Hazing Jr.

Yes!!! I finally chalked up a win in mock trial. I had previously been shut down in moot court, (which I assert is really gay anyway) so I was really looking forward to mock trial competitions. Hopefully we can win a few more rounds, I seem to be learning a lot about evidence, so hopefully the competition proves to be more beneficial than I thought it would be. I have to shout out my witnesses BB and Los. Ya'll were great. Thanks!!!

Barak Obama was in Memphis to help Ford Jr. campaign for his run for the Senate. I was looking forward to hearing Obama speak, and he delivered a very thoughtful and perhaps inspiring tale of how he was able to overcome the odds in winning his senate seat. He mentioned how that off the bat he had to overcome the issue of his name. (I can certainly relate). Nonetheless he was not a frontrunner when he was running. He was able to get his message out to the voters and he was eventually elected to the Senate. I think Barak stole some of Jr's thunder in that Jr. has been was eyeing the senator before Barak came onto the scene. In addition, Jr., had been the Democrats golden boy in a sense, so when Barak was elected he became a focal point in the party. Barak has not been in the Senate long enough for me to form an opinion on his politics and how he has voted on the issues, but at this stage I have to respect him for his accomplishments thus far and hope his politics are for the people and not a continuation of the current bullshit that is being served in D.C. Yea I know its blurry, my bad.

As it relates to Jr., he put it out there that if it appears he is playing the middle, he does so because he is about helping all people. Hmm....I dunno if I am going to buy that. I mean in the real world, you want an elected official that is going to play fair and by the rules. But we are not dealing with this type of reality with the current administration. These Republicans are saying we have the ball and you cant play unless you play by our rules. I want an elected official that is gonna have the balls to say, fuck that, and make moves/waves/. Jr. is a Blue Dog Democrat. But this District is not a blue dog district. How is this district benefiting from Jr's desire to play ball with the Republicans? I mean its one thing to try to meet the opposing party half way, but what is he getting in return that helps his district? Nada......For those who are asking, what the hell is a Blue Dog Democrat? I've already expressed my disdain for his support of the Iraq War, I am speaking about before we went to war, his endorsement of the war was foolish, and I do not recall him coming back to Memphis for a townhall meeting. Then there is that jacked up Bankruptcy bill he signed off on. Mind you Memphis is the Bankruptcy capital of the world. Nuff said on that one.

"The Blue Dogs are less fiercely partisan, and they do not all hail from the South. They seek to build ideological bridges to the Republican side of the aisle, are known for their independence from the leadership of their own party, and tend to be more pragmatic than partisan. Blue Dogs are closer in purpose to a former coalition of southern Members of the House known as the “Boll Weevils,” whose heyday was in the early 1980's. These Members defected as a group from the Democratic party to vote with Congressional Republicans on budgetary and tax bills. However, all Southerners, they were named after the insect that infected and often destroyed cotton crops, so the name “Boll Weevil” had a pejorative implication."

Even with my disappointment in Jr. as my elected representative, I can't say I will not support his candidacy for the Senate. Would I prefer him in the Senate, or a full fledged Republican? Which is worse? At least I know the Republican is gonna vote Republican. Jr. needs to be hazed by those of us in his District who believe he is abandoning his base. Who knows what the hell he is promising while he campaigns in conservative East Tennessee. We better get to him before it is too late.

Malcolm X was gunned down on this day forty-one years ago. I figure I will close with a quote from him. "I believe in the brotherhood of man, all men, but I don’t believe in brotherhood with anybody who doesn’t want brotherhood with me. I believe in treating people right, but I’m not going to waste my time trying to treat somebody right who doesn’t know how to return the treatment." Speech, Dec. 12 1964, New York City. Dig that.......