Independent Bloggers' Alliance

My Brother's Keeper

2011-08-19T17:28:00.000-07:00

I was going to try to ignore Republican Congressman and tea party darling, Allen West but he doesn't want me or anyone else to. Aside from being obnoxious and overbearing, he has settled nicely into his role as defender of all things racist, misogynist and Islamophobic. His childish taunting and name-calling has gotten him plenty of attention. To me, he always seems to be picking on women, homosexuals and Muslims and when he gets challenged on it, he sends out responses like this.

His latest stunt is comparing himself to the great Harriet Tubman who lead hundreds of slaves out of bondage. I guess all of the attention you've been getting lately for your feud with fellow Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz must have gone to your head so you decided to call out Democrats Maxine Waters and Barbara Lee. Too bad the folks on Fox News didn't call you on it. Allen West, you are not fit to hold Ms. Tubman's head scarf. You lack the dignity, self-respect and determination to even attempt such a selfless act as leading enslaved people out of bondage. Since we're talking about plantations and overseers, I'm certain you would have been in the house snitching on Harriet for trying to lead slaves to freedom.

I don't want to be on anyone's plantation. I am neither Republican or Democrat. I find the Republican party is hostile toward women, the poor, blacks, Latinos and anyone who isn't rich so there is no way I am supporting any political party that promotes racism, vilifies the poor and thinks I can't be trusted to make decisions about my own reproductive health.

As for those tea party crazies, there aren't even words to describe their venomous, hateful ideas but West has embraced them and proudly flaunts them. His own insensitivity and indifference to others also extends to his unemployed brother, Arlan whom he sent to the Congressional Black Caucus' job fair in Atlanta. I see you got checked by Congresswoman Maxine Waters whom you singled out for special criticism as overseer of the plantation. Your tea party friends probably encouraged you to do that, but it wasn't such a good idea, you'll see.

And another thing, where are you and the rest of your black Republicans when one of your candidates throws around words like "tar baby" and "big black cloud" to describe President Obama? As much as you run your big mouth, you are noticeably silent then. You probably think this kind of name calling is okay because you know deep down, they aren't talking about you since you aren't a part of that plantation. You think you're special? You'll see.

I can't help but defer to a brilliant post by blogger Abagond entitled "Black People: The Republican User's Guide", which explains most black Repulicans:

“Black People: The Republican User’s Guide” (2009, 3rd edition) has, so far as I know, never been written, but it is not hard to guess some of what would be in it:

Introduction:
The purpose of the Republican Party is to pass laws that favour the rich and block those that do them harm. This is done mainly by:

Keeping taxes low

Slowing change in society

To achieve this requires the votes of millions of Americans on election day who will be harmed by such policies. Fortunately, most voters are white racists. Take advantage of that:

Chapter 1: Divide and conquer:

The main trick is to get Americans to think race is more important than class so that they vote against their class interests.

The only thing that most voters have in common with the rich is a white skin colour. Use that to make them feel like they are on the same side as the rich. Strengthen that feeling by telling them that they too can be rich one day (even though most never will).

This divides the working- and middle-class vote, weakening it as a serious threat to Republican policy.

Chapter 2: At least I’m not black:

Paint black people as completely screwed up: poverty, drugs, crime, broken homes, bad manners, low morals, etc. Since most whites already look down on blacks and since most know so few of them, this will be easy.

You want them to feel that no matter how bad things get, “at least I’m not black”. This allows them to accept things the way they are and not demand policies that would hurt the rich.

Chapter 3: Racialize social problems:

Crime, gun violence, drugs, poverty, failing schools, absent fathers and all the other ills of American society must either be blamed on blacks or be seen as mainly affecting blacks. That way little will be done about them, keeping taxes low.

Chapter 4: Black pathologies:

Blacks must be blamed for their own troubles.

This is extremely important. It goes beyond excusing government inaction and keeping taxes low: Blacks are the single biggest threat to keeping American society the way it is, as shown by the civil war and the civil rights movement.

Therefore black leaders must be killed, imprisoned, driven out of the country or made to look laughable.

Chapter 5: Rented Negroes:

Right-wing think tanks and news organizations should hire articulate, well-dressed blacks who are willing to:

Make white people feel glad that at least they are not black.

Racialize social problems.

Push the idea of black pathologies.

A black face makes these much more believable and harder to argue against.

Chapter 6: Fear of a black president:

If the president is black paint him as a enemy who is out to destroy the country. Even if you have to destroy the country to do it.

Appendix:

Here put all those twisted numbers and misleading charts from right-wing think tank “studies”.

I leave “Black People: The White Liberal User’s Guide” as an exercise for the reader.

Justice Department Probes Wells Fargo, Did NAACP Get Kick Backs from Wells Fargo?

2011-07-27T03:25:00.000-07:00

Well look at this, According to published reports, Wells Fargo who happens to be the NAACP's favorite predatory lender, donor and “Lead Sponsor” of the NAACP’s 101st annual convention is the Target Of Justice Department Probe.

Get this, The NAACP which appeared to get "promotional kick back money" after mysteriously dropping it's lawsuit against Wells Fargo, the nation's largest home mortgage lender, for allegedly preying upon African American borrowers during the housing bubble and steering them into high-cost subprime loans.

This is not the first bad news for the NAACP's lead sponsor, Wells Fargo.

As reported by Faye Anderson over at Anderson at Large, On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve Board ordered Wells Fargo to pay an $85 million fine for steering borrowers with good credit into subprime loans.

The order reads:

The $85 million civil money penalty is the largest the Board has assessed in a consumer-protection enforcement action and is the first formal enforcement action taken by a federal bank regulatory agency to address alleged steering of borrowers into high-cost, subprime loans. […]
The order addresses allegations that Wells Fargo Financial sales personnel steered borrowers who were potentially eligible for prime interest rate loans into loans at higher, subprime interest rates, resulting in greater costs to borrowers. The order also addresses separate allegations that Wells Fargo Financial sales personnel falsified information about borrowers’ incomes to make it appear that the borrowers qualified for loans when they would not have qualified based on their actual incomes.

There is more... In 2007, the NAACP filed a class action lawsuit against 15 of the nation’s largest subprime lenders for “systematic, institutionalized racism in sub-prime home mortgage lending.”

One of the defendants included Wells Fargo Bank & Company.

As Faye Anderson reported in her blog post dated April 28, 2010, "The NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Jealous was an outspoken critic of Wells Fargo. So you can imagine my surprise when earlier this month, I read the NAACP dropped its lawsuit against the predatory lender." So what did the NAACP get? As Citizen Journalist Faye Anderson ask in the same article.

Easy answer, that the Justice Department needs to probe. The NAACP in my humble observations accepted Wells Fargo’s tainted money as a "kick-back" for dropping the lawsuit.

AAP says: "Forget all the black celebrities that kiss the NAACP's ring in order to get an Image Award. Average black Americans who are hurting and facing depression-like unemployment levels have questioned for years the integrity and credibility of the National office of the NAACP.

Average black Americans have wondered for years if the NAACP represented them of the interest of big banks and corporate kickbacks. Well again, here is the smoking gun. Let's hope the Justice Department probe includes the "corporate kickbacks" from Wells Fargo to the national office of the NAACP."

The Root (WAPO) The Grio (NBC) Working to Control Black American Politics?

2011-05-01T08:16:00.000-07:00

Yes, I said it. And yes, I am wondering out loud, if Corporate black blogs like The Root and The Grio are working to control black political thought in America?

AAP says: "Move over grassroots black political bloggers, NBC and The Washington Post have hatched a scheme to take over black political thought over the internet. They are like ATT taking over the smaller telephone companies. They are buying co-opting as many black bloggers as possible, and unfortunately it just may be working."

Now the question is, on the immediate political front, whether both of these corporate media giants (WaPo and NBC) are doing nothing more than being under-cover operatives for getting President Barack Obama elected in 2012?

As I said in my earlier post, It get's under my black skin, that so-called black bloggers at (white controlled) corporate black blogs like The Root, owned by the Washington Post, and the The Grio, owned by NBC, are nothing more than a group of organized Obama loyalist who seem to never report on how blacks will lose $194 billion in wealth through 2012, or how the housing crisis continues to hits blacks the hardest and how President Obama (as Russell Simmons recently pointed out in his Open Letter To President Barack Obama) has all but ignored the plight of black America.

I remember when I learned that NBC would launch a African American news site
and The Washington Post was planning to launch 'The Root', my gut reaction was, "there they go, white corporate America moving to "takeover" black political and social opinion over the internet."

I knew that folks at the Washington Post and NBC were getting concerned that black bloggers groups like the afrospear/afrosphere were getting too organized. I also felt in my gut that white media outlets, may have even sent its own operatives into the afrospear/afrosphere group to spread discontent.

As I noted previously on this blog, there was a time when a group of black bloggers called the afrospear/afrosphere began to organize and became a force in the black America.

Unfortunately, the Afrospear/Afrosphere has seemed to 'step aside' as a group, and allow corporate black blogs like the Washington Post's The Root (owned by the Washington Post Company through its online subsidiary, Washington Post-Newsweek Interactive) and NBC's The Grio, to jump in feet first, and act as though they are the voice of on-line Black America.

I guess the with big bucks from The Washngton Post and NBC, (The Root and The Grio) have just about become campaign organizations for President Obama's 2012 Campaign. Candidly, Both of these black corporate blogs or so-called black news outlets should be required to file with the Federal Election authorities as part of the Obama organization.

Will The Root and The Grio become the electronic voice of Black America? I don't think so... the voice of the black blogging community continues to grow. It will take more than NBC and The Washington Post to control black political thought in this country... But they sure are trying...

Cross Posted on black news junkie.com, My DD, African American Pundit, African American Political Opinion, and Independent Bloggers Alliance

Al Sharpton is not “the president” of Black America

2011-04-11T04:09:00.000-07:00

President Obama and Al Sharpton

OMG, now the folks at Politico.com are saying that Al Sharpton is emerging as “the president” of black America. Read more at politico.com

Yes, there is a lot of conversation on the internet about Al Sharpton and Barack Obama. The conversation is about how President Obama was in New York last night supporting Al Sharpton‎. Candidly, I don't get how President Obama is making a pitch to Al Sharpton's Group‎ when he knows full well about Al Sharpton's history, particularly with regards to his lack of respect for black women. As an example, Al Sharpton and the NAACP Support Dunbar Village Rapists. Yes, just in case you never heard about Dunbar Village, Here are the basics of the story from Black America Web:

“The incident occurred at a public housing project called Dunbar Village in West Palm Beach, Florida.“After dark on June 18, the police say, as many as 10 armed assailants repeatedly raped a Haitian immigrant in her apartment complex at Dunbar Village … They took cell phone pictures of their acts. They burned the woman’s skin and (her 12-year-old son’s) eyes with cleaning fluid, forced them to lie naked together in the bathtub, hit them with a broom and a gun and threatened to set them on fire.”

As despicable as that sounds, it wasn’t the worst of it. The worst of it was when these vermin, according to Times writer Amy Goodnough, “forc(ed) (the woman) to perform oral sex on her 12-year-old son.”

Now we learn that the President of the United States is supporting, Al Sharpton, you know Al Shapton the same guy who supported the Dunbar Village rapists. The blog, What About Our Daughters covered this issue a number of years ago. I guess our President supports the madness of Al Sharpton. Read more on the untold details of horror at Dunbar Village.

Maybe the President does not remember Al Sharpton, the NAACP, and Dunbar Village like black and other progressive bloggers do. We remember how Al Sharpton defended the scum bags who “forc(ed) (the woman) to perform oral sex on her 12-year-old son.”

If that is the type of people the President wants to hang out with, fine. It's not the type of person I would want near me. I hope Obama is not courting black votes with Sharpton as some reports are saying.

Oh, and by the way, politico.com, Al Sharpton (the supporter of rapist) is no emerging "president” of black America. Black America has the same President as white America, "President Barack Obama." It looks like politico.com needs black political writers/reporters.

Cross posted on Black News Junkie.com, My DD

2011-03-08T17:02:00.000-08:00

I heard something recently that remained stuck in my mind for a few days. It was a quote from Cheryl Mathias of AARP, who said, “If you make a Medicare Advantage choice, and you don't realize you've agreed to a limited network of doctors and hospitals, and you suddenly go to a different doctor or hospital, [then] you could wind up with a very big bill that you would have to pay out of pocket.”

Since a number of Medicare Part C Advantage plans cover less medical expenses than Parts A and B, and have higher deductibles and copays, they were touched on in the ObamaCare legislation. Beginning this year in 2011, Medicare Part C Advantage Plans cannot charge higher cost-sharing requirements beyond the initial Medicare for specific services, such as skilled nursing care, dialysis and chemotherapy. This could mean a range of different outcomes, because - at least according to one site, there are five basic types of Medicare Advantage.

Utah a Case Example

Medicare clients in Utah who are on the Medicare Advantage plans should have gotten notices already about any changes that they can expect to see in those plans, including if the plans will no longer be available in your state. In the event that these plans are no longer offered in your state, it is critical that you make the appropriate changes to your plans or you may risk losing your Medigap benefits that cover your expenses beyond the regular reimbursements from Medicare.

When you sign up for a Medicare Advantage Plan, you are able to use the insurance card from your plan for health care. In the majority of these plans, there are typically additional benefits as well as lower copays than is offered with the original Medicare plan. However, you may not be required to go to doctors who belong to the plan or specific hospitals to get the treatment that you need.

Medicare Premiums Seen to be Increasing

Although premiums may decline this year, Medicare Advantage beneficiaries will most likely see an increase in cost sharing. Also beginning in 2011, Medicare Advantage plans are not able to charge anything more than regular Medicare for dialysis, chemotherapy, skilled nursing care or any other service that is deemed appropriate by CMS.

photo credit: mikecogh

Billey Joe Johnson and Mississippi Justice

2011-02-26T09:32:00.000-08:00

Why are black bloggers, the afrospear, the afrosphere, black news outlets, black media, Lawyers Committee on Civil Rights, Progressive White Bloggers, Black Journalist, Black Investigative Reporters, Old School Civil Rights Icons, Black Activist, The National office of the NAACP and yes, major news outlets not talking about or investigating the death of Billey Joe Johnson, Jr.?

Why is the U.S. Department of justice not investigating this 21st century Civil Rights Crime or better yet, human rights crime? Maybe if the family of Billey Joe Johnson had an open casket, and Jet Magazine had a copy of the photo in its magazine people would have been outraged. Yes, maybe a public funeral service with an open casket to show the world the brutality of the killing would have worked. But that didn't happen, there was not tens of thousands attending Billey Joe Johnson's funeral or viewing his casket and images of his mutilated body were not published in black magazines, black blogs and black newspapers. No, no rallying black support and white sympathy across the US for Billey Joe Johnson.

OK, well act like this picture is a picture of Billey Joe Johnson and not Emitt Till. But it's not 1955, this happened, yes, again in Mississippi in 2009.

Today in Lucedale, Mississippi, hundreds of concerned citizens and community advocates rallied at the George County Courthouse to echo calls for the Department of Justice to bring charges in the death of Billey Joe Johnson, Jr.

You remember the case of Billey Joe Johnson, Jr. REWIND Feb 13, 2009, I reported about the case of Billy Joe Johnson on this blog. Here is what I reported back in 2009:

Billy Joe Johnson - A Foul Play? The Killing of Billy Joe Johnson in Mississippi

UPDATE: The Killing of Billey Joe Johnson in Mississippi

You remember the story about Billy Joe Johnson, star running back for George County High, Mississippi, who died on a December morning in deep Mississippi alleged by a "self-inflicted" gunshot wound during a traffic stop.

As reported by NCAA Foot Ball Fan House Billy Joe Johnson was considered one of the top high school football recruits in Mississippi, as well as the country, until his shocking death early Monday morning.

Johnson, hailing from Jackson, Miss., rushed for more than 1,500 yards his last season, totaling over 4,000 for his career, and received scholarship offers from a number of major schools including Alabama, LSU and Mississippi as a top-rated recruit by both Scout and Rivals.

Johnson died of a (possibly self-inflicted) gun wound early Monday after being pulled by a sheriff's deputy. (UPDATE: The NCAAP, in an independent investigation, has ruled out suicide as the cause of death.)

It's not clear why 17-year-old Billey Joe Johnson was stopped in Lucedale, but authorities say the junior tailback shot himself with a shotgun after the deputy walked back to the patrol car to run a license check.

"The deputy was sitting in his patrol vehicle ... when he heard a gunshot and saw the victim laying on the ground by the driver's side door of the vehicle that Johnson was driving. A shotgun was lying on the victim," according to a statement from the George County Sheriff's Department.

Authorities would not immediately say whether they believed the shooting was a suicide or an accident.

The last portion of that quote is particularly perplexing, because it is hard to believe that Johnson would have attempted to pull a shotgun on police officers ...although equally confounding is the notion that Johnson would kill himself at what, according to all current reports, appears to be a basic traffic stop.

Nothing is ever certain, but this story appears to be so odd, at least in the manner of death, that it would be even more shocking if further details didn't at least emerge as to why the young man apparently panicked and pulled a gun that resulted in the tragic and early end to his life. More MORE

Many in the black community suspect foul play.

Billey Joe Johnson Sr. has a difficult time accepting the police department’s explanation of his son’s death. “They must have tortured my baby,” he says.

(Dan Wetzel/Yahoo! Sports)

As reported by yahoo sports local authorities stopped Billey Joe for a traffic violation on the morning of Dec. 8, and they say the truck is simply the site of a terrible tragedy. But to the elder Johnson, it’s a crime scene. Nearly two months later, only one fact is certain: Instead of running out of George County as a football hero, Billey Joe was buried beneath it at the age of 17.

The George County Sheriff’s Department claims that on that fateful morning, Billey Joe attempted to break into the home of an on-again, off-again girlfriend in the nearby city of Lucedale. According to the sheriff’s department, he left the scene and ran a red light at 5:34 a.m. After a 1½-mile pursuit, Billey Joe got out of his truck, met sheriff’s deputy Joe Sullivan and handed over his license. Then Billey Joe returned to his truck, put a 12-gauge shotgun he used to target deer to his head and committed suicide. It was 5:40 a.m.

Sullivan’s patrol car was not equipped with a camera, and his is the only account of the event. Billey Joe’s friends and family don’t believe the story.

Billey Joe was black. Sullivan is white. The case, as such, is shrouded by race in this small community in the Deep South. Everyone wants answers. No one is getting them. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and the local district attorney – the two bodies in charge of the case – have issued neither a ruling nor many pertinent details.

Tony Lawrence, the district attorney running the state’s investigation, met with the family Dec. 19 and urged patience.

“I have said from the beginning that this investigation will be exhaustive and not based on any timeline other than that which leads to the truth,” Lawrence said at the time. His office declined further comment this week.

With no answers and a state investigation that is dragging on, the region has descended into a cauldron of speculation, suspicion and conspiracy. Theories are easy to find, the truth all but impossible.

Johnson fixates on the truck that is stained with what is left of his son. The day after the incident, police returned it to the family as is. Rather than wash it, junk it or sell it, Johnson keeps it in a garage, driving it out to re-examine. He stares at it. He imagines his son.

He’s convinced someone forced Billey Joe on his knees, shoved the shotgun barrel in his mouth and pulled the trigger.

“They must’ve tortured my baby,” Johnson says.

Here is what the police say about Billey Joe’s death: During a routine traffic stop, Billey Joe Johnson Jr. shot himself in the head.

Billey Joe’s truck had notes from multiple female admirers, and his friends said he enjoyed the attention offered to a star athlete. He’d already run for 4,000 yards in his high school career and helped make George County a state powerhouse. Everyone knew him. Many wanted to be with him.

One girl, whom Yahoo! Sports will not name since she is a minor, had been around the longest. It was a typical high school relationship – “they’d break up every day and then get back together,” said one of his friends, Drew Bradley. The fact that she was white bothered some people.

“It’s George County, it’s a little Southern town,” said Bradley, who is white. “You’ve got a bunch of racist people down here. You have people who hated on them because it was black and white.”

Timeline

The alleged timeline of events on Monday, Dec. 8, 2008, leading up to the death of Billey Joe Johnson:

4:30 a.m. – Billey Joe Johnson Sr. hears his son showering and preparing to leave the family’s Benndale, Miss. residence. He believes his son plans to go hunting before heading to school.

5:34 a.m. – George County Sheriff’s Deputy Joe Sullivan witnesses Billey Joe Johnson’s maroon Chevy Silverado run a red light at the corner of Church Street and Winter Street. He pursues the truck with his blue lights flashing and witnesses the truck running a stop sign at the 4-way stop of Winter Street and Old Highway 63.

5:37 a.m. – The Lucedale Police Department receives a 911 call from Esther Parker, who says her daughter called her and informed her that someone was attempting to break into a trailer where her daughter and ex-husband were living. Parker informs the LPD that her daughter is home alone.

5:39 a.m. – After a pursuit of nearly 1½ miles, Sheriff’s Deputy Sullivan witnesses the truck pulling into a service entrance near Benndale Carpet. Billey Joe Johnson exits the truck and informs Deputy Sullivan that he was on the way home “because his mother was sick”. Deputy Sullivan takes his license and instructs Johnson to return to his vehicle.

5:40 a.m. – While attempting to call in the license number, Deputy Sullivan informs dispatch that Johnson has shot himself and requests assistance.

5:40 a.m. – LPD Sgt. James O’Neal arrives at the trailer and secures the perimeter. He makes contact with Parker’s daughter, who informs him that the person who attempted to enter the residence was Billey Joe Johnson Jr. She says Johnson left before police arrived, but that she would like to go to the police station and “sign charges” against him.

5:48 a.m. – LPD Sgt. O’Neal departs for the police department, following Parker and her daughter in a separate vehicle. While in transit, he is informed by dispatch that Johnson had shot himself at service road near Benndale Carpet.

5:50 a.m. – LPD Sgt. O’Neal arrives at Benndale Carpet, where he observes the vehicle of deputy Sullivan as well as Johnson’s maroon Silverado, which is parked with the door open. As he pulls forward to make room for the pending arrival of an ambulance, O’Neal observes Johnson lying on his back on the ground, with his head pointed away from the open door of vehicle. Sgt. O’Neal observes a shotgun on top of Johnson’s body, and blood on the ground around his head.

5:55 a.m. – Paramedics arrive on scene. Dispatch is informed that Johnson is DOA.

More HERE

UPDATE: Get this, A grand jury has ruled that his death was accidental. Many in the black community, including this AAPP still suspect foul play. What do you think?

AAP: That was then, thisis now: FAST FORWARD TO TODAY, Family members rallied hoping to encourage witnesses to come forward with evidence and testimony. Billey Joe Johnson, Jr. was the highly recruited football star from Benndale, MS who was mysteriously killed during a traffic stop with a George County Sheriff’s deputy on December 8, 2008. Even after independent investigations raised serious questions about the plausibility of Johnson’s wounds being self-inflicted, the local justice system ruled this incident an accident and charges have yet to be brought. READ MORE HERE

Community members are renewing their efforts because Johnson’s death and subsequent investigations leave more questions than answers. Given the long history of corruption and cover-ups in George County law enforcement, many community members feel law enforcement and the District Attorney’s office colluded to execute a wide spread cover-up. Community members also point to what they call a pattern of racial profiling and the use of fear and intimidation on behalf of law enforcement. “Law enforcement’s investigation left a lot of holes and many of us believe there was foul play. Because of the amount of discrimination we experience every day, we have little faith in the local justice system,” said Mr. Bobby Perryman of Immaculate Heart Community Development Corporation.

Johnson’s family calls on the Lucedale community to come forward with information about the case and believe many have stayed quiet for fear of retribution or being shunned by friends and family members. “Nobody wants to tell on their neighbor, but the fact is that a young man was killed and his family and this community need closure,” said Pastor Garrett of Prince Garrett Ministries. George County is a very small community and is still very segregated. A few large families and their extended networks own most of the businesses and play influential roles in city and county government. George County, where the incident occurred, is 89% white with very few Black residents. “We know there are good folks in George County who have knowledge about the incident. We know you are afraid but we need you to come forward. Black or white - none of us are free when there is a suspicion of murder,” Garrett added.

“We are tired of the corruption, the cover-ups and the abuse we suffer at the hands of police,” said Ms. Lucy Wilson, President of the Human Rights Taskforce of George County. The Human Rights Taskforce is one of key local organizations calling for the event. It was established as a result of the travesty of justice felt by many around the Johnson case as well as growing tensions between the Black community and law enforcement. The event is co- sponsored by George County Human Rights Taskforce, Immaculate Heart Community Development Corporation, George County NAACP, and American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi.

Caravans of concerned citizens traveled from Atlanta, Jackson, Mobile and New Orleans. Speakers at the event include Ms. Nsombi Lambright, Executive Director of the ACLU-MS, Ms. Lucy Wilson, President of the George County Human Rights Taskforce and a spokesperson for Billey Joe Johnson, Jr.’s family.

AAP says: I'm glad the family is taking a stand. Don't you think it's time America did? It's time for the Justice Department to get involved. That's my thought. Write the U.S. Attorney General and President Barack Obama, and let them both know how you feel.

This gruesome photo of Emmett Till helped spark the civil rights movement. It demonstrated the brutality of southern violence towards African-Americans, and created outrage across the nation. Emmett's mother, Mamie, insisted at his funeral that he be given an open-casket, so others could see what they had done to her boy.

Courtesy of the Chicago Defender

Keith is gone, and black folks need not apply.

2011-01-23T04:56:00.000-08:00

Keith Olbermann is out and already some of you Negroes are hoping for a black replacement at MSNBC. It Won't happen. So stop getting your hopes up. You Negroes need to stop begging "the man" to give you shine, and start trying to get your own television stations, (Shout out to David Honig) and supporting the ones that are already here. (I am talking TV One. I am still not down with BET just yet. Sorry Bob.)

Still, if they do decide to go black I would just looove for them to go with my man Tavis.....NOT! That is the last Me-Gro I want to see representing black folks every night. Roland Martin? Hmmm, Roland is OK, but my man will have to work on those suits. Roland, it's called a suit, not a straight jacket....OK let me stop.

I wonder if a black anchor at one of these cable shows would be talking about the bomb that was found in Washington? The lame stream media sure is quiet about it. Or, the cop from the "windy city" who was doing his best John Demjanjuk impersonation on black folks for years. I guess racial tensions and hate groups aren't selling in A-merry-ca these days. One political act of terror is enough for now. We are just getting over Tucson, we can't overload the public. There is just so much hate we can take here in A-merry-ca. You can't pursue happiness when you are hating anybody.

Oh well, that's all from me folks. I will just watch some games today while I anxiously await Oprah's big announcement about her family secret on Monday. It's going to be tough holding my breath so long.

NAACP, Ben Jealous and Atty Chokwe Lumumba Pimp Scott Sisters

2011-01-23T03:16:00.000-08:00

I want to discuss with you two old negro Civil Rights groups that have lost their way. First SCLC. They are becoming more and more irrelevant.

As reported by wctv.tv for more than a year, the daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has declined to serve as president in a group her father co-founded.

Now Reverend Bernice King doesn't want the job at all.

Reverend King says she's decided to abandon the Southern Christian Leadership Conference because the once proud organization has struggled to stay relevant.

She says the group has split in two different directions and had its finances scrutinized. The former chairman was also indicted on theft charges last week. .

The former national chairman of an Atlanta-based civil rights organization was indicted Wednesday in Ohio on 51 charges that include grand theft, forgery and tampering with government records.

The Rev. Raleigh Trammell, 73, was indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury in Dayton, where he lives and also headed a local chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Trammell was indicted on one count of grand theft and 25 counts each of forgery and tampering with government records. Read more HERE Also read more about this story at the Washington Post

Martin Luther King, III says, "I think she was in an awkward position and she prays a whole lot, so I think as a result she was led to no longer want to accept the position."

The SCLC led the movement to end segregation in public facilities and earned more rights for million of black Americans today. More HERE

Southern Christian Leadership Conference leader Rev. Raleigh Trammell is escorted from the SCLC, Dayton, Ohio chapter office by an FBI agent Thursday, Feb. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Dayton Daily News, Jan Underwood) AAP says: The SCLC is no longer relevant just like NAACP national office is no longer relevant. Speaking of the NAACP here is an interesting UPDATE: Word on the street is the NAACP is preparing to pimp the the Scott sisters. There is also word on the street that the national office of the NAACP may be creating conflict between the Scott sisters and the Scott sisters family. The blogosphere and blog talk raio is a buzz with Scott Sisters family members talking about the national office of the NAACP and Attorney Chokwe Lumumba are causing friction and conflict within the family. The Root's E.R. Shipp may just be right when in rights in The Root about how black folks get scorched by the spotlight of instant fame. In the article he talks about how Ted "Golden Voice" Williams isn't the only person to have his 15 minutes of fame before crashing to earth. Remember the subway hero? And what will come of the Scott sisters?

It's a must read article. Here is a bit of what is said: "I think of Wesley Autry, who threw himself atop a man who had fallen onto a New York City subway track and saved him. He was honored by President George W. Bush at the 2007 State of the Union address and by other politicians in New York. Donald Trump gave him $10,000; he was given a Jeep and sports tickets. He was all over national television. And on and on.

But months later, when he still hoping for lucrative movie and book deals, he was passing out business cards identifying himself as "Wesley Autry Sr. -- Subway Hero." Terrie Williams says she saw him at one event carrying around some of his awards and "pulled his coat" to tell him that was not a good thing. He and an early team of managers ended up in conflict over their insistence on taking 50 percent of any income that Autry earned from the subway incident, but eventually settled out of court.

When it comes to prisoners -- from men and women freed as a result of DNA evidence brought to light through the efforts of the Innocence Project to the Scott sisters released from a Mississippi prison earlier this month after 16 years for a robbery that may have netted $11 -- there is often a rush of publicity and invitations to tell their stories. Then everything is expected to be normal.

The Scott sisters' story became international in part because of outrage that a condition of their release was that one donate a kidney to the other. They have relocated to Florida, where they have family, but the Mississippi NAACP is more or less continuing to advocate for them, according to Derrick Johnson, the state conference president. It will convene a meeting in coming days to coordinate their medical and transportation needs and to identify a facility to perform tests to determine if Gladys Scott is a match for her sister, Jamie." More HERE

Cross posted on African American Pundit blog and MyDD

AAP says: As I said earlier, word on the street is the national office of the NAACP is creating a bunch of mess with the Scott Sisters and their family. NAACP President Ben Jealous The NAACP and Atty Chokwe Lumumba are talking it up with the Scott sisters, telling them that they too can get lucrative movie and book deals. the only problem is, the real heroes are the mother, Nancy Lockhart, black bloggers, blogtalkradio, black radio, blacktalkradio, and other activist. Yes, the NAACP will have the Scott sisters on the NAACP Image Awards, and probably won't ask the mother or Nancy Lockhart to attend. AAP says: lets remember folks, this is "Ben Jealous, he is the same guy who issued a statement decrying shirley Sherrod's so-called abhorrent statements she made during an address to members of the NAACP at a banquet, about denying a white farmer as much help as she could because of the color of his skin. Then to cover his self he said the NAACP was “snookered” into condemning former Agriculture Department official Shirley Sherrod. Now Ben jealous and Chokwe Lumumba are snookering the Scott Sisters." Unfortunately the national office of the NAACP and Atty Chokwe Lumumba are now selling the Scott sisters another Jena 6 dream, now the question is whether the Scott sisters will be passing out business cards identifying themselves as "the Scott Sisters. -- former prisoners of the Mississippi prisons, new prisoners of Chokwe Lumumba and the NAACP." Listen and join in the conversation on my blog talk radio show. We will discuss how the NAACP and Chokwe Lumumba are snookering and pimping the Scott sisters. On Blog Talk Radio. "If you can handle the truth."

2011-01-20T14:49:00.000-08:00

Repeal of Health Reform Would Add $230 Billion to Deficit

According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a bill to repeal the healthcare reform would add up to $230 billion to the federal budget deficit over a ten-year period from 2012 to 2021. The new House speaker, John A, Boehner, dismissed the report.

The CBO noted that the federal deficit would increase because the healthcare coverage reform law would reduce federal spending in Medicare while raising federal revenues by increasing Hospital Insurance payroll tax and imposing new fees on some medical device manufacturers and health insurance companies. A more detailed legislation analysis is expected soon. The $230 billion estimate is higher than from the previous year.

Republicans have argued for a long time that the healthcare overhaul would hamper the nation’s long-term economic growth. A leading Republican economist, Douglas Holtz-Eakin, noted that the CBO’s estimate is “completely misleading description of its budgetary impacts.” He said that the costs associated with the implementation of the law and paying Medicare physicians are two important factors the CBO did not consider with reviewing the legislation. Republicans are promising to take strong measures to reduce the deficit.

Other negative consequences of repealing health reform:

1) Nearly 32 million fewer Americans will get health insurance in 2019 with about 54 million people uninsured

2) Health insurance premiums would be somewhat lower than that under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) because the average policy would cover a smaller share of the enrollee’s costs. Some of these people would eventually pay more for health insurance because the elimination of subsidies provided in the new state insurance exchanges

Republicans in the Crosshairs

2011-01-12T17:42:00.000-08:00

Appearing at The Jaundiced Eye, the Independent Bloggers' Alliance, and My Left Wing.

Jesse Kelly Violating Military Regulations

It's not just Democrats who are scared after the assassination attempt on Rep. Giffords that left six others dead. A number of Arizona Republicans have resigned for fear of Tea Party violence directed at them for being RINOs. I think Jesse Kelly (see photo), who was narrowly defeated by Giffords, makes it clear what Arizona Tea Partiers think of RINOs. The primary target? Anthony Miller, a former McCain campaign staffer and the first and only African-American to hold the chairmanship for his Arizona district. This has netted him the moniker "McCain's boy."

A nasty battle between factions of Legislative District 20 Republicans and fears that it could turn violent in the wake of what happened in Tucson on Saturday prompted District Chairman Anthony Miller and several others to resign.

Miller, a 43-year-old Ahwatukee Foothills resident and former campaign worker for U.S. Sen. John McCain, was re-elected to a second one-year term last month. He said constant verbal attacks after that election and Internet blog posts by some local members with Tea Party ties made him worry about his family's safety.

. . .

The newly-elected Dist. 20 Republican secretary, Sophia Johnson of Ahwatukee, first vice chairman Roger Dickinson of Tempe and Jeff Kolb, the former district spokesman from Ahwatukee, also quit. "This singular focus on 'getting' Anthony (Miller) was one of the main reasons I chose to resign," Kolb said in an e-mail to another party activist. Kolb confirmed the contents of the e-mail to the Republic.

. . .

"I wasn't going to resign but decided to quit after what happened Saturday," Miller said. "I love the Republican Party but I don't want to take a bullet for anyone."

Ben Jealous, NAACP, Sleeping With The Enemy

2011-01-02T14:02:00.000-08:00

Well it appears that NAACP is sleeping with the enemy. You see, The NAACP believes, what Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour believes, that government should control our bodies and can do what it likes with them after it declares us to be a criminal." As Desiree Washington also noted, "This action of making organ donation compulsory if one wants a fair prison sentence transforms an act of altruism into state oppression that could imitate and rival China’s lucrative forced organ harvesting market." Read More Here

What am I talking about? I'm talking about how Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour on Thursday of last week, suspended the life sentences of two black sisters who’d already served 16 years for an armed robbery that netted $11. Barbour conditioned the suspended life sentences on the promise that one sister would donate one of her healthy kidney to her sister, who is presently on dialysis paid for by the state to the tune of about $200,000 annually. And get this, the national office of the NAACP is making bizarre comments about his decision, saying, “This is a shining example of how governors should use their commutation powers.”

AAP says: There goes NAACP President Benjamin Jealous again, this time he is stepping up as Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour "yes um" boss man, negro...

I agree with the Root's E.R. Shipp, "Pardoning two women serving life sentences for an $11 robbery they may not have committed is hardly a profile in courage." Read More HERE

(above) NAACP President Benjamin Jealous plays in black face and charlatan for Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour.

As reported by Desiree Washington, many are saying that Barbour’s conditional pardon may be unethical and possibly illegal”

Get this, Michael Shapiro, chief of organ transplantation at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, told the Reuters news agency. “He is unaware of the procedures of transplantation that include making sure donors are not coerced.”

I'm in agreement with so many black bloggers, like who are raising questions about the NAACP Sleeping With The Enemy, and Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour brand of Mississippi justice.

As Earl Ofari Hutchinson noted, Jealous’s praise of Barbour as a “shining example” was stunning, given Barbour’s years of resistance in the face of a national campaign for the sisters’ release and the conditions he imposed on the two women when he finally did show mercy. Thirty-six-year-old Gladys must donate a kidney to 38-year-old Jamie, who is seriously ill. Meanwhile, four convicted killers whom Barbour earlier pardoned and another whose life sentence he suspended had no conditions placed on them in return for clemency, despite the brutality of their crimes. More HERE

As Reid Report Editor Joy-Ann (“Joy”) Reid a political columnist for the Miami Herald and editor of The Reid Report noted; Ah, Mississippi justice. … The women, who are being housed in different parts of a prison just outside Jackson, Mississippi, say they want to go to Florida to be with their mother and children. Florida corrections officials would be in charge of making sure the kidney ransom is paid.

And while it’s a very good thing for the women to be freed, one wonders whether Barbour would have done it had he not come under fire for his ridiculous comments on race and the segregation era, and were he not likely seeking the presidency. I’d wager a guess it wouldn’t have happened. The Scott sisters’ case isn’t new. It has been a cause among activists for years.

Here’s Barbour’s statement on the release. I’m surprised he didn’t add a condition that the sisters appear in a campaign commercial for his presidential run, praising him as a fine example of Southern courtliness and good favor toward the colored people." Read more HERE

Individual Health Mandate Ignites Controversy

2010-12-30T15:14:00.000-08:00

One of the most crucial and divisive components of health care reform is the individual mandate. The most exorbitant part of the healthcare reform law that was just passed this year by Congress is the subsidy that is created in order to aid America’s working-class citizens to purchase individual health insurance.

However, then new entitlement is not the most controversial part of the law. Such a distinction goes to the provision that actually creates the need for the subsidies, which is the individual mandate. Beginning in 2014, all adults in America will be mandated to purchase health policies, according to the White House.

Opposition to the Individual Health Insurance Mandate

To those who oppose this move, health reform's individual mandate exemplifies the controlling overreach and invasiveness that have branded the past couple of years of associated Democratic power in the government. To those who support it, it is a critical portion of the effort by Congress to ensure that everyone in the country has health insurance available to them. In fact, estimates say that health reform will provide access to coverage for 32 million Americans in the next three to four years.

Attorney Generals Fight Back

More than twenty state attorney generals have brought forth two different lawsuits opposing the individual mandate. In addition, over a dozen individuals, advocacy groups and trade associations across the nation have filed challenges of their own.

Even though the plaintiffs in these cases make a multiplicity of legitimate points, their primary argument is that Congress does not have the authority to force the American people to purchase any type of product. If the government did possess such power, there would be no end to the control that it holds over the people. Congress would be able to order Americans to buy memberships at a gym or eat a specific amount of fruits and vegetables every day. The government could force people to vehicles from Chrysler or GM until the government has recovered its recent investment.

A number of federal judges have expressed their doubts about the mandate, claiming that it is an exceptional effort by Congress to normalize economic sedateness. Legal battles surrounding the issue of the individual mandate are not expected to be resolved without at least one of the lawsuits making it all the way to the Supreme Court.

Sources

http://www.whitehouse.gov/healthreform/blog

http://www.health-insurance.org

photo credit: Andrew Aliferis

The Scott Sisters, Nancy Lockhart and the Politics of Freedom

2010-12-30T02:17:00.000-08:00

Newspapers, national radio programs, bloggers and politicos are all talking about how Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour on Dec. 29 suspended the life sentences of two sisters jailed for an armed robbery that netted just $11—but the release of one sister will require her to donate a kidney to the other. As reported in The Afro American Newspaper today, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour on Dec. 29 suspended the life sentences, saying:

“To date, the sisters have served 16 years of their sentences and are eligible for parole in 2014. Jamie Scott requires regular dialysis, and her sister has offered to donate one of her kidneys to her,” Barbour said in a prepared statement, according to The Hattiesburg American. “The Mississippi Department of Corrections believes the sisters no longer pose a threat to society. Their incarceration is no longer necessary for public safety or rehabilitation, and Jamie Scott’s medical condition creates a substantial cost to the State of Mississippi.”

Jamie (left) and Gladys Scott were convicted of robbery in 1993 and given double life sentences. (Courtesy Photo)

According to The American, in 1993 the sisters lured two men down a road where they were robbed by three teens. The Scott sisters were convicted of robbery with a deadly weapon in the incident and each received reportedly unusual double life prison sentences. The teenagers who allegedly carried out the robbery only served two years in prison.

Barbour’s statement said that he asked the Mississippi Parole Board to review the Scott’s case, and that they supported his decision to suspend their sentences.

According to the Associated Press, the sisters have received support from national groups including the NAACP. A march for them earlier this year drew hundreds of people.

A release date for the sisters has not been decided, and will be set by the Mississippi Department of Corrections, according to Jackson, Miss. NBC affiliate WLBT.

AAP says: But with all the grandstanding that is about to happen, groups like the national office of the NAACP, Al Sharpton and the rest of the slick poverty pimp hustlers need to move over, and salute one of the key people that fought the up hill battle to get these women free. A true black woman freedom fighter who deserves accolades and support from America and America's African American community, Ms. Nancy Lockhart, who for years, through the strategic use of the Internet, and her Free the Scott Sisters Blog, along with Internet BlogTalkRadio shows began a grassroots effort to free the Scott sisters. Without Nancy Lockhart who has proven to be a modern day, 21st Century, Harriet Tubman like, African American women working on the outside, the Scott sisters may not be looking at Freedom. Of course we have to include the recent color aroused political blunders by Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, as the emphasis for the his true interest in reducing the life sentences of two black American sisters jailed for an armed robbery that netted just $11.

Ms. Nancy Lockhart, who has worked closely with grass root groups and individuals like Jerry Robinson, a sharp mouthed grass root community organizer, political activist, and national President of the Chicago based Poor People's Campaign has worked with Nancy Lockhart in her efforts to engage grass-root Internet activist, bloggers, and community groups from across the nation to support the Scott Sisters quest for freedom. Let the truth be told, it was not the national NAACP that lead the effort to free the Scott Sisters, it was Nancy Lockhart through her use of grassroots Internet organizing, with the support of people like Jerry Robinson of the Poor People's Campaign, Black left Internet groups like the afrospear, Black Agenda Report, and black bloggers like Electronic Village, Jack and Jill Politics, Francis L. Holland Blog, along with many dozens of Internet blogtalkradio host, such as Black Achievement USA, Black Talk Radio, JWriter, Justice4Us, Duchess of Wisdom, AANation, PPC, Kala Nation, Joli Ali, BostonAnt, Pumpkin13, Madison Media, Antoinette former co-host of African American Pundit's SlugFest Program, along with Antionette Harrell, One Black Mans View, Scotty, and so many others, who were able to create a band of national Internet activist who worked with Nancy Lockhart to get the word out to the larger blogosphere, afrosphere, black radio and national media, that caused the Scott Sisters to be of interest to groups like the NAACP and because of recent color aroused political blunders by Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, caused him to look at the Scott Sisters case as a political opportunity to make himself look good, as part of his potential Presidential ambitions. As noted in The Washington Post, Barbour, who is weighing a run for president, announced the pardon a week after he ran afoul of civil rights advocates. Last week, Barbour backtracked on comments he made about the civil rights era in Mississippi. More HERE

AAP says: All that being said, America, particularly Black America should salute and thank Nancy Lockhart for a job well done! She has taught us a new lesson for the 21st Century, "grassroot Internet organizing can work for America, particularly black America, if we put your mind, heart and soul into it."

Cross posted on MYDD

TSA parody video

2010-11-21T15:54:00.000-08:00

From Saturday Night Live.
Thought this was funny, and had to share it somewhere.

We don't fly, but I still hope we're able to get rid of these invasive new procedures for airline travelers. Some people don't have the option of bypassing air travel altogether.

Black Bloggers Gain Influence In Washington.DC

2010-10-12T17:34:00.000-07:00

Well it looks like black bloggers are gaining opportunities for conversations at the highest levels of government in Washington, D.C.

OK, let me re-state in a different way: "Black bloggers who conditionally or unconditionally support the Obama administration are gaining DNC and White House conversation."

First there was the meeting of black bloggers with DNC Chairman Kaine (which I attended), then there was there was a "black online summit" at the White House Monday as part of an outreach to African American journalists and bloggers before the midterm elections.

According to reports from the Maynard Institute, even President Obama stopped by a "black online summit" at the White House Monday as part of an outreach to African American journalists and bloggers before the midterm elections, an effort that includes the Democratic National Committee spending what it calls an unprecedented $3 million to reach the most loyal part of Obama's base, African American voters.

"I thought the meeting was great in that it showed that President Obama and his administration are taking black new media and our growing influence seriously," David A. Wilson, managing editor of theGrio.com, told Journal-isms via e-mail.

"They outlined how the administration's policies have had a positive effect on the African-American community and they invited us to make suggestions on how they could work better with us and provide us with more access to the White House.

However, Leutisha Stills, who blogs at Jack & Jill Politics, cautioned, "The summit was a good one and very comprehensive, but we made it known that if we really have 'influence,' we are going to test drive it and see how many more invites we get from the White House."

The Columbus Day session lasted from 9:15 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., with senior adviser Valerie Jarrett present along with specialists from various parts of the administration, including the first lady's office. Among the 20 African Americans working on the Web were representatives of theRoot.com, Black Entertainment Television, Essence, Jack & Jill Politics, City Limits, Concrete Loop, AOL Black Voices, Black America Web and even the gossipy MediaTakeOut.

Monday's session is to be followed Friday by a presidential meeting with 10 members of the Trotter Group of African American columnists. Moreover, six or seven African American bloggers were credentialed for Obama's rally in Philadelphia last Sunday, although invitations were extended to about 20.

AAP says: I was one of the 20 African American bloggers who was extended an invitation to be credentialed for Obama's rally in Philadelphia last Sunday, unfortunately because of schedule conflicts, I was not able to attend the President's rally.

The DNC and White House outreach effort with African American bloggers are noteworthy. The folks at Jack and Jill Politics in partnership with Kevin S. Lewis , director, African American media for the White House is awesome. The work of senior DNC staffers, including Clyde E. Williams, Political Director for the DNC, along with Derrick L. Plummer, Regional Press Secretary, and Jamiah Adams, New Media Constituency Manager at the DNC is equally as noteworthy. I can only wonder out loud if this effort is to just gain black blogger support for the mid-terms only? I understand this is a political town.

Is the White House and the DNC reading the content of black blogger concerns regarding our economy and the need for the Obama administration to aggressively enforce of Federal contracting requirements, while establishing new programs in the Department of Commerce, and labor to address the need for job training and small business/micro business "grants" not loans, for low-income urban dwellers?

I hope the DNC and The White House will continue to expand the working group to other progressive African American bloggers, such as Afro-Netizen, Black Commentator, Black Agenda Report, Field Negro, Faye Anderson, Oliver Willis, Prometheus 6, Republic of T, Skeptical Brotha, and so many others, who may have other observations and thoughts regarding what the administration can do to "really" address issues like jobs, the economy, health care, education, community capacity-building, and investment in our communities. I'm hopeful that the DNC and the White House is not, what some may consider the pimping the growing influence of black bloggers Only smart work and full engagement on the part of all parties, and time will tell...

As a black Independent voter and blogger, I remain cautiously hopeful.

Cross posted on African American Pundit

Bugf*ck

2010-09-21T08:22:00.000-07:00

Ewwwwww.

I’ll admit it, the first time I saw these bizarre photographs, I imagined an ad posted in the "Casual Encounters" section on craigslist: "Hi! I'm a bisexual, radioactively-enhanced Arachnid-American stud looking for freaky but open-minded humans. Let's have some hot 'n' sexy interspecies fun!"

From doing further research I learned they're posters for a safe sex campaign. (No, not in the United States, silly; it's in France. What's the chances of something this controversial and overtly sexual getting a green light here?) The subtext, of course, is: Be careful choosing your sexual partners because you never know what vermin you might pick up. Ewwwwww. O.K., it's not subtle, but it's clever and I think it's necessary because, unfortunately, too many people are still stupid, callous, and irresponsible:

DARMSTADT, Germany (AFP) – An HIV-positive pop star who infected a former sex partner with the virus walked free Thursday after a German court handed her a two-year suspended sentence.

The court in Darmstadt, western Germany, convicted 28-year-old Nadja Benaissa, a member of girl group No Angels, on one count of grievous bodily harm and two counts of attempted bodily harm.

The singer had confessed to having unprotected sex and keeping her virus secret but denied intending to infect anyone during a trial that has sparked a media frenzy in Germany.

The glamorous half-Moroccan singer made an emotional apology during closing arguments, telling the court: "I am sorry from the bottom of my heart. I would love to turn back the clock, but I can't."

Benaissa was charged with grievous bodily harm, which could have led to up to 10 years behind bars, but both the prosecutors and the defence argued for a suspended sentence as she had admitted to the crime and said sorry.

Medical experts determined she had almost certainly infected one of her ex-boyfriends with the HIV virus, as they both had a strain of the virus that is relatively rare in Germany.

The case prompted a debate about trial by media and presumption of innocence in a country that partly for historical reasons is highly sensitive about privacy.

Respected news magazine Spiegel described the trial as a "witch hunt" and AIDS organisations expressed their concern that HIV carriers would feel pressured to take sole responsibility for safe sex.

Maybe I'm wrong, but if I know that I'm HIV+ and I make the decision to have unsafe sex anyway, then I'm a murderer. It's playing Russian Roulette with a loaded gun and pretending it's not dangerous. However, as reprehensible as this woman's behavior was, it's not uncommon. That's why I think these controversial posters aren't a bad idea. It might educate some people, even if it's accidental.

Sure, the vulgar imagery is offensive; I'll admit that. Still, it's not as offensive as willingly infecting your partner with a disease because you have the moral values of a cockroach.

DNC Chairman Meets with Black Political and Social Action Bloggers

2010-09-17T07:02:00.000-07:00

9.16.10 - Today I attended a DNC meeting with Black Political and Social Action Bloggers and DNC Chairman, Gov.Tim Kaine. This is a 180 degree change from the days of black bloggers concerned about a lack of access within the DNC. I'm reminded about a post a number of years ago, by Liza at the culture Kitchen when she wrote: "These are the 20 liberal bloggers that met with Bill Clinton in Harlem.

As you can see, not one of them - black...

It was great to see bloggers like Leutisha Stills aka "The Christian Progressive Liberal from Jack and Jill Politics, Black Snob's Danielle.Belton, Blogger Jeneba Jalloh "JJ" Ghatt, and a number of other bloggers at the meeting with the DNC Chairman. "The conversation revolved around the DNC’s efforts to inform, engage and empower voters – especially African American voters- to participate in the upcoming elections.

The DNC senior staff have said if President Obama is to continue moving our country forward our community has to be informed. Moreover, he needs allies in Congress and in order for him to have allies in Congress we need people to come to the polls and vote.

The conversation with Chairman Kaine took place today at the DNC headquarters in Washington, DC with a conference call-in number for black bloggers who were not be able to attend in person.

Bloggers like Villager publisher of Electronic Village attended via teleconference. There were background discussions with senior DNC staffers, including Clyde E. Williams, Political Director for the DNC, along with Derrick L. Plummer, Regional Press Secretary, and Jamiah Adams, New Media Constituency Manager at the DNC.

Bloggers in attendance got a real opportunity to discuss the DNC’s detailed plan to engage voters and how the DNC can be a resource to members of the African American Political blogger community.

This meeting in many ways appeared to serve as a DNC coordinated follow-up to an earlier high level meeting between black bloggers and the Obama administration.

As reported by Casey Gane-McCalla over at NewsOne, President Obama's staff has been reaching out to an array of new black opinion-makers ---- black political bloggers and Pundits. As reported by Casey Gane-McCalla, the White House meeting was brokered by Cheryl Contee of the blog Jack & Jill Politics, and was several months in the making. As reported by NewsOne, It also offered the bloggers a chance to connect with the administration and find ways to gain more White House access. Over 60 bloggers met in June with Jesse Lee, director of the White House’s Online Programs, and Corey Ealons, White House director of African American Media, while in the DC for Blogging While Brown conference. More HERE

Regarding the meeting with the DNC Chairman Kaine it was organized by DNC Regional Press Secretary Derrick L. Plummer, along with Jamiah Adams, New Media Constituency Manager with the DNC.

During the meeting we learned from the DNC Chairman that the DNC will provide an unprecedented amount of resources with a special emphasis on base turnout — youth, African-Americans, Latinos and first-time voters. I found the DNC Chairman to be thoughtful, candid, and willing to listen to ways to improve DNC communication to African American voters and African American bloggers.

Advertising on black political blogs websites

This Pundit asked whether there would be any special emphasis for the DNC to advertise on black political blogs. Something that has been a concern of mine and other black bloggers for some time. We will be asking that question again, and will inform our readers of the final answer. Show me the money!

As I said back in 2007, more black voters will be reading these black bloggers views and opinions. There are progressive black political bloggers such Jack and Jill Politics, Afro-Netizen,Black Commentator, Black Agenda Report, Black Races, BlackProf, BrownFemiPower, Black electorate, Field Negro, Mirror on America, Negro Please, NegroPhile, Oliver Willis, Prometheus 6, Republic of T, Skeptical Brotha,Where Is The Outrage?,Francis Holland, and so many others, (don’t forget the Angry Indian – Voice of a Native Son) who just may be interested in advertising and the DNC's advertising dollar.

Future Black blogger - DNC Coordination

During the discussion with DNC Chairman, Tim Kaine the former Virginia governor says given all the challenges his party's faced since the 2008 election, and despite the poll numbers, he's believes the Democrats can pull off victories in some races that will surprise people. He pointed out Democrats need help from all segments to inform, engage and empower voters – especially African American voters- to participate in the upcoming elections.

AAP says: "I know I want my President to be successful. Do you? It's about rebuilding our nation, our communities our neighborhoods. Although I am not a Democrat, I believe it's time to rally with the President and his party around issues we agree upon. I believe progressive black political bloggers should support the President and the DNC... even when we disagree. Just remember to hold the DNC and the President accountable, if they don't address issues like high unemployment, poverty reduction and other issues important to our communities."

Nadja, Ken, and Michael.

2010-08-26T18:30:00.000-07:00

"All I can say, pretty looks isn't all" ~ Heptones~

It's not, and it can sure get you killed. I bet some of Nadja Benaissa's partners are hoping that it doesn't get them killed. Seems they swung some eps with my girl and she failed to mention that she was....well, HIV positive. Oh ohh, yes fellows, that can be a little problematic.

"The one-time pop star was tried in juvenile court because the sexual encounters began when she was 17, which is also the age she was when she learned she had HIV after a pregnancy test."

Memo to all you players out there, never leave your jimmies at home. It could save your life. [Story]

Speaking of failing to mention something: So let me get this straight; you mean to tell me that all those years Ken Mehlman was leading the republican hit parade against Gays and leftist, he was a closeted Gay man ,himself? Oh my. You just never know where those skeletons will come from.

"The unity of the Republican Party's electoral coalition may have been dealt a setback this week when longtime top party official Ken Mehlman walked out of the closet.

Many Washington insiders long had suspected that Mr. Mehlman, a former Republican National Committee chairman who ran President George W. Bush's 2004 re-election campaign, is gay, but the public admission - and Mr. Mehlman's promise to work actively for legalizing same-sex marriages - clash for many with the party's message on social values.

'I could care less if Ken is a gay; it is a private matter. But gay marriage is not,' said Indiana Republican National Committee member Jim Bopp Jr.. Mr. Bopp, a constitutional lawyer who has argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, co-founded the first formal conservative caucus within the RNC."

"Marriage is NOT a private matter"? Mr. Bopp (I love that name) you have got to be kidding me. The honest truth is this: the sooner you republicans get into the 21st Century the easier life will be for you. Twisting yourselves up like a pretzel in order to make sense of your twisted positions is starting to make you folks look really stupid.

"Earlier this year, an informal private agreement was reached among some social, religious and fiscal conservatives and Republican officials to emphasize fiscal issues in the midterm elections and to downplay issues like abortion, same-sex marriage and stem-cell research."

Of course. Now it all makes perfect sense.

Why do I get the feeling that the rise of the tea party folks and wingnuts is causing more stuff like this to happen here in A-merry-ca. Still, I am going to leave this one alone. I need some new Air R's before I can go chasing my man racism, he has gotten way too fast for me. Where is Glenn Beck when you need him to bring peace and racial harmony to a troubled country? Oh yes, he will be in D.C. this weekend. I can't wait.

Unfortunately for Michael Enright he won't be there.- Although I know he would love to be. It seems my man has been taking his cues from Glenn lately. Hey Michael, cab drivers piss me off sometimes, too, but I don't go around pretending that they are a Thanksgiving turkey just to make a point.

When Food Goes Bad

2010-08-26T11:28:00.000-07:00

Recalled eggs could still reach your table

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) - The Iowa hens at the heart of a massive recall are still laying eggs that could end up on a table near you. And food safety experts say that's OK.

The eggs will first be pasteurized to rid them of any salmonella. Then they can be sold as liquid eggs or added to other products.

Officials from the two farms that have recalled more than a half-billion eggs say there's no reason not to use the eggs while federal officials investigate the outbreak. Wright Egg Farms and Hillandale Farms issued the recall after learning that salmonella may have sickened as many as 1,300 people.

Spokeswomen for the farms said their hens are still laying several million eggs a day. Those eggs are being sent to facilities where their shells are broken and the contents pasteurized.

Hillandale Farms spokeswoman Julie DeYoung said the operation has 2 million birds that lay an egg about every 26 hours.

"It's close to 2 million eggs a day," she said.

But the pasteurization only affects eggs that are being laid now. Recalled eggs that had already been shipped to stores are destroyed.

Both companies say they are waiting to hear from the Food and Drug Administration before deciding what, if anything, to do with their hens.

The FDA cannot order the farms to kill hens that may be infected with salmonella, but the farms could decide to take that step on their own. Neither would discuss that possibility.

"Naked Lunch", Jack Kerouac once explained, "is that frozen moment when everyone sees what is on the end of every fork." It's a terrible epiphany that never goes away.

And it’s an experience that’s being shared by more and more people every day.

There was a time when the worst you had to worry about eating eggs was too much cholesterol. Those were the days, huh?

I think I just lost my appetite.

Sometimes doing nothing is worse than doing something bad because usually doing nothing makes bad things worse. And unfortunately there's been lots of nothing not-happening all over the country.

Call me foolish, but I'm not worried about a terrorist attack. Osama bin Laden didn’t poison our eggs, did he?

It's the not-so-slow erosion of our aging infrastructure that's scaring the fuck outta me. Our bridges, our rail system, and our highways get worse every damned day. Libraries, schools and hospitals are closing. There's not enough cops on the streets. There's fewer jobs, the number of foreclosures are up, and more Americans are in debt. Medical insurance is horribly expensive. And why in the hell are we hearing reports of food on supermarket shelves killing people?

When the America people voted for the dumb-ass, smirking fratboy who promised "lower taxes" and "less government" this is what happens. Sure, he’s gone, but he’s not forgotten. Elections have consequences, after all. When corporations are left to "regulate" themselves, checks and balances disappear. Cities drown, bridges fall down, and food is poison. When Bush gutted the FDA and replaced the competent people with idiots who couldn't do their jobs, the organization that was entrusted to keep our food safe wasn't able to do it anymore.

These days, agribusiness is a corporate entity that produces bad food and is destructive to the environment on a global scale. Maybe I’m wrong, but the Obamas growing fresh vegetables on the White House lawn isn’t going to be enough.

How long before Soylent Green is the safest food we can eat?

Black Bloggers Vs. NAACP

2010-07-26T09:01:00.001-07:00

When black bloggers or Black journalist say that Barack Obama or Ben Jealous of the NAACP are not speaking to issues that are important to African Americans, the sparks fly.

Black bloggers and Black Journalist may even be called anti-black. Read the attack on Jack and Jill Politics in the comments section of Field Negroes blog. These die hard colored extremist shock me every day! Then they get mad if I call them colored. when the organization the are die hard supporters that call themselves colored - The NAA of Colored People.

Now when white Journalist say Obama does not have enough black on their staff, or The Obama White House is too white - not a problem. When a black blogger or Journalist says the same thing, your anti-black.

What is truly another disgrace is these die hard NAACP and Obama supporters who don't like black folks speaking their minds, as we question the NAACP or the Obama administration.

Yes, I admit I said the National President of the NAACP is disgrace and a sell-out and should consider resigning as President of the NAACP.

Yes, I admit that I said he is part of the new crew of colored people advancing their own agenda, not a black empowerment or capacity building agenda.

Now why do I have to be attacked for having my own opinion by Kevin M., a Branch President of the NAACP on my Facebook Page. Check out the interaction:

Kevin said: "AAPP, it IS certainly your right to do so and I for one would not insult you for being critical. However, when you continuously return to the meme "what has the NAACP done since the 60's?", I for one question whether you are as...king a real question or just being intentionally inflammatory.

AAPP: @Kevin: I have no reason on earth to be intonally inflamatory. I am not the only one asking real questions about the National Office of the NAACP and it's lack of leadership. Infact, one would have to wonder why the President of the NAACP was intentionally inflammatory, in order to get it's name in the news by electronically lynching a black women - Shirley Sherrod...

Kevin Said: What have we done? Really? I will just speak for my little band of folks out here in Kansas when I say that in just the last 2 years we've registered around 700 voters, wrote a couple state laws, blocked a bill designed to block health care reform, pushed for changes to the State voter registration system, helped countless folks with their census forms, spoke to hundreds of school children about leadership, built a world-class debate and oratory program for neighborhood kids, pushed to have our district locate the state's only elementary IB program right in the HEART of our community, investigated more than a hundred discrimination cases, developed our own rehabilitation program for children in Juvenile detention, and brought together 35 community organizations to pool our talents and resources and solve our own community problems, among other things...

AAPP@ Kevin: I salute the great work of a number of local branches who do great work and are able to to show outcomes for their collective efforts. Now I read you don't want my congratulations - so be it. Not a problem, there are real community builders in my local community to congratulate and support.

Kevin said: Now yes AAPP, it IS certainly your right as an American citizen to continue to call us fools, disgraceful, ignorant, worthless and all the other names you like to banty about on your blog... But just know that those responses you're receiving are coming from folks who are ALSO exercising THEIR rights as Americans to question you as to what have you actually done besides call black people who are volunteering in their communities a bunch of names on the internet.

AAPP@ Kevin: I have no problem with folks asking what I have done lately. My record in community development and community capacity building throughout the country is an open book, if people want to know, just hit my up privately and we can discuss my body of work in community development. I have been in the trenches, even before many of these so called activist were born.

Kevin: Here's the part where you usually make the distinction between the local and National office... But you know what - you shouldn't.. The NAACP is an Association of 2,200 branches just like mine. Sometimes awesome, and sometimes awful... but we are a network of 400,000 folks who are volunteering our own time and resources to make our communities better. And we are all coming together and saying goodbye to our past divisions.. So if you are talking about "our" President, "our" chairman, "our" national Board, or "our" national staff, please don't single me out for any type of singular appreciation - I don't want it.

AAPP@Kevin: Yes, you have a network of 400,000 but the national office cant even put together a blog, or an internet networking vehicle to do grassroot organizing. How pathetic!

Kevin: Now I know calling us a bunch of names is still good for building your readership - I ain't mad at ya... do your thing. But just know as a community, we seem to be reaching a 'tipping point'. I'm out in the community every day and I can tell you that a lot of us are simply getting weary of the "Let me demonstrate my independence by attacking Black people" routine... Pretty soon my brother, you're going to have to get a new gig.

AAPP@ Kevin: I would expect nothing less of you, as a NAACP Chapter President to support everything that the national office does. I'm not the only one seeing the National Office of the NAACP for what it is.

By the way, I'm not the only one who thinks the NAACP has been a failure for over 40 years.

Please read Dewayne Wickman'sBlackChristianNews.com

http://blackchristiannews.com/news/2010/07/naacp-is-putting-the-heavy-on-everybody-but-obama-about-jobs.html

Yes, Kevin, Your right we seem to be reaching a Tipping Point. and the NAACP may just go the way of F.W. Woolworth's. Yes, your right there are some that need new gigs. The current President of the NAACP is the one that needs to get the new gig. He is the one that attacked a black woman, Shirley Sherrod... without cause...

But I guess you have not been following current events...

----

The national office of the NAACP has no credability! Now it sends out it's goof balls to attack me. Read what the NAACP had to say about George Wallace, Robert Byrd and other bigots who have destroyed the lifes of countless black folks and how they were snookered by of all people FOX News.

These have to be some real stupid bastards at the national office to watch Fox News and believe it.

NAACP Press Release:

The NAACP also has long championed and embraced transformation by people who have moved beyond racial bias. Most notably, we have done so for late Alabama Governor George Wallace and late US Senator Robert Byrd -- each a man who had associated with and supported white supremacists and their cause before embracing civil rights for all.

With regard to the initial media coverage of the resignation of USDA Official Shirley Sherrod, we have come to the conclusion we were snookered by Fox News and Tea Party Activist Andrew Breitbart into believing she had harmed white farmers because of racial bias.

AAPP: Pathetic! Robert Bird? George Wallace? Transformed?
This NAACP National Office is so... Pathetic...

No wonder so many people believe the NAACP has lost it's way. The national NAACP has been so disorganized for years. How long will this new young and inexperienced NAACP President last? Hopefully not for long. The last NAACP President only lasted 19 months.
The fact of the matter is the relatatively new President of the NAACP brought shame to the NAACP, yet it gratuitously uses the occasion to bash black bloggers for calling them out.

Robert Bird? George Wallace? Transformed? Whatever.

Robert Bird was a recruiter for the Klan while in his 20s and 30s, rising to the title of Kleagle and Exalted Cyclops of his local chapter. After leaving the group, Byrd spoke in favor of the Klan during his early political career. Though he claimed to have left the organization in 1943, Byrd wrote a letter in 1946 to the group's Imperial Wizard stating "The Klan is needed today as never before, and I am anxious to see its rebirth here in West Virginia." Byrd defended the Klan in his 1958 U.S. Senate campaign when he was 41 years old.

Despite being the only Senator to vote against both African American U.S. Supreme Court nominees (liberal Thurgood Marshall and conservative Clarence Thomas and filibustering the Civilm Rights Act of 1964, the NAACP supported this man who would lynch black men, women and children. Byrd has since said joining the Klan was his "greatest mistake" and the NAACP gave him a 100% rating on their issues.

The National NAACP needs to transform itself and back it's attack dogs off of this blogger.

Oh, that's right, the NAACP attack dog (Kevin M) recently lost a bid to become a member of the board, and will take any action he can to show he is worthy of a seat in the future.

As Kevin said on his NAACP Chapter blog, "Sometimes success comes in stages and this was just the first stage of my road onto the board. ;)"

I'm coming back bigger and stronger than ever!"

AAPP says: I guess that "bigger and stronger" can be accomplished by attacking me and other black bloggers bro Kevin? In the name of getting an NAACP Board seat, let me attack a fellow afrospear blogger. Following in the Footsteps of Ben Jealous? Attack when you don't know the facts? Or attack to those who say the NAACP is out of step with the needs of the black community.

Well Mr. NAACP Kevin M you won't be able to attack me on my own Facebook page anymore. You have been banned!

UPDATE: As reported by another black blogger, Gina, at What About Our Daughters,
the NAACP Legal Goons have Invaded WAOD comments section following calls for Jealous to resign.

See, I knew I was not the only person under attack by the NAACP and their representatives.