Why is the media obsessed with the First Lady's Donkey?

 

So the national media is all in a tizzy because Rogersville, Alabama football coach/teacher Bob Grisham said on tape what they say behind closed doors about Michelle Obama and homosexuals. In other words, they aren't mad at him for WHAT he said, they are mad because it was caught on tape, proof we are who they think we are here in Sweet Home Alabama.

The latest public rant against Michelle Obama’s effort to promote low-calorie school lunches was recently caught on tape in Alabama — the usual protest against the federal government meddling in local business. And then it quickly found its way around to the first lady’s posterior.
“Fat butt Michelle Obama,” said Bob Grisham, a high school football coach who was surreptitiously recorded by one of his students. “Look at her. She looks like she weighs 185 or 190. She’s overweight.”

God forbid the First Lady promotes healthy eating habits so we can live longer.  But I digress

If this incident hadn't been caught on tape, it would be just another example of it's OK if you are republican to bash the President, the First Lady, or the  LBGT' community.   For the record, I don't agree with WHAT Bob Grisham said, but I defend his RIGHT to express his opinion.  He was suspended without pay for 10 days, that is "punishment" enough.  He shouldn't be fired also.  We do have this little thingy called Freedom of Speech.  Well, some of us do, but again, I digress.

With all the problems in the world, our country, and especially the problems here in Sweet Home Alabama why is the media obsessed with the First Lady's Donkey??

I mean, really?

Update~Paging JD Crow, Joey Kennedy and John Archibald!

Birmingham School Board Warts n'All Crowblog al.com

Oh how I wish self described moderately disturbed Press-Register cartoonist J.D. Crow,  Birmingham News Pulitzer Prize winner, editorial writer, columnist and blogger Joey Kennedy  and  metro columnist John Archibald would drive/fly up here to north Alabama and show their sister paper how to report on the superintendent  and the school board.

To be honest, I haven't been keeping up with what's going on within the Birmingham Public School system, I do know the mainstream media covers the school board like white on rice, and, they are not taking their foot out of the behinds of the school board, or the superintendent.

This is the kind of education reporting I wish we had in Huntsville, instead of the lap dog ( yes I said it) education reporting we have.  If it weren't for unpaid blogger Geek Palaver I never would have known there was a call for the superintendent to resign, and the citizens comments deck was stacked against the citizens.

If I relied on reporting from mainstream media as my sole source of information I would believe "the superintendent and board are bringing the schools back to the status they enjoyed as the best in the state."

Compare and contrast coverage of the Birmingham City School Board of Education with the Huntsville City School Board of Education

No problems here.
Everything is just lovely.
Pay your taxes and go back to sleep.
We have everything under control.

Yeah right.

Thomas Jefferson said democracy demands and educated and informed electorate.

"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." (as cited in Padover, 1939, p. 89)
". . . whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government; that, whenever things get so far wrong as to attract their notice, they may be relied on to set them right." (as cited in Padover, 1939, p. 88)

The above quotes were the cornerstones of Jefferson's interest in education and the franchise. He placed education as the foundation of democracy and a prerequisite to vote.

I report.  You decide.

Today's Must Reads
The American Public's Distrust of the News Media Hits Record Low

The Bias of Mainstream Media

RedEye's Snark Attack

Artur Davis punk'd Left in Alabama big time remix.  You knew it was coming...I can't help but snicker like Mutely watching the Cats and other Critters over at Left in Alabama ,who kicked me out of the Liter Box because I tried to tell them Artur Davis was a Corporate Bull Frog and  Poo Pot Punk,  doing backflips in an attempt to renounce, reject and repudiate their ahem  Chief Dis appointee,  so I thought I would compose this Artur Davis, Then and Now at Left in Alabama big Snark.

Isn't it ironic the GOP aims to say "see we like black people" by having two African American sellouts from Alabama on the stage at during their We hate Obama more than we love ourselves and our country hate fest, I mean convention in Tampa?  Meanwhile, it looks like Mitt's got a Mutiny going on among the House Slaves, I mean Negro Republicans.

Speaking of the GOP convention, I see the governors of Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and maybe Louisiana, are skipping the event because of Hurricane Issac.  All I'm going to say is if Issac blows through any of these states this week,  I better not see none them with their hand out asking for federal aid from President Barack Hussein Obama.

On the all politics is local front, this is what happens when the Huntsville City School Board and the competent white Superintendent, who replaced the inept black superintendent, panders to the right and the Huntsville Times berates those taxpayers who dare criticize/complain about their policies.  Is the children learning?  I think not, so, now that we know, what can/are we going to do about it? Start by reading this.

While I'm on the subject of education, I can't let the fact the State that can't shoot Straight, much to the delight of the anti-Alabama Education Association, Mayor William Bell, and Frank Matthews gang, decided they could do a better job of educating poor/black/brown students with a takeover of  the Birmingham City School System.  Mission Accomplished. Charter schools here we come.

Alabama State Senator Arthur Orr,(r. Decatur) sponsored a bill last week to remove discriminatory language regarding poll taxes and segregated schools from Alabama's 1901 constitution. Sounds goods on its face, right?

NOT.

Today's Must Read
Voter ID Laws:  The American Coup de tat

Why is mooncat defending Patricia Todd?

Alabama’s first out lawmaker speaks at a re-election campaign event

You know something is rotten in the cotton when right wing  blogger  Radio Boy  is in agreement with left leaning blogger mooncat on an issue involving the democratic party, dog whistles, and race.

Let's go inside the story and see what is going on between the Committee to Develop Birmingham and Rep. Patrica Todd (D). 

First some background,  The Committee to Develop Birmingham is majority black, Rep.Patrica Todd is white, the first openly gay Alabama State Legislator, representing a district that is majority black.

How did a white, openly gay woman end up representing a majority black district?  The answer depends on who you ask, and,  who answers.

Here is a link to the documents filed in the case.

In a dispute/disagreement over a proposed take over by Alabama State Department of Education of the Birmingham City School System, Todd who supports the take over, described those who disagreed as rogue delegation members."    Well how dare they get offended by being described as "rogues"!  Snark

This is what happens when you resort to name calling, personal attacks and insults  because someone has a different point of view, and why the current  tone of our political discourse is so toxic.  Rep. Todd apologized and said she didn't mean to offend anyone, but as a member of a minority class she should know better than anyone that words matter, and some words hurt.

mooncat asks; What is the committee's game here?  Trying to stir up trouble for Pat Todd maybe?  Create an opening for a challenger of their own?

Why does it have to a game, 
What if the committee does have a challenger of their own?

I don't live in Todd's district, but I have friends and family who do, and there is the perception   she cares more about issues affecting the LBGT community, and ignores issues affecting the African American community.

Let the people who actually live/work in the district decided who best represents them.  If Todd is faced with a challenger for her seat, and a  majority of the people vote for her in a fair and free election, she will be re-elected.  But please don't say  voters don't have the right (pun intended) to challenge her just because she's Patricia Todd (D) implying she is entitled the seat.

Today's Must Reads
Terri Sewell's Online Un-Job Fair (Be sure and read the comments)

Where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but the content of their character 

Updated: Blatant show of White Privilege hiding behind the skirts of the JeffCo New South Coalition