Memorial Day Musings

At it's inception Memorial Day was known as Decoration Day,originating after the Civil War to honor , it originated in the years following the Civil War to acknowledge the brave Americans who fought in the Civil War and to decorate their graves. Ironically the red, republican, confederate,slave states hold a seperate holiday to honor soliders who died fighting against the United States of America. They can't honor soldiers on Memorial Day with the rest of the nation, that would be too much like right (pun intended), they have to have a *ahem* seperate holiday.

Columnist Leonard Pitts notes they have never been on our side.

“They” meaning social conservatives. “Our” meaning African-American people.

They were not there in the century after the Civil War, as conservative Southern Democrats violently repressed would-be black voters, made a shadow government of the Ku Klux Klan, turned a deaf ear to the howling of lynch mobs and lynch victims. They have not been there in the half century since, as conservative Southern Republicans fought affirmative action, poverty programs, and attempts to ban the American swastika, i.e., the Confederate battle flag, from public lands.

I hate to tell Linda Chavez, but Rand Paul and Russell Pearce are the ugly face of the gop.

Are the likes of Rand Paul and Russell Pearce becoming the face of the Republican Party? Let's hope not. Paul, an ophthalmologist who recently became the Senate nominee from Kentucky, has already embroiled himself in controversy over his comments about the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Pearce, the Arizona legislator who sponsored the state's tough anti-illegal immigrant law, has now decided to target not only illegal immigrants but their U.S.-citizen children as well. Both men represent the soft underbelly of the populist movement that catapulted them to fame —and a danger to the future of the Republican Party.

The time to celebrate and remember Memorial/Decoration Day is on election day because for military families , the day is compounded by far more than sleeping in, grilling and beer. It's a day to honor the lives of the soldiers who put themselves into the hands of the officials whom we as a citizenry elect, the soldiers who say "I'll follow your orders" whether they want to or not, for the country.


Remember when you go to the polls and pull that lever you are giving elected officials the authority and the power to send our sons and daughters to war. Remember that pResident George W. Bush sent our troops to Iraq based on DEAD WRONG INTELLIGENCE. Remember that President Abraham Lincoln sent our troops to war to preserve the Union. Remember all the wars and rumors of wars when you pull that lever. Remember our troops are fighting in the name of ALL Americans, regardless of race, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation or economic circumstance. Remember they aren't laying their lives and limbs on the line for the red states or the blue states but the United States of America. With liberty and justice for ALL.

George R. Nixon said it best in a letter to the Editor in today's Huntsville Times
GOP knows all
Well, the election is here and it looks to me like the Republicans will win it all. It must really be nice to be a Republican at this time. You know all the questions; just none of the answers.

If anyone questions you or disagrees with anything you say, they are un-American, socialist, and worst of all, a liberal.

You care little about the working man so long as he keeps voting to support Big Business and the rich.

You say you believe in God, but that is only on Sunday, while the rest of the week, you don't practice what he teaches.

You talk about cutting government spending, yet all you do is cut those programs that benefit the poor and uneducated.

Most of all, you know you have the money and backing from Big Business and corporations to outspend anyone who runs against you.

You say you don't want the federal government in your business, yet I haven't seen one Republican turn down or give back any money the federal government has given him.

Finally, you can blame everyone else and claim you had no hand into getting us into any of the problems we now have. Yes, it must be nice to be a Republican.
George R. Nixon



Redeye, tiptoeing away from the computer to go pray voters remember Memorial Day today and on election day tomorrow.

Friday Links I Like

This is the kind of Democratic Women's' organization I wish we had! THIS is what I'm talking about!

The Hamilton County Democratic Women have released video of their heated meeting with Tim Crawford, Democratic candidate for the House in IN-05, who local Democrats see as an inept right-winger ruining their chance to take control of the seat.

Uh, Mr. President, Sir....it's time to kick some BP butt and take some BP names. They've been lying to us and to you.

Just what the hell is BP doing denying people access to land they don't own, much less airspace they don't control?

And what about this nonsense about BP simply "not heed[ing]" EPA directives?

If the White House is looking for a way back into the driver's seat on this thing, this is it.

The proliferation of stories about journalists and others being denied access to these areas ostensibly by local authorities but at the direction of the private corporation responsible for the disaster in the first place is an scandal that would ordinarily have the dictators of banana republics hanging their heads in shame.

Bring our damn troops home NOW!

Michael Clauer is a captain in the Army Reserve who commanded over 100 soldiers in Iraq. But while he was fighting for his country, a different kind of battle was brewing on the home front. Last September, Michael returned to Frisco, Texas, to find that his homeowners' association had foreclosed on his $300,000 house—and sold it for $3,500. This story illustrates the type of legal quagmire that can get out of hand while soldiers are serving abroad and their families are dealing with the stress of their deployment. And fixing the mess isn't easy.

Send the republicans and the right wing media to stay the course in Iraq for Bush and Dick!

Whether you commemorate Memorial Day somberly or celebrate the arrival of summer with barbecues, beaches, and beer, your thoughts are probably drawn back to a particular person who died in uniform.

Alabama, Tim James, George Wallace and Campaign Exploitation,

A meticulous research in the book 'Alabama, Portrait of a Deep South State,' notes, in the 1960's, when poor whites who'd recently entered the middle class saw their earning power failing to keep pace with inflation, instead of acting rationally and organizing or joining unions, they often acted in non-rational ways, "through scape-goading, fatalism, or blind rage." To champion the cause, "they chose George C. Wallace."

Artur Davis must have taken notes from Tim James and George Wallace, I got a robo call from Davis today whining about Ron Sparks alleged racism. All of a sudden Artur Davis cares about black folks and racism?

Gag me with a spoon.

Redeye's Week In Review

Yo GoBlue! If you are reading this you owe me some Obama wine glasses. Remember, our friendly wager before I was booted from the Left in Alabama sandbox regarding young, conservative, phone tapper James O'Keefe? Well, A Felony Will Get You Probation If You're a Conservative in America.

Although, this is nothing new in America if your not brown or black skinned people. O'Keefe won't get the felony label that is issued out like free tickets to the circus. We all know that had he been black or brown he would have been singing that tune they sing when baseball player hits a baseball out of the park-bye,bye baby! And some white folks wonder why black and brown people get all puff out of shape and complain about the sentencing system in the courts of America. Puleeeeeze!

You want to deliver those glasses or should I pick them up? :)

BTW, the Alabama Teacher who used the assassination of President Obama as a teaching tool got a slap on the wrist too.

I think that the Superintendent Phil Hammonds felt obligated simply because of the national attention and the fact he was named MSNBC's worst person in the world.

Ya think?

Speaking of Left in Alabama I see where they made their endorsements for the June 1st, democratic primary. Now I know why Bengoshi and I were booted from the front page, we were just too darn liberal for Left in Alabama. I bout fell off my bar stool laughing at this one;;

Generally, we are going with the outsiders this year. The corrupt, good old boy culture in Montgomery has done no favors for Alabama or the Democratic Party. It's time to bring in some fresh troops and generals because we aren't going to solve our problems by continually electing political retreads.

Translation, we want to replace the good guys with the bad guys. You know the good guys who believe in women's rights, equal rights, civil rights, human rights, health care reform, labor, and public education.

I spewed coffee all over my keyboard at this one;

Of course, this is Alabama, so there will be Constitutional Amendments on the ballot next Tuesday. Knowing nothing about them as yet, we hope and pray someone (Old Prosecutor?) will take pity and tell us what they mean and how a progressive Alabamian might want to vote on them.

Let me see if I've got this right (pun intended), they want resident righty Old Prosecutor to tell them how a progressive Alabamian might want to vote on them? ROFLMAO! I guess it depends on what the definition of a progressive Alabamian IS. *Snark*. But in any event, now we know progressive at Left in Alabama means the following;

If you don't like the content, write your own. We're a progressive blog that deals mainly with state issues - particularly during a state primary season.

As far as progressive issues go, most of us here support Constitution reform, ethics reform, tax fairness, and a better educational system.

Sound familiar?

The Progressive Electorate released their endorsements for the democratic primary also. Not surprising, with the exception of Jeremy Sherer and no endorsement in the governors race they are the complete opposite of slightly Left in Alabama.

Alabama Governor - This is a tough call. Artur Davis has brought a lot of attention to the 7th Congressional District. However, as progressives we are extremely disappointed in some of his recent votes that have shown his capitulation to the right. I.E. Health Care Reform, Hate Crimes. Ron Sparks is the alternative in this race and we genuinely like some of his ideas such as an Education Lottery. Sparks has been an outstanding Ag Commissioner and been great in that position. However, we are also disappointed in his stance on constitutional reform. The constitution in its current form continues to hinder our State from reaching its potential. Therefore we issue a no-endorsement in this race.

Now this is what I call a progressive slate and a well reasoned endorsement. I don't agree with everyone endorsed (I endorse Mitchell Howie and Ron Sparks), but at least the slate of candidates are liberals and will work for the people, not on the people.

Ministry of Truths' diary is a must read.

I was surprised to learn that an African American woman has NEVER been elected to a full term to represent the state of Alabama in the House of Representatives.
My goal today is to help change that.

When last I wrote about one of my heroes, Rosa Parks, it was to illustrate how the right would roll back the Civil Rights act to allow discrimination in the name of economic freedom.

145 years after the Civil War, much has changed, but more should change, until we truly achieve the Change We Can Believe In!.

In 2010, it is finally time to elect an African American woman to a full term in Congress to serve the State of Alabama in the House of Representatives!

I can't make up my mind in this race between Sheila Smoot and Earl Hillard Jr, because they both are better than the current Congress Critter from the 7th district, so may the best liberal win!

The United States House of Representatives approved the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell this week! Yippie! Not surprising, Alabama's two DINO's (Bright and Davis) didn't bother to vote and the republicans voted NO. Bummer.

So, did the Top Kill Work? We don't know what we don't know, we don't know. Of course the vultures are circling trying to turn this into President Obama's Katrina. No more Mister Nice Blog has some suggested alternative responses for President Obama. The Rude Pundit wants to know why is BP still in charge of the Gulf and so do I. Meanwhile the oil is still spilling. We need real solutions, not Crazy Uncle Solutions

President Obama expected, however wrongly and however stupidly, that the American media -- even though overloaded with voluble crazy uncles -- would, for a change, react to this crisis with proper disgust, but also maturity and Reason.

Maturity and reason? What's that?

WTF Wednesday

I step away from the blogosphere, cable TV and XM radio for a real life break and all hell breaks loose. Instead of What If Wednesday, This is WTF Wednesday. W=Who, What, Where, When or Why. You know what the T and F mean.

WTF made former, convicted Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford the Willie Horton of the Alabama dirty tricks campaign season? I mean, really? The man is no longer in office and is presently serving a long prison sentence. What more do you want? A pound of flesh? His first born? His wife? His home? Larry Langford is not the black boogie man. You would think Langford raped women, kidnapped children and lynched folks or something. Geesh. Leave Larry Alone!

WTF cares about Ron Sparks bank loan and again, WFT does Larry Langford have to do anything??

Smacks of Langford, actually.
I keep seeing the whole Langford bingo machine thing play out in my head.

WTF kind of ethics platform is Artur Davis running on? It's real ethtical to throw out rumor and innuendo against your opponent. It's realy ethical to throw your constituents under the bus for your own political gain. Congressman Davis, if you have solid evidence Ron Sparks bank loan was illegal or unethical, bring it on, if you don't have solid evidence.........

WTF can't Artur Davis be in favor or Constitution Reform and Health Care Reform? This is why Artur Davis will lose. Watch it and weep.

WTF is taking so long for somebody to just plug the damn hole and stop the millions of barrals of black gold, Texas Tea from polluting the Gulf Coast and possible the eastern seaboard? I mean, really?

Boby Jindal is going to start crying like Ray Nagin any day now, and when he does, you are going to be toast O man. I don't care how much BP is at fault. Ken Salazar will be your Mike Brown. You remember him, don't you O man? "Brownie you are doing a heck of a job". Yeah, that guy. Salazar has been posturing and fuming at BP for days now, but the oil is still coming, and we are no closer to a resolution today than when that rig exploded what seemed like an eternity ago.

WTF did teaching hate become part of the public school curriculum? See a pattern? The Birmingham Chapter of the SCLC does...

"The Southern Christian Leadership Conference has noted with great concern the increased rhetoric across this nation that espouses violence and hateful rhetoric toward our national government and especially our president, the honorable Barack Obama. We were greatly disturbed that a public school teacher right here in Jefferson County would be so mean spirited that he would teach impressionable young minds a geometry lesson and used the hypothetical assassination to teach his math class. This is totally inexcusable and this person needs to be dealt with swiftly and in a decisive and meaningful manner. This borders on insanity and cannot be rationalized nor condoned. This teacher should be fired immediately."

Peace

Questions

This is turning into one of those weeks when real life is interfering with my blogosphere life, but I wanted to give readers/voters something to think about. H/T to Write Chic Press for giving me this idea.

Will the republican voters in Congressional District 5 elect an angry black man who likes guns?

Will the republican voters in Congressional District 5 elect the candidate endorsed by the Rand Paul, I mean Tea Party ?

Will the republican voters in Congressional District 5 elect the liberal democrat, turned conservative flip/flopping traitor to represent them in Washington D.C.?

Will the democratic voters in Congressional District 5 elect a lobbyist and self described conservative democrat to represent them in Washington D.C.?

Will the democratic voters in Congressional District 5 elect a centrist like Bud Cramer as their congressional representative?

Or will democratic voters have the courage to elect an authentic progressive as their Congressional representative from the 5th district?

Time will tell the truth.

If we get off our Donkey's and vote for them they will win.

I was listening to a progressive talk radio show on XM radio last night when one of the callers made the case the Democratic party is suffering from learned helplessness, I tend to agree.

First let's define learned helplessness

Learned helplessness, as a technical term in animal psychology and related human psychology, means a condition of a human being or an animal in which it has learned to behave helplessly, even when the opportunity is restored for it to help itself by avoiding an unpleasant or harmful circumstance to which it has been subjected. Learned helplessness theory is the view that clinical depression and related mental illnesses result from a perceived absence of control over the outcome of a situation. [1]

I'm not a psychologist, so bear with me as I attempt to apply what I learned in Psych 101.

Alabama democrats have been conditioned by the right wing, to believe they can't win elections unless they pander to the right wing.

Example 1, take this exchange among fellow list serve members regarding Al 05 Congressional candidate Steve Raby (names redacted);

It all started with a press release announcing an endorsement of Raby by the Untied Steele Workers of America to the list serve.

Member A: I endorse Steve Raby too. I've known him all his life and he is a dang good man. I will support him and vote for him in the coming elections. I would hope all you Democrats give him the vote too.

Member B;Remember the last time we all voted for a self-described "conservative Democrat"? Yeah, that worked out well.

Member C; My sentiments exactly list serve member B. Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me.

Member D; conservative about what? liberal about what? moderate about what? richard smith knows better. List serve member C also. saw today where alfa endorsed parker griffith. no surprise but if we have to fight parker in general election we need to be united.

Member C: I know better than what list serv member D?

Member D; you are better informed and more perspicacious (although a teeny bit emotional once in a while) about what is going on politically than a lot of people, so you know steve raby is no parker griffith. with all the things we have to worry about politically, why hit the democrat who will quite possibly be our nominee against parker with a smear like he's another parker to be? when i saw that ALFA had endorsed parker, i assumed polls showed ALFA info we dont see about the gop primary, and alfa is putting it's money on parker to win the gop primary. so i expect that's who our nominee faces. june 1 results may show i'm all wrong but you got to go with the info you got. if steve's hit on a controversial position he takes, that's legitimate, but to glue him to parker because he says he's a "conservative" wont help going out from the primary. i'm not pretending to be the proverbial "holier than thou" guy -- i've taken a few cheap shots against a political opponent -- but if we can take the seat back for the democrat, regardless of what else happens in november around the country, we'll be in deep clover.

Member C; Steve Raby said he was a conservative democrat. I'm informed enough to know conservative is nod, nod, wink, wink for I'm anti choice, anti affirmative action, anti labor, anti gay rights, and all of the other so called liberal social issues I am a teeny bit emotional about. If Steve Raby is the democratic nominee it won't be with my vote. I'm not going to vote for any more conservative democrats. If I wanted to vote for a conservative I would vote for a republican.

Member E; I've known Steve Raby for more than 25 years. He's not anti choice, not anti affirmative action, not anti labor, not anti gay rights. and probably the closest candidate who's electable that would be a fit for your profile. Would he be perfect for you? Probably not, but any candidate that would be perfect for you would be unelectable. Good luck, and let's talk after the Primary.

First of all, Steve Raby described himself as a conservative democrat, never did he say he was not anti choice, not anti affirmative action, not anti labor,not anti gay rights.

While he wants to keep federal dollars flowing to North Alabama, he does not see himself as liberal.

“Can you be a conservative and be a Democrat? Well, I am. Heck, I own more guns than anyone in this race.”

Example #2; My spouse and I attempted to host a neighborhood meet and greet for AL 05 democratic congressional candidate Mitchell Howie at. My republican neighbors refused to come and meet Mitchell because he was was democrat and my democratic neighbors refused to come because they didn't want to offend our republican neighbors. As the young people say, how whack is that? Republicans don't mind offending us democrats but we are ever mindful of offending them. If my republican neighbors had invited me to meet a republican candidate I would have attended and listened to what they had to say. In other words I would have had an open mind, not a closed mind. Maybe that's why I'm not a republican but I digress.

Example #3; One of my church members called and asked if I was going to vote in the republican primary for Mo Brooks as pay back to Parker Griffith then vote in the democratic primary in the fall. I told them NO, I wasn't playing that game and that I was supporting Mitchell Howie 100% and then some. They asked if he was another Parker Griffith (i.e. pretend liberal) and I said NO, he is the real thing, meaning he has articulated a clear and liberal position on the issues I care about and reminded them of his grandfather, Dr. Virgil Howies' legacy in Huntsville during the Civil Rights movement. My church member listened then said, "Yes, he's a liberal but he can't win, you know how Alabama is".

If liberals can't win we might as well bend over and kiss our Donkey's goodbye.

If democrats continue to elect conservatives we might as well bend over and take our Gang Banging like Girlie men.

If the good guys can't win, and by good guys I mean candidates and elected official who are proud liberals, who will stand up for women's rights, civil rights, equal rights, human rights, LBGT rights, labor and public education we are in deep doo doo.

Think about it.

We need to stop saying the good guys can't win and get off our Donkey's and vote for them.

We need to stop saying progressives/liberals aren't electable. This is America. The candidate with the most votes wins.

Remember?

What mooncat said when she was a liberal;

This is the time for Democratic candidates to stop running away from their party. The debate between the DLC and the netroots will continue long after Sunday's edition of Meet the Press. I believe and hope the netroots view is correct, based on recent recent information and also because I'm tired of living in a country where conservatism rules.

If democrats don't know this by now they will never know;

When conservative voters have a choice between Republican-lite and a real Republican, they vote for the real Republican. What do liberal or progressive voters do when faced with the same choice? They either hold their nose and vote for Republican-lite or, and this is key, they don't vote at all.

Say, Have You Seen My Democratic Party?

A recent column by David Sirota Laying Bare The Myth of the Left sparked an interesting discussion on a list serve I subscribe to about the democratic party and progressives/liberals and the democratic agenda. Sirota concludes the so called powerful left does not exist in America;

I'm always amused by popular references to the allegedly all-powerful American "Left." The term suggests that progressives today possess the same kind of robust, ideologically driven political apparatus as the Right - a machine putting principles before party affiliation.
This notion is hilarious because it is so absurd.
Yes, there are certainly well-funded groups in Washington that call themselves "progressive," that get media billing as "The Left," and that purport to advocate liberal causes regardless of party. But unlike the Right's network, which has sometimes ideologically opposed Republicans on court nominations and legislation, many "progressive" institutions are not principled at all - sadly, lots of them are just propagandists for Democrats, regardless of what Democrats do.

Listservmember SW says;

progressives are going to have to come together & construct a backbone soon. I wish it would be to highly protest the Kagan nomination...but ...

I agree and disagree with SW. I believe there are progressives out there with backbone,, suppressed by the elitist. For example, why isn't David Sirota ever booked as a Talking TeeVee Pundit Head? Why was I banned from Left in Alabama? Why are only so called conservative/moderate Democrats voices being heard?

I believe the democratic party has been infiltrated by conservatives and so called moderates so they can divert attention away from social issues and maintain the status quo.

My definition of Blue Dog/ConservativeDemocrats are candidates and elected officials whom identify themselves as "Democrats" to garner the African American vote, and "Conservative" to garner the White votes. In reality they are social conservatives, also known as Republicans.

In my opinion moderates, undecideds,swing voters, blue collar voters, working class voters, Nascar dads, security moms, Walmart moms, in the middle voters, values voters,evangelical voters, christian right and libertarians are code words developed and used by the media to manipulate public opinion. In reality these groups are social conservatives, also known as Republicans.

The republican party is fond of saying they are the party of Lincoln and therefore are not racist(were the party of Lincoln being the operative word) when it suits them, but every since the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act democrats are more like the party of Lincoln and republicans are more like the party of Thomas Jefferson. Today's republicans are yesterdays Dixiecrat's.

on June 19, the substitute (compromise) bill passed the Senate by a vote of 73-27, and quickly passed through the House-Senate conference committee, which adopted the Senate version of the bill. The conference bill was passed by both houses of Congress, and was signed into law by President Johnson on July 2, 1964. Legend has it that as he put down his pen Johnson told an aide, referring to the Democratic Party, "We have lost the South for a generation."[8]

In addition to conservative infiltrators the democratic party has so called "moderates, centrist, center" who try and walk a thin line down the middle of the party. We don't know if they are pro choice or anti choice. We don't know if they are pro civil rights or anti civil rights. We don't know what the heck they stand for. They are in the middle whatever the heck that means. My daddy says the only thing down the middle of the road is a yellow line. Moderates are afraid to take a position one way or another because they don't know what side of the road they are on.

Here is what Booman says about the so called center or centrist, and I agree.

The center hasn't ceded power to the extremes. You have one party that is trying to govern in a recognizably American way, and another party that is debating whether it was a mistake to desegregate lunch counters. Given that choice, what does it even mean to be in the center? If you can't make a choice with these options, maybe the center is the place for imbeciles.

Seriously, where is my democratic party? The party of Lyndon Johnson, John Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Hubert Humphrey and other proud, unashamed liberals?

The party that stood up for women's rights, civil rights and human rights?

The party that didn't throw the traditional base under the bus just to be elected?

The party that was the home of progressives and liberals?

The party my list serve friend and fellow progressive gd describes below:

Many of us believed we were electing a traditionally Liberal Democrat as our President. We apparently have been deceived. Many of the same Bush policies Progressive Democrats abhorred are still in place. Many of the so-called "changes" that were promised haven't happened and lack of action seems to have reinforced some of the Bush policies.... such as continuing to allow warrant less wiretapping of American Citizens under one the more noxious Executive powers within the "Patriot Act," doing nothing to end the wars and even escalating the number of American troops in the war in Afghanistan, doing nothing to change the DADT policy, etc. Now the current Administration wants to tamper with Americans' "Miranda Rights" which have worked for low these many years to protect us from having a "Police State." Perhaps it is time for a Progressive Party to emerge.
If the DLC and the current Administration continues down their "right-of-center" path, and "We the People" do nothing to change that direction, then DEMOCRACY as we have known it, will cease to exist. The Corporations, who have now been granted "person hood" by the Judicial Branch of our government, will become "The People" who will be buying and paying for election of their candidates. A Corporation already owns the machines which tallies our votes, and nothing has been done by the Current Administration to eliminate the easily manipulated electronic voting machines or about the other much needed election reforms either.

Financial Reform now looms largely on America's horizon. Will these "reforms" be weakened in favor of Wall Street & the Banks, the same way Health Care Reform was weakened in favor of the For-Profit Health Care Insurance Corporations? Is that rattling sound I hear the sound of Progressive Democrats striking their swords against their shields, or is it the sound of a "We the People" Democracy gasping its last rattling breath?

I hope and pray that rattling sound is the sound of progressive democrats taking their party back and not the sound of "We the People" Democracy gasping it's last rattling breath.

Enough.

I want my liberal democratic party back.

Alabama Week In Review~Edited

Or, What I learned about Sweet Home Alabama this week.

When your campaign is tanking, resort to race baiting. It's the Alabama way.

5th district Congressional Candidate Taze Shepperd started the race baiting with the airing of his television ad mentioning his opponent Steve Raby's contribution to former Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford. Highlighting Raby's career is fair game, throwing Larry Langford in.... race baiting and tacky.

Part time Congressman and gubernatorial candidate Artur Davis jumped into the race baiting mix first by releasing an "internal poll" which basically says black folks are going to vote for him because he's black despite his dismal voting record, and white folks are going to vote for him because he's black because of his dismal voting record.

He follows by airing his own race baiting TeeVee ad  featuring African American Civil Rights icon John Lewis and Jesse Jackson Jr.  (not to be confused with Jesse Jackson, Sr.) This comment from taleast says it all;

While this does help Davis counter some of Spark's African-American endorsements I am not so sure this couldn't hurt him in the general. Does a black candidate running on the Democratic ticket really want to have ties to anyone associated with Jesse Jackson in an Alabama general election? I know the realities of the endorsement, and they don't bother me personally, but I think the potential implications of this ad should not be overlooked.

Key words, Artur Davis produced this ad in an attempt to counter Spark's African-American endorsements. It ain't going to work. I don't care if Dr. Martin Luther the King and Rosa Parks come down from Mt. Zion and make a commercial for Artur Davis, Davis' vote against the health care reform bill was the straw that broke the camels back with informed African American voters.

Some more key words; Does a black candidate running on the Democratic ticket really want to have ties to anyone associated with Jesse Jackson in an Alabama general election?

God forbid anyone associate with Jesse Jackson, Jr. or Sr., after all they fought for, and continue to fight for that evil 1964 evil old Civil Rights Act Rand Paul wants to repeal. You know, The Civil Rights Act that made it possible for Artur Davis to be the sitting congressman from the 5th district of Alabama. The Civil Rights Act that gave them there minorities the right to vote and have their vote counted. The Civil Rights Act that desegregated the United States of America.  That Civil Rights Act.

Isn't funny how Artur Davis bashes the traditional civil rights community on one hand, then uses them on the other hand when it suits his political agenda?

Speaking of Artur Davis, the rumor surfaced this week that President Obama is holding a job open for Davis in case he loses the gubernatorial race.

I'm going to admit, I don't know what the outcome will be in the Alabama gubernatorial race. But a friend of mine made this prediction;

Republicans cross over and vote for Davis in the democratic primary. Davis faces Bradley Bryne in the general, and Byrne wins.I tend to agree with the prediction, because the only way Davis can win the democratic primary without the black vote is if white republicans join with with conservative democrats and vote for him.

We'll find out if the employment rumor is true if Davis is appointed U.S. Attorney if he loses the gubernatorial race.

The spotlight was placed on the sorry state of public Education in Alabama this week, thanks to the Jefferson County School teacher who used the assassination of President Obama as a teaching tool. It also placed the spotlight on the double standard and the injustice in Alabama. Of course not one candidate for public office dared make a comment about this issue. Not even the candidates for the Alabama State Board of Education. Not even the Alabama Democratic Party. Not even the Alabama Education Association. Not even the pro education candidates for Governor. Not even the pro education candidates for Congress. Not one mumbling word. Zilch. Nada. Just crickets...

I learned I am not a progressive which is probably why I was banned from Left in Alabama this week. According to the diarist, this is the progressive agenda;

Alabama:

1. New constitution, written and voted on within two years

2. Ethics reform, first year (goal: among top five strongest ethics laws)

3. More equitable tax structure -- ensure everyone pays fair share but only fair share

4. Set and achieve higher educational standards (goal: Alabama in top 10 within 10 years)

5. Aggressive infrastructure development program, to include energy conservation and green building. (Make our roads, public buildings and spaces, etc. energy-efficient, up-dated/repaired and prepared for economic growth)



National:

1. Campaign financing and lobbying reform, first year

2. Single payer health insurance, within two years

3. Clean-energy program, within one year, with goal of 50% non-petroleum based within 15 years and 75% within 25 years (okay - I'm guessing at these figures, but I think we need aggressive but reasonable)

4. Immigration reform - keep borders secure, but provide strong but humane options for those already in country and those wanting to come here

5. Infrastructure development program, with an emphasis on public transportation, safety (thinking of all those failing bridges), improving national parks, adaptive reuse of historic buildings, and energy conservation.

I'm this kind of progressive;

We are Progressive Democrats that discuss national, local and regional politics, politicians and issues. We support candidates that share our passion for improving government, ensuring equal rights and opportunity, social and economic justice and civil liberties. We strive to improve the economy, environment and the health of all Americans.

Equal rights, civil rights, and human rights all the way.

Redeye's Week In Review Part 1

The week started off with a bang and ended with a big bang thanks to Rand Paul, the Tea Party endorsed winner of the republican Senatorial primary.

"I want my country back"
Back to when? 1963? or 1910? or 1810?

When Rosa Parks was thrown off of a bus for refusing to sit in the back in accordance with discriminatory Jim Crow laws it helped begin the Civil Rights movement.

Yep, Rand Paul pulled the sheet off the rotten, racist, underbelly of the gop infused Tea Party *cough, cough* movement. Actually Rand Paul wasn't the first republican to tell us how the gop/republicans/conservatives really feel about Civil Rights. Remember former United States Senator Trent Lott (r. Mississippi)?

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Incoming Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott issued a written apology Monday evening over his comment that the United States would have avoided "all these problems" if then-segregationist Strom Thurmond had been elected president in 1948.

What pgbodwen said;

Paul is only stating what a whole lot of people (mainly conservatives) privately think--a man's business or private property is his castle. However, as is the case with most neo-liberarian philosophy, it is not well thought out.

Paul's simple position seems to be that a racist business owner has the right to exclude other races from his abode, because by doing so the 21st century market-place of inclusion would surely cause the business to be shunned into bankruptcy by the rest of society and thus force the owner to change his ways. That's all well and good, but what about the effect on the poor individual unable to access the business in question and the resulting corrosive effects on society at large? Is this not a huge societal price to pay for a business owner's freedom to be racist?

As for Paul's "freedom" purity, that apparently does not extend to a woman's uterus, as he declared just this week he would do everything in his legislative power to stop abortion. So to recap: Federal regulation on private business, not good. Federal regulation on a woman's private body, good.

That's the type of hypocrisy I've come to expect from these people.

Like Trent Lott, Rand Paul (enabled by the MSM) is trying to un-ring the bell.

Over the course of 24 hours, Paul went from opposing the Civil Rights Act to opposing repeal of the Civil Rights Act to considering the Civil Rights Act settled law to actually supporting the legislation he said he would have opposed.

The MSM is trying desperately to rehabilitate Rand Paul and the Tea Party "movement".

The media does a terrible job when it comes to explaining the positions our politicians take. And they are even worse when someone like Poppa Paul takes the podium because they either don't spend the time researching a fringe type figure, are afraid to expose their views publicly, or feel it's not worth the effort to do so.

Which may explain why Rand Paul's views on civil rights are such a surprise to some people.

When Reagan made his own run for the presidency in 1976, he positioned himself as Goldwater's heir, picking up his first primary win in North Carolina on a platform stoking resentment of government intrusion in the South. In 1980, the Californian consciously launched his campaign in Philadelphia, Mississippi -- just miles from where three civil rights activists were killed in the 1960s.

Like Rand, Reagan insisted his views were anti-government and not pro-discrimination -- ignoring, of course, that in practical terms, opposing federal civil rights standards would ensure that discrimination persisted.

Like Granny Standing For Truth and Justice said, The Apple Don't Fall too far from the Tree"

I've been warning people about Ron Paul for a while now. Now, it looks like not only should people be keeping a eye on Ron but they should keep an eye on his son Rand too because the apple doesn't fall to far from the tree. We already know Ron Paul's views on black people. I'm sure he taught his son everything he knows, including his hatred for black people.

If only we had TeeVee Talking Heads like Jay Smooth to interview the Weasels.

I would like to thank Rand Paul for pulling the sheets off the faces of the Tea Party movement.
Thanks in large part to the recent rhetoric of GOP Kentucky Senate candidate Rand Paul, the Tea Partiers have begun to reveal their real agenda. They are not centrist, independent-minded people concerned for our nation and its political process. That notion is simply an invention of the Fox News network and the dedicated spokespeople following their talking points; namely Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann and Rush Limbaugh. Instead the Tea Partiers are an unabashedly fringe far-right movement. What's most evident now is that they are achieving some political success in the 2010 midterm election primaries because an underlying aspect of their appeal is sadly, often race-baiting.

Stay tuned for Redeye's Week in Review Sweet Home Alabama version.

Post Election Blog Stroll

Where's Artur?
Remember the photo op, I mean, rally part time Congressman and gubernatorial candidate Artur Davis had with the Black Farmers on the steps of the state Capitol in Montgomery a few months back? Guess what.... Black farmers still waiting for justice.

Speaking of Artur Davis , his former top aide is now working for his opponent.

Campaign staffs can change like you change your underwear. (well at least if you change your drawers on a daily basis). Ron Sparks and Artur Davis have both been through more than their fair share of hires, fires and resignations this cycle. Par for the course in electoral campaigns
However, today's reported Sparks hiring of former Davis staffer Darryl Perkins is a major coup and surprise with just under two weeks until the June 1 primary.

Legal Schnauzer does an excellent job of pointing out the double standard and the injustice in the Alabama public school system regarding political speech. Anti Obama teacher placed on administrative leave. Democratic anti Bush teacher fired.

Are employees in Alabama public schools treated fairly based on alleged political speech? At least two cases we are familiar with, when compared to the Harrison case, indicate the answer is no.
Steve White, a science teacher at West Limestone High School near Athens, Alabama, was fired in 2006 after showing a film clip to his class in which President George W. Bush, members of his staff, and conservative personalities were referred to as "a--holes."

My email buddy gd writes;

I am strongly considering firing off an e-mail to Rahmbo this morning saying:

"How is that Progressives are 'retards' thing working out for you in Arkansas and Pennsylvania, this morning?"

gd also ask Can They Hear Us Now?

Sestak Wins in Pennsylvania,

Blanch Lincoln Defeated in Arkansas,
and the TeaParty Elects Their Republican, Rand Paul, in Kentucky.

It was sure interesting to watch all of yesterday's Primary Elections unfold. I was certain of a win for Sestak around 4:00 PM yesterday afternoon when I heard one of the MSM reporters say that the White House was saying, "Specter came to us. We didn't go to him." Doesn't take a political genius to recognize back-peddling "Damage Control" when we hear it, now does it?

Despite all the excuses about rain keeping older voters at home in PA and people not liking to be told how to vote, the Sestak victory over Specter had a lot to do with the failure of Organizing for America to turn out the vote the way they did during the Presidential Campaign. Why? Could it be that the Progressive Democrat Base, who worked so hard to elect the President and Democrats to Congress, are sending a message? I haven't heard that possibility discussed much as yet by the Corporate MSM or the White House, but it looks like Pennsylvania just elected a U. S. Senator who leans more toward the left than the right, and who did not get any kind of "endorsement" from the DLC or the White House until they were certain their "endorsed" candidate was not going to win.

Blanch Lincoln, who is a "Conservative Democrat" (Translation: Blue Dawg Democrat, DINO) lost BIG in Arkansas, so there's another message sent to the DLC that says "Best you start listening to what the Liberal/Progressive Democrats have been telling you, if want to keep control of the Senate, the House and the Presidency. It's time to stop breathing all that rarified political-insider air in DC and get back in touch with the passionate "grassroots" activists out here who actually work to win elections for the Democratic Party. You have now seen what kind of "Change" can happen when you "Don't leave the dance with those who brought you."

"This is what Democracy looks like," Mr. President and the DLC.....Now, about that "right of center" Kagan nomination.....

North Carolina Progressives coming together, republicans flee Rand Paul in Kentucky.

It's great seeing progressives and Democrats coming together after primaries in order to beat the right-wing menace. Within minutes of his defeat last night Arlen Specter graciously offered to campaign for Joe Sestak in the general election against Pat Toomey. Similarly, President Obama called Sestak to offer his congratulations and support. In Republicanland, it's a little different. In Kentucky, mainstream conservatives are shocked by Rand Paul's extremism and bizarre belief system and kooky personal style. 43% of the Republicans who supported the mainstream GOP Establishment candidate last night will not vote for Ron Paul's nutty son.

Rand Paul is a racist idiot.

Rand Paul is an idiot. He invokes the name of Martin Luther King, but tries to make the argument that the Civil Rights Act over reached when it involved itself in discrimination outside of the government. That’s just wrong and an abhorrent view.

What happened in Arkansas?

Yesterday's primary elections were marked by big anti-incumbent upsets, and one of the most interesting was the Democratic U.S. Senate contest in Arkansas, where incumbent Sen. Blanche Lincoln received only 45% of the vote, forcing a run-off with upstart challenger Lt. Gov. Bill Halter, who got 43%.

We'll grind it out district by district, race by race. We have a great story to tell.

"If Democrats suffer large losses in November, it will not be because they tried to do too much. It will be because the administration sacrificed real progressive values on the altar of the misbegotten nonsense of bipartisanship."

Let's Roll!

It's A Wonderful What If Wednesday!

The Talking TeeVee Pundit Heads and the Polling Pollsters were as WRONG about yesterdays' elections as the intelligence that took us to war in Iraq. Their *cough cough* predictions republicans and DINO's were going to snatch the keys to the car from the hands of progressives/liberals and drive the car back into the ditch like drunk frat boys proved to be DEAD WRONG. *Snicker*

Let the Talking TeeVee Heads tell it, there was an anti Washington (Obama), anti incumbent (Obama), anti spending (Obama), anti big government (Obama), grassroots (Tea Baggers) mood that was going to snatch our government back from the clutches of Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid and them there evil liberals.

The various prophets of doom will need to revisit some of their theories.

The election results are proof most Americans want to work with President Obama's agenda, not against President Obama's agenda. You hear that Artur Davis/Steve Raby and Taze Sheppard? Running against CHANGE and HOPE won't help you WIN elections, it will make you LOSE elections. Most Americans want President Obama to be sucessful regardless of his race. That's why he WON in November.

The Tea Party vs. The Tea Baggers in Kentucky.

Yep, that's just about all that's required of Republican success in this, the 21st century: unadulterated anger, served with a side of exotic, mid-20th-century Austrian economics, which, if followed, would hurl us back into the malign economics of the 19th century.

Which further, for reasons not entirely clear to rational minds, seems to be the political desideratum of Mr. Paul's Tea Party and all its Kentucky tea partyers. "We have come," said Paul at the oddly chosen Bowling Green Country Club last night, "to take our government back" -- a most appropriate slogan.

Appropriate, certainly, for the reactionary recesses of the Tea Party's collective brain, composed as it is of frenzied, heat-packing opponents of Barack Obama, who actually concedes the Second Amendment's rather right-wing interpretation; of tax protesters, who happen to be paying the lowest American taxes in 60 years, thanks again to their chief villain in the White House; of downright weird "devotees of the gold standard," as the Post's Eugene Robinson observed recently; of "Sarah Palin," Robinson continued, of "insurance company lobbyists, 'constitutionalists' who have not read the Constitution, Medicare recipients who oppose government-run health care, crazy 'birthers' who claim President Obama was born in another country, a contingent of outright racists ... and a bunch of fat-cat professional politicians pretending to be 'outsiders.' "

What if the Alabama Democratic Party recruited and supported progressive candidates instead of conservative candidates?

What if Alabama Democratic candidates didn't pander to the right (who are wrong about everything) at the expense of the traditional democratic base?

Conservatives prefer to think of themselves as the party of “principles”, not “ideas”. In the radical sense, the party is more concerned about its blind faith in God and blind loyalty to country and patriotism. The very nature of the word "conservatism" is to preserve old traditions and resist change. They have a belief that every thing must conform to their moral code. Conservatives are intolerant of anything or any one that doesn’t fit into their belief system, which separates the righteous from the unworthy. Clinging to the old ways gives them comfort in an uncertain world. Conservatives are only open to change if it doesn’t cost them anything or impact their life in any way.

Liberals, by the definition of the word, are open to pragmatic change. They embrace new ideas to remedy problems. They are more tolerant of social and religious differences in American society. Liberals have an existential view of the world and want the greatest good for the greatest number of people, by using the most effective policies possible. Liberals believe in progress and that solutions can be found by human endeavor and engagement. True liberals believe in stewardship of the planet, civil rights, and the equality of all people, no matter what their social status, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or skin color. Liberals are willing to pay a little more for positive change.

What if Alabama Democratic candidates listened to the people instead of the polling pollsters?


What if the Alabama school teacher using the assassination of a President as a teaching tool were named Barack Obama Mohamed and the President was named George W. Bush? Do you think he would have gotten off a slap on the wrist, or whisked off to Gitmo for some water boarding or worse?

What if President Obama had appointed an African American female from UCLA with no Judicial experience to the United States Supreme Court?

What if Liberal/Progressives voices were heard and not suppressed?

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Congressmen John H. Lewis and Jesse Jackson Jr.= Good

Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. = Bad

Congressmen Charlie Rangel = Bad

New Jefferson County Citizens Coalition = Bad

Jefferson County Progressives Council = Bad

State representative John Knight = Good

State Senator Hank Sanders = Bad
Lily Ledbetter = Good

Mobile Mayor Sam Jones = Good
Former Mayor Richard Arrington = Bad

Former Judge U.W. Clemons = Good

State Constitution Reform Leaders = Good

Association of Professional Firefighthers = Good
Dr. Joe Reed = Bad

Communications Workers of America Local 3902 = Good

UMWA= Very Bad

AEA = Bad
TFA = Good
African American Political Organizations = Very Bad

Fighting for Manned Space Program = Good

Fighting for Health Care Reform = BadVoting for Defense Authorization = Good
Voting Against Health Care Reform = Good

Charles Barkley = Bad

Ron Sparks running to the right = Bad
Artur Davis putting a price tag on ugly = Good

See a pattern?

Is Left in Alabama Progressive or Conservative? There is more than a whiff of conservatism IMHO.

Artur Davis claims he is a democrat because he believes in the future. O really now. It's kind of hard to have a future when you're dead because you don't have acess to quality, affordable health care. And who doesn't believe in the future? I tell you, the more Artur Davis talks the more he reminds me of George Dubya Bush and his his supporters remind me of Bushbots. They can't defend Davis' message so they attack the messanger. So, gop.

High Street asks the question if the Alabama Democratic Party Conservative or Progressive and 4 other questions. I ask if the leadership (or the lack there of) of the Alabama Democratic Party is Conservative or Progressive? IMHO the democratic party elite are more conservative than progressive. The democratic party elite suppress and down out the progressives (the traditonal democratic base). The Alabama Democratic Party has been infiltrated by Neo-Librals.

What yellowdog said, every last word;

It seems to be the position of the Alabama Democratic Party that truly Democratic liberal candidacies are unwinnable and too defining. To have some success or any success, our candidates have to appear virtually interchangeable in Party identity.

Bobby Bright is a perfect example. As he maintains one of the worst Democratic Party voting records in Congress, indistinguishable from a Republican, here in Alabama he is unopposed in the primary. He is a successful Alabama Democrat. Like most of our State Senators and State Reps. Very little liberal or Democratic legislation ever moves through our State legislative body.

In many States, the voters have to declare Party affiliation to vote in a primary. When registered Republicans and registered Democrats select their nominee, they get more ideologically core-value candidates. You get a more clearly defined Democrat and Republican choice, and the winner is who convinces the unregistered or more moderate voter in the general election.

There is an argument being put forward that the restricted Party voter primaries are creating a more radical, left/right polarization. Open primaries like in Alabama seem to create the opposite.

The Alabama Democratic Party must be calculating its best chances for success as a Party are to be vaguely different from the Republican Party, to the point where (D) or (R) is the only substantial difference in the choice.

Forgive Them For They Know Not What They Do

According to part time Congressman and gubernatorial candidate Artur Davis, Congressmen and civil rights icon John Lewis, and Congressmen Jesse L. Jackson Jr, support his efforts to *cough cough* change Alabama, and will be featured in radio ads (probably in the black community), before the June 1 primary, because Artur Davis, his campaign, and his supporters must think black voters in Alabama are stoopid.

Artur Davis wants to change Alabama all right (pun intended). He wants to change it back to the land of cotton where old times there are not forgotten. He has run one of the most divisive, republican style campaigns in Alabama history, and just about torn the Alabama Democratic Party to shreds.

One thing I will say about Davis's candidacy, it is pitting democrat vs democrat, white vs black, conservative vs liberal, white progressives vs black progressives, pro choice vs anti choice, north AL vs south AL, rural voters vs urban voters. And some call me "divisive"? Go figure.

Davis panders to the right, who are wrong about everything, to the detriment of the, as he calls them,  democratic base(women,minorities,labor,public school teachers,civil rights leaders,African American political organizations). You know, the traditional democratic base that marched, bleed and died to change Alabama. The traditional democratic base that made it possible for him to be the sitting Congressman from the 7th district (which includes the black belt) of Alabama.

According to The Birmingham News, many are saying these traditional organizations are out of step because they endorsed Ron Sparks over Artur Davis. Translation, these traditional organizations aren't falling for the Okey Doke.

Traditional black organizations aren't supporting Artur Davis just because he's black. What The Birmingham News, and those who claim these traditional organizations are out of step, don't realize is African American voters don't vote for candidates based on the color of their skin, they vote for candidates based on the content of the character. African American voters don't vote against their common interest. Ask Alan Keys and Michael Steele.

Rep. Jesse Jackson said this at the Democratic National Convention in Denver regarding President Obama and leadership (emphasis mine);

I know that while America may not be perfect, our union can always be perfected. I know what we can achieve when good people with strong convictions come together around a common purpose. And I know what a great leader can do to help us find common ground.

IMHO, Congressman Davis doesn't have strong convictions. Strike that, Congressman Davis doesn't have strong liberal/progressive convictions. He wants to win at any cost, and will do or say anything to achieve that goal, including throwing his constituents under the bus.

Alabama District 7 is 61.7% African-American. 72.2% live in urban areas (primarily Birmingham, Bessemer, Tuscaloosa, Selma and Demopolis). The district’s median per capita income was $26,672.

NO group is disproportionately uninsured than Black folks, and he voted AGAINST healthcare reform.

Uh huh.

No group is at the BOTTOM of nearly all healthcare statistics like Black folks, and he voted AGAINST healthcare reform.

Uh huh.

Davis can't help us find common ground because there is no common ground.  How are we supposed to find common ground with those who oppose everything we stand for? That would be like a chicken finding common ground with Colonel Sanders.

Artur Davis and his supporters also tout his Lily Ledbetters endorsement, and that's good. No one can argue women don't deserve equal pay for equal work, but if Lily Ledbetter had been Lily Jones, a poor black/brown female would he have jumped on the band wagon? I seriously doubt it. Just because Davis voted for, and supported, the equal pay for equal work Act doesn't mean he's a friend of women. Strike that, it doesn't mean he's a friend of poor/minority women.

What about the Lily Jones who work at minimum wage jobs and don't have access to health care?

What about the Lily Gonzales who are fired from their jobs because they develops breat cancer?

What about the Lily Washingtons, who are recent college graduates with severe asthma and can no longer be carried on their parents' health insurance, but can't find jobs when future employers find out about their pre-existing condition?

What about the Lily Smiths, who for what ever reason, chose to have a safe, legal abortion but can't afford to pay for it because they can't afford health insurance?

The Davis campaign, and his supporters, routinely bash, trash, smear and smash the American heroes like s, Dr. Joe Reed and State Senator Hank Sanders, who fought and continue to fight for the Lily's mentioned above. The only traditional civil rights leaders they like are the very few who support and endorse Davis.

Artur Davis also voted against the hate crimes bill. Every time I see the pictures of Bloody Sunday, or mark the anniversary of the 4 little black girls killed while attending Sunday school, or think about Matthew Sheppard, it makes my blood boil to know Artur Davis voted against the hate crimes bill for his own personal, political gain.

It will be will be impossible for me and my house to support Artur Davis, IF he wins the democratic primary. I don't care if Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr, comes down from Mt. Zion and endorses him.

As for me and my house, we will stay our Donkey's at home on election day if Artur Davis is the democratic nominee, and let the best republican win.

Redeye's Week In Review

The week begin with President Obama nominating U.S. Solicitor General Elana Kagen to the United States Supreme Court, one day after he delivered the commencement address at Hampton University where he praised the late Dr. Dorothy I. Height, founder and President of the Council for Negro Women standing up for her many years of activism and her commitment to social justice.

And as you probably know, Dr. Height passed away the other week at the age of 98. One of the speakers at this memorial was her nephew who was 88. And I said that's a sign of a full life when your nephew is 88. Dr. Height had been on the firing line for every fight from lynching to desegregation to the battle for health care reform. She was with Eleanor Roosevelt and she was with Michelle Obama. She lived a singular life; one of the giants upon whose shoulders I stand. But she started out just like you, understanding that to make something of herself, she needed a college degree. So, she applied to Barnard College -- and she got in. Except, when she showed up, they discovered she wasn't white as they had believed. And they had already given their two slots for African Americans to other individuals. Those slots, two, had already been filled. But Dr. Height was not discouraged. She was not deterred. She stood up, straight-backed, and with Barnard's acceptance letter in hand, she marched down to New York University, and said, "Let me in." And she was admitted right away.

I want all of you to think about this, Class of 2010, because you've gone through some hardships, undoubtedly, in arriving to where you are today. There have been some hard days, and hard exams, and you felt put upon. And undoubtedly you will face other challenges in the future.

But I want you to think about Ms. Dorothy Height, a black woman, in 1929, refusing to be denied her dream of a college education. Refusing to be denied her rights. Refusing to be denied her dignity. Refusing to be denied her place in America, her piece of America's promise. Refusing to let any barriers of injustice or ignorance or inequality or unfairness stand in her way. (Applause.) That refusal to accept a lesser fate; that insistence on a better life, that, ultimately, is the secret not only of African American survival and success, it has been the secret of America's survival and success. (Applause.)

The MSM media we have is spinning the Elana Kagen nomination like a top. They can't decide if they want to focus on the gop (valid) argument that she is not qualified, or that she kept military recruiters off Harvard's' campus. Of course they are ignoring and suppressing progressive dissent to the nomination because they can.

He/She who can control the information controls the outcome~anoymous

Jena Louisiana is in the news (well sorta) again. Evidently the Sheriff is seeking revenge for the Civil Rights Protest over the Jena 6. Lord help us.

Many of Jena's Black residents say that the town's white power structure - including the DA, Sheriff, and the editor of the local paper - wants revenge against Black people in town who stood up and fought against unjust charges. They complain that in a town that is mostly white, all but two of the people arrested were Black, and the only arrestees pictured in the town's paper were Black. The sheriff "Just wants to humiliate people," says Caseptla Bailey, Wallace's mother, "Especially the African Americans." The editor and publisher of the Jena Times, the town's only paper, is Sammy Franklin, who has owned the paper since 1968. His son is Sheriff Scott Franklin.

Meanwhile our sons and daughters are still fighting for our freedom in Iraq.

The White House is likely to delay the withdrawal of the first large phase of combat troops from Iraq for at least a month after escalating bloodshed and political instability in the country.

It was an exciting and eventful week on the state gubernatorial campaign scene. Democratic candidates State Agricultural Commissioner Ron Sparks and Congressman Artur Davis met up at a forum sponsored by the Rocket City Democrats. I wasn't able to attend, but according to my sources it was a Thrilla!

Candidate Artur Davis came out whining, I mean swinging about an email from a Ron Sparks supporter Davis claims was racist (can you say race card?). Davis demanded Ron Sparks denounce and distance himself from the supporter and the email. WTF? Davis must think Ron Sparks can censor, I mean control his supporters and dictate what they say and how they say it. Psst Artur, there's this little thingy we have here called the first amendment, remember? Get over the email and get to the issues, OK?

Both candidates made the TeeVee stations and networks richer this week with slick ads. Nothing new, same old stuff. Vote for me and I'll set you free, blah, blah, blah, blab, blab, blab.

And what's a week in the Alabama democratic primary gubernatorial race without some good old fashioned race baiting?

In the 5th district congressional race we now know Steve Raby is a "conservative, lots of gun owning, democrat." Just what we need in the 5th district. *snark*.

Psst Steve, that gun owning democrat might not be the way to go considering the recent wake of gun violence right here in the Tennessee Valley. Dr. Amy Bishop was a gun owner too. And remember Todd Brown, the middle school student who was gunned down at school? We need access to health care because of the gun owners.

Evidently Steve Raby is buying into the right wing ideology that you must be a conservative to win in the 5th district and pandering to them at the expense of progressives/liberals. Considering Parker Griffith (r. turncoat) was a progressive/liberal/democrat before he was a conservative/right wing/republican, that dog won't hunt.

What's with these democratic candidates who believe they have to pander to the right, who are WRONG about everything in order to be elected? For one thing it's NOT TRUE and secondly it tells me a lot about their character or lack there of. I'm sick and tired of this say/do anything to be elected attitude. I'm sick and tired of democrats, or supposed to be democrats running away from the traditional, loyal, democratic base. I'm tired of voting for the lessor of two evils.

Enough.

BTW, how come the media isn't race baiting in the 5th district republican congressional primary?
Never mind, we know why.

Gate keepers and door openers. I would like to reply to JustHelene's comment over at LiA concerning Dr. Joe Reed, President of the Alabama Democratic Conference and Vice President of the Alabama Teachers Association. Unfortunately I've been banned from LiA so I hope JustHelene reads this.

I'm fed up with 'gatekeepers,' and other party establishment types.

Let's identify the non- or less-coopted and support them; or, let those already in thrall know that the people support those who place public interest first.

According to some Dr. Joe Reed is a Gate Keeper, i.e. he tells black democratic voters what to do and when to do it and they follow him like rats following the Pied Piper. Dr. Reed is accused of keeping Artur Davis out of the gate because he won't "kow tow" to him blah, blah, blah.

Dr. Reed is powerful and influential in the black community because he is a door opener and he fights for the rights of all people, especially the little people. As a matter of fact Dr. Reed opened the gate for Artur Davis to be the sitting Congressman from the 7th district of Alabama. Joe Reed places the public interest first which is why he wants health care reform. That's why he is respected in the African American community. That's why some want to replace him with Artur Davis.

Thanks to the BP Oil slick Alabama The Beautiful has turned into Alabama the land of the Tarballs and the smell of oil. "Black gold, Texas Tea" We can thank Bush and Dick for the new slogan.

Peace Out.

Update~ Affirmative Action is for white women only.

I hate to say it but, republican Senator Mitch McConnell is right (pun intended), Supreme Court nominee Elana Kagen doesn't have judicial experience therefore she is not qualified to sit on the Supreme Court.

According to some democrats, that's not a problem. The question I have is why is it not a problem? Did President Obama hand the republicans a valid reason to oppose her nomination? I say, YES he most certainly did.

It's supposed to be the most qualified, remember? If you match Solicitor General Elana Kagens' resume side by side with 7th circuit judge Diane Woods, Woods is the most qualified. What would/could the goppers criticism of Judge Woods nomination be? That she is too black? They certainly can't say she isn't qualified.

Is it open season on black women? Are black women destined to be undervalued and marginalized? Are black women destined to be stereotyped as angry,  promiscuous, baby making, welfare queens, nanny's, cooks and hand maids?

Black women also get oddly, back-handedly criticized for being too functional — for being the majority of black college graduates and growing old alone. In reality, black women with college degrees are more likely to have married by age 40 than those with high school degrees (70 to 60 percent).

Black women also get criticized for being uppity and told to "stay in her place", which I believe is why my front page privileges were revoked,  and,  I was eventually banned from my former sandbox. Prior to my banning I was repeatedly warned to "tone down my rhetoric" and to stop "injecting race into the conversation" and finally to "get your own blog". All of a sudden the "content of my comments and posts" were just intolerable, "end of story". As the lone African American, and the lone female with front page privileges, I felt I was being a voice for the voiceless, bringing diversity and a point of view that is often suppressed to the discussion. In the end I was treated like a subordinate and not an equal.  But I digress.

I find it troubling President Obama cites the trials and tribulations of the late civil rights activist Dr. Dorothy I. Height when she was refused admittance to Barnard College because they already had their quota of African American women, then over looks highly qualified Judge Diane Woods in favor of the less qualified Solicitor General Elana Kagen.

Look at the late singer, actress and activist, Lena Horne, who was blacklisted and unable to get work in Hollywood because of her far left political activism. Lena Horne reportedly descended from the John C. Calhoun family. We don't even have to ask how that happened do we?

because the slaves were the legal property of their owners, it was not unusual for enslaved black women to be raped by their owners, members of their owner's families, or their owner's friends. Children who resulted from such rapes were slaves as well because they took the status of their mothers

The first piece of real legislation Barack Obama signed as the 44th President of the United States helps ensure that workers discriminated on the basis of gender have a fair chance to sue their employers.

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act is named after a woman who was paid less than her male co-workers at an Alabama tire factory. Ledbetter did not set out to be an activist; she did not even involve herself in politics much. But after the Supreme Court ruled against her, she decided it was time to start.

Salon.com raises some serious questions about Elana Kagens hiring practices as Dean of the Harvard Law School

The first woman Dean of Harvard Law School had presided over an unprecedented expansion of the faculty -- growing it by almost a half. She had hired 32 tenured and tenure-track academic faculty members (non-clinical, non-practice). But when we sat down to review the actual record, we were frankly shocked. Not only were there shockingly few people of color, there were very few women. Where were the people of color? Where were the women? Of these 32 tenured and tenure-track academic hires, only one was a minority. Of these 32, only seven were women. All this in the 21st Century.

President Obama says Elana Kagen is a "trail blazing leader"

"She's a trailblazing leader," Obama said. "The first woman to serve as dean of Harvard Law School and one of its most successful and beloved deans in its history. And she is a superb solicitor general, our nation's chief lawyer, representing the American people's interests before the Supreme Court. The first woman in that position as well."

President Obama stood up for Elana Kagen and Lilly Ledbetter Lilly Ledbetter. He should also stand up for Judge Diane Woods and African American women everywhere.

Ain't we a woman? We voted for you too. Don't we have the right to have our voices heard? I thought since democrats won two elections things were going CHANGE? I thought we'd had ENOUGH? I thought we weren't the red states or the blue states, but the United States of America, with liberty and justice for all, not some.