters are asked to be on alert and report any suspected fraudulent activity.
The Voter Fraud Hotline number is 1-844-253-7283. This number will also be on signs posted at various polling locations.
A $1,000 reward could be earned for tips that lead to a conviction.

 WRONG.  Report any "suspected fraudulent activity" to the Alabama Secretary State, Jim Bennet, not the GOP.  Since Bennett is a republican I guess you could say you are indirectly reporting "suspected fraudulent activity" to the GOP, but he's obligated to be non partisan when it comes to "suspected fraudulent activity".  

The Republican party is certain that U.S. elections are rife with voter fraud. How are they so sure of that? Apparently because Republican operatives are the source of most of it.

I think it's called projecting....  

Voter ID is not about fraud, it's about Voter Suppression.

Wonderin' 'bout Juan

Juan Williams is a nationally recognized correspondent for the Washington Post (ah, oops, some unprofessional conduct there, per the WP action and apology.) But that's not what this about. Let's look at his most recent post at Faux News. Mr. Williams wrote:

"...if we're going to have an honest discussion among people who care about the problems inside the black community, we have to be dealing with honest brokers. Unfortunately, a lot of people in the so-called civil rights community are frauds, outright hucksters.
Two of the worst: civil rights activist and MSNBC host Al Sharpton and Georgetown University Professor Michael Eric Dyson....
But do they ever confront the real problems and threats in the minority community? No. High murder rates? How about that? What about high dropout rates? What about the breakdown of the family?"

OK, let's take a look at high murder rates, high dropout rates, and the "breakdown of the family." 1-2-3.
According to Politifact, "Using the number 8,500, that translated to 21.65 blacks murdered each day by other blacks. So the blogger came up with a mathematical formula: 21.65 times 513 days=11,106. That 8,500 figure seems high, though, especially if we look at more recent figures. The FBI reported for 2011 that 6,329 black people were murdered, for example.
The blog post makes it sound as if the black-on-black murder rate is particularly significant, but we found similar high percentages for whites."
O, dang, sounds pretty similar.
OK, let's move on to "high dropout rates" Juan mentioned.
According to the National Institute of Educational Sciences' "Fast Facts" the status dropout rates of 16- through 24-year-olds in the civilian, noninstitutionalized population, by race/ethnicity: for selected years, 1990-2010 declined from 13.2% in 1990 to 8.0% in 2010, a 60% decrease.
Lastly, Mr. Williams wrote:

Stable, healthy families are at the heart of strong societies. It is within the family environment that an individual’s physical, emotional and psychological development occurs. From our family we should learn unconditional love, understand right from wrong, and gain empathy, respect and self-regulation. These qualities enable us to engage positively at school, at work and in society. Yet tragically, half of all children born today will experience family breakdown by the age of 16; this breakdown is particularly acute in the most disadvantaged communities. Dysfunctional family life and chaotic relationships can ruin the lives of those involved and damage children, particularly in their earliest years. We know that family formation affects the outcomes of children and general wellbeing: evidence clearly demonstrates that two-parent families are the most stable.

But here again, the stereotype is inaccurate. Henry A. Rhodes, a career teacher in the New Haven public school since 1977 and Facilitator for Social Development and Curriculum in the Yale National Initiative developed a curriculum called "The African-American Family in Crisis." In it, Mr. Rhodes notes that "One point which is often overlooked is the fact that a majority of black families are headed by two parents....The importance of children in African societies can not be overstated. The extended family took great care in the prosocialization of their children in the ways of their elders. Children were shown the importance of the helping tradition in African society by the example set by the adults of the extended family."
Rather than denigrating illustrious, accomplished black men with smears to promote erroneous stereotypes, Mr. Williams should concentrate on lifting people up instead of putting them down.

"NRA to African Americans: You'll need guns to protect yourself from the government"

This is a  a photo I snapped on March 4, 2007 of the late civil rights activist Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth being pushed in his wheelchair across the Edmund Pettus Bridge for the annual reenactment of the voting rights march in Selma, Alabama by the future President of the United States of America Senator Barack Hussein Obama. Also pictured are former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and civil rights activist Al Sharpton.

When I first read this headline;   NRA to African Americans:  You'll need guns to protect yourself from the government, I scoffed, but as time, rhetoric, and events progressed I thought, if any group has reason to protect itself out of fear of the government it's African Americans.  Para quoting the late Fred Shuttlesworth, it looks like black folks have to fight for the right to breath again.

In an attempt to kill Section Five of the Voting Rights Act, attorneys from Shelby County, Alabama told the U.S. Supreme Court it was not 1965 anymore, and they were right (pun intended), it's 2013, and things didn't get better in Sweet Home Alabama with the election of the first African American President....they got worse. The Simple Minded Savior describes present day Alabama to a T.

 I was born and raised in this God forsaken state and it IS still stuck in the 50's and 60's. It's not a stereotype and why anyone would want to visit here is beyond me. Oh yeah, they can come visit and see what main attraction? The CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM...Some parts of the interstate still have a confederate flag flying high and proud so what's he talking about? And the fact that one of the State Legislators called Black people "ABORIGINES" on tape and it was part of a trial transcript makes no never mind. Yeah, you're right, Alabama has not one racial problem, it's a beacon of hope, a melting pot of sorts for the nation. This State, Alabama, should be held out as the example of how loving a state should be. *sarcasm* If Jesus came back right now and came to an Alabama suburb, he would be labeled a dead beat liberal hippie and crucified a second time.

  Sitting Supreme Court Justice Anton Scalia thinks voting rights are a gift the government gave black people.  A gift black folks didn't earn and don't deserve. 

Today was the day that the Republican challenge to Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act was argued before the Supreme Court. Arguments were fiery, but this particular quote from Justice Scalia was one worthy of Jim Crow. If ever there was a reason to preserve Section 5, Scalia articulated it. Via TPM:

Roberts and Kennedy led the questioning challenging the Voting Right Act. Justice Sonia Sotomayor led the questioning defending it.
Justice Antonin Scalia attributed the continued congressional reauthorization to a perpetual “racial entitlement” and suggested that it will be renewed into “perpetuity” because members of Congress would never let it lapse for fear for political repercussions.
“I don’t think there is anything to gain by any senator by voting against this Act,” Scalia said. “This is not the kind of question you can leave to Congress. They’re going to lose votes if they vote against the Voting Rights Act. Even the name is wonderful.”

Justice Scalia's words undermine the very core of our democracy.   And if that's not scary I don't know what is.

The Struggle Continues

I don't feel noways tired after the struggle for justice for Trayvon Martin.  But I have to ask, why African Americans have to struggle for basic equal, civil and human rights in the land of the free and the home of the brave?

I place much of the blame on the white male dominated  mainstream media.   When the Trayvon Martin story finally hit the national media Al Sharpton, President Obama, Attorney General Eric Holder and others who led the fight for simple justice became the targets of racial hatred.

What get me is conservative don't believe black folks should have the same rights as white folks.  When Sanford Police Chief Bill Lee and State Attorney Norm Wolfinger said there would be no arrest in the Trayvon Martin case that was the end of story, and black folks were supposed to just say Yessir Massa  Suh weeze won't be asking for no justice, weeze just shuffle on off into the sunset like good little effing coons.


 Not.


So where do we go from here?  

We keep our eyes on the prize and struggle on.

We must remember that this problem is must bigger than Zimmerman. What about the Sanford Police Department that let Zimmerman go free? What about the continuing systemic and nationwide problem of racial profiling? What about racial differences in charging and sentencing? What about those ridiculous “stand your ground” laws in over 20 states?

"Keep them honest" For real

45 days after Trayvon Martin was killed,  and Sanford FL police chief Bill Lee said the case was closed, George Zimmerman has been arrested thanks to Special Prosecutor Angela Cory.  I admit I am surprised at the outcome.  I never expected the State of Florida to throw George Zimmerman under the bus for murder of a black child.  I will also admit I thought she wouldn't press charges hoping to provoke a violent reaction from the African American Community as proof Zimmerman was justified in killing Trayvon.  Is my faith in the justice system restored?  Not quite.  We still have to have a fair trial.  However if the trail is fair and the verdict is not guilty I will accept it and move on, unlike those who never got over the OJ verdict.

It's a good thing we didn't have to depend on our UNfair and UNbalanced  mainstream media to advance this issue.  I thank God for the race hustlers and others who stood up for what is right (no pun intended).

Today's Must Read
Trayvon Martin 1994-2012~Rest in Peace Sweet Child

Must See Video
 What Joe Scarborough said

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What Joe Scarborough said all the damn way!

Excerpts:

"Zimmerman wasn't standing his ground, Zimmerman was chasing this young man and harassing him."

"This isn't about standing your ground, this guy (Zimmerman) hunted him (Trayvon Martin) down"

"They better move in fast on this case because a lot of people have acted in a shameful way."

"They (Police) say let him (Trayvon) go and he (Zimmerman) still chases after him, and you can hear him in the background yelling 'help" and they still don't arrest him?"

"Here a young man gets killed and the police don't arrest this murderer for anything?"

"This law is literally getting in the way of action being taken." Mika

"It's not the (Stand your ground) law, it's the (Sanford) Police Department down there it's the State Attorney's office down there".

"How is someone standing their ground against someone who is screaming for help?"~Mika

"They (Sanford Police Department) have known since February 26, that this young 17 year old man, Trayvon  Martin, armed with nothing but ice tea skittles and a cell phone, minding his own business, walking through a neighborhood, was chased, hunted down, screaming for help, then shot to death, they have known this...and they have not arrested the man who they know very clearly wasn't standing his ground who killed him".

"If the facts are as they appear now, whoever is running the Police Department, whoever is running the State Attorney's office down there are not worthy of the public trust, have betrayed the public trust.  They are unworthy of representing the people of Florida..

"It sounds like they (Sanford Police Department) were trying to cover some tracks"

"They drug test the dead 17 year old who had ice tea and skittles, and they don't drug test the person who has just killed another person"?

"Who are these people"?

"The State of Florida needs to act aggressively".

"They better not get away with it."

"It does have to do with race.  If anybody watching this show either live or on the Internet, does not believe if an African American  shot a 17 year old  white boy walking through a neighborhood carrying ice tea and skittles, if they do not be believe there would have been an arraignment the next morning for the African American shooter, and the white boys family would be notified immediately, that an officer would not have driven to the white boys parents home,  sat on their couch and consoled them because they just lost their 17 year old son...if you believe this case, and the handling of this case by the people in Florida has nothing to do with race, you are living in a fantasy world."

"The Justice Department and the Attorney General Pam Bodi in Florida need to do more than investigate the death, because it seem to be fairly obvious what happened, they need to investigate the (Sanford) Police department and the State Attorney's Office and see why the parents weren't notified immediately, and why this guy hasn't been arrested.

"You don't have to have an open and shut case, arrest the guy, throw him in jail, they got probable cause, they got a 9 mm, they got him chasing him down the street, they got the gun shot on the 911 tape, they have  reason to lock this guy up this morning, they had it the night that it happened.

What Reverend Al Sharpton said all the damn way!
"I must say this has been the most inspiring morning  I've had with Joe Scarborough"

You can see/hear the entire segment  in context here,  then compare and contrast it with Matt Laur's  UNfair and UNbalanced interview of the grieving parents of Trayvon Martin, and the family attorney, on The Today Show.

Today's Must Read
Fox News commenters react to Trayvon Martin:'Good shot Zimmy'.

Putting a Black Face on Racist Racism Redux

Heather at Crooks and Liars ask:

So what does a Republican politician do when they can't give a good answer on why they think it's acceptable to disenfranchise millions of people with a voter ID law they just sponsored? Why blame it all on a Democratic sell out and Blue Dog, Artur Davis, who was rejected by the electorate in 2010, naturally.

Putting a black face on racist, racism,  Sweet Home Alabama Style!

RICH: Well, let me just quote Artur Davis. That`s the former black congressman from Alabama. He represented Selma, represented a portion of Montgomery and a good man. But, anyway, he said I have changed my mind on voter I.D. laws. He said, I think Alabama did the right thing passing one. He went on to say he said when I was congressman, I took the path of least resistance on this subject. And without any evidence to back it up. What this is about is it`s about protecting people`s vote. If you look at our law, our law is patterned almost identical to the Georgia law. The Georgia law has already been approved by the U.S. Justice Department. There`s also been laws in Indiana and also in Rhode Island. Southern states are not the only states that are passing these laws.

Alabama Voter ID h/t Tax the Rich
Alabama voter ID registration:

Are you white?

Do you vote GOP?

Are you a racist?

Are you a bigot?
Do you listen to Rush Limbaugh or Fox news at least 10 times a week?

Do you got to an evangelical church?

Are you conservative?

If you answered NO to any of the above; you must have birth certificates of all ancestors going back 4 generations, pay a $10,000 registration fee, pick up a parking sticker that will enable you to park no closer than 6 miles from your voting precinct, and prove you are not a member of any unpatriotic organization; at which time you will be allowed to cast your vote between 3:00 a.m. and 4:15 a.m., on the day before the first Tuesday in November.

It's voter fraud because Artur Davis say's it's voter fraud

If you missed Politics Nation with Al Sharpton tonight you missed him exposing the truth about Alabama republicans real  motive for the Voter ID law for all the universe to see and hear.  According to republican State Rep. Kerry Rich  he sponsored the Voter ID bill because former, black, Alabama Congressman Artur Davis says there is voter fraud.  I kid you not.

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Change Will Not Be Televised

Does this look like hundreds of marchers to you?  Me either.  I 'll bet if it were a bunch of TeaBaggers calling President Obama a Socialist, yelling they were going to take their country back, the Alabama media would be all over this important story.  But no. They choose to minimize and marginalize the story, out of sight out of mind.

Organized by Reverend Al Sharpton, thousands of marchers crossed the  Edmund Pettus bridge  in protest of archaic immigration and voter suppression laws passed by James Crow, Jr. Esq. and Company.

Forty Seven years ago, Civil Rights activist Viola Luzzio said "We're going to change the world", little did she know, we are still marching, still fighting, still being smeared, for trying to change the world.

Unfortunately,  Change will not be televised.  But it will be written about.

March for America Crosses Historic Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma

"When all the fingers on the hand work together they form a mighty fist"

I am wondering how long the Alabama LapDog Press is going to continue to ignore the upcoming  Selma to Montgomery March, which organizers predict will be bigger than the original march, due to Alabama's ongoing slide back to the days of Jim Crow and Slavery.   One thing they can't ignore is the revenue (money), and the attention it's bringing to Sweet Home Alabama.

Five fingers pointing the blame don’t amount to nothin. But together they make a mighty fist which can strike a mighty blow.~ Mother Jo from the movie Soul Food

Hosts

Faya Rose Toure and Senator Hank Sanders

National Union Officers

Arlene Holt Baker and Liz Shuler, AFL-CIO; Randi Weingarten, AFT; Tom Buffenbarger, IAM; Bob King, UAW; Lee Saunders, AFSCME; Mary Kay Henry, Eliseo Medina & Gerald Hudson, SEIU; Bill Lucy, CBTU; Cecil Roberts, UMWA.

National Coalitions

Benjamin Jealous, NAACP; Rev. Al Sharpton, NAN; Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rainbow-Push; Deepak Bhargava, CCC; Janet Murguia, La Raza.

Congressional Delegation

Congressman John Lewis will lead a delegation of members of Congress that will participate in the Selma-to-Montgomery activities.

Student Delegations

Administration, Faculty, and Students at Alabama State University and Tuskegee University will mobilize the campuses to participate in the week of activities, including teach-ins.

Bus Operations

AFL-CIO Central Labor Councils, along with Community Services Liaisons, in Memphis, Nashville, Atlanta, Mobile, Birmingham and Jackson, Miss. have set up bus operations working with local unions and community partners. These buses will attend the March 9th rally at the State Capitol. In addition, there are buses being organized by AFGE, SEIU, UMWA, USW, UAW, CBTU, and our Coalition partners. If you are interested in bus operations, please contact them directly:

Denise Mays: 404-525-3559
Janine Brown: 404-527-7417
Michael Allen: 615-780-2413
Pat Rabbeitt: 251-431-0101
Casel Jones: 901-299-5261
Terry Davis: 205-903-1568
Jim Evans: 601-209-2928

Schedule of Events
March 4
Brown Chapel AME Church services 7 a.m.
Rally and March across Bridge 1:30 p.m.
March 5-9
March each day starts at 9 a.m.
Evening community events at 6 p.m.
March 9
Alabama State University event 9 a.m.
Rally at State Capitol 11:30 a.m.

Now is the time for all good Americans to work together to form a mighty fist and fight take our country back from the right (wrong) wingers.  I will be there.  Will you?

Alabama in the house at the Academy Awards in Hollywood, California

Montgomery, Alabama native, and Auburn University grad , actress Octavia Spencer won the Oscar for best supporting actress for her role as an uppity maid in The Help,   a novel written by University of Alabama grad Kathryn Stockett .  Isn't it nice when Alabama is recognized in a positive light for something instead of football, bigotry and ignorance?

Montgomery's sister city  Birmingham was also represented at the Academy Awards, with the nomination of the short film Foot soldier:  The barber of Birmingham , putting the spotlight on the unsung heroes of the Civil Rights movement such as the late James Armstrong, who dedicated his life to fighting for civil rights.

We owe James Armstrong, Colonel Stone Johnson and the other foot soldiers a debt of gratitude that is priceless.

The struggle continues. Reverend Al Sharpton, along with the AFL-CIO and other grass roots organizations, will lead foot soldiers in a  march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama beginning March 4 in, ending  March 9, 2012 to protest the new voter laws, or as I call them, the keep black folks from voting laws.

Black voters are not engaged in voter fraud.  The right to vote is sacred to black voters.

All roads lead to Montgomery, Alabama ,the birthplace of Academy Award winning actress Octavia Spencer.

Change has come to some of the Alabama Airways!

I make a concerted effort to be in my car from 12-3 PM CST, Monday-Friday so I can listen to Keeping it Real with  Rev. Al Sharpton on XM 169 The Power.  Imagine my surprise when a the guest host identified a caller listening on WEUP AM radio in Huntsville, Alabama!!!  We don't have to listen to all Ru$h and Company, and all  Ru$h Wanna Bees  all the time anymore and I don't have to drive around to hear liberal talk!

Finally, conversation about social and political issues from the liberal prospective!  There is a saying, he/she who controls the message controls the outcome.   Why do republicans control the outcome?   Because they control the media.

Any media that dares report the truth is labeled liberal, like that's a bad thing.  In an effort not to appear liberal, the media adopted the false "fair and balanced" narrative.  It ought to be against the law to use the airways to misinform the public.  But it's not.  An informed electorate is an educated electorate.

It's not the Fairness Doctrine, but it's a start!  Liberals/progressives in Dothan, Alabama can listen to Keeping It Real on WAGF AM 1330, M-F, from 12-3 PM.   Keeping It Real is pending in Montgomery and Mobile. So stay tuned!  Tennessee Valley listeners can also listen online to conserve gas. :)

The number to the live line is 1-877-532-5797.  Get your  Liberal/Progressive Talk On!

I want my @#$^ HOPE for CHANGE we can believe in back!

Two years into President Obama's historic election I'm wondering how in the world HOPE for CHANGE we can believe in got hijacked by the gop infused, media enabled, Tea Baggers? I mean, really...how and why did we (Democrats/Progressives/Liberals) let this happen? There are more of us than there are of them as proven by President Obama's landslide 2008 victory. What the hell happened???

This is what I believe happened...President Obama didn't control the message, the gop infused, media enabled Tea Party controlled the message. He who controls the information controls the outcome.

Until and unless the democratic party comes up with it's own television network like Faux News and nationally syndicated talk radio shows/hosts like Limbaugh, Hannity and Beck, the republicans are always going to control the message.

President Obama can help us help him by reinstating the Fairness Doctrine.

What has not changed since 1987 is that over-the-air broadcasting remains the most powerful force affecting public opinion, especially on local issues; as public trustees, broadcasters ought to be insuring that they inform the public, not inflame them. That's why we need a Fairness Doctrine. It's not a universal solution. It's not a substitute for reform or for diversity of ownership. It's simply a mechanism to address the most extreme kinds of broadcast abuse.

It ought to be against the law to use the public airways to diseminate hate and misinformation.

"The FCC has a responsibility to set standards, to say the public can not be offended based on their race or their gender in this country and use federally regulated airwaves that they give licenses to that are very competitive and the FCC is very selective based on standards."

Then we have the Media Lobbying Complex, distoring what we decide.

A four-month investigation into the covert corporate influence on cable news found that since 2007 at least seventy-five registered lobbyists, public relations representatives and corporate officials have repeatedly appeared on MSNBC, Fox News, CNN, CNBC and Fox Business Network with no disclosure that they are paid by corporate interests.

The passage of the the Local Community Radio Act is a start.

The Local Community Radio Act will expand the low power FM (LPFM) service created by the FCC in 2000 – a service the FCC created to address the shrinking diversity of voices on the radio dial. Over 800 LPFM stations, all locally owned and non-commercial, are already on the air. The stations are run by non-profit organizations, local governments, churches, schools, and emergency responders.

The bill repeals earlier legislation which had been backed by big broadcasters, including the National Association of Broadcasters. This legislation, the Radio Broadcast Preservation Act of 2000, limited LPFM radio to primarily rural areas. The broadcast lobby groups claimed that the new 100 watt stations could somehow create interference with their own stations, a claim disproven by a Congressionally-mandated study in 2003.

Lost Hope?

When America elected Barack Obama, cynicism seemed in retreat, beaten back by a wave of ordinary people staking their time, money, and spirit on the prospect of significant change. We seemed to have reached a major historical turning point, offering the chance finally to address our country's root crises. Now, cynicism and despair have bounced back on steroids, as if to mock any new hope that we can help create a better world. Last year's soaring expectations seem distant memories, leaving a bitter taste. Obama's campaign made grassroots participation central, and he's invited us to help him do the right thing in office. But his compromises and the failings of Senate leaders to overcome the resistance of their obstructionist colleagues have destroyed much of the grassroots enthusiasm that existed a year ago. Meanwhile, those of us whose passionate engagement helped elect Obama haven't stepped up to help define our national debates (while the Teabaggers have). Most of us have done little in the past year beyond signing online letters or petitions, and watching shell-shocked from the sidelines as the country's politics spiraled steadily downward. Yet I still believe that we can help transform America through what Nelson Mandela called "the multiplication of courage," as I explore in "Soul of a Citizen." But for that resurgence of courage to bloom, we need to get past the cynical resignation that assumes change is impossible.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Let's get going in 2011 and take our @#$^ HOPE for CHANGE we can believe in back!

Yes
We
Can

Redeye's Week in Review

Congress failed to repeal DADT this week, but the ACLU will keep on fighting.

Congress' failure to repeal the shameful "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy is a devastating loss to the gay and lesbian service members who put their lives on the line for this country every day — and for Americans everywhere who believe in fairness and equality.

Rest assured that the ACLU will not give up on this fight. We are 100 percent committed to ending "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and will do everything we can to bring about its demise.

Not only did the democrats magically grow a pair this week they are standing with *gasp* the Congressional Black Caucus! When you think about it, African Americans will suffer the most if unemployment insurance is not extended since unemployment among African Americans is at an all time high.

Unemployment for African Americans is projected to reach a 25-year high this year, according to a study released Thursday by an economic think tank, with the national rate soaring to 17.2 percent and the rates in five states exceeding 20 percent.

Blacks as well as Latinos were far behind whites in employment levels even when the economy was booming. But throughout the recession, the unemployment rate has grown much faster for African Americans and Latinos than for whites, according to the study by the Economic Policy Institute. Moreover, the unemployment gap between men and women has reached a record high -- with men far outpacing women in joblessness.

Surprise! Surprise! Surprise! Reverend Al Sharpton speaks for me!

Over the course of the last several weeks, we have diligently watched as our President, Barack Obama, and the Democratic Party withstood filibustering and stonewalling from the right. Conducting hearings on the weekend, and doing everything they conceivably could to assist the poor and middle-class, their repeated attempts at compromise were met with fierce resistance and an utter disregard for the majority of this nation by the Republicans. And now, after holding the American people hostage as our President so rightfully pointed out, these self-aggrandizing politicians are sitting back and allowing Obama to be the scapegoat for all that ails us. It’s time we call them out.

Speaking of calling them out, they are who we thought they were.

Today, a right-wing organization called Judicial Watch hosted a panel discussion on the “current and upcoming fights over immigration enforcement” featuring Arizona state Sen. Russell Pearce (R). Pearce, the author of Arizona’s controversial immigration law, railed against the Obama administration for “siding with a foreign government” against the state of Arizona. However, looking on the bright side, Pearce joked that Obama may not want to come to Arizona as they will require him to show his papers:

Terri Sewell isn't the only newly elected Congress Critter hiring help this week.

Perhaps to the surprise of many Tea Party populists who helped elect them, the Washington Post reports, “Many incoming GOP lawmakers have hired registered lobbyists as senior aides. Several of the candidates won with strong support from the anti-establishment tea party movement.” These lobbyists are not public servants. They are experts at carving out special deals and tax giveaways to powerful corporations

What's that you say? Soon to be former Gooberner Rob Riley is using his so called ethics reform package for political payback against the evil, awful Alabama Education Association and to silence them there uppity teachers? I'm shocked! Shocked I tell you! NOT.

Despite the fact the NCAA and Auburn found Cam Newton's father Cecil Newton guilty of being a modern day slave trader selling his son to the highest bidder, banning him from attending games and awards ceremony's Cam Newton shows why he is a true winner and stands by his father. If there is any lesson for talented African American athletes maybe they shouldn't play for predominately white Universities and take their talents to a Historically Black Colleges and Universities where they don't have deep pocket athletic boosters. The same thing happened in the movie Blindside, talented black player must have been offered pay for play .

"I'm not sitting up here saying that we all are prefect. Everybody's made mistakes. I'm not sitting up here saying what he did or what he did was wrong. Who am I up here to say that what he did is true or not. But I know that if I can call Cecil Newton right now, he'll pick up the phone."

This week ends with me being talked down from my previous rage over the Obama compromise. I accept the fact he acted in the best interest of the American People, I don't accept the fact that it had to be this way. I still maintain he should have listened to his base instead of suppressing the base. I hope and pray now that the big republican fat cats have received their big tax cut they are going to start creating jobs in America and the banks are going to start loaning money again. I also hope that if they don't, the gop doesn't try to blame it on Obama.

The highlight of my week and the best Christmas present ever was the high honor and privilege of being named Blog I'm Feeling by the Field Negro. Welcome to my world and please don't just lurk, join the conversation!

This is what One Nation looks like!

You won't see wall to wall, breathless coverage of the One Nation Working Together rally held in Washington D.C. today because it's not a bunch of Obama hating white folks waving their flags while they waive their rights. Nope, it's red, yellow, black and white Americans from red states and blue states coming together to reclaim The UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and demanding the CHANGE we voted for.

One Nation Working Together
For Jobs, Justice and Education for All
WHO WE ARE
We are One Nation, born from many, determined to build a more united America – with jobs, justice and education for all.

We are young people, frustrated that society seems willing to spend more locking up our bodies than educating our minds, yet still we find ways to succeed and shine.

We are students and newly-returned veterans – persevering in the face of mounting debt – determined not to be the first generation to end up worse off than our parents.

We are baby boomers and seniors – who saw hope killed in 1968 and will not let the dream of a united America be taken from us again.

We are conservatives and moderates, progressives and liberals, non-believers and people of deep faith, united by escalating assaults on our reason, our environment, and our rights.

We are workers of every age, faith, race, sex, nationality, gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and ability – who have suffered discrimination but never stopped loving our neighbors, or our nation.

We are American Indians and Alaska Natives – citizens of Native nations – who maintain our cultures, protect our sovereignty, and strength America’s economy.

We are the new immigrants, raising our children in the torchlight of the Statue of Liberty, while confronting the shadows that are bigotry and mass deportations.

We are the native born. We inherited the divided legacies of settlers and American Indians, black slaves and white and Asian indentured servants. And yet, in this moment of shared suffering, we rejoice in new found friendships and new alliances.

We are people who got thrown out – thrown out of our jobs, schools, houses, farms and small businesses – while Wall Street's wrongdoers got bailed out. We are families who pray every day – for peace and prosperity; for deliverance from foreclosures; for good jobs to come back to urban and rural America.

We are unemployed workers – forced to watch hopes for bold action dashed – because some Senators threaten filibusters, and other would-be champions fold in fear.

And yet, we are the majority – fueled by hope, not hate. We have the pride, power and determination to keep ourselves – and our country – moving up and out of the valley greed created.

And most importantly – from ensuring women are treated fairly at work, to expanding health care coverage for millions– we have been victorious whenever we worked together. We have proven the only thing we need to succeed is each other.

Enthusiasm gap my Donkey!

Enthusiasm gap, schmenthusiasm gap. Without the benefit of months and months of advertising and promotion on Fox News Channel (in fact, I'm only aware of Ed Schultz on MSNBC doing any kind of TV promotion), the One Nation Working Together rally in Washington DC has gathered more supporters than Glenn Beck's much ballyhooed rally, which I will lovingly refer to as "Whitestock".

Preliminary satellite estimates put the crowd size at 175,000 to 200,000 at about noon EST. By the calculations of Bachman/Beck, et al., that would mean at least 1,000,000, non?

The question is whether the corporate media will keep pimping the "importance" and influence of the tea baggers and ignore the bigger numbers on the Democratic side of the aisle. Of the cable outlets, only C-Span is airing the event, so clearly this doesn't fit the narrative that MSNBC/CNN/Fox want to push.

The gop infused, media enabled Tea Party will NOT get their greedy paws on our government again.

The National Mall looked like a patchwork quilt, with thousands of union workers grouped in clusters wearing t-shirts in their respective colors. Unions such as the AFL-CIO and SEIU bused in workers from all over the country, and many attendees at the event said that they learned about it from their local chapters and were hoping it would mobilize people to get out the vote for November. The Rev. Al Sharpton called the upcoming elections the country's "midterm exams" and said the left needed to get ready. "We've got to go home and got to hit the pavement," he urged attendees. "We've got to knock on doors... We've got to get ready for the midterm."

Let's Roll for ONE NATION with liberty and justice for ALL not for some!

Playing the Race Card

What is playing the race card exactly? Check out this post from Danielle Belton's The Black Snob for a hilarious parody. Here is an excerpt:

Mitt Romney raises his hand.

Romney: Um ... Your excellencies or ma'ams or sirs or brothers, sisters, people ... um ... what on earth are we talking about?

Al Sharpton shoves Romney a little.

Sharpton: They're talking about The Race Card, fool.

Romney: Wait? There's an actual race card? Like ... really? I thought that was just something us white people said when we wanted to belittle your problems. No offense. My dad marched with Martin Luther King ... in spirit.