Just because we're black doesn't mean we are stoopid

The prevailing thought in Rightwingdom is black folks riot when they don't get their way.  In this case, getting their way was the arrest of 9 mm toting, self appointed neighborhood watch Captain George Zimmerman, in connection with the death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teen.   The fact this was accomplished nonviolently is lost on those itching for a race war.

For the record, black folks will not tarnish the memory of Trayvon Martin, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other's by resorting to violence if the justice system let's us down again.  It's not like black folks have a document history of violence and retaliation against white folks.  Besides, it would be stoopid to bring a knife to a gunfight.

Today's Must Read with commentary
Justice and Trayvon Martin:  Where was Left in Alabama the Informed.  Involved.  Progressive blog of record?  Other than an  explanation in plain English of what "stand your ground" means by the resident righty/legal contributor there was not a mumbling word said about Trayvon Martin.  Inquiring minds want to know why?

Wednesday’s decision by Florida Special Prosecutor Angela Corey to charge George Zimmerman with second-degree murder in connection with February’s fatal shooting ofTrayvon Martin, an unarmed African American teenager, raises numerous troubling questions. Among the least considered, but perhaps most vexing: In the quest for justice in this case, were progressive and other well-meaning white people?

Saturday Links I Like

The Scottsboro Boys and the Scott Sisters. It's not a minstrel show...It's about race and class in America.

A group of about 30 people gathered on Saturday afternoon in front of the Lyceum Theater to protest a matinee of the new Broadway musical “The Scottsboro Boys,” which retells the story of nine African-Americans between 12 and 19 who were falsely convicted of raping two white women in Alabama in 1931. The show, written by the celebrated team of John Kander and Fred Ebb and directed by the Tony-winning director Susan Stroman, uses the minstrel tradition to tell the story of how racism infected the judicial system.

“The trials were treated as if the boys were in a minstrel show” because it was such a farce, she said of the production. “The actors actually deconstruct the device in front of the audience,” and in the end, rebel against it.

The Rude Pundit on censoring the N word out of Huck Finn. Warning....it's very Rude.

Watch out for some nasty dangerous white boys: John Boehner and Darrell Issa. Click here for the full article.

Public Employees are under attack because they are public employees.

"Look Over There!"

How do you get regular people to "look over there" with all of that going on? Simple: launch a big campaign to blame the librarians, firefighters and other public sector workers for the hard times. "Don't blame US," Wall Street says, "Look over there!" Blame the economy's victims for economic crimes. And, do you know what? This is a strategy that is proven to work every time.

The Daley Show

I felt nearly as sick earlier this week, when I started hearing the Daley as chief of staff rumors, as I did when Obama sealed his fate just before taking over the White House by announcing that Rahm Emanuel would be his first chief of staff. Emanuel has been an unmitigated disaster for Obama and, worse yet, for the Democratic Party, and I really hope Daley will improve things but, I don't expect any miracles-- unless one interprets "improve things" to mean that Obama will get more credit for the yeoman's work he's been doing for Wall Street, Corporate America and the permanent, albeit shrinking, ruling class at the expense of society.

Happy reading!